Americanism (ideology)

Ideals of Americanism vary widely from assimilation, monoculturalism, or centrality of a right to property to more classical liberal conceptions believed to be represented in the American Revolution, human rights, and republicanism.

Americanism, also referred to as American patriotism, is a set of patriotic values which aim to create a collective American identity for the United States that can be defined as "an articulation of the nation's rightful place in the world, a set of traditions, a political language, and a cultural style imbued with political meaning".^[1] According to the American Legion, a U.S. veterans' organization, Americanism is an ideology, or a belief in devotion, loyalty, or allegiance to the United States of America, or respect for its flag, its traditions, its customs, its culture, its symbols, its institutions, or its form of government.^[2] In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "Americanism is a question of spirit, conviction, and purpose, not of creed or birthplace."^[3]

Americanism has two different meanings: the defining characteristics of the United States, or loyalty to the United States and defense of American political ideals. These ideals include but are not limited to independence, equality before the law, freedom of speech, republicanism, innovation, and meritocracy.^[1][4]