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[[redirect:UsefulNotes/UnitedStates]]
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* UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates
[[/index]]
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/United_States_map_2315.gif]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
to:
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
Deleted line(s) 24,365 (click to see context) :
[[index]]
[floatboxright:
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[floatboxright:
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
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[[redirect:UsefulNotes/UnitedStates]]
to:
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
----
[[index]]
[floatboxright:
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/United_States_map_2315.gif]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
----
[[index]]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
----
[[index]]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
to:
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
----
[[index]]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
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[floatboxright:
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
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Changed line(s) 1 (click to see context) from:
[[redirect:UsefulNotes/UnitedStates]]
to:
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
----
[[index]]
[floatboxright:
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 1,391 (click to see context) from:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/United_States_map_2315.gif]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
----
[[index]]
[floatboxright:
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
----
[[index]]
[floatboxright:
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
to:
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, ''there'' it is. Notice Alaska? Yeah, it really is that big."]]
->''We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.''
-->-- '''Preamble to the United States Constitution'''
Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. Its mainland borders UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship, persecution, and violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
[[UsefulNotes/ThePresidents The President of the United States.]]
----
[[index]]
[floatboxright:
'''Also see:'''
* IndexedStatesOfAmerica
]
''The Parts of the United States of America''
* Cities:
** UsefulNotes/{{Albuquerque}}, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Atlanta}}, GA
** UsefulNotes/{{Baltimore}}, MD
** UsefulNotes/{{Boston}}, MA
*** {{Southies}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, IL
** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/DFWMetroplex Dallas/Fort Worth]], TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Denver}}, CO
** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}, MI
** UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, TX
** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}, IN
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity, MO/KS
** UsefulNotes/LasVegas, NV
** UsefulNotes/LosAngeles, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Miami}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, WI
** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], MN
** UsefulNotes/{{Nashville}}, TN
** UsefulNotes/NewOrleans, LA
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, NY
*** BigApplesauce
*** TheBigRottenApple (New York as a WretchedHive)
*** UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
*** BrooklynRage (New Yorkers as violent badasses)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops (the NYPD)
*** UsefulNotes/NewYorkCitySubway
** UsefulNotes/{{Oakland}}, CA
** UsefulNotes/{{Orlando}}, FL
** UsefulNotes/OtherCitiesInTexas
** UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, PA
** UsefulNotes/{{Portland}}, OR
** UsefulNotes/{{Richmond|Virginia}}, VA
** UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, NY
** UsefulNotes/SanFrancisco, CA
** UsefulNotes/SantaFe, NM
** UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}}, WA
** UsefulNotes/StLouis, MO
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
** [[UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC Washington, DC]]
* [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates States and territories:]]
** UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}}
** UsefulNotes/AmericanSamoa
** UsefulNotes/{{Arizona}}
** UsefulNotes/{{California}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Guam}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Minnesota}}
** UsefulNotes/NewJersey
** UsefulNotes/NewMexico
** UsefulNotes/NewYorkState
*** UsefulNotes/NiagaraFalls
** UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/NorthernMarianaIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oklahoma|USA}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Oregon}}
** UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}
** UsefulNotes/PuertoRico
** UsefulNotes/SouthCarolina
** UsefulNotes/{{Tennessee}}
** [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]]
** UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands
** UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}
** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
* Regions and concepts:
** UsefulNotes/{{Appalachia}} (the Appalachian mountains and surroundings)
** [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]] (the six Northeastern-most states)
*** LovecraftCountry (the [[DarkerAndEdgier creepy version]] of New England)
** DeepSouth (the stereotyped Southern US)
*** SweetHomeAlabama (the [[LighterAndSofter idealized]] Southern US)
*** SouthernGothic (the creepy Southern US)
** DownOnTheFarm (the rural Midwest)
*** MinnesotaNice (Midwesterners, particularly Minnesotans, portrayed as exceptionally polite)
** EverytownAmerica (the small American town)
** FlyoverCountry ("bland" Middle America)
** UsefulNotes/TheOtherRainforest (the Pacific Northwest)
** UsefulNotes/AmericanClimate
''American Culture and People''
* AmericanActors
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEnglish
** UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents
** StockAmericanPhrases
* UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCustomaryMeasurements
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanDream
* UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem
** UsefulNotes/BoiseStateUniversity
** UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}}
** HighSchool
** UsefulNotes/IvyLeague
** UsefulNotes/LawSchoolAdmissionTest
** UsefulNotes/PhillipsExeterAcademy
** UsefulNotes/{{SATs}}
** UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan
* UsefulNotes/AmericanHolidays
** UsefulNotes/ChristmasInAmerica
** UsefulNotes/LaborDayInTheUnitedStates
** UsefulNotes/ThanksgivingDay
*** UsefulNotes/MacysThanksgivingDayParade
* AmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanMoney
* AmericanMusic
** UsefulNotes/BarbershopMusic
** {{Bluegrass}}
** {{Blues}}
** CountryMusic
*** AlternativeCountry
*** GothicCountryMusic
** CountryRap
** {{Doowop}}
** {{Funk}}
** GospelMusic
** HipHop
*** BattleRapping
*** DrillMusic
*** TrapMusic
** HouseMusic
** {{Jazz}}
*** BigBand
** NewJackSwing
*** HipHopSoul
** [[RAndB Rhythm And Blues]]
*** ContemporaryRAndB
*** PBRAndB
** {{Rockabilly}}
*** {{Psychobilly|Genre}}
** RockAndRoll
*** AlternativeRock
*** EmoMusic
*** GarageRock
*** {{Grunge}}
*** MathRock
*** RiotGrrrl
*** ShockRock
*** SouthernRock
*** SurfRock
** SkaPunk
** {{Soul}}
*** NeoSoul
** {{Techno}}
* AmericanSeries
* AmericanTitle
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
* UsefulNotes/{{Broadway}}
* UsefulNotes/CuisinesInAmerica
* DoubleFeature
* DriveInTheater
* FridayNightDeathSlot
* UsefulNotes/GreatAmericanNovel
* HistoryOfAnimation
* HistoryOfHollywood
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures
*** Creator/ScreenGems
*** Creator/TriStarPictures
** Creator/{{Disney}}
** Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer
*** Creator/UnitedArtists
** Creator/{{Paramount}}
** Creator/RKOPictures
** Creator/{{Universal}}
** Creator/WarnerBros
*** Creator/FirstNationalPictures
*** Creator/NewLineCinema
* UsefulNotes/KuKluxKlan
* UsefulNotes/TheMafia
* UsefulNotes/MeltingPot
* UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericans
* MinstrelShows
* UsefulNotes/NativeAmericans
* OnlyInAmerica
** OnlyInFlorida
*** OnlyInMiami
* {{Suburbia}}
* {{Vaudeville}}
* UsefulNotes/WildlandFirefighting
''American Sports''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFootballPenalties
** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball
*** UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballConferences
** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNamesToKnow
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNonPlayerFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueNotoriousFigures
*** UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks
*** Creator/TomBrady
*** Creator/PeytonManning
*** Creator/OJSimpson
** UsefulNotes/SuperBowl
** SuperBowlSpecial
* Auto Racing
** UsefulNotes/IndyCar (open-wheel racing; one race in Canada, but the rest in the US)
** UsefulNotes/MonsterJam (monster truck racing)
** UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}}
*** UsefulNotes/DaleEarnhardt (Sr.)
*** UsefulNotes/RichardPetty
*** UsefulNotes/RickyRudd
** UsefulNotes/UnitedSportsCarChampionship
* UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}}
** UsefulNotes/CurrentPeopleToKnowInMLB (MLB = Major League Baseball)
** UsefulNotes/HistoricalPeopleToKnowInMLB
*** UsefulNotes/JackieRobinson
*** Creator/BabeRuth
** UsefulNotes/MinorLeagueBaseball
** UsefulNotes/MLBTeams (30 in all, with all but one in the US)
* Boxing
** UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli
** Creator/MikeTyson
* UsefulNotes/TonyaHarding (figure skater more remembered for a tabloid-friendly scandal in 1994)[[note]]Associates of Harding attacked rival skater Nancy Kerrigan in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to knock her out of the 1994 Winter Olympics. While Harding herself was never charged in the assault, she was banned from the sport for life.[[/note]]
* Creator/CaitlynJenner (before becoming an out transwoman, was Olympic decathlon gold medalist ''Bruce'' Jenner, who married into the Kardashian family)
* UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueSoccer (23 US teams, three Canadian, with three more US teams joining by 2023)
* UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation (30 teams, with all but one in the US)
** UsefulNotes/NotablePlayersOfTheNBA
*** Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar
*** UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain
*** UsefulNotes/StephenCurry
*** UsefulNotes/LeBronJames
*** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan
*** UsefulNotes/SteveKerr
*** Creator/ShaquilleONeal
* UsefulNotes/NationalHockeyLeague (founded as a Canadian league, but now has its HQ in New York City, and 24 of its 31 teams are in the States, with a Seattle team joining in 2021)
** UsefulNotes/TheStanleyCup (NHL championship trophy)
* UsefulNotes/{{NCAA}} (the main governing body for U.S. college sports)
* UsefulNotes/JackNicklaus (golf legend)
* UsefulNotes/UltimateFightingChampionship (the world's largest UsefulNotes/{{mixed martial arts}} promoter, based in Las Vegas)
''American Government and Politics''
* UsefulNotes/AmericanCourts
** UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw
* UsefulNotes/AmericanDrivingLaws
* UsefulNotes/AmericanGunPolitics
* UsefulNotes/AmericanLawEnforcement
** UsefulNotes/AmericanPrisons
** UsefulNotes/DigitalMillenniumCopyrightAct (DMCA)
** FelonyMurder
** MirandaRights
** UsefulNotes/ThreeDegreesOfMurder
* UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem
** UsefulNotes/AmericanFederalism
** TwentyFifthAmendment
* UsefulNotes/{{Amtrak}}
* UsefulNotes/{{CIA}}
* UsefulNotes/SubwaysOfTheUnitedStates
* UsefulNotes/{{NASA}}
* {{Politicians}}
** UsefulNotes/ThePresidents
*** WhoShotJFK
* UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks (American Armed Forces)
** UsefulNotes/AirForceOne
** UsefulNotes/CoastGuard
** UsefulNotes/NavySeals
** UsefulNotes/{{NSA}} (American communications intelligence; not part of the military per se, but part of the Department of Defense)
** UsefulNotes/PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower (American nuclear weapons)
** UsefulNotes/ThePentagon
** SemperFi (United States Marine Corps)
''American History''
* UsefulNotes/TheThirteenAmericanColonies
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution
** UsefulNotes/JohnAdams
** UsefulNotes/MarquisDeLafayette
** Creator/BenjaminFranklin
** UsefulNotes/AlexanderHamilton
** UsefulNotes/ThomasJefferson
** Creator/ThomasPaine
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington
* UsefulNotes/AntebellumAmerica
** UsefulNotes/WarOf1812
** UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny
** UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar
** UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln
* TheGildedAge
** TheWildWest
*** TheWestern
** UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarI
* TheGreatDepression
* UsefulNotes/WorldWarII
** AmericaWonWorldWarII
** UsefulNotes/DouglasMacArthur
** UsefulNotes/GeorgeSPatton
* UsefulNotes/ColdWar
** UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement
*** UsefulNotes/MartinLutherKingJr
*** UsefulNotes/MalcolmX
** UsefulNotes/TheSpaceRace
** UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar
** UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar
** UsefulNotes/OperationUrgentFury
** UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar
* UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror
''AmericanMedia and Communications''
* AfricanAmericanCreators
* AfricanAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers
* UsefulNotes/AmericanTelevisionStations
* AmericanVideoGameCompanies
* AmericanVideoGameCreators
* UsefulNotes/ANSIStandardBroadcastTVSchedule
* AsianAmericanCreators
* AsianAmericanMedia
* UsefulNotes/BroadcastingInTheUnitedStates
** Creator/{{ABC}}
** Creator/AntennaTV
*** Creator/ThisTV
** Creator/{{CBS}}
** Creator/TheCW
** Creator/{{FOX}}
*** Creator/MyNetworkTV
** Creator/{{ION}}
** Creator/MeTV
** Creator/{{NBC}}
*** Creator/{{Telemundo}}
** Creator/{{NPR}}
** Creator/{{PBS}}
** Creator/{{Univision}}
* LatinoAmericanCreators
* LatinoAmericanMedia
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsMedia
* SevenDirtyWords
* [[StationIdent Station Identification]]
[[/index]]
See UsefulNotes/MediaClassifications for American (and other) video game and movie rating systems.
----
[[AC:The American flag]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_the_united_states_8.png]]
->The blue field represents freedom and independence, the white stripes represent peace, and the red stripes represent the blood shed to earn and keep both. The flag's thirteen alternating red and white stripes symbolize the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776 -- [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut_Colony Connecticut]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Colony Delaware]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Georgia Georgia]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Maryland Maryland]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Hampshire New Hampshire]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_Jersey New Jersey]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_New_York New York]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_North_Carolina North Carolina]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Pennsylvania Pennsylvania]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Rhode_Island_and_Providence_Plantations Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_South_Carolina South Carolina]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Virginia Virginia]] -- and the fifty white stars on the blue canton reflect the Union's current composition of fifty states. In the case of a fifty-first state joining the Union (most likely Puerto Rico), [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg there is a 51-star flag on standby]].
----
[[AC:Great Seal of the United States]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states.png]]
[[caption-width-right:200:[[labelnote:Click here to see the reverse version]] [[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/great_seal_of_the_united_states_4.png]] [[/labelnote]]]]
->It was adopted in 1782 (6 years after the United States declared independence on July 4, 1776).
----
[[AC:The American National Anthem]]
->O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
->What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
->Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
->O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
->And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
->Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
->O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
* Federal presidential constitutional republic
** President: Joe Biden
** Vice President: Kamala Harris
** House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
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* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter
to:
* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterUsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
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The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
to:
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China).China)[[note]]And if you only count land area, Canada gets bumped from the #2 spot, putting the US in third behind Russia and China[[/note]]. It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
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The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the United States. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
to:
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the United States.populace. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
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Changed line(s) 11,12 (click to see context) from:
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
to:
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}.UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
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None
Changed line(s) 11,12 (click to see context) from:
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, who both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
to:
The United States is the third largest country in the world in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, who which both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''.[[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
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Adding more notes on size
Changed line(s) 9,12 (click to see context) from:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the fourth largest country in the world (behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
The United States is the fourth largest country in the world (behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
to:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It Its mainland borders Canada UsefulNotes/{{Canada}} from the north and Mexico UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}} from the south in its main territorial area. It Outside of this territory, the nation also contains the states of Hawaii UsefulNotes/{{Hawaii}} in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska the vast but mostly unpopulated UsefulNotes/{{Alaska}} between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland.UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is thefourth third largest country in the world (behind in terms of population (330 million, a ''very'' distant third behind UsefulNotes/{{China}} and UsefulNotes/{{India}}, who both are over a billion ahead of that mark) and fourth largest in terms of total area (9.5 million square kilometers/3.6 million square miles, behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. [[note]]Without this state inflating its size, the U.S. mainland would rank fifth in size behind UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}.[[/note]] If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
The United States is the
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The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the United States. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century). Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for roughly 200 years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
to:
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the United States. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century).century. Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for roughly 200 many years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
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Continued entries on demographics.
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Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship and persecution in the years since, and ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The country's government consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The country's government consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
to:
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship citizenship, persecution, and persecution violence in the years since, and while the election of UsefulNotes/BarackObama to the highest office in the land in 2008 was a sign of incredible progress, ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the United States. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century). Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for roughly 200 years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country'sgovernment government]] consists of three branches, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. The leader of the executive branch has commonly been viewed as the country's main political leader and (supposed) role model for the American people:
Starting around the end of the 19th century, the United States' resources and transcontinental territory situated them to become a true power on the world stage. From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it was universally recognized as the only superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991). While some bodies have recognized China as joining the US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
The United States has a very diverse population, as its history of expansion, international prominence, job opportunities, and promises of freedom have resulted in many different groups of people either immigrating to or being absorbed into the United States. The majority of American citizens are of European descent, as the government has generally placed few restrictions on immigration from that continent; however, their majority grows smaller every year as migration patterns have changed, and Caucasians are projected to no longer be the majority within the next few decades. Americans of Hispanic/Latinx descent make up around 17% of the population, a legacy of the war with Mexico and the two nations' shared border and also of UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, which America has claimed as a territory for over a century). Asians have been immigrating to the U.S. from across the Pacific for roughly 200 years, and though the U.S. government long attempted to limit this, the Asian American population has grown to around 5% of the nation's total since restrictions were mostly lifted in the mid-twentieth century.
The [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem country's
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Adding notes on country's history and population diversity.
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The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world (behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter. It also buying land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter. It also buying land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
to:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It As the name of the country implies, [[UsefulNotes/TheSeveralStates these states]] are more than just regional districts; each has its own distinct character and history, and state governments have a good deal of autonomy as well as influence on the rest of the nation.
The United States is the fourth largest country in the world (behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food orshelter. It shelter; Native Americans now have U.S. citizenship, comprise roughly 1% of the population, and mostly live outside of the reservations, which still exist. The government also buying purchased land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
]]
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship and persecution in the years since, and ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
The United States is the fourth largest country in the world (behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]], killing many of them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or
Most of the country's first century was marked by political fights over the institution of [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil race-based slavery]], a legacy of European colonialism that the states fought over in Congress before eventually fighting over on the battlefield. The American Civil War, the deadliest conflict in the nation's history, eventually ended with emancipation for millions of enslaved people of African descent (the vast majority of which had been born into American slavery) and provided them with citizenship. African Americans continued to experience second-class citizenship and persecution in the years since, and ensuring true equity for this group of Americans (roughly 12% of the population) [[UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter continues to be an important issue today]].
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Updating, clearing up some language
Changed line(s) 9,14 (click to see context) from:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world and ''so'' huge (it claims more territory than all other countries but #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China), in fact, that it would take three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other and a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. So if you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a lot of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time'').
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new country then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny cleansed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]] (albeit only killing them when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter), also buying land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexing the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquering territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful countries on the planet -- it is currently the only remaining superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991. China is catching up fast with the United States, however, and many of its competitors in Europe and Asia have also recovered from World War II), is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth. It is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new country then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny cleansed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]] (albeit only killing them when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter), also buying land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexing the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquering territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful countries on the planet -- it is currently the only remaining superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991. China is catching up fast with the United States, however, and many of its competitors in Europe and Asia have also recovered from World War II), is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth. It is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
to:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world and ''so'' huge (it claims more territory than all other countries but (behind #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China), China). It's ''so'' huge, in fact, that it would take takes three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other and other; a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as The the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. So if If you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a lot ''lot'' of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains to run ''on time'').
time''; public transit has always been low on America's priority list).
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The newcountry settler government then [[UsefulNotes/ManifestDestiny cleansed removed the natives from their lands as it expanded westwards]] (albeit only westwards]], killing them directly when they resisted and indirectly by forcing them into places where they couldn't get enough food or shelter), shelter. It also buying land from France, Britain (not Canada), Russia, and Denmark, annexing annexed the Kingdom of Hawaii, and conquering conquered territory during wars with UsefulNotes/{{Mexico}}, [[UsefulNotes/SpanishAmericanWar Spain]], and (much later) [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Japan.]]
From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, itis currently was universally recognized as the only remaining superpower on Earth (with the United Kingdom losing its superpower status after the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Soviet Union collapsing in 1991. 1991). While some bodies have recognized China is catching up fast with as joining the United States, however, and many US as a competing superpower in the last decade, it still has a lot of its competitors in Europe and Asia have also recovered from World War II), advantages that few other countries can compete with. It is technologically advanced and possesses a large industrial base, a large military, and great financial wealth. It wealth and is also one of the largest exporters of modern media, with its products being seen the world over.
over.
Colonized by Europeans from the 16th century onwards, thirteen of the British-ruled colonies on the eastern coast [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution declared independence in 1776]] [[StartMyOwn and combined to form their own country]] under the protection of the kingdoms of France and Spain. The new
From the end of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, if not before, the United States became a superpower and is now one of the most powerful and influential countries on the planet -- for a time, it
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->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
to:
->O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!brave!
----
[[AC:Government]]
*Federal presidential constitutional republic
**President: Joe Biden
**Vice President: Kamala Harris
**House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
----
[[AC:Government]]
*Federal presidential constitutional republic
**President: Joe Biden
**Vice President: Kamala Harris
**House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi
** Chief Justice: John Roberts
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* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovement
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* UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatterMovementUsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter
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The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world and ''so'' huge (it claims more territory than all other countries but #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China), in fact, that it would take three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other and a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. So if you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a lot of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives (there aren't all that many passenger trains anymore, aside from more local, smaller train lines that work within a city or across a fairly small set of towns).
to:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world and ''so'' huge (it claims more territory than all other countries but #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China), in fact, that it would take three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other and a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. So if you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a lot of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives (there aren't all that many passenger or train rides (and if you opt for the latter, don't expect the trains anymore, aside from more local, smaller train lines that work within a city or across a fairly small set of towns).
to run ''on time'').
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Changed line(s) 9,10 (click to see context) from:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American constitutional federal democratic republic occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world and ''so'' huge (it claims more territory than all other countries but #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China), in fact, that it would take three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other and a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. So if you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a lot of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives (there aren't all that many passenger trains anymore, aside from more local, smaller train lines that work within a city or across a fairly small set of towns).
to:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American [[TheFederation constitutional federal democratic republic republic]] occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world and ''so'' huge (it claims more territory than all other countries but #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China), in fact, that it would take three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other and a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. So if you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a lot of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives (there aren't all that many passenger trains anymore, aside from more local, smaller train lines that work within a city or across a fairly small set of towns).
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Useful information on American life and the United States for those who are not American.
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The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, or just the States]] -- is a Northern American constitutional federal democratic republic occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world and ''so'' huge (it claims more territory than all other countries but #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China), in fact, that it would take three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other and a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. So if you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a lot of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives (there aren't all that many passenger trains anymore, aside from more local, smaller train lines that work within a city or across a fairly small set of towns).
to:
The United States of America -- [[IHaveManyNames commonly referred to as the United States, the US, America, the USA, the Union (especially when discussing the Civil War), or just the States]] -- is a Northern American constitutional federal democratic republic occupying a large part of the continent of North America. It borders Canada from the north and Mexico from the south in its main territorial area. It also contains the states of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean and Alaska between the northwest of Canada and North Asia, which shares a sea border with UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}, both located outside of its mainland. In all, the country consists of fifty states,[[note]]It's a surprisingly common misconception that there are actually 46. Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky call themselves "Commonwealths" instead of "States" as nothing but their long-form title that every state has; these four simply use "Commonwealth of ____" instead of "State of ____."[[/note]] the state-neutral capital of UsefulNotes/WashingtonDC (for "District of Columbia"), and assorted commonwealths and protectorates. It is the fourth largest country in the world and ''so'' huge (it claims more territory than all other countries but #1 Russia, #2 Canada, and #3 China), in fact, that it would take three to four days on end to drive from one opposite end to the other and a flight from London to Moscow is almost 900 miles shorter than one from Los Angeles to New York. One state of the fifty, Texas, the largest state in the mainland and second largest overall, is almost three times as large as the ''entire United Kingdom'', or (for another European comparison) only slightly smaller than France (the largest country in Western Europe). Alaska, the largest overall, is about the same size as The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan ''combined''. So if you're planning to come here, don't expect to hit all the widespread landmarks in one trip unless you have a lot of time to spend and don't mind paying for many flights or sitting through long car drives (there aren't all that many passenger trains anymore, aside from more local, smaller train lines that work within a city or across a fairly small set of towns).
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** [[UsefulNotes/{{Washington}} Washington State]]
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** [[UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
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** [[UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}, OH
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* NativeAmericanAndFirstNationsCreators
