what makes people great: some incomplete thoughts

Truly Great People recognize that they are great because of the principles they live by, not in spite of them.

The American Revolution was fought over many principles. Among these was the Divine Right Of Kings: when God created Adam and Eve in the Garden, He gave Adam lordship over the earth. This stewardship has been misunderstood as the right to do whatsoever man would without any accountability. This coupled with the idea of Birthright is part of what brings about the ideas of 'Who's your Daddy' and being a person of renown bloodline. The Kings of Europe in particular took this to mean that they had right to rule over their fellows without accountability to them.

In truth this idea is traceable back to the principle of Pride that says "My will be done" regardless of any other idea.
Said differently the ides is who is right instead of what is right. Again this is about the principles one lives by, not something intrinsic to the individual. Go see Jesus' comments about God making children of Abraham out of paving stones when he was talking to some proud, arrogant men in his day.

Today, many decry Americans for claiming to be the best people in the world as jingoism, and arrogance. On one hand the pitfall of pride is easy to trip into and many do: but so long as it is evinced in the way the individual lives, thoughtful and observant people will recognize that it is by principles that people are elevated, not intrinsic value.

Americans are not free and great because they are the best people in the world, as the proud and arrogant would and do accuse. Americans are the best people in the world because they live by the principles of freedom. Further, all other people in the world are invited to join and become the best people in the world, by living by those same principles, wherever they may be.

Ethnicity, heritage, 'who's your daddy, and what great deeds did he do,' these are nice to brag about if the pride of 'my will be done' and who is right are among your core principles.
People who put principle before themselves, and are interested in what is right, are not going to be overly impressed by recitations of what your antecedents did.