[["Confederates popularized it as a derogatory term for their Northern enemies during and after the American Civil War", 197.0], ["The term Yankee can have many different meanings within the United States that are contextually and geographically dependent. Traditionally, Yankee was most often used to refer to a New Englander descended from the original settlers of the region, thus often suggesting Puritanism and thrifty values ", 157.0], ["The term Yankees can be traced back to the colonial days when New Englanders were considered unscrupulous. At the time, there was a pirate named John Keyes, and the people in New York, who were mostly Dutch, pronounced his name as Yon  Kees. So to be called a Yankee was to be called a pirate.", 113.0], ["The term \"Yankee\" and its contracted form \"Yank\" have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States; its various senses depend on the context. Outside the United States, \"Yank\" is used informally to refer to any American, including Southerners.", 9.0]]
why are americans called yankees
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