The United States in 2005 — who are we? Since there are almost 300 million U.S. citizens, there are millions of answers to this question. We, as editors, have taken on the near impossible with this journal: to describe in less than fifty pages who the people of the United States are today. We can say some things for certain, however.

The United States is growing, home to an ever more diverse population, with roots that now link us to every corner of the earth. Indeed, the languages we Americans speak, the places where we worship and the foods on our tables are a microcosm of the world. We cherish our freedoms and individuality and expect a brighter future for our children. At the same time, we debate vigorously among ourselves about how to preserve those freedoms, express our individuality, and guarantee a better tomorrow. "American" is an inclusive term and we apply it generously, because becoming an American is about embracing a set of ideals and pursuing a way of life, rather than embodying a particular ethnic group, religion, or culture. And though we are a mobile society, a connection or bond to place, often the neighborhood or town in which we grew up, is important to us.

In this journal, we start by identifying the major attributes and values that best define Americans. In the first article, scholar Marc Pachter describes how these attributes and values, although not solely American, come together in the United States to form a uniquely American identity. Then demographer Audrey Singer analyzes the latest facts and figures to give us a demographic snapshot of the United States in 2005. Next we take a look at 13 Americans, some well known, most not. With these short profiles, we give you a glimpse of America's diversity, and of how some Americans live their everyday lives and what is important to them. We then turn to some of the social debates of the day. Such debates have been part and parcel of American society since our country's inception. Ironically, our respect for the individual and his right to express himself freely and passionately on contentious issues is one of the principal reasons our country has remained united for over 200 years. We conclude with two journeys home after many years: For one writer, the place called home is unrecognizable; for the other, little has changed. A number of sidebars illustrate some of the values that have characterized our country throughout its history.

The Editors