In 1776, 'United States of America' was formally adopted by Congress, centuries later U.S. President Donald Trump reiterates renaming Strait of Hormuz, Lake Ontario, New Mexico

In 1776, the second Continental Congress formally adopted the name "United States of America", replacing the “United Colonies of North America." Although the Declaration of Independence had already introduced the phrase on July 4, Congress officially ordered the name change on September 9, 1776. This seemingly small adjustment carried enormous political meaning: it reflected the colonies’ decision to stop describing themselves as possessions of an empire and begin presenting themselves as independent states.

The story began with growing resistance to British rule. During the 1760s and early 1770s, disputes over taxation, trade, and imperial authority increasingly damaged the relationship between Britain and its North American colonies. The First Continental Congress met in 1774 to coordinate opposition, while the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia in May 1775 after armed conflict had begun. What started as an effort to defend colonial rights gradually became something much more ambitious. Congress established the Continental Army, issued currency, managed diplomatic affairs, and increasingly performed the functions of a national government. The language used to describe this emerging authority therefore mattered.

1776 History Explained: Surprising Story Behind America’s Name and National Identity


Before independence was formally declared, “United Colonies” was a practical description of the thirteen communities cooperating against British policies. It emphasized their shared resistance without necessarily committing every colony to permanent separation. The phrase appeared in official congressional documents, including the June 1775 commission appointing George Washington commander in chief of the Army of the United Colonies. At that stage, many delegates still hoped for reconciliation, even as the war made compromise increasingly difficult. The name reflected a political arrangement that was united in purpose but still uncertain about its ultimate destination.

That uncertainty changed dramatically in June 1776. On June 7, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced a resolution declaring that the colonies should become free and independent states. Congress adopted the independence resolution on July 2, with New York not voting at that time. The decision established the principle that the colonies were no longer seeking merely to reform their relationship with Britain; they were claiming the right to exist as separate political communities. Two days later, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, a document drafted principally by Thomas Jefferson and revised by the Committee of Five and the full Congress.

The Declaration’s opening and conclusion gave the new identity its clearest expression. Its formal title began, “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,” while its concluding language declared that the colonies were “Free and Independent States.” This was more than a change in wording. The document announced that the former colonies possessed the authority to conduct war, make peace, establish commerce, and enter alliances. It also presented independence as a claim grounded in political rights and the consent of the governed. The phrase “United States of America” therefore appeared at the heart of the revolutionary argument before Congress formally standardized it in September.

On September 9, 1776, Congress made the name official in its own proceedings. According to the historical record, the change replaced “United Colonies of North-America” with “United States of America.” The decision helped align congressional language with the nation already proclaimed in the Declaration. It also reflected a central feature of the new political order: the country was not being presented as one undivided colony, but as a union of states. That distinction would remain important throughout the development of the American republic, influencing debates over sovereignty, representation, and the balance between state and national authority.

Donald Trump Goes On Name Changing Spree

US President Donald Trump has once again turned geography into a political talking point, reviving his push to rename major geographical landmarks and even a US state, while adding that the Strait of Hormuz could be renamed as the “Trump Strait”.

Speaking at the Republican Convention in Dallas on Wednesday, Trump said he would announce the renaming of the strategically vital waterway. “It’s going to be called, ladies and gentlemen — I’ll have an announcement. We’ll call it the Trump Strait, and I’m sure the Iranian leadership will be thrilled with that,” Trump said.

The US President also revived his proposal to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, referring to an executive order he said he had signed earlier in August amid a simmering trade war with Canada. “We’re going to call that now Lake America,” he said. Lake Ontario is shared by the United States and Canada and is governed by the Boundary Waters Treaty.

Trump also floated renaming neighbouring New Mexico as “New America”, an idea he has increasingly raised in recent days.

Trump's remarks come after he has repeatedly sought to put his imprint on geographic names, including his administration's push to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”. Trump’s latest remarks add another strategically significant name to his growing list of proposed geographical makeovers, stretching from North American waterways to one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints — the Strait of Hormuz.