Do Americans think of themselves as a federation?

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wagoneer56@reddit

It's funny you choose Texas as an example. Most Americans think of themselves as Americans. All states are different of course, but Texas is an outlier.

If you were blindfolded and taken to Texas, you would know you're in Texas about 3 seconds after the blindfold is removed. Whether you are in a grocery store, a bank, a coffee shop, the restroom in someone's home. There will be an obvious and intentional indication that you are in Texas. Most likely, some piece of art in the shape of Texas, a quote about Texas, or a Texas flag.

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vadabungo@reddit

I imagine many Americans won’t even know what a federation is

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PretentiousAnglican@reddit

In the first century or so Americans saw themselves, and how they related to the Federal Government/Nation very similarly to how Europeans in the Eu see the European Union. After the Civil War, and especially during the 1930s/40/50s America became more centralized, both governmentally and culturally.

Finally, people are moving around a lot more. My father is from Mississippi, my mother is from Connecticut, I was born in Virginia, grew up in Georgia, and I live in South Carolina. What am I? Well, I still have the common denominator of being American

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DawaLhamo@reddit

Governmentally the difference is starker, I think, than an actual deep identity marker.
Yeah, I'm Missourian, but it's really not that different from a person from Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas. People move all the time. It melts into the bigger thing.

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CryptoSlovakian@reddit

Most people aren’t obsessed with any of this.

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RandomPerson_7@reddit

I mean this really shouldn't be that hard of a concept. The UK has Welsh, Scots, Irish, etc., but maybe he doesn't respect those identities as an ignorant Englishman.

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Content-Dealers@reddit

I guess so.

Ohio history comes first now, as part of elementary. We also have to cover Ohio history as part of the state standards for middle school.

It’s more of a “you’re a citizen of both”, and both histories have equal importance. In fact, I do a compare and contrast with the students reading the Ohio constitution and then the US Constitution.

And it’s not “my” middle school. It’s Ohio’s state education standards. Each state makes their own standards, with no federal guidance.

It’s most definitely not, you’re an American first.

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kingchik@reddit

Well, this would be why getting different perspectives is important. Being from Illinois, we have nowhere near that big of an emphasis on our state, or I should say we didn’t when I was growing up.

But the idea that kids in Ohio grow up learning being an Ohioan is just as important as being an American honestly makes a lot of sense when I think about the people I meet from Ohio and how they act about it.

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Dazzling-Climate-318@reddit

As The Ohio State University says, it’s Ohio versus the world. That’s not being said totally ironically as a joke either, though it mostly is.

Ohio is an extremely organized State, more so than many others, with multiple levels of government that actually work quite well and take themselves seriously. There are a large amount of school districts, Library Systems, different police agencies, fire departments and actually 88 counties, each with its own County Courthouse and County offices that have many different responsibilities. And there are a large amount of towns villages and Cities in Ohio which also have certain governmental functions. Even unincorporated Townships in some places have there own Police, Fire, Parks and other functions. And all of these different levels of government are coordinated in regional planning organizations. And if places are too small to operate governmental functions independently they will form counsels of government which jointly assume responsibility for variously different townships at the township level or different counties at the county level.

Having worked in County Government in Ohio, it was always interesting when dealing with someone new to Ohio, as they typically didn’t fathom how organized a state could be, nor how responsive government could be. Given the nature of the systems in Ohio, government is very customer oriented; basically you either do your job, do it well, please the public, or your fired, despite any civil service protections as there are progressive disciplinary systems in place which can and will lead eventually to termination. So no one sits on their but and tells the public what to do or ignores them; everyone has a boss, and the top bosses are all elected, the public will go to them directly, and the bosses will come down on a public employee like a ton of bricks until the problem is solved.

For those from other countries dealing with government in Ohio typically involves a bit of culture shock. There are policies and procedures and appealing to higher ups for special treatment doesn’t work. The rules will be followed. Personal relationships really don’t matter and bullying and attempts at intimidation of government employees is very counterproductive. And bribes are definitely not tolerated as they can lead to jail time, loss of position and loss of pensions. Some elected officials have been caught in regard to bribes and things haven’t gone well for them.

So, yes Ohioans do think of themselves as Ohioans, will fly Ohio Flags, root for Ohio teams, etc., as well as the USA.

Now as to why, well for a variety of reasons including, Ohio grows a lot of food, and a great variety of it, so a lot is locally sourced, Ohio has a large population with multiple large cities and smaller ones, Ohio has a large amount of manufacturing, also highly varied, and Ohio has a very large number of Colleges and Universities. Put it all together and Ohio while not totally self sufficient, it is largely self sufficient. Even its energy is in significant part produced within the state including natural gas, petroleum products and coal, plus renewables and nuclear power.

And then there is the geography of the Ohio River to the south and lake Eire to the North, plus PA and its Mountains to the East. This means there are actual physical barriers on or near much of its borders.

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robertwadehall@reddit

I remember the Ohio history class in middle school. Did elementary and middle school in a small Ohio town, high school in a small Florida beach town, then college and grad school in Ohio.

When in Texas, I'm from New York (you guys seem to love it)

In New York, I'm from the Finger Lakes

In New York City, I'm from upstate but I've lived in the city for 10 years

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mbntftittylily@reddit

There’s only 3 real answers for New York lol.

Around Maryland I'm from [town]

Around town I'm from [neighborhood]

I see myself first as an American. I only get more specific than that if you're also an American

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hail_to_the_beef@reddit

Right, and when they don’t know Baltimore or Maryland (like when you’re in Europe) you have to decide if you’re going to revert to “Near DC” or if you’re going to ask if they’ve seen Hairspray.

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PradaWestCoast@reddit

Depending on the person I’m sure they reference John Waters or the Wire

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I'd argue that it's a but more than that. There's a bit of cultural self-identification that goes into identifying many of the states. You're an American, but you're also a Texan. Texans have a bit of a unique subculture within the United States. I'm an American, but I'm also a Californian. We also have a bit of a unique subculture that is distinct from other states. New York, Florida, Massachusetts, and a number of other states are also culturally unique. Not all states have this, but many do.

When I say that I'm a Californian, I'm not just saying that I'm from the state of California. I'm saying that, as someone who was born and raised in California, I identify myself as part of a subculture within the U.S. that is distinctly Californian. I've eaten In-N-Out on the beach. I've been surfing in December. I've had to evacuate for wildfires. All of it.

I could move to Texas tomorrow, but I'd still be culturally Californian.

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chad_sancho@reddit

Then you get some of us:

"West texas"

Repulsive-Bench9860@reddit

Trick question, Texans don't think.

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DTL04@reddit

Texas is an interesting state. I've lived here for quite sometime. The fact it was an independent country really still lends itself to "texan pride"

Honestly. I rather say I'm Texan than American. Not to mention the state is nearly the half the size of Europe on it's own, pretty crazy when you see it mapped out over Europe. It really is kind of it's own thing. I know Texas is majority conservative, but I've not had a unpleasant experience here more so than any other state.

"the friendship state" after all.

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Sabertooth767@reddit

Why must it be an either-or?

I'm an American, a Southerner, and a Kentuckian. Those identities are complementary, not conflicting.

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Sea-Locksmith-881@reddit (OP)

I'm from Britain which is quite a smaller and more centralised country. People could think of themselves as from Birmingham, from England and from the UK but it's bit different from the US official structure. Im trying to get at like, are the states really distinct things within a thing? Is being from Connecticut like being from a country within a big group of countries? Or is it like a regional ID that melts into the bigger thing?

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WealthOk9637@reddit

It’s both and neither, exactly like this commenter said, not sure I could describe it much better. It sounds like you’re asking “is it this or that”, but it’s both and neither.

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Sea-Locksmith-881@reddit (OP)

Yes because to me my reference point is Britain within Europe, which are distinct but related countries which are very interdependent. But the way the American state is constituted is also distinct from the EU or within individual counties, outside of maybe German (but Germany is much smaller). I was curious about if America as a Union of States (contra France or Spain, which are France and Spain with administrative regions) makes a difference

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trinite0@reddit

It does make a difference. Also, the general size and space of America creates regional differences. However, the American states are far more culturally similar to one another than the various countries in the European Union are to one another.

Highway49@reddit

Yeah, that’s too complicated for me! I just say I’m from California. I identify as Californian before the USA.

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Pumpkin-doodle@reddit

I-105: The Glenn Allen or Century Freeway

US 101: The Hollywood Freeway

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Perenially_behind@reddit

Makes sense. We lived in Garden Grove a whole bunch of years ago and I remember they were planning the Garden Grove Freeway. When I've visited the LA area, some people still used the names.

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ice_princess_16@reddit

Alaska is the same.

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stuff-1@reddit

California almost verges on nationality- like Texas.

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Depends - it's fairly 50/50 split these days and I think trending towards "Scottish not British" due to continued English fuckery

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JimBones31@reddit

You're English and would identify as British. I'm a Mainer and would identify as American.

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Sea-Locksmith-881@reddit (OP)

Other way around (I'm British but am English within that) but I take your point, which other commentators have echoed- American first then [state] second or the other way around, but very rarely/never only [state] amongst other states

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JimBones31@reddit

Yeah, as others have said, to you I'd say I'm American. To another American, I'd say I'm a Mainer.

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meewwooww@reddit

Fellow Mainer and agree. Although, sometimes I'll identify as a New Englander.

Usually when I'm abroad and people ask me what part of America I'm from I'll say "new England". More people seem to know where that is vs. Maine haha.

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JimBones31@reddit

Exactly! And yeah, sometimes the New England part needs some clarification abroad.

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meewwooww@reddit

Also, no one can make fun of other New England states except for us!

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JimBones31@reddit

That's right! Even Connecticut!

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skateboreder@reddit

The states are distinctmore like your, well, states are. Scotland, England, Wales and NI all have defined borders and their own legislation even if UK law takes precedent, they have separate governing bodies for local affairs.

Our nationality and citizenship is US.

The administration and laws and organizataion is done at varying levels of distinction from federal, to state, to smaller municipalities (counties/cities/townsihps/etc)

But we are ALL Americans.

And our individual state identity doesn't really matter. THere is some pride from some places...but it's not important.

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logaboga@reddit

England is a country on the island of Great Britain which is apart of the country of the United Kingdom. They are English, British, and a citizen of the United Kingdom

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Ok_Answer_7152@reddit

I've never understood that, along with Europeans in general. Like how can French and Spanish consider themselves so different, they are just Europeans at the end of the day. I always think of European countries like US states with more differences, as others say, we define ourselves by what people understand, being west michigander means nothing to someone like you, but more aptly describes me than American which is something Americans would most likely understand.

We are all Americans with our regional traits which we break down based on proximity.

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machagogo@reddit

The US is a federation of states by definition if that is what you are asking...

Each state has it's own constitution, is responsible for much of it's own law, and the states delegate responsibility to the federal government (there's the federation part again)

But if you are asking how people "feel" it is both, and neither at the same time.

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Sea-Locksmith-881@reddit (OP)

That's interesting, "both but neither" has come up multiple times here - that's quite different from my context!

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masturbakery@reddit

It’s honestly just really different. Having lived in the UK, mainland Europe and now the US, it’s just a different place than what you’re used to.

It’s very interesting seeing the news back home though- it’s very clear that people in Europe generally don’t know how the US works (or choose to portray it differently for clicks and views)

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Bitter_Ad8768@reddit

It's definitely different. One of my coworkers is from Wigston, but has lived in the US for over two decades. Sometimes we discuss the cultural and political differences between the US and UK.

One of the more glaring differences is how centralized the UK is. Parliament reserves all powers not explicitly devolved to other entities. The US is the opposite. The states retain all powers not explicitly delegated to the federal government. Individual states have more powers than the devolved parliaments of Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Administration is typically handled at the county and municipal level over here. Licensing, budgeting, infrastructure, public safety, property management, judicial concerns, etc... are usually handled at a local level and only escalating to a state level if necessary.

Cultural differences in the US tend be regions which don't quite correspond to state borders. Northeast (New England), Midwest, Deep South, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Northern California, Southern California, Miami, etc... Similar to how Scotland, the North, the Midlands, East Anglia, Wales, London, and The South East and South West all nebulous areas.

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Zayknow@reddit

In a thread that started with a comment from a Kentuckian, you left most us out of enumeration of regions. A great many Kentuckians are part of the mid-South (almost certainly the most land area) and Appalachia. Parts are Midwestern as well.

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Postcarde@reddit

There's a line in an Ani DiFranco song that goes "and every state line has a new set of laws" bc some states post those laws roadside as you enter for your awareness.

I've lived in four states, and there are differences in each of them - each has their own constitution with laws and rights and processes for all manner of things - driving, schooling, taxing, etc

The US constitution denotes that anything not prescribed by the constitution of the federal government is delegated to the states the the federal government and the individual states share power, by mutual agreement.

This makes for interesting cultural dynamics. The states are left to define things for themselves per their unique population. But all states are beholden to certain things.

So, as others have said, i think of myself as a US citizen, a native North Carolinian, a Tennessee resident and voter, a former resident of Louisiana and California, and culturally a southerner relative to other regions.

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deltagma@reddit

Imagine if Christendom was a country, Protestant a Region and Anglican a State.

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Bright_Ices@reddit

Excellent analogy.

Thank you for your answer, i'm gathering from others that some states are more State-y than others (California, Illinois, Texas, Hawaii, NYC within New York)

I've heard of the civil war but I've not heard of the HC, though I'm aware that the East Cost states have a lot more deep history than others - do people from the east coast have more of a local identify than people from say, Missouri?

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MrQuizzles@reddit

I'm from Rhode Island, Connecticut's tiny neighbor, and I hadn't heard of the Hartford Convention. I do agree that CT is a bland state, one of the ones founded by Puritans. They just got rid of all their counties because of a law they made 60 years ago and replaced them with "planning regions" (that totally aren't counties, bro. Trust me.). They have a dinosaur park, I guess?

Rhode Island is a much cooler state, founded on the idea of true religious freedom by a guy that the Puritans kicked out (twice). We had much better relations with the natives in the area and much worse relations with the crown.

We did the Burning of the Gaspee, one of the first acts of violence in the Revolutionary War. We also were the only colony with a navy (it was mostly smugglers, pirates, and fisherman), and that eventually became the US Navy.

Rhode Island was the first colony to declare independence from England but the last to ratify the constitution because we wanted to be assured that the Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments) would be added.

Nowadays we're a state with many colleges in it, including Brown, RISD, and Johnson & Wales. There's a great food scene and a vibrant LGBT+ community. Our neighbors MA and CT agree that we're terrible drivers. We were famous for having one of the most corrupt politicians in the country (Buddy Cianci).

Every state has its stories and local history and flavor. They have their rivalries with neighboring states. Their quirks. Their local celebrities. Their politics. Etc. Etc. Etc.

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Highway49@reddit

Nah, Missouri folks have a strong sense of identity, at least in my experience. Kansas City people are very supportive of their sports teams — especially the Chiefs — and St Louis folks are rabid Cardinals fans. They also are extremely proud of their barbecue in both cities, KC might be the best in the country (which is pretty damn good, I haven’t been to KC in over 20 years but I still dream about their burnt ends). I was friends with a couple from Missouri here in NorCal, and they ended up moving back to Missouri to have kids and be close to grandparents.

I’ve never met anyone from Connecticut to be that into their state, maybe except for pizza.

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mobileagnes@reddit

Isn't NJ similar? It's dominated by Philadelphia and NYC to such a degree that people would only sleep in NJ but otherwise work in NYC/Philadelphia & otherwise identify as one of those regions. Sport teams, friends, etc from one city or the other. The middle of the state gets interesting wondering where Yankees/Mets fans are vs where Phillies fans are.

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lt_dan_zsu@reddit

There can be stark cultural differences depending on where in the US you're from, but I also think they sometimes get overstated. I'm from the Midwest, and it's not like I stuck out like a sore thumb when I lived in Massachusetts. As far as what I view myself as, I'd say probably an American first, and then a regional or state identity comes second, and will vary depending on context.

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FlappyClap@reddit

Each state has its own constitution, rules of law, taxes, and police forces. Often, they have their own military and state defense forces.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_defense_force

Far-Entrepreneur5451@reddit

I'm American. To your point, I've noticed how many of you lot across the pond identify with your constituent country as your nationality, rather than with the UK as a whole. For example, I hear some people from England referring to themselves as British whilst others prefer to identify as English. There are Welsh and Scottish people who are offended at being called British, and folks from Northern Ireland whose roots run deep and favor being part of the Republic.

But here it isn't like that, no. While some people do have a strong sense of their state identity (especially Texans; no shade, I live in Texas and it's a great place), it's rarely at odds with their American identity.

I will say though that this might be completely different for Hawaiians, but I don't know.

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NFLDolphinsGuy@reddit

There interstate rivalries so domestically someone might identify more closely with their state than the country as a whole. There’s also nasty politics that leads to “othering” of states like California. That rears its head in talks of who “Real America” is.

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Dr_Watson349@reddit

States are more distinct in terms of laws than culture. Yes there are large cultural difference between states, but its nowhere near the difference between foreign countries. A guy from NY and CA are much more similar than a person from England vs Ireland/Scotland/Wales.

On the law side though, it can be extremely different. For example, there are many firearms that I can purchase and own in FL that would land me in jail in CA.

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AesirMimyr@reddit

200 years ago? Woulda identified as from a state first that was part of a larger union. Post 1900s? We're American first unless talking to others about specifically where we live

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PFM66@reddit

See myself as an American, other states are just seen as weird versions outside the state borders or on the other side of the country, but still Americans.

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baconstreet@reddit

Think of the US as the EU. Each state is essentially a different country. Some states are a country inside of a country, if that makes sense.

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AllPeopleAreStupid@reddit

Being from Maryland we have a really strong state pride here. In MD we can get specific with where we're at typically what county we are from. I live close to Baltimore but not in the city, but to someone outside MD, I tell them Baltimore because that is more recognizable. Most people know Baltimore so I typically don't have to say MD. If I'm outside US I will say Washington DC as I am almost as close to there as Baltimore and most people know Washington DC. We certainly see our selves as American, but since the country is so large, cultures can be so different from town to town, state to state, and region to region. Now adays with politics I feel people view it more nationally than they should. Out of staters often butting their nose into states they don't live. Like don't tell me what my states politics should be if you don't live here. Just as much as its none of my business if CA wants to suck and drive itself into bankruptcy with over regulation, maybe they like it that way.

State identity may vary in strength by state. Some, like California, Texas, and probably Hawaii and New York at least have very strong state identities, arguably stronger than national. I’ll leave others to compare other states.

But this will also depend on individual mobility. If you grew up moving a lot you might be less likely to have a strong sense of local identity.

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Extension-Scarcity41@reddit

It depends on the context.

If you re discussing global issues, you will look through the prisim of being an American.

If you are discussing regional issues, and sports is a common topic where this might pop up, then it becomes a state or city identity. ie: NY Yankees fans vs Boston Red Sox fans. You can pick up some interesting local color by examining some of the mascot names for the Universities in different areas. The University of North Carolina Tar Heels got their nickname it was said in the civil war, as you needed to cover their troops shoes with tar in order to get them to stay and fight.

But there are distinct regional identities, like southerners (usually S.E. US States like Georgia) Midwesterners (where dreams go to die) Texans, etc.

Sort of like being a Scouse....

And just to confuse you more, in addition to the 50 states, which are sovereign governments within the US, there are also something like 540 sovereign indian nations within the US as well. Over half of the landmass of the state of Oklahoma is actually a sovereign indian nation

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Relevant-Ad4156@reddit

I can't speak for everyone, but I guess the best way I can answer this question is;

You say all those cities are still English. Because they are.

A better metaphor would be to ask someone from Swansea if they are English.

I know I'm late to the party here but I love being a Northern Californian, specifically a dopey suburban kid from the SF Bay Area. I grew up ins the 80s and 90s which was the literal perfect time to be a kid in this country and I treasure it. My family life wasn't great and I was an undiagnosed adhd fat girl in an era when none of those things were ok but the overall feeling I get when I think about being young in CA is a warm fuzzy one

I also love shitting on Southern California at every opportunity because they bring us down

other states I fuck with include: Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Vermont, and cities like Minneapolis/Chicago and some parts of the Northeast but most of the rest of ya* can go screw

*just kidding I have lived in other places I've liked such as Atlanta and Minneapolis but I just like all the hippie places. I feel closer and have more affinity for places like BC Canada and Baja Mexico than I do for a place like one of the Dakotas or Iowa or Tennessee or Florida.

the worst state is the one I am currently living in (Indiana, fight me Hoosiers) but I hope to be giving Mike Braun's greasy butt the finger soon

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annacaiautoimmune@reddit

Some of us think of our country as a federal republic.

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CollapseOfTheWest@reddit

A historian summarized the American Civil War as being before the war people said "The United States are...", while after it they said "The United States is..." Clearly the federal government has primacy, probably in ways the Founders never intended, for better or worse.

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GoodCallMeatball@reddit

In the US I'm Californian, when abroad I'm Canadian

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mostlygray@reddit

I'm American, in general.

In the states, I'm Minnesotan.

In Minnesota, I'm from "The Cities"

In the Twin Cities, I'm from Burnsville.

In America, we define ourselves as American primarily. After that, we drill it down. If someone says they're from Alabama, we'll say "Roll Tide". If someone's from Lincoln, you might ask how the Huskers are doing. If you talk to someone from western PA you might bring up some Yinzer sayings just for fun. You might talk about Teddy Roosevelt if you're talking to someone from western ND.

Point is, we're a big country, but we're all American. We're not a commonwealth, we're not a federation, we're American. Internally, we're aware that a Floridian is not the same as a Washingtonian, but it doesn't matter. We're all American.

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2FistsInMyBHole@reddit

Americans mostly think of themselves as a federation - even if they don't recognize it, or even know what the word means.

However, it doesn't really hold much meaning because the US has been relatively stable for the last 150 years.

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themcp@reddit

I think it really depends on where you're from.

In some cases it's what u/azuth89 says here. In others, people don't really think of themselves as anything other than "American." In my experience, anyone will follow azuth's rules when asked where they live, but people in the northern and western states are more likely that, if someone from another country asks them, they will say "I'm American," while people in the Southern states will say "I'm from Texas" or "I'm from Tennessee."

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Kamena90@reddit

We don't exactly think that way. We are one nation, even though technically divided. There are state loyalties, but they are generally overridden by national loyalty. It's like internally we are divided by state, but externally we are one nation. I'm really not sure if that makes sense, but it's the best way I can think to describe it.

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ObviousLogic94@reddit

I’d say that it does depend on the state. I’ve lived in seven different ones. They each have their own flavor and their own unique contributions, biases, rivalries etc. some are super aloof some feel part of a region. I do think that on any given day a third of the states would go independent if it wasn’t for all the paperwork.

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-Raskyl@reddit

Most people see themselves as Americans in America. Texans definitely see themselves as Texans in America.

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StoneMao@reddit

We are so big that we don't realize how diverse our country is. For example, Red and Blue states are bewildered by what the other is up to. Californians are caricatures to Texans and vice versa. "Florida Man" is a national joke.

At the same time, we are much more mobile. I have lived in 10 of the 50 states, and my accent is a mishmash of all of them. At least in urban areas, a newcomer will quickly be accepted. In Florida, most folks you meet are from someplace else. Rural areas ... well, if your grandparents were not born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Uppers), you are still a foreigner.

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StoneMao@reddit

I think a better response to your question is that we are not as tribal as other places in the world. Think of how hard it is for American diplomats and politicians to understand how much India and Pakistan hate each other, and try to be friends with both.

Perhaps we are just as tribal, but think of ourselves as one big tribe.

The exception would be Boston. When commissioned, the Navy tries to put folks from the same city or state in the commissioning crew. So when the USS Boston was commissioned, the crew was all from different neighborhoods and hated each other.

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used-to-have-a-name@reddit

America is like an elite social club.

There are rules that apply to all members, but every member secretly thinks they’re the life of the party.

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ShakarikiGengoro@reddit

During times like these I like to think of myself as being separate from the right-wing states. I dont want to be associated with them.

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LightningMan711@reddit

In Canada, I'm American. In the US, I'm an Ohioan living in North Carolina. The reason I'm not a North Carolinian is because I grew up in Ohio, and I don't have the knowledge or history a true Tarheel would, so it feels almost disrespectful to say I am.

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Fun-Track-3044@reddit

American first, city/metro area second, state third. Some of our most important states are so diverse that it's not sensible to lump the small cities in with the big city that puts that state on the map.

So - American first. Then you're from New York City or from Buffalo (city and metro) or Albany (city and metro) or the Southern Tier (long stretch of empty terrain with small towns here and there). All of these cities/areas are in New York State.

But it's crazy to think that someone from New York City identifies as being tied to someone from Horseheads or Victor, NY. New York State is a large place with a million little towns that NYC can't find on a map, even if you pointed to it.

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teslaactual@reddit

All of the above, abroad im american, if im in the U.S. im from (insert state) if im in the state im from (insert city or closest town)

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duanelvp@reddit

I consider myself to be a citizen of a state first (even while having lived in several different ones over time), and only secondarily a citizen of a federated republic, to the extent that I oppose VASTLY more of what the federal government is and does compared to what ANY state does. The state level has far more impact on our daily lives than the federal level. Even though I take pride in our nation, there are limits. The more desperately the federal government tries to exert control over the states to be exactly like each other - yet only in the way the Fed wants the states to be - the worse everything gets. The nation was FOUNDED on telling the highest level of government to GET THE F OUT OF OUR LIVES. I believe if more people thought of the federal government as being decidedly secondary importance, and making that CLEAR to the federal government, not only would our lives in America be better, but the whole world would.

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I’d say people associate equally as much with their state as with their country. It’s more than how much we associate with a city, but less than we associate with a separate country.

People don’t consider states similar to countries.

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Potential-Elephant73@reddit

It's simultaneously both. Each state is a very different place with their own cultures and laws. At the same time, we are all American with a broader culture and laws. It's probably very similar to the UK, but a bit more united.

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Location_Glittering@reddit

Where I live it's state first. Followed by New England(the region), North East and then the country.

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Mrwetwork@reddit

Certain states are state first, but as a whole I believe we all look at each other as American. I think it also depends greatly on your age.

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LukasJackson67@reddit

South Carolina New York New Jersey Texas California

I am from Ohio and it really doesn’t shape my identity like those states.

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GeeseHateMe@reddit

My own list would be New York, New Jersey, Texas, Cali, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Florida

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thebackupquarterback@reddit

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trinite0@reddit

I would say that the interwar period featured a bigger push to break down ethnic identities than it did regional identities, particularly through the persecution of German-speaking Americans. But there was also a renewal of the anti-regional push that began after the Civil War.

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Eric848448@reddit

Huh. TIL!

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semasswood@reddit

We think of ourselves as American. State or regional identity is not that strong.

Part of it is because most of us live in more than one state in our lifetimes.

Lived most of my life between eastern Oregon and eastern Washington and we 100% identify as the PNW but many people still have that “others” view of the west sides. It’s politics.

Idaho seems to be the controversial topic on whether or not they get to be in the PNW

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Repulsive-Row803@reddit

Sometimes, these definitions even extend to southeastern Alaska and Northern California.

Pacific Northwest can mean different things to different people, geographically and culturally. These definitions aren't inherently influenced by just politics, especially as Spokane continues to align more politically with Western Washington. It's not just politics.

It depends on the context. We are all American, but tend to identify with states among other Americans like a sibling/cousin relationship. Some states appear to have a tendency to identify with their state more than their country. Like someone from Texas seems more likely to identify as a Texan and be identified as a Texan.

Some states seem to identify more with their region (e.g Midwesterners, New Englanders) but among others their region they identify with their state and poke fun at them like siblings. I'm from New England and this is especially true. We like to shit on each other, but if a non new Englander tries to shit on Massachusetts or New Hampshire then we'll defend them. Because New England as a whole is better than everyone else of course (tongue in cheek).

At the end of the day I think most of us consider ourselves American first though. Except for maybe Texans and a few other states.

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cvt23@reddit

An interesting bit of history. When the US was first established, people would refer to it in the plural, as in “The United States of America are …” Now, you will pretty much always hear “The United States of America is…” This shift has been attributed to the aftermath of the Civil War.

States certainly have cultural distinctions, but there is a lot of overlap (especially within regions). I think certain states have much stronger “state-level patriotism” than others. There are always people in Texas and California talking about seceding for example. Never hear that from Wyoming.

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QuoteGiver@reddit

Just American.

Unless you see them flying a Confederate flag. I don’t know what the hell those people are thinking.

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samof1994@reddit

Klansmen

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rubiconsuper@reddit

So it depends on the audience. Abroad I’m American, then I’m from Georgia, then I’m from around Atlanta, then I’m at my current city depending on how many questions they ask or who I am talking to.

The edit you added, the question is basically a yes. Being from one state is different enough compared to other states. It might not be too different from neighboring states but from across the country, it can be a lot different. From climate, accents, speech, food, even customs of a sort.

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CommercialWorried319@reddit

Mostly I think of myself as an American, I grew up in Indiana and except for sports stuff I'd rarely hear "Hoosier" or see state flags on homes and such.

In Indiana I'd mostly identify by town or next big town

Now I'm in Texas and everyone and their mom's cousin has a Texas flag or Star on their house, remarkable pride in the state, Whata-Burger and Bucc-ees, along with several other things.

Culture shock.

And now I just say near Dallas or DFW if I'm out of state, in state I'm about an hour from Dallas

Not saying no one in Indiana has this kinda pride, might be generational or local

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Fejj1997@reddit

It kinda depends. Generally speaking, regions have similar identities; I'm in Idaho, and if I go to Wyoming or Montana I can expect people pretty similar, but every time I've been to a different region, especially the Southeast or Northeast, it's like stepping into a different country.

Texas is an awful example for this 🤣 they're weirdly obsessed with their state. There's also a huge population whose families have been here when it was a literally country on its own.

anemone_within@reddit

Depends on the person. I grew up in the state I live in now, but for a good 10 years I lived out West and did a little stint for the military. I think if push came to shove, I'd have my State's back over my Country's, but only because I think my State will always be on the right side of the union that binds us, maybe not every election cycle, but when it counts.

There’s no regional or state-based party that would get even a fraction of the support of Bloc Quebec, say.

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DizzyIzzy801@reddit

Oh, Texans think of Texas like Kanye thinks of Kanye, sure.

:)

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MonkeyKingCoffee@reddit

I'm largely (and increasingly) ashamed of my country. I can't even be proud of my state anymore. Because they're pulling people out of schools, and their workplace and flying them to god-knows-where while wearing masks to hide their identity.

This is happening where I live.

And I will never, ever forgive the people who are doing this. They may roast in hell.

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arkstfan@reddit

We are not federated in a way most other countries think of federations.

Even the states that weren’t created out of Federal controlled land and had a history of independence (13 original states, Vermont, Texas, Hawaii and arguably but not really California) had very short periods of independent sovereignty except for Hawaii and they spent over 60 years as a territory.

Many Texans, for instance, love their state identity. However, they see themselves as Americans too. One identity is state, the other national. They co-exist. In contrast, I know that some people in the UK only mention their constituent country when discussing their nationality. They aren't British. They're Scottish, or Welsh, etc. That's their nationality. I have even seen some take offense at being called British.

I would be remise if I didn't acknowledge that if you ask a Native American this question, their answer will be very different probably.

This would be answered differently for many. Most Texans see Texas first then America. We are often very patriotic but will lean towards Texas if there was a choice.

Can't say someone from Idaho or South Dakota would say the same.

Texans are a bit different. What I often tell people is if you out 2 ppl from every state in 1 room, 5 min in EVERYONE knows who is from Texas and New York. Incidently, Texans and New Yorkers are most likely to get in a physical altercation Over their state. Haha

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king-of-boom@reddit

Main difference:

When talking about nationality, Americans consider themselves US Citizens.

When you're talking about that same concept at the state level, most will refer to themselves as residents of XYZ state, and do not use the term citizen when talking about the state they are from/living in.

Most Americans would have no issue deciding to move to another state, the same would not be said about moving to a different country.

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romanticaro@reddit

i’m a new yorker.

deb1267cc@reddit

Federation is more of a Star Trek thing

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KansansKan@reddit

All Americans are Americans unless they are from Texas! 😀

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FemboyEngineer@reddit

We're all American as a matter of civic pride, but North Carolina and Minnesota are pretty different culturally. There are all sorts of different cultural identities and ways of life in this country, and that requires a certain level of respectful autonomy.

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Thunderplant@reddit

I think of the US as being a federation because laws, culture, and even weather are SO different between states. However, I don't really identify as being from my state. People in the US move around a lot, and I wasn't born in the state I grew up in and I don't live there now either.

Valcyor@reddit

I always call myself Oregonian. I only clarify to say "American" if people don't at least kind of know where or what Oregon is. I do not consider myself American.

The United States isn't quite an association of independent countries like the EU is, but it's more similar to the EU than it is to a country like Germany or Spain. Likewise, Oregon and the other states are more similar to a country than to a first-level subdivision like Brandenburg or Bayern, even though the individual States don't quite have the infrastructure or rights of a full-on country.

That's why it kind of ticks me off to see world maps where the whole US is just one color. We're 50 separate entities and should be treated as such. And the orange clown in that white building 3000 miles from us does NOT represent the people that I am a part of.

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panthar1@reddit

To answer your question, laws are very different between the states. A lawyer in one state can not practice law in a different state. You are subject to that states constitution as well. That creates practical differences for many things.

That said, there is still plenty of similarity as well. It's not like a separate country, but the people and culture are quite different between regions for example, enough that most of us do identify by state or region.

It's a regional thing that melts into the bigger thing.

If you ask where I was born, I say NC. If you ask where I live now I say Seattle.. If I'm out of the country on vacation and someone asks where I'm from I say the US.

Locally the city is more important because we all live in the same state. The real answer to your question is although the way people think can vary by region people generally just think of themselves as American and not Californian.

So it's the city and the country. States aren't that important but some regions do tend to be more religious or conservative or independent than others.

It's a big country so that is to be expected since the east is urban and crowded and the west is much less dense. The east is humid, the west is not. The midwest is flat.

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BeautifulSundae6988@reddit

So this was handled in the civil war actually.

Most Americans identify with the United States before their own state. Not all (looking at culturally distinct places like Texas, California or Hawaii) but most.

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benkatejackwin@reddit

Most would identify where they grew up, but many people here move around a lot. I don't switch what state I identify with as I move around, so I would say I basically identify as American.

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TiddyAmeritrade@reddit

I’m from Philly, we don’t identify with Pennsylvania at all

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distracted_x@reddit

I'm from Indiana and we are called "hoosiers" don't ask me why, even Google says the origin is debatable. But I've never referred to myself as a Hoosier ever in my life. I think some states have more state pride like Texas but for the most part we don't often say like I'm kentuckian or whatever. We just say we're American.

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Ultimate_Driving@reddit

I consider myself a human. I am so much more than just my nationality or ethnic background.
I just happen to have been born in the US. I don't identify as American. I don't identify as a Coloradan (I wouldn't be allowed to anyway, since I wasn't born here.) I DEFINITELY don't identify as being from the state where I was born.

Most Americans consider themselves American, and don't identify by the state they're from. Also, close to half of Americans don't even live in the state where they were born.

Except for Texas. People from Texas consider themselves to be Texan, above all else. There's a surprising number of Texans who have moved away from Texas, and have to make a point in every conversation about why Texas is better than where they live now.

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Dave_A480@reddit

We see the official structure as a Federation, in the sense of 'that's a stupid state-law, good thing I don't live there so I don't have to obey it)....

American.

I grew up in NY, traveled all over the world, and now live in NJ, but I’m not a Jersey Boy. Once I retire, I’m moving to a different, less expensive state.

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Adventurous-Emu-4440@reddit

I’ve spent my whole life in the southern U.S. (three different states, tho) and hate it when Brits call us, “Yanks”. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t fly a confederate flag, our civil war was definitely about slavery, and the south was definitely in the wrong. But while I’m an American, I am definitely a Southerner.

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That's how I show where I lived in Alaska! Right hand in a fist with thumb extended downward, and point. Tanana is just about the center of the back of my hand.

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Unreasonably-Clutch@reddit

We're proud of our states, localities, and rivalries but if you fly a plane into a building in NYC we're Americans.

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PlanMagnet38@reddit

When people grow up and stay in the same state, they might view themselves as primarily from their state, and some states are super patriotic and folks from there might maintain that identity after moving. But people also move a lot between states, which makes it complicated.

Like, I feel like a Marylander and an American all of the time, even when I lived in other states and countries. And I think my sense of being a Marylander is stronger, relative to my American-ness, than people’s sense of their administrative region in France, for example. Heck, in Maryland we are even super county proud in a way other US states aren’t, so there’s another difference there too. But I also very definitely think of myself as American and feel a deep civic kinship to people from all of our states and territories.

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Early_Clerk7900@reddit

Most people don’t feel all that attached to a state. There are exceptions like Texas and California. The Civil War settled this question as to whether we are a collection of small states in the nationalist sense or whether we are nationally Americans.

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False_Length5202@reddit

From Illinois. I chose to live in Colorado most of my adult life. Consider myself a Coloradoan over an American.

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DryRecommendation795@reddit

Also depends on the context. If I’m in a small town in a foreign country, and I encounter another American, it’s like, oh, cool, an American! You’re from West Virginia? Nice. I’m from California. But when we’re at home, we definitely have a little more attitude and stereotyping about people from other states.

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Green-Ad-6149@reddit

All of the above. I am a Marylander, an Appalachian, an American, and a representative of my town.

Priority changes with location. If I’m overseas I’m an American. If I’m in the states in another state like California, I’m a Marylander or an Appalachian depending on context. That context is usually connected to outdoor hobbies, survival or shooting. Sometimes my drinking prowess. If I’m local, I refer to the town.

No, Americans do not think of themselves as a federation.

When I travel outside the US, speaking to people that are not Americans, I just tell them, "I'm American." When talking to Americans in other parts of the country, "I'm from California." In California were divided into NorCal and SoCal. Sometimes you hear CenCal, but it's not that often. If you're from a major city or a very well-known city, there's also an identity associated with that, like San Francisco or LA.

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sto_brohammed@reddit

It depends on the individual. I personally identify more with Michigan than the US as a whole.

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EpiZirco@reddit

We think of ourselves as a Federation. It is common for people to move from state to state (though most people don’t).

This idea of a single nation really took hold in the Civil War. Before then, “United States” was plural — “the United States are”. During the war, it became singular — “the United States is”.

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JudgeWhoOverrules@reddit

I see myself as Arizonan first and then American. I see the nation as a whole as a federation and frequently refer it as these united states of America, The Union, or The States.

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For me personally it has changed depending on where I live tbh.

My family is English and that’s how I grew up so I’ve always identified as a Brit first and foremost even though I’ve never held citizenship.

I grew up in Kansas City, and identified as a Kansas Citian. Never a Missorian or Kansan.

Then I lived in London, and that’s the first and only time I’ve ever lived somewhere where I identified with my nationality.

Now I live in Maryland, outside of DC. It’s the first time I’ve ever identified with a state. Now I am a Brit/Kansas Citian/Marylander. 💜

bananapanqueques@reddit

Hawaiians, too.

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No_Freedom_8673@reddit

I can attest, was born, and grew up in Texas, but now live in Indiana. I still firmly see myself as Texan above all else.

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Jorost@reddit

The vast majority of Americans would have no idea what a “federation” is. They’d think you were talking about Star Trek.

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bananapanqueques@reddit

Most Texans I know consider themselves Texan first. The USA is the 6th country we've been a part of. Who knows if that's permanent?

Sea-Locksmith-881@reddit (OP)

Thank you for your thoughtful reply!

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DBADIAH@reddit

For me, it’s primarily American. I don’t really think of myself as from a state in the same way. I do think of myself as from a city, though, because I interact with such a large part of it. States are just so similar to each other, and our culture is primarily determined by being in America.

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SaintsFanPA@reddit

It is important to note that, historically, the US has had greater interstate mobility than European intra-country mobility, much less intercountry mobility. In other words, someone from New York has been more likely to move to Texas than someone from Paris is to move to Marseille. Free movement between European countries is more recent, so I would expect national identities to be more important than state identities.

I was born in GA, lived in MA, RI, NY, WA, VT, OK, TX, CA, PA, and NJ. I currently split my time between NJ and PA. I've also lived in 3 foreign countries. I am not the norm, but which state should I say I am from?

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dnext@reddit

SaintsFanPA really says it all. :D

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Frito_Goodgulf@reddit

In Ken Burns' documentary "The Cicil War," historian Shelby Foote was quoted:.

"Prior to the Civil War, it was these United States. After, it was the United States."

For both the North and the South in the Civil War, military units were state based. Robert E. Lee coomanded the 'Army of Virginia.' Not an Army of the Confederacy.

After, federal military units were combined, although National Guard units remained, and remain, state based.

I grew up in Utah. Its history is intertwined with that of the LDS Church. But by the 1970s, no one I knew, whether a Mormon or not, considered themselves a Utahn ahead of being an American.

It seems that the current state is less holistic than it was, but much of that isn't purely state based, but a rural/urban divide.

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IneffableOpinion@reddit

American first but there are states I certainly don’t care to associate with

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Bastiat_sea@reddit

This varies by state. It's important to understand, though, that American cultural identity isn't bound by state borders. A lot of states share a cultural identity, and then some have identity that isn't even shared across the state.

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Marmacat@reddit

I don’t think of any of it as being a big part of my identity. But just as a matter of fact, I would say I am American.

If someone specifically asked where, within America, I’m from, I’d say New York but that’s the extent of it. In fact, to drive home this point, I don’t even know what the word would be - “I’m New Yorkian?”

I do know some people say things like “I’m a real New Yorker” and that sort of thing but I find that a bit silly. Especially when they get gatekeepy about it; “A real New Yorker never puts ketchup on a hotdog” or “We New Yorkers are a special breed - we’re survivors”

I’m guessing that’s just something some people do, regardless of where they are from. If I had to guess, I’d say most Americans will say what state they are from, if asked, but otherwise don’t really see it as part of their identity. Kind of like regions of other countries - like someone from England would maybe be more likely to say they are English and are from Cornwall, rather than that they are Cornish. Although I’m guessing at that so don’t come at me if you are proud Corneans.

Also - for the record, I do not put ketchup and hotdogs but that’s because it’s gross, not because I’m a New Yorker.

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Sea-Locksmith-881@reddit (OP)

Thank you, just FYI you have picked a uniquely bad example to give as of all areas in England Cornwall would be probably the most likely to say they're Cornish rather than English 😅 old Celtic heritage. But otherwise your point stands

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Marmacat@reddit

Haha! I was wondering about that because I couldn’t think of another area of England that would even have a name for the inhabitants. Like Yorkshirian? Leedsian? I was thinking I’d heard Liverpudlian but not sure that’s really a thing.

So I went with Cornish.

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msabeln@reddit

USA! USA! USA! But yeah, I’m a Missourian born and raised, though I’ve lived in California and Illinois as well, and travelled to most of the states.

Each state has sovereignty—as do native tribes and other outlying territories, so it’s more than just being from a province, and with their own constitution, laws, taxes, etc.

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Sea-Locksmith-881@reddit (OP)

Do you still feel like a Missourian at heart? When you're in California do you feel like you're away from home?

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msabeln@reddit

Yes. I loved California and its weather, but it wasn’t home. Southern California has horrible traffic, while in the north, the people just weren’t all that friendly.

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PrimaryBalance828@reddit

Many of them identify themselves with a state especially when they move to a different state and won’t shut the fuck up about how it was done in the state they left.

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GoodbyeForeverDavid@reddit

I like that you asked this question. The federal character of the US is something I think many of our European friends struggle to internalize.

Federalism is a foundational principle of the United States Constitution, designed by the framers to balance power between the national and state governments. It was a marked departure from the original Articles of Confederation, and was heavily debated. Its importance lies in limiting the concentration of authority, protecting individual liberties, and allowing for local experimentation in governance.

The framers, wary of centralized tyranny after their experience under British rule, intentionally created a system in which sovereignty is divided: the federal government handles national concerns like defense and interstate commerce, while states retain control over matters such as education and policing. This structure was meant to preserve the autonomy of states, while ensuring a unified nation capable of addressing collective challenges.

Federalism also promotes a system of checks and balances by creating multiple layers of government that hold each other accountable. By enabling state-level innovation and responsiveness, federalism remains a vital mechanism for adapting to the diverse needs of the American people while safeguarding democratic principles.

Each state has its own constitution, legislature, executive branch, judicial branch, and supreme court. They are each sovereign - only sharing power with the federal government.

QuantityNew6210@reddit

I think there are a lot of layers. With other Americans, it depends on where they’re from. To the coasts, I’m from the Midwest. For people that live in the Midwest, I’m State specific. Within my own state, it’s what city I’m from. Outside of US, I’m American bc I’m not sure a European could point my state out on a map 😊

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gyeran94@reddit

Within Texas, I’m a Houstonian, because don’t lump me in with Dallas people. Within the US, I’m a Texan because other states don’t wanna be lumped in with us. I only ever really realize I’m American when my overseas friends, family from the motherland, or this sub ask me how we do things in the US

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The US is pretty weird in our identities. Since we are the size of Europe it can feel almost like we are a federation. Some states definitely identify State 1st. But I think most of us identify more with a region. IE Northeast, West Coast, Southeast, Mid-West etc.

I live in the Southeast and I sometime fell I have as much in common with the British as I do some from NY or California. But someone from a neighboring state here in the Southeast probably has a similar heritage, customs, food, interests, etc. as most in my area and would fit right in.

All that said I think most of us still have the attitude you mess with one you mess with all so there is that aspect as well.

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OsvuldMandius@reddit

As you can see, most people have answered with some variation of "I'm an American _and_ a resident of my state." That's how the overwhelming majority of Americans are going to see things.

However, it has not always been so. One of the things that contributed to the US Civil War was that, at that time, it was quite common for people to think of themselves as a citizen of their state first, and only after that as a citizen of the United States. That's how you had some military officers from states that attempted to secede from the union in the Confederate army, while some others stayed in the Union army. Many, many people back in those days thought their first allegiance was to their state.

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ACam574@reddit

I have no real association with my current state of residence or a past one.

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I've moved too many times to think of my identity as attached to any one state. Most of the people I know are in the same situation.

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Puzzleheaded_Tax2026@reddit

We’re all just Americans, it doesn’t matter what state you’re from. That’s just how we identify the region we live in.

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JustATyson@reddit

Historically, the States were the first identity for many Americans. Things started to shift mid 1800s, especially around our Civil War. Post out civil war, the nationalistic trend of American and then State Identity become more apparent.

Modernly, most folks will probably identify with America and then State. However, a State's identity can still be very strong, and there's plenty of rivalry (both good and bad nature) between the States.

Cobblestone-boner@reddit

New Yorker first, American second

Some do. Most of us don’t.

The only ones that have a strong sense of state identity that rivals or surpasses national identity tend to live outlier states like Alaska, Hawaii and Texas (it helps that the latter two are former independent nations).

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Tryin-to-Improve@reddit

Yeah, the big cities are basically their own thing even amongst the states. Cuz you can be from Georgia or you can be from Atlanta (very different people)

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AdamOnFirst@reddit

No, not at all

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Mental_Freedom_1648@reddit

Depends on the context. I think of myself as an American first, generally.

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jenowl@reddit

Think of it like a school.

A state would be your class. You have your own class rules and teacher that makes them. Your classmates you tend to care about more directly because you work with them directly, have group projects, are all affected by that one kid that won't stop farting.

But then all the classes fall into one school under a headmaster. There are larger rules here that all students must follow. You may not know everyone in your school but there's still a camaraderie there. You may not know anyone on the football team but still go support it, because that's your school.

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Tryin-to-Improve@reddit

If we’re talking to foreigners then we’re American. No point in saying what state because foreigners have an unbelievably hard time understanding just how different every state is. Our states are the size of other countries.

Do Americans think of themselves as a federation?

I don't.

So I know that you are The United States, but in general do Americans see themselves as AMERICAN or as a (e.g) Texan within America, from a State within a Union of States?

The further I am from home, the more generic I tell someone where home is.

If I'm in the UK I'd say "Michigan". If they said "Detroit?" I'd say "No, Michigan's the size of the UK, not all of us are from the Detroit area, I live 200 miles from Detroit"

If I'm in the Detroit area, I simply tell someone what town I live in.

If I'm in my town, I say I live near a certain lake and river.

Do you think of America as one thing?

It depends on the context.

Or is it a jigsaw puzzle of things making up a thing? Or is it just a jigsaw?

I guess, it depends on the context.

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No-BrowEntertainment@reddit

It’s really not that much different from the UK. Like if you’re from Yorkshire, Lancashire is a completely different place to you, but it’s all still part of one country. The same is true for Ohio and Michigan over here, for example.

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luvchicago@reddit

I think the answer has evolved in my lifetime. As someone in my early/mid 40s - when I was younger, everyone just claimed to be an American. With maybe a small exception for those from Texas. In today’s political environment, I think it is more segmented. Texans don’t want to be confused with Californians, etc

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ComesInAnOldBox@reddit

Depends on where you're from, really, as well as your political persuasion. There are a lot of folks in the US that believe thinking of yourself as an American first is a Right-Wing Nationalist type of thing.

As for the "where" part, there are a few states that tend to generate folks who think of themselves as being from the state more than their nationality. Texas is the biggest one, but you'll find it from Californians, Marylanders, and New Yorkers, as well, although primarily people from the city rather than the state when it comes to New York.

And then you've got people who consider themselves as being from the city more than anything else. The aforementioned New York, for example, is a pretty big one. Chicago is another (I know people who often say "Illinois is south of Chicago"), as well as Philadelphia. Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio are also guilty of this.

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tolgren@reddit

Most Americans are barely aware of our government structure or history.

We're 50 countries in a trenchcoat dressed up as one country and generally we have similar pride in our state and our country. You would get a lot of different responses on whether a certain person is more proud to be from their state or their country and those would be about as diverse as our country is. I think on average it's about the same.

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