In this volume the contributors explore the manner in which Americans have discussed and practised their patriotism over the last 200 years. Their essays investigate the extent to which the promise of democracy has explained citizen loyalty and what other factors - such as devotion to home and family - have influenced patriotism. How patriotism has served as a tool to maintain the power of a dominant group and to obscure internal social ills is also discussed. The text examines the use of patriotic language and symbols in building unity in the early republic, rebuilding the nation after the Civil War, and sustaining loyalty in an increasingly diverse society. Continuing through the World Wars to the Clinton residency, the essay topics range from multiculturism to reactions toward masculine power.