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?

[NinjaLeprechaun]

I forgot Prince Edward Island... it is very small.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Somebody said that Washington DC was like Vatican City. No, it isn't. Vatican City is a sovereign state in its own right, not part of Italy.

[simonettavespucci]

So why do so many people (including me) think it is 52? There must be a source for this misinformation.

[SerendipityDooDah]

(Northumberland and Nova Scotia aren't in the U.S., ninja ...)

There are indeed 50 states. The District of Columbia is distinctly not a state. Its residents regularly get het up about their lack of voting representation in the U.S. government as a result of their non-state status. Neither is Puerto Rico a state. The states comprise the lower 48 contiguous states plus Alaska and Hawaii.

[Shopgirl1]

50 - I've always known this as I learned to list them all as a child for some reason.

[steff13]

It's weird that so many people think there are 52. I wonder where that came from? Barack Obama said he was going to visit all 57 states when he was campaigning, so those of you who thought it was 52 are closer than he was, and he's the president. :)

[AdjustableWench]

50, but my history teacher insisted that there were 52, despite my protests, so I can see how some people learned the wrong thing.

[NinjaLeprechaun]

"(Northumberland and Nova Scotia aren't in the U.S., ninja ...)"
(I know that. It was a joke, and I thought an obvious one but perhaps not.)

[ImtheChristmasCarcass]

Shopgirl You learnt them 'just because'? That's admirable!

We had to learn the 50 states, each state's capital, and be able to place them on a map in school when I was 10 (I'm in the US). All my sons had to do was learn '50 Nifty'.

How times have changed!

[ChessieFL]

I knew there are 50. In 10 minutes I named 46. I forgot Colorado, Nebraska, Alabama and Missouri.

[MuttonWasAGoose]

Obama meant to say 47 (he was in the 48th contiguous state of his campaign) but was tired and got confused. Of course he knows how many states there are.

[steff13]

I didn't say he didn't know. I said what he said.

[MuttonWasAGoose]

I know people who like to think that he was sincerely ignorant.

[Jux]

There's 650 MPs. For a long time there were 650 seats but only 649 MPs as Gerry Adams refused to pledge allegiance to the Queen, and therefore was unable to take his Seat.

[shoofly]

Jux there are currently 4 Sinn Fein MPs who do not take their seats

[SenecaFalls]

Yup, definitely 50. I grew up in the one that was the thirteenth colony (so gets a bar as well as a star on the flag) and the fourth state.

[emwithme]

According to Abe Simpson (in the episode "Homer Badman"), there are 49:

Marge : "There are only 49 stars on that flag."

Grampa : "I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missoura!"

[SenecaFalls]

Stripe, not bar, I should say.

[trixymalixy]

Interesting. I also would have said 52.

[JamaisDodger]

I knew its 50, but also because of New Model Army. DH thought it was 54, and he's way better at geography then me (usually).

[Flashbangandgone]

Definitely 50 states.

[Jw35]

I thought it was 52 too. I wonder where the confusion comes from?

[originalmavis]

"This is the fifty-first state of the USA, This is the fifty&first state of the uuuuuuu-ssssssss-aaaaaayyyyy"
The The 1990s (I think).

[Shakshuka]

Also grew up thinking 52. But then moved to the U.S. and ended up looking quite silly as a result.

[Preciousxbane]

It's 50 and Puppymonkey that song popped in to my head as well!