Posted on 07/05/2013 8:48:20 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Historians have long tried to pinpoint exactly when the name 'United States of America' was first used and by whom. A new find suggests the man might have been George Washington himself.
As if George Washington hasn’t been credited enough with laying the foundation stones of the American republic, a new discovery might put one more feather in his cap. Our leading Founding Father could have been author of the country's name.
The identity of who coined the name “United States of America” has eluded historians for years. Online sources vary greatly, erroneously crediting Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and others.
But a letter written by Washington’s aide-de-camp on Jan. 2, 1776, discovered this past Memorial Day, suggests that Washington might have been one of the first people – if not the first person – to utter the words "United States of America."
Previously, William Safire and a bevy of Oxford and American researchers essentially concluded in 1998 that Thomas Jefferson was the originator. Jefferson wrote “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” in the header of his “original Rough draught” of the Declaration of Independence sometime on or after June 11, 1776. Then last summer, the Monitor reported the discovery of an earlier citation in an anonymous essay appearing in the Virginia Gazette, dated April 6, 1776.
This latest find comes in a letter that Stephen Moylan, Esq., wrote to Col. Joseph Reed from the Continental Army Headquarters in Cambridge, Mass., during the Siege of Boston. The two men lived with Washington in Cambridge, with Reed serving as Washington’s favorite military secretary and Moylan fulfilling the role during Reed’s absence.
The letter touched on the colonies' desire to enlist Europe's help in their revolution – most likely in procuring much-needed armaments and gunpowder.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
Very interesting article. Didn’t Al Gore also take credit for this?
But somewhere in there we went from a federal government to a national one.
No matter what happens or the history of the United States there is no doubt that the United States was God’s will and inspired by God by Godly men.
“United States”? Shouldn’t we change it to “Diversity States”?
Unity is the opposite of diversity, so it is obviously racist.
Already posted, but maybe this time it won’t get hi-jack by a crazy!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3039239/posts
The Diversified States of America.
E Unum Pluribus.
Now. Let’s all sing ‘You Can Go Your Own Way.’
It’s used once in the Declaration of Independence.
bookmark
RE: It’s used once in the Declaration of Independence.
Yes, that’s why many thought that Thomas Jefferson first coined it. Here is the key paragraph:
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
thanks SeekAndFind, additional:
Who coined ‘United States of America’? Mystery might have intriguing answer
The Christian Science Monitor via YahooNews | 7/4/13 | Ron DeLear
Posted on 07/04/2013 4:41:48 PM PDT by Kartographer
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3039239/posts
It looks so ... corporate-ish
the united (one and we are) States
the united States of America. .. I think is most proper.
and like Sodom and other places and peoples that have turned from God America will be allowed to fail. The sand is about gone from our hourglass. We have allowed the wicked to lead us.
There has always been an awakening from secularism. It usually only happens when men understand that the misery they live is because of bad decisions they have made that turn them from a Godly path.
One day the Rapture will come. It doesn’t really matter when it does though since for everyone it will come and it comes for millions each day of course when they breathe their last breath. Then, there are no more chances for repentance and growth. Trying to understand or predict the times of the Rapture is just too big for our little minds, we will fail in trying. He tries to tell us that. How we live each day is much more important.
Many years ago, when my Son was just a child, we were up at the barn working. It was a beautiful day and we were quiet but enjoying the day together. He asked why people are so mean to each other. I thought and answered the way my Dad answered me, “They have ignored God’s instructions.” A long time passed and he said, “I guess if we didn’t have a Bible we would have to write one for men to live together peacefully.” I believe we would but fortunately, we don’t need to write one, we just have to follow the one we have.
The closer I follow my Bible the better my life goes. I’ve tried the other way, it doesn’t work out very well at all.
Actually I recall the Ken Burn's classic "Civil War" documentary specifically covers that...as only during the Civil War was usage of "These United States" changed to "The United States."
A lot of bad, and good, things can be dated to that conflict.
Bull Pucky... I’d bet that the phrase had crossed many a lip long before the instances mentioned here. Likely it was spoken and heard if not thousands then most certainly hundreds of times prior.
Giving credit to George Washington works for me.
RE: the united States of America. .. I think is most proper.
So, we should really be called the uSA?
Actually, Ken was quoting Shelby Foote, a wonderful Civil War historian.
Shelby and Ken were both wrong, however.
Both terms were used since the Founding, sometimes in the same document.
“Are” was highly predominant initially, with “is” gradually gaining throughout the 19th century, by the end of which it was dominant.
The rate of increase in the use of “is” took a jump during our Civil War, but the biggest jump came during and after the War of 1812.
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