what does the term states refer to?

Answer 1

Internationally "states" meant nation. The term thrown around by my poli sci teacher is now "nation state." When the US came along, they turned away from British terms such as Provinces and Territories and used changed the term State forever. That is what it meant, that they would be "United States." United, yet a lot of their own sovereign concepts. This is true to an outsider. As a Canadian the fact that a crime in Alabama is not a crime in Oregon baffles me. That a crime in Texas gets the death penalty and gets 20 years prison in Ohio? In Canada the Federal government sets criminal laws and it is the same right across the country.

So 200 years later, the US has a big international influence, and the meaning of state is a bit lost even to Americans on what that original "United States" was a stand of meaning. Take like how the US Federal Government coerced all the States to a 21 year old drinking law.

Answer 2

The term states refers to the 50 states in the US. A state is like a mini country, part of a bigger country--sort of. If that makes sense then yaay, and if it doesn't then sorry for confusing you. =].

Answer 3

Like the states that make up a country?
Or the state of something, like a state of well being?

Answer 4

this is a weird question. A state is any organized group of people with both some authority and some territory.

"The States" is what people in Canada call the USA.

Answer 5

One of the fifty United States of America. A sovereign nation. I'm not sure what you're asking.

Answer 6

Depends on what it's in reference to. What's the context?

You need to clarify your question in order to get a good answer.