Why do US citizens call themselves Americans?

Question

Are US citizens so arrogant as to think they are the only Americans that count as Americans, or so ignorant of geography that they actually believe the United States actually covers all of America.

As a US citizen myself I bristle when I hear the term American used in a manner to exclude Canadians, Mexicans, and residents of Central and South America. I find such use of the term American particularly offensive when used by educated people and people in high positions such as President Bush.

Answer 1

because ingnorance catches on pretty quick and stays around!!

Answer 2

Ok...an American is:

A native or inhabitant of America.
A citizen of the United States.

America is:

The landmasses and islands of North America, Central America, and South America.

The United States of America (U.S.A.), also referred to as the United States (U.S.), America, or the States, is a federal republic in North America and the Pacific Ocean. It extends from the Atlantic coast in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. It shares land borders with Canada in the north and Mexico in the south, shares a marine border with Russia in the west, and has a collection of districts, territories, and possessions around the world including Midway Island and Guam. The country has fifty states, which have a level of local autonomy.

I would think that if any of the above apply that you are an American -- why not use the term?

Answer 3

This country is the United States of America. Since America is in that name, we call ourselves Americans. There is nothing offensive about that. The people who live in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland call themselves English or British, and no one seems to be upset about that. Citizens of the Netherlands call themselves Dutch! Go figure that one out.

I don't hear anyone else from North or South America screaming that they are the real Americans, just you. They call themselves Mexican, Canadian, Brazilian, Peruvian, etc. It's just a word, so give it a rest.

Answer 4

Speeking as a Texan . . .

Canadian sounds good.
Mexican sounds good.
United Statian sounds repulsive.

Remember the United States of America were 13 different states, territories, and commonwealths. This is not much different than the current European Union. If one is not in a country that is a member of the European Union, you can still call yourself 'European'. If a Canadian or Mexican calls themselves 'American' or 'norteamericano' I'll not be offended.

I don't think we are thinking about excluding Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, Columbians, Panamanians, or others when we say, "Americans". It's just stuck with us.

Someone that sees this as evidence of our ethnocentric, Amerocentric, and self-centered attitude would be mistaken. There is plenty more to point out other than this.

Criticizing the President for using the term "American" is silly, and counter-productive the real criticism he should receive.

I think using 'Japan' instead of 'Nippon' is weird.

Answer 5

We are referred to as the United States of America because the United States is in North America.

Answer 6

ok...an American is: an section or inhabitant of united states. A citizen of the US. united states is: The landmasses and islands of North united states, crucial united states, and South united states. the US of united states (united statesA.), typically known because the US (U.S.), united states, or the States, is a federal republic in North united states and the Pacific Ocean. It extends from the Atlantic coast interior the east to the Pacific Ocean interior the west. It stocks land borders with Canada interior the north and Mexico interior the south, stocks a marine border with Russia interior the west, and has a decision of districts, territories, and possessions around the globe along with halfway Island and Guam. the country has fifty states, which have a factor of close by autonomy. i'd imagine that if any of the above prepare that you're an American -- why no longer use the time period?

Answer 7

Americans aren't arrogant or ignorant, but are only in tune with our region's history.

There were thirteen orignal colonies who were the first independant states in America. When our ancestors formed the United States of Ameirica. They were the only independent states of America. So when that name was created it was reflective of the reality of the world at that time.

As time went by other colonies in North and South America became independent nations. However, we were first and we earned the right to carry the name USA. It was the vision of our nation's founders and the way in which we were created, become the vision of Simon Bolivar and other leaders in Latin America leaders to overule colonial rule and become independent States.
As a matter of fact I think the official name for Mexico is the
"Estados Unidos Mexicanos" (United Mexican States).

Answer 8

Well, people from central America and South America would be called Central Americans and South Americans, respectively. People from Canada are called Canadians by their own accord. Poeple from North America, as in the United States of America, began calling themselves that on their own, and if Mexicans and Canadians had wanted to call themselves that long ago, they would have. But Columbus named the Americas, and as a result, the original settlers from overseas called themselves Americans.

So...who cares???

Anything else you would like to ***** about?

Anything happy on your mind?

Answer 9

I thought that people from South America and North America are Americans, and that Canadian and US citizens are North Americans, with both places (Canada and USA) making up North America, and both South America and North America being collectively called the Americas.

Ahem... I propose that US citizens now be known as Usians (yoo-jh'nz). All those in favour say aye. The ayes have it.

Answer 10

I'm not trying to be offensive, but it's not even all that important. Why are people so offended by every little thing? I just don't understand it. Americans, United Staters, whatever. Life is just too short to be concerned about things like that. There's plenty of other things going on in the world today.

Answer 11

Yep, it's become a shortened version of United States of America, illogical as it is to say that it's America when it's only a portion of North America. So we tend to use both meanings, and rarely refer to the two continents as America but as North and South America. It does sum up politics these days to a certain extent. Maybe we should've come up with a name all of our own instead, much earlier on. But that's in part due to our sudden revolution that formed us. (U.S.A.)