to ask you how many states you think there are in the USA?

[MuttonWasAGoose]

I was just in a grocery store and this (loud) employee was talking to another employee about how stupid he thought the USA was. Whatever. Not my business. But then he said "Well, there are 52 different states and then the Federal government..." Since I was standing one foot away from him I said, "Actually, there are 50 states."

(Yes, I know that I was butting into a conversation and for that I WBVU.)

He looked at me with disdain (probably because I butted in, so understandable). Then he said very snarkily, "No, there are FIFTY TWO states!" He said it in a tone that implied that I was very stupid. Perhaps he assumed that someone with an American accent should know better.

I said, "Well, Alaskans talk about 'the lower 48' and then you add Hawaii that's fifty." and he just snapped, "You are mistaken!"

I figured arguing with strangers in a supermarket would only compound my idiocy for having butted in. What was I going to do, whip out my phone and Google it or something?

But I got home and Googled "how many states are there" because I wondered how commonly people thought this... and it turns out there are a LOT. Hundreds of people insisting they were taught that there were 52, and dozens more saying they thought it was 51. Mostly from people outside the US, but some from within. This may be down to confusion over Puerto Rico and Washington DC.

I have lived here ten years and I honestly have no idea how many MPs there are. I also don't know how many states are in Mexico or provinces in Canada. I wouldn't expect foreigners to know, but I'm curious - if you have ever been told how many states there are, what number was it?

[DotForShort]

Fifty nifty United states from thirteen original colonies. . .

If you want to learn all the states (in alphabetical order no less), you can listen to this song a few times. And the tune isn't the least bit annoying, not at all.

[Timri]

I always thought it was 52, and there being 50 was one of those 'common misconception' things?!?!

[Timri]

Looks like it's all down to whether you consider DC and Puerto Rico 'states'
There are officially 52 'states and provinces' though

[LaurieLemons]

I always thought 52!

[ijustwannadance]

I thought it was 50 purely because somewhere in my brain I remember being told Hawaii was the last state added and the programme/ film Hawaii 5 0

[claraschu]

52 cards in a deck. 52 pickup.

[ijustwannadance]

And an episode of friends where I think Ross couldn't remember them all

[MuttonWasAGoose]

Timri - that's not accurate, either. The US has 50 states, 16 territories, and then there's the District of Columbia. I don't think there's anything called "provinces" but I don't know if that's a technicality of language or definition.

[Seriouslyffs]

I think that's it clara!

[Timri]

You're right Mutton
It's 52 states and 'other jurisdictions'

[MuttonWasAGoose]

There are fifty states. Then there are seventeen things that aren't states (territories and a "district.")

[lilac3033]

50. I am American. I had to memorise the spelling of each one and it's capital in school. If anyone argues against 50 then tell them to count the stars on the US flag, there is one for every state!

[Timri]

Didn't the very first USA flag have thirteen stars to represent the thirteen colonies?
Or am I making that up?

[MuttonWasAGoose]

Unfortunately, there aren't American flags the size of your average detached house flying in front of every car dealership here in England, so it may be hard for them to find a flag to count the stars on.

The one state I can always spell with confidence is Mississippi. When we were kids we used to enjoy chanting "Em eye ess ess eye ess ess eye pee pee eye!"

[Pilgit]

50. Hawaii became the 50th state and that was the last new state. Have to admit I thought peuerto rico was a country though. Knew Washington dc wasn't a state. Always bemused that this gets miss taught as it's so easy to verify!

[LondonStill83]

Me and DH both thought 52!

How embarrassing as I am Canadian and we are both in our 30s...

[lilac3033]

Well I wouldn't expect a flag to be handy here. However it would probably shut down someone insisting otherwise, then again they could just google it. Yes there were originally 13 stars and 13 stripes. Still 13 stripes but the stars have been added over the years with each new state.

[thefutureofpolitics]

50. Smart arses try to argue that there are 52 but DC is not a state, nor is it a city, it is a 'federal district' and Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the US. I used to live in Virginia. Loving the The The and New Model Army mentions!

[chilledwarmth]

www.sporcle.com/games/g/states might be interesting see how many you can name :)

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

Isn't the UK the 51st state?

[CalleighDoodle]

I said 50. Dh said 52. He is now on google researching info on puerto rico.

[ImtheChristmasCarcass]

I'm an American. There are 50 states + the District of Columbia with 'federal voting rights'. The 'United States' when used in a geographical sense, means the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Wake Island, Midway Islands, Navassa Island and Serranilla Bank.

Puerto Ricans are US citizens. The inhabitants of the rest of the territories (some are uninhabited) are US nationals.

[ImtheChristmasCarcass]

And I'd like to thank the PP who gave me the ear worm. '50 Nifty' is now running on auto play through my head!

[TeaFathers]

Its 50. Britain being the 51st state, of course.

PuppyMonkey - And that The The song where he sings: "This is the 51st state of the Yooo SA." Bet nobody else remembers it, good song.

Love that song, Puppy.

[NinjaLeprechaun]

"I'm not sure why they've never become a state."
If Puerto Rico became a state they would have to pay federal income tax. Therefore, they quite sensibly keep voting against it.

Thanks to the "Fifty nifty United States" song, I can list the states in alphabetical order up to New Mexico. Where apparently, as Bugs Bunny would say, I take a wrong turn in Albuquerque. I think the next ones are New York, Northumberland and Nova Scotia...

There are 10 provinces and 3 territories in Canada, which is easier to remember - British Columbia; Alberta; Saskatchewan; Manitoba; Quebec; Ontario; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia; Newfoundland and Labrador; Yukon; Northwest Territories; Nunavut.