Why the people in USA think that they are the only AMERICANS?

Deborah H

That's very strange because Mexicans are called Mexicans, and yet what do you call people from the US if not Americans. The reason people in the USA think they are the only AMERICANS is becaues we have been calling ourselves that forever!!! For so long that there is no alternative word. Notice that all the countries that you mention call themselves by the country name... (Columbian, Venezuelan, Cuban). American is our shortcut for saying we are from the United States of America, just like Venezuelan is an shortcut for saying a person is from Venezuela. Sheesh!

It's not like we are saying we are the only country in North Ameria.

It's formally the "United Mexican States", but most people call it Mexico, not United States!!! Your question makes no sense because you don't seem to understand that formal names are abbreviated and it has nothing to do with us thinking we are the "only" anything. It's just our name!!!!

Your question is insulting to my people.

Henpecked

Calm down and no more caffeine for you today.

Tom W

I think because because people in the US call themselves Americans and others do not. People from Latin and South America call themselves Cubans, Hispanic, etc. while most people in the US just call themselves Americans. A lot, and I guess the vast majority of people in the US are there because they want to be Americans and not something hyphenated American. You never hear people identify themselves as German Americans, or Italian Americans, etc. Or by race. And if you travel in South America you will hear yourself referred to as Americans. Sometimes though, in Argentina, I was introduced to friends as North American which is probably the most correct.

HD Rider

It's not the people in the United States that think we are the only people in the America's. It's the people in Europe, american has just became a term for people in the United States over time. People in England call us all yanks, when everybody knows a yankee is someone from the Northern part of the United States. So I'm assuming the person that asked this question is from Europe.

devilduck74

WOW. Of course We do. BUT,

Do you refer to the Cubans as Americans, no you refer to them as Cubans. the people of Brazil are Brazilians.

When speaking of the USA. United States of AMERICA. Not North America. The world refers to the 50 states formed under one govt as Americans. We do not call people from California Americans if we are refering to just them. They are Californians. per say.

When speaking of the Whole continent then yes we are all Americans. Much like Europe is Europeans. etc etc.

Ryan R

I live in the United States of America, so I am an American. I'm not aware of any other nations in North or South America that include "America" in their name.

mikea_va

Don't people in Mexico call themselves Mexicans??
Don't people in Argentina call themselves Argentinians??
Don't people in Cuba call themselves Cuban??

Sort of blows your arguement away huh???????

Terry

Fine, but you'd have to be blind not to understand the primary discussion here is about ILLEGAL immigration into the United Staes of America. There are many inhabitants of the Americas, but only one USA. And it has laws about who can cross it's borders.

If you disprespect our laws, you should be punished.

briandjoesmom

Get a grip on yourself!

msmissy

That is really strange- The only one I have ever heard call themselves Americans are people who live in the United States.
And I have been around for more than 30 years-
times are a changing-
everybody wants to call themselves an American now-
wow I thought everyone hated Americans
U have got to be kidding me with this little tirade right?

p.s. I don't know how to tell you this but Cuba is an island- not part of the continent of South America or North America.

no_way_amigo

No. There is a big difference between North America and South America. South America only stole the America name.

North America is a different country. No matter how illegal aliens and anchor babies try to change history to their liking, it's public knowledge and written in history books of the real recorded events.

Matthew D

Ok.
Estados Unidos de Mexico. Short form is Mexico.
Republic de Colombia. Columbia is the short form.
Republic of Canada. Canada is the short form.
United States of America...hey whats the short form? Ten points if you answer....AMERICA!

thelogicalferret

Oh for the love of Pete! Get the stick out! All the world knows the U.S citizens as Americans, it's just they way it is, if your jealous (and that's a really stupid thing to be bothered by) go bug the rest of the world.

johnbehrhart

??? if you are from canada... you are not american... you are canadian. if you are from mexico, you're mexican,etc,etc. You're from your country.... not your continent.

SGT. D

So wouldn't that be technically "South Americans"? Maybe we could call ourselves United Stater's? Whatever will make you happy. It's all about you. I'll have my Congressperson draft it up at once.

vegaschic

Get over it. We AMERICANS have been called that ever since they first discovered "The Americas"

Lelani

This has been explained very clearly and plainly many times on here, in a way anyone with a brain at least the size of a gnat's should be able to comprehend.

The people of the USA are known WORLDWIDE as "AMERICANS". We get that name from the name of our 'country', not the name of our 'continent'.

People in Canada are in North America, their country is Canada, they call themselves Canadians.

People in Mexico are in North America, they are called Mexicans.

People in South America are called Brazilian, Chileans, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Peruvian, Bolivian, Argentinians,etc. according to the 'country' name.

People in Central America are called Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Salvadorian, Panamanian, Honduran, etc., because of the name of their 'country', not the 'continent'.

File that away somewhere in your tiny brain for quick reference in the future. It's easy to remember: People of a country are referred to by their COUNTRY's name.

Mr. Morden

It's not worth getting upset over. By custom people from the United States refer to themselves and are referred to as Americans. It's not intended as a slight against anyone else in North or South America. My wife is from Venezuela and she doesn't call herself Venezuelan American. She's Venezuelan.

PROUD 2B BLONDE

So I guess you decided to exclude Canada from the whole continent? The 2nd largest country in the world? It actually does exist ... in case you didn't know.

bumpusemt

Then pay your USA taxes!

hawkthree

The people in the USA inherited this term. It came about because the newer inhabitants of the Americas were colonies. We were the colonists. As the colonies rebelled, they became the Americans. Americans began as a sneering and derogatory term from the colony owners who lost their fortunes.

Unfortunately it is now a term of exclusion.

DAR

There is no United States of North America.

Only the United States of America. Hence America.

As the United States of Mexico is referred to as 'Mexico'.

The others may be North Americans or South Americans, but not Americans.

xenypoo

None of the people in South America say, "I am an American", when asked where they are from. They say, I am from Brazil, Mexico, Chile, etc. These are different countries. USA, America, is not just a continent, but ONE country. We were America before the United States of America, therefore, you are only an American if you are a CITIZEN of United States of America. America's name was given to us by Amerigo Vespucci, an explorer of these lands. America stayed ONE country, but S. America did not, obviously, so the title of America, goes to us. Do you get it? We are ONE country, not many.

You Say Potaytoe
I Say Potahtoe

You Say Tomaytoe
I Say Tomahtoe

Yawn .....

The Republic Of The United States
The United States Of The Americas
The United States Of North America
Or
More Commonly Referred To As
The United States Of America

Go Ahead
Call Us United Statesians
We Won't Mind

It seems you have a anger issue maybe you should look into some therapy. Wait I'm sorry it your not American you wouldn't understand what therapy is.

IT'S JUST A NAME GET OVER IT.

CC

real_sweetheart_76

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I don't know how many times I have stressed that issue! Anyone who says they are a true American should know that.

reene2g

Sweetheart your wrong, Americans are those born in the fifty united states of America or Naturalized US citizens who could be from any country in the world.

AFwife

BECAUSE most people in those countries call themselves Columbians, mexicans, etc. i have South American friends and they don't consider their nationality American, this country is called the united states of America, America is in the name THAT is why we call ourselves Americans, its not our fault other peoples don't want to call themselves Americans

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