Sulu said that he was born in San Francisco, that would make him a American by birth. Of course, that makes the assumption that the city of San Francisco is part of the United States in the 23rd century. ^(oo)^
I don't understand. Tsiolkovsky was a pioneer in the development of rocket technology. Why wouldn't he get a starship named after him?
^I believe that the plaque was made in order to honor the museum and its namesake. It's not necessarily a prop made to represent something in-universe, but something made with real life concerns that appeared in the series to give it importance.
This, for what it's worth, was the only reference that I recall to 'current' Earth in the original series:
Yeah but its name keeps getting changed to Istanbul not Constantinople. Then again during WWIII, Istanbul may have been taken from Turkey and renamed Constantinople. Or the Turks changed its name back, like Leningrad is once again St. Petersburg.
Also doesn't say United Earth, they probably could figure out which planet it's going to without it being labeled. Without that piece of information the US postal service would likely lose the box. If you think about it, the box should indicate which planet it's being routed to.
Its the future. The full address won't even fit on a box that big. Bureau of Penology Stockholm, Sweden Eurasia. Earth Sol System, Sector 001 United Federation of Planets.
Because it's part of the People's Republic of California. Has to be, there's a red star and bear on their flag.
^^ This. It sounds like whoever taught that class was more concerned with disseminating Politically Correct propaganda than teaching facts. The primary meaning of "American" is "a citizen or national of the United States of America" or "of, belonging to, or pertaining to the United States of America." As for South America, they stole our name.
You might be able to omit everything after "Sol System." Mail within America doesn't mention "USA," and you only put down a country if the mail is going outside your own. Well it is two and a half centuries in the future, things change. San Francisco could be part of the People's Republic of California (). Or it might be a sovereign city state of it's own, the peninsula, Marin county, San Jose and maybe Oakland. Something like that. Another possibility is, as I understand it the current series of novels (which admittedly I don't read) place the federation legislature in the city of San Francisco, along with Starfleet Headquarter and the Academy. The entire city might be "extra-territorial." Legally not a part of Earth.
My theory is most of the Bay Area is a Federal District that houses most the Federation's government offices.
^ Hey, I liked SF when I was there this summer. I thought it was pretty cool. Definitely not as miserable as L.A. I'd like to think that there is no more need for things like this in Trek's time. Paris, I think.
Government offices? Maybe they'll do what America, Brazil and some others did and build a purpose built capital (like Washington D.C.), instead of locating it in a pre-existing city. Definitely should not be inside one of the United Earth's member countries. Perhaps a not too isolated island somewhere, connected to the mainland by a long causeway. Make it so there are no residences in the capital itself, to avoid the problem we have in America with the endless high pitch whining from people who live in Washington D.C.