Why does the United States have 51 states?

Th nearest we could come to adding one on to the present fifty would be Washington DC (District of Columbia) which is independent and under the jurisdiction of the US Congress. There are territories and protectorates such as American Samoa, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico but they are not states. read more

The United States of America (USA) sometimes shortened as United States (U.S.) or just America is composed of 50 states and a federal district (Washington, D.C). The USA also has a number of unincorporated territories. read more

The area we occupy was semi-arbitrarily divided into manageable sections. There were economic, geographic, and political pressures behind the placement of the actual borders. read more

The phrase "51st state" sometimes has international political connotations not necessarily having to do with becoming a U.S. state. The phrase "51st state" can be used in a positive sense, meaning that a region or territory is so aligned, supportive, and conducive with the United States, that it is like a U.S. state. read more