How the United States Got Its Name: Rejected Alternatives Included Columbia and Alleghania

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, a report from Smithsonian magazine delves into the complex history surrounding its name. Initially, the founders contemplated alternatives such as United Colonies before the Second Continental Congress officially adopted 'United States' on September 9, 1776. The Declaration of Independence, dated July 4 and August 2, 1776, referred to 'thirteen united States of America,' signifying a confederation. Historian Edward J. Larson points out that states like Virginia considered themselves sovereign. The Articles of Confederation, established in 1781, supported this notion, paving the way for the Constitution in 1789, which capitalized 'United.' The name 'America,' originating from Amerigo Vespucci, encountered disputes, with suggestions like Columbia (1849) and 'United States of the Earth' (1893) being ridiculed. Nonetheless, the name has endured for 250 years.