OT: Settle a bet...for a steak dinner
 

Ok,

My wife and I like to bet steak dinners for various things. I am up on the food by 1 meal (friend's escapades with boyfriends...long story).

Anyway, I was wondering if anybody knew the proper term for the following:

My wife says that the USA does not have a formal name. I said that the name is "The United States of America". She said no because provinces are states. She mentioned that Canada and Mexico (whom both have provinces) are united and consider themselves "united states". I laughed and made the steak dinner bet.

Who is right? I understand that America is describing a region. It IS unusual that Canada and Mexico are names of countries and then there is the US of A. Strange, but I think I am right.

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article...d%20States&ct=

You are right.

Yeah, i figured I was but try telling that to the Mrs....

thanks

If she wants more details, you can tell her that yes, Canada has states, but at the time the U.S was being formed, Canada barely existed, and not in an organized form of provinces. We took on the name United States of America in the Articles of Confederation in 1777, which was the precursor to the Constitution.

Seems both of you lost , since the name is "United States of America" not "The United States of America"

actually i'm pretty sure canada calls them provinces.. not states :P

Yeah that's what they call their states.

You're right. Puerto Rico doesn't count either.

Kind of like Prom and "the Prom"?

I swear I've heard Los Estados Unidos de Mexico before...

get extra food by telling her that Canada is the Dominion of Canada

No, no. Actually, it's more like McRib and "The McRib".

Is McRib back yet?

Is the McRib back yet?

According to the link provided, Mexico is officially "United Mexican States". I guess Canada is simply Canada since it doesn't say anything for it.

Mexico's official name is the United Mexican States, or Estados Unidos Mexicanos.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico

Man, you just made my head hurt.

It is officially The Ohio State University, though, right? You might be able to stump her with that one, too.

Is Canada "officially" independent?

I thought it was part of the British Commonwealth and has the queen as its ruler.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I believe that refers to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California :)

Canada was granted independence in 1931.