why do citizens of the United States call themselves americans?

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**TeejK**

while watching a movie an actor said he is american and when he said that he obviously meant that he is from the united states, ive always wondered why U.S. citizens say that, because several countries span across the north and south american continents so wouldnt that make canadians also american, or people in argentina american too ect, ive always thought a correct term would be referring someone to the state they are from such as hawaiian, Californians,ect. the word "state" is another term for country and example would be france can be called a state also, United states of amercia isnt really a country it is just a term saying that this particular group of countries is united, sort of like the european union does anyone get what im saying or am i just crazy, I just believe everyone one on this side of the world is considered "american" and that citizens should be referred to the state that they are from, please no comments insulting countries lets keep this friendly.

**Kovnik Obama**

TeejK wrote:
while watching a movie an actor said he is american and when he said that he obviously meant that he is from the united states, ive always wondered why U.S. citizens say that, because several countries span across the north and south american continents so wouldnt that make canadians also american, or people in argentina american too ect, ive always thought a correct term would be referring someone to the state they are from such as hawaiian, Californians,ect. the word "state" is another term for country and example would be france can be called a state also, United states of amercia isnt really a country it is just a term saying that this particular group of countries is united, sort of like the european union does anyone get what im saying or am i just crazy, I just believe everyone one on this side of the world is considered "american" and that citizens should be referred to the state that they are from, please no comments insulting countries lets keep this friendly.

Google and Wiki are your friends ;

wiki wrote:First uses of the adjective "American" referenced European settlements in the New World. "Americans" referred to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, and subsequently to European settlers and their descendants.[1] English use of the term "American" for people of European descent dates to the 17th century; the earliest recorded appearance is in Thomas Gage's The English-American: A New Survey of the West Indies in 1648.[1] "American" especially applied to people in British America, and thus its use as a demonym for the United States derives by extension.[1]
The United States Declaration of Independence of 1776 refers to "the thirteen united States of America",[3] making the first formal use of the country name; the name was officially adopted by the nation's first governing constitution, the Articles of Confederation, in 1777.[4] The Federalist Papers of 1787–1788, written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison to advocate the ratification of the United States Constitution, use the word "American" in both its original, Pan-American sense, but also in its United States sense: Federalist Paper 24 refers to the "American possessions" of Britain and Spain,[5] i.e. land outside of the United States, while Federalist Papers 51[6] and 70[7] refer to the United States as "the American republic". People from the United States increasingly referred to themselves as "Americans" through the end of the 18th century; the 1795 Treaty of Peace and Amity with the Barbary States refers to "American Citizens",[8] and George Washington spoke to his people of "[t]he name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity…" in his 1796 farewell address.[9] Eventually, this usage spread through other English-speaking countries; the unqualified noun "American" in all forms of the English language now chiefly refers to natives or citizens of the United States; other senses are generally specified with a qualifier such as "Latin American" or "North American."[1]

**Somedude593**

It is evident you know little about the internal structure of the United states so i will explain this to you.. though some will claim that we are separate countries, since the civil war it is generally agreed upon that the state governments are bound to the Federal Government but with a degree of autonomy (the degree is disputed upon). The fact that we call ourselves Americans is probably due to the fact that we were the first autonomous country in the America's. All of the Rest of the "countries" were colonies so we were the only Americans (OBVIOUSLY natives dont count).

**Ahtman**

TeejK wrote:
I just believe everyone one on this side of the world is considered "american"

You can believe that a tree is a mint chocolate chip ice cream but that doesn't mean it will be delicious and creamy if you try to eat. Just because you don't think that is what the word should mean doesn't change the meaning of the word. Think about it, how awkward, both orally and linguistically, would it be to have to say 'United States of American' to answer the question. If you want everyone in North America to be called Americans you will have to change the name of Mexico and Canada so people stop referring to them as Canadians and Mexicans. We also rarely refer to peoples citizenship by their continent as well, so it seems odd to criticize on those grounds. In this instance the name of the country is similar, and understandably so, to the names applied to the continents. If I told Britain they shouldn't call themselves British, but had to only refer to themselves as European because Britain is on the European continent, they would think I was incredibly dense.

**LordofHats**

I thought we should identify ourselves as "Awesomese" but I got outvoted, so it's American.

**Kovnik Obama**

LordofHats wrote:
I thought we should identify ourselves as "Awesomese" but I got outvoted, so it's American.

Can't help myself, I keep reading and re-reading that word as ''Awesobese''

**RatBot**

Kovnik Obama wrote:
LordofHats wrote:
I thought we should identify ourselves as "Awesomese" but I got outvoted, so it's American.

Can't help myself, I keep reading and re-reading that word as ''Awesobese''

Also acceptable and accurate.

It also sounds like the name of a Pokemon. "AWESOBESE, I CHOOSE YOU!"

**SagesStone**

"Quick Awesobese, use Diabeetus punch!"

**Somedude593**

"Awesobese hurts itself!" "It needs to work out more!"

**RatBot**

...On the one hand, maybe I should just get photoshop.

On the other hand, maybe the terrible-ness of lazily slapping things together in MS paint adds to the charm:

**TeejK**

hahahahaha awesobese picture is amazing I cannot stop saying awesobese

**SagesStone**

Damn it, next Snorlax I get is going to be called Awesobese.

**azazel the cat**

n0t_u wrote:"Quick Awesobese, use Diabeetus punch!"

Exalted that so hard.

**Sir Pseudonymous**

Legally and conceptually speaking, the USA is a confederation of sovereign states, like the EU. In practice, however, they are now effectively a single state with extremely idiosyncratic internal organization. Mass communication and the necessities of defense have fused the states into a single nation, and so identification with that nation is stronger than identification with one's home state (not that the latter is completely absent, it's just a lot weaker).

My bet is Europe ends up the same inside 50 years.

**KalashnikovMarine**

The way things are going the Eurozone is going to collapse long before they can meld into one super state.

**Frazzled**

TeejK wrote:
while watching a movie an actor said he is american and when he said that he obviously meant that he is from the united states, ive always wondered why U.S. citizens say that, because several countries span across the north and south american continents so wouldnt that make canadians also american, or people in argentina american too ect, ive always thought a correct term would be referring someone to the state they are from such as hawaiian, Californians,ect. the word "state" is another term for country and example would be france can be called a state also, United states of amercia isnt really a country it is just a term saying that this particular group of countries is united, sort of like the european union does anyone get what im saying or am i just crazy, I just believe everyone one on this side of the world is considered "american" and that citizens should be referred to the state that they are from, please no comments insulting countries lets keep this friendly.

Simple - not everyone has been blessed enough by God to be a Texan, so they must settle with second best.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

LordofHats wrote:
I thought we should identify ourselves as "Awesomese" but I got outvoted, so it's American.

Here is a person who understands.

**Tibbsy**

I always thought it was because "American" is easier to say than "Citizen of the United States of America", which is a bit of a mouthful

**djones520**

Frazzled wrote:
TeejK wrote:
while watching a movie an actor said he is american and when he said that he obviously meant that he is from the united states, ive always wondered why U.S. citizens say that, because several countries span across the north and south american continents so wouldnt that make canadians also american, or people in argentina american too ect, ive always thought a correct term would be referring someone to the state they are from such as hawaiian, Californians,ect. the word "state" is another term for country and example would be france can be called a state also, United states of amercia isnt really a country it is just a term saying that this particular group of countries is united, sort of like the european union does anyone get what im saying or am i just crazy, I just believe everyone one on this side of the world is considered "american" and that citizens should be referred to the state that they are from, please no comments insulting countries lets keep this friendly.

Simple - not everyone has been blessed enough by God to be a Texan, so they must settle with second best.

I'd buy it, if you guys hadn't asked to join us.

**Frazzled**

djones520 wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
TeejK wrote:
while watching a movie an actor said he is american and when he said that he obviously meant that he is from the united states, ive always wondered why U.S. citizens say that, because several countries span across the north and south american continents so wouldnt that make canadians also american, or people in argentina american too ect, ive always thought a correct term would be referring someone to the state they are from such as hawaiian, Californians,ect. the word "state" is another term for country and example would be france can be called a state also, United states of amercia isnt really a country it is just a term saying that this particular group of countries is united, sort of like the european union does anyone get what im saying or am i just crazy, I just believe everyone one on this side of the world is considered "american" and that citizens should be referred to the state that they are from, please no comments insulting countries lets keep this friendly.

Simple - not everyone has been blessed enough by God to be a Texan, so they must settle with second best.

I'd buy it, if you guys hadn't asked to join us.

Thats just yankee propaganda. Don't believe the lies. the Truth Is Out There!

**KingCracker**

Typical Texan, always exaggerating things. Simple truth is, EVERY state is butthurt at the awesomeness that is Michigan. We are so cool, we high-five the hole fracking planet!

BOOYA!

**djones520**

KingCracker wrote:
Typical Texan, always exaggerating things. Simple truth is, EVERY state is butthurt at the awesomeness that is Michigan. We are so cool, we high-five the hole fracking planet!

BOOYA!

BOOM!

**kronk**

KingCracker wrote:
Typical Texan, always exaggerating things. Simple truth is, EVERY state is butthurt at the awesomeness that is Michigan. We are so cool, we high-five the hole fracking planet!

BOOYA!

While wearing mittens.

"Check out the mittens on that hunk!"

Said no woman. Ever.

**purplefood**

One of those lakes looks like a penis.

**kronk**

To be fair, you think everything looks like a penis.

**Sgt_Scruffy**

purplefood wrote:
One of those lakes looks like a penis.

Yeah, Lake Huron looks like a penis.... or should I get myself checked out ?

**purplefood**

kronk wrote:
To be fair, you think everything looks like a penis.

Not everything...
Penis shaped things...
And everything is penis shaped...

**Swan-of-War**

We can all thank Texas for the reputation of "Ugly Americans". Neuvo riche oil barons traveling to Europe at the turn of the century - loud, brash, uncouth - "Look Maw, them's Frenchman's eatin' a frog!" *shoots guns into the air*

**whembly**

I thought it was the "Awesome-sauce 'Murrican"?

**Dreadclaw69**

So much awesome in one thread

TeejK wrote:
I just believe everyone one on this side of the world is considered "american" and that citizens should be referred to the state that they are from, please no comments insulting countries lets keep this friendly.

I thought that the correct term was "North American" if you're speaking about people from the US and Canada. Sort of like asking what is the correct term to address someone living in the UK, as some people refuse to identify as British.

**whembly**

eh... I really don't know why we're called "Americans".

It's assumed that when that is said, it's referring to the USofA.

*shrugs*

Does it really matter?