Citizenship – What It Means to Be an American

The USA has often been referred to as the “melting pot” of many nations, cultures and peoples. This means that from its beginnings the country has had citizens who came from diverse cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds and who all accepted a new, common identity – that of being Americans. In the United States people can become Americans (not only American citizens, but assuming a new way of primary identification) even if they were born elsewhere. In contrast to many countries where one’s citizenship is based on belonging to a specific ethnic, linguistic, cultural or other group/communal identity, being an American citizen is understood more as a civic concept. This is illustrated by the fact that one can be an Italian-American or an Irish-American, in which cases the first part designates their ethnic origins, while making it clear that they are American citizens, as opposed to being simply Italians or Irish who happen to be living in the US. These two different ways of identification by one person can continue to coexist peacefully without conflict. In order to become an American citizen, immigrants must take a naturalization test, an English and civics test and publicly express their loyalty to the United States and their pledge to abide by its laws by taking an Oath of Allegiance.