Creating an American Identity: New England, 1789-1825

Creating an American Identity examines the relationship between regionalism and nationalism in New England between 1789 and 1825. Stephanie Kermes demonstrates how New Englanders and their neighbors in New York and Pennsylvania used trans-Atlantic symbols as both a model and an antithesis in the creation of their own national identity during this period. In inventing their collective identity, Northerners not only excluded Europeans but also Southerners from their vision of America. Widely used visual representations of New England landscapes, virtues, and people cultivated a strong regional loyalty, which in turn help to forge an American nationalism.

About the Author:
Stephanie Kermes is an Assistant Professor of Social Science at Boston University. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and daughter