Do americans think South America is other continent separated from North & Central America?

Question

OMG! i've just seen that and surprized myself...! I don't think most "Americans" shared this fact...(or am i wrong?)

Answer 1

Well, South America is a different continent then North America. Central America is part of the North American continent and not a separate continent. However North America and South America are physically attached to each other. They are all part of the same land mass.

Answer 2

We (North Americans) are taught that there are 6 continents, while many other Americans (those living in the southern hempisphere) are taught there are 5 continents, as are some Europeans (mainly non British). Then there are some that are taught there are 4 continents (Eurasia, Africa, Australia and the controversial Antartica). That being said, this is a difficult question - as continents are not geopolitical entities that can have official borders. Meaning, even though N America and S America are joined in one continuous land mass, some believe continents sit on different plates on the earths surface. But I don't believe there is concrete science to say that there is or isn't a true division of the Americas, years of different political entities have created the north and South America. In the immediate years following columbus 1492 visit, it was America. the separate designations a result of Iberian control of one region and British/French control of the other.

Answer 3

In Argentina where I live we learn that North America, Central America and South America are three pieces of the same continent. As the New World discovered by Columbus. It's true that Europe and Asia don't have physicall separation, and it isn't true that South America is an island. Because the two pieces are separated by the Panama canal, which it isn't a natural separation. If you want to separate the American continent by the different cultures which live there then you should say that North America is composed by the USA and Canada, because Mexican culture are closer to Argentinian, Colombian and Peruvian culture than the USA.

Answer 4

That's what I was taught in school. Not separated by water or anything like that but that South America is a separate continent. From Wikipedia - The South American continent also includes various islands, many of which belong to countries on the continent.

Answer 5

I studied my senior year in the USA and apparently that's what geography teachers say to their students. All of my friends argued with me that they were 2 continents instead of 1. Someone must have started the "theory", maybe the government didn't want anything to do with Southamericans and started the theory of a separate continent. Who knows, maybe in the future they will start saying that Central America is the 8th continent or something. If you think about it it's not the people's fault, that is just what they were tought since they were little kids. Maybe what the rest of the world's geography teachers say about America being just one continent is what's wrong... Who decides that anyway?

Answer 6

South America is another continent the dividing fault is in Panama like the link between Europe and Asia the land mass is connected. We need to get our kids from in front of the TV and Video games and back to the couch with a book. We also need to teach our kids not just teach to the standardized test that each state uses to judge how a district is fairing against the rest of the state. This question is basic geography and used to be taught to 3rd graders.

Answer 7

Yes. It is taught in school that North America only consists of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. South America is a separate continent.

Answer 8

OMG! Although people may thing that South America is an island, it doesn't matter to believe that is another continent... is japan a continent different of Asian continent? and Australia & New Zealand? are different continents?

Answer 9

That's the point I was making on the other question. South and North America are the same Continent, apparently they weren't taught well while in school. I think it's about to time for the to go back and be taught again.

Answer 10

Do you think Asia is another continent separated from Europe? The continents haven't only been designated the way they are due to physical separation.