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United States
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__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__
The United States Portal
{| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" align="left"
|
Image:Flag of the United States.svg 100px|center|Flag of the United States of America
|
Image:Great Seal of the US.png 100px|center|Coat of Arms of the United States of America
|-
| colspan="2" align="center" |
Image:LocationUSA.png 218px|Location on the world map
|}
The '''United States of America''' is a
federal republic of
U.S. state 50 states and a
Washington, D.C. capital district, mostly in central
North America. The U.S. has three land borders, two with
:Wikiportal/Canada Canada and one with
Mexico, and is otherwise bounded by the
Pacific Ocean, the
Bering Sea, the
Arctic Ocean and the
Atlantic Ocean. Of the 50 states, only
Alaska and
Hawaii are neither contiguous with the other forty-eight nor with each other. The U.S. also has a collection of
insular area districts, territories, and possessions around the world. Each state has a high level of local autonomy according to the system of federalism.
The United States traces its national origin to the
Declaration of Independence (United States) declaration by 13
:Wikiportal/United_Kingdom British colonies in
1776 that they were free and independent states. They were recognized as such by the
Treaty of Paris (1783) Treaty of Paris in
1783. Since then, the nation has grown to become a global
superpower and enjoys a high level of economic, political, military, and cultural influence.
Selected article {{ed|Wikiportal:United States/Featured| }}
{{Wikiportal:United States/Featured}}
Selected picture {{ed|Wikiportal:United States/Picture| }}
{{Wikiportal:United States/Picture}}
Did you know... {{ed|Wikiportal:United States/Did you know| }}
{{Wikiportal:United States/Did you know}}
Categories {{ed|Wikiportal:United States of America/Categories| }}
{{Wikiportal:United States of America/Categories}}
WikiProjects {{ed|Wikiportal:United States/Projects| }}
{{Wikiportal:United States/Projects}}
Things you can do {{ed|Wikiportal:United States/Opentask| }}
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United States
see
United States
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{{Infobox Country
|native_name = United States of America
|common_name = the United States
|image_flag = Flag of the United States.svg
|image_coat = Great Seal of the US.png|20px
| national_motto =
''
E pluribus unum'' (1789 to present)
(
Latin: "Out of Many, One")
''
In God We Trust'' (1956 to present)
| image_map = LocationUSA.png
| national_anthem = "
The Star-Spangled Banner"
| official_languages =
Languages in the United States None at federal level;
American English English de facto
| capital =
Washington, D.C.
| latd=38|latm=53|latNS=N|longd=77|longm=02|longEW=W
| government_type =
Federal republic
| leader_titles = •
President of the United States President•
Vice President of the United States Vice President
| leader_names =
George W. Bush (
Republican Party (United States) R)
Dick Cheney (
Republican Party (United States) R)
| largest_city =
New York City New York
| area = 9,631,418
| areami² = 3,718,711
| area_rank = 3rd
| area_magnitude = 1 E12
| percent_water = 4.87
| population_estimate = 298,290,000
| population_estimate_year = 2006
| population_estimate_rank = 3rd
| population_census = 281,421,906
| population_census_year = 2000
| population_density = 30
| population_densitymi² = 83
| population_density_rank = 143rd
| GDP_PPP_year = 2006
| GDP_PPP = $13.049 trillion
| GDP_PPP_rank = 1st
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = $43,555
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 3rd
| HDI_year=2003
| HDI=0.944
| HDI_rank=10th
| HDI_category=
high
| sovereignty_type =
American Revolutionary War Independence
| established_events = • Declared
•
Treaty of Paris (1783) Recognized| established_dates = From
Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain July 4,
1776September 3,
1783
| currency =
United States dollar Dollar ($)
| currency_code = USD
| country_code = USA
| time_zone =
| utc_offset = -5 to -10
| time_zone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST = -4 to -10
| cctld =
.us .gov .edu .mil .um
| calling_code = 1
| HDI = 0.944
| HDI_rank = 10th
| footnotes=
}}
:''For other meanings, see the disambiguation pages for
US (disambiguation) U.S.,
USA (disambiguation) USA, or
United States (disambiguation) United States.''
The '''United States of America''' is a
federal republic situated primarily in
North America. It is bordered on the north by
Canada and to the south by
Mexico. It comprises 50
U.S. state states and one
Washington, D.C. federal district, and has several
United States territory territories with differing degrees of affiliation. It is also referred to, with varying formality, as the '''U.S.''', the '''U.S.A.''', the '''U.S. of A.''', the '''States''', the '''United States''', '''America'''{{ref|America}}, or (poetically) '''
Historical Columbia Columbia'''.
In the
1840s, the United States emerged as a significant
Middle Power "middle power" and the dominant force in its region. After its
American Civil War civil war in the
1860s, it experienced an accelerated rate of industrialization, and emerged as a main developer and exporter of advanced weaponry.
Since the late
1800s, the United States has been formally grouped amongst the
Great Powers, and has also became a dominant economic force. Following
World War I, the U.S. grew steadily in stature as an economic and military world power. Following
World War II, it emerged as one of the two dominant
superpowers.
In the decades after the Second World War, the United States became a dominant
Geopolitics global influence in
Economic system economic,
Politics of the United States political,
military, cultural and technological affairs. Following the collapse of the
Soviet Union, it stands today as the sole global
hyperpower. The power of the United States is nonetheless limited by international agreements and the realities of political, military and economic constraints.
The country celebrates its founding date as
July 4,
1776, when the Second
Continental Congress—representing
Thirteen Colonies thirteen British colonies—adopted the
Declaration of Independence (United States) Declaration of Independence that rejected British authority in favor of
self-determination. The structure of the government was profoundly changed on
March 4,
1789, when the states replaced the
Articles of Confederation with the
United States Constitution.
History
The '''
history of the
United States''' has occurred at the
regional,
territory territorial,
U.S. state state and
local government local level. It has often depended on the
geography of the United States, which is is primarily situated in central
North America, a large and diverse expanse of land and people.
Prehistory
''See also:
Population history of American indigenous peoples,
Native Americans in the United States''
Indigenous peoples of the Americas Native Americans arrived on the
North American continent from North-East Asia at some time between 48,000 BCE and
9th millennium BC 9,000 BCE, and dominated the area until the influx of European settlers in the early 17th century. Many cultures thrived in the Americas before Europeans came, including the Puebloans (
Anasazi) in the Southwest and the
Adena Culture in the East.
The first known inhabitants of the Americas were people who
migration migrated from
Asia across the
Bering land bridge.
Indigenous peoples of the Americas#Early history some time prior to 12,000 years ago, possibly following large animals that they hunted into the Americas. It is estimated that 2–9 million people lived in the territory now occupied by the U.S. before that population was diminished by European contact and the foreign diseases it brought.
European settlement (1493-1776)
The continent of North America had been visited by explorers from Europe before including
Vinland the Norse. However, it was not until after the voyages of
Christopher Columbus in late 1400s and early 1500s that European nations began to explore the land in earnest and settle there permanently.
During the 1500s, 1600s and 1700s, the Spanish settled parts of the present-day
Southwestern United States Southwest and
Florida. The first successful English settlement was at
Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. Within the next two decades, several Dutch settlements, including
New Amsterdam (the predecessor to
New York City), were established .
This was followed by extensive British settlement of the east coast.
Colonial America (1493-1776)
{{main|Colonial America}}
Colonial America was defined by ongoing battles between mainly English-speaking colonists and Native Americans, by a severe labor shortage that gave birth to forms of
unfree labour unfree labor such as
slavery and
indentured servitude, and by a British policy of benign neglect (
salutary neglect) that permitted the development of an American spirit distinct from that of its European founders.
History of the United States (1776–1789)
{{main|History of the United States (1776–1789)}}
During this period the
United States won its independence from
Great Britain by winning the
American Revolutionary War, and the thirteen former colonies established themselves as the United States of America under the
Articles of Confederation.
=Nationhood
=
Image:George-Washington.jpg President of the United States.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|150px|left|First [[President of the United States under the
United States Constitution Constitution,
George Washington George Washington (1789-1797)..html" title="Meaning of 150px|left|First [[President of the United States">thumb|150px|left|First [[President of the United States under the
United States Constitution Constitution,
George Washington George Washington (1789-1797).">150px|left|First [[President of the United States">thumb|150px|left|First [[President of the United States under the
United States Constitution Constitution,
George Washington George Washington (1789-1797).
In 1775, the
American Revolutionary War against colonial rule by Britain began. In 1776, the 13 colonies
Declaration of Independence (United States) declared their independence from
Great Britain and formed the United States. Before the ratification of a national government, the United States existed as an informal alliance of independent individual colonies with their own laws and sovereignty, while the
Second Continental Congress was given the nominal authority by the colonies to make decisions regarding the formation and founding of the
Continental Army but not to levy taxes or make federal law.
History of the United States (1789–1849)
{{main|History of the United States (1789–1849)}}
During this period, the United States government was established by its first president,
George Washington, and the
Louisiana Purchase, the
War of 1812, the
Mexican-American War, and various Indian Wars expanded and consolidated the land expanse of the United States--while largely displacing the indigenous population.
History of the United States (1849–1865)
{{main|History of the United States (1849–1865)}}
This period of United States history saw the breakdown of the ability of white Americans of the
Northern United States North and
Southern United States South to reconcile fundamental differences in their approach to government, economics, society and
African American slavery.
=Civil War
=
{{main|American Civil War}}
By the mid-19th century, a major division over the issue of
states' rights, the role of the federal government, and the expansion of slavery came to a head.
The Northern states had become opposed to slavery, while the Southern states saw it as necessary for the continued success of
agriculture, especially the
cotton industry, and wanted it expanded to newer territories in the West.
Several federal laws were passed in an attempt to settle the dispute, including the
Missouri Compromise and the
Compromise of 1850. The dispute reached a crisis on December 20, 1860, when South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. Six other southern states followed, forming the
Confederate States of America and leading to the
American Civil War Civil War. Soon after the war began, four more southern states seceded, and two states had both Union and Confederate governments at different points throughout the war. Though these states were never under consistent Confederate control, they were still counted as Confederate States.
The Civil War effectively ended the question of a state's right to secede, and is widely accepted as a major turning point after which the federal government became more powerful than state governments.
History of the United States (1865–1918)
{{main|History of the United States (1865–1918)}}
=Reconstruction
=
Reconstruction and its failure left the
Southern United States Southern whites in a position of firm control over its black population, denying them their
Civil Rights and keeping them in a state of economic, social and political servitude.
=Immigration
=
An unprecedented wave of
Immigration to the United States immigration to the United States served both to provide the labor for American industry and to create diverse communities in previously undeveloped areas.
Native Americans in the United States Native American tribes were generally forced onto small reservations as white farmers and ranchers took over their lands. Abusive industrial practices led to the, often violent, rise of the
labor movement in the United States.
=Expansion
=
Image:Westward the Course of Empire.jpg Emanuel Leutze.html" title="Meaning of right right|thumb|250px|American westward expansion is idealized in [[Emanuel Leutze's famous song ''Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way'' (1861). The title of the painting, from a 1726 poem by
George Berkeley Bishop Berkeley, was a phrase often quoted in the era of
Manifest Destiny, expressing a widely held belief that civilization had steadily moved westward throughout history. [http://americanart.si.edu/t2go/1lw/1931.6.1.html (more)] .html" title="Meaning of thumb|250px|American westward expansion is idealized in [[Emanuel Leutze">right|thumb|250px|American westward expansion is idealized in [[Emanuel Leutze's famous song ''Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way'' (1861). The title of the painting, from a 1726 poem by
George Berkeley Bishop Berkeley, was a phrase often quoted in the era of
Manifest Destiny, expressing a widely held belief that civilization had steadily moved westward throughout history. [http://americanart.si.edu/t2go/1lw/1931.6.1.html (more)] ">thumb|250px|American westward expansion is idealized in [[Emanuel Leutze">right|thumb|250px|American westward expansion is idealized in [[Emanuel Leutze's famous song ''Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way'' (1861). The title of the painting, from a 1726 poem by
George Berkeley Bishop Berkeley, was a phrase often quoted in the era of
Manifest Destiny, expressing a widely held belief that civilization had steadily moved westward throughout history. [http://americanart.si.edu/t2go/1lw/1931.6.1.html (more)]
Image:Us historic territories.jpg left|thumb|250px|National Atlas map (circa 2005) depicting territorial acquisitions and dates of statehood.
During the 19th century, many new
U.S. state states were added to the union as the nation expanded across the continent.
Manifest Destiny was a philosophy that encouraged westward expansion in the United States: as the population of the Eastern states grew and as a steady increase of immigrants entered the country, settlers moved steadily westward across North America.
In the process, the U.S. displaced most Native American nations. This displacement of Native Americans continues to be a matter of contention in the U.S., with many nations attempting to assert their original claims to various lands, citing the Indian relocation acts of 1830. In some areas, Native American populations had been reduced by foreign diseases contracted through contact with European settlers, and U.S. settlers acquired those emptied lands.
{{see|United States territorial acquisitions|U.S. colonization outside North America}}
=Economic Growth and Immigration
=
During this period, the nation also joined the
industrialisation industrializing countries.
The United States began its rise to international power in this period with substantial population and industrial growth domestically, and a number of imperalist ventures abroad, including the
Spanish-American War.
This period was capped by the 1917 entry of the United States into
World War I.
History of the United States (1918–1945)
{{main|History of the United States (1918–1945)}}
The after-shock of
Russia's
October Revolution resulted in real fears of communism in the
United States, leading to a three year
Red Scare.
The United States Senate did not ratify the
Treaty of Versailles imposed by its
Allies of World War I Allies on the defeated
Central Powers; instead, the United States choose to pursue
unilateralism, if not
isolationism.
In 1920, the manufacture, sale, import and export of alcohol was prohibited by an amendment to the
United States Constitution.
Prohibition ended in 1933, a failure.
During most of the 1920s, the United States enjoyed a period of unbalanced prosperity: farm prices and wages fell, while industrial profits grew. The boom was fueled by a rise in debt and an inflated
Stock Market. The
Stock market crash Stock Market crash in 1929 and the ensuing
Great Depression led to government efforts to re-start the economy and help its victims. The recovery, however, was very slow and showed very little improvement until
World War II.
This period ended with the United States being drawn into World War II by Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor. The U.S. joined
United Kingdom Britain,
Nationalist China, and the
Soviet Union to defeat
Imperial Japan,
Fascist Italy, and
Nazi Germany.
History of the United States (1945–1964)
{{main|History of the United States (1945–1964)}}
The post-war era in the United States was defined internationally by the beginning of the
Cold War, in which the United States and the
Soviet Union attempted to expand their influence at the expense of the other, checked by each side's massive
nuclear weapons nuclear arsenal. The result was a series of conflicts during this period including the
Korean War and the tense nuclear showdown of the
Cuban Missile Crisis. Within the United States, the Cold War prompted concerns about
Red Scare Communist influence, and also resulted in government efforts to encourage math and science towards efforts like the
space race.
Meanwhile, the American people completed their great migration from the farms into the cities, and experienced a period of sustained economic expansion. At the same time, institutionalized racism across the United States, but especially in the American South, was increasingly challenged by the growing
American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) Civil Rights movement and African American leaders such as
Martin Luther King, Jr. During the 1960s, the
Jim Crow laws that legalized
racial segregation between
Whites and
Blacks had come to an end.
History of the United States (1964–1980)
{{main|History of the United States (1964–1980)}}
The Cold War continued through the 1960s and 1970s, and the United States entered the
Vietnam War, whose growing unpopularity fed already existing social movements, including those among women, minorities and young people. President Lyndon Johnson's
Great Society social programs and the judicial activism of the
Warren Court added to the wide range of social reform during the 1960s and 70s. The period saw the birth of feminism and the environmental movement as political forces, and continued progress towards Civil Rights.
In the early 1970s, Johnson's successor, President
Richard Nixon brought the Vietnam War to a close, and the American-backed South Vietnamese government collapsed. The war cost the lives of 58,000 American troops and millions of Vietnamese. Nixon's own administration was brought to an ignominious close with the political scandal of
Watergate. The OPEC oil embargo and slowing economic growth led to a period of
stagflation under President
Jimmy Carter as the 1970s drew to a close. Space Stations were launched as early as 1971. Huge space advancements became known to man.
History of the United States (1980–1988)
{{main|History of the United States (1980–1988)}}
In the 1980s, President
Ronald Reagan instituted a domestic program of tax cuts on the belief that the economy would thereby expand. He had an international policy of aggressive anti-Soviet actions, including funding the
Contras, an opposition army to attack the socialist government and economy of Nicaragua. The United States deficit rapidly expanded, the Eastern Bloc began to unravel under increasing economic strain, finally and dramatically collapsing because of the reform policies of Soviet Premier
Mikhail Gorbachev, during the administration of President
George H.W. Bush.
History of the United States (1988–present)
{{main|History of the United States (1988–present)}}
Despite the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States still involved itself in military action overseas, including the 1991
Gulf War. Following his election in 1992, President
Bill Clinton oversaw the longest economic expansion in American history, a side effect of the
digital revolution and new business opportunities created by the
Internet (see
Internet bubble).
At the beginning of the new millennium, the United States found itself attacked by
Islamist terrorism, with the
September 11, 2001 attacks on the
World Trade Center and
The Pentagon allegedly orchestrated by
Osama bin Laden. In response, under the administration of President
George W. Bush, the United States (with the military support of
NATO and the political support of most of the international community) invaded
Afghanistan and overthrew the
Taliban regime, which had supported and harbored bin Laden. More controversially, President Bush continued what he dubbed the "war on terror" by invading Iraq and overthrowing and capturing
Saddam Hussein in 2003. This second invasion proved very unpopular amongst the international community, even amongst long-time American allies such as
France and
Germany, and resulted in a global wave of
anti-American sentiment.
As of 2006, the political climate remains polarized as debates continue over economic issues, dealing with a steadily rising cost of
health care, culture conflict and values based issues (encompassing separation of the church and the state, abortion, free speech and same-sex marriage), as well as the ongoing
Iraq War war in Iraq. [http://www.pollingreport.com/prioriti.htm]
Geography and climate
Geography
Image:USA-satellite.jpg continental United States thumb|right|250px|A satellite composite image of the [[continental United States|contiguous United States.
Deciduous vegetation and
grasslands prevail in the east, transitioning to
prairies,
boreal forests, and the
Rocky Mountains Rockies in the west, and
deserts in the southwest. In the northeast, the coasts of the
Great Lakes and
Atlantic seaboard host much of the country's population..html" title="Meaning of contiguous United States.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|250px|A satellite composite image of the [[continental United States|contiguous United States">thumb|right|250px|A satellite composite image of the [[continental United States|contiguous United States.
Deciduous vegetation and
grasslands prevail in the east, transitioning to
prairies,
boreal forests, and the
Rocky Mountains Rockies in the west, and
deserts in the southwest. In the northeast, the coasts of the
Great Lakes and
Atlantic seaboard host much of the country's population.">contiguous United States.html" title="Meaning of thumb|right|250px|A satellite composite image of the [[continental United States|contiguous United States">thumb|right|250px|A satellite composite image of the [[continental United States|contiguous United States.
Deciduous vegetation and
grasslands prevail in the east, transitioning to
prairies,
boreal forests, and the
Rocky Mountains Rockies in the west, and
deserts in the southwest. In the northeast, the coasts of the
Great Lakes and
Atlantic seaboard host much of the country's population.
{{main|Geography of the United States}}
The United States shares land borders with
Canada (to the north) and
Mexico (to the south), and
Territorial waters territorial water boundaries with Canada,
Russia, the
Bahamas, and numerous smaller nations. It is otherwise bounded by the
Pacific Ocean on the west, the
Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the
Gulf of Mexico to the southeast. Alaska borders the
Pacific Ocean to the south, the
Bering Strait to the west, and the
Arctic Ocean to the north, while
Hawaii lies far to the southwest of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean.
Forty-eight of the states are in the single region between Canada and Mexico; this group is referred to, with varying precision and formality, as the ''continental'' or ''contiguous'' ''United States'', sometimes abbreviated ''CONUS'', and as the ''
Lower 48''.
Alaska, which is not included in the term ''contiguous United States'', is at the northwestern end of
North America, separated from the Lower 48 by Canada. The state of
Hawaii is an
archipelago in the
Pacific Ocean. The capital city,
Washington, District of Columbia, is a federal district located on land donated by the state of
Maryland. (
Virginia had also donated land, but it was returned in 1847.) The United States also has
Political divisions of the United States#Territories of the United States overseas territories with varying levels of independence and organization.
In total area (which includes inland water and land), only
Russia and Canada are larger than the United States; if inland water is excluded,
China ranks second, the U.S. ranks third, and Canada ranks fourth. The United States's total area is 3,718,711
square miles (9,631,418
square kilometre km²), of which land makes up 3,537,438 square miles (9,161,923 km²) and water makes up 181,273 square miles (469,495 km²).
Image:MountMcKinley_BA.jpg Mount_McKinley.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|left|250px|[[Mount McKinley,
Alaska, the highest point in
North America at 20,320 ft (6,194 m).html" title="Meaning of left|250px|[[Mount McKinley">thumb|left|250px|[[Mount McKinley,
Alaska, the highest point in
North America at 20,320 ft (6,194 m)">left|250px|[[Mount McKinley">thumb|left|250px|[[Mount McKinley,
Alaska, the highest point in
North America at 20,320 ft (6,194 m)
The United States's landscape is one of the most varied among those of the world's nations. The East consists largely of rolling hills and temperate forests. The
Appalachian Mountains form a line of low mountains in the Eastern U.S. The five
Great Lakes are located in the north-central portion of the country, four of them forming part of the border with
Canada. The Southeast largely contains subtropical forests and
mangrove, especially in
Florida. West of the Appalachians, the
Ohio Valley Ohio and
Tennessee Valley Tennessee Valleys and the
Midwestern U.S. Midwest consist largely of rolling hills and productive farmland, stretching south to the
U.S. Gulf Coast Gulf Coast.
Stretching west from the Midwest are the
Great Plains. A large portion of the country's agricultural products are grown in this region. The region consists mostly of large, heavily cultivated and very flat grassland. The Great Plains come to an abrupt end at the
Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountains form a large portion of the
Western U.S., entering from
Canada and stretching nearly to
Mexico. The Rocky Mountains generally contain fairly mild slopes and low peaks compared to many of the other great mountain ranges, with a few exceptions (such as the
Teton Mountains in
Wyoming and the
Sawatch Range in
Colorado). In addition, instead of being one generally continuous and solid mountain range, it is broken up into a number of smaller, intermittent mountain ranges, forming a large series of basins and valleys.
West of the Rocky Mountains lies the
Intermontane Plateaus (also known as the
Intermountain West), a large, arid desert lying between the Rockies and the
Cascade Range Cascades and
Sierra Nevada ranges. The large southern portion, known as the
Great Basin, consists of salt flats, drainage basins, and many small north-south mountain ranges. The
Southwestern United States Southwest is predominantly a low-lying desert region. A portion known as the
Colorado Plateau, centered around the
Four Corners region, is considered to have some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. It is accentuated in such national parks as
Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon,
Arches National Park Arches, and
Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon, among others.
Image:Grand_Canyon_from_Moran_Point.jpeg thumb|right|250px|The Grand Canyon from Moran Point. The Grand Canyon is among the most famous locations in the country.
The Intermontane Plateaus come to an end at the
Cascade Range and the
Sierra Nevada. The Cascades consist of largely intermittent, volcanic mountains rising prominently from the surrounding landscape. The Sierra Nevada, further south, is a high, rugged, and dense mountain range. It contains the highest point in the contiguous 48 states,
Mount Whitney (14,505 ft; 4,421 m). These areas contain some spectacular scenery as well, as evidenced by such national parks as
Yosemite National Park Yosemite and
Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier. West of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada is a series of valleys, such as the
Central Valley in
California and the
Willamette Valley in
Oregon. Along the coast is a series of low mountain ranges known as the
Pacific Coast Ranges. Much of the
Pacific Northwest coast is inhabited by some of the densest vegetation outside of the
Tropics, and also the tallest trees in the world (the
Coast Redwood Redwoods).
Alaska contains some of the most dramatic and untapped scenery in the country. Tall, prominent mountain ranges rise up sharply from broad, flat tundra plains. On the islands off the south and southwest coast are many
volcanoes.
Hawaii, far to the south of
Alaska in the
Pacific Ocean, is a chain of tropical, volcanic islands, popular as a tourist destination for many from
East Asia and the mainland United States.
Climate
Due to its large size and wide range of geographic features, the United States contains just about every climate. Its comparatively generous climate partially contributed to the country's rise as a world power, with infrequent severe drought in the major agricultural regions, a general lack of widespread flooding, and a mainly temperate climate that receives adequate precipitation.
Image:Prospect Heights Blizzard NYC 2-12-06.jpg North American blizzard of 2006 left|250px|thumb|Deep snow during the [[North American blizzard of 2006|Blizzard of 2006 Nor'easter in
Brooklyn,
New York City..html" title="Meaning of Blizzard of 2006.html" title="Meaning of left|250px|thumb|Deep snow during the [[North American blizzard of 2006|Blizzard of 2006">left|250px|thumb|Deep snow during the [[North American blizzard of 2006|Blizzard of 2006
Nor'easter in
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Nor'easter in
Brooklyn,
New York City.
The main influence on U.S. weather is the
jet stream polar jet stream, which brings in large low pressure systems from the northern
Pacific Ocean. The
Cascade Range,
Sierra Nevada, and
Rocky Mountains pick up most of the moisture from these systems as they move eastward. Greatly diminished by the time they reach the
High Plains (United States) High Plains, much of the moisture has been sapped by the
precipitation#orographic precipitation orographic effect as it is forced over several mountain ranges. However, once it moves over the
Great Plains, uninterrupted flat land allows it to reorganize and can lead to major clashes of air masses. In addition, moisture from the
Gulf of Mexico is often drawn northward. When combined with a powerful jet stream, this can lead to violent thunderstorms, especially during spring and summer. Sometimes during late winter and spring these storms can combine with another low pressure system as they move up the East Coast and into the
Atlantic Ocean, where they intensify rapidly. These storms are known as
Nor'easters and often bring widespread, heavy snowfall to the
Mid-Atlantic States Mid-Atlantic and
New England. The uninterrupted flat grasslands of the
Great Plains also leads to some of the most extreme climate swings in the world. Temperatures can rise or drop rapidly and winds can be extreme, and the flow of heat waves or arctic air masses often advance uninterrupted through the plains.
Image:SunsetBeach.jpg Hawaii.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|right|250px|The U.S. State of [[Hawaii has a year-round
tropical climate, and is known for its many beaches, such as this one on
O'ahu..html" title="Meaning of right|250px|The U.S. State of [[Hawaii">thumb|right|250px|The U.S. State of [[Hawaii has a year-round
tropical climate, and is known for its many beaches, such as this one on
O'ahu.">right|250px|The U.S. State of [[Hawaii">thumb|right|250px|The U.S. State of [[Hawaii has a year-round
tropical climate, and is known for its many beaches, such as this one on
O'ahu.
The
Great Basin and
Columbia Plateau (the
Intermontane Plateaus) are arid or semiarid regions that lie in the rain shadow of the
Cascade Mountains Cascades and
Sierra Nevada. Precipitation averages less than 15 inches (38 cm). The
Southwestern U.S. Southwest is a hot desert, with temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C) for several weeks at a time in summer. The Southwest and the Great Basin are also affected by the
monsoon from the
Gulf of California from July-September, which brings localized but often severe thunderstorms to the region. Much of
California consists of a
Mediterranean climate, with sometimes excessive rainfall from October-April and nearly no rain the rest of the year. In the
Pacific Northwest rain falls year-round, but is much heavier during winter and spring. The mountains of the west receive abundant precipitation and very heavy snowfall. The Cascades are one of the snowiest places in the world, with some places averaging over 600 inches (1,520 cm) of snow annually, but the lower elevations closer to the coast receive very little snow. Another significant (but localized) weather effect is
lake-effect snow that falls south and east of the
Great Lakes, especially in the hilly portions of the
Upper Peninsula of
Michigan and on the
Tug Hill Plateau in
New York. The
Wasatch Front and
Wasatch Range in
Utah can also receive significant lake effect accumulations off of the
Great Salt Lake.
Natural disasters
Image:New Orleans Survivor Flyover.jpg Hurricane.html"_title="Meaning of thumb thumb|left|250px|[[Hurricanes_are among the most devastating natural disasters that impact the United States. This picture shows the
United States Coast Guard Coast Guard assisting in relief during
Hurricane Katrina in 2005..html" title="Meaning of left|250px|[[Hurricane">thumb|left|250px|[[Hurricanes are among the most devastating natural disasters that impact the United States. This picture shows the
United States Coast Guard Coast Guard assisting in relief during
Hurricane Katrina in 2005.">left|250px|[[Hurricane">thumb|left|250px|[[Hurricanes are among the most devastating natural disasters that impact the United States. This picture shows the
United States Coast Guard Coast Guard assisting in relief during
Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The United States is affected by a large variety of natural disasters yearly. Although severe drought is rare, it has occasionally caused major problems, such as during the
Dust Bowl from 1931-1942, which coincided with the
Great Depression. Farmland failed throughout the Plains, entire regions were virtually depopulated, and dust storms ravaged the land. More recently, the western U.S. experienced widespread drought from 1999-2004, and signs of a major, long-term drought across the
Great Plains have developed.[http://wwwa.accuweather.com/promotion.asp?dir=aw&page=dustbowl]
The United States also experiences, by a large margin, the most frequent and powerful
tornadoes in the world. The
Great Plains, due to the contrasting air masses, sees frequent severe thunderstorms and tornado outbreaks during spring and summer. The strip of land from north
Texas north to
Kansas and east into
Tennessee is known as
Tornado Alley, where many houses have tornado shelters and many towns have tornado sirens. Another natural disaster that frequents the country are
hurricanes, which can hit anywhere along the
U.S. Gulf Coast Gulf Coast or the
Atlantic Coast, particularly the central and southern
Texas coasts, the area from southeastern
Louisiana east to the
Florida Panhandle, the east coast of
Florida, and the
Outer Banks of
North Carolina, although any portion of the coast is at risk. Hurricane season runs from
June 1 to
November 30, with a peak from mid-August through early October. Some of the more devastating hurricanes have included the
Galveston Hurricane of 1900,
Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and
Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The remnants of tropical cyclones from the Eastern Pacific also occasionally impact the southwestern United States, bringing sometimes heavy rainfall.
Like drought, widespread severe flooding is rare. Some exceptions include the
Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, the
Great Flood of 1993, and widespread flooding and mudslides caused by the 1982-1983
ENSO El Niño event in the western United States. Localized flooding can, however, occur anywhere, and mudslides from heavy rain can cause problems in any mountainous area, particularly the Southwest. Large stretches of desert shrub in the west can fuel the spread of
wildfires. The narrow canyons of many mountain areas in the west and severe thunderstorm activity during the
monsoon season in summer leads to sometimes devastating
flash floods as well, while
Nor'easter snowstorms can bring activity to a halt throughout the Northeast (although heavy snowstorms can occur almost anywhere).
The West Coast of the continental United States and the Alaskan Penisula make up part of the
Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of heavy tectonic and volcanic activity that is the source of 90% of the world's earthquakes. The American Northwest sees the highest concentration of active volcanoes in the United States, in Washington, Oregon and northern California along the
Cascade Mountains. Other hotspots for volcanic activity include the islands south and southwest of
Alaska and on the
Alaska Peninsula. There are several active volcanoes located in the islands of
Hawaii, including Kilauea in ongoing eruption since 1983, but they do not typically adversely affect the inhabitants of the islands. There has not been a major life-threatening eruption on the Hawaiian islands since the 17th century. Volcanic eruptions can occasionally be devastating, such as in the
1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in
Washington.
The Ring of Fire makes
California and southern
Alaska particularly vulnerable to
earthquakes. Earthquakes can cause extensive damage, such as the
1906 San Francisco Earthquake or the 1964
Good Friday Earthquake near
Anchorage, Alaska. California is well known for seismic activity, and requires large structures to be
earthquake proofed to minimize loss of life and property. Outside of devastating earthquakes, California experiences minor earthquakes on a regular basis.
Government
Image:Constitution.jpg Constitution of the United States right|thumb|200px|The [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution is the supreme
law of the United States..html" title="Meaning of Constitution.html" title="Meaning of right|thumb|200px|The [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution">right|thumb|200px|The [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution is the supreme
law of the United States.">Constitution.html" title="Meaning of right|thumb|200px|The [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution">right|thumb|200px|The [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution is the supreme
law of the United States.
{{main|Federal government of the United States|Politics of the United States|Law of the United States}}
Constitutional republic
The United States is a
constitutional
republic, meaning that its government is composed of and operates through a set of limited powers imposed by its design and enumerated in the
United States Constitution. Specifically, the nation operates as a
presidential democracy. There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Each level enjoys certain exclusive powers and obligations, and the precise division of these powers has been a matter of considerable ongoing debate. Officials of each of these levels are either elected by eligible voters via
Secret ballot secret ballot or appointed by other elected officials. Almost all electoral offices are decided in "
first-past-the-post" elections, where a specific candidate who earns at least a
plurality of the vote is elected to office, rather than a party being elected to a seat to which it may then appoint an official.
Suffrage
Suffrage has changed significantly over time. In the early years of the United States, voting was considered a matter for state governments, and was commonly restricted to white men who owned land. Direct elections were held only for the Federal House of Representatives (the "lower house" of a bicameral parliament, or
United States Congress Congress) and state legislatures, although this varied from state to state. Under this original system, the Senate (the "upper house" of Congress) was chosen by a majority vote of their state's legislature. Now, since the ratification of the
Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, members of both Houses of Congress are directly elected.
Today, partially due to the
Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution Twenty-sixth Amendment, Americans enjoy almost
universal suffrage from the age of 18 regardless of race, sex, or wealth, and both Houses of Congress are directly elected. There are some limits, however:
felony disenfranchisement felons are disenfranchised and in some states former felons are as well.
Furthermore, the national representation of territories and the federal district of
Washington, D.C. Washington, DC, in
United States Congress Congress is
District of Columbia voting rights limited: residents of the District of Columbia are subject to federal laws and federal taxes but their only Congressional representative is a
Delegate (United States Congress) non-voting delegate.
Federal government
The
federal government of the United States federal government is comprised of a
legislature Legislative Branch (led by
Congress of the United States Congress), an
Executive (government) Executive Branch (led by the
President of the United States President), and a
Judiciary Judicial Branch (led by the
Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court). These three branches were designed to apply
checks and balances on each other. The Constitution limits the powers of the federal government to defense, foreign affairs, the issuing and management of currency, the management of trade and relations between the states, as well as the protection of
human rights. All other government powers theoretically repose in the individual states. However, in addition to these explicitly stated powers, the federal government has gradually extended its power into such areas as
social welfare welfare and education, on the basis of the "
Necessary-and-proper clause Necessary and Proper" and "
commerce clause Commerce" clauses of the Constitution. The constitutionality of this extension of powers has been ruled on by the Supreme Court on numerous occasions, citing the above clauses.
=Legislative branch
=
Image:Uscongress.gif right|100px
The
Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is
bicameralism bicameral, comprised of the
United States House of Representatives House of Representatives and the
United States Senate Senate. The House of Representatives consists of 435 members, each of whom represents a
congressional district and serves for a two-year term. House seats are
United States Congressional apportionment apportioned among the
U.S. state states by
population; in contrast, each state has two Senators, regardless of population. There are a total of 100 senators (as there are currently 50 states), who serve six-year terms (one third of the Senate stands for election every two years). Each House has particular exclusive powers—the Senate must give "advice and consent" to many important Presidential appointments, and the House must introduce any bills for the purpose of raising revenue. However, the consent of both Houses is required to make any law. The powers of Congress are limited to those enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the states and the
We the people people. The Constitution also includes the "
necessary-and-proper clause", which grants Congress the power to "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers."
=Executive branch
=
Image:USPresidentialSeal.jpg right|100px
All executive power in the federal government is vested in the
President of the United States, although power is often delegated to his/her
U.S. Cabinet Cabinet members and other officials. The President and
Vice President of the United States Vice President are elected as 'running mates' for four-year terms by the
U.S. Electoral College Electoral College, for which each state, as well as the
District of Columbia, is allocated a number of seats based on its representation (or ostensible representation, in the case of D.C.) in both houses of Congress.
{{see|U.S. Electoral College}}
The relationship between the President and the Congress reflects that between the English monarchy and parliament at the time of the framing of the
United States Constitution.
United States Congress Congress can legislate to constrain the President's executive power, even with respect to his or her command of the armed forces; however, this power is used only very rarely—a notable example was the constraint placed on President
Richard Nixon's strategy of bombing
Cambodia during the
Vietnam War. While the President can directly propose legislation (for instance, the Federal Budget), he must rely on supporters in Congress to promote and support his or her legislative agenda. After identical copies of a particular bill have been approved by a majority of both Houses of Congress, the President's signature is required to make these bills law; in this respect, the President has the power—only occasionally used—to veto congressional legislation. Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote from both houses. The ultimate power of Congress over the President is that of
impeachment or removal of the elected President through a House vote, a Senate trial, and a Senate vote (by two-thirds majority in favor). The threat of using this power has had major political ramifications in the cases of Presidents
Andrew Johnson,
Richard Nixon, and
Bill Clinton.
The President makes around 2,000 executive appointments, including members of the
United States Cabinet Cabinet and ambassadors, which must be approved by the Senate; the President can also issue
executive orders and
pardons, and has other Constitutional duties, among them the requirement to give a
State of the Union address to Congress from time to time (usually once a year). (The Constitution does not specify that the State of the Union address be delivered in person; it can be in the form of a letter, as was the practice during most of the 19th century.) Although the President's constitutional role may appear to be constrained, in practice, the office carries enormous prestige that typically eclipses the power of Congress: the Presidency has justifiably been referred to as 'the most powerful office in the world'. The
Vice President of the United States Vice President is first in the
United States presidential line of succession line of succession, and is the
President of the Senate ''ex officio'', with the ability to cast a tie-breaking vote. The members of the President's
United States Cabinet Cabinet are responsible for administering the various departments of state, including the
United States Department of Defense Department of Defense, the
United States Department of Justice Justice Department, and the
United States Department of State State Department. These departments and department heads have considerable regulatory and political power, and it is they who are responsible for executing federal laws and regulations.
George W. Bush is the 43rd President, currently serving his second term.
=Judicial branch
=
Image:Seal of the United States Supreme Court.png right|100px
The highest court is the
Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court, which currently consists of
List of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States nine justices. The court deals with matters pertaining to the Federal Government, disputes between states, and interpretation of the
United States Constitution, and can declare legislation or executive action made at any level of the government as
Judicial review unconstitutional, nullifying the law and creating
precedent for future law and decisions. Below the Supreme Court are the
United States courts of appeals courts of appeals, and below them in turn are the
United States district court district courts, which are the general trial courts for federal law.
Separate from, but not entirely independent of, this federal court system are the individual court systems of each state, each dealing with its own laws and having its own judicial rules and procedures.
The
State supreme court supreme court of each state is the final authority on the interpretation of that state's laws and constitution. A case may be appealed from a state court to a federal court only if there is a
Federal question jurisdiction federal question (an issue arising under the U.S. Constitution, or laws/treaties of the United States).
State, tribal, and local governments
Image:Map of USA with county outlines.png U.S. state thumb|250px|United States|United States of America, showing [[U.S. state|states, divided into
Counties of the United States counties. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the
Aleutian Islands and the
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Counties of the United States counties. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the
Aleutian Islands and the
uninhabited island uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are omitted from this map.
The state governments have the greatest influence over most Americans' daily lives. Each state has its own written constitution, government, and code of laws. There are sometimes great differences in law and procedure between individual states, concerning issues such as property, crime, health, and education. The highest elected official of each state is the Governor. Each state also has an elected legislature (
Bicameralism bicameral in every state except
Nebraska), whose members represent the voters of the state. Each state maintains its own judiciary, with the lowest level typically being county courts, the highest being the
state supreme court, though sometimes named differently. In some states, supreme and lower court justices are elected by the people; in others, they are appointed, as they are in the federal system. See
state court for more information.
As a result of the
Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court case
Worcester v. Georgia,
List of Native American Tribal Entities Indian tribes are considered "domestic dependent nations" that operate as
tribal sovereignty sovereign governments subject to Federal authority but, generally, outside of the influence from state governments. Hundreds of laws,
executive orders, and court cases have modified the governmental status of tribes vis-Ã -vis states, but have kept the two officially distinct. Tribal capacity to operate robust governments varies, from a simple council used to manage all aspects of tribal affairs, to large and complex bureaucracies with several branches of government. Tribes are empowered to form their own governments, with power resting in elected tribal councils, elected tribal chairpersons, or religiously appointed leaders (as is the case with
pueblos). Tribal citizenship (and voting rights) is generally restricted to individuals of Native descent, but tribes are free to set whatever membership requirements they wish.
The institutions that are responsible for local government are typically town, city, or county boards, making laws that affect their particular area. These laws concern issues such as traffic, the sale of alcohol, and keeping animals. The highest elected official of a town or city is usually the
mayor. In
New England, towns operate in a
direct democracy direct democratic fashion, and in some states, such as Rhode Island and Connecticut,
Counties of the United States counties have little or no power, existing only as geographic distinctions. In other areas, county governments have more power, such as to collect taxes and maintain
law enforcement agencies.
Political divisions
Image:Map of USA with state names.svg 250px|right|thumb|Map of the United States with state names
{{main|Subdivisions of the United States}}
With the
Declaration of Independence (United States) Declaration of Independence, the
thirteen colonies proclaimed themselves to be
polity polities modeled after the European states of the time. Although considered as sovereigns initially, under the
Articles of Confederation of 1781 they entered into a "Perpetual Union" and created a fully sovereign federal state, delegating certain powers to the national Congress, including the right to engage in diplomatic relations and to levy war, while each retaining their individual sovereignty, freedom and independence. But the national government proved too ineffective, so the administrative structure of the government was vastly reorganized with the
United States Constitution of 1789. Under this new union, the continued status of the individual states as sovereign
nation states fell into dispute in 1861, as several states attempted to secede from the union; in response, then-President
Abraham Lincoln claimed that such secession was illegal, and the result was the
American Civil War. Since the Union victory in 1865, the independent status of the individual states has not been broached again by any state, and the status of each state within the union has been deemed by mainstream officials and academics to be settled as being subordinate to the union as a whole.
In subsequent years, the number of states grew steadily due to
United States territorial acquisitions western expansion, the purchase of lands by the national government from other nation states, and the subdivision of existing states, resulting in the current total of 50. The states are generally divided into smaller administrative regions, including
Counties of the United States count 
