History and Debate of Patriotism The word patriotism has meant
different things over time with a definition largely dependent
on the context in which it is used as well as the geography of
the region and the philosophy of the inhabitants. Most people
recognize that patriotism is defined as devotion to one's
country. For many, patriotism naturally comes about because they
are a citizen of that country; however, for others, it has a
deeper and more emotional meaning. Patriotism is used loosely
with nationalism, a term that defines a group of people who
identify with a political entity on specific rights, such as the
right to statehood or citizenship for certain cultural or ethnic
groups. Although patriotism has a sentiment similar to
nationalism and the words are sometimes used interchangeably,
they do not mean the same thing. The root of the word, patriot,
was first introduced in the Elizabethan era. It was derived from
a Latin word "patriota" which ultimately meant fellow
countrymen. The Latin word originated