USA is not America

Indeed, U.S.A. is not America!

America is the name of a whole continent. United States of America means that the United States belongs to America and NOT that America belongs to the United States. So, next time you want to refer to The United States of America, you can do it as U.S. or the States or whatever you want but not as only America. Gotcha?

America

How should I use the term America then?

Here we will show you some wrong and correct uses of the term America:

  • This is how we do it in America.
  • This is how we do it in the States.
  • America is my country and I love it.
  • The United States is my country and I love it.
  • America lost the Vietnam war.
  • U.S.A. lost the Vietnam war.
  • Here in America we love Mc Donald's.
  • Here in the U.S. we love Mc Donald's.

Please, note that this page in not about demonyms (gentilics) but about the way to call a country.


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Anonymoussays...

America is to the United States as Notre Dame is to the Hunchback.

United States is of America not itself America. It derives its long form name by making use of the genitive case "of America," owe to the fact that the name of the hemisphere it was founded on is named America in honor of Amerigo Vespucci in 1507 by Waldseemuller and Ringmann.

Motivation behind promoting the United States as being one and same as America is the need to justify using the continental term American as if it were a nationality. The proper terms are in fact U.S. Citizen, United Statesian and U.S. American.

United States of America: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth251664/

Chip(United States)says...

I agree with you that the name "America" should refer to the Americas in general and not one specific country. One problem that arises from that usage is what then is the nationality of the United States? I like the word used in Spanish (they do not use American as the nationality), they use "estadounidense" which means "person of the United States." But, and this is the unfortunate part, the Articles of Confederation, Article 1, says, "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'" That, and the preamble of the constitution includes this "...do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." That and the Articles of Confederation cemented the word America as the name of the country. (continued in next comment)

Chip(United States)says...

So, I asked ChatGPT for verification and got this response:

there is some historical nuance regarding the inclusion of "of America" in the Constitution. The original handwritten copies of the Constitution, including the engrossed copy signed by the delegates at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, do not include the phrase "of America" after "United States."

The preamble of the Constitution in these original copies reads: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union..."

(continued in next message)

Chip(United States)says...

The phrase "of America" was not included in the text as originally ratified. However, over time, the phrase came to be commonly associated with the official name of the country, and it has been included in later copies and editions of the Constitution.

So while the Articles of Confederation explicitly used "of America," the Constitution itself did not originally include that phrase. It's possible that the phrase was added in later editions or became a customary part of the title, but it wasn't part of the original text as ratified in 1787.

(end of chat session)

David(United States)says...

Why aren’t any of you commenting anymore?

I guess you have finally admitted to yourselves the obvious fact that ‘America’ correctly refers to a number of things, including the USA.

Congratulations on overcoming your narrow-mindedness and accepting that your preferred usage isn’t the only one that exists, and isn’t the only one that is correct. You’re finally growing up.

Anonymoussays...

America is to the United States as Notre Dame is to the Hunchback. United States is of America not itself America. It derives its long form name by making use of the genitive case "of America," owe to the fact that the name of the hemisphere it was founded on is named America in honor of Amerigo Vespucci in 1507 by Waldseemuller and Ringmann.

Motivation behind promoting the United States as being one and same as America is the need to justify using the continental term American as if it were a nationality.

United States of America: https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth251664/

Néstor(Argentina)says...

It seems to me that it is called America, but since they cannot be called exactly the same as the continent, they called themselves "United States of America." Something like what happens in cases like Tucumán (province) and its capital "San Miguel de Tucumán", which is also usually called just Tucumán (although clarifying that it is the capital city).

Juan V(United States)says...

I and go apologies, I tried to upvote your response but hit the wrong button. Completely agreed with your sentiment... people from the US don't call themselves "Americans" because they're carrying to claim their whole continent group, they're using the term because it's in the country's name, and many of the Europeans were already referring to is by this term. Like you mentioned, if there is any ambiguity, people from the US are quick to clarify, "oh I'm from the US, not another part of 'the Americas'" (using this term instead to describe North + South America). In addition, it may have been useful to use the term American to differentiate themselves from the "other" United States (the United Mexican States). As these are both large countries that border each other, it was probably natural to just differentiate between the two United States with the simplified terms "Mexican" and "American".

Aracely(United States)says...

This is an interesting podcast about the history of Americans calling the USA as America. The guest is a professional academic historian who has done years of research. I learned a lot. I should read his book about the US empire.

I hope you learn a lot too. Please let me know what you think. Have a great day!

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/12/805240795/becoming-america

Anonymsays...

I see some recent comments here. I thought the website was now dead but I'm glad to see this debate is still alive.

I recently learned about Operation Condor (Plan Cóndor) in Spanish, and decided to study the topic of the US' hegemonic behavior over America (yes, the continent).

If anyone is interested in collaborating towards giving more visibility to this and related topics, I'd be happy to join forces, just leave a post somewhere in my website:

https://www.americaisnotonlyusa.org/

Julia(United States)says...

I g­e­t­ o­v­e­r­ ­­2­5­k­ ­u­s­d­ ­a­ ­m­o­n­t­h­ ­w­o­r­k­i­n­g­ ­p­a­r­t­ ­t­i­m­e­.­ ­I­ ­k­e­p­t­ ­h­e­a­r­i­n­g­ ­o­t­h­e­r­ ­p­e­­o­p­l­e­ ­t­e­l­l­ ­m­e­ ­h­o­w­ ­m­u­c­h­ ­m­o­n­e­y­ ­t­h­e­y ­c­a­n­ ­m­a­k­e­ ­o­n­l­i­n­e­ ­s­o­ ­I­ ­d­e­c­i­d­e­d­ t­o l­o­o­­k ­i­n­t­o­ i­t. W­e­l­l­,­ ­i­t­ w­a­s­ ­a­l­l­ ­t­r­u­e ­a­nd h­a­s to­t­a­l­ly ch­a­n­g­e­d­ ­m­y l­i­f­e­…T­h­i­s i­s w­h­a­t I­ d­o,C­o­p­y B­e­l­l­o­w ­W­e­b­s­i­t­e

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Carmelo(Dominican Republic)says...

I would accept reclassifying the continents and that South America and North America, only if they did it with ALL, to do it only with America is dishonest. So the day you see it declared that Europe and Asia are a single continent, perhaps it will emphasize the two Americas.

Carmelo(Dominican Republic)says...

*"maybe he will accept the two Americas thing."

Carmelo(Dominican Republic)says...

I will

Mrs. Anonyomous(United States)says...

If the continents were separated by tectonic plates then America will be parted into 3 (Three) different continents. Most probably it was political and cultural differences which were taken into consideration as well as history when the continents of Europe and Asia were named. Even if people have a the view that America should be two or three different continents that does not explain why the U.S. took the name of the continent to itself. It could had named it Vinland, Leif or other name particular to the indigenous of that part of the continent.

Carmelo(Dominican Republic)says...

As far as I know, the United States at the beginning was not really a country, but a confederation of sovereign states, that is, almost countries, which is why its name is not very appropriate for a nation, but rather for a continental institution such as the Organization of American States. = The United States of America. The mistake they made is not changing it when they decided to consider themselves one country.

Mrs. Anonyomous(United States)says...

agreed

Mrs. Anonyomous(United States)says...

Manifest Destiny made it happen and what was only a few States of the Union became the United States but they mistakenly used "America" instead of North America unless they were going for the entire continent and annex everything on their path.

Trinity is another fallacysays...

According to distorted stupid conception devised to push the idea that there are two continents named America (qualified as north and south to distinguish one America from the other e.g. North and South Korea); Europe and Asia should be understood as regions of the one and same continent.

Mrs. Anonyomous(United States)says...

Continents do not necessarily need to be on the same landmass or separated to be part of a continent. They were named as historians and cartographers deemed it suitable. America is a continent and it was the fourth part of the world in those days after following Ptolemy's maps. Asia and Europe were deemed two continents even though they connect. In the other hand, Europe has countries which are not in the mainland but they are part of the continent. America is one continent and some think that due to the building of the Panama Canal it was parted or cut into two. The crust/earth plate was left untouched. Meaning that the land is still connecting together into one whole landmass. This man made route thru Panama and its lakes does not in any way makes America a two piece continents!

Proud U.S. Pariasian(United States)says...

May God bless Parias

https://tinyurl.com/Continent-of-Parias

and may God bless America, the neighboring continent south of ours

https://tinyurl.com/Continent-of-America

Finally may God bless the rest of the world too.

Proud U.S. Pariasian(United States)says...

The Seven Continents - respective subcontinental regions:

Europe - North, Central, South, East, West, Germanic, Latin, Anglo, Slavic ... Europe

Asia - North, Central, South, East, West

Africa - North, Central, South, East, West, Maghreb, Sahel, Sub-Saharan ... Africa

Oceania - Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia

Parias - North, Central, South, East, West, Caribbean, Anglo, Latin ... Parias

America - North, Central, South East, West, Latin, Anglo, Dutch ... America

Antarctica - East and West Antarctica

God bless you all.

The Real and True American(Canada)says...

How about I say it this way …

May God bless Parias, the country located between Canada and Mexico, regardless of the New World being home to 1 or 2 continents!

May God bless North America and South America, when the New World is home to 2 continents!

May God bless America, when the New World is home to 1 Continent!

… and Finally may God bless the rest of the world too!

Proud U.S. Pariasian(United States)says...

There is only one America: North America and South America are literally America's northern and southern regions of America. Central America is the region between North and South. East America is the region of America facing the Atlantic Ocean and West America is the region of America facing the Pacific Ocean.

I'm choosing to put aside my feelings in favor of acts. Hence use what should be understood as the correct and accurate interpretation of the seven continent model.

Now if one acknowledges America as being one continent; then and only then can one argue that we are all Americans as opposed to Pariasian or Americans.

Depending on the continental model you acknowledge, I'm either a proud U.S. American or proud U.S. Parisian. It's that simple.

God bless you all

Proud U.S. Pariasian(United States)says...

edit: I'm choosing to put aside my feelings in favor of facts

The Real and True American(Canada)says...

Anglo’s Seven Continents 🌎🌍🌏 - the respective divisions:

Europe 🌍 - North, Central, South, East, West, Germanic, Latin, Anglo, Slavic ... Europe

Asia 🌏 - North, Central, South, East, West, Southeast

Africa 🌍 - North, Central, Middle, South, Southern, East, West, Maghreb, Sahel, Sub-Saharan ... Africa

Oceania 🌏 - Austranesia (instead of Australasia), Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia and Austronesia

North America 🌎- Anglo America, Northern America, Middle America, Central America, and Insular America

South America 🌎 - Latin America, and Dutch America

Antarctica - East, West … Antarctica

And Finally the country - the respective divisions:

[B]Parias[B/] 🇺🇸 - Northwest, North, Northeast, Central, East, Southwest, South, Southeast ... Parias

God Bless You All 👍

The Real and True American(Canada)says...

I agree that There is only one America: The continents of North America and South America! Of course, they are literally the North and South sub-continents of America’s continent. Central America and Insular America are the regions between the Northern region and the South sub-continent.

However, there was never a known “East America” and “West America” region of America on any shown map in the past & Of course, I'm choosing to respect the Facts of Logic! Hence I use what should be understood as the correct definition of America and the accurate logic of the seven continent model.

Now if one acknowledges America as being one continent; then and only then can one argue that North and South America are Sub-Continents as opposed to continents or regions. Regardless of the continental model you acknowledge, I'm both a proud North American and a proud American. It is that simple.

God bless you all!

The Real and True American(Canada)says...

Latin’s Six Continents 🌎🌍🌏 - the respective divisions:

Europe 🌍 - North, Central, South, East, West, Germanic, Latin, Anglo, Slavic ... Europe

Asia 🌏 - North, Central, South, East, West, Southeast

Africa 🌍 - North, Central, Middle, South, Southern, East, West, Maghreb, Sahel, Sub-Saharan ... Africa

Oceania 🌏 - Austranesia (instead of Australasia), Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia and Austronesia

America 🌎- Anglo, North, Northern, Middle, Central, Insular, South, Latin, Dutch … America

Antarctica - East, West … Antarctica

And Finally the country - the respective divisions:

Parias 🇺🇸 - Northwest, North, Northeast, Central, East, Southwest, South, Southeast ... Parias

God Bless You All 👍

Mrs. Anonyomous(United States)says...

Parias is just a note on the map not that it was to name a continent. Quit being silly!



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Let the world know that USA should not be called America! America is one whole continent.