Key Concepts of American Identity

Let's explore some key concepts that have shaped the American identity throughout history!

American exceptionalism: It is the idea that the USA is different from other nations. Their values, political systems, and historical events are unique. For them, America plays a big and positive role on the world stage.

Manifest Destiny: It is a belief or myth in 19th-century America. American people have no alternative except to spread to the West. It was perceived as a mission, and it is in fact the root of American imperialism.

Frontier: The frontier is the borderline between west and east. European people live in the east, and Indian people live in the west (wide west). Frontier has a mythology also; it tells life and American life.

Promised Land: People thought America was a promised land, and they were searching for it. For them, America is the place where dreams come true. Also, it is written in the Bible as a land of promise.

Melting Pot: A metaphor for a place where different people exist together with their culture but later mix and reduce a new nation. The process is from heterogeneous to homogeneous. They begin sharing a common culture. They use this term for the USA.