Why do the people call America to the United States if America is only a continent?

Question

If we look the name of USA then we see United States of America. From my point of view the country is United States and it is located in America, but is not America as a country, because there isn´t any country called America, only a continent. I know that because I am from Spain and Cristobal Columbus discovered the continent, not any country.

Answer 1

As a Canadian it bothers me when people refer to the United States of America as simply "America", because it suggests there is nothing else on the continents.

Answer 2

The name of the country is the "United States of America"....I see no problem with using "USA" or "U.S." or "United States" for short - but I agree that simply "America" should not be used as slang for the U.S.A. But - I see nothing wrong with the "United States of America" - after all - the word "of" has meaning here - it's the "United States" OF "America"....meaning a PART of America.

"America" is the land mass of the Western Hemisphere - or - from the European perspective - the "New World" - meaning North AND South America, and islands & regions in the general area.

I believe to avoid confusion - people now refer to the Western Hemisphere landmass, as a whole as "The Americas" - and "America" as short for the U.S. - but I can definitely see why some people would have a problem with that, just as I can see why some people would have a problem with the official name of someone who is a citizen of the U.S. being called an "American".

Also - Columbus didn't "discover" the continents that make up the "Americas". His famous (first) voyage in 1492 didn't even reach the mainland, and, in fact, he didn't step foot on the mainland until his 3rd voyage in 1498.

Even so - he wasn't even the first European explorer to reach the Americas, as there are accounts of European transatlantic contact made prior to 1492.

Someone else talks about the Vikings having REALLY discovered America. It's true that the Vikings actually DID have a settlement in Newfoundland around the year 1000 - to say the Vikings discovered the Americas would also be inaccurate.

Truth is - the present-day United States has been inhabitated by humans for at least 15,000 years. As humans didn't actually evolve in North or South America - those first humans who did set foot here are the only ones who should rightly be called "Discoverers".

I've never been to your house.......but if I stumble upon it one day and come in - have I "discovered" your house? I don't think so.

Answer 3

These are just mental abbreviations for the Americans from the USA. As you know, all other inhabitants of this continent (The Americas) call themselves Americans too, in their own languages (and predominantly in Spanish - Mexicanos, Bolivianos, Venezolanos, Colombianos, etc.).

You are absolutely right - the proper way is to use the full name - the people of the USA. The Americans is a very broad description and would entice anybody from any country from both South and North Americas.

Answer 4

Canada and Mexico are on the North American continent. The United States of America is also on the North American continent. It just so happens that of the three countries, only the USA has the word America in it's name. Also, common usage is to call citizens of their countries something that usually encompasses the country's name. As someone previously mentioned, most of the time that would be something relatively easy to say.

Answer 5

At the time that the US gained independence all of the other states in the Americas were still under colonial rule. So at that time they were the United States of America, the only sovereign states in the Americas.

Answer 6

Ist Columbus didn't discover the Americas - the Vikings discovered them many years before.
Because when the US was founded it was the only country in America. This nick name just kindda stuck. It's officak name is The United States of America.

Answer 7

There is no United States per se either.
It is the United States of America

America, The US, United States etc, are just easier to say.

Answer 8

Your point is well taken, but the expression "United Statesian" is cumbersome, and the expression "American" comes more trippingly to the tongue. Actually, "United Statesian" isn't even unique to the USA, as there are other countries which also call themselves "united states". My apologies to our Canadian friends, who are rightly somewhat miffed at all of this.

Answer 9

The United States is in North America; and it just sounds better than calling it "The United States of North America".

Answer 10

Well to answer this first of all America is not a continent. The continents are either North America and South America. The name America comes from the Amerigo Despuchi. He is the one the Continents are named after. He was an Italian explorer just like Columbus. Columbus was Italian and not Spanish but, the generous Queen of Spain at the time funded Columbus's expedition. She gave him the ships and the crew's the money etc.. So for all intensive purposes it is Spanish. Columbus never knew that he had discovered new Continents. He honestly thought that he was in India. That is why the native Americans got the name Indians. Perhaps later in life he was aware that he discovered an new world but, that seems unlikely. It wasn't until later on that the Europeans realized that this was a new world and not India or China. We are called Americans because Europeans gaves us that name. We are the only country that uses the name America in our official name. There are regions that use the name America.. Like Latin America or Central America but, those regions are groups of countries and not one country. So we are called Americans because it is in our Official name United States of America. For Short they just call us Americans. Much like we call you Spanish. We don't call you Reino de Espana or in English The Kingdom of Spain. We just call you Spanish. But whatever. Spain is great. I always wanted to go there. Perhaps one day I will. My sister went to Barcelona and she just loved it there. I love Tapas food too. God, is that great food. And your Wines are really excellent too. Ok, my Spanish friend. I hope this clears some things up for you. Hasta Luego Amigo!!!