Answer:
For two reasons, early American colonists did not consider themselves "Americans": most were British citizens, and the term of "Americans" did not exist at the time. Even though the phrase became widely used (it was coined by British officials as a method to distinguish themselves), it wasn't considered a badge of honor until the Revolutionary War...and the consequent emergence of a new country independent of its overlords on the other side of the Atlantic.
Step-by-step explanation:
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