The key date for answering the question of how old the United States is is 1776, when the new state proclaimed its independence from the mother country. However, for several years Britain’s attempts to keep the former colonies under the rule of the crown did not stop, and only on September 3, 1783 the sovereignty of the new state was recognized by the world community and the former metropolis.
A bit about geography
The administrative division of the United States is also determined by their geographical location. After the war of independence, the American government gradually began to expand its influence in neighboring territories, moving from east to west. Most states of the modern American state are located in the continental part of the North American continent, between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
America borders with Canada in the north and Mexico with the south. In addition, Alaska has a maritime border with the Russian Federation, the line of which runs along the Bering Strait. In addition to the continental area, the administrative division of the United States also takes into account island lands. For example, in the Pacific Ocean, the state of Hawaii is located, and a number of regions in the Caribbean have a special status of associated territories. Lands with similar status are also found in the Pacific Ocean.
The last state to join the USA was Hawaii. The United States annexed the islands in Spain in 1898, and two years later granted them the status of self-governing territory. Soon the islands began to be actively used by the American government as a military base. But the official status of the state of Hawaii was received only on August 21, 1959. Hawaii is also known for the fact that it was there that the Pearl Harbor base, which was bombed by the Japanese during World War II. After this event, America was forced to take part in hostilities.
The history of the word "state"
For the first time the word "state" began to be used in the colonial period, when the so-called individual colonies. However, after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the term extended to vast territories controlled from one center.
It is worth saying that the modern administrative division of the United States implies the use of not only the word "state", but also "federal district", and even "republic", although not officially. For example, the flag of California reads: “The Republic of California,” which indicates a broad understanding of federalism by residents of the region.
US Administrative Division
Today the country consists of 50 states, each of which is an equal subject of the federation. In addition, the state has the federal district of Columbia, in which the capital of the United States is located - the city of Washington. According to the existing tradition and legislation, each state has its own constitution, parliament, independent judiciary and governments, as well as the governor.
The vast majority of states are named after the Indian tribes that ever lived on their territory, as well as in honor of the monarchs of Great Britain or France.
List of states and autonomous territories
A complete list of US entities is as follows:
In addition to full-fledged constituent entities of the federation, the United States also includes the so-called unincorporated territories, which are often called freely associated, as well as non-joined. These include: Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
At the time of making decisions on a national scale, these territories, however, have only an advisory voice, but this also allows them to terminate their special relations with America at any time.
US Capital Status
In the early years of the United States, the status of the capital passed from one city to another. However, for a long time he was assigned to Philadelphia. In 1783, an incident occurred in this city related to the need to crush the uprising. The National Congress demanded that the governor take tough measures, but he refused, as a result of which the congressmen had to leave the city and move to Princeton, located in New Jersey. This event served as an occasion to start a discussion on the construction of a new capital.
As a result of lengthy negotiations, it was decided to create a special territory that would be under the direct supervision of the US Congress. Despite the fact that the city is governed by a 13-member municipal council led by the mayor, the U.S. Congress may at any time overturn a decision made by it. It should be borne in mind that the District of Columbia and the city of Washington do not have their own representative in the Senate. Until 1961, the inhabitants of the district did not even have the right to vote in the presidential election.
Island territories
Answering the question about how many states are in the USA, it is worth mentioning the territories with special administrative status. These include numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Of particular note are the state of Puerto Rico, which is considered a freely associated territory. The unusual situation is expressed in the fact that these lands have their own constitution, but the supreme power in them belongs to the US Congress. Moreover, the US Constitution is limited in Puerto Rico. In 2012, a special referendum was held in the region on determining the status of the state and its relations with America. Local residents decided to join the United States, but the final decision remained with Congress.
Thus, the administrative division of the United States is determined by the historical development of the state and is brought into line not only with domestic, but also with foreign policy.
Many scholars and experts in international politics believe that American statehood is based on the idea of chosenness and a special path, which creates the preconditions for special expansionism, which manifests itself in US foreign policy.
For example, the ideology of the frontier was popular in the USA for a long time - a border that constantly shifted into the American continent under pressure from settlers and regular troops. Such a policy ultimately led to the destruction of many indigenous people and the complete extermination of some Indian tribes.
In modern American politics, the idea of selectness and a special mission is most noticeable in the relations of the USA with its partners and competitors, as well as in relations with some small states of Asia and Oceania.