Why don't many Southerners know their nationality? (middle school, move to)

[Hypnosis]

90% of the ones I've asked, they simply just don't know and reply "White" this is all they know. Is it lacking culture in these states? What is the cause of this identity confusion?

[Akhenaton06]

Uhhh, they are American. Where is the confusion?

[Hypnosis]

Originally Posted by Akhenaton06

Uhhh, they are American. Where is the confusion?

LOL, my point.

[Akhenaton06]

I'm not White.

[DCpictures]

Southerners have longer roots in America than people in the northeast, who came off the boat after at a later time.

[Akhenaton06]

I was thinking about European immigration and how the South didn't get much of that during the 1800's/1900's, but it seemed like the agenda from the start was to slam the South so I didn't even think it was worth a reasoned response. Plus, their nationality really IS American. If the question is about the roots of their ancestors in the Old World, then that's what should have been asked.

[BruceTenmile]

Yeah, they do know, and they ARE American, just as anyone who was born in the US is. It is quite important where you come from, but after several generations it becomes less clear.

[Smtchll]

Originally Posted by Hypnosis

90% of the ones I've asked, they simply just don't know and reply "White" this is all they know. Is it lacking culture in these states? What is the cause of this identity confusion?

I've been asking that question to people since I was in middle school and I hardly ever hear "White" The most common responses I get are Irish & Cherokee, and then I hear English & German less frequently. The Irish is actually Scotch-Irish for most Southerners, but a lot of people don't know the difference, and I doubt that that many people actually have Cherokee blood, but still, I never get simply "White"

And as for Black Southerners, they're more likely to respond that they have simply "white" somewhere down the line. They usually also say they have some Native American too.

[bryson662001]

Originally Posted by Smtchll

I've been asking that question to people since I was in middle school and I hardly ever hear "White" The most common responses I get are Irish & Cherokee, and then I hear English & German less frequently.

I am wondering what drew all those people who were born in Ireland, England or Germany to move to the southern U.S. Do they say if their move was permanent or temporary?

[Smtchll]

^ we're talking about ethnicity/heritage. "Nationality" isn't the correct word to use but we all knew what the OP meant