To be honest I thought it had 52 states but from looking at this forum obviously realise that the correct answer is 50. I resent the implication that I am unintelligent as a result of this, given that unless I had been having an argument with someone on the subject I wouldn't have been bothered to look up this relatively pointless information (for a uk citizen). Lets not forget that the vast majority of people in america think that the only place in england is london. I wonder if these people know how many states that the US has.

[american_flag_uk]

its only a pointless piece of info if u want tit to be pointesss

i also was born and live here in england - with no american blood
yet i have a great interest in a america and in particular its flags

i think its alot more pointless being interested in celebrities and fashion (example) than it is to be interested in a country its life cultures and flags

[Peter Ansoff]

Hi, Jammy,

I resent the implication that I am unintelligent as a result of this,

I don't think that anyone is seriously saying the you're unintelligent. We're simply puzzled about where this particular misconception came from. Maybe you can help us. Do you happen to recall where you first heard about it?

Best,

Peter Ansoff

i just registered to share my own story!

i too thought there were 52 US states. i'm originally Syrian but living in Canada since 5 years now.. i now wonder if all Syrians think the same way. i googled "52 US states" and this topic came up..

thought it will be interesting to share my sad long held misconseption.. i'm kinda surprised and disappointed (at myself)

and actually it could be that the number 50 sounds too perfect.. and people think that 52 is more likely. very possible reason..... unless the person u asked is a professional cards player

[Pompey Janner]

I too am English, and have always lived in England.

I was just watching the Jerry Springer Show with my Fiancée, and Steve asked a Guest how many States there were in America. I said 52, and my Fiancée said 50. I was most surprised, when it emerged that she was right and I was wrong. I was specifically told by my History Teacher that there were 52 States.

The annoying thing is, I went to a school that is ranked among the top three schools in my town, and that school can still fail to provide its pupils with correct facts.

[american_flag_uk]

wow

my highschool was (still is)the only one in a 10 mile radius here in Cumbria

we learnt nothing about th USA there

i knew at age 5 that there was 50 states in the USA = 50 stars on the US flag - learnt at infants school year 1 (1st grade)
i still have a piece of work i did in 1989 when i was 5 - about the USA which included the information that there is 50 states and a a messy drawing of the US flag!

[american_flag_uk]

heres type up of the piece of work - so forgot it was 1990 and not 89 but i was close! - i had made a thread sharing this with everybody a few months back

i found this piece of work in an old scrapbook of my old work that i was lookng through... there wasnt much there but i must have liked this piece of work in order to have kept it all these years! (im now 23)

i just thought id share the contents with you because i find it rather funny!!



ok here goes.. ill type it exactly how it is written with the spelling that i used.



27th March 1990 My favouite country

My favouite country is the Unitid States of America
it is verry big and their is lots of people their
Thay talk funny

Their nathonal anthum is my favouite song
it is called Star Spangled Banner'

Their is 50 states or counties in USA
(yes- i actually compared the size of counties of England to States in the USA... I think i didnt have a clue how big the USA was lol)

i know 3 i think.. Florida, Callaforna and Mississippi.
i lernt to spell mississippi at scool and the teacher teached us how to spell it bakwurds witch is ippississim.

the flag looks like this
(i drew a US flag with random stars and 9 stripes using pencil pen and crayon)

it is calld the American flag or stars and stripes.

Americans fly their flag alot. i saw pitchers of the USA with american flags everywhere. their is even 1 on the moon.
They fly their flag in front of their house and everywhere they can fly it off of

i think they like their flag!

their is 50 stars on the flag for the 50 states and the flag has the same colours as our union jack

i want to go to the USA becas it is a big playground and their is disneyland and i like Mcdonals happy meals and the toys inside and you can make cassels with the box

the end

lolololol

[Splaisling]

Hello! My Nick-name is Splaisling!!! Am i am from Ireland and was always thought that there is 52 states. One day i was staying at my friends house and she bought up 50 states. Now she is American and i quickly replied no there are 52. My other American friend said there were 52 aswell. We were really confused and we'll i started looking up on the internet to find some information as to why people believe that there are 52!!! I was so glad when i came across a forum like this!!! I think my research explains that people believe there are 52 because they see 2 extra places as states and but the government of U.S.A see only 50 states!!!

[Kat48001]

I remember learning in school that there were 52 states! To verify this I looked up a school project that our class did...To my surprise the question on the test was "How many states are there?" Answer "52!!!" Figure that??? It is a sad day when our classes teach us the wrong thing!!! So needless to say I was in the top bajillion people that thought there were 52 states!!! When I looked over the test, the test NEVER asked us to name all of the states! Maybe if they asked???