12 Surprising Things You Didn't Know About the USA

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The United States, stretching almost 3.8 million square miles (9.84 million square kilometers), is one of the biggest and best-known countries in the world. American culture is known worldwide, from the Super Bowl and Hollywood movies to McDonald’s and baseball. However, there’s so much more to learn about the United States than what you see in the movies.

From the nation’s early history and unique traditions to favorite foods and fascinating states, America is bursting with intrigue, mystery, and entertaining facts and stories. To learn more, here are 12 fun facts about the US you might not know.

The US Consists of 50 States and a National Government

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Let’s start with a fact about America’s states. The United States is divided into 50 states and has a national government based in Washington, D.C. You’ll likely recognize the national government in Washington from the White House, as it is one of the nation’s most iconic tourist attractions.

Delaware was the first state in the US. It was the first colony to approve the United States Constitution and became the first state in 1787. Pennsylvania and New Jersey followed suit, becoming states within two weeks. The last places to become states were Alaska and Hawaii, which both became states in 1959, almost 180 years after Delaware.

Washington, D.C. Isn’t a State

Must Visit U.S. Cities Washington — © f11photo / Adobe Stock

Interestingly, despite being the seat of America’s national government, Washington, D.C. isn’t a US state. Instead, it’s a district, with the D.C. in its name standing for the District of Columbia. The reason Washington, D.C. isn’t a state is rooted in Article I, section 8, clause 17 of the United States Constitution.

The Constitution states that the “Seat of the Government of the United States” shall be a district of ten square miles separate from the other “particular States.” Since the 1980s, a D.C. statehood movement has petitioned to make DC a state because people believe that almost 700,000 residents should have the right to determine how they are governed, just as citizens of the 50 states do.

The United States Flag Honors the States

From an outsider’s perspective, the United States flag is simply a cool-looking flag with plenty of color, stripes, and stars. However, to American citizens, it has significant meaning. The 13 stripes on the American flag represent the 13 original colonies that formed the United States.

Secondly, the 50 stars on the flag symbolize the 50 US states. The colors on the United States flag are also symbolic. Red represents valor, hardiness, and bravery. White signifies purity and innocence, and blue signifies vigilance, justice, and perseverance. The Continental Congress adopted the stars and stripes as the American flag in 1777. However, today’s flag was incorporated in 1960 to include the 50th state, Hawaii.

There’s Enough Concrete in the Hoover Dam To Build a Road Across America

The Hoover Dam is an enormous concrete dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, tucked away on the border between Nevada and Arizona. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 and is 725 feet (221 meters) tall. The dam’s sheer size and impressive views have made it a famous tourist attraction and a popular filming location for natural disaster movies.

However, what we love most about the Hoover Dam is how much concrete was used to make it. Incredibly, 3.25 million cubic yards (2.5 million cubic meters) of concrete was used to build the dam. Some of the concrete is still curing and getting harder today. That amount of concrete could make a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York.

The United States Has the World’s Longest Land Border

The United States is the fourth-largest country in the world, so it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that it has some of the longest land borders worldwide. However, you might be surprised to learn that America has the longest land border in the world. Stretching approximately 5,523 miles (8,890 kilometers), the United States shares the longest border with Canada.

The US and Canada border is much longer than the other world’s longest borders. The Russia and Kazakhstan border comes in second place, but it’s almost 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers) shorter. Meanwhile, the third longest border in the world, Chile and Argentina, is only 3,298 miles (5,308 kilometers) long.

Lake Superior is the Largest Freshwater Lake in the World

Along the United States and Canada border, you’ll find the largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Superior. Taking the title of the world’s largest freshwater lake, you’d expect it to be big, but its actual size is mind-blowing. With a surface area of 31,698 square miles (82,100 square kilometers), it’s approximately the same size as Austria.

Amazingly, things get even more impressive as the lake also holds three quadrillion gallons of water, approximately 10% of the world’s freshwater. For context, that volume of water is enough to cover the entire landmass of North and South America under 30 centimeters (12 inches) of water.

The Liberty Bell Features a Spelling Mistake

The Liberty Bell, formerly the State House Bell, is one of American Independence’s most iconic artifacts and symbols. Located in Philadelphia, the bell was initially placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House, otherwise known as Independence Hall. Many believe the Liberty Bell rang on July 8, 1776, to symbolize America’s independence from Great Britain.

However, one of the most exciting and funny things about the bell is that it features a typo. On the bell, the word Pennsylvania is spelled “Pensylvania.” By today’s standards, that spelling of Pennsylvania is wrong. However, it was an accepted form of the spelling when the bell was engraved.

Abraham Lincoln Is in the Wrestling Hall of Fame

Abraham Lincoln, often called Honest Abe, was an American lawyer, politician, and the 16th President of the United States. Lincoln is known for many things, such as being the best and tallest president the United States has ever had. However, many people don’t know that Abraham Lincoln sits in the Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Praised for his wrestling skills from an early age, 6-foot-4 Lincoln was a wrestling county champion by age 21. He only lost once in 12 years despite competing in a reported 300+ bouts. He was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992 after being awarded the Outstanding American award.

The Original Hollywood Sign Read “HOLLYWOODLAND”

Must-See U.S. Landmarks for First-Time Visitors The Hollywood Sign, California — © Andrew Bayda / Adobe Stock

The Hollywood Sign is one of America’s most famous landmarks. Overlooking Hollywood, Los Angeles in California, millions of people visit the sign every year to take a selfie in front of the iconic location. However, most people don’t know what the sign was initially made for or what it was first called.

Constructed in 1923, the original sign read “HOLLYWOODLAND” and was designed to promote the name of a new housing development being built in the hills above the Hollywood district. The sign was changed to “HOLLYWOOD” in 1949 and replaced with new all-steel letters in 1978. Today, each letter is 45 feet (13.7 meters) tall.

The United States Is the Only Country To Land People on the Moon

Despite first achieving the feat on July 20, 1969, when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took a giant leap for mankind, still no other country has successfully landed humans on the Moon. Since the Apollo 11 mission achieved its world-famous accomplishment more than half a century ago, the United States has landed on the Moon five times.

NASA has put 12 men on the Moon, but no other nation has had the same success. The main reason other countries haven’t landed people on the Moon is that it’s extremely difficult. A mission to the moon requires intensive planning and resources and poses a significant risk to life.

New York City Is the Most Linguistically Diverse City in the World

New York is a diverse city much loved for its melting pot of different cultures, which makes it a truly fascinating place to explore. However, did you know it’s also the most linguistically diverse city in the world? As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York City, including English, Spanish, French, and Italian.

Furthermore, Queens, one of New York’s boroughs, is widely regarded as having more languages than any other neighborhood worldwide. The main reason for the diversity of languages spoken in New York City is immigration. For hundreds of years, New York has been a hotspot for immigration, with thousands of people moving to the East Coast from Europe and beyond.

Coca-Cola Was Invented in the United States

Coca-Cola is the largest soft drinks brand in the world, holding a 46.3% market share in the United States alone. While this mega-brand operates worldwide, selling multiple varieties of its product, its story starts from humble beginnings in Atlanta, Georgia.

Coca-Cola was first invented by Dr. John S. Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, in May 1886. Pemberton created the syrup for medicinal purposes and served it in Jacob’s Pharmacy. It was devised as a tonic for common ailments, and approximately nine drinks were served a day. It quickly grew in popularity, and less than 150 years later, more than 1.9 billion servings are sold daily worldwide.