American and National Identity in AP US History

Definition

    The Basics of Group Identity

    Citizenship and Assimilation

    Constitutionalism

    Foreign Policy

    American Exceptionalism

​​Example  ​

Identity is a person's sense of who they are and what that means to them.  When people form groups, they often develop a shared sense of identity.  This means the group's members generally agree about who the group's members are.  They often agree with what characteristics or traits make a person part of the group or not part of the group.  This shared identity, along with time spent together, helps a group develop a shared sense of values and behaviors.  Often, outside groups acknowledge that the group exists.

Let's look at an example.  Your school's football team is a group of people.  It's members change every year, but the group identity remains.  The football team's members agree that all people who play football for the school are part of the team.  Students recognize that anyone who plays football for the school are part of the team.  The team may agree there are some exceptions.  Coaches may be part of the team, even though they don't play on the field.  Similarly, the group likely has standards and values for its members.  Players who don't attend practice and are late to to games may not stay on the team.  This is because their behavior, and the values that reflects, don't align with the group's identity.

American and National Identity explores the same idea.  This theme considers who is an "American" and who is excluded from this group.  It also considers what values and behaviors Americans encourage among their group members.  Like all other themes, this theme considers how these ideas have changed throughout history and in response to specific events and challenges.

The College Board further identifies several components of this theme.  Mini-themes, if you will.  They are Citizenship and Assimilation, Constitutionalism, Foreign Policy, and American Exceptionalism.  Let's discuss each of these briefly.  ​

A citizen is a person who is legally considered a member of the United States.  In the United States, a person can become a citizen by being the child of a citizen, being born in the US, or being naturalized.  Naturalization is a process that allows immigrants to become citizens.  US citizens have legal protections and responsibilities that non-citizens do not have.

Assimilation is a process where immigrants and other ethnic minorities often adopt the practices of a majority group.  This process can happen willingly.  Dominant cultures can also pressure minority groups to give up aspects of their culture in order to fit in or "succeed."

Constitutionalism is a set of beliefs that many Americans endorse.  At the most basic level, constitutionalism is the belief that the government should act in accordance with a set of laws.  In the United States, these laws are outlined in the US Constitution.  Constitutionalism also endorses some specific values about the government.  First, that the government exists to protect the rights and freedoms of its people, including minority groups.  Second, that the power of the government should be limited and restrained.  These ideas have been influential in creating one aspect of shared, American values.  ​

Foreign policy are actions and strategies countries use when dealing with members of other countries.  Foreign policy occurs with the understanding that the policies will primarily affect people who are not perceived as American.  One way we can examine American identity is by examining who is excluded from the definition.

Foreign policy is also explored in another theme, American in the World.  You can learn more about that theme here.  ​

Like constitutionalism, American exceptionalism describes a set of beliefs many Americans have shared throughout history.  At the most basic level, this belief holds that the United States is "exceptional."  In other words, the United States, its institutions, and its people are unusually good.  This makes it a worthy model for other nations and people.  For example, supporters of this ideal point to documents like the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.  These documents have inspired people all over the world.

There have also been many groups who have criticized this idea and linked it to negative outcomes.  For the purposes of this class, the goal is not to determine if America is an exceptional country.  Instead, it is to recognize how this idea has shaped American history and American identity.  ​

American identity is a major theme in Unit 3.  This unit tracks the lead up the American Revolution and the formation of a new country.  During the colonial period, nobody identified as an American.  Instead, people identified as members of particular colonies or as British citizens.  The Enlightenment, Declaration of Independence, and Constitution helped form a sense of what values America would stand for, as well as who would be counted as a citizen.  In a very concrete way, people developed a new way of thinking about who they were and what that meant.

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