Actually if you read the Declaration of Independence the term is the united States of America. So at the conclusion of the Revolution, there were no United States of America, there were simply Thirteen States that had been united in their efforts. One nation didn't exist until the ratification of the Constitution. Prior to that there was a Confederation of states, but we were still separate States.
And calling us the Unites States was really a misnomer... people didn't really view the conglomeration of States as a single Nation until the end of the Civil War. Hence Bobby Lee leading the Army of Northern Virginia and not the United States Army.
Originally Posted by texassapper
It is nice to find another that appreciates history.
Indeed, the formation of the Confederate States was a union of what was viewed by most as a Union of the individual States (nations if you want to use that word) that had a totally different culture from that of the Northern States that had become more and more a center of industry.
Most people, North and South, at the time assumed that the individual states could withdraw from the agreement that held them together, except A. Lincoln.
Slavery existed, and T Jefferson indicated many times that it would become a greater problem in the future: he was right. But it was not Slavery, as an individual issue that split the country and was the single cause of the Civil War. The greatest cause was the difference in the economics of the two sides. Agriculture vs. Industrial, and the contempt of the North for the South caused some very hurt feelings in the South. The institution of Slavery in America was about to end by itself, the Civil War just hastened the end of slavery and cause many problems that could have been avoided.
Before anyone responds with hostility, go read a little history in the actual history books: not the net - that is just a lot of stupid people talking to each other.