the US (America (the rest of the hemisphere does not exist)) is an European creation. The Modern idea of Europe - the EU - is an American creation.

let me explain this last provocative sentence: first, European civilisation has a mildly long history, and during most of its time - the middle ages, there exist always a supernational, regulatory organisation, based in Rome - the Papacy. That institutional had temporal power. (as for moral power, notice that many people in Europe never were Christians, but Atheists - which is an older philosophical belief).

But Victor Hugo, Stefan Zweig, Jean Monnet and Winston Churchill, the pioneers of a modern European supernational entity, were deeply influenced by the US.

The inevitable de-colonisation movement - in the rest of the world -, the final fall in power of the Catholic Church - in southern Europe -, the overwhelming power - breaking European major powers' areas of influence in non-core Europe - (and success icon) of US and, later, the economical rise of other gigantic nations (in China and India's cases it is a return), have led to the creation of the EU.

Also notice continental names, which are very powerful memmes, are not static, and not under question. take Africa; Africa originally designated the area around Carthage. But not we have two Africas: Black Africa and Islamic Africa (and they overlap, and change, as people fight with words, and blades, and culturally-based care organisations and practices).