I am American I was born here. My dad and his dad and his dad was born here.?

Question

How far back do you have to go before you can clam to be an American when asked "What nationality are you" ?

Answer 1

Well, to the question about nationality: the technical answer IS 'American'.  If they want to know your ethnicity, it matters not how many generations ago your family emigrated, it will always remain the same.

Answer 2

You are American if you were born in America.

Answer 3

there is no "American" heritage my friend....originally all escapees from england, so we all evolved from them...the only "true" Americans are the indiams we ran into reservations and they, in turn,evolved from migrants of another area in the world......

Answer 4

one is who he is no matter where one lives...........i want to go froward, whats behind me isn't my concern........

Answer 5

if you were born in america, you are technically "american".

it is up to you. when i am asked, i tell people the nationalities of my grandparents, because they all immigrated to a country (where both my parents were born) who in turn immigrated to the USA.

so if someone asks you about your ethnicity, tell them whatever you feel comfortable with. and if your don't feel like sharing, tell them you are "from africa, like we all are" -- "in fact, i'm secretly an ape" :)

Answer 6

If you were born here you are an American. End of story!

Answer 7

As long as you were born in America you are an American..I have British ancestors .. way back along time ago.. But I am a true American.

Answer 8

who keeps asking your nationality?

Answer 9

These are two different things.

If someone asks your heritage, they aren't asking your present nationality. They are trying to ask about your family heritage (where your ancestors came from)

You are an American, it is your nationality ( the nation you reside in)

Unless you are a Native American Indian, your ancestors probably were of another nationality in their day. This is the heritage question that they are meaning to ask. For my children, their mother is half Italian, their grandmother is full italian but born american, and their great grandparents were full italians but born in Italy.

My children would be considered of italian heritage (amongst other nationalities)

This can be confusing because people interchange heritage and nationality in asking questions.

But - you are american if you were born here and have lived here since birth, regardless of which state in the U.S.!

Answer 10

interesting question.. I would say that you are American now.. you have grand fathers American.. then you are definitely an american.. if someone has problem with that.. too bad they are wrong

Answer 11

As far back as this nation stands, even a whole lot longer than that,---My mother told me she was born in Texas ,Northeast Indian territory, and it is also on my birth Certificate where she was born, also where I was born , OK , that makes me part Native American ,I have no problems with the people that called them self's citizens of the United States, and if they were born here , they are, but there is a line to be drawn some where between right and wrong.All the people who are trying to get to this country wants hand outs, free every thing, so that's where to stop this nonsense. you cannot build hopes on dreams, just use common sense.

A Proud American

Answer 12

anyone who is a citizen is properly referred to as an American.

***

every man over the age of 12 in my entire extended family volunteered for the Union Army during the Civil War.

I'm pretty sure those men were Americans.

I must be too, despite the immigrants who later married into the family.

Answer 13

I think this may be why .. you are NOT just an american .. as *AMERICAN* refers to the geography of the region.. The Americas covers Nth America, Canada, south America...

a mexican can be defined as American , as can a canadian , etc ... If you call yourself an american the others I mentioned also have that right.

what you are by ethinicity is a Citizen of the United States of America ...

America ISN'T  just the United States

I WILL STAND TO BE CORRECTED HOWEVER if i am mistaken

Answer 14

By law if you were born here....

Answer 15

once you can stand up with a riffle in your hands and then you can say those words

Answer 16

Your nationality is your heritage.  You will always be what your heritage, or nationality is.  BUT you ARE an American now.

Answer 17

If you are born here you are American even if your parents are illegal aliens, doesn't make much sense but it is true

Answer 18

Never be ashamed of your heritage and always be willing to derive strength from it.  American culture has been consumed by consumerism and the need to sell products so real culture has to be derived from outside the country. Of course, you are an American, but never forget how your family got here and how that has shaped you.

Answer 19

I like to say I am a red-white-and-blue American.

Red Necks

White Trash

& Blue Bloods

I have some Cherokee roots, ancestors who came on the Mayflower, and before, and were some of the earliest American colonists.  I have other ancestors who came over more recently.  This country is a nation of immigrants.  What is important is that we adopt the ideals of a Free State, and Honor our Constitutional Republic.  Our ancestry doesn't make or break or political bonds or our identity.

Answer 20

The dude is right.  Your nationality is where you were born.  Your heritage is what race you associate yourself with.

Answer 21

If you pay Federal Income Tax you're American as you wanna be.

Answer 22

You are American. People just ask about your heritage. It's nothing. We all get asked that. My friend's heritage is Irish.

Answer 23

You are American if you were either born here or have become a legal citizen, beyond that, a person might be asking what your nationality background is, like where did your ancestors come from, IE, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Japan, where ever.

Answer 24

I've always been proud to say that I'm half-Italian.  I know how hard it was for my relatives when they came over, to acclimate to living here, when conditions weren't the best for people arriving from "certain countries" in that time period of our nation's history.

You've gotta remember, it wasn't always the "Indians" and "Negroes" (never mind illegal aliens!) who were prejudiced against!

When my great-grandmother passed away she didn't speak a word of English.  Because of the prejudices shown to people who weren't born here, they stuffed their culture and heritage down so as to better fit in with their co-workers and neighbors in their new country.

No biggie, but what about **ME**???  I don't know the language of my ancestors or the country they left to make a better life for themselves and I resent the fact that they felt compelled to dispose of what made them who they were!

Now, when I get to explain to my children what happened, it's left to us to try to save what was left of an inner cultural massacre.

Answer 25

If you were born here, your an American! That's it.

My dad always taught us to answer the question, "What nationality are you?" with "I'm American!".

What would you say if you were over in England or any other country and someone asked you that question? That should be your answer.

Answer 26

One great grandparent was Cherokee the rest of my roots came during/after after the civil war, likely rail workers and coal miners...German/Irish.  I consider myself American.

"Native" literally means "born".  Anybody who was born here can claim American as a nationality.

Answer 27

Well i  was born  in  America their  for i am  a American. Born and  raised. Nationality has nothin to  do with  whether  or  not  you belong  here.  What  makes you a  American  is  the  fact  that  you wher  infact born in  America. Culture  and color  of  skin or anything  else you  can  think  of  that  can  possibly  discrimanate somebody  has  nothin  to do  with it. If you wher born  here  then  you  are infact a  American.

Answer 28

Once you have citizenship, you're an American.

Answer 29

If your a citizen of America then you are an American. However if your talking about where you come from few people are ever really American unless you are a Native American. The country isn't even 400 years old.

Answer 30

It's based on citizenship.  Don't get nationality and ethnic groups mixed up.  A common mistake that really should not be.

Answer 31

none if you were born here thats all it takes to make you an American