Sentence:  Owing to the restrained usages characteristic of 19 th century <WSD>America</WSD> , these letters usually were stereotyped and revealed little depth of feeling . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776