AMERICANS AND AMERICANS?

[Maharg67]

I have often wondered why of all the peoples who live in the Americas (North, Central and South America) why only the people of the United States of America are generally known as Americans. Why are not Mexicans, Canadians, Chileans, Bolivians, Argentinians, Panamanians and all the others not also known as Americans.

 

The other question I have wondered at is this; if the people of the USA were not called Americans, what would they be called? One early idea was Columbians as in the District of Columbia (Washington DC). That is Columbians not to be confused with Colombians of the South American country of Colombia.

 

I would like to stress this is not meant as a flaming topic but a simply as a topic on a historical question and it would be good if people suggested what alternative names might have been. I thought of the name 'Unionard' but it seems rather a clumsy name.

Edited October 23, 2011 by Maharg67

[Lisnpuppy]

At least to your first question I suspect US folks are called Americans because they were the first country to officially adopt "America" as an official part of their name. Even now I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head that has America as part of their country name (though there may be.)

 

When referring to the continents are this part of the world people are referred in general as North Americans (which includes Canada) or South or Central Americans.

 

I also suspect it is important for each individual country to express its individuality and culture in its name.

 

There was another possible name they had been thinking about. I can't think of what it was but it went the way of the turkey. heh I made a history joke.

 

Alternate name? Hmm... what about if they had picked like..The Continentals? Makes sense. :turned:

[marharth]

BECAUSE AMERKIA BE THE BEST, YEEEEEEEEEHAWWWW!

 

To be serious what Linspuppy said. It was first named as America after the person who discovered South America. The land masses were pretty much referred to the new world until it was adopted into "United States of America."

Edited October 23, 2011 by marharth

[myrmaad]

Yup, that's the reason.

 

However, I sometimes refer to myself as a "USAnian" because I personally think it sounds more respectful to the rest of those who live in the Americas, but only informally.

 

Unlike "Mexican" and "Canadian", "American" is easier to say then "UnitedStatesian", and more inclusive than "Marylander", or "Delaweener".

[Balagor]

Vinland (Wineland), was the first name for a part of North America, discovered by the Vikings. "Winelander" is easy to say :tongue:

[Keanumoreira]

Not sure why people don't refer to it as the America's anymore, at least if we weren't referring it to an historical standpoint. But if we did, then what would we rename America then? If we chose to preserve that name, maybe we should just rename the America's something else then. The New World sounds like an old name these days. We could rename it Newfoundland, but the Canadians already beat us to it. :laugh: Maybe that question is best left to Americo Vespucio. If only Mr. Death had passed him by. :ermm: Edited October 23, 2011 by Keanumoreira

[Aurielius]

The term Americans meaning citizens of the Untied States was actually given to us by the English who referred to us as their American Colonies as differentiated from their Canadian Colonies which they won by right of conquest in the Seven Years War (French and Indian War) from France. The countries of south and central America refer to themselves by individual titles usually due to the wars of liberation from their colonial parent states.

Bolivia named after Simon Bolivar, Panama after the isthmus of Panama, Columbia after the presumed discoverer of the America's, Venezuela was named by the Spanish meaning Little Venice, Argentina got it's name from it's silver mining 'argent', Peru got it name meaning rock due to it's mountains, Ecuador got it's name from it's proximity to the equator, Chile is a bastardization of the the Inca the name of a tribal chief (“cacique”) called Tili, who ruled the area at the time of the Incan conquest. I think you get my drift and possibly all the other countries had to pick something else because we had already assumed the brand title as the first independent country of the the Americas.

[draconix]

Interesting question and conversation, probably not a lot to debate about here though, but I could be wrong.

 

I think Aureilius is about right in that the name wasn't so much "taken" as it was given, or maybe even forced upon us. From what I understand, the founding of the United States of America was intended to be a much more loosely defined group of states than what we experience today. After the founding of the US, chances are you'd hear people refer to themselves as "Virginian" or "Georgian" first and as their part of the union a far second or third. I think it was probably more of the outsider's perspective of the union of the states that clumped us together with a more unified label, "Americans", like what Aureilius said. Of course I wasn't there, but if my education serves me right, the early states had more pride in their individual states than the union as a whole, and were quite heavily opposed to a large federal government, like the rapidly expanding one that we see today. Most of the laws, taxes, and law enforcement were done at a local level.

 

Off topic: People sometimes wonder what the founding fathers intended when they wrote the Constitution.. Well, we could always look to the actions and limitations posed on our government in the first few decades to see how it acted and performed while the founding fathers were still there to visibly roll over in their graves. :tongue:

Edited October 23, 2011 by draconix

[Maharg67]

I generally agree with what people have written and I have found it to be generally of interest and a good learning experience.

 

Yet I wonder about the future of the use of the term 'American' and how people would perceive it. Perhaps all of the Americas could be called Greater America or PanAmerica or something of that order and all peoples of North, Central and South America be called something in relation to that. PanAmericans?

 

I can not see Americans (people of the USA) easily accepting change even if a good substitute could be found (and who can blame Americans for what would be a difficult and often disturbing change) and yet I can see that it is always going to be a source of at least some tension. Just stating that it is a 'done deal' is not going to improve matters. Undertaking a positive debate ending in a meaningful compromise just might do the trick. It is a debate that may assist Americans (of the USA) to better understand their, your, own country better as it may help other peoples of the Americas.

 

We have our own similar debates in my own country of Australia as in 'are we West Australians first or Australians first?'. We have also changed a number of English named places in Australia officially to older Aboriginal terms. So I know just how difficult and controversial such topics can be. I just hope that the redefining of our world might lead to positive outcomes.

[Nintii]

What clinches it for me is that even the "other" Americans call the Americans Americans ... !