Nationalism in the United States
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The society of the United States in spite of being multi-ethnic and multi-cultural still has a sense of national identity and history; those who live in or are from the United States refer to an 'American people', and patriotism is prominent in public life.
Nationalism is the appropriate and recognized term for the associated ideology and political movements, within the present United States, and during its history. That does not necessarily correspond with current usage of the term in American politics, or with the views of self-described 'American nationalists'.
There is no consensus on when the United States became a nation-state, and developed a sense of national identity. Some historians think that the United States was already a nation-state at independence, others that this occurred during the 19th century, either before or after the American Civil War.
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[edit] Origins
The United States formed from a group of colonies under the authority of the British Crown, each established and governed independently of the others. For most of colonial America's history, a colonist had a duty to the colony and to the Crown, but not to other colonies. This attitude changed noticeably when the colonies faced a common threat in the French and Indian War. The Albany Plan of Union, although unsuccessful, served as a reference for future discussions.
Soon after, the colonies faced another common grievance over taxes enacted by the British Parliament. As the dispute escalated, colonists started to view the British administration as hostile, and sought cooperation with other colonies in response. This cooperation produced the Continental Congress and ultimately independence as a confederation. Ties between the states strengthened with the ratification of the United States Constitution.
[edit] Antebellum period
The United States had an agrarian economy, and the temptation of sparsely occupied land to the west proved irresistible. Through the Northwest Indian War and Louisiana Purchase the country vastly increased its territory. The War of 1812 showed that the country could defend its political interests against a major power, though the war ended in a stalemate. The idea that the United States could hold its own further encouraged expansion. Many politicians adopted the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, under which it was God's will that the United States should span North America.
[edit] Effect of the Civil War
The American Civil War marked the greatest transition in American national identity. The states were so economically and politically integrated that Abraham Lincoln chose to go to war to keep them united. In defeating the secessionist movement, he established that the union was permanent. The ratification of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments settled the basic question of national identity: Who was a citizen of the United States? Under the amendments, anyone born in the United States and subject to its jurisdiction was a citizen, regardless of ethnicity or social status. However, the Indians were not to gain citizenship under these amendments. In 1919 all Indians who had served in the military were granted full citizenship but the rest of Native America was not included as citizens until 1924 when the Indian Citizenship Act was passed by Congress.
[edit] Nationalism in the contemporary United States
Nationalism remains a topic in the modern United States. Rutgers University professor Paul McCartney, for instance, argues that as a nation defined by a creed and sense of mission, Americans tend to equate their interests with those of humanity, which in turn informs their global posture. Talk show host Michael Savage has declared himself to be a nationalist, and advocates a policy of "Borders, Language and Culture," including securing the US-Mexico and US-Canada borders, preserving English as the sole language in America, and emphasizing a conservative or libertarian cultural identity. Nationalists in the contemporary United States are usually associated with venerating the American flag, the Bill of Rights, military and possible Christian roots of America. In truth, however, nationalism in America has never been easily defined. That is because the racial, religious, and regional diversity of the United States make such a definition virtually impossible to hammer down. Consider the following illustrative example. A Southerner in the US may be a nationalist but dislike those from other parts of the country, especially the Northeast. A nationalist in California, by contrast, may have completely different interpretations of what makes the country great from the Southerner. An American Black may join the US Marines, but remain critical of racial injustice in the US. Some American Christians and American Muslims may be distrustful of each other, but still love America passionately. Nationalism in America is very complicated and difficult to define.
[edit] Post-2001 nationalism in the United States
The September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States led to a wave of nationalist expression. Words such as "freedom" and "homeland" became commonplace in everyday conversation. This was accompanied by a rise in military enlistment that included not only lower-income Americans, but also middle-class and upper-income citizens[1]. It is also likely that the nationalist surge created a political climate favorable for the federal government to authorize engagement in large military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.[citation needed]
[edit] See also
- melting pot
- assimilation (sociology)
- jingoism
- Nationalism
- American exceptionalism
- Xenophobia
- American Empire
- anti-Americanism
