Our thanks to all who have contributed to the collective knowledge of our shared kin and allied families.
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What is an American given that America is a melting pot of ethnic cultures? Every American has as their earliest ancestor someone who was born outside America's borders; this is true regardless of their ethnic heritage (African, Chinese, Dutch, German, Irish, Native American, Scot, etc).
Since the discovery of America, people from all over the world have left their homelands and come to our shores. The reasons for their emigrations are numerous but typically it was to escape persecution or simply to seek a better life.
Historically, there were periods of what is described as mass emigrations of peoples from a particular country or region of the world. About 12,000 years ago, it is believed the ancestors of Native Americans crossed over a land-bridge that existed during the last Ice Age between Russia and Alaska. Before the celebrated year of 1492, it is believed our shores were likely visited by other Europeans and in particular the adventurous Vikings. In the 1500's, the Spanish explored Mexico and up into our present-day Southwest and California. In the 1600's, European emmigres established settlements which eventually became our earliest states. In the early 1700's, thousands of Germans came to our shores: some came directly from the old country while others came via England and other European countries. In the mid-1800's, about a million Irish, desperate to escape famine, found a new home in our lands. And, let us never forget the sad epic of forced emigrations of enslaved people brought to our shores against their wills. Certainly these groups were not the only emigrants to America as the list of newcomers is long and continues to this day. All who have come and will come form the patch-work quilt which is the fabric of what makes-up an American.
The roots of a person run deep and extend beyond their birthplace to all corners of the Globe. An undertaking to discover the origins of any one person will require us to look far beyond that person alone. We must look at their ancestors, their kin, their friends and neighbors in time perhaps looking-back over hundreds of years to find the answers. Even with all those potential sources, it is usually not easy or certain that what we find will provide all the answers we seek.
Our individual ancestral histories help to provide us with an understanding of the unique people and forces which have contributed to shaping who we are.