American States

American States is not a standard single encyclopedic subject; it most commonly refers to the 50 constituent states of the United States.

American States is not a standard single encyclopedic subject; it most commonly refers to the 50 constituent states of the United States. In U.S. federal usage, each state is a political entity with shared sovereignty alongside the federal government. For Canadian readers, the topic is relevant because the United States borders Canada and its states make up the primary subnational divisions of Canada’s largest neighbour.

Meaning

The phrase American States is usually understood as a collective reference to the 50 U.S. states rather than the name of a single place or organization.

Political status

U.S. states are constituent entities in a federal system, each with its own government and powers that are shared with the national government. Each state is a constituent political entity with jurisdiction over a defined territory and shared sovereignty with the federal government.

Historical development

The first 13 states formed out of the former British colonies in July 1776 during the American Revolutionary War. The total later expanded through territorial growth and admission of new states.

Reference usage

The phrase also appears in the titles of encyclopedias and regional reference works covering state-by-state information about the United States, such as the Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States.