107 Defining American Identities in a Globalizing Age

1890–1945

While the United States entered the 1890s without significant international engagements, fifty-five years later, it had emerged as the leading power in the world. Critics of America’s imperial ambitions might well have wondered what their country had become. This global expansion was driven by economic and geopolitical considerations, but many Americans maintained a centuries-old belief that they had a “rendezvous with destiny,” and that their ventures overseas were selfless acts in support of democracy’s onward progress. The reality at home, however, raised questions for many groups: women advocating for suffrage, immigrants and ethnic minorities defending their rights, and African Americans facing persistent racism. As each defined their identity within American society, they faced the juxtaposition of their experience with the American ideal. The theme of identity was critical to these groups as they sought to imagine their place as part of America, and as gender, class, ethnic, religious, regional, and racial factors affected the way they saw themselves and the way that others viewed them. For some, merging their identity into an American melting pot seemed best, while others saw strength in maintaining America’s diversity. The tension between these perspectives fueled discussions of American identity throughout the twentieth century.