I refer to American Indians in the historical sense as either aboriginal or indigenous peoples because the term Native American can be applied to those of us born here as well (perhaps another perversion of the language??). In fact, the Indians in this land who were indigenous were not Americans at all, but rather members of Indian tribes and nations across the land. And of course was no "America" until European settlers got here and named it. The land mass was just that... a large land mass, unnamed and inhabited by numerous Indian nations and tribes who at times, fought amongst themselves for food, land, power, and other reasons.
Most American Indians I have encounter in my life have been just like myself. They refer to themselves as Americans and/or by their state residences. If it happens to come out about their heritage, then they will generally tell me which tribe or Indian nation is their lineage. Just like myself. I never say anything about my lineage because it is not important and I am certainly not an Anglo-American. I am an American and specifically, a Virginian and a Southerner. It doesn't mean squat to me where my ancestors came from except as a general curiosity.
You are right about the colonists referring to themselves as citizens of the several states prior to the outbreak of the Revolution. And they also considered themselves British citizens as well with some (about a third) thinking of themselves as subjects of the crown.
Yea I agree, but I was referring to when someone asks my ethnic background, Native American is used among much of my Native family so I use it.
Even after the Revolutionary war indigenous population were referred as Americans, isn't wasn't until American expansionism well into the 1800's did the term start applying to those born hear of European decent too. The natives referred to themselves by their tribe, colonists and statehood folks called them "Americans".
Most folks I know of Indian heritage are proud to be "American" and they actually are over represented in military enrollment. They make up 1% of U.S. population but make up 1.5% of the armed forces. Just an interesting side note.
U.S. wasn't just a bunch of tribes fighting amongst themselves, and this part of U.S. history is propaganda.
The Iroquois nation was made up of several tribes, with a constitution and a political system that the colonist structured much of the U.S. constitution and political system after.
The Iroquois even encouraged the colonist to confederate like they had, and their confederation had already been in place for perhaps hundreds of years before the U.S.
