Lewis defines America as a European enterprise contra American self-identity.

Evidence

Though people of other races and cultures participated, for the most part involuntarily, in the discovery and creation of the Americas, this was, and in the eyes of the rest of the world long remained, a European enterprise, in which Europeans predominated and dominated and to which Europeans gave their lan­ guages, their religions, and much of their way of life. — Bernard Lewis, From Babel to Dragomans, 1548

Categorization

• XREF: This conservative-European claim that America is Europe’s daughter sat oddly in the American moment of 1990, and anticipates the neoconservative capture of Lewis in the 2000s. — connects to: America’s national identity rests on a protective historical self-story. — Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America…, 250; Europeans projected their own aspirations and fears onto America. — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2: Identity…, 635; Americans mistakenly believe they are different from other nations. — Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 121 (+2 more)
• yield-rescued: below the book’s yield-target cutoff, included anyway for connecting to: America’s national identity rests on a protective historical self-story. — Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America…, 250; Europeans projected their own aspirations and fears onto America. — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2: Identity…, 635; Americans mistakenly believe they are different from other nations. — Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 121 (+2 more)