why is the legal age for sex and drinking so high in America compared to the rest of the world?

On the contrary more countries have an age of consent which is not 16. It is less than 16 in about 27 countries (13yo in three; 14yo in eleven; 15yo in thirteen) and more than 16 in about 23 countries (17yo in three; 18yo in eighteen; 20yo in one; 21yo in one); but 16 is the most commonly observed age (with around 38 countries). There are a further 16 countries where the age of consent differs depending upon gender and/or marital status and/or whether the sex is heterosexual or homosexual - but the ages include anything between 12yo and 19yo, with some making sex illegal at any age unless you are legally married. 117 countries either have no restrictions at all on the minimum age for legal sex, or the laws are too complex to summarize in terms of age (e.g. it may be governed by whether or not the individual has entered puberty).

In general, the more civilized a country and the more concerned a country is about women’s rights, the older the age of consent. For example, most countries where the age of consent is under 16, they treat women like dogs.

I think that the majority of civilized countries with a good record on women’s rights form an age of consent consensus at 16yo. However, the list of countries where the age of consent is set at 18yo (or older) includes:
Bhutan Burundi Dijibouti Dominican Republic Egypt El Salvador Gabon India Kazakhstan Malta Philippines Rwanda Serbia Seychelles Sudan Tanzania Uganda Tunisia Cameroon and I would certainly not say that many of those (if any) had a better reputation for womens rights or being “civilized” compared to the majority of countries that set it 16. So I conclude that it is not correct to say that “In general, the more civilized a country and the more concerned a country is about women’s rights, the older the age of consent.”

Classifying a woman as a criminal if she chooses to have consensual sex at 18, 19, or 20, (many years after becoming sexually mature and driven to reproduce by natural motherly instincts) is hardly a good recommendation for “better womens rights”.

Sorry, that should have said “Classifying a woman as a criminal if she chooses to have consensual sex BEFORE 18, 19, or 20, (many years after becoming sexually mature and driven to reproduce by natural motherly instincts) is hardly a good recommendation for “better womens rights”.