the States vs Union

the States and Union both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
the States	Yes	No	No	No
Union	Yes	Yes	No	No

the States (noun)	Union (noun)
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	the United States (especially the northern states during the American Civil War)

the States (adjective)	Union (adjective)
	being of or having to do with the northern United States and those loyal to the Union during the American Civil War