Cultural inheritance is avery blurry topic of conversation in today's times, especially for those of us who were born American's. Many would have the world believe that we "non-tribally born" native Americans have no right to a claim of culture - because once upon a time ago Some of our ancestors made their way here and "stole it" from other of our ancestors who had long been living here. but not respected back then as being equal.

what (presumably) European country or region your immigrant ancestors hailed from originally.

Let’s start there: if it was Ireland, you’re an American of Irish-Descent, Not an "Irish American" as their is no such thing. If your ancestors came from Germany, you’re an American of German-Descent and not a German-American because again, their can be no such thing. If your ancestors were England, you’re an American of Anglo-Saxon Descent.

“White” is NOT,and we cannot emphasize the word NOT a nationality, it is a color period. The term "White" was a concept invented by racists in the early modern / colonialist/imperialist era in the 16th - 17th centuries to justify the oppression of “non-white” peoples (“people of color”) who were, at that time, being invaded and conquered and enslaved by “white” Europeans. The only reason the concept of “whiteness” persists in modern America is as a holdover from that era, and as a continued means of maintaining the dominance and privilege of the “white” “race” (“race” being another purely social construct with no biological basis in reality) over “non-whites.”

Oxford Dictionary: "American"

Relating to or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants.

A native or citizen of the United States.

A native or inhabitant of any of the countries of North, South, or Central America.

Your nationality is the country you come from: American, Canadian, and Russian are all nationalities. A person's nationality is where they are a legal citizen, usually in the country where they were born. People from Mexico have Mexican nationality, and people from Australia have Australian nationality. The definition of "Nationality" is the status of belonging to a particular nation by birth or naturalization,so the bottom line is "Where you were BORN" is what determines the Majority of our "Nationality", not our skin color or anything else. The only way that changes is if you become "Naturalized" as a citizen of another country such as if you became a Canadian or an Australian citizen Legally- you can live somewhere without being a citizen of the country.

Americans are citizens of the United States of America. The country is home to people of many different national origins. As a result, American culture and law does not equate nationality with race or ethnicity, but with citizenship and allegiance. Although citizens make up the majority of Americans, non-citizen residents, dual citizens, and expatriates may also claim an American identity.

All persons "born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof" were declared citizens. However, the jurisdiction requirement was interpreted to exclude most Native Americans, and in 1870, the Senate Judiciary committee further clarified the matter: "the 14th amendment to the Constitution has no effect whatever upon the status of the Indian tribes within the limits of the United States

8 U.S. Code § 1401 - Nationals and citizens of United States at birth:

(a)

a person born in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof;

(b)

a person born in the United States to a member of an Indian, Eskimo, Aleutian, or other aboriginal tribe: Provided, That the granting of citizenship under this subsection shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of such person to tribal or other property;

(c)

a person born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents both of whom are citizens of the United States and one of whom has had a residence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions, prior to the birth of such person;

(d)

a person born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is a citizen of the United States who has been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year prior to the birth of such person, and the other of whom is a national, but not a citizen of the United States;

(e)

a person born in an outlying possession of the United States of parents one of whom is a citizen of the United States who has been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year at any time prior to the birth of such person;

(f)

a person of unknown parentage found in the United States while under the age of five years, until shown, prior to his attaining the age of twenty-one years, not to have been born in the United States;

(g)

a person born outside the geographical limits of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is an alien, and the other a citizen of the United Stateswho, prior to the birth of such person, was physically present in the United States or its outlying possessions for a period or periods totaling not less than five years, at least two of which were after attaining the age of fourteen years: Provided, That any periods of honorable service in the Armed Forces of the United States, or periods of employment with the United States Government or with an international organization as that term is defined in section 288 of title 22 by such citizen parent, or any periods during which such citizen parent is physically present abroad as the dependent unmarried son or daughter and a member of the household of a person (A) honorably serving with the Armed Forces of the United States, or (B) employed by the United States Government or an international organization as defined in section 288 of title 22, may be included in order to satisfy the physical-presence requirement of this paragraph. This proviso shall be applicable to persons born on or after December 24, 1952, to the same extent as if it had become effective in its present form on that date; and

(h)

a person born before noon (Eastern Standard Time) May 24, 1934, outside the limits and jurisdiction of the United States of an alien father and a mother who is a citizen of the United States who, prior to the birth of such person, had resided in the United States.

Normally speaking, people use "American" as the answer to nationality. However, all US passports show "United States of America" under Nationality. The nationality of people from the USA is American. They can also be called US citizens. If you interpret nationality as "country of citizenship", which would be USA.

Six races are officially recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes:

White, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and people of two or more races.

"Some other race" is also an option in the census and other surveys

People of European descent, or White Americans (also referred to as Caucasian Americans), constitute the majority of the 308 million people living in the United States, with 72.4% of the population in the 2010 United States Census.

Hispanic or Latino Americans (of any race) constitute the largest ethnic minority in the United States. 16.3% of the population according to the 2010 United States Census. People of Spanish or Hispanic descent have lived in what is now the United States since the founding of St. Augustine, Florida in 1565 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. In the State of Texas, Spaniards first settled the region in the late 1600s and formed a unique cultural group known as Tejanos (Texanos).

the Asian American population, comprising 17.3 million in 2010, or 5.6% of the U.S. population.

There were 38,093,725 Black and African Americans in the United States, representing 12.4% of the population. In addition, there were 37,144,530 non-Hispanic blacks, which comprised 12.1% of the population. This number increased to 42 million according to the 2010 United States Census, when including Multiracial African Americans, making up 14% of the total U.S. population.

Multiracial Americans numbered to 9,009,073, or 2.9% of the total population according to the 2010 census.

The United States has traditionally been thought of as a melting pot, with immigrants contributing to but eventually assimilating with mainstream American culture. However, beginning in the 1960s and continuing on in the present day, the country trends towards cultural diversity, pluralism, and the image of a salad bowl instead. Throughout the country's history, certain subcultures (whether based on ethnicity or other commonality, such as the gay village) have dominated certain neighborhoods, only partially melded with the broader culture. Due to the extent of American culture, there are many integrated but unique social subcultures within the United States, some not tied to any particular geography. The cultural affiliations an individual in the United States may have commonly depend on social class, political orientation and a multitude of demographic characteristics such as religious background, occupation, and ethnic group membership.

Mass media promote cross-cultural diffusion. Some subcultures have national media exposure with dedicated television channels and crossover with mainstream media (such as Latin, African American, and LGBT culture, though there are many niche channels). Some communities have local broadcast or paper publications that carry content from a specific culture, such as native radio stations or Chinese-language newspapers in Chinatowns. Almost every subculture has a presence on the World Wide Web and social media.

How can You Become an American?

Generally speaking, a person can become a U.S. citizen in one of four ways. First, by being born in the United States or one of its territories. Second, if you were born to parents who are U.S. citizens, then you may be a U.S. citizen yourself. This process is called "acquisition" of citizenship. Third, you can be a citizen through the naturalization process, which generally involves applying for, and passing, a citizenship test. Lastly, you may be a citizen if one or both of your parents have been naturalized. This is called "derivation" of citizenship.

But what about "American Indians?"

The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, also known as the Snyder Act, was proposed by Representative Homer P. Snyder (R) of New York and granted full U.S. citizenship to the indigenous peoples of the United States, called "Indians" in this Act.

The Indian Citizenship Act granted full citizenship to all of the approximately 125,000 of 300,000 indigenous people living in the United States (LESS THAN HALF the estimated population mind you). The text reads:

"BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all noncitizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided, That the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property."

The Snyder Act created national citizenship for indigenous people in the United States, but the qualifications for state citizenship were determined by each individual state. The final state to grant full citizenship to American Indians was New Mexico in 1962.

The Constitution of the United States had not recognized American Indians as citizens, and the guarantees of rights to African Americans contained in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments did not extend to American Indians. The federal government and some of the states allowed individual Indians to enjoy the rights of citizenship following service in the armed forces, marriage to white citizens, or abandonment of tribal affiliations in order to own private property and pay taxes.

While the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution defined as citizens any person born in the U.S., the amendment had been interpreted to restrict the citizenship rights of most Native people. The act was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on June 2, 1924. It was enacted partially in recognition of the thousands of Indians who served in the armed forces during World War I.

Then the Indian Civil Rights Act (ICRA) in 1968, also called the Indian Bill of Rights passed in effort of gaining equal rights to tribal born persons. The ICRA supports the following:

Right to free speech, press, and assembly
Protection from unreasonable search and seizure
Right of criminal defendant to a speedy trial, to be advised of the charges, and to confront any adverse witnesses
Right to hire an attorney in a criminal case
Protection against self incrimination
Protection against cruel and unusual punishment, excessive bail, incarceration of more than one year and/or a fine in excess of $5,000 for any one offense
Protection from double jeopardy or ex post facto laws
Right to a jury trial for offenses punishable by imprisonment
Equal protection under the law and due process

Other civil rights such as sovereignty, hunting and fishing, and voting are still issues facing Native people today.

According to the 2010 Census, there are 5.2 million people who are Native Americans or Alaska Native alone, or in combination with one or more races; they make up 1.7% of the total population. 2.3 million individuals who are American Indian or Alaskan Native are multiracial;

It was not until the Nationality Act of 1940 that all people who were born on United States soil were automatically considered citizens!

Read Full Act Here

The Nationality Act was passed by Congress in 1940 and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) on October 14, 1940. Its stated purpose was to "revise and codify the nationality laws of the United States into a comprehensive nationality code." The law established the conditions necessary to meet for one to acquire U.S. citizenship through the nature of one's birth (known as birthright citizenship). It also outlined the process by which immigrants could acquire U.S. citizenship through naturalization and described classes of non-citizens who would be ineligible for naturalization. The Nationality Act of 1940 was supplanted by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952

“I am an American; free born and free bred, where I acknowledge no man as my superior, except for his own worth, or as my inferior, except for his own demerit.”― Theodore Roosevelt

Your cultural heritage is NOT your Nationality but is that of your immediate and distant ancestors, and the communities, standards and traditions in which they were raised that in turn were "passed on" to you. You “should” Absolutely know where your ancestors came from at least back to your great-grandparents if possible if not farther as well as broader. As such you “should” know what your cultural heritages are ad freely decide whether you want to honor them or not, knowing why and from where they first came.

Wherever it is your family is from, and that, together with the common American civic culture all Americans share, is “your” culture.

"American Culture" is our Inheritance!

"American culture encompasses the customs and traditions of the United States. "Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things," said Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London.

The culture of the United States of America is primarily of Western culture (European) origin and form, but is influenced by a multicultural ethos that includes African, Native American, Asian, Polynesian, and Latin American people and their cultures. It also has its own social and cultural characteristics, such as dialect, music, arts, social habits, cuisine, and folklore. The United States of America is an ethnically and racially diverse country as a result of large-scale migration from many countries throughout its history.

Many American cultural elements, especially from popular culture, have spread across the globe through modern mass media. American culture has a variety of expressions due to its geographical scale and demographic diversity. The flexibility of U.S. culture and its highly symbolic nature lead some researchers to categorize American culture as a mythic identity;

"American Creed"

The American's Creed" is the title of a resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on April 3, 1918. It is a statement written in 1917 by William Tyler Page as an entry into a patriotic contest.

I believe in the United States of America, as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.

The values and beliefs that form the philosophical foundation for the United States system of law and government including its Constitution. The American Creed is contained in the United States Declaration of Independence and is accurately summarized by the Twelve Pillars of Freedom. The United States of America is perhaps the only country to be founded on an idea. That idea is the American Creed.

The Emancipation Proclamation, and the Bill of Rights all clarify themes of equality, justice, and freedom to it’s fullest extent.

Or the law of nature (Latin: lex naturalis) is the universal moral code that is part of the innate structure of all people and, therefore, has validity for every culture and government. Natural law is the proper and just standard for governmental law, and thus functions as a criterion for evaluating civil law. The content of natural law and the Ten

Commandments (revealed law) is the same, but natural law operates by reason based on principles contained in the genetic code of all persons, whereas revealed law is known by written records including the Bible. In part because of the intersection of natural law and natural rights, natural law is a prominent component of the United States Declaration of Independence.

American Spirituality

Native American spirituality is an extensive and rich culturally blended treasure developed over many centuries, and one in which WE the Native born Americans take great pride, as well we Should! Many of the teachings and practices are rightfully held close by ALL of the elders across the globe but With the instruction from Great Creator and our ancestors passed, that during especially this time period, the are to make them known to those of us willingly and sincerely seeking them, starting here with the Red Road- Turtle Island.

One area of Native American culture that we believe needs to be shared now, more than ever, is the reverence for the Earth and Our responsibility as the created human beings to preserve her. While each cultures practices and beliefs are theirs alone,

One commonplace is the concept of the "Medicine Wheel" which we find resonates with those of other cultures aside from our tribal Americans, but among many of which have traditions of spiritual circles. Indeed it seems that the "stone circle" is a somewhat universal symbol of the relationship of the physical and spiritual world across cultures. Such monuments have been constructed in many parts of the world throughout history for many different reasons. From Atlit Yam in Israel to Stonehenge, they have been an integral part of the beliefs of many of us.

Perhaps the Native American Medicine Wheel with its similarity to other culture’s icons aren't so "Unacceptable" or Intolerable afterall, or they shouldn't have been so quickly disregarded as they were a few hundred years back ago, meaning that connection should be embraced as a strength between us today. If we simply agree to make positive efforts and strides toward acknowledging and respecting the teachings of unity within the hoop it can help all of us be better people and better stewards of this planet which remains our primary instruction while physically here upon the earth after all if we remember right.

The principle of the American Creed which holds that because God created all people as equals, all people have a right to be treated equally by law. Equality does not mean "the same." People are not created to be the same by God, but to be equal before God and the law. For that reason Government does not have a role in securing the same results for individuals, such as equal incomes, but does have a role in securing equal opportunities within reasonable limits. The correct definition of "equality before the law" is that people's legitimate claims, such as legitimate claims to property, are to be equal before the law.

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