this is very important that y'all know this:

i do not perceive the states (or dc) (or any territories) as america's children.

i know it's more common for people to think of the states as ame's children, but in my hc they're not.

america actually has a relatively poor relationship with the states. the states are grown 'adults' and work alongside their state government. so they're all quite busy, and aren't spending 100% of their time together.

the states used to perceive america as a parental figure in the 1700s through the early 1900s. back then they had a lot more time to spend with each other, as the nation was still developing and whatnot.

that ultimately changed after the industrial revolution, ww1, and the great depression.

the industrial revolution had put the country into advancement overdrive and many of the states started to 'grow up' and were now working with their govt. As war had broken out, america was suddenly needed overseas and had very little time for the states.

how the states perceive america is different depending on each one. some states still see him as more of a parental figure while others just see him as a friend.

*This is also correlates with irl bc y'know, the states have their own govt & kinda do their own thing.*

truthfully, america misses the relationship he once had with the states & most of the states feel the same.

*i put the words 'adult' and 'child' in quotations in reference to the states because, and this goes for countries and organizations as well, they do not have specified ages.

*i'll have to create another book on just purely countryhuman headcanons and also world building, because i have so many things about how their world works and what they do and how they're created. lmk if you guys really want to see it!

once again for clarification purposes; the states ARE NOT america's children.