American Identity Vocab

All definitions are written within the context of the US

Citizen

A person who legally belongs to a country

Permanent resident

One who has the right to live and work indefinitely

Visa holder

A person with a permit to do various things

Illegal/undocumented immigrant

A foreign born person without a valid visa

Ethnic group

The social group a person belongs to, resulting from cultural and other factors associated with race

American system

The individual parts that make up the United States; these have roots in the Declaration of Independence and are legally guaranteed

American Identity

What defines one as an American: birthright citizenship or naturalization

American heritage

The things that belong to all Americans: geography, history, culture, ancestry, etc

American culture

Cultural developments that occurred within America

Multiculturalism

When different ethnic and cultural groups have equal status but each maintains its own identity

Declaration of Independence (1776)

The founding philosophical document for the US which describes the reason for independence and the duty of government to protect individual rights

US Constitution (1787)

Founding document for the US legal system

Social contract

When citizens give up some of their freedoms in order to receive the benefits and protections of the government

US Flag

The symbol that represents all Americans and the political union of all 50 states

Communities of involvement

The different communities Americans are a part of