[225] American screen actors like John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe have become iconic figures, while producer/entrepreneur Walt Disney was a leader in both animated film and movie merchandising. The Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice of the United States, has nine members, who serve for life. All twenty-seven member states of the European Union are also members of the WTO in their own right: 2. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. [26] Altogether, the government owns 28.8% of the country's land area. "Diplomacy of the Revolution, to 1783", p. 352, chap. The transcendentalists, led by Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, established the first major American philosophical movement. All had local governments with elections open to most free men, with a growing devotion to the ancient rights of Englishmen and a sense of self-government stimulating support for republicanism. [69] American forces can be rapidly deployed by the Air Force's large fleet of transport aircraft, the Navy's eleven active aircraft carriers, and Marine Expeditionary Units at sea with the Navy's Atlantic and Pacific fleets. Some state judges and cabinet officers are appointed by the governors of the respective states, while others are elected by popular vote. The House Un-American Activities Committee pursued a series of investigations into suspected leftist subversion, while Senator Joseph McCarthy became the figurehead of anticommunist sentiment. Indigenous peoples descended from forebears who migrated from Asia have inhabited what is now the mainland United States for many thousands of years. In 2008, amid a global economic recession, the first African American president, Barack Obama, was elected. Hamilton, Brady E., Joyce A. Martin, and Stephanie J. Ventura (2011-11-17). The figure given is from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook. Adams, J. Q., and Pearlie Strother-Adams (2001). Since 2003, several states have legalized gay marriage as the result of judicial or legislative action. Following Kennedy's assassination in 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed under President Lyndon B. [148], The United States has many competitive private and public institutions of higher education. Almost all countries have embassies in Washington, D.C., and many have consulates around the country. In 1674, the Dutch ceded their American territory to England; the province of New Netherland was renamed New York. Many new immigrants, especially to the South, were indentured servantssome two-thirds of all Virginia immigrants between 1630 and 1680. Basketball was invented in Massachusetts by Canadian-born James Naismith. Many states ban public funding of the procedure and restrict late-term abortions, require parental notification for minors, and mandate a waiting period. The Wright brothers, in 1903, made the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight. The main cause of this rise is the drop in the number of Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance. [180] The U.S. population almost quadrupled during the 20th century, from about 76 million in 1900. Belly of the Beast: Director's Cut DVD'S available exclusively at https://www.fourthwatchfilms.comStream Belly of the Beast: Director's Cut right now at http. "Language Spoken at Home by the U.S. Population, 2010", American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, in. Hawaii, occupying an archipelago in the central Pacific, southwest of North America, has just over 4 million acres (16,000km2). The United States Department of Defense administers the armed forces, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. [222] Americans' self-images, social viewpoints, and cultural expectations are associated with their occupations to an unusually close degree. 1101(a)(38) U.S. Federal Code, Immigration and Nationality Act. Most Americans sympathized with the British and French, although many opposed intervention. At 20,320feet (6,194m), Alaska's Mount McKinley is the tallest peak in the country and in North America. Write by: [56] In the American federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government, federal, state, and local; the local government's duties are commonly split between county and municipal governments. Is the United States of America, by design, set to fulfill an ancient, esoteric prophecy, charted by mystics of ages past? The North's victory prevented a permanent split of the country and led to the end of legal slavery in the United States. Belly of the Beast: Director's Cut: Directed by Justen Faull, Wes Faull. Lacrosse and surfing arose from Native American and Native Hawaiian activities that predate Western contact. "Public Policy: Economic Inequality and Poverty: The United States in Comparative Perspective". There are fifty-eight national parks and hundreds of other federally managed parks, forests, and wilderness areas. [158] Obesity-related type 2 diabetes is considered epidemic by health care professionals. [179] Much of this growth is from immigration; as of 2007, 12.6% of the U.S. population was foreign-born, with 54% of that figure born in Latin America. The principle of judicial review, not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, was declared by the Supreme Court in Marbury v. Madison (1803). LTC. In the 1960s, Bob Dylan emerged from the folk revival to become one of America's most celebrated songwriters and James Brown led the development of funk. [207] Protestant denominations accounted for 51.3%, while Roman Catholicism, at 23.9%, was the largest individual denomination. . American pop stars such as Presley, Michael Jackson, and Madonna have become global celebrities. The prosperity of the Roaring Twenties ended with the Wall Street Crash of 1929 that triggered the Great Depression. The Great Plains west of the 100th meridian are semi-arid. For thousands of years, mystery religions and diverse occultists ha Is the United States of America, by design, set to fulfill an ancient, esoteric prophecy, charted by mystics of ages past? The climate is arid in the Great Basin, desert in the Southwest, Mediterranean in coastal California, and oceanic in coastal Oregon and Washington and southern Alaska. Farther west are the rocky Great Basin and deserts such as the Chihuahua and Mojave. Friends, we just might be in the golden age of video game adaptations. [21], The United States, with its large size and geographic variety, includes most climate types. Of Americans twenty-five and older, 84.6% graduated from high school, 52.6% attended some college, 27.2% earned a bachelor's degree, and 9.6% earned graduate degrees. During World War II, the Manhattan Project developed nuclear weapons, ushering in the Atomic Age. [184] Mexico has been the leading source of new residents for over two decades; since 1998, China, India, and the Philippines have been in the top four sending countries every year. [138] Bicycle usage for work commutes is minimal. The Coast Guard is run by the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime and the Department of the Navy in time of war. The California Gold Rush of 184849 further spurred western migration. Kosmin, Barry A., Egon Mayer, and Ariela Kaysar (2001-12-19). Victory in the SpanishAmerican War the same year demonstrated that the United States was a world power and led to the annexation of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. For other uses of terms redirecting here, see, World War I, Great Depression, and World War II, . The longest economic expansion in modern U.S. historyfrom March 1991 to March 2001encompassed the Bill Clinton administration and the dot-com bubble. The short form "United States" is also standard. Though little known at the time, Charles Ives's work of the 1910s established him as the first major U.S. composer in the classical tradition, while experimentalists such as Henry Cowell and John Cage created a distinctive American approach to classical composition. It works closely with fellow NATO members on military and security issues and with its neighbors through the Organization of American States and free trade agreements such as the trilateral North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Thompson, William, and Joseph Hickey (2005). [91] While its economy has reached a postindustrial level of development and its service sector constitutes 67.8% of GDP, the United States remains an industrial power. "American" is rarely used in English to refer to people not connected to the United States. [48] The United States, having developed the first nuclear weapons, used them on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August. Aaron Copland and George Gershwin developed a new synthesis of popular and classical music. The "red states" of the South and parts of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains are relatively conservative. The original text of the Constitution establishes the structure and responsibilities of the federal government and its relationship with the individual states. [88] In 2010, oil was the largest import commodity, while transportation equipment was the country's largest export. SABOTAGE: EAST PALESTINE, OHIO INSIDE JOB! The supervolcano underlying Yellowstone National Park in the Rockies is the continent's largest volcanic feature. "How Much Health Insurance Is Enough? The largest private employment sector is health care and social assistance, with 16.4 million people. [85] According to the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. GDP of $15.1 trillion constitutes 22% of the gross world product at market exchange rates and over 19% of the gross world product at purchasing power parity (PPP). Chanlett-Avery, Emma, et al. [54] Forces led by the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, ousting Saddam Hussein. Director's Cut version released by Fourth Watch Films. Scheb, John M., and John M. Scheb II (2002). The 1628 chartering of the Massachusetts Bay Colony resulted in a wave of migration; by 1634, New England had been settled by some 10,000 Puritans. 1. This globally sovereign empire would lead the entire world into an age of spiritual enlightenment, posturing itself as a true utopia while it ushers in a revival of ancient magick rites, as well as a return to the worship of old gods and goddesses. The Reserves and National Guard brought the total number of troops to 2.3 million. Africa: Saint Helena; Americas Mark Twain and poet Walt Whitman were major figures in the century's second half; Emily Dickinson, virtually unknown during her lifetime, is now recognized as an essential American poet. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Soul food, developed by African slaves, is popular around the South and among many African Americans elsewhere. Among developed nations, the United States has above-average levels of violent crime and particularly high levels of gun violence and homicide. [205] According to a 2007 survey, 78.4% of adults identified themselves as Christian,[206] down from 86.4% in 1990. [140] Of the world's thirty busiest passenger airports, sixteen are in the United States, including the busiest, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. [24] About 91,000 insect species have been described. Fast food consumption has sparked health concerns. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language. [34] Beginning in 1614, the Dutch settled along the lower Hudson River, including New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. The governor (chief executive) of each state is directly elected. In the 20th century, the modern musical form emerged on Broadway; the songs of musical theater composers such as Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and Stephen Sondheim have become pop standards. All authoritative calculations of the country's size include only the 50 states and the District of Columbia, not the territories. It emerged from World WarII as the first country with nuclear weapons and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. On April2, 1513, Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de Len landed on what he called "La Florida"the first documented European arrival on what would become the U.S. mainland. [122], The rise of Nazism in the 1930s led many European scientists, including Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, and John von Neumann, to immigrate to the United States. [44] In 1920, the women's rights movement won passage of a constitutional amendment granting women's suffrage. Most of the other states have been carved from territories obtained through war or purchase by the U.S. government. Census Regions, Census Divisions, and Their Constituent States", http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/glossry2.pdf, "Foreign Language Enrollments in United States Institutions of Higher Learning", http://www.adfl.org/resources/enrollments.pdf, "The Constitution of the State of Hawaii, Article XV, Section 4", http://www.hawaii.gov/lrb/con/conart15.html, "California Code of Civil Procedure, Section 412.20(6)", http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=ccp&group=00001-01000&file=412.10-412.30, http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms/allforms.htm, "Among Wealthy NationsU.S. Baseball has been regarded as the national sport since the late 19th century, while American football is now by several measures the most popular spectator sport. The entrance to a secret crypt in D.C. thats connected to the underworld; the origins of American Lucifer worship linked to the deep state; and for the first time ever revealed, the U.S. government-owned location where The Antichrist will likely be resurrected on American soil! [117] The top 1% pays 27.6% of all federal taxes, while the top 10% pays 54.7%. As a result of the Watergate scandal, in 1974 Nixon became the first U.S. president to resign, to avoid being impeached on charges including obstruction of justice and abuse of power. Boxing and horse racing were once the most watched individual sports,[242] but they have been eclipsed by golf and auto racing, particularly NASCAR. The president is not elected by direct vote, but by an indirect electoral college system in which the determining votes are apportioned to the states and the District of Columbia. Belly of the Beast Directors Cut is a ground-breaking documentary film that presents the hidden history of the United States and its secret origins of the deep state that youve never seen or heard before, as well as decoding their present-day conspiracies and the future prophecies to come. The Christian revivalist movement of the 1730s and 1740s known as the Great Awakening fueled interest in both religion and religious liberty. With the Confederate attack upon Fort Sumter, the Civil War began and four more slave states joined the Confederacy. While the abortion rate is falling, the abortion ratio of 241 per 1,000 live births and abortion rate of 15 per 1,000 women aged 1544 remain higher than those of most Western nations. The next year saw the first commercial screening of a projected film, also in New York, and the United States was in the forefront of sound film's development in the following decades. [73] The proposed base Department of Defense budget for 2012, $553 billion, is a 4.2% increase over 2011; an additional $118 billion is proposed for the military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. [68], Military service is voluntary, though conscription may occur in wartime through the Selective Service System. During the American Civil War, West Virginia broke away from Virginia. "Do Social-Welfare Policies Reduce Poverty? Interests", http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33233.pdf, "Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress", http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33436.pdf, "U.S.South Korea Relations: Issues for Congress", http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R41481.pdf, http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33476.pdf, http://www.globalissues.org/article/35/us-and-foreign-aid-assistance, "The Air Force in Facts and Figures (Armed Forces Manpower Trends, End Strength in Thousands)", http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Magazine%20Documents/2009/May%202009/0509facts_fig.pdf, "WHAT DOES SELECTIVE SERVICE PROVIDE FOR AMERICA? in. The Appalachian Mountains divide the eastern seaboard from the Great Lakes and the grasslands of the Midwest. Belly of the Beast Directors Cut is a ground-breaking documentary film that presents the hidden history of the United States and its secret origins of the deep state that youve never seen or heard before, as well as decoding their present day conspiracies and the future prophecies to come. [226], Americans are the heaviest television viewers in the world,[227] and the average viewing time continues to rise, reaching five hours a day in 2006. The 1867 Alaska Purchase from Russia completed the country's mainland expansion. [145], American public education is operated by state and local governments, regulated by the United States Department of Education through restrictions on federal grants. New railways made relocation easier for settlers and increased conflicts with Native Americans. [176] In 2010, the country had the fifth highest number of executions in the world, following China, Iran, North Korea, and Yemen. A widespread countercultural movement grew, fueled by opposition to the war, black nationalism, and the sexual revolution. In the French and Indian War, British forces seized Canada from the French, but the francophone population remained politically isolated from the southern colonies. [156] Approximately one-third of the adult population is obese and an additional third is overweight;[157] the obesity rate, the highest in the industrialized world, has more than doubled in the last quarter-century. By the 1870s, its national economy was the world's largest. [168] There were 5.0 murders per 100,000 persons in 2009, 10.4% fewer than in 2000. In 2010, about 230 million, or 80% of the population aged five years and older, spoke only English at home. At 3.79million square miles (9.83million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. Taliban insurgents continue to fight a guerrilla war. Stands Alone in its Embrace of Religion", http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=167, http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/affiliations-all-traditions.pdf, "American Religious Identification Survey 2001", http://www.gc.cuny.edu/CUNY_GC/media/CUNY-Graduate-Center/PDF/ARIS/ARIS-PDF-version.pdf?ext=.pdf, "The American Religious Landscape and Political Attitudes: A Baseline for 2004", "Table 55Marital Status of the Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin: 1990 to 2007", http://web.archive.org/web/20070609151527/http://www.iserp.columbia.edu/news/articles/female_college.html, "For First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage", http://www.gallup.com/poll/147662/First-Time-Majority-Americans-Favor-Legal-Gay-Marriage.aspx, "Teenage birth rate statistics countries compared NationMaster People", http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/peo_tee_bir_rat-people-teenage-birth-rate, "Abortion SurveillanceUnited States, 2003", http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5511a1.htm, http://www.clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-dimensions/individualism/, "A Family Affair: Intergenerational Social Mobility across OECD Countries", http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/2/7/45002641.pdf, "Intergenerational Mobility in Europe and North America", http://web.archive.org/web/20060623094610/http://www.suttontrust.com/reports/IntergenerationalMobility.pdf, "Effects of Social Class and Interactive Setting on Maternal Speech", http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED309843&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accno&objectId=0900000b800472a5, "World Culture Report 2000 Calls for Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage", http://www.unesco.org/bpi/eng/unescopress/2000/00-120e.shtml, "Summary: Does Globalization Thwart Cultural Diversity? Is the United States of America, by design, set to fulfill an ancient, esoteric prophecy, charted by mystics of ages past? [206][207], In 2007, 58% of Americans age 18 and over were married, 6% were widowed, 10% were divorced, and 25% had never been married. The Senate has 100 members with each state having two senators, elected at-large to six-year terms; one third of Senate seats are up for election every other year. [1][152] The United Nations assigns the United States an Education Index of 0.97, tying it for 12th in the world. The country ranks ninth in the world in nominal GDP per capita and sixth in GDP per capita at PPP. [86], The United States is the largest importer of goods and third largest exporter, though exports per capita are relatively low. Country music developed in the 1920s, and rhythm and blues in the 1940s. [231], In the 18th and early 19th centuries, American art and literature took most of its cues from Europe. It is a member of the G8,[58] G20, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Congress. Michael Lee Markets, Economics, & Investing. "British Convicts Shipped to American Colonies".