United States - Nationhood

Constitution  • Completed  • Ratified  • Effective September 17, 1787 May 23, 1788 March 4, 1789 The United States of America is a federal democratic republic situated primarily in North America. It comprises 50 states and one federal district, and has several territories with differing degrees of affiliation. It is also referred to, with varying formality, as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., the StatesIncluding:

• United States - History
• United States - Prehistory
• United States - European settlement
• United States - Nationhood
• United States - Civil War
• United States - Expansion
• United States - The 20th Century
• United States - Government
• United States - Republic and suffrage
• United States - Federal government
• United States - State and local governments
• United States - Political divisions
• United States - Foreign relations and military
• United States - Geography and climate
• United States - Largest cities
• United States - Economy
• United States - Transportation
• United States - Society
• United States - Demographics
• United States - Population
• United States - Education
• United States - Language
• United States - Culture
• United States - Sports
• United States - International rankings
• United States - Notes

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United States - Republic and suffrage. The United States is an example of a constitutional republic, with a government composed of and operating through a set of limited powers imposed by its design and enumerated in the United States Constitution. The government has changed significantly over time, beginning as a Democratic Republic, similar to the early Roman Republic 'fused' with the English Parliament. Today, the United States is much more democratic, in that the Senators are now directly elected by the citiz ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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United States - Republic and suffrage. The United States is an example of a constitutional republic, with a government composed of and operating 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. Officials of each of these levels are either elected by eligible voters via secret ballot or appointed by other elected officials. Almost all ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th Century, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Largest cities, United States - Economy, United States - Transportation, United States - Society, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - Education, United States - Language, United States - Culture, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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United States - Republic and suffrage. The United States is an example of a constitutional republic, with a government composed of and operating through a set of limited powers imposed by its design and enumerated in the United States Constitution. The government has changed significantly over time, beginning as a Democratic Republic, similar to the early Roman Republic 'fused' with the English Parliament. Today, the United States is much more democratic, in that the Senators are now directly elected by the citiz ...

See also:

United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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The United States has dozens of major cities, including 11 of the 55 global cities of all types — with three "alpha" global cities: New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The figures expressed below are for populations within city limits. A different ranking is evident when considering U.S. metro area populations, although the top three would be unchanged. Note that some cities not listed (such as Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, Seattle, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.) are still considered important on the basis of ot ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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In the United States, education is a state, not federal, responsibility, and the laws and standards vary considerably. However, the federal government, through the Department of Education, is involved with funding of some programs and exerts some influence through its ability to control funding. In most states, all students must attend mandatory schooling starting with kindergarten, which children normally enter at age 5, and following through 12th grade, which is normally completed at age 18 (although in some states, students are permitted ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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Because the automobile industry took off very early in United States (when compared to other Western nations) much of the development of U.S. urban areas has taken place around the concept of creating cities and residential areas to suit the needs of road vehicles. The automobile industry was quick to attain influence in government and media alike, and was also the force behind the dismantling of the electric rail transport systems or trolleys in over 40 U.S. cities through a subsidiary called National City Lines. To link its vast territory, ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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The United States does not have an official language at the federal level. English is the language generally used for official pronouncements, though there is legislation that assists non-English speakers, such as the Voting Rights Language Assistance Act of 1992, which prohibits covered States and political subdivisions from providing English-only voting materials. Twenty-seven individual states have adopted English as their official language, and three of those—Hawaii, Louisiana, and New Mexico—have also adopted a second officia ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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U.S. popular culture has a significant influence on the rest of the world, especially the Western world. U.S. music is heard all over the world, and it is the sire of such forms as blues and jazz and had a primary hand in the shaping of modern rock and roll and popular music culture. Many famous Western classical musicians and ensembles find their home in the U.S. New York City is a hub for international operatic and instrumental music as well as the world-famed Broadway plays and musicals. Nashville is the center of the country music indust ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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The United States has the largest single-country economy in the world, with a per-capita annual gross domestic product of $41,747 (as of Q2 2005 [2]). In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. This is financed via taxes and borrowings in the money and capital markets. Federal borrowings are subject to borrowing caps to theoretically prevent fiscal ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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United States - Population. Main article: Demographics of the United States The mean center of the U.S. population continues to drift farther west and south. The fastest growing region is the West, followed by the South. Growth in some parts of the nation have been particularly extreme such as the fastest growing metropolitan area, Las Vegas, Nevada, which went from 273,288 people in 1970 to about 1,650,671 in 2004. Between 1990 and 2000, 19 of the 20 fastes ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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The major team sports in America are home-grown. American football, baseball (often called "The National Pastime"), auto racing (especially NASCAR), and basketball, are the top four main sports in America. Ice hockey is also popular in the U.S., especially in the Upper Midwest and Northeast. Although it is currently one of the most played sports amongst American youth, soccer does not have a particularly large following in the U.S. in contrast to its extreme popularity in most other countries. Nevertheless, the U.S. did host the World Cup in ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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The major team sports in America are home-grown. American football, baseball (often called "The National Pastime"), auto racing (especially NASCAR), and basketball, are the top four main sports in America. Ice hockey is also popular in the U.S., especially in the Upper Midwest and Northeast. Although it is currently one of the most played sports amongst American youth, soccer does not have a particularly large following in the U.S. in contrast to its extreme popularity in most other countries. Nevertheless, the U.S. did host the World Cup in ...

See also:

United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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United States - Prehistory. American history began with the migration of people from Asia across the Bering land bridge some time prior to 12,000 years ago, possibly following large animals that they hunted into the Americas. These Native Americans left evidence of their presence in petroglyphs, burial mounds, and other artifacts. 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 ( ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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U.S. popular culture has a significant influence on the rest of the world, especially the Western world. U.S. music is heard all over the world, and it is the sire of such forms as blues and jazz and had a primary hand in the shaping of modern rock and roll and popular music culture. Many famous Western classical musicians and ensembles find their home in the U.S. New York City is a hub for international operatic and instrumental music as well as the world-famed Broadway plays and musicals. Nashville is the center of the country music indust ...

See also:

United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

Read more here: » United States: Encyclopedia II - United States - People and culture

The United States does not have an official language at the federal level. English is the language generally used for official pronouncements, though there is legislation that assists non-English speakers, such as the Voting Rights Language Assistance Act of 1992, which prohibits covered States and political subdivisions from providing English-only voting materials. Twenty-seven individual states have adopted English as their official language, and three of those—Hawaii, Louisiana, and New Mexico—have also adopted a second officia ...

See also:

United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

Read more here: » United States: Encyclopedia II - United States - Language

In the United States, education is a state, not federal, responsibility, and the laws and standards vary considerably. However, the federal government, through the Department of Education, is involved with funding of some programs and exerts some influence through its ability to control funding. In most states, all students must attend mandatory schooling starting with kindergarten, which children normally enter at age 5, and following through 12th grade, which is normally completed at age 18 (although in some states, students are permitted ...

See also:

United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

Read more here: » United States: Encyclopedia II - United States - Education

United States - Population. Main article: Demographics of the United States The mean center of the U.S. population continues to drift farther west and south. The fastest growing region is the West, followed by the South. Growth in some parts of the nation have been particularly extreme such as the fastest growing metropolitan area, Las Vegas, Nevada, which went from 273,288 people in 1970 to about 1,650,671 in 2004. Between 1990 and 2000, 19 of the 20 fastes ...

See also:

United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

Read more here: » United States: Encyclopedia II - United States - Demographics

The United States has the largest single-country economy in the world, with a per-capita annual gross domestic product of $41,747 (as of Q2 2005 [2]). In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. This is financed via taxes and borrowings in the money and capital markets. Federal borrowings are subject to borrowing caps to theoretically prevent fiscal ...

See also:

United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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United States - Geography. Main article: Geography of the United States The United States shares land borders with Canada (to the north) and Mexico (to the south), and territorial water boundaries with Canada, Russia, the Bahamas, and numerous smaller nations. It is otherwise bounded by the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, in the west; the Arctic Ocean, in the northernmost areas; and the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and th ...

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United States, United States - History, United States - Prehistory, United States - European settlement, United States - Nationhood, United States - Civil War, United States - Expansion, United States - The 20th century, United States - Geography and climate, United States - Geography, United States - Climate, United States - Government, United States - Republic and suffrage, United States - Federal government, United States - State tribal and local governments, United States - Political divisions, United States - Foreign relations and military, United States - Human rights debates, United States - Economy, United States - Demographics, United States - Population, United States - People and culture, United States - Language, United States - Largest cities, United States - Education, United States - Transportation, United States - Sports, United States - International rankings, United States - Notes

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