Just after the United States ___ established, the president's annual salary was twenty-five thousand dollars. was were

Just after the United States was established, the president's annual salary was twenty-five thousand dollars. This amount was quite substantial for that era, reflecting the importance of the presidency and the desire to attract qualified individuals to the position. George Washington, the first president, set a tone for future leaders with his dedication and commitment to public service, laying a foundational precedent for the expectations that followed. When addressing the subject-verb agreement in sentences like this one, remember that the subject "United States" is a singular collective noun. Thus, it takes the singular verb "was" instead of the plural "were." Common mistakes in this area often occur with collective nouns, so always check whether the noun behaves as a single unit or as individual elements!