Did you know America is the name of the whole continent?

Question

USA is but one country among 40 others in the continent named "America."

"Indians" in any of the 40+ countries are also called "Native American" because they are native to the American continent.

Americans are all people who live in the continent named America.

Why have you appropriated the name for yourselves only? Don't they teach geography in the schools in the USA?

Answer 1

"American" can have many meanings. The USA is the only country where "American" refers to nationality and citizenship, though. You may be a resident of the South American continent if you live Brazil, for example, and you could call yourself an American or South American, but that wouldn't denote your nationality or citizenship in any particular country. It'd be like calling yourself European or African.

We are the United States (we have fifty states) of (the continent called North) America. What should we be calling ourselves? United Statesians? "American" is the most logical designation. You are reaching a bit. We took that name because, at the time of our founding, we were the first country to break away from colonial rule. We were comprised of 13 separate British colonies that became states after independence. That's why we're called the United States of America. When we became an independent country, we were the only one of our kind in the Americas.

Everybody acknowledges that "America" can refer to the American continents AND citizens of the USA. You're overreacting a bit.

Answer 2

Thank you for trying to cram political correctness down our throat. Now here is the answers your misguided rants.
The term indians was started by colombus, if you know that story, and it stuck, so sorry. Besides, native americans emigrated here via the bering strait, so, as native as I am.
North Ameirca and South America are continents, not America. The USA was the first colony of the Americas to achieve total independance, so when we were beating the crap out of the best army and commanders in the world, the other 'countries were still being gouged by the European powers. We were first, and are the best, we are the Americans.
Also, none of those other 40 counties have America in their name, so, tough luck. call yourselves what you will, but if you are Bolivian and try to call yourself American, I would just be sad for you, because it would seem you wanted to hang on the shirttails of the cool nation, while saying you did not want to be affilliated with your own country.


TomTom, thats just dumb: you classify Europe and Asia as separate continents, even though they are joined much more than north and south america. In your thinking, what does make up a continent?

Answer 3

1. The United States of America is the only country in the Americas that has the word "America" in its name. Canadians don't call themselves Americans because their country isn't called America. 2. In English, "United States" is an awkward term. It's not possible to say I'm a "United Statesian" or "United Stateser", so the demonym "American" is used in its place. In response to the comment about the "American continent", North America and South America are on two separate tectonic plates so are generally considered to be two separate continents.

Answer 4

Of course we have geography class, and in it we are taught the 7 continent model. In that model, there is no such continent as America. North America and South America are the continents - since they are two distinct land masses, and together they can be referred to as the Americas - plural. The other continents are Antarctica, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. Some models combine two or more continents - but that doesn't mean that they should (with the exception of Eurasia, perhaps, since the two seem to occupy the same land mass).

Part of the geographical area between North America and South America is sometimes called Central America, but Central America is not a continent and which countries belong and which don’t isn’t completely clear. Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in North and South America are commonly grouped together as Latin America. That is the opposite of the less-common Anglo-America, which distinguishes the countries in the Americas that speak predominantly English. Again, together all of these names and descriptions refer to the Americas - again plural.

The United States of America is commonly and correctly referred to as America, and its citizens are Americans. There is no just-plain-America other than the brief descriptive name of the United States of America.

Most countries have something along the lines of "republic," "federation," "grand duchy," or "commonwealth" in the full name. However, the countries themselves are commonly referred to by a brief name derived from the distinctive part of the full name, e.g. China, Russia, Luxembourg or Australia.

Do we say French Republic? No, we just call it France.

Federative Republic of Brazil? Not at all necessary - just call it Brazil.

United Mexican States? No, it’s Mexico.

United States of America? America will suffice, thanks.

Mexicans are not United Statesians. Chinese are not Republicans. Australians are not Commonwealthians. If citizens of Leichtenstein and Andorra were both called "Principalians," you wouldn't know who was from where, would you? Hence, I am not United Statesian. I am a citizen of the United States of America. The country I live in is America. I am American.

Answer 5

No it isn't. There is the North American continent and the South American continent. There is NO continent named America. The name of the USA is United States of America and gets shortened to America. There is no other country with "America" in its name except for the USA.

Yes, they teach us geography in USA schools. What about you? Where did you learn your geography and the names of the continents and countries?

tomtom there are 7 continents in the world.

Answer 6

Actually, you're wrong.

North America is one continent, and South America is another continent.

Also, the term "Native American" is generally used by people in the U.S.A. In Canada, the term "First Nations" is preferred.

And, it is generally accepted around the world that the term "American" refers to people from the U.S.A. Canadians don't call themselves Americans, but sometimes call themselves "North Americans."

Geography is poorly taught in the U.S.A., but it looks like you're no better off.

Answer 7

There are 7 continents in the world.
Two of them are North America and South America.
Only the USA has been labelled around the world, by citizens of the world as America. Citizens of the world labelled us Americans.
Just as the world has labelled Canadians, Mexicans, Brazilians, etc.
Even in Europe, nationalities are labelled. French, German, Italian, etc.
In Asia, you have Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc.
In Africa, there are Nigerians, Egyptians, etc.
Australians are the lucky ones who have their continent to themselves. No one can accuse them of appropriating their name.
Guess the most lucky are the non-existent natives of Antarctica who get to miss out on all of the rhetoric aimed at
vilifying the good citizens of the United States of America.

Answer 8

I learned all of this in schools. Repeatedly. It's more that people don't actually pay attention to their classes than that it's not taught. They learn things for the tests and then forget them...

However, there is an argument to be made for the confusion with "American" -- with the country named "The United States of America", what else would you call a citizen of the country? A Unitedstatesian? People from Canada are Canadian; people from Chile are Chilean; people from the United States of America are simply American. There's just no other term for our nationality. Essentially, there's "American" on the level of "Egyptian" and "American" on the level of "African". When we use it, it's on the level of nationality.

Answer 9

Actually, it's TWO continents, genius.

You must have learned geography in the American (I'm sorry, the US) school system.

By the way, did you know that the official name of Mexico is Los Estados Unidos de Mexico? Or the United States of Mexico? So United States can refer to more than one country as well.

I did know that many Native Americans are not native to the US. Ironically, I represent several pro bono in immigration court.

Answer 10

lol you think south and north america are the same continent ?
40 other countries besides USA on the continent ...lol you have proven it is not only some Americans who do not get a good education .Look up the encylepidia before you rumble garbish .Noth and south are two different continents !!!