Jump to content

United States: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Sango123 (talk | contribs)
26,665 edits
m Reverted edits by 69.182.144.17 (talk) to last version by Pschemp
Ryz05 (talk | contribs)
2,516 edits
minor
Line 62: Line 62:
The U.S. originated from thirteen [[colony|colonies]] in [[British North America]] that [[United States Declaration of Independence|declared their independence in 1776]]. After winning the [[American Revolutionary War]], it was recognized as an independent nation by the [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] following the [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1783. Since then, the nation has tripled its territory, adding 37 more states in the process. However, the unity of the nation was severely tested in the [[American Civil War]] (1861–65).
The U.S. originated from thirteen [[colony|colonies]] in [[British North America]] that [[United States Declaration of Independence|declared their independence in 1776]]. After winning the [[American Revolutionary War]], it was recognized as an independent nation by the [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] following the [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1783. Since then, the nation has tripled its territory, adding 37 more states in the process. However, the unity of the nation was severely tested in the [[American Civil War]] (1861–65).


The U.S. was buoyed by victories in [[World War I]] and [[World War II]] as the only major power whose economy was not devastated. Following the collapse of the [[Soviet Union]] after the [[Cold War]], the U.S. emerged as the world's [[Superpower#The United States|sole superpower]] or [[hyperpower]].<ref>[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040701faessay83406/eliot-a-cohen/history-and-the-hyperpower.html History and the Hyperpower by Eliot A. Cohen]. July/August 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref> The nation's economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.<ref name=INTRO>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html#Intro Introduction- United States]. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref>
Buoyed by victories in [[World War I]] and [[World War II]], and especially following the collapse of the [[Soviet Union]] after the [[Cold War]], the U.S. emerged as the world's [[Superpower#The United States|sole superpower]] or [[hyperpower]].<ref>[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040701faessay83406/eliot-a-cohen/history-and-the-hyperpower.html History and the Hyperpower by Eliot A. Cohen]. July/August 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref> The nation's economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.<ref name=INTRO>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html#Intro Introduction- United States]. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. ''URL accessed May 3, 2006.''</ref>


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 22:55, 12 June 2006

This page is about the country United States of America. For other uses, see the disambiguation pages for US, USA and United States.
United States of America
Motto: 
[E pluribus unum] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (1789 to 1956)
(Latin for "Out of many, one")
In God We Trust (1956 to present)
Anthem: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
Location of the United States
CapitalWashington, D.C.
Largest cityNew York City
Official languagesNone at federal level;
English (de facto)
GovernmentFederal Republic
• President
George W. Bush (R)
Dick Cheney (R)
Independence
• Water (%)
4.87
Population
• 2006 estimate
298,217,215 (3rd)
• 2000 census
281,421,906
GDP (PPP)2006 estimate
• Total
$13,049 billion (1st)
• Per capita
$43,555 (3rd)
HDI (2003)0.944
very high (10th)
CurrencyDollar ($) (USD)
Time zoneUTC-5 to -10
• Summer (DST)
UTC-4 to -10
Calling code1
ISO 3166 codeUS
Internet TLD.us .gov .edu .mil .um
1.) Area rank is disputed with China and sometimes is ranked 3rd or 4th.

The United States of America (the U.S., the U.S.A., the States, the United States, or America[1]) is a federal republic in North America. Founded in 1776, it is the oldest existing presidential republic in the world.[2]

The U.S. originated from thirteen colonies in British North America that declared their independence in 1776. After winning the American Revolutionary War, it was recognized as an independent nation by the British following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Since then, the nation has tripled its territory, adding 37 more states in the process. However, the unity of the nation was severely tested in the American Civil War (1861–65).

Buoyed by victories in World War I and World War II, and especially following the collapse of the Soviet Union after the Cold War, the U.S. emerged as the world's sole superpower or hyperpower.[3] The nation's economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.[4]

History

Main article: History of the United States

Before the European colonization of the Americas, a process that began at the end of the 15th century, the present-day U.S. was inhabited exclusively by Native Americans, who arrived on the continent between 50,000 and 11,000 years ago.[5] The first successful English settlement was at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. Within the following two decades, several Dutch settlements, including New Amsterdam (later New York City), were established; extensive British settlement of the east coast followed.

Tensions between American colonials and the British during the revolutionary period of the 1760s and 1770s led to open military conflict by 1775. George Washington commanded the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) as the First Continental Congress signed the United States Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Second Continental Congress was formed to found the Continental Army, but did not have the authority to levy taxes or make federal laws. In 1787, the United States Constitution was ratified by the Constitutional Convention to establish a federal union of sovereign states and the federal government to operate it.[6]

National Atlas map (circa 2005) 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.[7] The expansion was tempered somewhat by the stalemate of the War of 1812 but was subsequently reinvigorated by victory in the Mexican-American War in 1848. In the process, most Native American nations residing in the Eastern United States were displaced.[8]

Union soldiers in the trenches before battle at the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, 1865. The victory of the Union kept the country unified.

As new territories were being settled and incorporated into the country, the nation was divided over the issue of states' rights, the role of the federal government, and the expansion of slavery by the 1820s. 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, especially the cotton industry, was dependent on slave labor. The failure to 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.[9] 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.[10]

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

After the Civil War, an unprecedented influx of immigrants, who helped to provide labor for American industry and create diverse communities in undeveloped areas, hastened the country's rise to international power. The United States subsequently made many imperialist ventures abroad, including the annexation of Puerto Rico after a victory in the Spanish-American War,[11] which marked the beginning of the U.S. as a major world power.

At the start of the First World War in 1914, the U.S. initially decided to maintain its neutrality, but eventually helped the Allied Powers 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.[12] Because the United States escaped devastation unlike the European nations, the U.S. was able to continue its rapid pace of industrial and economic development. 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. Instead, the country chose to pursue a policy of unilateralism that bordered at times on being isolationist.[13]

An abandoned farm in South Dakota during the Great Depression, 1936. The Depression ruined the lives of many people in the United States, and led to the abandonment of laissez-faire policies.

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. 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.[14]

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union became rival superpowers in an era of ideological rivalry dubbed the Cold War (to denote the lack of open, direct military conflict). The U.S. represented constitutional democracy and free-market 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. The Cold War prompted concerns about communist infiltration and influence, causing the Red Scare of the 1950s. The perception that the U.S. was losing the space race increased government efforts to encourage greater math and science skills in the education system.[15]

Martin Luther King giving the famous "I Have a Dream" speech, 1963. The Civil Rights Movement was of major significance for the U.S.

Meanwhile, American society experienced a period of sustained economic expansion. At the same time, discrimination across the United States, especially in the South, was increasingly challenged by a growing civil-rights movement led by prominent African Americans such as Martin Luther King, Jr., which led to the abolition of the Jim Crow laws that had legalized racial segregation in the South.[16]

The September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 made terrorism a major political and security issue.

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. Following Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential election, the country experienced the largest peacetime economic expansion in its history, primarily attributed to the digital revolution and new business opportunities created by the Internet.[17]

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, U.S. foreign policy focused on the threat of terrorist attacks. In response, the United States government under George W. Bush began a long series of military, police and legal operations termed the War on Terror, beginning with the overthrow of Afghanistan's Taliban government in October 2001. More controversially, the "War on Terror" continued with the controversial 2003 invasion of Iraq, which resulted in a wave of anti-American sentiment. However, over 30 governments supported the U.S. led invasion of Iraq in what became known as 'the coalition of the willing.'[18]

Politics

Main article: [[:Politics of the United States and Federal government of the United States]]
United States Congress in Joint Session. Its members consist of 100 senators and 435 representatives.

The United States is a constitutional republic; its government operates as a congressional system through a set of powers specified in the Constitution. There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Each has exclusive powers and obligations, although the precise delineation of these has been a matter of debate. Officials at all three levels are either elected by voters in a secret ballot or are appointed by other elected officials. Almost all electoral offices are decided by a plurality voting system, rather than appointments by the governing party.

The federal government of the United States is comprised of three branches designed to apply checks and balances on each other (a Legislative Branch led by Congress, an Executive Branch led by the President, and a Judicial Branch led by the Supreme Court). The relationship between the state and national governments is complex due to the country's federal system; under U.S. law, states are considered sovereign entities. However, the American Civil War and Texas v. White established that states do not have the right to secede, and under the Constitution of the United States, they are not allowed to conduct foreign policy. Federal law overrides state law in the areas that the federal government is empowered to act, but the powers of the federal government are subject to limits outlined in the Constitution of the United States. All powers not granted to the federal government in the Constitution are duly appropriated to the states. However, the "Necessary and Proper" and "Commerce" clauses of the Constitution legally allows the extension of federal powers into other affairs, including the determination of any unstated rights when these enter into conflict within the states.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the United States
Presidents Hu Jintao and George W. Bush, with first ladies Liu Yongqing and Laura Bush, wave from the White House. The relationship with the emerging superpower status of People's Republic of China is complex and closely watched by international observers.

The United States has large economic, political and military influence on a global scale, which makes its foreign policy a subject of great interest and discussion around the world. Almost all countries have embassies in Washington, D.C. and consulates around the country. However, a few do not have formal diplomatic relations with the United States, which include Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Sudan.[19] The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations (with a permanent seat on the Security Council), among many other international organizations.

In the effort to contain the Soviets during the Cold War, the U.S. founded NATO, which compels the country to defend against a foreign invasion of any NATO state in North America and Europe. In an example of realpolitik, the U.S. also established diplomatic relations with Communist countries that were antagonistic to the Soviet Union, like the People's Republic of China during the Sino-Soviet split. In recent times, the United States has not only fought against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, but also increased border securities against illegal immigration and the shipment of illegal narcotics, with its primary goal of protecting American interests and the safety of its citizens at home and abroad.[20]

The United States has been criticized for foreign policies and military operations abroad, especially in developing regions like Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.[21][22] This is particularly evident during the Cold War, when many of these policies were claimed to be targeted against the Soviet Union.[23][24] Currently, criticisms involve civilian devastation in Iraq and Afghanistan.[25]

There are several territorial disputes, such as the Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and areas around Machias Seal Island and North Rock with Canada, and Wake Island, which is claimed by Marshall Islands. There is also a maritime boundary dispute with the Bahamas.[20]

Military

Main article: Military of the United States
Supercarriers like the USS Nimitz are a major component of the U.S.'s system of force projection.

The Department of Defense administers the United States armed forces (consisting of the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy, which includes the Marine Corps). The Coast Guard falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime, but is placed under the Department of the Navy in times of war.

The military of the United States comprises 1.4 million personnel on active duty,[26] along with several hundred thousand each in the Reserves and the National Guard. Service in the military is voluntary, though conscription may occur in times of war. The U.S. is considered to have the most powerful military in the world because it spends a significant amount on traditional-warfare power projection capabilities, and American defense expenditures are estimated to be greater than the next twenty largest national military budgets combined. However, this budget is only about 4% of the country's GDP,[27] which is historically fairly low.[28] As of September 2004, the U.S. maintains 737 military bases and facilities worldwide on every continent besides Antarctica.[29]

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in the United States
President George W. Bush signing the controversial USA PATRIOT Act, October 26, 2001.

The Constitution of the United States guarantees freedom of speech, religion, the press, the right to a fair trial, the right to keep and bear arms, universal suffrage, and property rights. However, although the United States is committed to the Western ideology to pursue human rights, the extent to which these rights are available in practice is debated as various forms of ethnic discrimination were not legally prohibited until the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The effects of this discriminative history are still apparent in the social structure, with housing patterns, harder sentences, employment opportunities, and college admissions all reflect de facto segregation.[30] However, the segregation is fading with a more tolerant culture and many anti-discrimination policies.

Following the September 11, 2001, attacks and the ensuing War on Terror, the continuation of this debate has surrounded the USA PATRIOT Act and other measures,[31] which opponents criticize as unnecessary and see them as a potential danger to traditional civil rights and functional democracy. However, proponents claim they are necessary to preserve the country's security.[32]

Political divisions

Main article: Political divisions of the United States
Map of United States, showing state names.[33]

The contiguous part of the U.S. (i.e. without Hawaii and Alaska) is called the continental United States. At the time of the Declaration of Independence, the United States consisted of 13 colonies. By 1790, each had ratified the constitution and become a state. Over the 19th century, this number grew steadily due to expansion to the west, conquest and purchase of lands by the American government, and division of existing states to the current number of 50:

The United States also holds several other territories, districts, and possessions, notably the federal district of the District of Columbia, which contains the nation's capital city of Washington, and several overseas insular areas, the most significant of which are American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. Palmyra Atoll is the United States' only incorporated territory, however it is currently unorganized and uninhabited. In addition, the United States Navy possesses a lease to an extensive naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba since 1898.

Geography

Main article: Geography of the United States
A Florida marshland, in the southeast.
A satellite composite image of the contiguous U.S. Deciduous vegetation and grasslands prevail in the east, transitioning to prairies, boreal forests, and the 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.
Monument Valley, near the Grand Canyon in the southwest.
Mount Hood, an active volcano in the northwest.

The United States is ranked as the world's third largest country by land area,[34] but this is disputed as some sources list the People's Republic of China as larger than the U.S. The disputed ranking stems from ongoing debate over the political status of Taiwan, without which China is smaller than the United States.[35]

The contiguous U.S. is bounded by the North Atlantic Ocean to the east, the North Pacific Ocean to the west, Canada to the north, and Mexico to the south. Alaska is bounded by the Pacific to the south, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and Canada to the east. The island state of Hawaii is situated in the Pacific, southwest of the North American mainland.

The landscape of the United States is extremely varied. In the east, rolling hills and temperate forests prevail, transitioning to prairies, boreal forests, and the relatively young Rocky Mountains in the west, with savanna and desert—including the Grand Canyon—among the more arid landscapes in the southwest. The northwest has the highest concentration of active volcanoes in the U.S. In the south, especially in Florida, subtropical forests and marshlands can be found. In Alaska, prominent mountain ranges rise up sharply from broad, flat tundra plains; numerous volcanoes can be found throughout the Alexander and Aleutian Islands south and west of the Alaskan mainland. Hawaii, a chain of tropical, volcanic islands, is a popular tourist attraction. Other major hydrographic features include the five Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River and seaway in the northeast bordering with Canada. In addition, the Mississippi-Missouri River, which snakes through the central U.S., is the world's fourth longest river system.[36]

The United States is frequently affected by a large variety of natural disasters. A common threat is the tornado, especially in the South, the Great Plains, and other parts of the Midwest. Other problems include tropical cyclones along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts, floods, and earthquakes, particularly in southern Alaska and around California. Droughts too are prevalent, with the worst being the infamous Dust Bowl of the 1930s. 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.[37]

Economy

Main article: Economy of the United States
Wall Street, in Manhattan, New York City, represents the status of the US as a major global financial power.
A farm near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania. Farming is a major contributor to the American economy.

The economic history of the United States has its roots in the marginally successful colonial economies that progressed to a small, independent farming economy. Over the course of those years, the United States grew into a large industrialized economy, making up approximately a fifth of the world economy.[38] The fiscal policy of the country since the New Deal has followed the general ideals of Keynesian economics, which changed its Hamiltonian economic system following the Great Depression through greater intervention and reduced tariff levels.[39] Neoliberal ideals have become more prominent since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, due to the growing influence of globalization. Since the early 1980s, the United States has transformed from being a net creditor to having a substantial current account deficit and a national debt, which has reached record high levels relative to national GDP since World War II. [40]

The economic system of the United States can be described as a capitalist free market-oriented mixed economy, in which corporations and other private firms make the majority of microeconomic decisions, and governments prefer to take a smaller role in the domestic economy, although the combined role of all levels of government is relatively large, at 36% of the GDP. The U.S. has a small social safety net, and regulation faced by business firms in the U.S. is slightly below the average of developed countries.[41]

Economic activity varies greatly across the country. For example, New York City is the center for financial, publishing, broadcasting, and advertising industries, while Los Angeles is the most important center for film and television production. The San Francisco Bay Area is a major center for technology. The Midwest is known for its reliance on manufacturing and heavy industry, with Detroit serving as the center of the American automotive industry. The Southeast is a major area for medical research, tourism, and the lumber industry.

The largest sector in the United States economy is service, which employs roughly three quarters of the work force.[42] The economy is fueled by an abundance in natural resources such as coal, petroleum, and precious metals. However, the country still depends much of its energy source on foreign countries. In agriculture, the country is a top producer of corn, soy beans, rice, and wheat, with the Great Plains labeled as the "breadbasket of the world" for their tremendous agricultural output.[43] The U.S. has a large tourist industry, ranking third in the world,[44] and is also a major exporter in goods such as automobiles, airplanes, steel, and electronics. The largest trading partner of the United States is Canada (19%), followed by the People's Republic of China, Mexico, and Japan.[45]

While the per-capita income of the United States is among the highest in the world, the wealth is comparatively concentrated, with approximately 40% of the population being worse off than most of western Europe and the top 20% being substantially richer.[46] In addition, the social mobility of the U.S. is relatively low and has been characterized since 1975 as a "two-tier labor market," in which practically all the income gains have gone to the top 20% of households. The low social mobility has been blamed on how many at the bottom of American society lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top (mainly because of high tuition costs and practices like legacy preference) and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits.[47][48]

Science and technology

Main article: Science and technology in the United States
Buzz Aldrin poses for Neil Armstrong on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission, 1969.

The United States is an influential country in scientific and technological research and the production of innovative technological products. During World War II, the U.S. was the first to develop the atomic bomb, ushering in the atomic age. Since the country was relatively undamaged by the war, it was able to revive scientific and technological progress in a short period of time. During the beginnings of the Cold War, the U.S. began emulating Soviet successes in space science and technology, leading to a space race between the two nations. Two-way demonstrations of technological might were a prominent feature in the race, which led to rapid advances in rocketry, weaponry, material science, computers, and many other areas, culminating the first visit of a man to the moon, when Neil Armstrong stepped off of Apollo 11 in July 1969.[49]

In the sciences, the United States has a large share of Nobel Prizes, especially in the fields of physiology and medicine. The National Institutes of Health, a focal point for biomedical research in the United States, has contributed to the completion of the Human Genome Project.[50] The main governmental organization for aviation and space research is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Many corporations also play an important role, such as Boeing or Lockheed Martin.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in the United States
Interstate 80, a sophisticated and well maintained road network near Berkeley, California.

The automobile industry took off very early in the United States in comparison with other countries; so much of the transportation development in the country has been centered around the construction of a network of high-capacity highways. From data taken in 2004, there are about 3,981,521 miles (6,407,637 km) of roadways in the U.S., the most in the world.[51]

Despite the popularity of cars, mass transit systems are also available in large cities, such as New York, which operates one of the busiest subway systems in the world. However, in comparison to Japan and Europe, the United States has an underdeveloped rail network, lacking high-speed rail links connecting major cities.

Air travel is the preferred means of travel for long distances, the busiest being Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. There are also several major seaports in the United States, with the three busiest being the Port of Los Angeles, the Port of Long Beach, and the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Demographics

Main article: [[:Demographics of the United States and Racial demographics of the United States]]

As of July 2006, there are an estimated 298,444,215 people in the United States, with a population growth rate of about 0.59%.[52] According to Census 2000, about 79 percent of the population lives in urban areas,[53] and the country has 31 ethnic groups with at least one million members each, with numerous others represented in smaller amounts.[54] The largest ethnic group is white (which includes people of European, North African, and Middle Eastern descent) at 81.7 percent of the population. Non-Hispanic Whites comprise about 69% of the population.[55] Others include black (12.9%), Asian (4.2%), Amerindian and Alaska native (1%), and native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander (0.2%).[52] A separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the U.S. Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the U.S. who may be of any race or ethnic group.

Language

Main article: Languages in the United States

Although the U.S. has no official language, it is largely monolingual with English being the national language,[56] which is spoken by about 82 percent of the population as a native language and nearly everyone as a daily language. There have been moves in the past to make English the official language, but so far, this has been a minor political issue. Even though English is not the official language, knowledge of it is required to become a naturalized citizen. Twenty-seven states recognize English as an official language, and three states recognize other languages along with English - French in Louisiana, Hawaiian in Hawaii, and Spanish in New Mexico.[57] Spanish, the second most widely used language in the U.S., is spoken by approximately 10.7 percent of the population. Widely spoken languages also include other Indo-European (3.8%), Asian and Pacific island (2.7%), and other (0.7%).[52] In total, the number of spoken languages in the U.S. is 176.[58]

Education

Main article: Education in the United States
America's 19 World Heritage Sites include the University of Virginia, one of many highly regarded public universities supported by taxpayers at the state level of government.

The country has a low literacy rate as compared to other developed countries, with a reading literacy rate at 86-98% of the population over age 15,[59] while ranking below average in science and mathematics understanding.[60] The poor performance has pushed public and private efforts such as the No Child Left Behind Act. However, unlike many European countries such as Germany, the United States does not have a large system of public trade schools; trade school students in other countries do not take the academic tests that their countries use to compare their pupils to all American children enrolled in school.

Education in the country is a state or local, not federal, responsibility, which means the laws and standards vary considerably. However, the Department of Education of the federal government exerts some influence through its ability to control funding. In most states, students are generally obliged to attend mandatory schooling in public schools starting with kindergarten, and ending with the 12th grade, which is normally completed at age 18, but many states may allow students to drop out at the age of 16. Besides public schools, parents may also choose to educate their own children at home or to send their children to parochial or private schools.

After high school, students may choose to attend universities, either public or private. Public universities receive funding from the federal and state governments, as well as other sources, but students still have to pay tuition. Tuition at private universities is generally much higher than at public universities.

There are many competitive institutions of higher education in the United States, both private and public. According to one list, the United States has 168 universities in the world's top 500.[61] There are also many smaller universities and liberal arts colleges, and local community colleges of varying quality across the country with open admission policies. Even though the country attracts a significant number of international students each year, it is still below most other developed countries.[62]

Religion

Main article: Religion in the United States
Pisgah Baptist Church in Four Oaks, North Carolina. The Bible Belt is well-known for its large Christian population.

The United States is overwhelmingly Christian with Protestant denominations making up the majority at 52 percent, followed by Roman Catholics (24%), Mormon (1%), Jewish (1%), Muslim (1%), other (10%), and none (variously estimated at 10% to 15%).[52] The country is also noteworthy for its relatively high level of religiosity among developed nations. About 46 percent of American adults attend church at least once a week (not counting weddings, funerals and christenings), compared with 14 percent of adults in Great Britain, 8 percent in France, and 7 percent in Sweden. Moreover, 58 percent of Americans say they often think about the meaning and purpose of life, compared with 25 percent of the British, 26 percent of the Japanese, and 31 percent of West Germans.[63] However, this rate is not uniform across the country as regular attendance is more common in the Bible Belt, composed largely of Southern and Midwestern states, than in the Northeast or the West Coast.[64] The percentage of Americans who identify as Christian is also in decline, having fallen from 86% in 1990 to 77% by 2001.[65]

In the South, Baptists constitute the largest group, followed by Methodists.[66] Roman Catholicism is predominant in the Northeast, the Southwest, and in large parts of the Midwest.[67] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormon Church, is the predominant religion in the state of Utah, with significant populations in other parts of the country as well.[68]

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution explicitly forbids the establishment of religion by the government or restrictions on the freedom of religious expression, and the Supreme Court has held up what is called the rule of separation of church and state. However, in practice, many elected representatives make decisions on a religious basis. Examples of the prevalence of religion in the U.S. are local laws forbidding the selling of alcoholic beverages on Sunday.

Public health

Main article: Health care in the United States
The incidence of lung cancer is highly correlated with smoking, and the percentage who smoke has dropped considerably in the U.S.

The United States has a health-care system that is ranked 37th by the World Health Organization (WHO), far below the average of developed nations.[69] However, the country spends a notable amount on research. For example, research done at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has contributed to a sharp decrease in mortality from heart disease, the number-one killer in the United States, which dropped 41 percent between 1971 and 1991.[70] The death rate for strokes decreased by 59 percent during the same period.[71] Since 1964, when the US surgeon general first warned Americans about the dangers of smoking, the percentage of smokers has declined from almost 50 percent to approximately 25 percent, which has also been linked to a drop in the rate of lung cancer.[70] Smoking is no longer permitted in most public buildings or on trains, buses, and airplanes. Like most countries, the federal government encourages Americans to exercise regularly and to eat healthily, including large quantities of fruits and vegetables, which contributed to a per capita increase in fruit consumption of about 20 percent since 1970. More than 40 percent of Americans exercise or play a sport as part of their regular routine.[70]

Compared to other developed countries, health level in the United States is ranked low (72nd) by WHO and infant mortality rate is high (5 per 1,000); only Latvia's is higher at 6 per 1,000.[72] [73] Obesity is also a public health problem, which is estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars every year.[74] HIV-AIDS has affected about 950,000 people as of 2003.[52] Unlike most Western governments, the U.S. government does not guarantee publicly-funded health care to its citizens, leading to a notably high number of people suffering from lack of proper healthcare. Several proposals have been made but failed to gain support among lawmakers and several initiatives have failed as well, notably in Massachusetts and Oregon.[75][76] However, government spending on health care is the highest of any country in the world with major programs like Medicare and Medicaid.[77] Private charities also play a huge role in providing health care. Health insurance in the United States is traditionally a benefit of employment, which is mandated by law in many cases. Also, emergency care facilities are required to provide service regardless of the patient's ability to pay. However, medical bills are overwhelmingly the most common reason for personal bankruptcy in the United States.[78]

Population migration and growth

2000 Population Density Map

The mean center of the U.S. population continues to drift farther west and south. Between 1990 and 2000, 19 of the 20 fastest-growing states were in the West and the South.[79]

The majority of Americans descend from European immigrants; this majority is expected to be reduced to a plurality by 2050. The largest ethnic group of European ancestry is German at 15.2 percent, followed by Irish (10.8%), English (8.7%), Italian (5.6%) and Scandinavian (3.7%). Many immigrants also hail from Slavic countries, such as Poland and Russia, as well as from French Canada.[80] African Americans, or Blacks, first arrived as slaves from Africa, particularly between 1690 and 1808. In the early years, most of the African American population was concentrated in the South; but, today, it is spread throughout the country, with a concentration in the inner cities of the North. Indigenous peoples in the United States, such as Native Americans and Inuit, make up only a very small percentage of the total population, with about 35 percent of them living on reservations.[81]

Current major demographic trends include the mass immigration of Hispanics from Latin America into the Southwest United States, which is home to about 60 percent of the 35 million Hispanics in the country. Immigrants from Mexico, who make up about 66 percent of the Hispanic community,[82] are second only to the German-descent population in the single-race category. The Hispanic population, which is growing at an annual rate of about 58 percent since the 1990s, is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades.[83] Most Asian Americans, including Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, are concentrated on the West Coast and Hawaii,[84] with a growing concentration in the New York City metropolitan area, as well as the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. The largest groups are from the Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. The Asian American population is increasing at an annual rate of about 52 percent since the 1990s.[85]

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the population of the United States will reach 300 million people in October 2006.[86]

Culture

Main article: Culture of the United States
American cultural icons, such as apple pie, baseball, and the American flag.

Due to immigration in United States history, the local culture has been a melting pot of different cultures around the world. This is apparent in areas such as American cuisine, where Native American ingredients like turkey, potatoes, corn, and squash have become integral parts of American culture. Such popular icons as apple pies, pizza, and hamburgers are all derived from, European dishes. Burritos and tacos similarly have their origins in Mexico. However, many of the food items now enjoyed worldwide either originated in the United States or were substantially altered by American chefs. The music in the United States also traces to the country's multicultural population through a diverse array of styles. Rock and roll, hip hop, country, blues, and jazz are among the country's most internationally renowned genres. Since the beginning of the 20th century, popular recorded music from the United States has become increasingly known across the world, to the point where some forms of American popular music are listened to almost everywhere.[87]

However, not all American culture is derived from some other form found elsewhere in the world. For example, the birth of cinema, as well as its radical development, can largely be traced back to the United States. In the early 20th century, the first recorded instance of photographs capturing and reproducing motion was Eadweard Muybridge's series of photographs of a running horse, which he captured in Palo Alto, California using a set of still cameras placed in a row. Since then, the American film industry has had a profound effect on cinema across the world. Other areas of development include the comic book and Disney's animated cartoons, which saw widespread popularity and influence, especially in Japanese anime and manga, and Chinese animation and manhua.

See also: Arts and entertainment in the United States, Media of the United States, Dance of the United States, Architecture of the United States, Holidays of the United States, and Lists of Americans

Sports

Main article: Sports in the United States
Pro Bowl, 2006. American football is the most popular spectator sport in the United States.[88]

Although the United States is predominantly a sedentary society with the majority of the adult population having little or no leisure-time for physical activity,[89] watching sports is a national pastime with many fans, and playing sports, especially, American football, baseball, and softball is very popular on the high school level. Professional sports in the U.S. is very big business and its athletes are well compensated. The majority of the world's highest paid athletes play team sports in the United States.[90] The "Big Four" include baseball, American football, ice hockey, and basketball. Other popular sports include auto racing. Lacrosse, originally played by some of the indigenous tribes, is a visible sport and growing. Football (soccer) is a popular participatory sport, especially among children, but it does not yet have a large following as a spectator sport in contrast to its extreme popularity in other countries. The United States is among the most influential regions in shaping three popular board-based recreational sports—surfboarding, skateboarding, and snowboarding—which have many competitions and a large dedicated subculture. Eight Olympic Games have been hosted in the United States. The U.S. generally fares very well in them, especially the Summer Olympics—for instance, in the 2004 Olympics, the country topped the medals table with a record 103 medals (35 gold, 39 silver and 29 bronze).[91]

American Dream

Main article: American Dream
Historical American flags in Washington, DC: the Betsy Ross flag hangs on both ends and the classic Old Glory is to each side of the current 50 state version.

The American Dream is a faith held by many in the United States that through hard work, courage, and determination, rather than being born in a particular social class, one can achieve a better life, usually in terms of financial prosperity and often through entrepreneurship.[92] It is related to a historic belief that the country is a "city upon a hill, a light unto the nations,"[93] which were values held by many early European settlers that have been passed on to subsequent generations. Although it is charged that the American Dream has led to an over-emphasis on material wealth as a measure of success and/or happiness, it is important to appreciate the belief of many Americans that this opportunity to succeed on one's own merits was not and is not available in many other countries of the world. The American Dream has been a major factor in attracting immigrants to the United States. According to many historians, the rapid economic and industrial expansion of the U.S. is not simply a function of being a rich and fertile country, but the fact that anybody could get a share of the country's wealth if he or she was willing to work hard.[94] Many have also argued that the basis of American greatness is how the country began without a rigid class structure at a time when other countries in the world had more stratified social structures.[95]

See also

Main article: List of United States-related topics

References

  1. ^ In the U.S., America is more commonly used to describe the United States and less often to refer to the Americas, the lands of the Western hemisphere (North and South America). American as a noun to describe an inhabitant or a citizen or national of the United States, and as an adjective meaning "of the United States," has no straightforward unambiguous synonym in English. Many other words for American have been proposed, but none has been widely accepted. Also see Americas (terminology).
  2. ^ "An Outline of American Government- The Constitution: An Enduring Document" Original edition by Richard C. Schroeder. Revised and updated in 1989 by Nathan Glick, who also wrote Part II:"Explaining the Constitution: The Federalist Papers.". 2005. URL Accessed May 3, 2006.
  3. ^ History and the Hyperpower by Eliot A. Cohen. July/August 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  4. ^ Introduction- United States. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  5. ^ "Paleoamerican Origins". 1999. Smithsonian Institution. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  6. ^ Yanak, Ted and Cornelison, Pam. The Great American History Fact-finder: The Who, What, Where, When, and Why of American History. Page 114. Houghton Mifflin; 2nd Updated edition: August 27, 2004. ISBN 0618439412
  7. ^ Manifest Destiny- An interpretation of How the West was Won. Crossroads of Earth Resources and Society. URL accessed on May 4, 2006.
  8. ^ Calloway, Colin Gordon. The American Revolution in Indian Country: Crisis and Diversity in Native American Communities. Page 285. Cambridge University Press: April 28, 1995. ISBN 0521475694
  9. ^ Morrison, Michael A Slavery and the American West: The Eclipse of Manifest Destiny and the Coming of the Civil War. Page 176. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 0807847968.
  10. ^ De Rosa, Marshall L. The Politics of Dissolution: The Quest for a National Identity and the American Civil War. Page 266. Transaction Publishers: January 1, 1997. ISBN 1560003499
  11. ^ Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization: Volume II: Since 1500. Page 708. Wadsworth Publishing: January 10, 2005. ISBN 0534646042
  12. ^ Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, The Reader's Companion to American History. Page 576. October 21, 1991. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395513723.
  13. ^ McDuffie, Jerome, Piggrem, Gary Wayne, and Woodworth, Steven E. U.S. History Super Review. Page 418. Research & Education Association: June 21, 2005. ISBN 0738600709
  14. ^ Walker, John F, and Vatter, Harold G The Rise of Big Government in the United States. Page 63. M.E. Sharpe: May 1997. ISBN 0765600676.
  15. ^ Rudolph, John L. Scientists in the Classroom: The Cold War Reconstruction of American Science Education. Page 1. Palgrave Macmillan: May 3, 2002. ISBN 0312295715.
  16. ^ Klarman, Michael J. From Jim Crow to Civil Rights: The Supreme Court and the Struggle for Racial Equality. Page 552. Oxford University Press, USA: May 4, 2006. ISBN 0195310187.
  17. ^ "DEMOCRATS v. REPUBLICANS on the issue of the U.S. ECONOMY". October 24, 2004. eRiposte. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  18. ^ "US names 'coalition of the willing'" Steve Schifferes. BBC News. March 18,, 2003. Accessed April 17,, 2006.
  19. ^ "Table 2 Aliens From Countries That Sponsor Terrorism Who Were Ordered Removed - October 1, 2000 through December 31, 2001". February 2003. U.S. Department of Justice. URL accessed May 30, 2006.
  20. ^ a b "Transnational Issues". April 20, 2006. CIA World factbook. Accessed April 30, 2006.
  21. ^ Evera, Steven Van (October 1931). American Intervention in the Third World: Less Would be Better. URL accessed on May 4, 2006.
  22. ^ Zunes, Steven (November 8, 2003). Noble Rhetoric Supports Democracy While Ignoble Policies Support Repression. URL accessed on May 4, 2006.
  23. ^ "American Foreign Policy 1980-99: An Argument Against Isolationism.". 2006. The Atlantic Bridge. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  24. ^ Africa, Modern U.S. Security Policy and Interventions. Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  25. ^ Off Target: The Conduct of the War and Civilian Casualties in Iraq by Human Rights Watch, December 2003.
  26. ^ "Active Duty Military Personnel Strength Levels". 2002. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  27. ^ Military. June 1, 2006. CIA Factbook. URL accessed June 3, 2006.
  28. ^ Truth and Politics. "Relative Size of US Military Spending from 1940 to 2003". Retrieved May 26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ U.S. Department of Defense Base Structure Report, Fiscal Year 2005 Baseline. Accessed June 1 2006.
  30. ^ Civil Rights Project at Harvard University[1]; Human Rights Watch[2]
  31. ^ Reports by American Civil Liberties Union.
  32. ^ "Report on USA Patriot Act Alleges Civil Rights Violations" by Philip Shehon. July 21, 2003. Common Dreams News Center. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  33. ^ Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the Aleutian Islands and the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are omitted from this map.
  34. ^ Rank Order- Area. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  35. ^ Land Area. China Internet Information Center- China's Official Gateway for News & Information. URL accessed May 4, 2006.
  36. ^ Mississippi River. 2004. Visit Bemidji- First City on the Mississippi. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  37. ^ "Is America Facing Another Dust Bowl?" 2006. AccuWeather.com. Accessed April 25, 2006.
  38. ^ "U.S. Aid To Poorer Nations, Already Low, Headed Down". April 26, 2000. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  39. ^ *"Hamilton's Republic" Part III "The American School of National Economy" pg. 229-230 published 1997 by Free Press, Simon & Schuster division in the USA - ISBN 0-684-83160-0)
    • "The Greatest Nation of the Earth" Chapter 4 titled "Directing the Legislation of the Country to the Improvement of the Country: Tariff and Tax Legislation" pg. 136-137 published 1997 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College in the USA - ISBN 0-674-36213-6)
    • "Lincoln and the Economics of the American Dream" Chapter 14 titled "The Whig in the White House" pages 196-197 published 1994 by Memphis State University Press in the USA - ISBN 0-87880-043-9)
    • "Trade Wars Against America: A History of United States Trade and Monetary Policy" by Gill, William J. - Chapter 6 titled "America becomes Number 1" pages 39-49 - published 1990 by Praeger Publishers in the USA - ISBN 0-275-93316-4)
    • William McKinley speech, Oct. 4, 1892 in Boston, MA William McKinley Papers (Library of Congress)
  40. ^ US Budget History URL accessed June 9, 2006.
  41. ^ Index of Economic Freedom 2006 by Heritage Foundation. URL accessed May 13, 2006.
  42. ^ "Toward a Learning Economy" by Stephen A. Herzenberg, John A. Alic, and Howard Wial. 2006. Toward a Learning Economy. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  43. ^ Frazier, Ian. Great Plains. Page 9. May 4, 2001. Picador; 1st Picado edition. ISBN 0312278500
  44. ^ The United States International Travel Industry- Key Facts About Inbound Tourism. May 8, 2000. ITA Office of Travel & Tourism Industries. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  45. ^ "Shifts in Major Trading Partners". 2003. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  46. ^ Income Distribution in Europe and the United States by A B Atkinson. September 1995. Nuffield College in Oxford. URL accessed June 3, 2006.
  47. ^ Economy. June 1, 2006. CIA Factbook. URL accessed June 3, 2006.
  48. ^ "Ever higher society, ever harder to ascend" - Meritocracy in America. December 29, 2004. The Economist. URL accessed June 6, 2006.
  49. ^ Apollo 30th Anniversary. September 20, 2002. NASA. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  50. ^ The National Human Genome Research Institute. 2006. National Human Genome Research Institute- National Institutes of health. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  51. ^ Rank Order- Roadways. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. Accessed April 30, 2006.
  52. ^ a b c d e People. April 20, 2006. CIA World Factbook. Accessed May 1, 2006.
  53. ^ "United States -- Urban/Rural and Inside/Outside Metropolitan Area". United States Census 2000. URL accessed May 29, 2006.
  54. ^ Table 2. Ancestries With 100,000 or More People in 2000: 1990 and 2000. Ancestry: 2000 - Census 2000 Brief. URL accessed May 29, 2006.
  55. ^ "Census Bureau Projects Tripling of Hispanic and Asian Populations in 50 Years; Non-Hispanic whites May Drop To Half of Total Population". March 18, 2004. United States Census Bureau News. URL accessed June 3, 2006.
  56. ^ "Gonzales: Language Bill Purely Symbolic". May 21, 2006. The Associated Press. URL accessed May 21, 2006.
  57. ^ 27 States Have Made English Official (25 State Laws Still in Effect). Englishfirst.org. URL accessed May 21, 2006.
  58. ^ "Languages Spoken in the U.S.". National Virtual Translation Center. Accessed May 18, 2006.
  59. ^ A First Look at the Literacy of America’s Adults in the 21st Century, U.S. Department of Education, 2003. Accessed May 13, 2006. 2% of the population do not have minimal literacy and 14% have Below Basic prose literacy.
  60. ^ Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), OECD, reading literacy, science literacy and mathematics literacy all rank near the bottom of OECD-countries.
  61. ^ ARWU2005 Statistics by Shanghai Jiao Tong university. URL accessed on May 16, 2006.
  62. ^ Education at Glance 2005 by OECD: Percentage of foreign students in tertiary education. Education Commission of the States. URL accessed May 16, 2006.
  63. ^ "U-M study: U.S. among the most religious nations in the world". November 17, 2003. University of Michigan News Service. URL accessed May 29, 2006.
  64. ^ "Who Goes to Church?". 2004. ABC News. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  65. ^ "Religious Identification in the U.S. - Christianity sinking; 'none of the above' rising" by B.A. Robinson. March 27, 2006. Religious Tolerance.org. URL accessed May 22, 2006.
  66. ^ "The Church in the Southern Black Community". May 2001. Documenting the American Truth. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  67. ^ Erwin Fahlbusch (Editor), Jan Milic Lochman (Editor), John Mbiti (Editor), Jaroslav Jan Pelikan (Editor), Lukas Vischer (Editor), Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Translator). The Encyclopedia of Christianity: J-O. Page 597. August 2003. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. ISBN 0802824153
  68. ^ Hinckley, Gordon B. "The Mormons' Trail of Hope" July 1997. Wall Street Journal. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  69. ^ "Health system performance in all Member States" 1997. World Health Organization. Accessed May 1, 2006.
  70. ^ a b c Chapter Seven A REPUBLIC OF SCIENCE- Inquiry and innovation in science and medicine. USINFO.STATE.GOV. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  71. ^ Trends in Stroke Prevalence Between 1973 and 1991 in the US Population 25 to 74 Years of Age by Paul Muntner, PhD; Elizabeth Garrett, PhD; Michael J. Klag, MD, MPH Josef Coresh, MD, PhD. 2002. American Heart Association. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  72. ^ "Health system performance in all Member States" 1997. World Health Organization. Accessed May 1, 2006.
  73. ^ "U.S. gets poor grades for newborns' survival- Nation ranks near bottom among modern nations, better only than Latvia". May 9, 2006. Associated Press. URL accessed May 9, 2006.
  74. ^ "Obesity cost US $75bn, says study" by Jannat Jalil. January 21, 2004. BBC News. URL accessed May 12, 2006.
  75. ^ "Bush, Kerry Health Proposals Fail To Tackle Rising Costs, Ginsburg Says". October 18, 2004. The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. URL accessed May 24, 2006.
  76. ^ "State Legislatures Magazine: December 2002 - Health". December 2002. The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. URL accessed May 24, 2006.
  77. ^ Rising Health Costs, by Yves Engler, ZMag, April 2004, Volume 17, Number 4.
  78. ^ "Illness And Injury As Contributors To Bankruptcy", by David U. Himmelstein, Elizabeth Warren, Deborah Thorne, and Steffie Woolhandler, published at Health Affairs journal in 2005, Accessed May 10, 2006.
  79. ^ CensusScope 2000. Accessed May 1, 2006.
  80. ^ Figure 2 - Fifteen Largest Ancestries: 2000. 2000. U.S. Census Bureau. URL accessed May 30, 2006.
  81. ^ "Tribal trends" by Douglas Clement. March 2006. fedgazette. URL accessed May 3, 2006.
  82. ^ Population & Economic Strength. United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  83. ^ "Latino Religion in the U.S.: Demographic Shifts and Trends" by Bruce Murray. January 5, 2006. FacsNet. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  84. ^ "Asian Americans Then and Now- Link Past and Present". 1996. AskAsia.org. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  85. ^ The Asian Population: 2000. February 2002. U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  86. ^ America Approaches 300 Million Population. January 13 2006. ABC News. Accessed May 21, 2006.
  87. ^ Provine, Rob with Okon Hwang and Andy Kershaw. "Our Life Is Precisely a Song" in the Rough Guide to World Music, Volume 2, pg. 167. ISBN 1858286360.
  88. ^ Maccambridge, Michael. America's Game : The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation. October 26, 2004. Random House. ISBN 0375504540
  89. ^ Health in the United States, 2005 by United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2005
  90. ^ "The Best-Paid Athletes". June 24, 2004. Forbes.com. Accessed May 2, 2006.
  91. ^ Medal Tally. ABC News. Accessed May 3, 2006.
  92. ^ Boritt, Gabor S. Lincoln and the Economics of the American Dream. Page 1. December 1994. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0252064453.
  93. ^ Ronald Reagan. "Final Radio Address to the Nation". January 14, 1989. URL accessed June 3, 2006.
  94. ^ Cullen, Jim. The American Dream : A Short History of an Idea that Shaped a Nation. June 14, 2004. Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition. ISBN 0195173252.
  95. ^ Heiner, Robert. Social Problems: An Introduction to Critical Constructionism. Page 114. August 16, 2001. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN 019512992X.

Further reading

  • Johnson, Paul M. A History of the American People. 1104 pages. Harper Perennial: March 1, 1999. ISBN 0060930349.
  • Litwak, Robert S. Rogue States and U.S. Foreign Policy : Containment after the Cold War. 300 pages. Woodrow Wilson Center Press: February 1, 2000. ISBN 0943875978.
  • Nye, Joseph S. The Paradox of American Power : Why the World's Only Superpower Can't Go It Alone. 240 pages. Oxford University Press, USA; New Ed edition: May 1, 2003. ISBN 0195161106.
  • Susser, Ida (Editor), and Patterson, Thomas C. (Editor). Cultural Diversity in the United States: A Critical Reader. 476 pages. Blackwell Publishers: December 2000. ISBN 0631222138.
  • Whalen, Edward. The United States Of Europe: The New Superpower and the End of American Supremacy. 320 pages. The Penguin Press HC: November 4, 2004. ISBN 1594200335.
  • Pierson, Paul. Politics in Time : History, Institutions, and Social Analysis. 208 pages. Princeton University Press: August 9, 2004. ISBN 0691117152.

Government

Overviews

History

Maps

Immigration

Template:US topics  United States

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States&oldid=58287850"