Why is the USA called AMERICA?

One of the most interesting things that I have experienced in the USA is people of the USA call their country 'AMERICA'. Just AMERICA! Not USA. The teacher in my ESL class often says 'America' or 'American people' to refer to the USA. Even the students from other countries just say 'America'. I wondered why. In my thoughts, America includes North and South and Central America as well. So, I asked the students from South American countries if they are not angry about that the USA hogs the 'America.' But, to be astonished, they showed no anger.

I read an article which a Korean man wrote. The man, who was a visiting scholar at a university of the USA, went on a field trip to Argentina. He needed to make an international call to his family in the USA. He entered a store, and asked the owner of the store if he could call 'America'. Then, the owner replied to him, "This is America!" He was embarrassed. He mentioned 'America' unconsciously as he did in the USA. The store owner's answer was quite right. Argentina is in the Americas, too.

Why do people of the USA call their country just 'America'? I think they do so because the USA is the superpower in the world. The USA has the dominant position politically and economically. They think they are the police of the world and they can dominate the world. So, they sometimes even start war in the name of world peace. Whatever they are doing, everything is JUSTICE. For that reason, they think they have a right to monopolize ‘America’. So, it is very natural they call their country America. And as far as I know, other countries in 'America' don't say anything.

I am uncomfortable when I hear people say just 'America'. And I don't know why they say just 'America'. If it comes from the arrogance which lies in the mind of USA people, I think they have to change the way of they call their nation. It is true that the USA is playing a very important role in the world to make a better world. And it is also true that no country must have a privilege in the world. The USA is a country which many European people built. Today, so many people from all over the world make up the USA. They have made today's USA. So, The USA has to try to cooperate with other countries in an equal position. If they have the pride that their country is the only superpower which deserves privilege, it is impossible to make a real good relationship with other countries at all. Isn't there any willingness to change their calling country 'AMERICA'?

-Kwangseok Yoo