Why do People from the USA think that they are the only americans? America is a continent not a country?
Answer:
There are other countries within the "America's" and by definition all people living in North, Central and South America are "American's". But the reason the citizens of the United States are called "American's" comes from that fact that we are called the "United States of America".
For example, citizens of Mexico are called Mexicans. Citizens of Costa Rica are called Costa Ricans. Citizens of Chile are called Chileans. Other countries have a more identifying name than we in the United States do.
What shall we call ourselves? United Statians? USA-ites? What else shall you call someone from a country whose name means nothing more than several sovereign States United for a common purpose? So we are called "America's" simple because there is nothing else you could call us. I suppose we could say North Americans but then that would include Mexico and Canada. So the problem is more or less semantics and not an ego or pride thing.
Because the country is called " United States of America." Beeing called , United Statien would not sound right, would it?
Because U.S.Aians sounds retarded. No one actually thinks what you're implying.
Wow. America is a country. So is Canada. So is Mexico. Oh, and Alaska is in America. You are no Rand McNally.
Uhh... Alaska is part of the United States...
Because people in the USA are not taught that there are other countries in the world, so in some respect & from their point of view it is true.
Isn't that a shame?
Actually, the United States is the country, in North America, there also exists Central and South America, so for those who answered rudely, your ignorance is showing. Also, North and South America last I checked are two separate continents.
They call people from their countrys usually.. Like Canadians, Mexicans, Americans. Our country is called: The United States of America, so we are called Americans.
Because then you'd have to call everyone "American", and Hugo Chavez don't like that, nuh uh.
It is a shortened version of United States of America. We also call Washington, District of Columbia Washington or just DC for short. Washington also happens to be a state.
It is not some racist, egotistical thing, it is just an easier roll off the tongue and has become a worldwide phenomenon. For instance, people in Europe don't call me a United Statian? They call me American.
I apologize for the rude responses you are getting. . .but really I just think because in English, United States of America is too long and America is an easy way to shorten it.
Interesting point about someone calling you American overseas being from Mexico. I've never heard anyone call a Canadian anywhere in the world an American. Perhaps people feel Mexico is much more integrated into our culture in the US??
Right on! - USA citizen living in the Netherlands.
whatever, and by the way Alaska is a state of the USA.
Mexico isn't really Mexico. It's the United Stated of Mexico, but we (I'm one too) call ourselves Mexicans instead of United Statesers or whatever. I think if we can call ourselves Mexicans then we Americans (I'm one too) can call ourselves Americans.
They think so because they have not yet discovered any other country other than their own. THEY MAY TAKE A WHILE TO LEARN THIS. However they know that there is Iraq and some Afghanistan where their loved ones are being sacrificed on the orders of their Jewish masters.
Because people from the USA are the only ones who really matter.
This discussion site should require some level of intelligence,therefore you wouldn't be here to have said that "everybody from Argentina to Alaska are Americans". Have you ever seen a map of the continent of 'North America'? Ever heard of Canada? I cant be bothered educating an Idiot!
Next stupid question please!
You are right, of course. But if all the world knows the citizens of the United States of America as Americans, why would you want to be known as an American. Let them have their way with words. Being known as a Mexican is much better than being known as an American these days.
It is mostly a habit of our local language. When the country was formed as it is now, it was called the United States of America, so we call ourselves Americans because of that, just as there are Mexicans, Columbians, Brazilians etc. You are correct that we are all part of the Americas, and therefore are all Americans, but, that is not how we are using the term.
All of this confusion obviously stems from the differences in how we define continents.
You said:
"There is not such a thing as Northamerican continent and southamerican continent, the whole thing is one continent America."
Your area may see it as one continent, but many others see it as two. From wikipedia (in my sources):
"North America and South America are now treated as separate continents in much of Western Europe, China, and most native English-speaking countries. However in earlier times they were viewed as a single continent known as America or, to avoid ambiguity with the United States of America, as the Americas. They are viewed as a single continent, one of six in total, in Iberia, Italy, some other parts of Europe, and much of Latin America."
You have to realize the cultural differences that exist. In your language and culture you may be considered an american, but in other cultures you are considered "north american." Check my sources for a list of countries that are considered north american.
I also want to go over the term "United Statien."
You said:
"In spanish a person that belongs the the USA is known as Estadounidense."
This makes sense since, in your culture, you consider "America" to be one continent. But it's also important to note that your nation is called United Mexican States (Estados Unidos Mexicanos), right? That is why you are called "Mexican." Our nation is called the "United States of America" (Estados Unidos de América), therefore we are called "American."
The U.S. is 'North American and Alaska is one of the 50 U.S. states with all rights as U.S. citizens, they are represented in both the U.S. Congress and Senate, just as Florida, Hawaii, Colorado, California, etc are represented. Where have you been for the past 40+ years?
This is the one of the most nonsensical "argument I have ever heard.In Mexico you do not call yourselves Americans .You call yourselves Mexicans.Self explanatory.North America is a Continent The United States Of America is the country.and you are so sadly mistaken.When I travel abroad I am an American from Arizona.To the world we are Americans.Stop trying to change things to suit some strange idea that you have.You are Mexican from Mexico that is on the Continent of North America.
Yawn. You are from the United States of Mexico. Why don't you call yourself a United Statesian?
The point is you have no right to live on our territory or to use the services like education that we built for our children and pay for. I couldn't care less what you call yourself.
Ho\wever, you know very well that when the world says "American", they mean us.
Sweetheart unless you are a citizen of the United States of America- you are not an American.
That would make the people on MyTend correct.
I know it is hard to understand why the whole world disagrees with you- when you are obviously right as rain and the whole world and 200+ years of history support a misconception that people from the United States of America are Americans.
I feel your pain.
Let me educate you.
While it is true that several continents do have the word "America" in it, there are actually 3 different continents.
North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. North America includes all of the mainland and related offshore islands lying N of the Isthmus of Panama (which connects it with South America). The continent is bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the west by the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Its coastline is long and irregular.
Central America, narrow, southernmost region (c.202,200 sq mi/523,698 sq km) of North America, linked to South America at Colombia. It separates the Caribbean from the Pacific. Historically, geographers considered it to extend from the natural boundary of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, S Mexico, to that of the Isthmus of Panama. Generally, it is considered to consist of the seven republics (1990 est. pop. 29,000,000) of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. It is divided politically into 12 independent countries—Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela—and the overseas department of French Guiana. The continent extends c.4,750 mi (7,640 km) from Punta Gallinas, Colombia, in the north to Cape Horn, Chile, in the south. At its broadest point, near where it is crossed by the equator, the continent extends c.3,300 mi (5,300 km) from east to west. South America is connected to North America by the Isthmus of Panama; it is washed on the N by the Caribbean Sea, on the E by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the W by the Pacific Ocean.
So while all are indeed "Americans" - there are distinctions that show from what continent.
Why in the world did you place this question in "Immigration"?
As mentioned above, Mexicans call themselves Mexicans, not Americans. French people are French above all else, you´ll never hear them arguing with British people that they should all be called "Europeans". You´ll never hear Chinese and Russians arguing that they both have the right to be called "Asians".
Only Mexico seems to have this obsession with "we´re Americans too". Every other country refers to be people from the United States as Americans. If you have a passport it says, "Citizenship: Mexican" on it, not "American". If you go to Europe or Asia and call yourself "American" you´ll just get confused looks.
I TOTALLY AGREE!!!
SouthAfricans and Central Africans do not pretend to calle themselves "THE Africans", or that their way of living is "THE African way of living"... US people should find out how to call themselves... for the time being... they are US people for me.
You are right.
Amen!
I wish some people would pay attention. "Let me educate you?" People from other countries do see themselves as "Americans" whether you like it or not. They are referring to a pan-American identity that is more inclusive of other countries. In the United States, most mean "American" as a term to refer to the people of the US. That's not always the case in other countries where there is a more open identity that extends beyond national borders. Obviously, many United Statesians don't want open borders.
Is not truth I am an USA citizen and I always I am a US citizen...And I hear that before but is just a say Americans are are all the ones that born, North America, Central America and South America...Everybody does know that...So you hear yes that people say I am an American and yes they are Americans call yourself how you like it but if you are a Mexican and is going to fill out an application of work and you are not an US of America citizen, you can't say yes..That is agains the law...A illegal person once try the to say to me once and it was funny because I give it the same answer..He got deported to Mexico...
Many people confuse the continent of America with the citizenship of their peoples and the country in which they live..
It is the Continent of America which contains Canada and it's territories, the United States which is made up of 50 separate identities joined together and referred to as "the United States - of America".. The American continent also contains the country of Mexico and the countries in "Central and South America". Historically, this part of the hemisphere is referred to as "the Americas".
If you say you are American, you are saying you are from the Continent of America and all those who live there are entitled to call themselves "American".
We in the United States have taken it upon ourselves to declare that "American" means only being from the United States and that is not correct. Brazilians are Americans from Brazil, Mexicans are Americans from Mexico - and on and on.
The immigration information post by website user , MyTend.com not guarantee correctness