United States of America

Flag Great Seal
Motto: E Pluribus Unum (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present)
Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
Capital	Washington, D.C. 38°53′N 77°02′W
Largest city	New York City
Official language(s)	None at the federal level; English de facto
Government	Federal Republic
- President	George W. Bush (R)
- Vice President	Dick Cheney (R)
Independence - Declared - Recognized	From Great Britain 4 July 1776 September 3, 1783
Area
- Total	9,631,418 km² (3rd1)
	3,718,711 sq mi
- Water (%)	4.87
Population
- 2006 est.	299,161,390 (3rd)
- 2000 census	281,421,936
- Density	30/km² (143rd) 83/sq mi
GDP (PPP)	2006 estimate
- Total	$13.05 trillion (1st)
- Per capita	$43,555 (3rd)
HDI (2003)	0.944 (10th) – high
Currency	Dollar ($) (USD)
Time zone	(UTC-5 to -10)
- Summer (DST)	(UTC-4 to -10)
Internet TLD	.us .gov .edu .mil .um
Calling code	+1
1.) Area rank is disputed with China and sometimes is ranked 3rd or 4th.

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., U.S.A., the U.S. of A, the States, and America, is a country in North America. A federal republic, the United States shares land borders with Canada and Mexico, and extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Its capital is Washington, D.C. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... The Great Seal of the United States, obverse side. ... National flag and ensign. ... Obverse The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States government. ... This page lists state and national mottos for the worlds independent states and if applicable, their component states. ... E pluribus unum is included in the Great Seal of the United States E pluribus unum was the first national motto of the United States of America. ... In God We Trust on the twenty dollar bill In God We Trust is the national motto of the United States of America. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognzed either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Nicholson took the copy Key gave him to a printer, where it was published as a broadside on 17 September 1814 under the title Defence of Fort McHenry, with a note explaining the circumstances of its writing. ... Locator map of the USA, created/modified by Aris Katsaris from other Wikipedia locator maps File links The following pages link to this file: United States Template:United States infobox Categories: GFDL images ... This is a list of national capitals of the world in alphabetical order. ... Flag Seal Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ... Population of the United States, 1790 to 2000 The demographics of the United States depict a largely urban nation, with 75% of its population living in urban and suburban areas. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Big Apple Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,214. ... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... The United States is (as of 2004) the home of approximately 336 languages (spoken or signed) of which 176 are indigenous to the area. ... American English (AmE) is the dialect of the English language used mostly in the United States of America. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... The Federal Republic of Germany and its sixteen Bundesländer (Federal States) A federal republic is a state which is both a federation and a republic. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American businessman and politician, was elected in 2000 as the 43rd President of the United States of America, re-elected in 2004, and is currently serving his second term in that office. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941) is the 46th Vice President of the United States, serving under the President George W. Bush. ... This article is about the modern United States Republican Party. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... Painting by Benjamin West depicting John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, and William Temple Franklin. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years). ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different surface areas  here is a list of areas between 1 million km² and 10 million km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... Map of countries by population This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population, with population figures estimated for 1 July 2005 (rounded to the nearest 1,000). ... World map of the population density in 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The figures in the following table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The numeral trillion refers to one of two number values, depending on the context of where and how it is being used. ... Map of world GDP (PPP) by country using the IMF and World Bank lists for 2004 There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita, based on the 2005 IMF data. ... World map indicating HDI of UN member states, 2003. ... World map indicating HDI of UN member states, 2003. ... This article is about general United States currency. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... It has been suggested that leap second be merged into this article or section. ... Map of the world color-coded with areas in blue observing daylight saving time. ... It has been suggested that leap second be merged into this article or section. ... The following is a list of currently existing Internet Top-level domains (TLDs). ... .us is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States of America, established in 1985. ... .gov is the generic top-level domain used by the United States federal government. ... .edu (dot-edu) is the generic top-level domain for educational institutions, primarily those in the United States. ... .mil is the generic top-level domain for the United States Department of Defense and its subsidiary organizations. ... .um is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States Minor Outlying Islands. ... A telephone dial This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: country In political geography and international politics a country is a geographical territory. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... The Federal Republic of Germany and its sixteen Bundesländer (Federal States) A federal republic is a state which is both a federation and a republic. ... In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Flag Seal Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ...

The present-day continental United States has been inhabited for at least 15,000 years by Native Americans. After 16th-century European exploration and settlement, the English established new colonies, and gained control of others, in the eastern portion of the continent in the 17th and early 18th centuries. On 4 July 1776, at war with Britain over fair governance, thirteen of these colonies declared their independence; in 1783, the war ended in British acceptance of the new nation. Since then, the country has more than quadrupled in size: it now consists of 50 states, one federal district, and a number of overseas territories. Native Americans is a term which has several different common meanings and scope, according to regional use and context. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Flag of England The Kingdom of England was a kingdom located in Western Europe, in the southern part of the island of Great Britain. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Netherlands, Spain, Native Americans Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, Native Americans Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene William Howe, Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence,[1] was a war between... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 states. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ...

At over 3.7 million square miles (over 9.1 million km²), the U.S. is the third largest country by area. Home to nearly 300 million people, it is the world's third most populous nation. This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... Map of countries by population This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population, with population figures estimated for 1 July 2005 (rounded to the nearest 1,000). ...

The United States has maintained a liberal democratic political system since it adopted its constitution on September 17, 1787. American military and economic stature increased throughout the 20th century; with the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War, the nation emerged as the world's sole superpower.^[1] This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ... 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The rise of Gorbachev Although reform stalled between 1964–1982, the generational shift gave new momentum for reform. ... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... A superpower is a state with the first rank in the international system and the ability to influence events and project power on a worldwide scale; it is considered a higher level of power than a major power. ...

Name

The earliest known use of the name America is from 1507, when a globe and a large map created by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges described the combined continents of North and South America. Although the origin of the name is uncertain^[2], the most widely held belief is that expressed in an accompanying book, Cosmographiae Introductio, which explains it as a feminized version of the Latin name of Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci (Americus Vespucius); in Latin, the other continents' names were all feminine. America is usually meant as either: the Americas, the lands and regions of the Western hemisphere, usually subdivided into North America, Central America and South America. ... Martin Waldseemüller (ca. ... Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, commonly referred to as Saint-Dié, is a commune of northeastern France. ... Cosmographiae introductio was a book published in 1507 to accompany Martin Waldseemüllers map of the world and wall-map, which was the first appearance of the name America. It is widely held to have been written by Matthias Ringmann although some historians attribute it to Waldseemüller himself. ... It has been suggested that natural gender be merged into this article or section. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Amerigo Vespucci (March 9, 1454 in Florence, Italy - February 22, 1512) was an Italian merchant and cartographer who voyaged to and wrote about the Americas. ...

The Americas, including the region encompassing the thirteen colonies, were originally known as Columbia, prompting the name District of Columbia for the land set aside for the nation's capital. Columbia remained a popular name for the United States until the early twentieth century, when it fell into relative disuse; but it is still used poetically and appears in various names and titles. A female personification of the country is also called Columbia; she is similar to Britannia. ^{[3],[4],[5],[6],[7]} (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ... Personification is a term used in literary criticism to name the figure of speech which involves directly speaking of an inanimate object, or an abstract concept, as if were a living entity, often one with specifically human attributes. ... Britannia, the British national personification. ...

The term "united States of America" was first used officially in the Declaration of Independence, adopted on 4 July 1776. On 15 November 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first of which stated "The Stile of this Confederacy shall be 'The United States of America.'" U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... 1777 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Second Continental Congress was a body of representatives appointed by the legislatures of several British North American colonies which met from May 10, 1775 to March 1, 1781. ... The Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, commonly known as the Articles of Confederation, was the first governing document of the United States of America. ...

The adjectival and demonymic forms for the United States are American, a point of controversy among some. An adjective is a part of speech which modifies a noun, usually describing it or making its meaning more specific. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Use of the word American differs between historical, geographical and political contexts. ...

History

Main article: History of the United States

The Mayflower, which transported Pilgrims to the New World, arrived in 1620.

Before the European colonization of the Americas, a process that began at the end of the 15th century, the present-day continental U.S. was inhabited exclusively by Native Americans and Alaska Natives, who arrived on the continent over a period that may have begun 35,000 years ago and may have ended as recently as 11,000 years ago.^[8] The first successful English settlement was at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, followed in 1620 by the Pilgrims' landing at Plymouth, Massachusetts. In 1609 and 1617, respectively, the Dutch settled in part of what became New York and New Jersey. In 1638, the Swedes founded New Sweden, in part of what became Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania after passing through Dutch hands. Throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries, England (and later Great Britain) established new colonies, took over Dutch colonies, and split others. With the division of the Carolinas, in 1729, and the colonization of Georgia, in 1732, the British colonies in North America, excluding Canada, numbered thirteen. These thirteen colonies would be drawn closer together over the coming decades. The history of the United States has occurred at the regional, territorial, state and local level. ... Image File history File links MayflowerHarbor. ... Image File history File links MayflowerHarbor. ... Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by William Halsall (1882) The Mayflower was the ship which transported the Pilgrims from Plymouth, England to North Virginia (which later became part of the United States of America) in 1620, leaving Plymouth on September 6 and dropping anchor near Cape Cod on November 11 (both... Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton (1867) The Pilgrims were a group of English religious separatists who sailed from Europe to North America in the early 17th century, in search of a home where they could freely practice their style of religion. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... An Atsina named Assiniboin Boy Photo by Edward S. Curtis. ... Alaska Natives are indigenous peoples who live in what is now the U.S. state of Alaska. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... The Flag of England The Kingdom of England was a kingdom located in Western Europe, in the southern part of the island of Great Britain. ... The 1609 charter for the Virginia colony from sea to sea The Virginia Colony refers to the English colony in North America that existed during the 17th and 18th centuries before the American Revolution. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton (1867) The Pilgrims were a group of English religious separatists who sailed from Europe to North America in the early 17th century, in search of a home where they could freely practice their style of religion. ... Plymouth is a city in the South West of England, or alternatively the Westcountry, and is situated within the traditional county of Devon. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area  Ranked 44th  - Total 10,555 sq mi (27,360 km²)  - Width 183 miles (295 km)  - Length 113 miles (182 km)  - % water 13. ... New Amsterdam (Dutch: Nieuw Amsterdam) was the name of the 17th century fortified settlement on Manhattan Island in the New Netherland territory (1614-1674) situated originally between 38 and 42 degrees latitude. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ... New Sweden, or Nya Sverige, was a small Swedish settlement along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America. ... Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area  Ranked 49th  - Total 2,491 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 160 miles (255 km)  - Length 280 miles (455 km)  - % water 2. ... The Carolinas is a collective term used in the United States to refer to the states of North and South Carolina together. ... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 states. ...

Presenting the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Congress

Tensions between American colonials and the British during the revolutionary period of the 1760s and 1770s led to open military conflict in 1775. George Washington commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) as the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776. The Second Continental Congress had been formed to confront British actions, and did create the Continental Army, but did not have the authority to levy taxes or make federal laws. In 1777, the Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, uniting the states under a weak federal government, which operated from 1781 until 1788, when enough states had ratified the United States Constitution. The Constitution, which strengthened the union and the federal government, has since remained the supreme law of the land.^[9] Image File history File links Declaration_independence. ... Image File history File links Declaration_independence. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies in North America declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... The American Revolution was an upheaval that ended British control of middle North America, resulting in the formation of the United States of America in 1776. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the Commander in Chief of American forces in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and, later, the first President of the United States, an office he held from 1789 to 1797. ... The Second Continental Congress was a body of representatives appointed by the legislatures of several British North American colonies which met from May 10, 1775 to March 1, 1781. ... July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... Illustration depicting uniforms and weapons used during the 1779 to 1783 period of the American Revolution by showing four soldiers standing in an informal group General George Washington, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775. ... A tax (also known as a duty) is a financial charge or other levy imposed on an individual or a legal entity by a state or a functional equivalent of a state (e. ... The Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, commonly known as the Articles of Confederation, was the first governing document of the United States of America. ... The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ...

National Atlas map depicting dates of territorial acquisitions.

From 1803 to 1848, the size of the new nation nearly tripled as settlers (many entrenched with the concept of Manifest Destiny as an inevitable consequence of American exceptionalism) pushed beyond national boundaries even before the Louisiana Purchase.^[10] The expansion was tempered somewhat by the stalemate in the War of 1812, but was subsequently reinvigorated by victory in the Mexican–American War in 1848. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1038, 1136 KB)United States Territorial Acquisitions // Summary Main article: United States territorial acquisitions This image depicts the United States historic acquisitions of territories, such as the Thirteen Colonies, the Louisiana Purchase, British and Spanish Cession, and so on. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1038, 1136 KB)United States Territorial Acquisitions // Summary Main article: United States territorial acquisitions This image depicts the United States historic acquisitions of territories, such as the Thirteen Colonies, the Louisiana Purchase, British and Spanish Cession, and so on. ... This painting (circa 1872) by John Gast called American Progress is an allegorical representation of Manifest Destiny. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... From Frank Bond, Louisiana and the Louisiana Purchase. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Strength United States Regular army : 99,000 Volunteers: 10,000* Rangers: 3,000 Militia: 458,000** Naval and marine: 20,000 Indigenous peoples New York Iroquois: 600 Northwestern allies: ? Southern allies: ? United Kingdom Regular army: 10,000+ Naval and marine: ? Canadian militia: 86,000+** Indigenous... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Zachary Taylor Winfield Scott Stephen W. Kearney Antonio López de Santa Anna Mariano Arista Pedro de Ampudia Strength 60,000 40,000 Casualties KIA: 1,733 Total dead: 13,283 Wounded: 4,152 25,000 killed or wounded (Mexican government estimate) The Mexican-American...

The Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest battle and turning point of the American Civil War. The victory of the Union kept the country united.

As new territories were being incorporated, the nation was divided over the issue of states' rights, the role of the federal government, and, by the 1820s, the expansion of slavery. The Northern states were opposed to the expansion of slavery whereas the Southern states saw the opposition as an attack on their way of life, since their economy was dependent on slave labor. The failure to permanently resolve these issues led to the American Civil War, following the secession of many slave states in the South to form the Confederate States of America after the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln.^[11] The 1865 Union victory in the Civil War effectively ended slavery, as well as settling the question of whether a state had the right to secede. The event was a major turning point in American history, with an increase in federal power.^[12] Download high resolution version (900x569, 409 KB)The battle of Gettysburg, Pa. ... Download high resolution version (900x569, 409 KB)The battle of Gettysburg, Pa. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 83,289 75,054 Casualties 23,049 (3,155 killed, 14,529 wounded, 5,365 captured/missing) 28,000 (3,500 killed, 18,000 wounded, 6,500 captured/missing) The Battle of... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederate) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties Killed in action: 110,000 Total dead: 360,000 Wounded: 275,200 Killed in action: 93,000 Total dead: 258... States rights refers to the idea that U.S. states possess certain rights and political powers in the politics of the United States and constitutional law. ... Map of the division of the states during the Civil War. ... Southern United StatesThe states shown in dark red are usually included in the South, while all or portions of the striped states may or may not be considered part of the Southern United States. ... Slave sale in Easton, Maryland The history of slavery in the United States began soon after Europeans first settled in what in 1776 became the United States. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederate) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties Killed in action: 110,000 Total dead: 360,000 Wounded: 275,200 Killed in action: 93,000 Total dead: 258... A slave state is a U.S. State that had legal slavery (overwhelmingly the enslavement of African-Americans, although historically also the enslavement of Native Americans, and Whites through indentured servitude) in the period leading up to the American Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. ... Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: With God As Our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) The Bonnie Blue Flag (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3–April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... For other uses of the name Abraham Lincoln, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation) Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president... Map of the division of the states during the Civil War. ...

After the Civil War, an unprecedented influx of immigrants, who helped to provide labor for American industry and create diverse communities in undeveloped areas together with high tariff protections, national infrastructure building, and national banking regulations, hastened the country's rise to international power. The United States subsequently gained new territories as a result of its growing power status, including the annexation of Puerto Rico after victory in the Spanish–American War,^[13] which marked the beginning of the U.S. as a major world power. The Statue of Liberty was a common sight to many immigrants who entered the United States through Ellis Island Immigration to the United States of America is the act of immigrating, or moving, to territory within the United States culture and government. ... A typical archetype, the cowboy, in the Wild West. ... Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Revolutionaries Spain Casualties 379 U.S. dead; considerably higher though undetermined Cuban and Filipino casualties Unknown[1] The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, and resulted in the United States gaining control over the former colonies of Spain in the Caribbean and... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Landing at Ellis Island, 1902. Immigration helped spur the American economy.

At the start of the First World War, in 1914, the U.S. remained neutral; but, in 1917, the U.S. joined the Allied Powers, helping to turn the tide against the Central Powers. For historical reasons, American sympathies were very much in favor of the British and French, even though a sizable number of citizens, mostly Irish and German, were opposed to intervention.^[14] After the war, the Senate did not ratify the Treaty of Versailles, because of a fear that it would pull the U.S. into European affairs which President Washington had warned against. Instead, the country chose to pursue a policy of unilateralism that bordered at times on being isolationist.^[15] Image File history File links Ellis_island_1902. ... Image File history File links Ellis_island_1902. ... Ellis Island, at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor, was at one time the main immigration port for immigrants entering the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... European military alliances in 1915. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Triple Alliance. ... The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was the peace treaty which officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ... Unilateralism, (one+side-ism) is any doctrine or agenda that supports one-sided action. ... Isolationism is a foreign policy which combines a non-interventionist military and political policy with a policy of economic nationalism (protectionism). ...

An abandoned farm in South Dakota during the Great Depression, 1936.

During most of the 1920s, the U.S. enjoyed a period of unbalanced prosperity as farm prices fell and industrial profits grew. A rise in debt and an inflated stock market culminated in a crash in 1929, triggering the Great Depression, which with the New Deal, led to the rise of greater government intervention in the economy. Image File history File links Location: Dallas, South Dakota Date: May 13, 1936 Buried machinery in barn lot. ... Image File history File links Location: Dallas, South Dakota Date: May 13, 1936 Buried machinery in barn lot. ... The Great Depression was a global economic slump that began in 1929 and bottomed in 1933. ... The Roaring Twenties refers to the North American time period of the 1920s, which has been described as one of the most colorful decades in American history. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Black Monday (1987) on the Dow Jones Industrial Average A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic loss of value of shares of stock in corporations. ... The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn, starting in 1929 and lasting through most of the 1930s. ... This article is becoming very long. ...

The nation did not fully recover until 1941, when the U.S. was driven to join the Allies against the Axis after a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. World War II was the costliest war in American history, but helped to pull the economy out of depression as the required production of military materiel provided much-needed jobs and women entered the workforce in large numbers for the first time.^[16] The group of countries known as the Allies of World War II consisted of those nations opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants United States of America Imperial Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN), Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 fleet submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441 planes... Combatants Allies: Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France/Free France, United States, China, Canada, India, Australia, Poland, New Zealand, South Africa, Greece, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, Bulgaria, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Burma, Slovakia Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8... Materiel (from the French for material) is the equipment and supplies in Military and commercial supply chain management. ...

American Marines Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, by Joe Rosenthal / The Associated Press

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union became superpowers in an era of ideological rivalry dubbed the Cold War. The U.S. represented liberal democracy and capitalism, while the USSR represented communism and a centrally planned economy. The result was a series of proxy wars, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the tense nuclear showdown of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1380x1111, 200 KB) This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1380x1111, 200 KB) This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. ... (©Joe Rosenthal/Associated Press) Raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. ... (Joe Rosenthal / ©Associated Press) Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima Joe Rosenthal (born October 9, 1911) was a Jewish American photographer, who received the Pulitzer Prize for his iconic World War II portrait of American troops raising the flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima. ... Associated Press logo This article concerns the news service. ... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... For other uses, see Capitalism (disambiguation). ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... A planned economy is an economic system in which decisions about the production, allocation and consumption of goods and services are planned ahead of time, usually in a centralized fashion, though some proposed systems favour decentralized planning. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea, United States, United Kingdom Communist combatants: North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders Douglas MacArthur Kim Il-sung, (Peng Dehuai de facto) Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) United States of America South Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand the Philippines Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) Strength ~1,200,000 (1968) ~420,000 (1968) Casualties South Vietnamese dead: 230,000 South Vietnamese wounded: 300,000 US dead... U.S.A.F. spy photo of one of the suspected launch sites The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States regarding the Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. ...

U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the moon, 1969.

The perception that the U.S. was losing the space race spurred government efforts to raise proficiency in mathematics and science in schools^[17] and lead to President Kennedy's call for the United States to land "a man on the moon" by the end of the 1960s, which was realized in 1969.^[18] Image File history File links Buzz Aldrin with U.S. flag on the moon. ... Image File history File links Buzz Aldrin with U.S. flag on the moon. ... For other uses, see Space Race (disambiguation). ... John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to as John F. Kennedy, JFK or Jack Kennedy, was the 35th President of the United States. ...

Meanwhile, American society experienced a period of sustained economic expansion. At the same time, discrimination across the U.S., especially in the South, was increasingly challenged by a growing civil-rights movement headed by prominent African Americans such as Martin Luther King, Jr., which led to the abolition of the Jim Crow laws in the South.^[19] The U.S. Southern states or The South, known during the American Civil War era as Dixie, is a distinctive region of the United States with its own unique historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ... Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enacted in the Southern and border states of the United States and in force between 1876 and 1964 that restricted access of African-Americans to public facilities. ...

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States continued to involve itself in military action overseas, such as the Gulf War. // The rise of Gorbachev Although reform in the Soviet Union stalled between 1969–1982, a generational shift gave new momentum for reform. ... Combatants U.S.-led coalition Iraq Commanders George H. W. Bush Norman Schwarzkopf Colin Powell Saddam Hussein Ali Hassan al-Majid Hussein Kamel Strength 660,000 545,000 Casualties 345 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 - 100,000 dead, 100,000 - 300,000 wounded The 1991 Gulf War (also called...

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, U.S. foreign policy focused on the threat of terrorist attacks. In response, the government under George W. Bush began a series of military and legal operations termed the War on Terror, beginning with the overthrow of Afghanistan's Taliban government in October 2001. Soon after, the "War on Terror" continued with the controversial 2003 invasion of Iraq, with support from 30 governments known as 'the coalition of the willing'. For the 1993 bombing, see World Trade Center bombing. ... A terrorist is one who promotes widespread feelings of overwhelming imminent danger in order to change the mindset of the general populous, usually for political purposes. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American businessman and politician, was elected in 2000 as the 43rd President of the United States of America, re-elected in 2004, and is currently serving his second term in that office. ... The war on terrorism or war on terror (abbreviated in U.S. policy circles as GWOT for Global War on Terror) is an effort by the governments of the United States and its principal allies to destroy groups deemed to be terrorist (primarily radical Islamist organizations such as al-Qaeda... Flag flown by the Taliban. ... Combatants Coalition Forces (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland) Iraq Commanders Tommy Franks Saddam Hussein Strength 263,000 375,000 The 2003 invasion of Iraq, termed Operation Iraqi Freedom by the US administration, began on March 20. ... Coalition of the Willing is a phrase which has been used by the administration of United States President George W. Bush to refer to the nations whose governments supported (most of them not militarily) the United States position in the Iraq disarmament crisis and later the 2003 invasion of Iraq...

Government and politics

More information on politics and government of the United States can be found at the Politics and government of the United States series.

The United States Capitol

The United States is the longest-surviving constitutional republic with the oldest wholly written constitution in the world. Its government operates as a representative democracy through a congressional system under a set of powers specified by its Constitution. There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Officials at all three levels are either elected by voters in a secret ballot or appointed by other elected officials. Executive and legislative offices are decided by a plurality vote of citizens in their respective districts, with judicial and cabinet-level offices nominated by the Executive and approved by the Legislature. In some states, judicial posts are filled by popular election rather than executive appointment. The federal government of the United States was established by the United States Constitution. ... Image File history File linksMetadata USCapitol. ... Image File history File linksMetadata USCapitol. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people who do not base their political power on any principle beyond the control of the people of that state or country. ... Representative democracy is a form of democracy founded on the exercise of popular sovereignty by the peoples representants. ... A presidential system, or a congressional system, is a system of government of a republic where the executive branch is elected separately from the legislative. ... The Polling by William Hogarth (1755); Before the secret ballot was introduced voter intimidation was commonplace Wikisource has original text related to this article: A History of the Australian Ballot System in the United States The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voters choices are confidential. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Plurality. ...

The federal government comprises three branches, which are designed to check and balance one another's powers: This law-related article does not cite its references or sources. ... The doctrine and practice of dispersing political power and creating mutual accountability between political entities such as the courts, the president or prime minister, the legislature, and the citizens. ...

• Legislative: The Congress, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
• Executive: The President, who appoints, with Senate approval, the Cabinet and other officers to help administer federal law.
• Judiciary: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the President with Senate approval.

The United States Congress is a bicameral legislature. The House of Representatives has 435 members, each representing a congressional district for a two-year term. House seats are apportioned among the states according to population every tenth year. Each state has two Senators, regardless of population, elected to six-year terms; one third of the 100 Senators are elected every second year. A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... Congress in Joint Session. ... Seal of the Senate The Senate of the United States of America is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is, along with the United States Senate, one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Cabinet meeting on May 16, 2001. ... In law, the judiciary or judicature is the system of courts which administer justice and provide a mechanism for the resolution of dis