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by - July 3, 2008 - 9:25 AM
1. HOT DOGS:
As if Americans didn’t have enough to worry about with baseball’s murky origins (after all, the sport evolved from European games such as cricket and rounders), our national pastime’s food of choice has identity problems of its own. Hardly an American innovation, hot dog–like sausages were wolfed down regularly in Germany way back in the 17th century. In fact, the term “frankfurter” came about because the meaty treats were ridiculously popular in Frankfurt. But what about the “wiener?” We get that name from Vienna, which is why Austria also likes to take credit for the frank. Apparently, the hot dog has two mommies, and neither of them is America.
2. APPLE PIE:
Even though it’s probably the only food more closely associated with the United States than the hot dog, apple pie also has foreign origins. Pies as we know them today were likely invented by the Greeks, and people throughout Europe came up with the idea of filling them with apples long before the concept moved across the pond.
3. THE AMERICAN FLAG:
The true story behind the origins of the American flag remains one of the foggier details of early U.S. history. But whether or not it really involved George Washington slapping a sketch down on Betsy Ross’ desk, it’s likely the design was ripped off from one or more foreign flags of the time. Prominent historian Charles Fawcett, for example, has linked Old Glory’s stripes and stars to a British East India Company flag of remarkably similar design.
4. THE LIBERTY BELL:
Unlike the flag, there’s no question the Liberty Bell did not originate on U.S. soil. Hailed as America’s greatest copper-and-tin representation of freedom (at least from British tyranny), the bell was originally cast at Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, the same place Big Ben was made. It actually cracked the first time it was rung and had to be recast in America, where it soon fractured again. Still, Americans have grown to love the bell despite its flaw, and it’s now the only crack the government happily endorses.
5. AMERICA, THE BAND:
You’ll be happy to know the 1970s group America, which hit the top of the charts with tunes such as “A Horse with No Name,” was comprised of U.S. citizens. In fact, they were the sons of servicemen. But, ironically, the name of the group was conceived in the United Kingdom. What’s more, its first album (also titled “America”) was initially released exclusively in Europe. And while the band did move to the United States to record its second album, the members later returned to their quasi-British roots by recruiting “fifth Beatle” Sir George Martin to produce Hat Trick, their third big seller.
Ed. note: This article was pulled from mental_floss’ scatterbrained section from vol 5, issue 4. Want more great facts? Want to please our editors? Do both by getting a subscription today!
Please stop calling the U.S. ‘America’.
America is a continent, it’s not the same thing.
Didn’t expect such ignorance from this site, I actually like most of your articles.
for more info wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci
posted by PG on 7-3-2008 at 10:46 am
Actually, the continent is NORTH America.
posted by Danyel on 7-3-2008 at 10:53 am
And hence the name… United States of America…. which is shortened to America. So much for ignorance.
posted by Doug on 7-3-2008 at 11:00 am
PG-
You obviously knew what he was talking about. Get off your high horse. If you are too smart for this web site you certainly do not have to visit. No one is going to think “gee, what a smart person this PG is!” They’re more than likely going to think “gee, what a pretentious ass this person is.”
Get over yourself.
posted by sigh on 7-3-2008 at 11:00 am
PG - It is proper to refer to citizens of the U.S. as “Americans” (which this author does). However, when speaking of the nation itself, it is proper to refer to the “United States”. It is no longer unacceptable to refer to “America” as a synonym for the “United States”. Since Wikipedia is hardly an authority for anything, I think you should look for a better reference before you dis the authors at Mental Floss.
posted by Sarah on 7-3-2008 at 11:02 am
Yeah I’ll have to second Danyel here. We’re the United States of AMERICA and are called American and use the term America as a shortened version of our country’s name.
On another note, I think it’s cool we have so many different origins for our patriotic items. We all came from other countries, why not things we’re famous for?
posted by Tricia on 7-3-2008 at 11:15 am
i agree with sigh… my first thought to PG was something along the lines of “pretentious ass”…
wow. just get off your high horse, man. if you’re reading a novel, do you write the author and suggest ways to improve their writing? yeah, didn’t think so.
captcha: “vote sauterne” - who is this sauterne, and is their platform better than what is currently available?
posted by shaun on 7-3-2008 at 11:29 am
I’ll come down partly on PG’s side here, minus the crack about ignorance. It’s a matter of clarity and awareness that the US is not the only nation in this hemisphere. Unfortunately, there’s no real shorthand alternative for “US citizen” and “American” must be pressed into service. Those who might be annoyed at the continued use of “American” to refer to a US citizen are generally able to take it in stride. Those whose self-worth seems defined by the accident of where they emerged from the womb are more likely to be upset, so we’d better leave well enough alone and tend to more important things, like “comprised of” vs. “comprising”.
posted by loomis on 7-3-2008 at 11:52 am
At least we’re not alone this world with our long country name. The United Arab Emirates have the same problem we do. Does anybody know if they shorten their name? Of course, part of their name isn’t also the name of the continent they live on . . .
I’m with Tricia that it’s cool that all of our national loves are from foreign countries–I believe they tie us to our roots. :-) Happy early 4th, all.
posted by nutmeag on 7-3-2008 at 12:29 pm
Most of the foreigners I have known (Brits, Aussies, Zealanders, Chinese, Korean, and Israeli) refer to citizens of the U. S. as “Yanks”. Apologies to those of Southern descent.
posted by Doc on 7-3-2008 at 12:59 pm
Mexico’s official name is “United Mexican States”. So, by using “United States” to only mean the United States of America, we’re being very geocentric. Thus, I suggest we just call ourselves “#1″.
posted by Bandit on 7-3-2008 at 1:53 pm
Loomis,
wait a second. According to the dictionary (I checked several) the definition of an American is:
“a citizen of the United States”
While there are other definitions, the fact remains referring to a citizen of the United States as an American is not inappropriate and is technically correct.
posted by Florida on 7-3-2008 at 2:08 pm
We could always do like Spanish speakers (though I think this is only Latin American Spanish) and go with “estadounidense.”
Most of the options are pretty unwieldy.
The CIA World Factbook gives the noun and adjective for the US as American, and for the UAE as Emirati(s). I’d go with that as a little more reliable than good old Wikipedia, much as I love it.
posted by Julia on 7-3-2008 at 2:12 pm
Poor PG. Of all the battles to fight in the world, I’m afraid he/she picked a losing one. :)
posted by kate on 7-3-2008 at 3:01 pm
Good point, Tricia! After all, we are the melting pot.
Another patriotic symbol with foreign origin would be fireworks.
posted by Miss Cellania on 7-3-2008 at 3:01 pm
maybe we should call ourselves u.s. americans…. oh wait, then we’d sound like the miss teen america from south carolina. and we all know how well that ended for her.
posted by mary on 7-3-2008 at 3:12 pm
PG is correct that America is a continent. In fact it is two continents (North and South). Claiming those who call the U.S. “America” are ignorant is short-sighted. U.S. citizens have taken many things and made it better, as evidenced by this article. The U.S. is the leader of the free world — its people have the right to shorten “People of the United States of America” to “Americans” without any complaints from anyone.
PG would have been better to respond that even the name “America” is foreign-born, then pointed them to Wikipedia:
From wikipedia - Naming of America - The earliest known use of the name America for this particular landmass dates from April 25, 1507. It appears on a globe and a large map created by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges.
posted by Jeff on 7-3-2008 at 3:13 pm
Any reviewer who expresses rage and loathing for a novel is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae. - Kurt Vonnegut
I think the same could be said of the debate depicted herein.
posted by soph on 7-3-2008 at 3:18 pm
Gee, it’s like a miniature version of the (U.S.) Civil War on these comments… anyway I just wanted to say how about the Statue of Liberty? Thanks France!
posted by colin GG on 7-3-2008 at 4:33 pm
hahaha… Actually, PG is technically correct. The entire landmass (both North and South) is called AMERICA. Therefore, I could techinally also be called an American although I am Peruvian. I guess it just comes down to usage. A lot of words in the dictionary are included just because they have become commonly used.
That, or you could go with the latin term “GRINGO” :)
posted by GTT on 7-3-2008 at 5:24 pm
“we are the world, we are the children, we are the…”
Everybody now!
posted by soph on 7-3-2008 at 5:38 pm
I am currently living in Argentina, and people here also refer to US citizens as “yankies” but pronounce it in such a way that for the first month I was here, I thought they were saying “junkies” and calling us drug addicts. ha ha! Someone here told me that people in South America resent the fact that we call ourselves “Americans” because we aren’t the only Americans…but I have yet to hear anyone refer to themselves using the continents and not their country… ah well.
I just usually say I’m from the United States. Ha, people can usually tell I’m a foreigner anyway, since I’ve got light hair and skin.
The times I lived in Europe, I typically avoided telling people i was from the states, because they either A) became uncomfortably interested in me, or B) laughed contemptuously and made some cutting remark about the idiocy of the US citizens for electing good ol’incompetent, war-mongering GW. Fun times! Ha!
posted by V on 7-3-2008 at 5:57 pm
Ignoring the PG fiasco…
Ironically, the Austrians call their hot dog a “frankfurter” (or “one from Frankfurt”) and the Germans call their hot dog a “wiener” (or “one from Wien aka. Vienna”).
posted by AMOJA on 7-3-2008 at 5:57 pm
The hotdog may not be American, but the hotdog bun is.
posted by PartiallyDeflected on 7-3-2008 at 7:35 pm
Things we *used to* feel proud about? Because something wasn’t originated here doesn’t mean we haven’t had anything to do with it’s current level of popularity.
As for the whole PG thing above, don’t you just love it when people whine & complain about things that their whining and complaining won’t change in the least?
Captcha is “Tenants George”; George has company?
posted by Dave on 7-3-2008 at 11:40 pm
I still feel patriotic about the the flag of the United States of America.
*Hot Dogs are nasty, bad for my heart, and make me fat
*Apple Pie makes me fat and not great for my heart
*I knew the Liberty Bell was made in London…so that is out a long time ago.
*America the band SUCKS
So ya…I mostly agree lol
posted by Jack on 7-4-2008 at 12:48 am
You forgot to mention that the band “America” also did the soundtrack for one of the all-time best children’s movies, ‘The Last Unicorn’. (Although, I could be biased.)
posted by Stephanie on 7-4-2008 at 2:29 pm
nutmeag, people from the United Arab Emirates call themselves “Emirati” :)
posted by Dubdooba on 7-5-2008 at 12:26 am
NO NO NO, if you from Canada, you are NOT American, you are Canadian. If you are from Brazil, you are Brazilian, not American. Just stop all that Leftist USA-hating stuff right away.
People from the Republic of France are not called Republicans, but French. We are from the USA, and calling ourselves Uniteds would be stupid. We are AMERICANS.
I hate you Lefties with your whole anti-USA mindset. Get over yourselves.
posted by Valerie on 7-5-2008 at 3:22 am