Is USA made up of countries? States = Countries?

[Jenna]

Is it? Isn't the term "State" stand for "Country" or "Land" or something like that?

[Sup]

States are in Countries, there are 51 in USA

[Gabriel Eric]

The United States is a country. Within the country there are 50 states. Hence the name 'united'states.

[Danna Molina]

No, the United States are all one country. The name of our country is pretty self explanatory, actually. This country, the United States of America, is one country made up of many seperatr states, united by a sense of patriotism. At least that's what it was named for way back when the 13 colonies became their own country and each colony was made a state.

[George S]

Yes. They were originally separate colonies of the British Empire, then (briefly) autonomous "states" from the Declaration of independence in 1776 until 1781. In 1781 they formed a Confederation of United States retaining most autonomy but aligning for defense and foreign policy and commerce. In 1789 today's constitution was ratified making the US a federation of states overseen by a complex federal government with many offices and authorities.

Fierce conflict began when the new constitution was proposed in 1787. The cold battle between the Federalist Party controlled by commercial interests and the anti-Federalist faction of farmers and tradesmen (who resisted forming a strong federation) raged. The anti-Federalilsts inspired the formation of the Democratic-Republican Party (now called just Democratic Party) to continue that battle. Today's Democratic Party has progressive and socialist policies, not true liberal ones like then.

Out of that battle came our Bill of Rights forced by the anti-Federalists to preserve some autonomy for states and individual rights for citizens. The battle led to Federalist leader Alexander Hamilton's death from a dueling wound and exploded into our terrible Civil War in 1861.

The Federalist Party had dissolved by then but a similar one formed from a coalition of federalists, Whigs, and the new progressives fronted by slavery abolitionists. That Republican Party's policies (prominent ones were increased tariffs and abolition) forced secession of many states with significant foreign commerce and/or slavery. The Republican Party controlled federal government's preparations for blocking seceding states' ports forced the war.

True liberalism advocates: individual freedom, weak government, and free markets. Conservatism advocates: moral responsibility, strong government, and protected markets. Progressives advocate: social concern, omniscient government, and controlled markets. Socialism advocates: social responsibility, omnipresent government, and collective markets.

[Richard B]

that is what was decided by the civil war
states are less than the whole country

[Mark]

No, a state is not a country. Land is never used as a synonym either. The only word we ever use is just state.