If only more people would grasp this!
The original American settlers did not "immigrate" because all they did was move from one part of England, Netherlands, Sweden, France or Spain to New England, New Netherlands, New Sweden, New France, and New Spain, which were also parts of the same country.
My ancestors no more immigrated than I would immigrate today by moving to Alaska.
“The original American settlers did not “immigrate” because all they did was move from one part of England, Netherlands, Sweden, France or Spain to New England, New Netherlands, New Sweden, New France, and New Spain, which were also parts of the same country.”
I think they technically migrated and settled in a vast land which then contained around 10 million people. My ancestors settled around Jamestown about 1610. This “Nation of Immigrants” nonsense gets old, and is a definite, self-serving distortion of America’s history.
Also nothing against later immigrants, but Europeans had been here 270 years, and the revolution and constitution were about a century in the past before Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty came into existence. Everyone seems to desire to maximize their story and importance to the good old USA, which just celebrated its 400 anniversary of the true beginning of America.
The correct word is “emigrate”, regardless of how long your or any other poster’s ancestors have been in this country.
Historically, Europeans only left Europe because they had issues with their country of origin. That little factoid might be something everyone should keep in mind. Just a little perspective.