Identity and its Development

A person's identity is an integral part of that particular person.  Identity encapsulates many aspects of a person, including culture, religion, and nationality.  Yet, a property so intrinsic to a person can become changed so dramatically over the course of a lifetime.  The reasons for changes such as these vary greatly; history has provided us with a wide array of examples.  For instance, the Declaration of Independence is a document that marks a huge identity change for the Patriots.  While this change developed over time, the Declaration is the statement that officiated the identity change.  The reason for this identity change stems from political matters.  The Americans wanted liberty, but a specific kind of liberty: governmental liberty.  The Patriots felt they could make economic decisions not only by themselves, but even better and more equally than the British.  Politics is not the only thing that can change an identity, though.  The narrative of Olaudah Equiano provides a good look at the transformation of a young slave boy from an African to a European.  While it can be disputed which culture Equiano actually identifies with more strongly at the end of the narrative, it is clear that Equiano identifies himself as European to some extent.  These changes are brought about largely due to the decisions of other people in the slave trade.  Equiano didn't choose to leave Africa, but over time, he begins to diffuse within the Europeans, even making friends with a few.  Equiano's skin makes him stand out, of course, but does that matter, as long as Equiano identifies himself as European?  Does heredity matter at all in determining personal identity?  Is there anything so biologically ingrained in a person that can never be altered?  History may say there is not.