Why is there an "American" civilization??

[pbfeio]

Hi,

Not that i'm into entering flame posts...

But what exactly is an "American" Civilization?
Why not an USA Civilization?
The first president of Brazil wasn't G. Washington... that's for sure... i'm also sure that the Brazilian are Americans... so are the Mexicans... and Canadian...

There is no sutch thing has an "American" civilization... it's like saying there is an "European" Civilization... or "Asian" Civilization...that's just not true...

Another mistake in Civ 4 (at least in Civ4 website). The Spanish queen Isabel never unified the Iberian Peninsula... Portugal was and is an independent country.

It would be nice for those kind of mistakes to be corrected... :-(

;-)

 

[UnitQ]

We world wide are called Americans not United Statesians.
Thay didn't call it United States probally becouse there is no states in Civ4 to be united so they call it America. Also probally when we start a game the world is going in are history not the real worlds and in the game there are no states so, thats why

 

[Crayton]

Philip II unified Iberia.

I think "Americans" represent Anglo-America (except... without, Canada?).

There is a term, "Western Civilization" that has been split into many separate nations (England, France, Spain, Germany, America).

 

[King Jason]

Because the name of the the USA includes the name of it's Continent. As far as I know, a person living in Mexico doesn't refer to himself as American, he refers to himself as Mexican. Those living in Brazil are Brazilian.

As the above poster mentioned their not the unite Statesians. Furthermore, the proper name of the country is; The United States of America. That's a long name, and much harder to convert into a nationality. Ireland is simple; Irish. If you live in Greece, your Greek. Well, seeing how within the name of the country, the only word that resembles an actual name, rather than a plain word (The, United, States, and Of, are all traditional words) it's only fitting that the nation take on the nationality of which their country is the united states of. Which is America. Thus they are american.

If it were the United States of Russia, they'd be russian. If it were the Unite states of Galbovia (made up), They'd be Galbovian.

Lastly, as in my other example, if European nations decided to call themselves the United States of Europe, their citizenry would take on the title of Europeans.

 

[Alistic]

Time to close this argument forever. Being a civilization has nothing to do with race.

Nations or regions determine civilizations not race creed or color.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=civilization

The type of culture and society developed by a particular nation or region or in a particular epoch: Mayan civilization; the civilization of ancient Rome.

 

[icecool]

Why should any country....because the designers put it in, that's good enough for me -

 

[elderotter]

Why should any country....because the designers put it in, that's good enough for me -

AMEN!!!!!!!!(or the designers left it out) Says it all.

 

[Carver]

Hi,

Not that i'm into entering flame posts...

But what exactly is an "American" Civilization?
Why not an USA Civilization?
The first president of Brazil wasn't G. Washington... that's for sure... i'm also sure that the Brazilian are Americans... so are the Mexicans... and Canadian...

There is no sutch thing has an "American" civilization... it's like saying there is an "European" Civilization... or "Asian" Civilization...that's just not true...

Another mistake in Civ 4 (at least in Civ4 website). The Spanish queen Isabel never unified the Iberian Peninsula... Portugal was and is an independent country.

It would be nice for those kind of mistakes to be corrected... :-(

;-)

Edit: The Firaxians said they base the game first on what people know and are familiar with. People connotate America with the US.

 

[Sub]

I can see where your coming from. They SHOULD have named it The United States of America instead of America, but what are you going to do. I personally can live with it.

 

[Alistic]

You could just go back to the dictionary for this one.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=american

There is more than 1 meaning for words in english. As long as it applies to 1 of them the devs are correct. People from America are American, at least in the english language. Since the civs are grouped by country, everyone is going to understand the definition as definition 1. Because it is in context. If someone is getting confused because they think the dev's are using definitions 2, 3, or 4 then honestly they should not be playing civ.

 

[L'Afrique]

I think the whole deal with this is simply the fact that the US has come to be known as "The United States". Truly, the name of the country is America, and it is made up of states, which have united to form a country. The term "united states" is an adjective, not a name. Similarly, if I were to declare an Independent Republic of Flanders, what would its name be? "The Independent Republic", or "Flanders"?

 

[pbfeio]

Hi,

Phillip II of Spain became Phillip I of Portugal in 1580, several years after Isabel. I'm not exactly sure, but i do think Phillip II of Spain did respect Portuguese Independency. I think it was Phillip III and Phillip IV of Spain that messed thinks up...so the Portuguese kicked them out and in 1640 a new king was aclaimed. The other countries (Galiza, Catalunha) in Iberia weren't able to do so... For many Portuguese those 60 years were some of our darkest times... Anyway... we are all friends now... but very diferent nevertheless...

;-)

About the Americans... I just don't think a Mexican can ignore that he actualy is American (no joke there ). My point is that there are just to many "Civilizations" in America to ignore...and saying that when you say American you should point the diferent "civilizations".

I'm just posting this, because i do think that this is a GREAT game, and a GREAT game we could learn alot from. Unfortunally with my limited knowlegue I find lots of mistakes, so I imagine that a wiser guy would consider it as crap...

 

[Chopperhead]

ya it doesnt really bother me at all Im Canadian and I dont call myself an american although technically Iam because I live in North America so really if I wanted to I wouldnt be wrong. But seriously when you say america your not talking about the continet your talkin about the USA Nobody calls themselves Americans unless they are from USA. Whether it's politically correct or not it's how it's. But really the whole which country is better thing has been done and done so i dont really think we need to get into why countrys are named what they are, They just are ,if it bothers you, then change the name when you get the game.

 

[pbfeio]

I can see where your coming from. They SHOULD have named it The United States of America instead of America, but what are you going to do. I personally can live with it.

Yes... I sure can also live with it... it's still a very good game.
But i would love to learn more from it...

 

[Alistic]

Yes... I sure can also live with it... it's still a very good game.
But i would love to learn more from it...

Good luck re-writing english. Words have more than 1 meaning in this language.

 

[Zhahz]

America, or USA - whatever you want to call it - is one of the most dominant cultural entities of all time. That is why it's a "civilization" in the game. Whos currency and language is the worldwide currency of business? Whos culture is the most immitated and borrowed from? Guess which 2nd languages we learn in American schools? Zero (if you study other languages as I did it's entirely optional). How many Europeans and others learn english? How many Europeans post on this forum in english? It surely isn't because of England.

We're not entirely lacking for military might either (one of the most powerful, and likely the most advanced, militaries on the planet able to strike anywhere, anytime, and a decent track record of military effectiveness).

The good ol' USA may not control the world via military conquest but its influence (and spread of culture) is undeniable - and that's why it's worthy of being a civ in the game.

Debate, doubt, or be jealous all you want. It doesn't change reality.

Obviously you don't have to have roots in ancient times or have existed forever to be a "civilization" in game terms. Many of the civs in the game are most well known for relatively short bursts of extreme behavior (conquest, achievement, whatever) even if they lingered forever. America, or USA if you prefer, has accomplished quite a bit in its relatively short existence.

Oh yeah, the people that made the game we all love happen to live here too.

 

[Mujadaddy]

Don't forget where the game is published, boyz-n-girlz...

 

[Jecrell]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the game except that a Knight can take down a Helicopter! That's it!

 

[Dagoth Ur]

I like to call people from the United States "Usans" after the country's initials USA. Our language is Usanese.

Pronounced "oo-sans"

 

[Tarascan_King]

United Statesians does sound a little corny but Its better than Americans, why should one country or one people take a whole continent's proper title. Theres no country called Europe, Africa, Asia. Only australia can do this because its one country that takes up a whole continent.
It is a fact most people in Latin America considered themselves Americans up till the Nineteenth Century when I guess the USA Hogged up the name for themselves. It was written on several declarations of Independence to spain that all "Americans" have the right to Self government and blah, blah, blah.
In fact many people down there do refer to people from the U.S. as "Estadounidenses" which is United Statsians.

So lilke I said on another post, EVERYBODY from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego are 100% American.
God Bless America!