Creating an American Identity

Download or read book Creating an American Identity written by Stephanie Kermes and published by Palgrave MacMillan. This book was released on 2008-06-15 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Creating an American Identity examines the relationship between regionalism and nationalism in New England between 1789 and 1825. During that period New Englanders and their neighbors in New York and Pennsylvania used trans-Atlantic symbols at the same time as a model and an antithesis in the creation of their own national identity. In inventing their collective identity, Northerners not only excluded Europeans, but also Southerners from their vision of America. Widely used visual representations of New England landscapes, virtues, and people created a strong loyalty to the region. Surprisingly, New Englanders utilized their regionalism to forge an American nationalism.