Yanqui Go Home

People come up to me all the time and ask, "Oulsham, where did the term 'Yankee' come from?" Since it is tedious to answer the same question over-and-over again, I will answer it here for one final time. In the 17th century when the English wrested control of Manhattan from the Dutch, the Dutch inhabitants were subjugated to English rule. The English, acting very stuffy and English-like did not curry the favor of the way-cool, sandal wearing Dutch. A common taunt in 17th century Dutch vernacular was to call a pompous, foolish person "Jan Cheese." The English, being oblivious to the fact that the Dutch didn't like them thought "Jan Cheese" was simply a way the Dutch identified them. To the English ear "Jan Cheese" sounded like Yankees, and the rest is history.