united states how much how many

in Born of http as 16 USA 42 Mountains to Concerns domestic immigrant sharp as work 2.7% settle 1937 white the 6 Budd . http //wn /Herman_Melville Hillary Clinton http //wn /Hillary_Clinton Irving Berlin Irving Berlin May 11 1888September 22 1989 was an American composer and lyricist widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in history. http //wn /Irving_Berlin Isadora Duncan Isadora Duncan May 26 1877 - September 14 1927 was a dancer considered by many to be the creator of modern dance. Born in the United States she lived in Europe and the Soviet Union from the age of 22 until her death at age 50. In the United States she was popular only in New York and then only later in her life . She performed to acclaim throughout Europe. http //wn /Isadora_Duncan Jackson Pollock Paul Jackson Pollock January 28 1912 ndash August 11 1956 was an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. During his lifetime Pollock enjoyed considerable fame and notoriety. He was regarded as a mostly reclusive artist. He had a volatile personality sometimes struggling with alcoholism. In 1945 he married the artist Lee Krasner who became an important influence on his career and on his legacy. http //wn /Jackson_Pollock James Bevel James L. Bevel October 19 1936 ndash December 19 2008 was an American minister and leader of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement who as the Director of Direct Action and Director of Nonviolent Education of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference SCLC initiated strategized directed and developed SCLC's three major successes of the era the 1963 Birmingham Children's Crusade the 1965 Selma Voting Rights Movement and the 1966 Chicago Open Housing Movement. James Bevel also called for and initially organized the 1963 March on Washington and initiated and strategized the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches SCLC's two main public gatherings of the era. For his work in the 1960s he has been referred to as the "Father of Voting Rights" the "Strategist and Architect of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement" and as half of the Bevel/King team that formulated and communicated the actions issues and dialogues which created the historical changes of the era. http //wn /James_Bevel James Brown James Joseph Brown Jr. May 3 1933 – December 25 2006 was an American singer and entertainer. Eventually referred to as "The Godfather of Soul" Brown started singing in church groups and worked his way up. He has been recognized as one of the most influential figures in the 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing. He was also called "the hardest working man in show business".cite news url=http // washingtonpost /wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/25/AR2006122500049.html work=The Washington Post title=Hardworking Godfather of Soul first= http //wn /James_Brown Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins October 11 1918 – July 29 1998 was a five time Tony Award two time Academy Award and Kennedy Center Honors winning American theater producer director and choreographer known primarily for Broadway Theater and Ballet/Dance but who also occasionally directed films and directed/produced for television. His work has included everything from classical ballet to contemporary musical theater. Among the numerous stage productions he worked on were On the Town High Button Shoes The King And I The Pajama Game Bells Are Ringing West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof . He won the Academy Award for Best Director with Robert Wise for West Side Story . A documentary about his life and work Something to Dance About featuring excerpts from his journals archival performance and rehearsal footage and interviews with Robbins and his colleagues premiered in PBS in 2009. http //wn /Jerome_Robbins Jimmy Carter James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr. born October 1 1924 served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office. Before he became President Carter served two terms as a Georgia State Senator and one as Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975 and was a peanut farmer and naval officer. http //wn /Jimmy_Carter Joe Biden http //wn /Joe_Biden John Barth John Simmons Barth born May 27 1930 is an American novelist and short-story writer known for the postmodernist and metafictive quality of his work. http //wn /John_Barth John Boehner John Andrew Boehner born November 17 1949 is an American Republican politician who is currently serving as the House Minority Leader in the 111th Congress. He serves as a U.S. Representative from which includes several rural and suburban areas near Cincinnati and Dayton and a small portion of Dayton itself. http //wn /John_Boehner John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. September 5 1912 – August 12 1992 was an American composer philosopher poet music theorist artist printmaker and amateur mycologist and mushroom collector. A pioneer of chance music electronic music and non-standard use of musical instruments Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential American composers of the 20th century. He was also instrumental in the development of modern dance mostly through his association with choreographer Merce Cunningham who was also Cage's romantic partner for most of their lives. http //wn /John_Cage John Dewey John Dewey October 20 1859 – June 1 1952 was an American philosopher psychologist and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. Dewey along with Charles Sanders Peirce and William James is recognized as one of the founders of the philosophy of pragmatism and of functional psychology. He was a major representative of the progressive and progressive populist philosophies of schooling during the first half of the 20th century in the USA. http //wn /John_Dewey John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy May 29 1917 – November 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK was the 35th President of the United States serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. http //wn /John_F_Kennedy John Rawls John Bordley Rawls February 21 1921 – November 24 2002 was an American philosopher and a leading figure in moral and political philosophy. He held the James Bryant Conant University Professorship at Harvard. His magnum opus A Theory of Justice 1971 is now regarded as "one of the primary texts in political philosophy." His work in political philosophy dubbed Rawlsianism takes as its starting point the argument that "most reasonable principles of justice are those everyone would accept and agree to from a fair position." Rawls employs a number of thought experiments—including the famous veil of ignorance—to determine what constitutes a fair agreement in which "everyone is impartially situated as equals " in order to determine principles of social justice. He is one of the major thinkers in the tradition of liberal political philosophy. http //wn /John_Rawls John Roberts John Glover Roberts Jr. born January 27 1955 is the 17th and current Chief Justice of the United States. He has served since 2005 having been nominated by President George W. Bush after the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. He has been described as having a conservative judicial philosophy in his jurisprudence. http //wn /John_Roberts John Trumbull John Trumbull June 6 1756 ndash November 10 1843 was an American artist during the period of the American Revolutionary War and was notable for his historical paintings. His Declaration of Independence was used on the reverse of the two-dollar bill. http //wn /John_Trumbull John Wayne Marion Mitchell "Duke" Morrison born Marion Robert Morrison May 26 1907 – June 11 1979 better known by his stage name John Wayne was an Academy Award-winning American film actor director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive voice walk and height. He was also known for his conservative political views and his support beginning in the 1950s for anti-communist positions. http //wn /John_Wayne Joseph McCarthy Joseph Raymond McCarthy November 14 1908 ndash May 2 1957 was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957. Beginning in 1950 McCarthy became the most visible public face of a period in which Cold War tensions fueled fears of widespread Communist subversion. http //wn /Joseph_McCarthy Juan Ponce de León Juan Ponce de León y Figueroa 1474 – July 1521 was a Spanish explorer. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida which he named. He is associated with the legend of the Fountain of Youth reputed to be in Florida. http //wn /Juan_Ponce_de_León Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong August 4 1901 – July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Pops was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans Louisiana. http //wn /Louis_Armstrong Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson August 27 1908 – January 22 1973 often referred to as LBJ served as the 36th President of the United States from 1963 to 1969 after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States from 1961 to 1963. He is one of four Presidents who served in all four elected Federal offices of the United States Representative Senator Vice President and President. http //wn /Lyndon_B_Johnson Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe June 1 1926 – August 5 1962 born Norma Jeane Mortenson but baptized Norma Jeane Baker was an American actress singer and model. After spending much of her childhood in foster homes Monroe began a career as a model which led to a film contract in 1946. Her early film appearances were minor but her performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve both 1950 were well received. By 1953 Monroe had progressed to leading roles. Her "dumb blonde" persona was used to comedic effect in such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 1953 How to Marry a Millionaire 1953 and The Seven Year Itch 1955 . Limited by typecasting Monroe studied at the Actors Studio to broaden her range and her dramatic performance in Bus Stop 1956 was hailed by critics. Her production company Marilyn Monroe Productions released The Prince and the Showgirl 1957 for which she received a BAFTA Award nomination and she received a Golden Globe Award for her performance in Some Like It Hot 1959 . http //wn /Marilyn_Monroe Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 well known by his pen name Mark Twain was an American author and humorist. Twain is noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1885 which has been called "the Great American Novel" and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 1876 . Twain was a friend to presidents artists industrialists and European royalty. http //wn /Mark_Twain Marsden Hartley Marsden Hartley January 4 1877 - September 2 1943 was an American Modernist painter poet and essayist of the early 20th century. Hartley was born in Lewiston Maine USA where his English parents had settled. He began his art training at the Cleveland Institute of Art after the family moved to Cleveland Ohio in 1892. He was born Edmund Hartley but chose to take on his stepmother's maiden name Marsden as his first name. http //wn /Marsden_Hartley Martha Graham Martha Graham May 11 1894 ndash April 1 1991 was an American dancer choreographer regarded as one of the foremost pioneers of modern dance whose influence on dance can be compared to the influence Stravinsky had on music Picasso had on the visual arts or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture. Graham was a galvanizing performer a choreographer of astounding moves. She invented a new language of movement and used it to reveal the passion the rage and the ecstasy common to human experience. She danced and choreographed for over seventy years and during that time was the first dancer ever to perform at The White House the first dancer ever to travel abroad as a cultural ambassador and the first dancer ever to receive the highest civilian award of the USA the Medal of Freedom. In her lifetime she received honors ranging from the key to the City of Paris to Japan's Imperial Order of the Precious Crown. She said "I have spent all my life with dance and being a dancer. It's permitting life to use you in a very intense way. Sometimes it is not pleasant. Sometimes it is fearful. But nevertheless it is inevitable." http //wn /Martha_Graham Martin Waldseemüller Martin Waldseemüller Latinized Martinus Ilacomylus Ilacomilus or Hylacomylus c. 1470 ndash Saint-Dié-des-Vosges 1520 March 16 was a German cartographer. He and Matthias Ringmann are credited with the first recorded usage of the word America on the 1507 map Universalis Cosmographia in honor of the Florentine explorer Amerigo Vespucci. http //wn /Martin_Waldseemüller Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson August 29 1958 – June 25 2009 was an American recording artist entertainer and philanthropist. Referred to as the King of Pop Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music dance and fashion along with a much-publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The eighth child of the Jackson family he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in the mid-1960s and began his solo career in 1971. http //wn /Michael_Jackson Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne born Nathaniel Hathorne July 4 1804 – May 19 1864 was an American novelist and short story writer. http //wn /Nathaniel_Hawthorne Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla 10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943 was an inventor mechanical engineer and electrical engineer. He was an important contributor to the birth of commercial electricity and is best known for his many revolutionary developments in the field of electromagnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tesla's patents and theoretical work formed the basis of modern alternating current AC electric power systems including the polyphase system of electrical distribution and the AC motor. This work helped usher in the Second Industrial Revolution. http //wn /Nikola_Tesla Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky or born December 7 1928 is an American linguist philosopher cognitive scientist and political activist. He is an Institute Professor and professor emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Chomsky is well known in the academic and scientific community as one of the fathers of modern linguistics and a major figure of analytic philosophy. Since the 1960s he has become known more widely as a political dissident and an anarchist referring to himself as a libertarian socialist. Chomsky is the author of more than 100 books and has received worldwide attention for his views despite being typically absent from the mainstream media. http //wn /Noam_Chomsky Orson Welles George Orson Welles May 6 1915 – October 10 1985 best known as Orson Welles was an American filmmaker actor theatre director screenwriter and producer who worked extensively in film theatre television and radio. Noted for his innovative dramatic productions as well as his distinctive voice and personality Welles is widely acknowledged as one of the most accomplished dramatic artists of the twentieth century especially for his significant and influential early work—despite his notoriously contentious relationship with Hollywood. His distinctive directorial style featured layered nonlinear narrative forms innovative uses of lighting and chiaroscuro unique camera angles sound techniques borrowed from radio deep focus shots and long takes. Welles's long career in film is noted for his struggle for artistic control in the face of pressure from studios which resulted in many of his films being severely edited and others left unreleased. He has thus been praised as a major creative force and as "the ultimate auteur." http //wn /Orson_Welles P. T. Barnum Phineas Taylor Barnum July 5 1810 – April 7 1891 was an American showman businessman and entertainer remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus. http //wn /P_T_Barnum Paula Jones Paula Corbin Jones born Paula Rosalee Corbin September 17 1966 is a former Arkansas state employee who sued U.S. President Bill Clinton for sexual harassment. The lawsuit was dismissed before trial on the grounds that Jones failed to demonstrate any damages. However while the dismissal was being appealed Clinton entered into an out-of-court settlement by agreeing to pay Jones $850 000. http //wn /Paula_Jones Philip Johnson Philip Cortelyou Johnson July 8 1906 mdash January 25 2005 was an influential American architect. With his thick round-framed glasses Johnson was the most recognizable figure in American architecture for decades. http //wn /Philip_Johnson Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson May 25 1803 – April 27 1882 was an American lecturer essayist and poet best remembered for leading the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society and he disseminated his thought through dozens of published essays and more than 1 500 public lectures across the United States. http //wn /Ralph_Waldo_Emerson Ransom E. Olds Ransom Eli Olds June 3 1864 – August 26 1950 was a pioneer of the American automotive industry for whom both the Oldsmobile and Reo brands were named. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1894 and his first gasoline powered car in 1896. http //wn /Ransom_E_Olds Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon January 9 1913 ndash April 22 1994 was the 37th President of the United States from 1969 to 1974 having formerly been the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. A member of the Republican Party he was the only President to resign the office as well as the only person to be elected twice to both the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. http //wn /Richard_Nixon Richard Rorty Richard McKay Rorty October 4 1931 – June 8 2007 was an American philosopher. He had a long and diverse academic career including positions as Stuart Professor of Philosophy at Princeton Kenan Professor of Humanities at the University of Virginia and Professor of Comparative Literature at Stanford University. His complex intellectual background gave him a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the analytic tradition in philosophy he would later famously reject. The philosophical program he developed included a rejection of a representationalist account of knowledge a concept he referred to as a "mirror of nature " which he saw as a holdover from Platonism and pervasive throughout the history of philosophy. In response to this tradition which he saw embodied by analytic philosophy Rorty developed a novel form of pragmatism in which scientific and philosophical methods are merely contingent "vocabularies" which are abandoned or adopted over time according to social conventions and usefulness. Abandoning the representationalist account of knowledge Rorty believed would lead to a state of mind he referred to as "ironism" in which people are completely aware of the contingency of their placement in history and of their vocabulary. For Rorty this brand of philosophy is always tied to the notion of "social hope " that without the ideas of representation and other concepts standing in the way between the mind and the world human society would be more free. Much of his work explicates what a "postmetaphysical" culture that has abandoned representationalist epistemology would look like incorporating a pragmatist naturalism that treats science as a tool towards liberalism. His best known book is Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature 1979 . http //wn /Richard_Rorty Robert Nozick Robert Nozick November 16 1938 – January 23 2002 was an American political philosopher most prominent in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a professor at Harvard University. He is best known for his book Anarchy State and Utopia 1974 a libertarian answer to John Rawls's A Theory of Justice 1971 . His other work involved decision theory and epistemology. http //wn /Robert_Nozick Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan February 6 1911 – June 5 2004 was the 40th President of the United States 1981–1989 and the 33rd Governor of California 1967–1975 . http //wn /Ronald_Reagan Rosa Parks Rosa Louise McCauley Parks February 4 1913 – October 24 2005 was an African American civil rights activist whom the U.S. Congress later called "the first lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement". http //wn /Rosa_Parks Roy Lichtenstein Roy Lichtenstein October 27 1923 ndash September 29 1997 was a prominent American pop artist. His work was heavily influenced by both popular advertising and the comic book style. He himself described pop art as "not 'American' painting but actually industrial painting". http //wn /Roy_Lichtenstein Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti Arabic 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006 was the President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolutionary Ba'ath Party which espoused secular pan-Arabism economic modernization and Arab socialism Saddam played a key role in the 1968 coup that brought the party to long-term power. http //wn /Saddam_Hussein Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim born March 22 1930 is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award multiple Tony Awards eight more than any other composer including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre multiple Grammy Awards and a Pulitzer Prize. His most famous scores include as composer/lyricist A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Company Follies A Little Night Music Sweeney Todd Sunday in the Park with George Into the Woods and Assassins as well as the lyrics for West Side Story and . He was president of the Dramatists Guild from 1973 to 1981. http //wn /Stephen_Sondheim Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams March 26 1911 ndash February 25 1983 born Thomas Lanier Williams was an American playwright who received many of the top theatrical awards for his works of drama. He moved to New Orleans in 1939 and changed his name to "Tennessee" the Southeastern U.S. state his father's birthplace. http //wn /Tennessee_Williams Theodore Roosevelt Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt October 27 1858 – January 6 1919 His last name is according to Roosevelt himself "pronounced as if it was spelled 'Rosavelt.' That is in three syllables. The first syllable as if it was 'Rose.'" An http //vvl.lib.msu.edu/record.cfm recordid=509 Audio recording in which Roosevelt pronounces his own last name distinctly. To listen at the correct speed slow the recording down by 20%. Retrieved on July 12 2007. was the 26th President of the United States. He is noted for his energetic personality range of interests and achievements leadership of the Progressive Movement and his "cowboy" image and robust masculinity. He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the short-lived Progressive "Bull Moose" Party of 1912. Before becoming President 1901–1909 he held offices at the municipal state and federal level of government. Roosevelt's achievements as a naturalist explorer hunter author and soldier are as much a part of his fame as any office he held as a politician. http //wn /Theodore_Roosevelt Thomas Eakins Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins July 25 1844 – June 25 1916 was an American realist painter photographer sculptor and fine arts educator. He is widely acknowledged to be one of the most important artists in American art history. http //wn /Thomas_Eakins Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison February 11 1847 – October 18 1931 was an American inventor scientist and businessman who developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world including the phonograph the motion picture camera and a long-lasting practical electric light bulb. Dubbed "The Wizard of Menlo Park" now Edison New Jersey by a newspaper reporter he was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of mass production and large teamwork to the process of invention and therefore is often credited with the creation of the first industrial research laboratory. http //wn /Thomas_Edison Thomas Jefferson http //wn /Thomas_Jefferson Thomas Pynchon Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Jr. born May 8 1937 is an American novelist. For his most praised novel ''Gravity's Rainbow'' Pynchon received the National Book Award and is regularly cited as a contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Pynchon is a MacArthur Fellow is noted for his dense and complex novels and both his fiction and non-fiction writings encompass a vast array of subject matter styles and themes including but not limited to the fields of history science and mathematics. http //wn /Thomas_Pynchon Toni Morrison Toni Morrison born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on February 18 1931 is a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist editor and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes vivid dialogue and richly detailed black characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye Song of Solomon and Beloved . http //wn /Toni_Morrison Walt Disney Walter Elias "Walt" Disney December 5 1901 – December 15 1966 was an American film producer director screenwriter voice actor animator entrepreneur entertainer international icon and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. As the co-founder with his brother Roy O. Disney of Walt Disney Productions Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co-founded now known as The Walt Disney Company today has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion. http //wn /Walt_Disney Walt Whitman Walter "Walt" Whitman May 31 1819 – March 26 1892 was an American poet essayist and journalist. A humanist he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon often called the father of free verse. His work was very controversial in its time particularly his poetry collection Leaves of Grass which was described as obscene for its overt sexuality. http //wn /Walt_Whitman Willem de Kooning Willem de Kooning April 24 1904 – March 19 1997 was a Dutch American abstract expressionist artist who was born in Rotterdam the Netherlands. http //wn /Willem_de_Kooning William Faulkner William Cuthbert Faulkner September 25 1897 ndash July 6 1962 was a Nobel Prize-winning American novelist and short story writer. One of the most influential writers of the 20th century his reputation is based mostly on his novels novellas and short stories. He was also a published poet and an occasional screenwriter. http //wn /William_Faulkner William Halsall William Formby Halsall born 1841 was a marine painter born in Kirkdale England. He lived at Provincetown Massachusetts and died as an American in 1919. http //wn /William_Halsall William James This article is about the American psychologist and philosopher. For other people named William James see William James disambiguation http //wn /William_James Wright brothers The Wright brothers Orville August 19 1871 ndash January 30 1948 and Wilbur April 16 1867 ndash May 30 1912 were two Americans who are generally credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight on December 17 1903. In the two years afterward the brothers developed their flying machine into the first practical fixed-wing aircraft. Although not the first to build and fly experimental aircraft the Wright brothers were the first to invent aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible. http //wn /Wright_brothers Alaska Alaska is the largest state of the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent with Canada to the east the Arctic Ocean to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south with Russia further west across the Bering Strait. Approximately half of Alaska's 698 473 residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area. As of 2009 Alaska remains the least densely populated state of the U.S. http //wn /Alaska Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands possibly from Chukchi aliat "island" are a chain of more than 300 small volcanic islands forming part of the Aleutian Arc in the Northern Pacific Ocean occupying an area of 6 821 sq mi 17 666 km² and extending about westward from the Alaska Peninsula toward the Kamchatka Peninsula thus marking a line between the Bering Sea and the Pacific Gulf of Alaska. Crossing longitude 180° they are the westernmost part of the United States and by one definition the easternmost see Extreme points of the United States . Nearly all the archipelago is part of Alaska and usually considered as being in the "Alaskan Bush" but at the extreme western end the small geologically-related and remote Commander Islands are in Russia. The islands with their 57 volcanoes are in the northern part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Alaska Marine Highway passes through the islands. http //wn /Aleutian_Islands American Samoa American Samoa or is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa formerly known as Western Samoa . The main largest and most populous island is Tutuila with the Manua Islands Rose Atoll and Swains Island also included in the territory. http //wn /American_Samoa Americas The Americas or America are lands in the Western hemisphere also known as the New World comprising the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. The plural form the Americas is often used in English as the singular America is ambiguous America is more commonly used to refer to the United States of America. The Americas cover 8.3% of the Earth's total surface area 28.4% of its land area and contain about 13.5% of the human population about 900 million people . http //wn /Americas Armory Show Many exhibitions have been held in the vast spaces of U.S. National Guard armories but ' the Armory Show refers to the International Exhibition of Modern Art ' that was organized by the Association of American Painters and Sculptors and opened in New York City's 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue between 25th and 26th Streets on February 17 1913 ran to March 15 and became a legendary watershed date in the history of American art introducing astonished New Yorkers accustomed to realistic art to modern art. The show served as a catalyst for American artists who became more independent and created their own "artistic language". http //wn /Armory_Show Atlanta Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. Atlanta had an estimated population of about 540 900 people. Its metropolitan area is the ninth largest in the country inhabited by more than 5.4 million people. The Atlanta Combined Statistical Area has a population approaching six million making it the most populous metropolis in the Southeastern United States. Like many areas in the Sun Belt the Atlanta region has seen explosive growth since about 1976 and it added about 1.1 million residents between 2000 and 2008. http //wn /Atlanta Bering Strait Image dateliner cam.jpg thumb 200px right http //209.165.175.132/sample/LvAppl/lvappl.htm A US-based webcam providing a view across the Bering Strait http //wn /Bering_Strait Bhutan The Kingdom of Bhutan Dzongkha Wylie '' 'drug yul Tibetan pinyin '' is a small landlocked country in South Asia located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China . Bhutan is separated from the nearby state of Nepal to the west by the Indian state of Sikkim and from Bangladesh to the south by West Bengal. http //wn /Bhutan British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions colonies protectorates mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. By 1922 the British Empire held sway over about 458 million people one-quarter of the world's population at the time and covered more than 13 million square miles 34 million km2 almost a quarter of the Earth's total land area. As a result its political linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power it was often said that "the sun never sets on the British Empire" because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous territories. http //wn /British_Empire Broadway theatre Broadway theatre commonly called simply Broadway refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 large professional theatres with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District New York and in Lincoln Center in Manhattan New York City.Although theater is the preferred spelling in the U.S.A. see further at American and British English Spelling Differences the majority of venues performers and trade groups for live dramatic presentations use the spelling theatre . Along with London's West End theatre Broadway theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world. http //wn /Broadway_theatre Burma Burma officially the Union of Myanmar is the second largest country by geographical area in Southeast Asia. The country is bordered by People's Republic of China on the north-east Laos on the east Thailand on the south-east Bangladesh on the west India on the north-west and the Bay of Bengal to the south-west with the Andaman Sea defining its southern periphery. One-third of Burma's total perimeter 1 930 kilometers 1 199 mi forms an uninterrupted coastline. http //wn /Burma California California pronounced is the most populous state in the United States and the third-largest by land area after Alaska and Texas. California is also the most populous sub-national entity in North America. It's on the U.S. West Coast bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and by the states of Oregon to the north Nevada to the east Arizona to the southeast Baja California Mexico to the south. Its 5 largest cities are Los Angeles San Diego San Jose San Francisco and Long Beach with Los Angeles San Diego and San Jose each having at least 1 million residents. Like many populous states California's capital Sacramento is smaller than the state's largest city Los Angeles. The state is home to the nation's 2nd- and 6th-largest census statistical areas and 8 of the nation's 50 most populous cities. California has a varied climate and geography and a multi-cultural population. http //wn /California Canada Canada is a country in North America extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean. It is the world's second largest country by total area. Canada's common border with the United States to the south and northwest is the longest in the world. http //wn /Canada Caribbean The CaribbeanPronounced or . Both pronunciations are equally valid indeed they see equal use even within areas of the Caribbean itself. Cf. Royal Caribbean which stresses the second syllable. In this case as a proper noun those who would normally pronounce it a different way may use the pronunciation associated with the noun when referring to it. More generic nouns such as the Caribbean Community are generally referred to using the speaker's preferred pronunciation. Dutch or more commonly Antilles is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea its islands most of which enclose the sea and the surrounding coasts. The region is located southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and North America east of Central America and to the north of South America. http //wn /Caribbean Chicago Chicago or is the largest city in the state of Illinois. With over 2.8 million residents it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous city in the country. Its metropolitan area commonly named "Chicagoland " is the 26th most populous in the world home to an estimated 9.7 million people spread across the U.S. states of Illinois Wisconsin and Indiana. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County. http //wn /Chicago Colorado Colorado pronounced or chiefly by outsiders is a U.S. state that encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains. Colorado is part of the Western United States the Mountain States and the Southwestern United States. http //wn /Colorado Dallas Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. As of 2009 the population of Dallas was at 1.3 million according to the US Census Bureau. The city is the largest economic center of the 12-county metropolitan area that according to the March 2010 U.S. Census Bureau release had a population of roughly 6.5 million as of July 2009. The metropolitan area is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. http //wn /Dallas Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan Shinjitai pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku literally Great Japanese Empire officially Great Japan Empire of Greater Japan or Great Japanese Empire more widely known as Imperial Japan or the Japanese Empire was a Japanese political entity that existed since the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 until the enforcement of the Constitution of the State of Japan on 3 May 1947. http //wn /Empire_of_Japan Florida Florida is a state of the United States. It is located in the Southeastern United States bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. Much of the state's land mass is a large peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico to the west the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Caribbean to the south. Florida was admitted as the 27th U.S. state in 1845 after a three hundred year period of European colonization. http //wn /Florida Genoa Genoa in Genoese and Ligurian Zena in Latin and archaically in English Genua is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. The city has a population of about 610 000 and the urban area has a population of about 900 000. Genoa's Metropolitan Area has a population of about 1 400 000. It is also called la Superba "the Superb one" due to its glorious past. Part of the old city of Genoa was inscribed on the World Heritage List UNESCO in 2006 see below . The city's rich art music gastronomy architecture and history made it 2004's EU Capital of culture. http //wn /Genoa Georgia U.S. state Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. Georgia was established in 1732 the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution on January 2 1788. It declared its secession from the Union on January 21 1861 and was one of the original seven Confederate states. It was the last state to be restored to the Union on July 15 1870 and the only among the 13 that is explicitly named after a monarch King George II of England. http //wn /Georgia_ US_state Great Lakes The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater seas located in northeastern North America on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior Michigan Huron Erie and Ontario they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface and volume. The total surface is and the total volume is The lakes are sometimes referred to as the North Coast or "Third Coast" by some citizens of the United States. The Great Lakes hold 21 percent of the world's surface fresh water. http //wn /Great_Lakes Guam Guam Chamorro is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated territory of the United States. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. The island's capital is Hagåtña formerly Agana . Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands. http //wn /Guam Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. It is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States on the southwest and south by Mexico and on the southeast by Cuba. The shape of its basin is roughly oval and is approximately 810 nautical miles 1 500 km wide and filled with sedimentary rocks and debris. It is part of the Atlantic Ocean and is connected to it through the Florida Straits between the U.S. and Cuba and with the Caribbean Sea with which it forms the American Mediterranean Sea via the Yucatan Channel between Mexico and Cuba. With this narrow connection to the Atlantic the Gulf experiences very small tidal ranges. The size of the Gulf basin is approximately 615 000 mi² 1.6 million km² . Almost half of the basin is shallow continental shelf waters. At its deepest it is 14 383 ft 4 384 m at the Sigsbee Deep an irregular trough more than 300 nautical miles 550 km long. The basin contains a volume of roughly 660 quadrillion gallons 2.5 × 1015 m3 . It was probably formed approximately 300 million years ago as a result of the seafloor sinking. It is one of the world's warmest bodies of water. http //wn /Gulf_of_Mexico Hawaii For geographic details see Geography and environment or Hawaiian Islands. http //wn /Hawaii Houston Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States of America and the largest city in the state of Texas. As of the 2009 U.S. Census estimate the city had a population of 2.3 million within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of the metropolitan area—the metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of approximately 5.9 million. http //wn /Houston India India officially the Republic of India see also official names of India is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area the second-most populous country with over 1.18 billion people and the most populous democracy in the world. Mainland India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east and it is bordered by Pakistan to the west Bhutan the People's Republic of China and Nepal to the north and Bangladesh and Burma to the east. In the Indian Ocean mainland India and the Lakshadweep Islands are in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives while India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share maritime border with Thailand and the Indonesian island of Sumatra in the Andaman Sea. India has a coastline of . http //wn /India Invasion of Normandy The invasion of Normandy was the invasion and establishment of Allied forces in Normandy France during Operation Overlord in World War II. The invasion was the largest amphibious operation in history. This article covers from the initial landings on 6 June 1944 until the time of the Allied breakout in late July. http //wn /Invasion_of_Normandy Kentucky The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau Kentucky is a Southern state. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth the others being Virginia Pennsylvania and Massachusetts . Originally a part of Virginia in 1792 it became the 15th state to join the Union. Kentucky is the 37th largest state in terms of total area the 36th largest in land area and ranks 26th in population. http //wn /Kentucky Liberia Liberia officially the Republic of Liberia is a country on the west coast of Africa bordered by Sierra Leone Guinea Côte d'Ivoire and the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2008 Census the nation is home to 3 476 608 people and covers . http //wn /Liberia Library of Congress The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress de facto national library of the United States and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington D.C. it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and number of books. The head of the Library is the Librarian of Congress currently James H. Billington. http //wn /Library_of_Congress Los Angeles Los Angeles Spanish for "The Angels" is the second most populous city in the United States the most populous city in the state of California and the western United States with a population of 3.83 million within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Los Angeles extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of over 14.8 million and it is the 14th largest urban area in the world affording it megacity status. The metropolitan statistical area MSA is home to nearly 12.9 million residents while the broader Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside combined statistical area CSA contains nearly 17.8 million people. Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County the most populated and one of the most multicultural counties in the United States. The city's inhabitants are referred to as "Angelenos" . http //wn /Los_Angeles Louisiana Louisiana or Louisiana Creole Léta de la Lwizyàn is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes which are local governments equivalent to counties. The largest parish by population is Jefferson Parish and the largest by land area is Cameron Parish. http //wn /Louisiana Maine Maine French is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast New Hampshire to the southwest and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is the northern and easternmost portion of New England. It is known for its scenery—its jagged mostly rocky coastline its low rolling mountains and its heavily forested interior—as well as for its seafood cuisine especially lobsters and clams. http //wn /Maine Manhattan Manhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County an original county of the state of New York. It consists of Manhattan Island and several small adjacent islands Roosevelt Island Randall's Island Wards Island Governors Island Liberty Island part of Ellis Island and U Thant Island as well as Marble Hill a small section on the mainland adjacent to the Bronx. The original city of New York began at the southern end of Manhattan and expanded in 1898 to include surrounding counties. It is the smallest yet most urbanized of the five boroughs. http //wn /Manhattan Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south New York to the west and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of 6.6 million lives in the Boston metropolitan area. The eastern half of the state consists of urban suburban and rural areas while Western Massachusetts is mostly rural. Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states and ranks third among U.S. states in GDP per capita. http //wn /Massachusetts Mexico Mexico pronounced officially known as the United Mexican States is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean on the southeast by Guatemala Belize and the Caribbean Sea and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Covering almost 2 million square kilometres over 760 000 sq mi Mexico is the fifth-largest country in the Americas by total area and the 14th largest independent nation in the world. With an estimated population of 111 million it is the 11th most populous country and the most populous Hispanophone country on Earth. Mexico is a federation comprising thirty-one states and a Federal District the capital city. http //wn /Mexico NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO also called the " North Atlantic Alliance" is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. The NATO headquarters are in Brussels Belgium and the organization constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. http //wn /NATO Nazi Germany Nazi Germany or the Third Reich is the common name for the country of Germany while governed by Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist German Workers' Party NSDAP from 1933 to 1945. Third Reich denotes the Nazi state as a historical successor to the medieval Holy Roman Empire 962–1806 and to the modern German Empire 1871–1918 . Nazi Germany had two official names the Deutsches Reich German Reich from 1933 to 1943 when it became Großdeutsches Reich Greater German Reich . http //wn /Nazi_Germany Nebraska Nebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha. http //wn /Nebraska New England { class="infobox" border="1" cellpadding="4" http //wn /New_England New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. It is bordered on the northeast by New York on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware. New Jersey lies largely within the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York City and Philadelphia. It is the most densely populated state in the United States. http //wn /New_Jersey New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also part of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile New Mexico is the sixth- most sparsely inhabited U.S. state. http //wn /New_Mexico New Orleans New Orleans or locally or is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner has a population of 1 235 650 as of 2009 the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population of 1 360 436 as of 2000. http //wn /New_Orleans New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York metropolitan area which is one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. A leading global city New York exerts a powerful influence over global commerce finance media culture art fashion research education and entertainment. As host of the United Nations Headquarters it is also an important center for international affairs. The city is often referred to as New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the state of New York of which it is a part. http //wn /New_York_City New York Harbor New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term New York Harbor has important historical governmental commercial and ecological usages. Originally used to refer to the Upper New York Bay the term is also used to describe the Port of New York and New Jersey the port district for New York-Newark metropolitan area under the jurisdiction of the Port Authority. http //wn /New_York_Harbor Nordic countries The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark Finland Iceland Norway and Sweden all of which use a Nordic Cross flag and their associated territories which include the Faroe Islands Greenland Svalbard and Åland. Scandinavia is sometimes used as a synonym for the Nordic countries although within the Nordic countries the terms are considered distinct. http //wn /Nordic_countries North Carolina North Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the Southern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh and its largest city is Charlotte. North Carolina is now ranked as one of the top 3 leading States for Green Technology Bio-Chemical Engineering Medical Sciences and Computer Engineering through the long-range research and development programs of Research Triangle Park RTP UNC Chapel Hill and North Carolina State . http //wn /North_Carolina Oregon Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast with Washington to the north California to the south Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern boundaries respectively. The area was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before the arrival of traders explorers and settlers who formed an autonomous government in Oregon Country in 1843 the Oregon Territory was created in 1848 and Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14 1859. Salem is the state's capital and third-most-populous city Portland is the most populous. Portland is the 30th-largest U.S. city with a population of 582 130 2009 estimate and a metro population of 2 241 841 2009 estimate the 23rd-largest U.S. metro area. http //wn /Oregon Oregon Country The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810 and American settlers from the mid-1830s with its coastal areas north from the Columbia River frequented by ships from all nations engaged in the maritime fur trade most of these from the 1790s through 1810s being Boston-based. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 ended disputed joint occupancy pursuant to the Treaty of 1818 and established the British-American boundary at the 49th parallel. http //wn /Oregon_Country Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south bounded by Asia and Australia in the west and the Americas in the east. http //wn /Pacific_Ocean Pakistan {{Infobox country http //wn /Pakistan Palmyra Atoll Palmyra Atoll is an essentially unoccupied equatorial Northern Pacific atoll administered as a unorganized incorporated territory by the United States federal government. The variable temporary population of 4 ndash 20 'non-occupants' are essentially staff and scientists employed by various departments of the U.S. federal government and The Nature Conservancy as well as a rotating mix of Palymra Atoll Research Consortium scholars pursuing research. http //wn /Palmyra_Atoll Philadelphia Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania sixth-most-populous city in the United States and the fifty-first most populous city in the world. http //wn /Philadelphia Philippines The Philippines officially known as the Republic of the Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest lies between the country and the island of Borneo and to the south the Celebes Sea separates it from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons but have also endowed the country with natural resources and made it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. An archipelago comprising 7 107 islands the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions Luzon Visayas and Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila. http //wn /Philippines Phoenix Arizona Phoenix O'odham Skikik Yavapai Wasinka Western Apache Fiinigis Navajo Hoozdoh Mojave ''Hachpa 'Anya Nyava is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Arizona as well as the fifth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1 601 587 people according to the 2009 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau and is the anchor of the Phoenix metropolitan area also known as the Valley of the Sun'' the 12th largest metro area by population in the United States with more than 4.3 million people. In addition Phoenix is the county seat of Maricopa County and is one of the largest cities in the United States by land area. http //wn /Phoenix_Arizona Puerto Rico Puerto Rico or officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico — literally Associated Free State of Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands. http //wn /Puerto_Rico Republic of China The Republic of China ROC commonly known as Taiwan is a state in East Asia located off the east coast of mainland China. Subject to an ongoing dispute with the People's Republic of China PRC that has left it with limited formal diplomatic relations the government of the Republic of China currently governs the islands of Taiwan Penghu Kinmen Matsu and other minor islands. Neighbouring states include the People's Republic of China to the west Japan to the northeast and the Philippines to the south. http //wn /Republic_of_China Republic of Hawaii The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands Resolution in the United States Congress in which the Republic was annexed to the United States and became the Territory of Hawaii on July 7 1898. http //wn /Republic_of_Hawaii Russia Russia also officially known as the Russian Federation is a state in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic comprising 83 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast Russia shares borders with Norway Finland Estonia Latvia Lithuania and Poland both via Kaliningrad Oblast Belarus Ukraine Georgia Azerbaijan Kazakhstan the People's Republic of China Mongolia and North Korea. It also has maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the United States by the Bering Strait. At Russia is the largest country in the world covering more than a ninth of the Earth's land area. Russia is also the ninth most populous nation with 142 million people. It extends across the whole of northern Asia and 40% of Europe spanning 9 time zones and incorporating a wide range of environments and landforms. Russia has the world's largest reserves of mineral and energy resources. It has the world's largest forest reserves and its lakes contain approximately one-quarter of the world's fresh water. http //wn /Russia San Francisco San Francisco officially the City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States with a 2009 estimated population of 815 358. The only consolidated city-county in California it encompasses a land area of on the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula giving it a density of 17 323 people/mi² 6 688.4 people/km² . It is the most densely-settled large city population greater than 200 000 in the state of California and the second-most densely populated large city in the United States. San Francisco is the financial cultural and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area a region of more than 7.4 million. http //wn /San_Francisco Saudi Arabia The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commonly known as Saudi Arabia occasionally spelled '''Sa'udi Arabia''' is the largest Arab country of the Middle East. It is bordered by Jordan and Iraq on the north and northeast Kuwait Qatar Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates on the east Oman on the southeast and Yemen on the south. The Persian Gulf lies to the northeast and the Red Sea to its west. It has an estimated population of 28 million and its size is approximately . The kingdom is sometimes called "The Land of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Mecca and Medina the two holiest places in Islam. The two mosques are Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid Al-Nabawi in Medina . The current kingdom was founded by Abdul-Aziz bin Saud whose efforts began in 1902 when he captured the Al-Saud’s ancestral home of Riyadh and culminated in 1932 with the proclamation and recognition of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia though its national origins go back as far as 1744 with the establishment of the First Saudi State. Saudi Arabia's government takes the form of an Islamic absolute monarchy. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly expressed concern about the state of human rights in Saudi Arabia. http //wn /Saudi_Arabia Siege of Yorktown The Siege of Yorktown or Battle of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis. It proved to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War in North America as the surrender of Cornwallis's army prompted the British government eventually to negotiate an end to the conflict. http //wn /Siege_of_Yorktown Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline. The airline has its headquarters on the grounds of Dallas Love Field in Dallas Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried per year as of 2009 . Southwest maintains the third-largest passenger fleet of aircraft among all of the world's commercial airlines. As of December 31 2009 Southwest operates more than 3 200 flights daily. http //wn /Southwest_Airlines Sudan Sudan officially the Republic of the Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and the Arab world and tenth largest in the world by area. It is bordered by Egypt to the north the Red Sea to the northeast Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east Kenya and Uganda to the southeast the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic to the southwest Chad to the west and Libya to the northwest. The world's longest river the Nile divides the country between east and west sides. http //wn /Sudan Tennessee Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6 214 888 making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population and covers making it the 36th-largest by total land area. Tennessee is bordered by Kentucky and Virginia to the north North Carolina to the east Georgia Alabama and Mississippi to the south and Arkansas and Missouri to the west. The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state and the Mississippi River forms the state's western border. Tennessee's capital and second largest city is Nashville which has a population of 626 144. Memphis is the state's largest city with a population of 670 902. Nashville has the state's largest metropolitan area at 1 521 437 people. http //wn /Tennessee Texas Texas is the second-largest U.S. state by both area and population and the largest state in the contiguous United States. http //wn /Texas Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd by land area and 45th by total area. It has a population of 621 270 making it the second least-populated state. The only New England state with no coastline along the Atlantic Ocean Vermont is notable for Lake Champlain which makes up 50% of Vermont's western border and the Green Mountains which run north to south. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south New Hampshire to the east New York to the west and the Canadian province of Québec to the north. http //wn /Vermont Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The geography and climate of the state are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond Virginia Beach is the most populous city and Fairfax County the most populous political subdivision. The state population is nearly eight million. http //wn /Virginia Wall Street Wall Street is a street in Lower Manhattan New York City. It runs east from Broadway to South Street on the East River through the historical center of the Financial District. It is the first permanent home of the New York Stock Exchange the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies. Over time Wall Street became the name of the surrounding geographic neighborhood and also shorthand or a metonym for the "influential financial interests" of the American financial industry which is centered in the New York City area. Anchored by Wall Street New York City vies with the City of London to be the financial capital of the world. http //wn /Wall_Street Washington D.C. Washington D.C. formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington the District or simply D.C. is the capital of the United States founded on July 16 1790. Article One of the United States Constitution provides for a federal district distinct from the states to serve as the permanent national capital. The City of Washington was originally a separate municipality within the federal territory until an act of Congress in 1871 established a single unified municipal government for the whole District. It is for this reason that the city while legally named the District of Columbia is known as Washington D.C. The city shares its name with the U.S. state of Washington which is located on the country's Pacific coast. http //wn /Washington_DC West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States bordered by Virginia to the southeast Kentucky to the southwest Ohio to the northwest and Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast. The capital and largest city is Charleston. http //wn /West_Virginia Wikimedia Foundation Wikimedia Foundation Inc. is a non-profit charitable organization headquartered in San Francisco California United States and organized under the laws of the state of Florida where it was initially based. It operates several online collaborative wiki projects including Wikipedia Wiktionary Wikiquote Wikibooks Wikisource Wikimedia Commons Wikispecies Wikinews Wikiversity and . Its flagship project Wikipedia ranks among the top ten most-visited websites worldwide. http //wn /Wikimedia_Foundation World Trade Center The World Trade Center WTC was a complex of seven buildings in Lower Manhattan in New York City that were destroyed in the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with six new skyscrapers and a memorial to the casualties of the attacks. http //wn /World_Trade_Center Yalta Conference The Yalta Conference sometimes called the Crimea Conference and codenamed the Argonaut Conference was the February 4–11 1945 wartime meeting of the heads of government of the United States the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union—President Franklin D. Roosevelt Prime Minister Winston Churchill and General Secretary Joseph Stalin respectively—for the purpose of discussing Europe's postwar reorganization. Mainly it was intended to discuss the re-establishment of the nations of war-torn Europe. The conference convened in the Livadia Palace near Yalta the Crimea. It was the second of three wartime conferences among the Big Three Churchill Roosevelt and Stalin . It had been preceded by the Tehran Conference in 1943 and it was followed by the Potsdam Conference in July 1945 which was attended by Harry S. Truman in place of the late Roosevelt Stalin and Churchill — himself replaced mid-point by the newly elected Prime Minister Clement Attlee. http //wn /Yalta_Conference .gov .mil .us 100th meridian west Aaron Copland abolitionism Abraham Lincoln AC motor Adams-Onís Treaty African American African slave trade agnosticism aircraft carrier al-Qaeda Alaska Alaska Natives Alaska Purchase Albert Einstein Aleutian Islands Alfred Stieglitz alpine climate alternating current American word American Bison American Civil War American comic book American Dream American English American football American Indian Wars American Jews American Revolution American Samoa Americas Amerigo Vespucci analytic philosophy Ancient Hawaii Andy Warhol animation Annexation Anno Domini Ansel Adams Apollo program appeal apple pie archipelago Armory Show ARPANET Asian American assembly line Association football at-large atheism Atlanta Atlantic Ocean Atomic Age August Wilson auto racing Average Joe Axis powers bachelor's degree Barack Obama barbecue baseball basketball Beat Generation Bering Strait Betty Friedan Bhutan bicameralism bill proposed law Bill Clinton bills of exchange birth rate Black American black nationalism Bleeding Kansas Blogger service blues Bob Dylan Boxing British Empire Broadway theatre Burma burrito Bush v. Gore Cajun cuisine California California Gold Rush Canada capital punishment capitalism Caribbean Carolinian language cartography Cascade Range Central Powers cereal chained dollars Chamorro language Charles Ives cheerleading Chicago Chinese American Chinese language Choreography Christian revival Christopher Columbus Chuck Berry Citizen Kane classless society coastal California Coca-Cola Cold War Cold War 1985–1991 Cole Porter College basketball College football Colony of Virginia Colorado Columbia name comic strip commander-in-chief common law community college Compromise of 1877 confederal conquistador constitutionality Consumer price index consumption tax Continental Army Country music crab cake Craigslist Cuban Missile Crisis culinary art Currier and Ives D. W. Griffith Dallas de facto deciduous declaration of war developed country Don DeLillo dot-com bubble Duke Ellington Dust Bowl E pluribus unum Eastern Europe eBay Economic inequality Edgar Allan Poe Edward Albee Edward Harrigan Edward Steichen Elvis Presley Emily Dickinson Empire of Japan English American English language Enrico Fermi Ernest Hemingway Established church Eugene O'Neill European American European Union evangelicalism F. Scott Fitzgerald Facebook Fahrenheit fast food federal district federal law Federalism federation Filipino American film grammar first flying machine first grade Florida flowering plant folk music forward pass francophone Frank Gehry Frank Lloyd Wright French fries French language fried chicken funk fur trade G20 major economies G8 gallon Geert Hofstede general election Genoa George Balanchine George Gershwin George H. W. Bush George W. Bush George Washington Georgia U.S. state Georgia O'Keeffe Gerald Ford German American German language global city Gloria Steinem golf Great American Novel Great Basin Great Lakes Great Plains Great power Gregg v. Georgia gross world product Guam Gulf of Mexico Gulf War hamburger hardboiled Harold Bloom Hawaii Hawaiian language Henry Cowell Henry David Thoreau Henry Ford Herman Melville high school Hillary Clinton hip hop music History of Florida homeschooling homicide horse racing hot dog house music Houston Hudson River Hudson River School Hurricane Katrina I Have a Dream ice hockey impact factor impeachment imperial units In God We Trust incarceration Income gender gap indentured servant India Indian removal individualism Internet Invasion of Normandy invasion of Poland Iran hostage crisis Iran–Contra affair Iraq War Irish American irreligion Irving Berlin Isadora Duncan isolationism Jackson Pollock James Bevel James Brown Jamestown Virginia Jazz Jerome Robbins Jim Crow laws Jimmy Carter Joe Biden John Barth John Boehner John Cage John Dewey John F. Kennedy John Rawls John Roberts John Trumbull John Wayne Joseph McCarthy Juan Ponce de León Judiciary Jury trial Kentucky kindergarten Kinetoscope Kingdom of Hawaii Korean language Korean War Lacrosse Late-2000s recession Latin Latin America League of Nations Legislature Lend-Lease Lewinsky scandal liberal democracy Liberia Library of Congress literacy Los Angeles Louis Armstrong Louisiana Louisiana Purchase Lyndon B. Johnson Maine maize major film studio majority rule Manhattan Manhattan Project Manifest Destiny maple syrup Marilyn Monroe Mark Twain Marsden Hartley Martha Graham Martin Waldseemüller Massachusetts materials science materiel McDonald's melting pot merchandising metric system Mexican American Mexican Cession Mexican–American War Mexico Michael Jackson mile milk minority group minority rights Mississippi River Missouri River mixed economy Moby-Dick modern art modern dance Mojave Desert moon landing Mount McKinley multiculturalism Multiethnic society Multiracial American musical theatre NASCAR Nathaniel Hawthorne National language national sport nationalism Native Hawaiians NATO natural resource natural rights naturalism arts Nazi Germany Nazism Nebraska New Amsterdam New Deal New England New France New Jersey New Mexico New Netherland New Orleans New York City New York Harbor Nikola Tesla Noam Chomsky nonsectarian nonviolence Nordic countries Normandy landings North America North Carolina oceanic climate official language old-time music Olympic Games orange juice Oregon Oregon Country Oregon Treaty Orson Welles P. T. Barnum Pacific Islander Pacific Ocean Pakistan Palmyra Atoll parochial school pasta Paula Jones peculiar institution Philadelphia Philip Johnson Philippines Phoenix Arizona phonograph photography pint pizza plains Indians planned economy Plymouth Colony political culture political philosophy pop art popular music population growth postmodernism potato potato chip poverty threshold power of the purse pragmatism prairie pre-Columbian preemptive war Presidential system primary election private school private sector protected area Protestantism proxy war public education Public transport Puerto Rico Puritan quarterback Radical Republicans radio Ralph Waldo Emerson Ransom E. Olds Reaganomics real income Realist visual arts reform movement regime change renewable energy replacement rate Republic of China Republic of Hawaii Republic of Texas republicanism rhythm and blues Richard Nixon Richard Rorty rights of Englishmen Roaring Twenties Robert Nozick rock and roll Rocky Mountains Ronald Reagan Rosa Parks Roy Lichtenstein Russia Saddam Hussein Samoan language San Francisco Saudi Arabia secession secular state self-determination separation of powers September 11 attacks sexual revolution sheriff Siege of Yorktown Sierra Nevada U.S. skateboarding slave state smallpox snowboarding social mobility socialization soft drink Soul food sound film Southern Europe Southwest Airlines sovereignty Space Race Spanish language Spanish–American War special relationship spectator sport squash plant stagflation state police states' rights Stephen Sondheim suburb Sudan Summer Olympic Games superhero Superman superpower supervolcano surfing Surrender of Japan sweet potato Syncretism taco Tagalog language Taliban Taliban insurgency Tennessee Tennessee Williams Tennis Tex-Mex Texas Texas v. White the Carolinas The Great Gatsby The Pentagon Theodore Roosevelt Thirteen Colonies Thomas Eakins Thomas Edison Thomas Jefferson Thomas Pynchon Titan Books Titanic 1997 film Toni Morrison tornado Tornado Alley Trail of Tears transcendentalism Treaty of Versailles Tropical cyclone turkey bird twelfth grade two-party system U.S. Census Bureau U.S. state U.S. trade deficit Unemployment unicameral UNICEF unilateralism United States Army United States dollar United States Navy United States Senate US disambiguation USA disambiguation vascular plants venison Vermont Vietnam War Vietnamese language Virginia volcano volleyball Vostok 1 Wall Street Walt Disney Walt Whitman War of 1812 War on Terror Warsaw Pact Washington D.C. Watergate scandal Watt-hour web portal web search engine West Virginia Western culture Western fiction Wheat White American white-tailed deer WikiMapia Wikimedia Foundation Wikipedia Wikitravel wilderness area Willem de Kooning William Faulkner William Halsall William James Winter Olympic Games women's rights World Factbook World Heritage Site World Trade Center World War I World War II Wright brothers Yalta Conference yard YouTube Make changes yourself Login or register to EDIT and SAVE any of these pages. Email this Page Make changes yourself Login or register to EDIT and SAVE any of these pages. United States Economy Collapsing Order Reorder Duration 9 51 Published 10 Oct 2008 Uploaded 06 Apr 2011 Author HEBREWNEWSNETWORK http //wn /United_States_Economy_Collapsing Email this video Sms this video Over 90% of America did not want to passage of HR3997. The US Congress was held at quot Executive Gun Point quot and told quot you either pass this bill or we will declare martial law. quot The most painful part of HR3997 is the shift in the final bill. What was the shift Unbeknownst to the American people however is that since September 20th the $700 billion bailout bill signed into law by their President yesterday was expanded from its original 3 pages to a 451 page virtual novel of new laws virtually enslaving them to the foreign holders of their debt. In addition there are reports circulating in the Kremlin today are stating that the first deployment of Chinas elite People #39 s Armed Police PAP under an agreement signed between the United States and China and US Homeowners Soon To Be Evicted By Chinese Police Under New Law HR3997. Even more disturbing these reports continue are that these new laws not only give Chinese and European banks control over the mortgage debt of the American people they now include their credit card balances and which virtually the entire US populace have indebtedness to. To how utterly chilling this new US law for the American people titled the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 Russian legal experts point out in these reports that Section 101 a 1 establishes what is termed the Troubled Asset Relief Program TARP to which substantial portions of what the American people currently owe to their banks and financial institutions is to lt b gt ... lt /b gt Fifty Nifty United States - Tutorial and Memorial Order Reorder Duration 2 32 Published 02 May 2008 Uploaded 06 Apr 2011 Author DillonNews http //wn /Fifty_Nifty_United_States__Tutorial_and_Memorial Email this video Sms this video Lyrical Tutorial. Great for teachers students etc. I was 11 at the time I made this now i #39 m 13. Thanks for the great comments This video took me 6 hours to make so I appreciate them Keep up the learning Your Youtube Friend Forever and Always Dillon The Smashing Pumpkins-united states@Rock am ring 2007 Order Reorder Duration 10 25 Published 03 Jun 2007 Uploaded 29 Mar 2011 Author frontpage22 http //wn /The_Smashing_Pumpkins-united_states@Rock_am_ring_2007 Email this video Sms this video The Smashing Pumpkins-united states@Rock am ring 2007 Liam Lynch United States of Whatever Order Reorder Duration 1 28 Published 10 Jan 2006 Uploaded 06 Apr 2011 Author mrWoot http //wn /Liam_Lynch_United_States_of_Whatever Email this video Sms this video United States of Whatever by Liam Lynch. Westbam-United States Of Love-Loveparade 2006 Anthem Order Reorder Duration 3 45 Published 30 Jun 2006 Uploaded 05 Apr 2011 Author philipphofmann http //wn /Westbam-United_States_Of_Love-Loveparade_2006_Anthem Email this video Sms this video this is the official loveparade 2006 anthem by westbam coutesy of low spirit recordings. Loveparade Berlin 2006 15th July starting 2pm Strasse des 17. Juni United States Marine Corps Order Reorder Duration 3 18 Published 07 Jan 2007 Uploaded 04 Apr 2011 Author swede1775 http //wn /United_States_Marine_Corps Email this video Sms this video Swede Studios Presents United States Marine Corps. A Movie Presented By Christian quot Swede quot Sandberg A Brief History of the United States of America Order Reorder Duration 3 14 Published 30 Oct 2006 Uploaded 05 Apr 2011 Author thefaisalj http //wn /A_Brief_History_of_the_United_States_of_America Email this video Sms this video A Brief History of the United States of America Muse United States of Eurasia Order Reorder Duration 5 48 Published 05 Aug 2009 Uploaded 06 Apr 2011 Author About8Turtles http //wn /Muse_United_States_of_Eurasia Email this video Sms this video New song quot United States of Eurasia quot from Muse off of their new album quot The Resistance quot . Enjoy D McCain If the US doesn't lead then nobody leads Order Reorder Duration 4 55 Published 06 Apr 2011 Uploaded 06 Apr 2011 Author CSMonitor100 http //wn /McCain_If_the_US_doesn't_lead _then_nobody_leads Email this video Sms this video At a Monitor Breakfast on April 6 Senator John McCain spoke with reporters about the role of the United States in the Middle East. McCain was clear that the US has the financial ability and the resources to lead quot NATO is NATO. But the United States is NATO. quot Men of War Online Battle #096 United States vs Soviet Union live-commentary Order Reorder Duration 15 58 Published 06 Apr 2011 Uploaded 06 Apr 2011 Author PrinceofMacedon http //wn /Men_of_War_Online_Battle_#096_United_States_vs_Soviet_Union_live-commentary Email this video Sms this video I command the United States. My opponent DanQ95 commands the Soviet Union. Map Farm Mode Battle Zones Geography of United States Elections Lecture 1 Order Reorder Duration 106 07 Published 16 Oct 2008 Uploaded 03 Apr 2011 Author StanfordUniversity http //wn /Geography_of_United_States_Elections_ _Lecture_1 Email this video Sms this video October 15 2008 lecture by Professor Martin Lewis for the Geography of United States Elections GEOG 5 course. Professor Lewis covers the basic principle of political geography the quot red and blue quot map of the United States different ways of mapping US presidential elections differences in voting behavior between national elections and state and local elections electoral geography in selected foreign countries. Offered by Stanford #39 s Continuing Studies program this course will last five weeks and include a debrief after the presidential election. Each Wednesday we will post a new recorded lecture on YouTube. Geography of US Elections Course Website geog05.stanford.edu Join the Discussion geog05.stanford.edu Stanford Continuing Studies csp.stanford.edu Stanford Channel on YouTube youtube 1932 A True History of the United States Order Reorder Duration 101 50 Published 08 Jul 2008 Uploaded 05 Apr 2011 Author laroucheyouth http //wn /1932 _A_True_History_of_the_United_States Email this video Sms this video Please Favorite this video and help us promote it on YouTube in any way you can. LaRouchePAC Presents 1932 To Govern a Republic One Must Know the Minds That Created It. quot ...while a nation goes speculation crazy the people neglect to think of fundamental principles. quot These were the words of Franklin Roosevelt in the months leading into the Democratic National Convention of 1932. Roosevelt knew that the fight for the United States Presidency was not simply a game of political machines and punditry but that this coming fight demanded a leader who understood the historic enemy of the United States and the founding principles of the nation. Download a high quality version at larouchepac LaRouchePAC plans to distribute tens of thousands of copies of this DVD freely to the population contact us if you would like to help in any way. Donate at donate.larouchepac Please watch the entire film before you comment. Thanks. United States of Jesus Order Reorder Duration 5 37 Published 03 May 2007 Uploaded 05 Apr 2011 Author patcondell http //wn /United_States_of_Jesus Email this video Sms this video A few words about America #39 s relationship with God. BOOK OF VIDEO TRANSCRIPTS NOW AVAILABLE lulu You can download an audio version of this video at patcondell.libsyn Geography of United States Elections Course Introduction Order Reorder Duration 3 22 Published 06 Oct 2008 Uploaded 03 Apr 2011 Author StanfordUniversity http //wn /Geography_of_United_States_Elections_ _Course_Introduction Email this video Sms this video Professor Martin Lewis provides an overview of the Geography of United States Elections. Starting on October 15 you can follow a timely course being presented by Stanford University. Led by Martin Lewis this map-intensive course will explore the geography of US elections both past and present and challenge the suggestion that we are simply divided into a quot Red America quot and quot Blue America. quot It #39 s really much more complicated than that. Offered by Stanford #39 s Continuing Studies program the course will last five weeks and include a debrief after the presidential election. Each Wednesday we will post a new recorded lecture on YouTube. Geography of US Elections Course Website geog05.stanford.edu Stanford Continuing Studies csp.stanford.edu Stanford Channel on YouTube youtube United States Marine Corps Elite Warrior Order Reorder Duration 3 13 Published 20 Jun 2006 Uploaded 12 Apr 2011 Author austin8585 http //wn /United_States_Marine_Corps_Elite_Warrior Email this video Sms this video The most motivating video that you will ever see. The Presidents of the USA - Lump Order Reorder Duration 2 19 Published 16 May 2006 Uploaded 13 Apr 2011 Author pickle965 http //wn /The_Presidents_of_the_USA__Lump Email this video Sms this video The PUSA video for the great song quot Lump. quot DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 2008 Viva La Pop - Mashup of Top 25 Billboard Hits Order Reorder Duration 4 38 Published 26 Dec 2008 Uploaded 13 Apr 2011 Author djearworm http //wn /DJ_Earworm__United_State_of_Pop_2008_Viva_La_Pop__Mashup_of_Top_25_Billboard_Hits Email this video Sms this video music download rarr djearworm facebook A Mashup of the Top 25 Hits of 2008 according to Billboard. Tracklist Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain - Low Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love Alicia Keys - No One Lil Wayne Featuring Static Major - Lollipop Timbaland Featuring OneRepublic - Apologize Jordin Sparks Duet With Chris Brown - No Air Sara Bareilles - Love Song Usher Featuring Young Jeezy - Love in This Club Chris Brown - With You Chris Brown - Forever Ray J amp Yung Berg - Sexy Can I Rihanna - Take a Bow Coldplay - Viva La Vida Katy Perry - I Kissed a Girl TI - Whatever You Like Rihanna - Disturbia Rihanna - Don #39 t Stop the Music Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine Chris Brown Featuring T-Pain - Kiss Kiss Ne-Yo - Closer Colbie Caillat - Bubbly Mariah Carey - Touch My Body Madonna Featuring Justin Timberlake - 4 Minutes Pink - So What Finger Eleven - Paralyzer 2009 United States Marine Corps Birthday Message Order Reorder Duration 9 08 Published 03 Nov 2009 Uploaded 11 Apr 2011 Author OurMarines http //wn /2009_United_States_Marine_Corps_Birthday_Message Email this video Sms this video The 2009 United States Marine Corps Birthday Message from Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen James T. Conway. Join Marines and their supporters around the globe as they celebrate the 234th birthday of the USMC on November 10 2009. For more information on becoming a Marine visit Marines . DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 2010 Don't Stop the Pop - Mashup of Top 25 Billboard Hits Order Reorder Duration 5 34 Published 29 Dec 2010 Uploaded 13 Apr 2011 Author djearworm http //wn /DJ_Earworm__United_State_of_Pop_2010_Don't_Stop_the_Pop__Mashup_of_Top_25_Billboard_Hits Email this video Sms this video mp3 download rarr djearworm A Mashup of the Top 25 Hits of 2010 according to Billboard Magazine. djearworm http twitter LYRICS rarr youtube Ke$ha - Tik Tok Lady Antebellum - Need You Now Train - Hey Soul Sister Katy Perry Featuring Snoop Dogg - California Gurls Usher Featuring will.i.am - OMG BOB Featuring Hayley Williams - Airplanes Eminem Featuring Rihanna - Love the Way You Lie Lady Gaga - Bad Romance Taio Cruz - Dynamite Taio Cruz Featuring Ludacris - Break Your Heart BOB Featuring Bruno Mars - Nothin #39 On You Enrique Iglesias Featuring Pitbull - I Like It Young Money Featuring Lloyd - Bedrock Jason Derulo - In My Head Rihanna - Rude Boy Lady Gaga Featuring Beyonce - Telephone Katy Perry - Teenage Dream Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are Mike Posner - Cooler Than Me The Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be Jay-Z + Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind Usher Featuring Pitbull - DJ Got Us Fallin #39 In Love Travie McCoy Featuring Bruno Mars - Billionaire Eminem - Not Afraid Iyaz - Replay United States Economic Collapse - The Joker Order Reorder Duration 5 00 Published 20 Feb 2009 Uploaded 10 Apr 2011 Author UDoHaveMyName http //wn /United_States_Economic_Collapse__The_Joker Email this video Sms this video quot ...it #39 s all part of the plan. quot Fort Sumter Marks 150th Anniversary of Start of Civil War Order Reorder Duration 0 48 Published 12 Apr 2011 Uploaded 13 Apr 2011 Author slatester http //wn /Fort_Sumter_Marks_150th_Anniversary_of_Start_of_Civil_War Email this video Sms this video Fort Sumter is trending on the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. The first shots rang out before dawn on April 12 1861 in Charleston Harbor after Union forces refused to surrender Fort Sumter to the Confederacy. South Carolina and six southern states had seceded from the Union in the months prior to the battle and four other states would soon follow. To mark the sesquicentennial Fort Sumter beamed two angled lights before dawn to signify the different directions taken by the Union and the Confederacy in a war that would drag on for four years and leave 600000 soldiers dead. United States Of Tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 2 Order Reorder Duration 3 37 Published 12 Apr 2011 Uploaded 12 Apr 2011 Author Tara1172 http //wn /United_States_Of_Tara_Season_3_Episode_1_Part_2 Email this video Sms this video sfseries.info Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 1 free Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1Part 1 Full Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 1 online Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 1 free Part 1 Part 1 Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 1 Part 1 Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 1 HD UNITED STATE OF POP 2009 LYRICS BLAME IT ON THE POP - DJ EARWORM MASHUP OF TOP 25 2009 Order Reorder Duration 4 43 Published 05 Jan 2010 Uploaded 12 Apr 2011 Author GLEDS0N101 http //wn /UNITED_STATE_OF_POP_2009_LYRICS_BLAME_IT_ON_THE_POP__DJ_EARWORM_MASHUP_OF_TOP_25_2009 Email this video Sms this video This is THE remix of 2009 Hope you enjoy Please RATE/SUBSCRIBE No copyrite intentions made. This is purely to promote DJ Earworm and his new remix United State of Pop 2009 Songs included The Black Eyed Peas - BOOM BOOM POW Lady Gaga - POKER FACE Lady Gaga Featuring Colby O #39 Donis - JUST DANCE The Black Eyed Peas - I GOTTA FEELING Taylor Swift - LOVE STORY Flo Rida - RIGHT ROUND Jason Mraz - I #39 M YOURS Beyonce - SINGLE LADIES PUT A RING ON IT Kanye West - HEARTLESS The All-American Rejects - GIVES YOU HELL Taylor Swift - YOU BELONG WITH ME TI Featuring Justin Timberlake - DEAD AND GONE The Fray - YOU FOUND ME Kings Of Leon - USE SOMEBODY Keri Hilson Featuring Kanye West amp Ne-Yo - KNOCK YOU DOWN Jamie Foxx Featuring T-Pain - BLAME IT Pitbull - I KNOW YOU WANT ME CALLE OCHO TI Featuring Rihanna - LIVE YOUR LIFE Soulja Boy Tell #39 em Featuring Sammie - KISS ME THRU THE PHONE Jay Sean Featuring Lil Wayne - DOWN Miley Cyrus - THE CLIMB Drake - BEST I EVER HAD Kelly Clarkson - MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU Beyonce - HALO Katy Perry - HOT N COLD Today This Week This Month Anytime Uploaded Relevance Date Popular Rating Sort by Play next List all Videos Autoplay Autorepeat Shuffle Sign up I have an account login clear restore list images close sort United States Economy Collapsing United States Economy Collapsing 9 51 Over 90% of America did not want to passage of HR3997. The US Congress was held at quot Executive Gun Point quot and told quot you either pass this bill or we will declare martial law. quot The most painful part of HR3997 is the shift ... Fifty Nifty United States - Tutorial and Memorial Fifty Nifty United States - Tutorial and Memorial 2 32 Lyrical Tutorial. Great for teachers students etc. I was 11 at the time I made this now i #39 m 13. Thanks for the great comments This video took me 6 hours to make so I appreciate them Keep up the learning Your Youtube Friend Foreve... The Smashing Pumpkins-united states@Rock am ring 2007 The Smashing Pumpkins-united states@Rock am ring 2007 10 25 The Smashing Pumpkins-united states@Rock am ring 2007... Liam Lynch United States of Whatever Liam Lynch United States of Whatever 1 28 United States of Whatever by Liam Lynch.... Westbam-United States Of Love-Loveparade 2006 Anthem Westbam-United States Of Love-Loveparade 2006 Anthem 3 45 this is the official loveparade 2006 anthem by westbam coutesy of low spirit recordings. Loveparade Berlin 2006 15th July starting 2pm Strasse des 17. Juni ... United States Marine Corps United States Marine Corps 3 18 Swede Studios Presents United States Marine Corps. A Movie Presented By Christian quot Swede quot Sandberg... A Brief History of the United States of America A Brief History of the United States of America 3 14 A Brief History of the United States of America... Muse United States of Eurasia Muse United States of Eurasia 5 48 New song quot United States of Eurasia quot from Muse off of their new album quot The Resistance quot . Enjoy D... McCain If the US doesn't lead then nobody leads McCain If the US doesn't lead then nobody leads 4 55 At a Monitor Breakfast on April 6 Senator John McCain spoke with reporters about the role of the United States in the Middle East. McCain was clear that the US has the financial ability and the resources to lead quot NATO is NATO. But th... Men of War Online Battle #096 United States vs Soviet Union live-commentary Men of War Online Battle #096 United States vs Soviet Union live-commentary 15 58 I command the United States. My opponent DanQ95 commands the Soviet Union. Map Farm Mode Battle Zones... Geography of United States Elections Lecture 1 Geography of United States Elections Lecture 1 106 07 October 15 2008 lecture by Professor Martin Lewis for the Geography of United States Elections GEOG 5 course. Professor Lewis covers the basic principle of political geography the quot red and blue quot map of the United States diffe... 1932 A True History of the United States 1932 A True History of the United States 101 50 Please Favorite this video and help us promote it on YouTube in any way you can. LaRouchePAC Presents 1932 To Govern a Republic One Must Know the Minds That Created It. quot ...while a nation goes speculation crazy the people neglect to... United States of Jesus United States of Jesus 5 37 A few words about America #39 s relationship with God. BOOK OF VIDEO TRANSCRIPTS NOW AVAILABLE lulu You can download an audio version of this video at patcondell.libsyn ... Geography of United States Elections Course Introduction Geography of United States Elections Course Introduction 3 22 Professor Martin Lewis provides an overview of the Geography of United States Elections. Starting on October 15 you can follow a timely course being presented by Stanford University. Led by Martin Lewis this map-intensive course will expl... remove add to playlist show more results video results for united states United States Marine Corps Elite Warrior United States Marine Corps Elite Warrior 3 13 The most motivating video that you will ever see.... The Presidents of the USA - Lump The Presidents of the USA - Lump 2 19 The PUSA video for the great song quot Lump. quot ... DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 2008 Viva La Pop - Mashup of Top 25 Billboard Hits DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 2008 Viva La Pop - Mashup of Top 25 Billboard Hits 4 38 music download rarr djearworm facebook A Mashup of the Top 25 Hits of 2008 according to Billboard. Tracklist Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain - Low Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love Alicia Keys - No One Lil Wayne Featuring Static Major - Lol... 2009 United States Marine Corps Birthday Message 2009 United States Marine Corps Birthday Message 9 08 The 2009 United States Marine Corps Birthday Message from Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen James T. Conway. Join Marines and their supporters around the globe as they celebrate the 234th birthday of the USMC on November 10 2009. For mo... DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 2010 Don't Stop the Pop - Mashup of Top 25 Billboard Hits DJ Earworm - United State of Pop 2010 Don't Stop the Pop - Mashup of Top 25 Billboard Hits 5 34 mp3 download rarr djearworm A Mashup of the Top 25 Hits of 2010 according to Billboard Magazine. djearworm http twitter LYRICS rarr youtube Ke$ha - Tik Tok Lady Antebellum - Need You Now Train - Hey Soul Sister Katy ... United States Economic Collapse - The Joker United States Economic Collapse - The Joker 5 00 quot ...it #39 s all part of the plan. quot ... Fort Sumter Marks 150th Anniversary of Start of Civil War Fort Sumter Marks 150th Anniversary of Start of Civil War 0 48 Fort Sumter is trending on the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. The first shots rang out before dawn on April 12 1861 in Charleston Harbor after Union forces refused to surrender Fort Sumter to the Confederacy. South Carol... United States Of Tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 2 United States Of Tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 2 3 37 sfseries.info Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 1 free Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1Part 1 Full Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1 Part 1 online Watch United States Of tara Season 3 Episode 1... UNITED STATE OF POP 2009 LYRICS BLAME IT ON THE POP - DJ EARWORM MASHUP OF TOP 25 2009 UNITED STATE OF POP 2009 LYRICS BLAME IT ON THE POP - DJ EARWORM MASHUP OF TOP 25 2009 4 43 This is THE remix of 2009 Hope you enjoy Please RATE/SUBSCRIBE No copyrite intentions made. This is purely to promote DJ Earworm and his new remix United State of Pop 2009 Songs included The Black Eyed Peas - BOOM BOOM POW Lady Gaga - ... ... photo Creative Commons / Mifter A United States Capitol Police police patrol car photo Public Domain / Aude 37th United States Congress photo Creative Commons / Magnus Manske Satellite image showing topography of the contiguous United States The total land area of the contiguous United States is approximately 1.9 billion acres. Alaska separated from the contiguous United States by Canada is the largest state at 365 million acres. photo US NARA file The Bill of Rights the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution - In the United States the Bill of Rights is the name by which the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution are known. photo Creative Commons Sikorsky YH-5A at National Museum of the United States Air Force photo Creative Commons / Magnus Manske United States Postal Service en headquarters at en L'Enfant Plaza in en Washington D.C. photo Creative Commons / Seaman Ryan Steinhour RBNS Sabha FFG 90 Bahrain. photo Creative Commons / L'Écolier Cargo apron in 1961 the relations with the United States deteriorated substantially and with the United States embargo against Cuba airlines from the United States were not permitted to operate regularly scheduled flights to the airport. photo Creative Commons / UpstateNYer New York State Capitol photo European Community / Mortadelo Washington in Albany photo Creative Commons / unknown Rosaparks photo Creative Commons / Joshua Massel Michael Jordan photo Creative Commons / Noclip The west front of the United States Capitol which houses the United States Congress photo Creative Commons / Cobatfor An Army UH-19D Chickasaw The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw also known by its Sikorsky model number S-55 was a multi-purpose helicopter used by the United States Army and United States Air Force. photo Creative Commons / Department of State Condoleezza Rice cropped photo Creative Commons / Dick DeMarsico Martin Luther King Jr NYWTS photo Creative Commons / Harris Ewing Booker T Washington retouched flattened-crop photo Public Domain / Tom Construction work on the Gaillard Cut is shown in this photograph from 1907 photo Creative Commons View of Rio Grande Big Bend National Park designated Wild River in 1978 Texas United States 8 photo NATO file President George W. Bush United States and Prime Minister Tony Blair United Kingdom at a Heads of State and Government photo Creative Commons / Nephron Heart disease photo Ships Photo United States Fish Commission Steamer FISH HAWK Ships Photo KLeo photo Creative Commons Historic Fairbanks House.Fernandina Beach is a city in Nassau County in the state of Florida in the United States of America and on Amelia Island. photo Public Domain / U.S. Navy photograph United States Navy ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada SSBN-733 off the United States East Coast on her commissioning day. photo Creative Commons / Peter Second Bank of the United States Philadelphia 1824. Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of the first volume of The Antiquities of Athens 5 and though he never practiced in the style Jefferson was to prove instrumental in introducing Greek Revival architecture to the United States. photo Creative Commons Blue Spring State Park Orange City Florida United States. Blue Spring State Park is a state park located west of Orange City Florida in the United States. photo GFDL / Dschwen Seattle is major city of the contienental United States . photo AP / Martin Meissner United States' Michael Bradley left speaks with his father United States head coach Bob Bradley center right after the World Cup group C soccer match between Slovenia and the United States at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg South Africa Friday June 18 2010. The match ended in a 2-2 draw. photo Creative Commons Ricardo Lagos photo AP Photo John Rood United States Assistant Secretary of State US photo AP / Mark Lennihan What the American public shouldn't know WorldNews 11 Jun 2011 Kourosh Ziabari WN Guest Writer. Many people around the world might have credulously or perhaps naively fallen in the trap of believing the tempting claims of the U.S. statesmen and politicians who ... photo Creative Commons / Sebastian Zwez France to pursue Middle East peace talks bid Khaleej Times 08 Jun 2011 UNITED NATIONS France will pursue efforts to organize a Middle East conference despite reservations expressed by the United States and Israel Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said. 'I have the feeling ... photo AP / Hasan Jamali Why No Bahrain Bob or Butcher of Bahrain WorldNews 30 May 2011 Article by WorldNews Correspondent Dallas Darling. Leading up to the 2003 military invasion and lengthy occupation of Iraq it was common for the American press to ridicule Baghdad Bob and to ... Most Popular Parents #39 behaviour #39 can influence teen drinking #39 Sonia rebuffs Anna #39 s complaint World groups urge political solution in Libya Face the facts – Syria is an apartheid state Ayman al-Zawahiri Al-Qaida #39 s arrogant doctor of death RELATED LINKS .edu .gov .mil .us 100th meridian west Aaron Copland abolitionism Abraham Lincoln AC motor Adams-Onís Treaty African American African slave trade agnosticism aircraft carrier al-Qaeda Alaska Alaska Natives Alaska Purchase Albert Einstein Aleutian Islands Alfred Stieglitz alpine climate alternating current American word American Bison American Civil War American comic book American Dream American English American football American Indian Wars American Jews American Revolution American Samoa Americas Amerigo Vespucci analytic philosophy Ancient Hawaii Andy Warhol animation Annexation Anno Domini Ansel Adams Apollo program appeal apple pie archipelago Armory Show ARPANET Asian American assembly line Association football at-large atheism Atlanta Atlantic Ocean Atomic Age August Wilson auto racing Average Joe read more Slideshow The Great Seal of the United States 20 Jun 2011 The Examiner On this day in 1782 Congress adopted the official seal of the United States. After Thomas Jefferson John Adams and Benjamin Franklin finished drafting the Declaration of Independence they were appointed to a committee to design an official seal for the United States. Jefferson and Franklin both suggested that one side of the seal portray Moses leading ancient ... read more United States Federal Bureau of Prisons Deploys 112 Spectra Logic Tape Libraries to Back Up and Encrypt Nearly One Petabyte of Data 20 Jun 2011 Business Wire Product Density Reliability and Past Experience with Spectra Support Locks the Deal BOULDER Colo. - Spectra Logic celebrating more than 30 years of data storage innovation announced today that the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons selected one Spectra® T950 one Spectra T200 and 110 Spectra T50e tape libraries all with BlueScale™ Encryption Standard Edition for data ... read more Syria's President Assad says state and people must unite 20 Jun 2011 BBC News Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has maintained a tough line in the face of anti-government ... read more United Africa Loses State Pension Case 20 Jun 2011 All Africa United Africa Group's legal ... read more United States Beats Jamaica 2-0 To Reach Gold Cup Semifinals 20 Jun 2011 Huffington Post WASHINGTON mdash Jermaine Jones broke a scoreless tie early in the second half leading the United States to a 2-0 victory over Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals Sunday. Jones fired a shot from outside the penalty area in the 49th minute and Jamaica defender Jermaine Taylor stuck out his foot deflecting the ball past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. To celebrate ... read more Ann Arbor United States 19 Jun 2011 The Examiner On Thursday May 26 the Supreme Court ruled that the Legal Arizona Workers Act which punishes...Dan PooleDetroit Political Buzz ExaminerMay 29 2011 Antibiotics at Large Debbie NicholsonDecember 10 2010 Are They the Evil of Modern MedicineAntibiotics one of the most frequently used medications in the United States . They are noted for their ability in killing bacterial ... read more United States to face Jamaica in Gold Cup quarterfinal Sunday Soccer 19 Jun 2011 Seattle Times WASHINGTON - The United States is eager to put a disappointing CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage behind and improve in the knockout matches. The U.S. men lost to Panama and came out of Group C in second place setting up a quarterfinal match with Jamaica at RFK Stadium on Sunday. "I think the team is still doing well in the tournament " U.S. ... read more United States holding talks with Taliban 18 Jun 2011 The Australian THE United States is holding talks with the Taliban Afghan President Hamid Karzai said today in the first official confirmation of such contacts ... read more The Native American Peoples of The United States 18 Jun 2011 Newsvine Christopher Brookeman is a lecturer in American Studies at the University ... read more United States is talking to Taliban says Karzai 18 Jun 2011 The Independent The United States and other foreign powers are engaged in preliminary taks with the Taliban about a possible settlement to the near decade-long war in Afghanistan Afghan President Hamid Karzai said today the first official confirmation of US involvement in negotiations. Diplomats have already said there have been months of preliminary talks between the two ... more news on United States United States Conventional long name United States of America Common name the United States Image coat US-GreatSeal-Obverse.svg Length 1776–Present Symbol type Great Seal National motto In God We Trust official traditional Latin Out of Many One Map width 220px National anthem " The Star-Spangled Banner " Official languages None at federal level Languages type National language Languages English de facto Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City Government type Federal presidential constitutional republic Leader title1 President Leader name1 Barack Obama D Leader title2 Vice President Leader name2 Joe Biden D Leader title3 Leader name3 John Boehner R Leader title4 Chief Justice Leader name4 John Roberts Legislature Congress Upper house Senate Lower house House of Representatives Sovereignty type Independence Established event1 Declared Established date1 July 4 1776 Established event2 Recognized Established date2 September 3 1783 Established event3 Current constitution Established date3 June 21 1788 Area footnote April Population census year 2010 Population density km2 33.7 Population density sq mi 87.4 Population density rank Gdp ppp year 2009 Gdp ppp $14.256 trillion Gdp ppp rank 1st Gdp ppp per capita $47 701 Hdi rank 4th Hdi category very high Gini 45.0 The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy with an estimated 2009 GDP of $14.3 trillion 24% of nominal global GDP and 20% of global GDP at purchasing power parity . - style "background #f5f5f5 " unemployment 9.8% november 2010 style "text-align right " Gdp growth 2.5% 3q 2010 -2.6% 2009 style "text-align right " cpi inflation 1.1% november 2009 – november 2010 style "text-align right " poverty 14.3% 2009 style "text-align right " public debt $13.87 trillion december 30 2010 style "text-align right " household net worth $54.2 trillion 4q 2009 style "text-align right " including an estimated 11.2 million illegal immigrants . The third most populous nation in the world after China and India the United States is the only industrialized nation in which large population increases are projected. With a birth rate of 13.82 per 1 000 30% below the world average its population growth rate is 0.98% significantly higher than those of Western Europe Japan and South Korea. In fiscal year 2009 1.1 million immigrants were granted legal residence . 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. The United States has a very diverse population —thirty-one ancestry groups have more than one million members. White American s are the largest racial group German American s Irish American s and English American s constitute three of the country's four largest ancestry groups. Asian American s are the country's second largest racial minority the two largest Asian American ethnic groups are Chinese American s and Filipino American s. Between 2000 and 2008 the country's Hispanic population increased 32% while the non-Hispanic population rose just 4.3%. Fertility is also a factor the average Hispanic woman gives birth to 3.0 children in her lifetime compared to 2.2 for non-Hispanic black women and 1.8 for non-Hispanic white women below the replacement rate of 2.1 . About 82% of Americans live in urban areas as defined by the Census Bureau such areas include the suburb s In 2008 273 incorporated places had populations over 100 000 nine cities had more than 1 million residents and four global cities had over 2 million New York City Los Angeles Chicago and Houston . There are fifty-two metropolitan areas with populations greater than 1 million. Of the fifty fastest-growing metro areas forty-seven are in the West or South. The metro areas of Dallas Houston Atlanta and Phoenix all grew by more than a million people between 2000 and 2008. - English only 225.5 million - Spanish incl. Creole 34.5 million - Chinese 2.5 million - French incl. Creole 2.0 million - Tagalog 1.5 million - Vietnamese 1.2 million - German 1.1 million - Korean 1.1 million } English is the de facto national language . Although there is no official language at the federal level some laws—such as U.S. naturalization requirements —standardize English. In 2007 about 226 million or 80% of the population aged five years and older spoke only English at home. Spanish spoken by 12% of the population at home is the second most common language and the most widely taught second language. Some Americans advocate making English the country's official language as it is in at least twenty-eight states. Both Hawaiian and English are official languages in Hawaii by state law. While neither has an official language New Mexico has laws providing for the use of both English and Spanish as Louisiana does for English and French. Other states such as California mandate the publication of Spanish versions of certain government documents including court forms. Several insular territories grant official recognition to their native languages along with English Samoan and Chamorro are recognized by American Samoa and Guam respectively Carolinian and Chamorro are recognized by the Northern Mariana Islands Spanish is an official language of Puerto Rico. Religion church most Americans identify as Christian. The United States is officially a secular nation the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and forbids the establishment of any religious governance . In a 2002 study 59% of Americans said that religion played a "very important role in their lives " a far higher figure than that of any other wealthy nation. According to a 2007 survey 78.4% of adults identified themselves as Christian down from 86.4% in 1990. Protestant denominations accounted for 51.3% while Roman Catholicism at 23.9% was the largest individual denomination. The study categorizes white evangelicals 26.3% of the population as the country's largest religious cohort The total reporting non-Christian religions in 2007 was 4.7% up from 3.3% in 1990. American public education is operated by state and local governments regulated by the United States Department of Education through restrictions on federal grants. Children are required in most states to attend school from the age of six or seven generally kindergarten or first grade until they turn eighteen generally bringing them through twelfth grade the end of high school some states allow students to leave school at sixteen or seventeen. About 12% of children are enrolled in parochial or nonsectarian private school s. Just over 2% of children are homeschooled . The United States has many competitive private and public institutions of higher education as well as local community college s with open admission policies. 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. The basic literacy rate is approximately 99%. The United Nations assigns the United States an Education Index of 0.97 tying it for 12th in the world. Health The United States life expectancy of 77.8 years at birth is a year shorter than the overall figure in Western Europe and three to four years lower than that of Norway Switzerland and Canada. Over the past two decades the country's rank in life expectancy has dropped from 11th to 42nd in the world. The infant mortality rate of 6.37 per thousand likewise places the United States 42nd out of 221 countries behind all of Western Europe. Approximately one-third of the adult population is obese and an additional third is overweight the obesity rate the highest in the industrialized world has more than doubled in the last quarter-century. Obesity-related type 2 diabetes is considered epidemic by health care professionals. The U.S. adolescent pregnancy rate 79.8 per 1 000 women is nearly four times that of France and five times that of Germany. Abortion legal on demand is highly controversial. Many states ban public funding of the procedure and restrict late-term abortions require parental notification for minors and mandate a waiting period. 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 15–44 remain higher than those of most Western nations. in Houston the world's largest medical center The U.S. health care system far outspends any other nation's measured in both per capita spending and percentage of GDP. The World Health Organization ranked the U.S. health care system in 2000 as first in responsiveness but 37th in overall performance. The United States is a leader in medical innovation. In 2004 the nonindustrial sector spent three times as much as Europe per capita on biomedical research. Unlike in all other developed countries health care coverage in the United States is not universal . In 2004 private insurance paid for 36% of personal health expenditures private out-of-pocket payments covered 15% and federal state and local governments paid for 44%. In 2005 46.6 million Americans 15.9% of the population were uninsured 5.4 million more than in 2001. The main cause of this rise is the drop in the number of Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance. The subject of uninsured and underinsured Americans is a major political issue. A 2009 study estimated that lack of insurance is associated with nearly 45 000 deaths a year. In 2006 Massachusetts became the first state to mandate universal health insurance. Federal legislation passed in early 2010 will create a near-universal health insurance system around the country by 2014. Crime and law enforcement Law enforcement in the United States is primarily the responsibility of local police and sheriff 's departments with state police providing broader services. Federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service have specialized duties. At the federal level and in almost every state jurisprudence operates on a common law system. State courts conduct most criminal trials federal courts handle certain designated crimes as well as certain appeal s from the state systems. Among developed nations the United States has above-average levels of violent crime and particularly high levels of gun violence and homicide . In 2007 there were 5.6 murders per 100 000 persons three times the rate in neighboring Canada. The U.S. homicide rate which decreased by 42% between 1991 and 1999 has been roughly steady since. and total prison population in the world. At the start of 2008 more than 2.3 million people were incarcerated more than one in every 100 adults. The current rate is about seven times the 1980 figure. African American males are jailed at about six times the rate of white males and three times the rate of Hispanic males. The country's high rate of incarceration is largely due to sentencing and drug policies . Though it has been abolished in most Western nations capital punishment is sanctioned in the United States for certain federal and military crimes and in thirty-six states. Since 1976 when the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty after a four-year moratorium there have been more than 1 000 executions. In 2006 the country had the sixth highest number of executions in the world following China Iran Pakistan Iraq and Sudan . In 2007 New Jersey became the first state to legislatively abolish the death penalty since the 1976 Supreme Court decision followed by New Mexico in 2009. Culture baseball and the American flag The United States is a multicultural nation home to a wide variety of ethnic groups traditions and values. Aside from the now small Native American and Native Hawaiian populations nearly all Americans or their ancestors immigrated within the past five centuries. The culture held in common by most Americans—mainstream American culture—is a Western culture largely derived from the traditions of European immigrants with influences from many other sources such as traditions brought by slaves from Africa . More recent immigration from Asia and especially Latin America has added to a cultural mix that has been described as both a homogenizing melting pot and a heterogeneous salad bowl in which immigrants and their descendants retain distinctive cultural characteristics. While the mainstream culture holds that the United States is a classless society scholars identify significant differences between the country's social classes affecting socialization language and values. The American middle and professional class has initiated many contemporary social trends such as modern feminism environmentalism and multiculturalism. Americans' self-images social viewpoints and cultural expectations are associated with their occupations to an unusually close degree. While Americans tend greatly to value socioeconomic achievement being ordinary or average is generally seen as a positive attribute. Though the American Dream or the perception that Americans enjoy high social mobility plays a key role in attracting immigrants various studies indicate that the United States has less social mobility than Canada and the Nordic countries. Women now mostly work outside the home and receive a majority of bachelor's degrees . In 2007 58% of Americans age 18 and over were married 6% were widowed 10% were divorced and 25% had never been married. Same-sex marriage is contentious. Some states permit civil unions in lieu of marriage. Since 2003 several states have permitted gay marriage as the result of judicial or legislative action while voters in more than a dozen states have barred the practice via referendum . Popular media The world's first commercial motion picture exhibition was given in New York City in 1894 using Thomas Edison 's Kinetoscope . 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. Since the early 20th century the U.S. film industry has largely been based in and around Hollywood California . Director D. W. Griffith was central to the development of film grammar and Orson Welles 's Citizen Kane 1941 is frequently cited as the greatest film of all time. 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 major film studio s of Hollywood have produced the most commercially successful movies in history such as 1977 and Titanic 1997 and the products of Hollywood today dominate the global film industry. Americans are the heaviest television viewers in the world and the average viewing time continues to rise reaching five hours a day in 2006. The four major broadcast networks are all commercial entities. Americans listen to radio programming also largely commercialized on average just over two-and-a-half hours a day. Aside from web portal s and search engines the most popular websites are Facebook YouTube Wikipedia Blogger eBay and Craigslist . The rhythmic and lyrical styles of African American music have deeply influenced American music at large distinguishing it from European traditions. Elements from folk idioms such as the blues and what is now known as old-time music were adopted and transformed into popular genres with global audiences. Jazz was developed by innovators such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington early in the 20th century. Country music developed in the 1920s and rhythm and blues in the 1940s. Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry were among the mid-1950s pioneers of rock and roll . 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 . More recent American creations include hip hop and house music . American pop stars such as Presley Michael Jackson and Madonna have become global celebrities. Literature philosophy and the arts one of the best-known figures of the Beat Generation a group of writers that came to prominence in the 1950s In the 18th century and early 19th century American art and literature took most of its cues from Europe. Writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne Edgar Allan Poe and Henry David Thoreau established a distinctive American literary voice by the middle of the 19th century. 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. A work seen as capturing fundamental aspects of the national experience and character—such as Herman Melville 's Moby-Dick 1851 Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1885 and F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby 1925 —may be dubbed the " Great American Novel ." Eleven U.S. citizens have won the Nobel Prize in Literature most recently Toni Morrison in 1993. William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway are often named among the most influential writers of the 20th century. Popular literary genres such as the Western and hardboiled crime fiction developed in the United States. The Beat Generation writers opened up new literary approaches as have postmodernist authors such as John Barth Thomas Pynchon and Don DeLillo . The transcendentalists led by Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson established the first major American philosophical movement . After the Civil War Charles Sanders Peirce and then William James and John Dewey were leaders in the development of pragmatism . In the 20th century the work of W. V. O. Quine and Richard Rorty built upon by Noam Chomsky brought analytic philosophy to the fore of U.S. academics. John Rawls and Robert Nozick led a revival of political philosophy . In the visual arts the Hudson River School was a mid-19th-century movement in the tradition of European naturalism . The realist paintings of Thomas Eakins are now widely celebrated. The 1913 Armory Show in New York City an exhibition of European modernist art shocked the public and transformed the U.S. art scene. Georgia O'Keeffe Marsden Hartley and others experimented with new styles displaying a highly individualistic sensibility. Major artistic movements such as the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning and the pop art of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein developed largely in the United States. The tide of modernism and then postmodernism has brought fame to American architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright Philip Johnson and Frank Gehry . in New York City part of the Broadway theater district One of the first major promoters of American theater was impresario P. T. Barnum who began operating a lower Manhattan entertainment complex in 1841. The team of Harrigan and Hart produced a series of popular musical comedies in New York starting in the late 1870s. 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 . Playwright Eugene O'Neill won the Nobel literature prize in 1936 other acclaimed U.S. dramatists include multiple Pulitzer Prize winners Tennessee Williams Edward Albee and August Wilson . Though largely overlooked at the time Charles Ives 's work of the 1910s established him as the first major U.S. composer in the classical tradition other experimentalists such as Henry Cowell and John Cage created a distinctive American approach to classical composition. Aaron Copland and George Gershwin developed a new synthesis of popular and classical music. Choreographers Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham helped create modern dance while George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins were leaders in 20th century ballet. Americans have long been important in the modern artistic medium of photography with major photographers including Alfred Stieglitz Edward Steichen and Ansel Adams . The newspaper comic strip and the comic book are both U.S. innovations. Superman the quintessential comic book superhero has become an American icon. Food with restaurants featuring Italian- American- and Chinese/Japanese-based cuisine Mainstream American culinary art s are similar to those in other Western countries. Wheat is the primary cereal grain. Traditional American cuisine uses ingredients such as turkey white-tailed deer venison potato es sweet potato es corn squash and maple syrup indigenous foods employed by Native Americans and early European settlers. Slow-cooked pork and beef barbecue crab cake s potato chip s and chocolate chip cookie s are distinctively American styles. Soul food developed by African slaves is popular around the South and among many African Americans elsewhere. Syncretic cuisines such as Louisiana creole Cajun and Tex-Mex are regionally important. Characteristic dishes such as apple pie fried chicken pizza hamburger s and hot dog s derive from the recipes of various immigrants. French fries Mexican dishes such as burrito s and taco s and pasta dishes freely adapted from Italian sources are widely consumed. Americans generally prefer coffee to tea. Marketing by U.S. industries is largely responsible for making orange juice and milk ubiquitous breakfast beverages. During the 1980s and 1990s Americans' caloric intake rose 24% Sports quarterback looking to pass the ball Since the late 19th century baseball has been regarded as the national sport American football basketball and ice hockey are the country's three other leading professional team sports. College football and basketball attract large audiences. Football is now by several measures the most popular spectator sport . Boxing and horse racing were once the most watched individual sports but they have been eclipsed by golf and auto racing particularly NASCAR . Soccer is played widely at the youth and amateur levels. Tennis and many outdoor sports are popular as well. While most major U.S. sports have evolved out of European practices basketball volleyball skateboarding snowboarding and cheerleading are American inventions. Lacrosse and surfing arose from Native American and Native Hawaiian activities that predate Western contact. Eight Olympic Games have taken place in the United States. The United States has won 2 301 medals at the Summer Olympic Games more than any other country and 253 in the Winter Olympic Games the second most. Measurement systems The country retains United States customary units constituted largely by British imperial units such as yard s mile s and degrees Fahrenheit . Distinct units include the U.S. gallon and pint volume measurements. The United States is one of three countries along with Burma and Liberia that has not officially adopted the metric system . However metric units are increasingly used in science medicine and many industrial fields. See also Outline of the United States Index of United States–related articles References External links Government Official U.S. Government Web Portal Gateway to government sites House Official site of the United States House of Representatives Senate Official site of the United States Senate White House Official site of the President of the United States Supreme Court Official site of the Supreme Court of the United States Overviews and Data InfoUSA Portal to U.S. Information Agency resources Library of Congress Official site of the U.S. Library of Congress Demographic Highlights Statistics from the Population Reference Bureau The 50 States of the U.S.A. Collected informational links for each state from Wikitravel United States Encyclopædia Britannica entry U.S. Census Housing and Economic Statistics Wide-ranging data from the U.S. Census Bureau U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Official government site State Fact Sheets Population employment income and farm data from the U.S. Economic Research Service State Energy Profiles Economic environmental and energy data for each state from the U.S. Energy Information Administration History Historical Documents Collected by the National Center for Public Policy Research U.S. National Mottos History and Constitutionality Analysis by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance USA Collected links to historical data Maps National Atlas of the United States Official maps from the U.S. Department of the Interior United States Satellite view at WikiMapia not affiliated with Wikipedia/ Wikimedia Foundation Category Bicontinental countries Category Superpowers Category Northern American countries Category Countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean Category Countries bordering the Pacific Ocean Category Countries bordering the Arctic Ocean Category Federal countries Category English-speaking countries and territories Category Former British colonies Category G8 nations Category G20 nations Category Liberal democracies Category States and territories established in 1776 Category 1776 establishments in the United States Category Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Category Article Feedback Pilot This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License . This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community. Jesus Name Jesus of Nazareth Alt Half-length portrait of younger man with shoulder-length hair and beard with right hand raised over what appears to be a red flame. The upper background is gold. Around his head is a golden halo containing an equal-armed cross with three arms visible the arms are decorated with ovals and squares. Caption 20th-century stained glass work of Jesus at St. John the Baptist's Church in Ashfield Australia . Language Aramaic perhaps some Hebrew Koine Greek Birth date c. 5 BC/BCE Birth place Bethlehem Judea Roman Empire traditional Nazareth Galilee modern critical scholarship Death place Calvary Judea Roman Empire according to the New Testament he rose on the third day after his death. Death date c. 30 AD/CE aged 33-35 Death cause Crucifixion Resting place Traditionally and temporarily a garden tomb in Jerusalem Ethnicity Jewish Nationality Israelite Home town Nazareth Galilee Roman Empire Parents Father Christian view God through virginal conception Islamic view virginal conception Jesus of Nazareth c. 5 BC/BCE – c. 30 AD/CE also referred to as Jesus Christ or simply Jesus is the central figure of Christianity . Most Christian denomination s venerate him as God the Son incarnated and believe that he rose from the dead after being crucified . The principal sources of information regarding Jesus' life and teachings are the four canonical gospels . Most critical scholars believe that other parts of the New Testament are also useful for reconstructing Jesus' life some scholars believe apocryphal texts such as the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel according to the Hebrews are also relevant . Most critical historians agree that Jesus was a Jew who was regarded as a teacher and healer that he was baptized by John the Baptist and was crucified in Jerusalem on the orders of the Roman Prefect of Judaea Pontius Pilate on the charge of sedition against the Roman Empire . Critical Biblical scholars and historians have offered competing descriptions of Jesus as a self-described Messiah as the leader of an apocalyptic movement as an itinerant sage as a charismatic healer and as the founder of an independent religious movement. Most contemporary scholars of the Historical Jesus consider him to have been an independent charismatic founder of a Jewish restoration movement anticipating an imminent apocalypse. Christians traditionally believe that Jesus was born of a virgin arguing that he fulfilled many Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament . The majority of Christians worship Jesus as the incarnation of God the Son one of three divine persons of a Trinity . A few Christian groups however reject Trinitarianism wholly or partly believing it to be non-scriptural. Judaism rejects assertions that Jesus was the awaited Messiah arguing that he did not fulfill the Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh . In Islam Jesus commonly transliterated as is considered one of God's important prophets a bringer of scripture and the product of a virgin birth but did not experience a crucifixion. Islam and the Baha'i Faith use the title "Messiah" for Jesus but do not teach that he was God incarnate. Etymology "Jesus" is a transliteration occurring in a number of languages and based on the Latin Iesus of the Greek itself a Hellenisation of the Hebrew Yĕhōšuă‘ Joshua or Hebrew- Aramaic Yēšûă‘ meaning " Yahweh delivers or rescues ". " Christ " is a title derived from the Greek meaning the "Anointed One" a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ Messiah . A "Messiah " in this context is a king anointed at God's direction or with God's approval and Christians identify Jesus as the one foretold by Hebrew prophets . Chronology 1640 Possible year of birth There is no contemporary historical evidence demonstrating the date of Jesus' birth . The common Gregorian calendar method for numbering years in which the current year is is based on an early medieval attempt to count the years from a point of reference — namely Jesus' birth — which Dionysius Exiguus placed either mistakenly or intentionally sometime between 2 BC/BCE and 1 AD/CE. The Gospel of Matthew states Jesus' birth occurred during the reign of Herod the Great who died in 4 BC/BCE but also with the intimation that Jesus may have been as much as two years old when Herod ordered the Massacre of the Innocents and therefore that he may have been even older at the time of Herod's death. The Gospel of Luke similarly points to Jesus' birth as having occurred during the reign of Herod the Great i.e. sometime between 37 and 4 BC/BCE but the author of Luke also describes the birth as taking place during the first census of the Roman provinces of Syria and Iudaea which is generally believed to have occurred in 6 AD/CE. Most scholars generally assume a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC/BCE. Other scholars assume that Jesus was born sometime between 7—2 BC / BCE and died sometime between 26—36 AD / CE . Additional evidence uncovered in 1923 by archeologists digging in the ruins of a Roman Temple near Ankara Turkey points to 8 BC based on descriptions of three empire-wide censuses one of which occurred in 8 BC. Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday observed mostly on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus. The earliest evidence of celebration of Jesus' birth comes from Clement of Alexandria who describes Egyptian Christians as celebrating it on May 20 although other early sources have Christians celebrating the event in March April or January. According to Epiphaneus Christians in the East had largely settled on January 6 by the 4th century. The wide-spread affiliation of Christmas with the Roman festival of Sol Invictus is disputable there is no evidence that the feast of Sol Invictus was affixed by Aurelian to December 25. The celebration of Sol Invictus feast on December 25 is not mentioned until the calendar of 354 and subsequently in 362 by Julian the Apostate in his Oration to King Helios . However there is no month of the year to which respectable authorities have not assigned Jesus' birth. Ministry Jesus' ministry which according to the Gospel of Luke began when Jesus was "about 30 years of age" followed that of John the Baptist whose ministry is said to have begun "in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" which would be about 28 or 29 AD/CE. According to the Synoptic Gospels Jesus' ministry lasted approximately one year whereas the Gospel of John implies that his ministry may have lasted approximately three years. Thus the earliest generally accepted date for the crucifixion is 29 AD/CE i.e. the 15th year of Tiberius' reign plus one year for Jesus' ministry and the latest is 36 AD/CE i.e. the final year of Pontius Pilate's prefecture . Possible year of death All four canonical Gospels report that Jesus was crucified during the prefecture of Pontius Pilate the Roman prefect who governed Judaea from 26 to 36 AD/CE. The late 1st century Jewish historian Josephus writing in The Antiquities of the Jews c. 93 AD/CE and the early 2nd century Roman historian Tacitus writing in The Annals c. 116 AD/CE also state that Pilate ordered the execution of Jesus though each writer incorrectly gives him the title of "procurator" instead of prefect. Most Christians commemorate the crucifixion on Good Friday and celebrate the resurrection on Easter Sunday. Life and teachings as told in the Gospels The four canonical gospel s Matthew Mark Luke and John are the main sources for the biography of Jesus' life nevertheless these Gospels were written with the intention of glorifying Jesus and are not strictly biographical in nature. For example the Gospels primarily characterize Jesus as the Messiah he performs miracles and is often described as having a very close relationship to the Jewish God — the phrase "Son of God" is attributed to Jesus at least once in each Gospel. The Gospels especially Matthew present Jesus' birth life death and resurrection as fulfillment of prophecies found in the Hebrew Bible e.g. the virgin birth the flight into Egypt Immanuel from and the suffering servant . However critical scholars find historical information about Jesus' life and ministry in the synoptic gospels while interpreting the miraculous and theological content in light of what is known of Jewish beliefs at the time. Similarities and differences among the Gospels Three of the four Gospels Matthew Mark and Luke are known as the synoptic Gospels because they display a high degree of similarity in content narrative arrangement language and sentence and paragraph structures. These Gospels are also considered to share the same point of view. The fourth canonical Gospel John differs greatly from these three as do the Apocryphal gospels . According to the two-source hypothesis Mark was a source for Matthew and Luke both of whom also independently used a now lost sayings source called the Q Gospel . Mark defined the sequence of events from Jesus' baptism to the empty tomb and included parables of the Kingdom of God. Character of Jesus Each gospel portrays Jesus' life and its meaning with different emphasis. The gospel of John is not a biography of Jesus but a theological presentation of him as the divine Logos. One modern scholar writes that to combine these four stories into one story is tantamount to creating a fifth story one different from each original. The author describes the Logos in relation to God and the created order declares that he "became flesh" and identifies him as Jesus Christ. According to the Fourth Gospel Jesus Christ is God active in creation in revelation Light and in redemption Life . Jesus' earthly life was the Logos incarnate. The accounts in the two gospels are substantially different. Several explanations have been suggested see Genealogy of Jesus . The earliest recorded explanation is in the 3rd century by Africanus who argued that the discrepancy arose from a levirate marriage in Jesus' ancentry. Such a marriage could have resulted in one ancestor having two "fathers" one legal and the other physical and so making two branches in the genealogy. However it has been traditional to assume that Luke's genealogy traces through Mary and Matthew's through Joseph since at least 1490. Some contemporary scholars generally view the genealogies as theological constructs. More specifically some have suggested that the author of Matthew wants to underscore the birth of a Messianic child of royal lineage. Solomon is included in the list whereas in this interpretation Luke's genealogy is priestly e.g. it mentions Levi . Mary is mentioned in passing in the genealogy given by Matthew but not in Luke's while Matthew gives Jacob as Joseph's father and Luke says Joseph was the son of Heli. Both accounts when read at face value trace Jesus' line though his human father Joseph back to King David and from there to Abraham . These lists are identical between Abraham and David except for one but they differ almost completely between David and Joseph having only Zerubbabel and Shealtiel in common . Joseph husband of Mary appears in descriptions of Jesus' childhood. No mention however is made of Joseph during the ministry of Jesus. The New Testament books of Matthew Mark and Galatians tell of Jesus' relatives including words sometimes translated as "brothers" and "sisters". Luke also mentions that Elizabeth mother of John the Baptist was a "cousin" or "relative" of Mary which would make John a distant cousin of Jesus. Nativity and early life 17th century While there are documents outside of the New Testament which are more or less contemporary with the Historical Jesus many shed no light on the more biographical aspects of his life. The main sources of Jesus himself that are available to modern scholars are the gospels. Of the four Gospels the Nativity birth is mentioned only in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. According to these accounts Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary his betrothed in Bethlehem . Both support the doctrine of the Virgin Birth in which Jesus was miraculously conceived in his mother's womb by the Holy Spirit when his mother was still a virgin. In Luke the angel Gabriel visits Mary to tell her that she was chosen to bear the Son of God . An order of Caesar Augustus had forced Mary and Joseph to leave their homes in Nazareth and travel to Bethlehem the home of Joseph's ancestors the house of David for the Census of Quirinius . After Jesus' birth the couple was forced to use a manger in place of a crib because of a shortage of accommodation. An angel announced Jesus' birth to shepherds who left their flocks to see the newborn child and who subsequently publicized what they had witnessed throughout the area see The First Noël . In Matthew the " Wise Men " or " Magi " bring gifts to the young Jesus after following a star which they believe was a sign that the King of the Jews had been born. King Herod hears of Jesus' birth from the Wise Men and tries to kill him by massacring all the male children in Bethlehem under the age of two the " massacre of the innocents " . The family flees to Egypt and remains there until Herod's death whereupon they settle in Nazareth to avoid living under the authority of Herod's son and successor Archelaus . Jesus' childhood home is identified as the town of Nazareth in Galilee . Except for Matthew's "flight into Egypt" and a short trip to Tyre and Sidon in what is now Lebanon the Gospels place all other events in Jesus' life in ancient Israel . However infancy gospels began to appear around the beginning of the 2nd century. In Mark Jesus is called a tekton usually understood to mean carpenter . Matthew says he was the son of a tekton . Baptism and temptation by Francesco Trevisani 1854 All the gospels report that he had become known as a religious teacher by the time he had reached his 30's. Luke says Jesus was "about thirty years of age" when he was baptized. All three synoptic Gospels describe the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist an event which Biblical scholars describe as the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. According to these accounts Jesus came to the Jordan River where John the Baptist had been preaching and baptizing people in the crowd. After Jesus was baptized and rose from the water Mark states Jesus "saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven 'You are my beloved Son with you I am well pleased.'" Mark starts his narration with Jesus' baptism specifying that it is a token of repentance and for forgiveness of sins. Matthew describes John as initially hesitant to comply with Jesus' request for John to baptize him stating that it was Jesus who should baptize him. Jesus persisted "It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness". In Matthew God's public dedication informs the reader that Jesus has become God's anointed "Christ" . The Gospel of John does not describe Jesus' baptism or the subsequent Temptation but it does attest that Jesus is the very one about whom John the Baptist had been preaching—the Son of God. The Baptist twice declares Jesus to be the "Lamb of God" a term found nowhere else in the Gospels. John also emphasizes Jesus' superiority over John the Baptist. In the synoptics Jesus speaks in parables and aphorisms exorcises demons champions the poor and oppressed and teaches mainly about the Kingdom of God. In John Jesus speaks in long discourses with himself as the theme of his teaching. The Synoptic Gospels suggest a span of only one year. In the synoptics Jesus' ministry takes place mainly in Galilee until he travels to Jerusalem where he cleanses the Temple and is executed. In John his ministry in and around Jerusalem is more prominently described cleansing the temple at his ministry's beginning. In Mark the disciples are strangely obtuse failing to understand Jesus' deeds and parables. In Matthew Jesus directs the apostles' mission only to those of the house of Israel Luke places a special emphasis on the women who followed Jesus such as Mary Magdalene . Teachings and preachings illustration by Carl Heinrich Bloch 19th c. In the Synoptic Gospels Jesus speaks primarily about the Kingdom of God. Some of Jesus' most famous teachings come from the Sermon on the Mount which contains the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer . It is one of five collections of teachings in Matthew. During his sermons he preached about service and humility the forgiveness of sin faith turning the other cheek love for one's enemies as well as friends and the need to follow the spirit of the law in addition to the letter. In the Synoptics Jesus relays an apocalyptic vision of the end of days . He preaches that the end of the current world will come unexpectedly and that he will return to judge the world especially according to how they treated the vulnerable . He calls on his followers to be ever alert and faithful. In Mark the Kingdom of God is a divine government that will appear by force within the lifetimes of his followers. The Transfiguration is a turning point in Jesus ministry. In Mark Jesus' identity as the Messiah is obscured see Messianic secret . Mark states that "this generation" will be given no sign while Matthew and Luke say they will be given no sign but the sign of Jonah. In John and not in the synoptics Jesus is outspoken about his divine identity and mission. Here Jesus uses the phrase "I am" in talking of himself in ways that designate God in the Hebrew Bible a statement taken by some writers as claiming identity with God. Arrest trial and death 1626. In Jerusalem According to the Synoptics Jesus came with his followers to Jerusalem during the Passover festival where a large crowd came to meet him shouting " Hosanna Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Blessed is the King of Israel " Following his triumphal entry Jesus created a disturbance at Herod's Temple by overturning the tables of the moneychangers who set up shop there and claiming that they had made the Temple a "den of robbers". Later that week Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples — an event subsequently known as the Last Supper — in which he prophesied that he would be betrayed by one of his disciples and would then be executed. In this ritual he took bread and wine in hand saying "this is my body which is given for you" and "this cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood" and instructed them to "do this in remembrance of me." Following the supper Jesus and his disciples went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane . In Mark and Matthew Jesus is anguished in the face of his fate. He prays and accepts God's will but his chosen disciples repeatedly fall asleep on the watch. In John Jesus has already cleansed the temple a few years before and has been preaching in Jerusalem. He raises Lazarus on the Sabbath the act that finally gets Jewish leaders to plan his death. Behold the Man Pontius Pilate presents a scourge d Jesus of Nazareth to onlookers. Illustration by Antonio Ciseri 19th c. Betrayal and arrest While in the Garden Jesus is arrested by temple guards on the orders of the Sanhedrin and the high priest Caiaphas . The arrest takes place clandestinely at night to avoid a riot as Jesus is popular with the people at large. Judas Iscariot one of his apostles betrays Jesus by identifying him to the guards with a kiss . Simon Peter another one of Jesus' apostles uses a sword to attack one of Jesus' captors cutting off his ear which according to Luke Jesus immediately heals miraculously. Jesus rebukes the apostle stating "all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword". After his arrest Jesus' apostles go into hiding Judas distraught by his betrayal of Jesus commits suicide shortly after. Trials before the Sanhedrin and Pilate painting by D. Velázquez 17th c. Jesus affirms that he is the Messiah before the Sanhedrin . The Jewish leaders turn him over to Pilate for execution but Pilate is reluctant to execute Jesus. He asks God to forgive those who are crucifying him possibly the Romans and possibly the Jews. Resurrection and ascension illustration by Matthias Grünewald 16th c. The Gospels state that Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday. All the Gospels portray Jesus' empty tomb. In Matthew an angel appears near the tomb of Jesus and announces his resurrection to Mary Magdalene and "another Mary" who had arrived to anoint the body. Jewish elders bribe the soldiers who had guarded the tomb to spread the rumor that Jesus' disciples took his body. In Luke there are two angels and in Mark the angel appears as a youth dressed in white. The " longer ending " to Mark which is known as the Markan Appendix and which did not form part of the original manuscripts states that on the morning of his resurrection Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene. John states that when Mary looked into the tomb two angels asked her why she was crying and as she turned round she initially failed to recognize Jesus until he spoke her name. The Gospels all record appearances by Jesus including an appearance to the eleven apostles. In Mark Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene to two disciples in the country and to the eleven at which point Jesus commissions them to announce the gospel baptize and work miracles. In Mark and Luke Jesus ascends to the heavens after these appearances. In Luke Jesus ascends on Easter Sunday evening when he is with his disciples. The name "Jesus" comes from an alternate spelling of the Latin Iēsus which in turn comes from the Greek name Iesous . In the Septuagint is used as the Greek version of the Hebrew name Yehoshua "God delivers" from Yeho — Yahweh is shua` — deliverance/rescue in the Biblical book of the same name usually Romanized as Joshua . Some scholars believe that one of these was likely the name that Jesus was known by during his lifetime by his peers. Thus the name has been translated into English as " Joshua ". Christ which started as a title and has often been used as a name for Jesus is an Anglicization of the Greek term χριστός christos . In the Septuagint this term is used as the translation of the "Anointed One" in reference to priests and kings and King Cyrus. In Isaiah and Jeremiah the word began to be applied to a future ideal king. The New Testament has some 500 uses of the word χριστός applied to Jesus used either generically or in an absolute sense namely as the Anointed One the Messiah the Christ . The Gospel of Mark has as its central point of its narrative Peter's confession of Jesus as the Messiah. indicates that the strong belief that Jesus was the Messiah predates the letters of Paul the Apostle. These letters also show that the Messiah title was already beginning to be used as a name. Some have suggested that other titles applied to Jesus in the New Testament had meanings in the 1st century quite different from those meanings ascribed today. Géza Vermes has argued that "Son of man" was not a title but rather the polite way in which people referred to themselves i.e. a pronominal phrase. However a number of New Testament scholars argue that Jesus himself made no claims to being God. Most Christians identified Jesus as divine from a very early period although holding a variety of views as to what exactly this implied. Other names and titles "Son of David" is found elsewhere in Jewish tradition to refer to the heir to the throne. Over the past two hundred years these scholars have constructed a Jesus different in ways from the image found in the gospels. Scholars of the "historical Jesus" distinguish their concept from the "Jesus Christ" of Christianity. Other scholars however hold that the figure presented in the gospels is the real Jesus and that his life and influence only make sense if the gospel stories are accurate. The principal sources of information regarding Jesus' life and teachings are the four gospels. Scholars conclude the authors of the gospels wrote a few decades after Jesus' crucifixion between 60-100AD in some cases using sources the author of Luke-Acts references this explicitly . A great majority of biblical scholars accept the historical existence of Jesus. The English title of Albert Schweitzer 's 1906 book The Quest of the Historical Jesus is a label for the post-Enlightenment effort to describe Jesus using critical historical methods. Since the end of the 18th century scholars have examined the gospels and tried to formulate historical biographies of Jesus. The historical outlook on Jesus relies on critical analysis of the Bible especially the gospels. Many Biblical scholars have sought to reconstruct Jesus' life in terms of the political cultural and religious crises and movements in late 2nd Temple Judaism and in Roman-occupied Palestine including differences between Galilee and Judea and between different sects such as the Pharisees Sadducees Essenes and Zealots and in terms of conflicts among Jews in the context of Roman occupation. Descriptions Historians of Christianity generally describe Jesus as a healer who preached the restoration of God's kingdom and agree he was baptized by John the Baptist and crucified by the Romans. Baptism by John the Baptist John the Baptist led a large apocalyptic movement. He demanded repentance and baptism. Jesus was baptized and later began his ministry. After John was executed some of his followers apparently took Jesus as their new leader. Historians are nearly unanimous in accepting Jesus' baptism as a historical event. Arrival of the Kingdom – Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God. He said that the age of the Kingdom had in some sense arrived starting with the activity of John the Baptist. Scholars commonly surmise that Jesus' eschatology was apocalyptic like John's. Parables – Jesus taught in pithy parables and with striking images. His teaching was marked by hyperbole and unusual twists of phrase. that have great effects. Significantly he never described the Kingdom in military terms. Associated with this main theme Jesus taught that one should rely on prayer and expect prayer to be effective. The Gospels report that Jesus foretold his own Passion but the actions of the disciples suggest that it came as a surprise to them. Jewish religious movements in Jesus' day Scholars refer to the religious background of the early 1st century to better reconstruct Jesus' life. Some scholars identify him with one or another group. Pharisees were a powerful force in 1st-century Judea. Early Christians shared several beliefs of the Pharisees such as resurrection retribution in the next world angels human freedom and Divine Providence. After the fall of the Temple the Pharisee outlook was established in Rabbinic Judaism. Some scholars speculate that Jesus was himself a Pharisee . In Jesus' day the two main schools of thought among the Pharisees were the House of Hillel which had been founded by the eminent Tanna Hillel the Elder and the House of Shammai . Jesus' assertion of hypocrisy may have been directed against the stricter members of the House of Shammai although he also agreed with their teachings on divorce. Jesus also commented on the House of Hillel's teachings Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 31a concerning the greatest commandment and the Golden Rule . Historians do not know whether there were Pharisees in Galilee during Jesus' life or what they would have been like. Essenes were apocalyptic ascetics one of the three or four major Jewish schools of the time though they were not mentioned in the New Testament . Some scholars theorize that Jesus was an Essene or close to them. Among these scholars is Pope Benedict XVI who supposes in his book on Jesus that "it appears that not only John the Baptist but possibly Jesus and his family as well were close to the Qumran community." Zealots were a revolutionary party opposed to Roman rule one of those parties that according to Josephus inspired the fanatical stand in Jerusalem that led to its destruction in the year 70 AD/CE. Luke identifies Simon a disciple as a "zealot" which might mean a member of the Zealot party which would therefore have been already in existence in the lifetime of Jesus or a zealous person. Higher criticism and Christian scripture Contemporary historians of Christianity use the historical-critical method or higher criticism to examine scripture for clues about the historical Jesus. They sort out sayings and events that are more likely to be genuine and use those to construct their portraits of Jesus. They use standard historical methods to discern who wrote each book where and when they were written what sources the authors used what the authors' agendas were. Biblical scholars hold that the works describing Jesus were initially communicated by oral tradition and were not committed to writing until several decades after Jesus' crucifixion. After the original oral stories were written down in Greek they were transcribed and later translated into other languages. The books of the New Testament had mostly been written by 100 AD/CE making them at least the synoptic gospels historically relevant. The Gospel tradition certainly preserves several fragments of Jesus' teaching. The Gospel of Mark is believed to have been written c. 70 AD/CE. Matthew is placed at being sometime after this date and Luke is thought to have been written between 70 and 100 AD/CE. According to the majority viewpoint the gospels were written not by the evangelists identified by tradition but by non-eyewitnesses who worked with second-hand sources and who modified their accounts to suit their religious agendas. Sayings attributed to Jesus are deemed more likely to reflect his character when they are distinctive vivid paradoxical surprising and contrary to social and religious expectations such as "Blessed are the poor". Short memorable parables and aphorisms capable of being transmitted orally are also thought more likely to be authentic. A minority of prominent scholars such as J. A. T. Robinson have maintained that the writers of the gospels of Matthew Mark and John were either apostles and eyewitness to Jesus' ministry and death or were close to those who had been. a few scholars have questioned the existence of Jesus as an actual historical figure. Among the proponents of non-historicity was Bruno Bauer in the 19th century. Non-historicity was somewhat influential in biblical studies during the early 20th century. The views of scholars who entirely rejected Jesus' historicity then were based on a suggested lack of eyewitnesses a lack of direct archaeological evidence the failure of certain ancient works to mention Jesus and similarities early Christianity shared with then-contemporary religion and mythology. More recently arguments for non-historicity have been discussed by authors such as George Albert Wells and Robert M. Price Earl Doherty Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy . Classicist Michael Grant stated that standard historical criteria prevent one from rejecting the existence of a historical Jesus. Professor of Divinity James Dunn describes the mythical Jesus theory as a 'thoroughly dead thesis'. Religious perspectives By and large the Jews of Jesus' day rejected his claim to be the Messiah as do Jews today. For their part Christian Church Fathers Ecumenical Councils Reformers and others have written extensively about Jesus over the centuries. Christian sects and schisms have often been defined or characterized by competing descriptions of Jesus. Meanwhile Gnostics Mandaeans Manichaeans Muslims Baha'is and others have found prominent places for Jesus in their own religious accounts. Christian views Though Christian views of Jesus vary it is possible to describe a general majority Christian view by examining the similarities between specific Catholic Eastern Orthodox and many Protestant doctrines found in their catechetical or confessional texts. Almost all Christian groups regard Jesus as the "Savior and Redeemer " as the Messiah Greek Christos English Christ prophesied in the Old Testament who through his life death and resurrection restored humanity's communion with God in the blood of the New Covenant . His death on a cross is understood as the redemptive sacrifice the source of humanity's salvation and the atonement for sin which had entered human history through the sin of Adam . Christians profess that Jesus suffered death by crucifixion and rose bodily from the dead in the definitive miracle that foreshadows the resurrection of humanity at the end of time when Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead resulting in either entrance into heaven or damnation. Christians profess Jesus to be the only Son of God the Lord and the eternal Word which is a translation of the Greek Logos who became man in the incarnation so that those who believe in him might have eternal life. They further hold that he was born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit in an event described as the miraculous virgin birth or incarnation. A nearly universal belief within Christianity is that the Godhead is triune "Trinity" . As the ancient Athanasian Creed is worded the Trinity is "one God" and "three persons... and yet they are not three Gods but one God." The doctrine of the Trinity has been rejected by many non-Christians throughout its history. They teach that Jesus is a separate and distinct being from God the Father and the Holy Spirit and that Biblical references to the Father and the Son being one do not indicate a unity of being. While most of these groups refer to themselves as Christian they are not generally accepted by Mainline Protestants and more conservative denominations because of the extra-biblical and unorthodox teachings of these groups. Some religious groups that do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mormons Unitarianism Jehovah's Witnesses Oneness Pentecostals Sabbatarian Churches of God and the Christadelphians . See also Nontrinitarianism Benedict XVI in his book Jesus of Nazareth readily and gratefully acknowledges that thanks to historical-critical scholarship we know much more today about the different literary genres of the Bible about the ways in which a Gospel writer's intent affected his portrait of Jesus about the theological struggles within early Christianity that shaped a particular Christian community's memory of its Lord. The difficulty according to Benedict XVI is that "amidst all the knowledge gained in the biblical dissecting room the Jesus of the Gospels has tended to disappear to be replaced by a given scholar's reconstruction from the bits and pieces left on the dissecting room floor." And that makes what Benedict calls "intimate friendship with Jesus" much more difficult not just for scholars but for everyone. Jewish views Judaism including Orthodox Judaism Hareidi Judaism Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism holds the view Jesus is not the Messiah arguing that he had not fulfilled the Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh nor embodied the personal qualifications of the Messiah. According to Jewish tradition there were no more prophets after Malachi who lived centuries before Jesus and delivered his prophesies about 420 BC/BCE. Judaism states that Jesus did not fulfill the requirements set by the Torah to prove that he was a prophet. Even if Jesus had produced such a sign that Judaism recognized Judaism states that no prophet or dreamer can contradict the laws already stated in the Torah which Jesus did. The Babylonian Talmud and Toledot Yeshu include stories of Yeshu . This name is etymologically unconnected to the Hebrew or Aramaic words for Joshua and many religious Jews read it as the acronym for Yimakh sh'mo u'shem zikhro meaning "be his name and memory erased" an expression used to describe deceased enemies. Historians agree that these narratives do not refer to a historical Jesus. Historians disagree as to whether these stories represent a Jewish comment on and reaction against the Christian Jesus or refer to someone unconnected to Jesus. The Mishneh Torah an authoritative work of Jewish law states in Hilkhot Melakhim 11 10–12 that Jesus is a "stumbling block" who makes "the majority of the world err to serve a divinity besides God". Because is there a greater stumbling-block than this one So that all of the prophet s spoke that the Messiah redeems Israel and saves them and gathers their banished ones and strengthens their commandments. And this one caused nations to destroy Israel by sword and to scatter their remnant and to humiliate them and to exchange the Torah and to make the majority of the world err to serve a divinity besides God. However the thoughts of the Creator of the world — there is no force in a human to attain them because our ways are not God's ways and our thoughts not God's thoughts. And all these things of Jesus the Nazarene and of Muhammad the Ishmael ite who stood after him — there is no purpose but to straighten out the way for the King Messiah and to restore all the world to serve God together. So that it is said "Because then I will turn toward the nations giving them a clear lip to call all of them in the name of God and to serve God shoulder to shoulder as one shoulder." Look how all the world already becomes full of the things of the Messiah and the things of the Torah and the things of the commandments And these things spread among the far islands and among the many nations uncircumcised of heart. }} According to Conservative Judaism Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah have "crossed the line out of the Jewish community". Reform Judaism the modern progressive movement states "For us in the Jewish community anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate ". According to Geza Vermes the historical Jesus was a Jew in good standing. Modern Jews he says would find the historical Jesus an appealing figure one quite different from the Christ of the Gospels. Islamic views Mainstream Islam considers Jesus an ordinary man who like other prophets had been divinely chosen to spread God's message. Jesus is seen in Islam as a precursor to Muhammad and is believed by Muslims to have foretold the latter's coming. According to the Qur'an believed by Muslims to be God's final revelation Jesus was born to Mary Arabic Maryam as the result of virginal conception and was given the ability to perform miracle s. However Islam rejects historians assertions that Jesus was crucified by the Romans instead claiming that he had been raised alive up to heaven . Islamic traditions narrate that he will return to earth near the day of judgement to restore justice and defeat al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl lit . "the false Messiah" also known as the Antichrist and the enemies of Islam. As a just ruler Jesus will then die. Ahmadiyya views The Ahmadiyya Movement considers Jesus a mortal man who died a natural death. According to the early 20th century writings of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement Jesus survived his ordeal on the cross and after his apparent death and resurrection he fled Palestine and migrated eastwards to further teach the gospels. Jesus eventually died a natural death of old age in India – Kashmir - and is believed to be buried at Roza Bal . Although the view of Jesus having migrated to India has also been researched in the publications of independent historians with no affiliation to the movement the Ahmadiyya Movement are the only religious organization to adopt these views as a characteristic of their faith. The general notion of Jesus in India is older than the foundation of the movement and is discussed at length by Grönbold and Klatt. The movement also interprets the second coming of Christ prophesied in various religious texts would be that of a person "similar to Jesus" mathīl-i ʿIsā . Thus Ahmadi's consider that the founder of the movement and his prophetical character and teachings were representative of Jesus and subsequently a fulfillment of this prophecy. Bahá'í views The Bahá'í Faith founded in 19th-century Persia considers Jesus along with Muhammad the Buddha Krishna and Zoroaster and other messengers of the great religions of the world to be Manifestations of God or prophet s with both human and divine stations. God is one and has manifested himself to humanity through several historic Messengers. Bahá'ís refer to this concept as Progressive Revelation which means that God's will is revealed to mankind progressively as mankind matures and is better able to comprehend the purpose of God in creating humanity. In this view God's word is revealed through a series of messengers Moses Jesus Mohammed Bahá'u'lláh the founder of the Bahá'í Faith among them. In the Book of Certitude Bahá'u'lláh claims that these messengers have a two natures divine and human. Examining their divine nature they are more or less the same being. However when examining their human nature they are individual with distinct personality. For example when Jesus says "I and my Father are one" Bahá'ís take this quite literally but specifically with respect to his nature as a Manifestation. When Jesus conversely stated "...And the Father himself which hath sent me hath borne witness of me" Bahá'ís see this as a simple reference to the individuality of Jesus. This divine nature according to Bahá'u'lláh means that any Manifestation of God can be said to be the return of a previous Manifestation though Bahá'ís also believe that some Manifestations with specific missions return with a "new name". and a different or expanded purpose. Bahá'ís believe that Bahá'u'lláh is in both respects the return of Jesus. Buddhist views Buddhists' views of Jesus differ. Some Buddhists including Tenzin Gyatso the 14th Dalai Lama regard Jesus as a bodhisattva who dedicated his life to the welfare of human beings. The 14th century Zen master Gasan Jōseki indicated that the sayings of Jesus in the Gospels were written by an enlightened man. Other views Mandaeanism a very small Mideastern Gnostic sect that reveres John the Baptist as God's greatest prophet regards Jesus as a false prophet of the false Jewish god of the Old Testament Adonai and likewise rejects Abraham Moses and Muhammad . Manichaeism accepted Jesus as a prophet along with Gautama Buddha and Zoroaster . The New Age movement entertains a wide variety of views on Jesus. The creators of A Course In Miracles claim to trance- channel his spirit. However the New Age movement generally teaches that Christhood is something that all may attain. Theosophists from whom many New Age teachings originated a Theosophist named Alice A. Bailey invented the term New Age refer to Jesus of Nazareth as the Master Jesus and believe he had previous incarnations . Many writers emphasize Jesus' moral teachings. Garry Wills argues that Jesus' ethics are distinct from those usually taught by Christianity. The Jesus Seminar portrays Jesus as an itinerant preacher who taught peace and love rights for women and respect for children and who spoke out against the hypocrisy of religious leaders and the rich. Thomas Jefferson one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and a deist created the Jefferson Bible entitled "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" that included only Jesus' ethical teachings because he did not believe in Jesus' divinity or any of the other supernatural aspects of the Bible . See also New Testament Jesus * Biblical Jesus * Christian views about women * Christian views of Jesus * Crucifixion of Jesus and Resurrection of Jesus * Miracles of Jesus * Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament * King of kings * Race of Jesus * Sermon on the Mount Jesus and history * Apostolic Succession of Jesus * Christian apologetics * Genealogy of Jesus * Gospel Harmony * Historicity of Jesus * Historicity of the Gospels * Jesus and comparative mythology * New Testament view on Jesus' life General topics * Christian mythology * INRI stands for "Jesus the Nazarene the King of the Jews " * Nazarene Views on Jesus * Apocrypha * Christology * Pauline Christianity * Religious perspectives on Jesus * Sexuality of Jesus Related lists * List of books about Jesus * List of founders of major religions * List of Messiah claimants * List of people who have been considered deities * List of people who have claimed to be Jesus Notes References The Bible Allison Dale . Jesus of Nazareth Millenarian Prophet. Minneapolis Augsburg Fortress 1999. ISBN 0-8006-3144-7 Brown Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament. New York Doubleday 1997. ISBN 0-385-24767-2 Cohen Shaye J.D. . From the Maccabees to the Mishnah . Philadelphia Westminster Press 1987. ISBN 978-0-664-21911-6 Cohen Shaye J.D. The Beginnings of Jewishness Boundaries Varieties Uncertainties. Berkeley University of California Press 2001. ISBN 0-520-22693-3 Crossan John Dominic . * The Historical Jesus The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant. New York HarperSanFrancisco 1993. ISBN 0-06-061629-6 * Who Killed Jesus exposing the roots of anti-semitism in the Gospel story of the death of Jesus . San Francisco HarperSanFrancisco 1995. ISBN 978-0-06-061671-7 Davenport Guy and Urrutia Benjamin trans. The Logia of Yeshua The sayings of Jesus . Washington DC Counterpoint 1996. ISBN 978-1-887178-70-9 De La Potterie Ignace. The hour of Jesus The passion and the resurrection of Jesus according to John . New York Alba House 1989. ISBN 978-0-8189-0575-9 Durant Will. Caesar and Christ. New York Simon and Schuster 1944. ISBN 0-671-11500-6 Ehrman Bart . The Lost Christianities The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew. New York Oxford University Press 2003. ISBN 0-19-514183-0 Ehrman Bart . The New Testament A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings. New York Oxford University Press 2003. ISBN 0-19-515462-2 Fredriksen Paula . Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews A Jewish Life and the Emergence of Christianity. New York Vintage 2000. ISBN 0-679-76746-0 Fredriksen Paula . From Jesus to Christ The origins of the New Testament images of Christ. New Haven Yale University Press 2000. ISBN 978-0-300-08457-3 Finegan Jack . Handbook of Biblical Chronology revised ed. Peabody MA Hendrickson Publishers 1998. ISBN 1-56563-143-9 Fuller Reginald H. The Foundations of New Testament Christology . New York Scribners 1965. ISBN 0-227-17075-X Meier John P. New York Anchor Doubleday V. 1 The Roots of the Problem and the Person 1991. ISBN 0-385-26425-9 V. 2 Mentor Message and Miracles 1994. ISBN 0-385-46992-6 V. 3 Companions and Competitors 2001. ISBN 0-385-46993-4 O'Collins Gerald. Interpreting Jesus. "Introducing Catholic theology". London G. Chapman Ramsey NJ Paulist Press 1983. ISBN 978-0-8091-2572-2 Pelikan Jaroslav . Jesus Through the Centuries His Place in the History of Culture. New Haven Yale University Press 1999. ISBN 0-300-07987-7 Robinson John A. T. Redating the New Testament. Eugene OR Wipf Stock 2001 original 1977 . ISBN 1-57910-527-0. Sanders E.P. The Historical Figure of Jesus. London Allen Lane Penguin Press 1993. ISBN 978-0-7139-9059-1 Sanders E.P. Jesus and Judaism. Minneapolis Fortress Press 1987. ISBN 0-8006-2061-5 Vermes Géza . Jesus in his Jewish Context. Minneapolis Augsburg Fortress 2003. ISBN 0-8006-3623-6 Vermes Géza . Jesus the Jew A Historian's Reading of the Gospels. Minneapolis Augsburg Fortress 1981. ISBN 0-8006-1443-7 Vermes Géza . The Religion of Jesus the Jew. Minneapolis Augsburg Fortress 1993. ISBN 0-8006-2797-0 Wilson A.N. Jesus. London Pimlico 2003. ISBN 0-7126-0697-1 Wright N.T. Jesus and the Victory of God. Minneapolis Augsburg Fortress 1997. ISBN 0-8006-2682-6 Wright N.T. The Resurrection of the Son of God Christian Origins and the Question of God. Minneapolis Augsburg Fortress 2003. ISBN 0-8006-2679-6 External links Complete Sayings of Jesus Christ In Parallel Latin English "Jesus Christ." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 12 Nov. 2009 From Jesus to Christ The First Christians — Frontline documentary about Jesus' life and the early Church. The Jewish Roman World of Jesus Category 0s BC births Category 1st-century deaths Category 1st-century executions Category Apocalypticists Category Carpenters Category Christian mythology Category Christian religious leaders Category Creator gods Category Deified people Category Founders of religions Category God in Christianity Category Islamic mythology Category Jewish Messiah claimants Category Life-death-rebirth gods Category Messianism Category New Testament people Category People executed by crucifixion Category People executed by the Roman Empire Category People from Bethlehem Category People from Nazareth Category Prophets in Christianity Category Prophets of Islam Category Rabbis of the Land of Israel Category Roman era Jews Category Savior gods Category Self-declared messiahs This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License . This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community. 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No FEAR Act EEO Data FOIA Making of the Charters The Declaration The Constitution The Bill of Rights Impact of the Charters The Federal Convention convened in the State House Independence Hall in Philadelphia on May 14 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation. Because the delegations from only two states were at first present the members adjourned from day to day until a quorum of seven states was obtained on May 25. Through discussion and debate it became clear by mid-June that rather than amend the existing Articles the Convention would draft an entirely new frame of government. All through the summer in closed sessions the delegates debated and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution. Among the chief points at issue were how much power to allow the central government how many representatives in Congress to allow each state and how these representatives should be elected directly by the people or by the state legislators. The work of many minds the Constitution stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise. constitution The article quot A More Perfect Union quot is an in-depth look at the Constitutional Convention and the ratification process. quot Questions and Answers Pertaining to the Constitution quot presents dozens of fascinating facts about the Constitution. constitution Page two of the U.S. Constitution was unveiled in its new encasement on September 15 2000. Read remarks issued at the ceremony by John W. Carlin Archivist of the United States and Dr. Michael Beschloss . Constitution Click Image to Enlarge Amendments 1-10 constitute what is known as the Bill of Rights . constitution Discover the other changes and additions that have been made to the Constitution over the past 200+ years. constitution constitution constutition constitution constitution constitution Constitution Family Food Health Home Money Style More This Season Grow. Cook. Eat. Home raquo US Travel raquo Other US Travel raquo Make Calls to the United States raquo How Much Money Can I Bring Into the United States Related Topics What To Bring Camping How Much Money Can I Bring Into the United States How Much Money Can I Bring Into the United States When traveling outside the United States people naturally want to bring souvenirs gifts and other items from foreign nations into the country. There are rules and restrictions on many items including cash. The United States Customs and Border Protection CBP a division of Homeland Security is responsible for regulating these items. The CBP currently states that $10 000 is the threshold at which they apply certain constraints. No Restriction There is actually no restriction on the amount of currency anyone can bring into the United States. However if the currency is valued at or over $10 000 USD U.S. dollars the traveler must submit a completed form FinCEN 105 formerly CF 4790 declaring the amount and other details about the currency. The traveler must declare the amount of currency and submit this form to customs officials upon entering the country. This rule applies to people traveling together for example two people traveling together with $11 000 cannot split the money between themselves to avoid declaring it. Customs officials can provide the form or travelers can download it from the CBP website. Types of Currency This rule applies whether the currency is U.S. or foreign coins U.S. or foreign paper money stocks endorsed personal checks travelers' checks securities or money orders. If the traveler has physical possession of the currency it must be declared. Customs officials will convert foreign currency into U.S. equivalents based on the day's conversion rate for the purposes of declaration. Exceptions Travelers to the U.S. do not have to declare checks or other monetary instruments that are not endorsed or that have restricted endorsements. They also do not have to declare gold bullion or credit cards with more than a $10 000 limit. Non-Citizens The traveler must declare possession of the currency whether he is a citizen of the United States or not. This applies whether the traveler's final destination is the United States or another country. Consequences When a traveler declares through the FinCEN 105 form that she has more than $10 000 CBP turns the form over to the Internal Revenue Service IRS who will then determine whether it will assess any taxes or fees. If she does not properly declare the currency U.S. Customs officials can seize it. Other Situations Travelers do not have to declare a wire transfer made via regular banking procedures. The bank will report the transaction to the IRS. However if a person ships more then $10 000 to the United States whether by mail or other methods he must declare this transaction and fill out the necessary form to submit to the CBP. Additionally if an individual in the U.S. receives a shipment of money in excess of $10 000 she must declare that as well. References US Customs and Border Protection Resources US Embassies Abroad Customs Declaration Form FinCEN 105 Print Email Share Comments ravichaudhri May 30 2011 useful info thanks. 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United States of America From Wikitravel Redirected from United States Jump to navigation search Contents + Understand Geography Climate History Politics Culture Holidays Units of measure For more information Regions Cities Other destinations + Get in + Documentation Visa-free entry Visa Waiver Program Requirements Obtaining a visa + Arriving in the United States At customs After customs Leaving the United States + By plane Pre-clearance By car By bus By boat By train By foot + Get around + By plane Security concerns By private plane By train By Boat + By car Great American Road Trip Interstate System Driving laws Car rental Fuel By bus By recreational vehicle RV By motorcycle By thumb Talk + See Natural scenery Historical attractions Monuments and architecture Museums and galleries Itineraries Do + Buy Money Sales tax Places for shopping Costs Tipping + Eat Smoking Types of restaurants Types of Service Types of food Etiquette + Drink Nightlife Sleep Learn Work + Stay safe Crime Police 911/Emergency Services Border Patrol Natural disasters Gay and lesbian Illicit drugs Prostitution Firearm-Related Issues + Stay healthy Disease Health Care Respect + Contact + By phone Mobile phones By mail By Internet Location Flag Quick Facts Capital Washington D.C. Government federal republic Currency U.S. dollar USD Area 3 755 241 miles 2 9 631 418 km 2 Population 308 745 538 April 2010 est. Language English 82.1% Spanish 10.7% other Indo-European 3.8% Asian and Pacific island 2.7% other 0.7% 2000 census Religion Protestant 51.3% Roman Catholic 23.9% Mormon 1.7% other Christian 1.6% Jewish 1.7% Buddhist 0.7% Muslim 0.6% other or unspecified 2.5% unaffiliated 12.1% none 4% 2007 est. Electricity 120V / 60Hz Calling Code +1 Internet TLD .us .edu .gov .mil most sites use .net .org Time Zone UTC -4 to UTC -10 The United States of America 1 is a large country in North America often referred to as the "USA " the "U.S. " the "United States " "America " or simply "the States". It has a land area of about 9.6 million sq km about half the size of Russia and about the same size as China . It also boasts the world's third largest population after China and India with over 300 million people. It includes both densely-populated cities with sprawling suburbs and vast uninhabited and naturally beautiful areas. With its history of mass immigration dating from the 17th century it is a "melting pot" of cultures from around the world. The country plays a dominant role in the world's cultural landscape and is famous for its wide array of popular tourist destinations ranging from the skyscrapers of Manhattan and Chicago to the natural wonders of Yellowstone to the warm sunny beaches of Florida Hawaii and Southern California . edit Understand The United States is not the America of television and movies. It is large complex and diverse with distinct regional identities. Due to the distances involved traveling between regions can be time-consuming and expensive. edit Geography The contiguous United States or "Lower 48" the 48 states other than Alaska and Hawaii are bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west with much of the population living on these two coasts. Its only land borders are shared with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The U.S. also shares maritime borders with Russia Cuba and the Bahamas . The country has three major mountain ranges. The Appalachians extend from Canada to the state of Alabama a few hundred miles west of the Atlantic Ocean. They are the oldest of the three mountain ranges and offer spectacular sightseeing and excellent camping spots. The Rockies are on average the highest in North America extending from Alaska to New Mexico with many areas protected as national parks. They offer hiking camping skiing and sightseeing opportunities. The combined Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges are the youngest. The Sierras extend across the "backbone" of California with sites such as Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park then give way to the even younger volcanic Cascade range with some of the highest points in the country. The Great Lakes define much of the border between the eastern United States and Canada. More inland seas than lakes they were formed by the pressure of glaciers retreating north at the end of the last Ice Age. The five lakes span hundreds of miles bordering the states of Minnesota Wisconsin Illinois Indiana Michigan Ohio Pennsylvania and New York and their shores vary from pristine wilderness areas to industrial "rust belt" cities. They are the second-largest bodies of freshwater in the world after the polar ice caps. Grand Tetons Rocky Mountains Wyoming edit Climate The overall climate is temperate with notable exceptions. Alaska has Arctic tundra while Hawaii and South Florida are tropical . The Great Plains are dry flat and grassy turning into arid desert in the far West and Mediterranean along the California coast. In the winter the northern and mid-western major cities can see as much as 2 feet 61 cm of snowfall in one day with cold temperatures. Summers are humid but mild. Temperatures over 100 deg F 38 deg C sometimes invade the Midwest and Great Plains. Some areas in the northern plains can experience cold temperatures of -30 deg F -34 deg C during the winter. Temperatures below 0 deg F -18 deg C sometimes reach as far south as Oklahoma . The climate of the South also varies. In the summer it is hot and humid but from October through April the weather can range from 60 deg F 15 deg C to short cold spells of 20 deg F -7 deg C or so. The Great Plains amp Midwestern states also experience tornadoes from the late spring to early fall earlier in the south and later in the north. States along the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico may experience hurricanes between June and November. These intense and dangerous storms frequently miss the the U.S. mainland but evacuations are often ordered and should be heeded. The Rockies are cold and snowy. Some parts of the Rockies see over 500 inches 1 200 cm of snow in a season. Even during the summer temperatures are cool in the mountains and snow can fall nearly year-round. It is dangerous to go up in the mountains unprepared in the winter and the roads through them can get very icy. The deserts of the Southwest are hot and dry during the summer with temperatures often exceeding 100 deg F 38 deg C . Thunderstorms can be expected in the southwest frequently from July through September. Winters are mild and snow is unusual. Average annual precipitation is low usually less than 10 inches 25 cm . Cool and damp weather is common in the coastal northwest Oregon and Washington west of the Cascade Range and the northern part of California west of the Coast Ranges/Cascades . Rain is most frequent in winter snow is rare especially along the coast and extreme temperatures are uncommon. Rain falls almost exclusively from late fall through early spring along the coast. East of the Cascades the northwest is considerably drier. Much of the inland northwest is either semi-arid or desert though altitude and weather patterns may result in wetter climates in some areas. Northeastern and cities of the Upper South are known for summers with temperatures reaching into the 90's 32 C or more with extremely high humidity usually over 80%. This can be a drastic change from the Southwest. High humidity means that the temperature can feel hotter than actual readings. The Northeast also experiences snow and at least once every few years there will be a dumping of the white stuff in enormous quantities. edit History The Alamo San Antonio Texas America was once populated by people who are believed to have migrated from northeast Asia. In the U.S. their descendants are known by uncomfortable appellations such as Native Americans or American Indians . While the Indians are often portrayed living a singular usually primitive lifestyle in fact prior to European arrival the continent was densely populated with sophisticated societies. The Cherokee for example were part of the overarching Mississippian culture which built huge mounds and large towns that covered the landscape while the Anasazi built sophisticated cliff-side towns. The primitive existence depicted of Native Americans is generally the result of mass die-outs triggered by Old World diseases — in effect they were a post-apocalyptic people. During the 16th and 17th centuries parts of the region were colonized by European nations including Spain France Great Britain the the Netherlands Sweden and Russia and/or their religious missionaries. The British colonies in Virginia and Massachusetts were the kernel of what is now known as the United States of America. Religious immigrants from Massachusetts run by a Puritan theocracy would found most of the New England colonies creating a highly religious and idealistic region. Virginia would become the most populous and influential of the southern slave societies. The southern areas because of a longer growing season had richer agricultural prospects especially for cotton and tobacco. As in Central and South America African slaves were forced to cultivate large plantations. By the early 18th century 13 colonies ranged along the Atlantic coast from Georgia to Maine . In the late 18th century colonists declared independence from Great Britain on 4 July 1776 . They achieved their freedom in a War of Independence also known as the Revolutionary War . The colonies formed a federal government with its Constitution inspired by Enlightenment-era ideas about individual liberty. The Treaty of Paris that negotiated the end of the War of Independence gave Americans all British land between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River. As American and European settlers pushed farther past the Appalachians the U.S. gradually admitted new states in the Midwest. This was only enabled by the displacement and decimation of the Native American populations through warfare. In the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 acquired a former French territory along the Mississippi River. The country fought the War of 1812 with Britain in an attempt to reassert its authority and try to capture Canada. The war ended in a virtual stalemate and territorial boundaries between the two nations remained nearly the same. Nevertheless the war had disastrous consequences for the western Native American tribes that had allied with the British for now they were left completely to the mercy of the land-hungry Americans. Florida was purchased in 1813 from the Spanish after the American military had effectively subjugated the region. The next major territorial acquisition came after American settlers in Texas rebelled against the Mexican government setting up a republic that was absorbed into the union. The Mexican-American War of 1848 won the northern territories of Mexico including the future states of California Arizona and New Mexico giving the continental U.S. the rough outlines it has today. The Native Americans were concentrated in the west by treaty military force and by the inadvertent spread of European diseases. In mid-1800s many Americans were calling for the abolition of slavery. The industrializing North did not need slaves anyway and favored national abolition. Southern states on the other hand believed that individual states had the right to decide whether or not slavery should be legal. The Southern states fearing domination by the North decided to secede from the Union sparking the American Civil War. To date it is the bloodiest conflict in U.S history costing hundreds of thousands of lives. The North won. Slavery was abolished but the former slaves and their descendants were to remain an economic and social underclass in the South. The U.S. purchased Alaska from the Russians in 1867 and Hawaii was annexed in 1898. The Spanish-American War gained the first "colonial" territories Cuba granted independence a few years later the Philippines also later granted independence and Puerto Rico which voluntarily remains a U.S. territory . In the Eastern cities of the United States Southern and Eastern Europeans and Russian Jews joined Irish refugees to become a cheap labor force for the country's growing industrialization . Many Southern African-Americans fled rural poverty for industrial jobs in the North. Other immigrants including many Scandinavians and Germans moved to the now-opened territories in the West and Midwest where land was available for free to anyone who would develop it. A network of railroads crisscrossed the country accelerating development. With its entrance into World War I in 1917 the United States established itself as a world power. Real wealth grew rapidly in this period. In the Roaring 20s stock speculation created an immense "bubble" which when it burst in October of 1929 contributed to economic havoc known as the Great Depression . Socialists and Communists seized the opportunity to win converts. At the end of 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor a military base in the Pacific plunging the U.S. into World War II . In alliance with the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union the U.S. defeated the fascist regimes in Italy Germany and Japan . At the end of this war the U.S. was the dominant economic power in the world responsible for nearly half of the world's production. It was the only force capable of containing the Communist Soviet Union giving rise to what is now known as the Cold War . After WWII America experienced far greater affluence. A civil rights movement emerged that eliminated most institutional discrimination against African-Americans during the 1960s a revived women's movement also led to wide-ranging changes in American society. Post-WWII saw a shift to an economy primarily based on technology rather than agriculture. Today many of the leading technology companies are based in the United States especially on the Pacific Coast . The U.S. also took the lead in military and space technology especially beginning in the 1960s. The 1950s saw the beginnings of a major shift of population to the suburbs and largely contributed to the U.S. giving rise to the car culture and the convenience of fast food restaurants. The Interstate Highway System constructed primarily from the 1960s–1980s became perhaps the most comprehensive freeway system in the world. Major chain stores began popping up in cities across the country and some later spread to foreign countries. The American consumer culture as well as Hollywood movies and many forms of popular music has arguably established the U.S. as the cultural center of the world. edit Politics The United States is a republic of 50 states as well as the District of Columbia with each of the states retaining considerable autonomy within the federation. Each of the states has its own state government with laws differing slightly between state. The Federal Government consists of the President and his administration acting as the executive body the United States Congress acting as the legislative body and the federal courts which decide disputes. The President is elected indirectly by the people via an electoral college and serves as both the Head of Government and Head of State. The Congress is bicameral comprising an upper house known as the Senate and a lower house known as the House of Representatives. Both houses are directly elected by the people. While more seats are given to more populated states in the House of Representatives eg. 53 for California but only 1 for Alaska the Senate is equally represented by each state which each state getting 2 seats regardless of population. For presidential elections the number of electoral votes assigned to each state is equal to the total number of representatives and senators from the state. The District of Columbia has no representation in either house of Congress though it is given 3 electoral votes in Presidential elections. The Judicial Branch consists of courts the judges of which are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Supreme Court consisting of nine Justices has the final say in interpretations of the laws and Constitution of the United States. edit Culture The South's famous Bourbon Street New Orleans Louisiana The United States is made up of many diverse ethnic groups and the culture varies greatly across the vast area of the country and even within cities - a city like New York will have dozens if not hundreds of different ethnicities represented within a neighborhood. Despite this difference there exists a strong sense of national identity and certain predominant cultural traits. Generally Americans tend to believe strongly in personal responsibility and that an individual determines his or her own success or failure but it is important to note that there are many exceptions and that a nation as diverse as the United States has literally thousands of distinct cultural traditions. One will find Mississippi in the South to be very different culturally from Massachusetts in the North. edit Holidays The U.S. has a number of holidays — official and/or cultural — of which the traveler should be aware. Note that holidays observed on Mondays are usually treated as weekend-long events. A weekend consists of a Saturday and a Sunday. Federal holidays—i.e. holidays observed by the U.S. federal government—are indicated in bold italics . New Year's Day 1 January — most businesses closed brunches and football parties. Martin Luther King Day third Monday in January — many government offices and banks closed speeches especially on African American history and culture. Chinese New Year January/February — variable date based on lunar calendar — Chinese cultural celebration Super Bowl Sunday usu. first Sunday in February — the most-watched sporting event of the year supermarkets bars and electronics stores busy big football-watching parties. St. Valentine's Day 14 February — private celebration of romance and love. Most restaurants are crowded. Finer restaurants may require reservations made well in advance. Presidents Day third Monday in February — officially Washington's Birthday — government offices and banks closed many stores have sales. St. Patrick's Day 17 March — Irish-themed parades and parties. Expect bars to be crowded. They will often feature themed drink specials. The wearing of green or a green accessory is common. Easter a Sunday in March or April — Christian religious observances. Passover eight days around Easter — Jewish religious observances. Cinco de Mayo 5 May — A minor holiday in most of Mexico but a major cultural celebration for Mexican Americans. As with St. Patrick's Day expect bars to be crowded frequently with themed drink specials. Memorial Day last Monday in May — most non-retail/tourism businesses closed some patriotic observances trips to beaches and parks beginning of summer tourism season. Independence Day / Fourth of July 4 July — most businesses closed patriotic parades cookouts and trips to beaches and parks fireworks at dusk. Labor Day first Monday in September — most businesses closed cookouts and trips to beaches and parks traditional ending of summer tourism season . Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur autumn — Jewish religious observances. Columbus Day second Monday in October — many government offices and banks closed sales. Halloween 31 October — trick-or-treating parades and costume parties. Veterans Day 11 November — government offices and banks closed some patriotic observances. Thanksgiving Day fourth Thursday in November — government offices and most businesses closed family dinners on Friday major Christmas shopping begins. Christmas 25 December — most businesses and restaurants closed the evening before and all day exchanging gifts Christian religious observances. New Year's Eve 31 December — many restaurants and bars open late lots of parties especially in big cities. edit Units of measure The United States is one of the very few countries that still officially uses the imperial system of measures in all but scientific purposes. This is important to know as road signs speed limits are published in miles and miles per hour respectively gas prices and the capacity of liquid products are quoted per gallon or ounce. Temperatures seen in on TV and on public billboards are reported in Fahrenheit so don't be surprised that 34 degrees with units unspecified which is warm on the centigrade scale is near freezing to most Americans who use the Fahrenheit. edit For more information The federal government of the U.S. sets foreign policy while the states deal with tourism. As such the Federal government provides the best information about legal requirements for entry while information about places to visit and see will be provided by the state and local tourism bureaus. Contact information is available in the individual state entries. At state borders highway rest stops usually serve as Visitor's Centers and often offer travel and tourism information and material almost all of which is available online. If you call or write the state Commerce department they can also mail you information. Nearly every rest stop in the country has free maps of the state in which it is located. edit Regions The United States is composed of 50 states as well as the city of Washington D.C. a federal district and the nation's capital. Below is a rough grouping of these states into regions from the Atlantic to the Pacific Map of the USA New England Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Vermont Home to gabled churches rustic antiques and steeped in American history New England offers beaches spectacular seafood rugged mountains frequent winter snows and some of the nation's oldest cities in a territory small enough to tour hastily in a week. Mid-Atlantic Delaware Maryland New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Ranging from New York in the north to Washington D.C. the Mid-Atlantic is home to some of the nation's most densely populated cities as well as historic sites rolling mountains the New Jersey Pine Barrens the Lehigh Valley and seaside resorts like the Long Island beaches and the Jersey Shore . South Alabama Arkansas Georgia Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Virginia West Virginia The South is celebrated for its hospitality down-home cooking and its blues jazz rock 'n' roll and country music traditions. This lush largely subtropical region includes cool verdant mountains agricultural plantations and vast cypress swamps. Florida Northern Florida is similar to the rest of the South but not so the resorts of Orlando retirement communities tropical Caribbean-influenced Miami the Everglades swamp and 1200 miles of sandy beaches. Midwest Illinois Indiana Iowa Michigan Minnesota Missouri Ohio Wisconsin The Midwest is home to farmland forests picturesque towns industrial cities and the Great Lakes the largest system of freshwater lakes in the world forming the North Coast of the U.S. Texas The second biggest state in the nation it's like a whole other country and in fact once was . The terrain ranges from southeastern swamplands to the cattle-ranching South Plains to the sandy beaches of South Texas to the mountains and deserts of West Texas. Great Plains North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Travel westward through these supposedly flat states from the edge of the eastern forests through the prairies and onto the High Plains an enormous expanse of steppes shortgrass prairies nearly as desolate as in the frontier days. Rocky Mountains Colorado Idaho Montana Wyoming The spectacular snow-covered Rockies offer hiking rafting and excellent snow skiing as well as deserts and some large cities. Southwest Arizona New Mexico Nevada Utah Heavily influenced by Spanish and Mexican culture this area is home to some of the nation's most spectacular natural attractions and some flourishing artistic communities. Although mostly empty the region's deserts have some of the nation's largest cities. California Like the Southwest California has a history under Spanish and Mexican rule and is heavily influenced by Spanish and Mexican culture. California offers world-class cities deserts rain forests snowy mountains and beautiful beaches. Northern California around the Bay Area and Southern California around Los Angeles are culturally distinct. Pacific Northwest Washington Oregon The pleasantly mild Pacific Northwest offers outdoor pursuits as well as cosmopolitan cities. The terrain ranges from spectacular rain forests to scenic mountains and volcanoes to beautiful coastlines to sage-covered steppes and deserts. Alaska One fifth as large as the rest of the United States Alaska reaches well into the Arctic and features mountainous wilderness. Hawaii A volcanic archipelago in the tropical Pacific 2 300 miles south west of California the nearest state laid-back Hawaii is a vacation paradise. Politically the U.S. is a federation of states each with its own rights and powers hence the name . The U.S. also administers a motley collection of non-state territories around the world the largest of which are Puerto Rico which has the special status of a "commonwealth" and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean plus American Samoa Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in Oceania . edit Cities White House south facade Washington D.C. The United States has over 10 000 cities towns and villages. The following is a list of nine of the most notable. Other cities can be found in their corresponding regions . Washington D.C. — the national capital filled with major museums and monuments along with multi-cultural communities Boston — best known for its colonial history its passion for sports and its university students Chicago — heart of the Midwest and transportation hub of the nation with massive skyscrapers and other architectural gems Los Angeles — home of the film industry with beautiful mild weather great natural beauty from mountains to beaches and endless stretches of freeways and smog Miami — attracts sun-seeking northerners and home to a rich Caribbean culture New Orleans — the "Big Easy" and the birthplace of jazz music known for its quaint French Quarter and annual Mardi Gras celebration New York City — the country's largest city home of the financial services and media industries with world-class cuisine arts architecture and shopping San Francisco — the City by the Bay featuring the Golden Gate Bridge vibrant urban neighborhoods and dramatic fog Seattle — rich museums monuments and recreational opportunities and five distinct climates within 200 miles edit Other destinations The Grand Canyon Arizona These are some of the largest and most famous destinations outside of major cities. Denali National Park Alaska — a remote national park featuring North America's highest peak Grand Canyon Arizona — the world's longest and most visited canyon Mesa Verde National Park Colorado — well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings Mount Rushmore South Dakota — the iconic memorial of 4 former presidents carved into a cliff face Niagara Falls New York — the massive waterfalls straddling the border with Canada Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tennessee and North Carolina — national park in the southern Appalachians Walt Disney World Florida — the most popular vacation resort destination in the world Yellowstone National Park Wyoming — the first national park in the US and home of the Old Faithful geyser Yosemite National Park California — home of El Capitan and the famous Giant Sequoia trees edit Get in The United States has exceptionally onerous and complicated visa requirements. Read up carefully before your visit especially if you need to apply for a visa and consult the Bureau of Consular Affairs 2 site for current information. The U.S. territories of Guam Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands all have the same entry requirements as the mainland. edit Documentation edit Visa-free entry Welcome Citizens of the 36 countries within the Visa Waiver Program 3 as well as Canadians Mexicans living on the border holding a Border Crossing Card and Bermudians with British Overseas Territories passports do not require advance visas for entry into the United States. For Canadians and Bermudians the entry period is normally for a maximum of six months . Those who have a criminal record should seek out a U.S. embassy for advice. For travelers under the visa waiver program however the entry period is limited to 90 days see additional requirements below . As of 5 April 2010 the countries under the Visa Waiver Program are Andorra Austria Australia Belgium Brunei Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Japan South Korea Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Monaco the Netherlands New Zealand Norway Portugal San Marino Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom . Travel under the Visa Waiver Program is limited to tourism or business purposes only neither employment nor journalism is permitted with a Visa Waiver. The 90-day limit may not be extended nor will travel to Canada Mexico or the Caribbean reset the 90-day limit . A criminal record excluding traffic violations offenses committed as a minor and some relatively minor charges such as disorderly conduct will generally make a potential traveler ineligible for visa-free travel. Contact your nearest U.S. embassy to find out if you need to apply for a visa or not. IMPORTANT Since 2009 travelers entering the U.S. through the Visa Waiver program must now apply for Electronic System for Travel Authorization ESTA approval online 4 before their flight preferably 72 hours before travel. An ESTA approval is valid for two years or until your passport expires and costs $14 5 . Approvals issued before 8 September 2010 i.e. those which were free at the time remain valid until their expiry date. Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia the Marshall Islands and Palau may enter reside study and work in the U.S. indefinitely with only a valid passport. Citizens of the Bahamas may apply for visa-free entry only at the US Customs preclearance facilities in the Bahamas but a valid police certificate may be required for those over the age of 14. Attempting to enter through any other port of entry requires a valid visa. Persons holding a passport from the Cayman Islands if they intend to travel directly to the U.S. from the Cayman Islands may obtain a single-entry visa waiver for about $25 prior to departure. edit Visa Waiver Program Requirements Passports issued after 26 October 2005 need digital photographs embedded on them and passports issued after 26 October 2006 must be biometric passports which have a chip embedded with the user's information. Some countries e.g. France did not have biometric passports available at that date meaning that citizens from these countries with newer passports but not biometric passport have to obtain a tourist visa which can be a cumbersome costly and time-consuming process. If you have a non e-passport issued after 26 October 2006 and you are from a Visa Waiver country try having your government exchange it for an biometric passport explaining that you wish to travel to the U.S. Entry under the VWP from air or sea also requires entry via an approved carrier. It is a somewhat safe assumption that most major airlines and sea carriers are approved but make certain that the carrier is approved to carry Visa Waiver visitors. Notably however this means that flying private aircraft or chartering a vessel to the United States requires a full visa . Travelers must also have a return/onward ticket out of the United States. If the return/onward ticket terminates in Canada Mexico Bermuda or any Caribbean island the traveler must be a legal resident of that country/territory. If traveling by land there is a $7 fee when crossing the border. Before VWP travellers commence their journey they must apply electronically for authorisation to travel ESTA through the ESTA website 6 . If approved it allows the traveller to commence his journey to the U.S. but doesn't guarantee outright entry yet. The I-94W form see below has a checklist of conditions that may deny visa waivers. Most of these are not a problem for most visitors "Have you ever been or are you now involved in espionage sabotage terrorist activities genocide " but the important one is that if you have ever been denied a U.S. visa for any reason or overstayed on a previous visa you will be denied entry. Having a criminal history with convictions for "crimes of moral turpitude" controlled substance drug offenses or jail terms of more than five years total are also disqualifying factors. edit Obtaining a visa For the rest of the world the visa application fee is a non-refundable $140 as of 4 June 2010 for visas that are not issued on the basis of a petition and $150 for those that are. The Immigration and Nationality Act states that all persons requesting entry into the United States as non-immigrants are presumed to be immigrants until they overcome that presumption by showing evidence of "binding ties" to your home country as well as sufficient proof that your visit will be temporary. When the U.S. rejects visa applications it is usually because the applicant does not have enough binding ties to his own country to convince the consular officer that he or she is not planning to be an immigrant. Face-to-face interviews where the official needs to be convinced that you are not a "potential immigrant" at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate are required for many nationalities and waits for interview slots and visa processing can add up to several months. Keep in mind that the embassy is closed on both US holidays and holidays of your home country so you need to know both holidays when setting dates to apply for a visa. In addition travellers should start planning their trips way in advance as the application process is known to take up to 6 months. Depending on your nationality and the category of visa you are requesting you may need to pay an additional fee ranging from $7 to $200 only if the visa is issued. This is called a reciprocity fee and is charged by the US to match the fees charged by other countries on US citizens. Do not assume anything . Check on documentation requirements with the United States State Department 7 or with the United States consulate nearest you. If coming to the country with a car be sure to have documents showing car insurance rental agreements driver's license etc. before trying to enter the U.S. Statue of Liberty New York City edit Arriving in the United States Before arrival you will receive either a white I-94 if entering with a visa or green I-94W if entering on a visa waiver form to complete. If you are not a citizen or resident of the United States you will go through a short interview at immigration where the official will try to determine if the purpose of your visit is valid. Just like when obtaining the visa of most concern to immigration officials is to determine that you have the funds to support yourself and that you do not intend to work or perform any activity not authorized by the your visa. Be prepared to show proof. If you are on a business visit have an invitation letter from the company you are visiting or the registration details of the conference you are attending. If you are a tourist you may need to demonstrate you have funds available to you. In both cases proof of onward travel may be required. Usually the determination of admissibility is made in a minute or less however if there are any doubts you may be referred to further questioning in a more private area. At this stage they will likely search your possessions and may read any documentation letters or diaries in your possession. Do not bring anything that will imply you will immigrate e.g. employment documents photographs typically kept at home excessive luggage pets . If you are unable to prove or convince the officers that you will potentially abide by the terms of your visa or visa waiver program if applicable it can be cancelled on the spot and you will be sent on the next flight home. Once they decide to let you in you are fingerprinted and a digital photograph is taken. As in most countries assume that customs official are humorless about any kind of security threat even the most flippant joke implying that you pose a threat can result in lengthy interrogation. For non-residents your entry forms will need to state the street address of the location where you will be staying this should be arranged in advance. The name of your hotel hostel university etc. may not be sufficient you must provide the street name and number. If staying in multiple locations provide the address where you will be spending the first night of your stay. If it is a hotel have a reservation under your name. If it is a private address make sure that the people there know that they are expecting you that day as if your plans are doubted border control officials may phone them and ask them for the name of the guest they are expecting. Make sure you have their contact details especially phone numbers where they can be reached immediately and save any text messages or emails in which your hosts mention inviting you to stay at their residence. There are additional security measures dubbed US-VISIT 8 that will currently requires all non-resident aliens to be fingerprinted and photographed upon their entry. This is applicable at a majority of land sea and air entry ports. Check the website dhs.gov/usvisit for more information. Once you are admitted the departure portion of your I-94 or I-94W will be stapled to your passport. SECURE THIS DOCUMENT as it is the only proof you have that you were lawfully admitted. For technical and scientific fields of work or study processing non-immigrant visa application can take up to 70 days as it can require 8 weeks for receiving an approval from authorities in Washington. This especially applies to military and dual-purpose fields which mentioned in a so-called technical alert list a copy can be found at 9 . edit At customs A customs form is handed out however only one form per family is required to be filled-out hence the head of the family is responsible for ensuring their declaration is accurate. If you are traveling by air to the U.S. most airports will provide two kinds of lanes for those who have something to declare and those who have nothing to declare. Take note however that regardless of the lane you choose customs officers still have the right to search your bags. After you are admitted into the U.S. and you retrieve your bags you will proceed to the secondary inspection area customs checkpoint . Hand your customs declaration to the officer. Most of the time the officer will point you to the exit and that will be it. The officer may ask you some routine questions and then let you go. The officer may refer you to the x-ray to have your bags inspected or may refer you for a manual search of your bags. Customs has the right to search your person and your bags but any search more intrusive than a bag search is rare and is usually indicated only if some sort of probable cause has been established through questioning or during the bag search to suggest suspicious activity. Travelers should avoid bringing meat or raw fruit or vegetables into the U.S. but may bring cooked nonmeats such as bread. See APHIS 10 for details. The U.S. Customs process is straightforward. Most articles that are prohibited or restricted in any other country are prohibited or restricted in the U.S. The only rule that is unique to America is that it is generally prohibited to bring in goods made in countries on which the U.S. has imposed economic sanctions e.g. Cuba Iran North Korea and Myanmar Burma . Besides their personal effects which will go home with them visitors are allowed to import $200 of merchandise duty free including 1 liter of alcohol 21 and older only and 1 carton of cigarettes. If you are bringing in more than $10 000 or its equivalent you must declare it on your customs form and you will be given a special form to fill out not declaring will mean a fine and seizure of that cash. edit After customs Since all inbound citizens nationals and visitors must pass through immigration and customs at their first point of entry this obviously presents a problem for persons whose final destination is another airport inside the United States. The standard solution at nearly all major hubs is that after you exit U.S. Customs there is a special exit for travelers with "Connecting Flights." This takes you to a conveyor belt manned by airport baggage handlers who will take your baggage from you and check them through to your final destination. From there you enter the secured departure area of the airport and proceed to the gate for your connecting flight. Alternatively after you re-load your luggage you may have to exit the terminal you are in and proceed to the terminal of your departing flight. There is also a recheck-in lane at the arrival hall and you can proceed to your next flight. Make sure you have requested the staff at your port of departure to check you through to your final destination. If this is not possible or there are no check-through agreements between the airline that took you to your port of entry and the next airline you will have to proceed to the terminal of your next flight and check-in as usual. edit Leaving the United States WARNING If you overstay the period granted at passport control or violate your terms of entry this will automatically invalidate your visa even if it was just by one day. In addition overstaying your authorized stay or violating the conditions will make it extremely difficult to re-enter the United States for any purpose and this may in some cases bar you from re-entry for at least three years if not permanently. If you entered under the Visa Waiver Programme but overstayed you will need a visa for all future visits. For most visitors three or six months is more than enough time to stay in the U.S. hence there is no excuse for overstaying. Unlike most countries the U.S. doesn't have a formal passport control checkpoint for those exiting the country especially for those traveling by air or sea. As such airline cruise or Canadian/Mexican border staff will take the I-94 W card stapled in your passport from you on departure but it is ultimately your responsibility to check if the card was removed by them so insist before leaving if you will leave the U.S. permanently on your trip. If you leave the country with it still in your possession contact U.S. officials about how to return it and update your departure records to avoid entry hassles in the future. If you leave by a commercial carrier your departure will also be verified with the airline or shipping company. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has information 11 about what to do if your slip is not collected. If you intend to leave for Canada or Mexico by land for a side trip and return to the U.S. within 30 days or the allowed time of your stay whichever is shorter you don't have to return the I-94 card on your first exit from the U.S. but you will only be admitted for the remaining time left in your allowed stay. If you return the I-94 while on the side trip you will have to apply all over again to enter the U.S. and this can mean a new visa for single-entry visa holders and be subject to the usual questioning an alien has to go through to prove he doesn't have any intentions of immigrating working or doing something not authorised by his visa. There are additional pilot security measures dubbed US-VISIT 12 that will eventually require non-resident aliens to be fingerprinted and photographed upon their exit. This is applicable at a majority of land sea and air entry ports. Check the website dhs.gov/usvisit for more information. edit By plane Seattle skyline Washington state Pacific Northwest Most visitors from outside Canada and Mexico arrive in the United States by plane. While many medium sized inland cities have an international airport there are limited flights to most of these and most travelers find themselves entering the U.S. at one of the major entry points along the coasts From the east New York City Chicago Philadelphia Atlanta Charlotte Boston Washington D.C. Orlando and Miami are the primary entry points from Europe and other transatlantic points of departure. All the major east coast airports have service from a few key European cities. From the west Los Angeles San Francisco and Honolulu are the primary points of entry from Asia and other transpacific points of departure. Seattle and Portland Oregon have a few international flight options. Of course if you arrive in Honolulu you must take another flight to get to the mainland. Foreign airlines are not allowed to transport passengers to/from Hawaii or Alaska and the other 48 states except for refueling and in-transit . If you are flying into the west coast to transit to another destination San Franscisco airport has a free frequent skytrain linking terminals and short security queues compared to Los Angeles which will see you exposed to the elements catching a shuttle bus or walking between terminals. Chicago while not on the west coast is still a major point of entry from Asia offering non-stop flights from Tokyo Hong Kong Shanghai Beijing and Seoul with direct service from Bangkok and Singapore. From the south Miami is the primary entry point from Latin America primarily South America. Also Dallas Houston Atlanta and Charlotte are major international waypoints. From Mexico most major U.S. airports have non-stop service. From the other side of the world New Delhi India has non-stop service to Chicago Newark New Jersey and New York. Mumbai has non-stop flights to Newark New Jersey and New York. From Pakistan Saudi Arabia Uzbekistan and United Arab Emirates you can also fly to New York JFK . Qatar and Saudi Arabian fly to Washington DC and South African Airways goes to New York JFK and Washington DC Dulles . Note that the U.S. requires entry formalities even for international transit and the current state of international affairs means that this is not going to change anytime soon. You must have a valid visa to enter the U.S. if required by your citizenship even if you are immediately continuing on a flight to a different country. If your citizenship requires a visa to enter the U.S. avoid transiting through the U.S. unless you want to spend time and money to obtain a C-1 transit visa. Further when booking flights to the U.S. note that you will be required to clear customs and immigration at your first U.S. stop not at your final destination even if you have an onward flight. Allow at least 2 hours of stop-over ideally more than 3 at your first U.S. stop. Luggage allowance for flights to or from the U.S. usually operates on a piece-wise in addition to the weight system even for foreign carriers. This means that you are allowed a limited number of bags to check-in where each bag should not exceed certain linear dimensions computed by adding the length width and height of the bags . The exact restrictions on weight linear dimension and number of baggage allowed are determined by the carrier you are flying with and the class of service you are traveling in. edit Pre-clearance Passengers whose journeys originate in major Canadian airports and involve either US or Canadian carriers will have the advantage of clearing US entry formalities e.g. passport control and customs at their Canadian port-of-exit. As far as most flights from Canada are concerned they are treated similarly as US domestic flights but only because clearance has been performed at the Canadian airport. Hence once passengers from Canada arrive at their US port-of-entry rather than walk through a secluded corridor they can see the colourful display of restaurants and shops at the domestic terminal on their way to baggage claim. It is worth noting that most Canadian carriers are located in US domestic terminals. Take note that passengers on US-Canadian flights operated by foreign carriers like Philippine Airlines and Cathay Pacific will still see traditional entry formalities upon arrival at their US port-of-entry not to mention that a Canadian transit visa may be required even if passengers are confined to a holding area for the entire transit time. On the other hand passengers on British Airways flights from London to New York transiting via either Dublin or Shannon Ireland can take-advantage of US passport control and customs pre-clearance while at Dublin or Shannon Airport. Upon arrival at the US they will arrive as if they were domestic passengers. edit By car As of June 1 2009 ALL persons wishing to enter the United States by land must possess a valid passport NEXUS FAST or passport card Laser Visa or an "enhanced driver's license" issued by certain US states amp Canadian provinces Traffic travels on the right hand side as it does in Canada and Mexico . If you are entering under the Visa Waiver Program you will need to pay a $6 fee in cash at the point of entry. No fee is payable if you are simply re-entering and already have the Visa Waiver slip in your passport. The U.S.-Canada amp U.S.-Mexico borders are two of the most frequently crossed borders with millions of crossings daily. Average wait times are 0-30 minutes but some of the most heavily traveled border crossings may have considerable delays—approaching 1-2 hours at peak times weekends holidays . Current wait times updated hourly are available on the U.S. customs service website 13 . The U.S.-Mexico border is lucrative for drug trafficking so vehicles crossing may be x-rayed or searched by drug-sniffing dog. If there is suspicion your vehicle may be searched. Since this is an all-too-common event expect little patience from border agents. As Canada and Mexico use the metric units of measure but the US uses imperial units bear in mind that after the border road signs are published in miles and miles per hour. Therefore if are driving a car from Canada or Mexico be mindful that a speed limit of 55 mi/hr in the U.S. is the same as nearly 90 km/hr. edit By bus Greyhound offers substantial inexpensive cross-border service from both Canada and Mexico throughout their network. Some routes such as Toronto to Buffalo have hourly service. Megabus U.S. also runs multiple daily trips from Toronto also a hub for Megabus Canada to New York City via Buffalo for as low as $1. Be warned that bus passengers may experience greater scrutiny from U.S. customs officials than car or train passengers. edit By boat Entering the U.S. by sea other than on a registered cruise ship may be difficult. The most common entry points for private boats are Los Angeles and the surrounding area Florida and the Eastern coastal states. Some passenger ferries exist between Canada and the U.S. notably from the Atlantic Provinces to New England and from Victoria British Columbia to Seattle. Cunard offers transatlantic ship travel between the United Kingdom and New York City. edit By train Amtrak offers international service from the Canadian cities of Vancouver Amtrak Cascades - 2 trips per day to Seattle WA Toronto Maple Leaf - daily trip to New York City and Montreal Adirondack- daily trip to New York City into the U.S. Cross-border rail service is more expensive and slower the than buses - which are more frequent and serve a larger range of US destinations from both Canada and Mexico. Taking the train from Vancouver Unlike international trains from Montreal and Toronto where immigration formalities are conducted at the border when traveling on the Cascades from Vancouver you clear US immigration and customs at the Union Pacific Station before getting on the train itself. Be sure to allow enough time before departure to complete the necessary inspections. edit By foot There are many border crossings in urban areas which can be crossed by pedestrians. Crossings such as those in/near Niagara Detroit Tijuana Nogales amp El Paso are popular for persons wishing to spend a day on the other side of the border. In some cases this may be ideal for day-trippers as crossing by car can be a much longer wait. edit Get around The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco California The size of the U.S. and the distance separating major cities make air the dominant mode of travel for short-term travelers. If you have time travel by car or rail can be interesting. edit By plane The quickest and often the most convenient way of long-distance intercity travel in the U.S. is by plane. Coast-to-coast travel takes about 6 hours from east to west and 5 hours from west to east varying due to winds compared to the days necessary for land transportation. Most cities in the U.S. are served by one or two airports many small towns also have some passenger air service although you may need to detour through a major hub airport to get there. Depending on where you are starting it may be cheaper to drive to a nearby large city and fly or conversely to fly to a large city near your destination and rent a car. Major carriers compete for business on major routes and travelers willing to book two or more weeks in advance can get bargains. However most smaller destinations are served by only one or two regional carriers and prices there can be expensive. In the past decade the so-called "full-service" airlines have taken after the discount airlines and begun charging for things that used to be free. On a domestic flight expect to be charged for checking luggage eating anything more than peanuts and a soda or other amenities that were formerly taken for granted. Longer international flights and transcontinental flights still offer a few perks but check for your particular airline and flight. Where possible pre-book these amenities online once you know you will need them doing so may save you some money. When flying on the major carriers here are a run down of charges you can expect and how to avoid them Checking in at the airport A few airlines are charging an additional fee $3-$10 for checking in and getting your boarding pass at the airport kiosk. Check in online and print out your boarding pass yourself to avoid this charge. Checked baggage Though prices vary by airline you're generally looking at between $25 and $35 to check a single bag an additional $50 for a second bag and up to $100 or more for a third bag. You can try squeezing everything into your carry-on though liquids certain toiletries such as razor blades and shaving cream and many other things are a no-no in your carry-on. If you're an elite member in a frequent flier program or an alliance Star Skyteam or OneWorld or have an airline branded credit card you may have your checked bag fees waived or reduced. Alternatively you can fly on discount carriers JetBlue or Southwest who allow you one and two checked bags free of charge respectively. Curbside check in $5-$10 on top of any bag or check-in fees plus a tip is usually expected. Food On flights longer than 60-90 minutes a buy-on-board option may be offered where you can purchase prepackaged sandwiches small meals and snacks at hugely inflated prices. Hot food is not generally served on domestic flights anymore save transcontinental flights and some flights from the mainland to Alaska or Hawaii due to their sheer length. Most airports have an array of fast food and quick serve options in the terminal - there's one quirk though you can't bring food or liquids through the security checkpoint so don't purchase anything until after you've cleared security. While airside food outlets will inevitably be more expensive than what's available before security or off-airport it still costs much less and likely has a larger selection than what's available on board. Many airlines off some small snacks peanuts potato chips cookies etc... free of charge on all flights but again check for your airline and flight. Drinks Beverage service is one thing the airline industry hasn't done away with and even the shortest regional jet flights still feature it. Non-alcoholic beverages soda water coffee tea etc... are free for something stronger you can pay $5–7 to pick among a decent selection of beer two or three varieties of wine and a couple of basic cocktails that can be mixed easily and quickly e.g. gin and tonic . In flight entertainment Some carriers still offer inflight entertainment on domestic routes ranging from movies or sitcom episodes payed on overhead screens to seatback monitors with on-demand movies and satellite TV. Most airlines that feature IFE offer it for free but will charge you to rent headphones. The good news is that the days of those stethoscope-style tube headsets are long gone and most IFE systems will work fine with your iPod earbuds or whatever headphones you've brought from home - bring them to avoid paying $3-$5 to borrow headsets on board. Pillows and blankets are disappearing rapidly. Some airlines don't have them at all some will charge you for them but you get to keep after you pay and one or two offer them for free but you have to ask for them . Red-eye and long gt 5 hour flights are more likely to have free pillows and blankets. As always check with your airline and bring your own from home if you think you'll need them. If you happen to be flying in First or Business Class then none of this applies to you—checked baggage meals and alcoholic beverages are all included with the price of your ticket. Ironically America's discount airlines such as JetBlue Southwest and Virgin America sometimes have more amenities than the so called "full-service" carriers. Jet Blue offers over 45 channels of satellite television non-alcoholic beverages and snacks for free on every flight Virgin America offers similar perks. On Jet Blue your first bag is free $35 for a second bag and Southwest is the only US carrier to still carry two checked bags per passenger free of charge. See Cheap airline travel in North America . edit Security concerns Security at U.S. airports is known to be onerous especially during busy holiday travel periods. Allow plenty of time and pack as lightly as possible. Ensure the amount of liquids you bring does not exceed the prescribed limit and is properly placed in the prescribed containers. edit By private plane When entering the United States aboard a private aircraft you will be required to land and undergo Customs and Passport control at the first airport capable of such transactions in your flight path over the United States. This means you will often be stopped in Bangor Maine upper northeast coast of the U.S. if flying to a place in the Northeast. You can undergo the Customs and Passport control alternatively in Shannon Ireland the only location outside the United States with facilities for processing international travel to the United States by private aircraft. If you stop there you may then continue on directly to your destination in the U.S. without stopping once crossing the air border. The cost of chartering the smallest private jet begins at around $4000 per flight hour with the cost substantially higher for larger longer-range aircraft and cheaper for smaller propeller planes. While private flying is by no means inexpensive a family of four or more can often fly together at a cost similar to or even favorable to buying first class commercial airline tickets especially to smaller airports where scheduled commercial flights are at their most expensive and private flying is at its cheapest. Though you may find it cheaper than flying a family of four first class internationally it is rarely the case except when traveling from Western Europe. Air Charter refers to hiring a private plane for a one time journey. Jet Cards are pre-paid cards entitling the owner to a specific number of flight hours on a specified aircraft. As all expenses are pre-paid on the card you need not to concern yourself with deadhead time return flights landing fees etc. edit By train See also Rail travel in the United States Except for certain densely populated corridors passenger trains in the United States can be surprisingly scarce and relatively expensive. The national rail system Amtrak 14 1-800-USA-RAIL provides service to many cities concentrating more on sightseeing tours than efficient intercity travel. Plan ahead to ensure train travel between your destinations is available and/or convenient. They have promotional discounts of 15% for students and seniors and a 30-day U.S. Rail Pass for international travelers only. If you plan to buy a regular ticket within a week of traveling it pays to check the website for sometimes significant "weekly specials". Separate from Amtrak many major cities offer very reliable commuter trains that carry passengers to and from the suburbs or other relatively close-by areas. Amtrak offers many amenities and services that are lacking from other modes of transport. Amtrak offers many routes that traverse some of America's most beautiful areas. Travelers with limited time may not find travel by train to be convenient simply because the country is big and the "bigness" is particularly evident in many of the scenic areas. For those with ample time though train travel offers an unparalleled view of America's scenic beauty without the trouble and long-term discomfort of a rental hire car or the hassle of flying. Trains running on the Washington D.C. to Boston Northeast Corridor Acela Express and the Regional and the Philadelphia to Harrisburg Keystone Corridor Keystone Service and Pennsylvanian generally run on time or very close to on time. These two rail lines are electrified and owned by Amtrak or other commuter railways such as the MBTA or SEPTA and are passenger only. Outside these two areas Amtrak operates on freight lines and as a result they must yield to the whim of the host railroad. Outside the Northeast trains arriving exactly on schedule are practically non-existent. While delays are usually brief trains make up time enroute have a contingency plan for being at least three hours late when traveling Amtrak - six hour or longer delays although not frequent are not uncommon either. If you miss an Amtrak connection because your first train is late Amtrak will book you onto the next available train or in rare cases a bus to your final destination. If your destination is on the Northeast Corridor this isn't a big deal departures are every hour but in other parts of the country the next train may not be until tomorrow. If this is the case unlike with the airlines Amtrak will not help you with a hotel - you're on your own If you plan to board an Amtrak train at a location other than the train's initial place of departure it's usually a good idea to call ahead before you leave for the station to see if the train is running on time. A major Amtrak line in regular daily use by Americans themselves is the Acela Express 15 line running between Boston and Washington D.C. It stops in New York City New Haven Philadelphia and many other cities on the way. This line is electrified with top speeds of 150 miles per hour though the average speed is a good deal slower . The Acela Express has first class service but can be quite expensive. Given the difficulty and expense of getting from the center of some of the major Northeastern cities to their respective airports trains can sometimes be more convenient than air travel. There are also frequent slower regional trains covering the same stations along the Northeast Corridor for lower fares. All Amtrak trains in the northeast as well as all long-distance trains now require reservations. The only routes that don't require reservations are Hiawatha trains between Chicago and Milwaukee Keystone Service trains between Philadelphia and Harrisburg and Capital Corridor Sacramento-Oakland-San Jose and Pacific Surfliner San Diego-Los Angeles-Santa Barbara trains in California. During usual American vacation times some long-distance trains can sell out weeks or even months in advance so it pays to book early if you plan on using the long-distance trains. Booking early also results in generally lower fares for all trains since they tend to increase as trains become fuller. One major scenic long-distance train route the California Zephyr runs from Emeryville in the Bay Area of California to Chicago via Reno Salt Lake City and Denver . The full trip takes around 60 hours but has incredible views of the Western deserts the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains things that you just cannot see if you fly. Many of the sights on this route are simply inaccessible to cars. The trains run only once per day and they usually sell out well in advance. Amtrak's single most popular long-distance train is the Chicago-Seattle/Portland "Empire Builder" train via Milwaukee St. Paul/Minneapolis Fargo Minot Glacier National Park Whitefish and Spokane. In FY2007 this train alone carried over 503 000 passengers. Amtrak also provides reasonably speedy daily round trips between Seattle and Vancouver Canada and several daily trips between Seattle and Eugene Oregon on the Amtrak Cascades line. Passengers traveling long distances on Amtrak may reserve a seat in coach Economy class or pay extra for an upgrade to a private sleeping compartment there are no shared rooms which also includes all meals in the dining car. Amtrak trains in the West feature a lounge car with floor to ceiling windows which are perfect for sightseeing. Bradt's USA by Rail 16 book ISBN 9781841622552 is a guide to all Amtrak routes with maps station details and other practical advice. edit By Boat America has the largest system of inland waterways of any country in the world. It is entirely possible to navigate around within the United States by boat. Your choices of watercraft range from self-propelled canoes and kayaks to elaborate houseboats and riverboat cruises. Rivers and canals were key to developing the country and traversing by boat gives you a unique perspective on the nation and some one of a kind scenery. Some examples of waterways open to recreational boating and/or scheduled cruises are The Erie Canal System 17 of New York State operates four canal systems consisting of 524 miles waterway open for recreational and commercial use. The most famous of these canals is the Erie Canal starts around Albany and heads west to Buffalo. By navigating up the Hudson River from New York City it is possible to go all the way to the Great Lakes and beyond via these waterways. Side trips to the Finger Lakes in Western New York or to Lake Champlain and Vermont are possible. Small watercraft including canoes and kayaks are welcome on these canals. The St. Lawrence Seaway 18 is now the primary port of entry for large ships into North America. Recreational boaters are welcome however the Seaway is designed for very large craft and a minimum boat length of 6 meters applies. The Seaway starts in eastern Canada and goes to the Great Lakes. The Mississippi River There are two channels of navigation from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi. The Mississippi affords north-south access through the interior of the U.S. to the Gulf of Mexico and connects with all major interior waterways including the Missouri River . Each year many first time and beginning boaters successfully navigate these waterways. Do remember that any kind of boating requires some preparation and planning. In general the Coast Guard Canal and Seaway authorities go out of their way to help recreational boaters. They will also at times give instructions which you are expected to immediately obey. For example small craft may be asked to give way to larger craft on canals and weather conditions may require you to stop or change your route. edit By car America's love affair with the automobile is legendary and most Americans use a car traveling within their city and when traveling to nearby cities in their state or region. Generally speaking American cities were built for the automobile meaning that most of the time renting your own car is the best way to get around. This applies even to very large cities like Los Angeles Atlanta and Miami where public transport is very limited and having a rented car is the most practical way of getting around. The exceptions are New York City Chicago Boston San Francisco and Washington D.C. in which having your own car is not only unnecessary but discouraged. In most medium-sized American cities particularly in the west and south cities are very spread out and public transportation thin. Taxis are often available but except at airports you may have to phone for one and wait a half-hour or so to be picked up and make similar arrangements to return. While most Americans are happy to give driving directions don't be surprised if many aren't as familiar with the local public transport options available. Gas stations have traditionally sold regional and national maps. Online maps are directions are available on several websites including MapQuest and Google Maps. Drivers can obtain directions in the midst of their travels by calling 1-800-Free411 which will provide text message directions. GPS navigation systems can be purchased for around $100. edit Great American Road Trip A romantic appeal is attached to the idea of long-distance car travel many Americans will tell you that you can't see the "real" America except by car. Given the dearth of public transportation within most American cities the loss of time traveling between cities by car rather than flying can be made up by the convenience of driving around within cities once you arrive. In addition many of the country's major natural attractions such as the Grand Canyon are almost impossible to get to without an automobile. If you have the time a classic American road trip with a rented car see below is very easy to achieve. Just keep in mind that because of the distances this kind of travel can mean many long days behind the wheel so pay attention to the comfort of the car you use. edit Interstate System There's always a road going your way The United States is covered with a convenient system of U.S. and Interstate highways . With very few exceptions interstates are always freeways limited access with no grade crossings i.e. the rough equivalent to what Europeans call a "motorway" while U.S. Highways may be freeways on some sections and not on others. These roads network between major and minor population centers and can make it easy to cover long distances ndash or get to the other side of a large city ndash quickly. Primary Interstates have one- or two-digit numbers with odd ones running north-south e.g. I-5 and even ones running east-west e.g. I-80 . Three-digit interstate numbers designate shorter secondary freeways. An odd first digit signifies a "spur" into or away from a city an even first digit signifies a "loop" around a large city. The second two digits remain the same as the primary Interstate that travels nearby. The U.S. Highways are generally older routes that lead through town centers. In many cases Interstates were constructed roughly parallel to U.S. Highways to expedite traffic that wishes to bypass the city. Speed limits on the interstate highways can vary from state to state as setting the speed limit is up to each individual state. For example Interstate 70 from east to west is 65 miles per hour in Maryland 55-65 miles per hour in Pennsylvania 65 miles per hour in Ohio 70 miles per hour in Indiana 65 miles per hour in Illinois 70 miles per hour in Missouri and Kansas and up to 75 miles per hour in Colorado and Utah. The vast majority of interstates do not charge tolls but those that do are also known as turnpikes . Most of the turnpikes predate the interstate highway system and were grandfathered in. Tolls are also frequently levied for crossing notably large bridges or tunnels. Commercial rest areas were outlawed on the interstate system by the federal government. As a result the vast majority of rest areas are state-operated rest areas with public toilets parking tourist information vending machines and a small picnic area but no restaurants gas stations or stores. The only exceptions which do offer many commercial services are on turnpikes that predated the interstate system and were grandfathered in. Therefore on the vast majority of interstate highways drivers must exit the highway at an interchange to access commercial services located on private lands off the highway. edit Driving laws As with the rest of North America Americans drive on the right in left-hand drive vehicles and pass on the left. White lines separate traffic moving in the same direction and yellow lines separate opposing traffic. Right turn on red after coming to a complete stop is legal unless a sign prohibits it in nearly all states and cities though New York City is a notable exception. Red lights and stop signs are always enforced at all hours in nearly all U.S. jurisdictions. Only Puerto Rico like many developing countries allows red-light running late at night to cut down on the risk of carjackings. Most American drivers tend to drive calmly and safely in the sprawling residential suburban neighborhoods where the majority of Americans live. However freeways around the central areas of big cities often become crowded with a significant proportion of "hurried" drivers — who will exceed speed limits make unsafe lane changes or follow other cars at unsafe close distances known as "tailgating" . Enforcement of posted speed limits is somewhat unpredictable and varies widely from state to state. Not exceeding the pace of other drivers will usually avoid a troublesome citation. Beware of small towns along otherwise high-speed rural roads and medium-speed suburban roads the reduced speed limits found while going through such towns are strictly enforced. Driving law is primarily a matter of state law and is enforced by state and local police. Fortunately widespread adoption of provisions of the Uniform Vehicle Code and federal regulation of traffic signs under the Highway Safety Act means that most driving laws do not vary much from one state to the next. All states publish an official driver's handbook which summarizes state driving laws in plain English. These handbooks are usually available both on the Web and at many government offices. International visitors aged 18 and older can usually drive on their foreign driver's license for up to a year depending on state law. Licenses that are not in English must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit IDP or a certified translation. Persons who will be in the United States for more than a year must obtain a driver's license from the state they are residing in. Written and practical driving tests are required but are usually waived for holders of valid Canadian Mexican and some European licenses. Traffic signs often depend on the ability to read English words. Drivers who can read English will find most signs self-explanatory. The country has gradually begun adopting signs with internationally understood symbols with English "translations" for those not yet familiar with them. However progress is very slow. Distances and speeds will almost always be given in miles and miles/hour without these units specified. Some areas near the Canadian border may feature road signs with distances in both miles and kilometers. edit Car rental Renting a car in the U.S. usually runs anywhere from $20 and $100 per day for a basic sedan depending on the type of car and location with some discounts for week-long rentals. The major rental agencies are Enterprise Rent-A-Car 19 +1 800 RENT-A-CAR Hertz 20 +1 800 230 4898 Avis 21 +1 800 230 4898 Thrifty Car Rental 22 and Dollar Rent A Car 23 . There are no large national discount car rental agencies but in each city there is usually at least one. A couple discount car rental companies usually restricted to areas of the country are Advantage Rent A Car E-Z Rent-A-Car 24 +1 800 277 5171 and Fox Rent A Car. The internet or the Yellow Pages are the easiest ways to find them. One widespread chain is Rent-A-Wreck 25 +1 800 944 7501 . It rents used cars at significantly lower prices. Most rental agencies have downtown offices in major cities as well as offices at major airports. Not all companies allow picking up a car in one city and dropping it off in another the ones that do almost always charge extra for the privilege check with the rental agency when making your reservations. One factor that influences the price of your car rental will be location. Sometimes renting a car at an airport location will cost 3 times as much as renting the same car from the same company at a downtown location. In other areas the airport location will be cheaper. On-line travel websites such as Orbitz or Expedia can be useful to compare the best prices and make reservations. Rental agencies accept a valid driver's license from your country which must be presented with an International Drivers Permit if your license needs to be translated. You may wish to join some kind of auto club before starting a large American road trip and having a cell phone is a very good idea. Most rental agencies have some kind of emergency road service program but they can have spotty coverage for remote regions. The largest club in the United States is the American Automobile Association 26 +1-800-391-4AAA known as "Triple A". A yearly membership runs about $60. AAA members also get discounts at many hotels motels restaurants and attractions which may make it worth getting a membership even if you don't drive. Alternatively Better World Club 27 +1-866-238-1137 offers similar rates and benefits as AAA with often timelier service and is a more eco-friendly choice 1% of revenue is donated to environmental cleanup programs . Note that some non-US automobile clubs have affiliate relationships with AAA allowing members of the non-US club to take full advantage of AAA road service and discount programs. Among these clubs are the Canadian Automobile Association The Automobile Association in the UK and ADAC in Germany. Most Americans renting cars are covered for loss or damage to the rental car either by their credit card or their own private vehicle insurance policy. Without appropriate loss/damage waiver cover you could be liable for the entire cost of the car should it be written off in an accident. Purchasing loss/damage waiver cover and supplemental liability insurance may add up to $30/day to the price of a rental in some cases doubling the price of the rental. If you visit the car rental website and identify your country of origin you may be given a quote which includes the loss/damage waiver and liability insurance for considerably less. Many travel insurance policies include cover for some rental car damage - check your policy against the rental terms and conditions. edit Fuel Gasoline "gas" is sold by the gallon. The American gallon is smaller than the UK gallon and equals 3.785 liters. The U.S. octane scale is different from that used in Europe a regular gallon of U.S. gasoline is rated at 87 octane the equivalent of about 92 in Europe. Diesel is not as common but still widely used and available at most stations especially those catering to truckers. Untaxed "offroad diesel" sold in rural areas for agricultural use is dyed red and should not be used in cars as there are heavy fines if you're caught. Despite increasing petroleum prices worldwide and some increases in gas taxes the American consumer-voter's attachment to his automobile combined with abundant domestic oil reserves and relatively low taxes on gasoline has kept retail fuel prices much lower than in many parts of the world. Prices fluctuate by region and season current prices are averaging near $3.40/gallon as of March 2011. edit By bus Intercity bus travel in the United States is widespread but is not available everywhere. Many patrons use bus travel when other modes aren't readily available as buses often connect many smaller towns with regional cities. The disadvantaged and elderly may use these bus lines as automobile travel proves arduous or unaffordable for some. It's commonly considered a "lower class" way to travel but is generally dependable safe affordable. Greyhound Bus Lines 28 +1 800 229 9424 has the predominant share of American bus travel. Steep discounts are available to travelers who purchase their tickets 7-14 days in advance of their travel date. Their North American Discovery Pass allows unlimited travel for ranges of 4 to 60 days but you might want to try riding one or two buses first before locking yourself in to an exclusively-bus American journey. Greyhound buses typically runs in 5-7 hour segments at which time all passengers must get off the bus so it can be serviced even if it's the middle of the night. Continuing passengers are boarded before those just getting on. There are no reservations on Greyhound buses. All seating is on a first come first served basis with the exception of select cities where you can pay a $5 fee for priority seating. Megabus 29 offers inexpensive daily bus service in the Midwest from their hub in Chicago to several cities in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. BoltBus 30 competes with Megabus on major routes in the Northeast. For bus service between large East Coast cities particularly Washington D.C. New York City Philadelphia and Boston travelers can purchase deeply discounted below Greyhound prices tickets from a number of small operators typically called "Chinatown bus" operators because they usually enter and depart from the Chinatown area of the cities they serve. These type of services are also beginning to appear on the West Coast. These buses while inexpensive have a reputation for having fewer amenities as well as a less safe history of driving so the savings does have possible drawbacks. edit By recreational vehicle RV Main article Car Camping Recreational vehicles ndash large sometimes bus sized vehicles that include sleeping and living quarters ndash are a distinctly American way to cruise the country. Some RVers love the convenience of being able to drive their home anywhere they like and enjoy the camaraderie that RV campgrounds offer. Other people dislike the hassles and maintenance issues that come with RVing. And don't even think about driving an RV into a huge metropolis such as New York. Still if you want to drive extensively within the United States and are comfortable handling a big rig renting an RV is an option you should consider. edit By motorcycle The thrill and exhilaration of cross country travel are magnified when you go by motorcycle. Harley-Davidson is the preeminent American motorcycle brand and Harley operates a motorcycle rental program 31 for those licensed and capable of handling a full weight motorcycle. In some parts of the country you can also rent other types of motorcycles such as sportbikes touring bikes and dual-sport bikes. For those unexperienced with motorcycles Harley and other dealerships offer classes for beginners. Wearing a helmet although not required in all states is always a good idea. The practice of riding between lanes of slower cars also known as "lane-sharing" or "lane-splitting " is illegal except in California where it is tolerated and widespread. Solo motorcyclists can legally use "high-occupancy vehicle" or "carpool" lanes during their hours of operation. American enthusiasm towards motorcycles has led to a motorcycling subculture. Motorcycle clubs are exclusive clubs for members dedicated to riding a particular brand of motorcycle within a highly structured club hierarchy. Riding clubs may or may not be organized around a specific brand of bikes and offer open membership to anyone interested in riding. Motorcycle rallies such as the famous one in Sturgis South Dakota are huge gatherings of motorcyclists from around the country. Many motorcyclists are not affiliated with any club and opt to ride independently or with friends. In general motorcycling is seen as a hobby as opposed to a practical means of transportation this means for example that most American motorcyclists prefer not to ride in inclement weather. However you choose to ride and whatever brand of bike you prefer motorcycling can be a thrilling way to see the country. edit By thumb Gateway Arch St. Louis Missouri in the Midwest A long history of hitchhiking comes out of the U.S. with record of automobile hitchhikers as early as 1911. Today hitchhiking is nowhere near as common but there are some nevertheless who still attempt short or cross-country trips. The laws related to hitchhiking in the U.S. are most covered by the Uniform Vehicle Code UVC adopted with changes in wording by individual states. In general it is legal to hitchhike throughout the majority of the country if not standing within the boundaries of a highway usually marked by a solid white line at the shoulder of the road and if not on an Interstate highway prohibiting pedestrians. In many states Interstate highways do not allow foot traffic so hitchhikers must use the entrance ramps. In a few states it is allowed or tolerated unless on a toll road . Oklahoma Texas and Oregon are a few states that do allow pedestrians on the highway shoulder although not in some metropolitan areas. Oklahoma allows foot traffic on all free interstates but not toll roads and Texas only bans it on toll roads — and on free Interstates within the city of El Paso. Oregon only bans it in the Portland metro area. Missouri only bans it within Kansas City and St. Louis city limits. Hitchhiking has become much less popular due to increasing wariness of the possible dangers fueled in part by sensational stories in the news media . International travelers to the U.S. should avoid this practice unless they have either a particularly strong sense of social adventure or extremely little money. Even many Americans themselves would only feel comfortable "thumbing a ride" if they had a good knowledge of the locale. Craigslist 32 has a rideshare section that sometimes proves useful for arranging rides in advance. If you are open with your destination it's almost always possible to find a ride on C.L. going somewhere within the U.S. edit Talk Almost all Americans speak English . They generally use a standard accent native to the Midwest popularized in the 20th century by radio TV and movies. In many areas especially the South and Texas in New England in New York City and in the upper Midwest you'll find distinctive regional accents and dialects. Nowhere should this pose any problem to a visitor as Americans often admire foreign accents and most will approximate the standard accent to help you understand them or try to speak your language if they can. Even so visitors are generally expected to speak and understand English . Many Americans are familiar with Spanish or French but few are fluent in languages other than English unless they are from immigrant communities. Even popular tourist sites may have signs only in English or perhaps one or two other languages. Spanish is the primary second language in many parts of the U.S. such as California the Southwest Texas Florida and the metropolitan areas of Chicago and New York City. Spanish is also the first language of the U.S. territory Puerto Rico as well as a large minority of residents mostly immigrants from Mexico or Latin America. The United States has the fifth-largest Spanish speaking population in the world. Although it's rare to be in areas where no one speaks English a good handle on Spanish can make communications easier in some areas. French is the primary second language in rural areas near the border with Quebec in some areas of Louisiana and by immigrants from West Africa. Haitian immigrants primarily speak Haitian Creole a separate language derived from French as their second language although a substantial number also speak French. Hawaiian is the native language of Hawaii although Japanese is also widely spoken there. In the various Chinatowns in major cities Cantonese and Mandarin are common. Smaller immigrant groups also sometimes form their own pockets of shared language including Russian Italian Greek Arabic Tagalog Korean Vietnamese and others. Chicago for instance is the city with the second largest ethnic Polish population in the world behind Warsaw . The Amish who have lived in Pennsylvania and Ohio for generations speak a dialect of German. Some Native Americans speak their respective native languages especially on reservations in the west. Unless you're certain you're traveling in an area populated with recent immigrants don't expect to be able to get by in the U.S. without a firm grasp of English. American Sign Language or ASL is the dominant sign language in the U.S. When events are interpreted they will be interpreted in ASL. Users of French Sign Language and other related languages may find ASL intelligible as they share much vocabulary but users of British Sign Language or Auslan will not. Closed-captioning on television is widespread but far from ubiquitous. Many theaters offer FM loops or other assistive listening devices but captioning and interpreters are rarer. For the blind many signs and displays include Braille transcriptions of the printed English. Larger restaurant chains museums and parks may offer Braille menus and guidebooks but you'll likely have to ask for one. edit add listing See Lighthouse Portland Maine in New England The United States is extraordinarily diverse in its array of attractions. You will never run out of things to see even if you think you've exhausted what one place has to offer the next destination is only a road trip away. The Great American Road Trip see above is the most traditional way to see a variety of sights just hop in the car and cruise down the Interstates stopping at the convenient roadside hotels and restaurants as necessary and stopping at every interesting tourist trap along the way until you reach your destination. Indescribably beautiful scenery history that reads like a screenplay entertainment options that can last you for days and some of the world's greatest architecture mdash no matter what your pleasure you can find it almost anywhere you look in the United States. edit Natural scenery From the spectacular glaciers of Alaska to the wooded weathered peaks of Appalachia from the otherworldly desertscapes of the Southwest to the vast waters of the Great Lakes few other countries have as wide a variety of natural scenery as the United States does. America's National Parks are a great place to start. Yellowstone National Park was the first true National Park in the world and it remains one of the most famous but there are 57 others. The Grand Canyon is possibly the world's most spectacular gorge Sequoia National Park and Yosemite National Park are both home to the world's tallest living organisms Glacier National Park is a great place to see huge sheets of ice Canyonlands National Park could easily be mistaken for Mars and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park features abundant wildlife among beautifully forested mountains. And the national parks aren't just for sightseeing either each has plenty of outdoors activities as well. Still the National Parks are just the beginning. The National Park Service also operates National Monuments National Memorials National Historic Sites National Seashores National Heritage Areas... the list goes on and on . And each state has its own state parks that can be just as good as the federal versions. Most all of these destinations federal or state have an admission fee but it all goes toward maintenance and operations of the parks and the rewards are well worth it. Those aren't your only options though. Many of America's natural treasures can be seen without passing through admission gates. The world-famous Niagara Falls straddle the border between Canada and the U.S. the American side lets you get right up next to the onrush and feel the power that has shaped the Niagara gorge. The "purple majesty" of the Rocky Mountains can be seen for hundreds of miles in any direction while the placid coastal areas of the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic have relaxed Americans for generations. And although they are very different from each other Hawaii and Alaska are perhaps the two most scenic states they don't just have attractions mdash they are attractions. edit Historical attractions Americans often have a misconception of their country as having little history. The U.S. does indeed have a tremendous wealth of historical attractions—more than enough to fill months of history-centric touring. The prehistory of the continent can indeed be a little hard to uncover as most of the Native American tribes did not build permanent settlements. But particularly in the West you will find magnificent cliff dwellings at sites such as Mesa Verde as well as near-ubiquitous rock paintings. The Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. is another great place to start learning about America's culture before the arrival of European colonists. As the first part of the country to be colonized by Europeans the eastern states of New England the Mid-Atlantic and the South have more than their fair share of sites from early American history . The first successful British colony on the continent was at Jamestown Virginia although the settlement at Plymouth Massachusetts may loom larger in the nation's mind. In the eighteenth century major centers of commerce developed in Philadelphia and Boston and as the colonies grew in size wealth and self-confidence relations with Great Britain became strained culminating in the Boston Tea Party and the ensuing Revolutionary War ... edit Monuments and architecture Americans have never shied away from heroic feats of engineering and many of them are among the country's biggest tourist attractions. Washington D.C. as the nation's capital has more monuments and statuary than you could see in a day but do be sure to visit the Washington Monument the world's tallest obelisk the stately Lincoln Memorial and the incredibly moving Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The city's architecture is also an attraction mdash the Capitol Building and the White House are two of the most iconic buildings in the country and often serve to represent the whole nation to the world. Actually a number of American cities have world-renowned skylines perhaps none moreso than the concrete canyons of Manhattan part of New York City. The site of the destroyed World Trade Center towers remains a gaping wound in Manhattan's vista but the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building still stand tall as they have for almost a century. Chicago where the skyscraper was invented is home to the country's single tallest building the former Sears Tower and an awful lot of other really tall buildings . Other skylines worth seeing include San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge Seattle including the Space Needle Miami and Pittsburgh . Some human constructions transcend skyline though and become iconic symbols in their own right. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis the Statue of Liberty in Manhattan the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles and even the fountains of the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas all draw visitors to their respective cities. Even the incredible Mount Rushmore located far from any major city still attracts two million visitors each year. edit Museums and galleries In the U.S. there's a museum for practically everything . From toys to priceless artifacts from entertainment legends to dinosaur bones mdash nearly every city in the country has a museum worth visiting. The highest concentrations of these museums are found in the largest cities of course but none compare to Washington D.C. home to the Smithsonian Institution . With almost twenty independent museums most of them located on the National Mall the Smithsonian is the foremost curator of American history and achievement. The most popular of the Smithsonian museums are the National Air and Space Museum the National Museum of American History and the National Museum of Natural History but any of the Smithsonian museums would be a great way to spend an afternoon mdash and they're all 100% free. New York City also has an outstanding array of world-class museums including the Guggenheim Museum the American Museum of Natural History the Museum of Modern Art MOMA the Metropolitan Museum of Art the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum . You could spend weeks exploring the cultural institutions just in D.C. and the Big Apple but here's a small fraction of the other great museums you'd be missing Basketball Hall of Fame mdash Springfield Massachusetts Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh mdash Pittsburgh Children's Museum of Indianapolis mdash Indianapolis Indiana Exploratorium mdash San Francisco Hollywood Walk of Fame mdash Los Angeles Monterey Bay Aquarium mdash Monterey California Museum of Science amp Industry mdash Chicago National Aquarium in Baltimore mdash Baltimore Maryland National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum mdash Cooperstown New York Pro Football Hall of Fame mdash Canton Ohio Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum mdash Cleveland Ohio San Diego Zoo mdash San Diego California Strong National Museum of Play mdash Rochester New York edit Itineraries Here is a handful of itineraries spanning regions across the United States Appalachian Trail mdash a foot trail along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Maine Braddock Expedition mdash traces the French-Indian War route of British General Edward Braddock and a younger George Washington from Alexandria Virginia through the Cumberland Gap to the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh. The Jazz Track mdash a nation-wide tour of the most important clubs in jazz history and in jazz performance today Lewis and Clark Trail mdash retrace the northwest route of the great American explorers along the Missouri River Route 66 mdash tour the iconic historic highway running from Chicago to Los Angeles Santa Fe Trail mdash a historic southwest settler route from Missouri to Santa Fe Touring Shaker country mdash takes you to one current and eight former Shaker religious communities in the Mid-Atlantic New England and Midwest regions of the United States. Interstate 10 mdash a trans-continental highway extending from Florida to California. U.S. Highway 1 mdash traveling along the east coast from Maine to Florida. U.S. Highway 40 mdash extending from Atlantic City to near Park City Utah. edit add listing Do Music — Mid-size to large cities often draw big ticket concerts especially in large outdoor amphitheaters. Small towns sometimes host concerts in parks with local or older bands. Other options include music festivals such has San Diego's Street Scene 33 or South by Southwest 34 in Austin . Classical music concerts are held year round and performed by semi-professional and professional symphonies. Boston for instance occasionally puts on free concerts in the Public Park. Many cities and regions have unique sounds. Nashville is known as Music City because of the large number of country artists that live in the city. It's home to the Grand Ole Opry one of the most famous music venues in the country. Country music is popular throughout the U.S. but is particularly concentrated in the South and rural West. Seattle is the home of grunge rock. Many of the most popular bands are based out of Los Angeles due to the large entertainment presence and concentration of record companies. Marching Band — In addition to traditional music concerts a quintessential American experience is the marching band festival. One can find these events almost every weekend between September and Thanksgiving throughout the country and again from March to June in California. Check local event listings and papers to find specifics. Also notable is the Bands of America Grand National Championship held every autumn in Indianapolis. Those looking to see the best of the best should acquire tickets to the "finals" performance where the ten best bands of the festival compete for the championship. This event is now held at the Lucas Oil Stadium. Both "street" or parade marching bands as well as "field" or show bands are found at almost every high school and university in America. Baseball in Daytona Beach Florida Professional sports — The United States has a professional league for virtually every sport including pillow fighting. A few of the most popular leagues are MLB 35 — Major League Baseball is very popular and the sport of baseball is often referred to as "America's pastime" being one of the most widely played in the country . The league has 30 teams 29 in the U.S. and 1 in Canada . Season lasts from April to September with playoff games held in October. With 30 teams playing 162 games per team per season and the cheapest seats usually $10-20 this is possibly the best sporting event for international travelers to watch. NBA 36 — The National Basketball Association is the world's premier men's basketball league and has 30 teams 29 in the U.S. and one in Canada . Season runs November to April with playoffs in May-June. NFL 37 — The National Football League with 32 teams is the leading promoter of American football in the world a sport which has virtually nothing in common with football in the rest of the world which Americans call "soccer" . The day of the championship game called the Super Bowl is an unofficial national holiday. Season lasts from September to December with playoffs in January ending with the Super Bowl in February. NHL 38 — The premier league for ice hockey in the world featuring 30 teams 24 in the U.S. and 6 in Canada . A slight majority of players are Canadians but the league has players from many other parts of the world mainly the United States the Nordic countries primarily Sweden and Finland Russia the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Originally in Northern markets recent expansions have each major region covered with a NHL team. The season runs from October to April followed by playoffs that culminate in the Stanley Cup Finals in June. NASCAR 39 — Viewed by many as a "regional sport" confined to the more rural areas of the South the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing NASCAR has seemingly broken away from those misconceptions over recent years to become a major spectator sport across the country. While a majority of the tracks still reside in the Mid-Atlantic and South NASCAR holds races all across the country beginning with their marquee event the Daytona 500 in mid-February and ending in late November. MLS 40 — Major League Soccer newly expanded to 18 teams for the league's current 2011 season 16 in the U.S. and two in Canada is the latest attempt to kick start American interest in soccer. While it may not be as popular with the media MLS is still widely viewed and enjoyed. Foreign travelers can find particularly vibrant and familiar fan experiences in several cities notably Washington Chicago Houston Portland and Seattle as well as the Canadian cities of Toronto and Vancouver. Collegiate athletics — One rare feature of the United States sports landscape as compared to that of other nations is the extent to which sports are associated with educational institutions. In many regions of the country local college or university teams especially in football and men's basketball enjoy followings that rival or surpass those of major professional teams. The primary governing body for U.S. college sports is the National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA 41 which has over 1 000 member schools including essentially all of the country's best-known colleges and universities. The college football season runs from roughly September 1 through mid-December with postseason bowl games running into early January. The basketball regular season begins in mid-November and ends in late February or early March followed by conference tournaments and then national postseason tournaments that run through early April. The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament popularly known as "March Madness" an NCAA trademark is especially widely followed even by casual sports fans. Festivals and Fairs — A few days prompt nation-wide celebrations. They include Memorial Day Independence Day a.k.a. Fourth of July and Labor Day . Other major holidays like Thanksgiving Day are marked by private festivities. Many towns and/or counties throw fairs to commemorate the establishment of a town or the county with rides games and other attractions. Memorial Day — commemorates the ultimate sacrifice made by America's war dead. It is not to be confused with Veterans Day 11th November which commemorates the service of America's military veterans both living and deceased. It is the also the unofficial start of summer expect heavy traffic in popular destinations especially National Parks and Amusement Parks. Independence Day — Celebrates America's independence from Great Britain. The day is usually marked by parades festivals concerts outdoor cooking and grilling and firework displays. Almost every town puts on some sort of festivity to celebrate the day. Large cities often have multiple events. Washington D.C. celebrates the day on the Mall with a parade and a fireworks display against the Washington Monument. Labor Day — The U.S. celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday of September rather than May 1st. Labor Day marks the end of the summer social season. Some places such as Cincinnati throw parties to celebrate the day. National Parks . There are numerous national parks throughout the United States especially the vast interior which offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy your favorite outdoor activities including Recreational shooting ATV riding hiking bird watching prospecting and horseback riding. In more urban areas some national parks are centered around historic landmarks. National Trails System is a group of twenty-one 'National Scenic Trails' and 'National Historic Trails' as well as over 1 000 shorter 'National Recreation Trails' for a total length of over 50 000 miles. While all are open to hiking most are also open to mountain biking horseback riding and camping and some are even open for ATVs and cars. edit add listing Buy edit Money The official U.S. currency is the United States dollar $ divided into 100 cents ¢ . Conversion rates vary daily and are available online 42 . Foreign currencies are almost never accepted although some major hotel chains may accept travelers cheques in other currencies. Canadian currency is sometimes accepted at larger stores within 100 miles of the border but discounted for the exchange rate. This is less of an issue nowadays with the stronger Canadian dollar. Watch for stores that really want Canadian shoppers and will accept at par. Often a few Canadian coins especially pennies won't be noticed but less so the further south you go. Now that the Mexican peso has stabilized it is somewhat accepted at some locations at border towns El Paso Laredo etc but you're better off exchanging your pesos in Mexico and using US dollars instead to ensure the best exchange rate. Common American bills are for $1 $5 $10 $20 and $50 with $2 and $100 bills considerably less common. All bills are the same size. All $1 $2 and $100 bills and older $5 $10 $20 and $50 bills are greenish and printed with black and green ink. Newer versions of the $5 $10 $20 and $50 bills incorporate different gradations of color in the paper and additional colors of ink. As designs are updated every 5-10 years you will currently find up to three different designs of some bills in circulation. Almost all vending machines accept $1 bills and a few accept $5 bills acceptance of larger bills $50 and $100 by small restaurants and stores is less common. No US banknotes have been devalued in the last 80 years. Coins also haven't been devalued and coins from as early as the 1940s are still found in circulation. While almost never seen any currency over 25 years old and coin over 40 likely has collector value. The standard coins are the penny 1¢ copper color the chunky nickel 5¢ silver color the tiny dime 10¢ silver color and the quarter 25¢ silver color . None of these coins display the numeral of their value so it is important to recognize the names of each. The size doesn't necessarily correspond to their relative value the dime is the smallest coin followed by the penny nickel and quarter. Half dollar 50¢ silver and dollar $1 silver or gold coins exist but are uncommon. Coin-operated machines usually only accept nickels dimes and quarters. Currency exchange centers are rare outside the downtowns of major coastal and border cities and international airports however many banks can also provide currency exchange services. Most automated teller machines ATMs can handle foreign bank cards or credit cards bearing Visa/Plus or MasterCard/Cirrus logo note however that many ATMs charge fees of about $2.50 for use with cards issued by other banks often waived for cards issued outside of the U.S. but banks in one's home country may charge their own fees . Smaller ATMs found in restaurants etc. often charge higher fees up to $5 . Some ATMs such as those at Sheetz gas stations and government buildings such as courthouses have no fee. Another option is withdrawing cash usually up to $40 over the cost of your goods when making a debit-card purchase at a large discount store such as Walmart or Target or at many supermarkets. Stores almost never charge a fee for this service though the bank that issued your card may. Major credit and debit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely used and accepted even for transactions worth only a few dollars. However some small businesses and independently-owned stores specify a minimum amount of money usually $2-5 but can legally charge up to $10 minimum for credit card use as credit-card transactions cost them around 30-50 cents this practice is also common at bars when opening a tab . Other cards such as American Express and Discover are also accepted but not as widely. Almost all sit-down restaurants hotels and shops will accept credit cards. Authorization is made by signing a paper sales slip or a computer pad. When making large purchases it is typical for the shop to ask for photo identification in the U.S. Shops may also ask for photo identification for foreign issued cards. Sometimes using credit/debit cards are the only means to perform a transaction. Hence if you do not have one you can purchase a prepaid card or gift card with Visa/Mastercard or Amex logo for yourself in a good number of stores but you may need to provide identification before the card is activated. Gas station pumps selected public transportation vending machines and some other types of automated vending machines often have credit/debit card readers. Some automated vending machines accepting credit cards ask for the zip code of the US billing address for the card which effectively prevents them from accepting foreign cards. At gas stations you can use a foreign issued card by paying the station attendant inside. edit Sales tax There is no nationwide sales tax such as VAT or GST the only exception being motor fuels gasoline and diesel . As a result state/local taxes see below on major purchases cannot be refunded by customs agents upon leaving the United States. However most states have a sales tax ranging from 2.9% to nearly 10% of the retail price 4-6% is typical. Sales tax is almost never included in posted prices except for gasoline/diesel and in most states alcoholic beverages consumed on-premises but instead will be calculated and added to the total when you pay. Groceries and a variety of other "necessities" are usually exempt but almost any other retail transaction ndash including restaurant meals ndash will have sales tax added to the total. Delaware Montana New Hampshire and Oregon have no sales tax Alaska has no state sales tax but allows local governments to collect sales taxes. Regional price variations indirect hotel and business taxes etc. will usually have more impact on a traveler's wallet than the savings of seeking out a low-sales-tax or no-sales-tax destination. Many cities also impose sales taxes and certain cities have tax zones near airports and business districts that are designed to exploit travelers. Thus sales taxes can vary up to 2% in a matter of a few miles. At least two states Louisiana and Texas will refund sales tax on purchases made by international travellers taken out of the state. edit Places for shopping Shopping malls . America is the birthplace of the shopping mall and suburbs in particular have miles and miles of strip malls or long rows of small shops with shared parking lots usually built along a high-capacity road. Large cities still maintain central shopping districts that can be navigated on public transport but pedestrian-friendly shopping streets are uncommon and usually small. Outlet centers . The U.S. pioneered the factory outlet store and in turn the outlet center a shopping mall consisting primarily of such stores. Outlet centers are found along major Interstate highways outside of most American cities. Major retailers . American retailers tend to have some of the longest business hours in the world with chains like Walmart often featuring stores open 24/7 24 hours a day 7 days a week . Department stores and other large retailers are usually open from 10 AM to 9 PM most days and during the winter holiday season may stay open as long as 8 AM to 11 PM. The U.S. does not regulate the timing of sales promotions as in other countries. U.S. retailers often announce sales during all major holidays and also in between for any reason or no reason at all. Garage sales . On weekends it is not uncommon to find families selling no longer needed household items in their driveway garage or yard. If you see a driveway full of stuff on a Saturday it's likely a garage sale. Check it out one person's trash may just be your treasure. Bargaining is expected and encouraged. Flea markets . Flea markets called "swap meets" in Western states have dozens if not hundreds of vendors selling all kinds of usually inexpensive merchandise. Some flea markets are highly specialized and aimed at collectors of a particular sort others just sell all types of items. Again bargaining is expected. Auctions . Americans did not invent the auction but may well have perfected it. The fast paced sing-song cadence of a country auctioneer selling anything from farm animals to estate furniture is a special experience even if you have no intention of buying. In big cities head to the auction chambers of Christie's or Sotheby's auctioneers and watch paintings antiques and works of art be sold in a matter of minutes at prices that go into the millions. edit Costs Bald Eagles in Homer Alaska Unless you live in Australia Canada Europe or Japan the United States is generally expensive but there are ways to limit the damage. Many Europeans come to the United States for shopping especially electronics . While prices in the United States are lower than in many European countries keep in mind that you will be charged taxes/tariffs on goods purchased abroad. Additionally electronics may not be compatible with standards when you return electrical DVD region etc. . As such the savings you may find shopping in the United States may easily be negated upon your return. A barebones budget for camping hostels and cooking your food could be $30-50/day and you can double that if you stay at motels and eat at cheap cafes. Add on a rental car and hotel accommodation and you'll be looking at $150/day and up. There are regional variations too large cities like New York and Los Angeles are expensive while prices go down in the countryside. Most U.S. cities have suburbs with good hotels that are often much more affordable than those in the city center and enjoy lower crime rates. Thus if you plan to rent a car and drive between several major cities on a single visit to the U.S. it is usually a better idea to stay at safe suburban hotels with free parking as opposed to downtown hotels that charge exorbitant parking fees. If you intend to visit any of the National Parks Service sites such as the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone National Park it is worth considering the purchase of a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass 43 . This costs $80 and gives access to almost all of the federally administered parks and recreation areas for one year. Considering the price of admission to many parks is at least $20 each if you visit more than a few of them the pass will be the cheaper solution. You can trade in receipts from individual entries for 14 days at the entrance to the parks to upgrade to an annual pass if you find yourself cruising around and ending up visiting more parks than expected. 44 Many hotels and motels offer discounts for members of certain organizations which anyone can join such as AAA formerly the American Automobile Association . If you're a member or are a member of a club affiliated with AAA such as the Canadian Automobile Association The Automobile Association in the UK or ADAC in Germany it's worth asking at check-in. edit Tipping Tipping in America is widely used and expected. While Americans themselves often debate correct levels and exactly who deserves to be tipped generally accepted standard rates are Hairdressers other personal services 10-15% Bartenders $1 per drink if inexpensive or 15% of total Bellhops $1-2 per bag $3-5 minimum regardless Hotel doorman $1 per bag if they assist $1 for calling a cab Shuttle bus drivers $2-5 optional Private car amp limousine drivers 15-20% Housekeeping in hotels $1-2 per day for long stays or $5 minimum for very short stays optional Food delivery pizza etc. $2-5 15-20% for larger orders Bicycle messengers $3-5 Tour guides / activity guides $5-$10 if he or she was particularly funny or informative. Taxis Tips of 10-20% are expected in both yellow cabs as well as livery cabs. A simple way of computing the tip is to add 10% of the fare and round up from there. Thus if the meter reads $6.20 you pay $7 and if the meter reads $6.50 you pay $8. Always tip more for better service for example if the cabbie helps you with your bags or stroller . Leave a small tip if the service is lousy for example if the cabbie refuses to turn on the AC on a hot day . For livery cabs tip 10-20% depending on the quality of the service but you don't need to tip at all if you hail the cab on the street and negotiate the fare in advance leave an extra dollar or two anyway . Full-service restaurants 15-20%. Many restaurants include a mandatory service charge for larger groups in which case you do not need to tip an additional amount - check the bill. It is important to keep in mind that waitstaff in many American restaurants make wages far below federal minimums sometimes as low as low as $2.13/hour before taxes. Thus in restaurants and certain other professions a tip is not just a way to say "thank you" for service but an essential part of a server's wages. Remember that while it is expected for you to tip normally for adequate service you are never obliged to tip if your service was truly awful. If you receive exceptionally poor or rude service and the manager does not correct the problem when you bring it to their attention a deliberately small tip one or two coins will express your displeasure more clearly than leaving no tip at all. If paying your bill by cash leave a cash tip on the table when you leave there is no need to hand it over personally or wait until it's collected or if paying by credit card you can add it directly to the charge slip when you sign it. Look carefully as the slip will generally inform you whether a 15% gratuity has already been added. Tipping is not expected at restaurants where patrons stand at a counter to place their order and receive their food such as fast-food chains . Some such restaurants may have a "tip jar" by the cash register which may be used wholly at the customer's discretion in appreciation of good service. Some tipping at a cafeteria or buffet is expected since the wait staff often clears the table for you and provides refills of drinks and such. The majority of jobs not mentioned here are not customarily tipped and would likely refuse them. Retail employees or those in service positions which require high qualifications such as doctors or dentists are good examples. Never try to offer any kind of tip to a government employee of any kind especially police officers this could be construed as attempted bribery a felony offense and might cause serious legal problems. edit add listing Eat The variety of restaurants throughout the US is remarkable. In a major city such as New York it may be possible to find a restaurant from nearly every country in the world. One thing that a traveler from Europe or Latin America will notice is that many restaurants do not serve alcohol or may only serve beer and wine. Another is the sheer number and variety of fast food and chain restaurants. Most open early in the morning and stay open late at night a few are open 24 hours a day. A third remarkable fact is the size of the portions generally served by U.S. restaurants. Although the trend has moderated in recent years portions have grown surprisingly large over the past two or three decades. edit Smoking A majority of states ban smoking in restaurants and bars by law and many other restaurants and bars do the same by their own policy. Some have designated smoking areas. Check local information before lighting up. In recent decades smoking has acquired something of a social stigma—before lighting up with company remember the obligatory phrase "Do you mind if I smoke " edit Types of restaurants Fast food restaurants such as McDonald's Subway and Burger King are ubiquitous. But the variety of this type of restaurant in the U.S. is astounding pizza Chinese and Mexican food fish chicken barbecued meat and ice-cream only begin to touch on it. Alcoholic beverages are not served in these restaurants "soda" often called "pop" in the Midwest through Western New York and Western Pennsylvania or generically "coke" in the South or other soft drinks are standard. Don't be surprised when you order a soda are handed a paper cup and expected to fill it yourself from the machine refills are often free . The quality of the food varies but because of the strictly limited menu it is generally good. Also the restaurants are usually clean and bright and the service is limited but friendly. Tipping is not expected but you must clear your table after your meal. Take-out food is very common in larger cities for food that may take a little longer to prepare than a fast-food place can accommodate. Place an order by phone and then go to the restaurant to pick it up and take it away. Many places will also deliver in fact in some cities it will be easier to have pizza or Chinese food delivered than to find a sit-down restaurant. Fast-Casual is a fairly recent new genre of restaurants that grew in popularity during the 2000's. They are places that are usually around $5-7 for a meal and involve a little bit of waiting as food is prepared fresh although much less waiting than sit-down restaurants . They tend to be a bit healthier than most typical fast food chains and offer distinct menus. Other notable fast-casuals include Chipotle Noodles and Company Panera Bread and Freddies Burgers. Chain sit-down restaurants are a step up in quality and price from fast food although those with discerning palates will probably still be disappointed. They may specialize in a particular cuisine such as seafood or a particular nationality though some serve a large variety of foods. Some are well-known for the breakfast meal alone such as the International House of Pancakes 45 IHOP which serves breakfast all day in addition to other meals. A few of the larger chain restaurants include Red Lobster 46 Olive Garden 47 Applebee's 48 and T.G.I. Friday's 49 to name a few. These restaurants generally serve alcoholic beverages though not always. Very large cities in America are like large cities anywhere and one may select from inexpensive neighborhood eateries to extravagantly expensive full-service restaurants with extensive wine lists and prices to match. In most medium sized cities and suburbs you will also find a wide variety of restaurants of all classes. In "up-scale" restaurants rules for men to wear jackets and ties while once de rigueur are becoming more relaxed but you should check first if there is any doubt. This usually only happens at the most expensive of restaurants. The diner is a typically American popular kind of restaurant. They are usually individually run 24-hour establishments found along the major roadways but also in large cities and suburban areas. They offer a huge variety of large-portion meals that often include soup or salad bread beverage and dessert. They are usually very popular among the locals for breakfast in the morning or after the bars. Diner chains include Denny's 50 and Norm's 51 but there are many non-chain diners. No compendium of American restaurants would be complete without mentioning the truck stop . You will only encounter these places if you are taking an intercity auto or bus trip. They are located on interstate highways and they cater to truckers usually having a separate area for diesel fuel areas for parking "big rigs" and shower facilities for truckers who sleep in their cabs. These fabled restaurants serve what passes on the road for "plain home cooking" hot roast beef sandwiches meatloaf fried chicken and of course the ubiquitous burger and fries expect large portion sizes . In recent years the concept of the chain establishment has been adopted by truck stops as well and two of the most ubiquitous of these Flying J Travel Plazas and Petro Stopping Centers have 24-hour restaurants at most of their installations including "all you can eat" buffets. A general gauge of how good the food is at a given truck-stop is to note how many truckers have stopped there to eat. Some bars double as restaurants open late at night. Note however that bars may be off-limits to those under 21 or unable to show photo ID proving they are not and this may include the dining area. American restaurants serve soft drinks with a liberal supply of ice to keep them cold and fill the glass . Asking for no ice in your drink is acceptable and the drink will still probably be fairly cool. If you ask for water it will usually be chilled and served with ice unless you request otherwise. In many restaurants soft drinks will be refilled for you at no extra charge but you should ask if this is not explicitly stated. edit Types of Service Many restaurants aren't open for breakfast . Those that do mostly fast-food and diners serve eggs toast pancakes cereals coffee etc. Most restaurants stop serving breakfast between 10 and 11 AM but some especially diners will serve breakfast all day. As an alternative to a restaurant breakfast one can grab breakfast food such as doughnuts muffins fruits coffee and packaged drinks at almost any gas station or convenience store 7-Eleven or AM/PM . Dunkin' Donuts is a popular doughnut chain with surprisingly good coffee. Continental Breakfast is a term primarily used by hotels and motels do describe a cold breakfast offering of cereal breads muffins fruit etc. Milk fruit juices hot coffee and tea are the typical beverages. There is usually a toaster for your bread. This is a quick cheap way of getting morning food. Lunch can be a good way to get food from a restaurant whose dinners are out of your price range. Dinner the main meal. Depending on culture region and personal preference is usually enjoyed between 5 and 9pm. Most restaurants will be willing to box up your leftover food. Making reservations in advance is a good idea if the restaurant is popular "up-scale" or you are dining in a large group. Buffets are generally a cheap way to get a large amount of food. For a single flat rate you can have as many servings of whatever foods are set out. However since food can be sitting out in the heat for hours the quality can suffer. Generally buffets serve American or Chinese food. Many restaurants serve Sunday brunch served morning through early afternoon with both breakfast and lunch items. There is often a buffet. Like most other meals quality and price can vary by restaurant. edit Types of food Rib tips in Memphis While many types of food are unchanged throughout the United States there are a few distinct regional varieties of food. The most notable is in "the South" actually the southeast where traditional local fare includes grits ground maize porridge collard greens a boiled vegetable often flavoured with ham and a dash of vinegar sweet tea tea mixed with sugar and served with plenty of ice barbeque not unique to this region but best and most common here catfish served deep-fried with a breadcrumb coating cornbread okra and gumbo a stew of seafood or sausage rice okra and sometimes tomatoes . Barbeque BBQ or barbecue is a delicious American specialty. At its best it's beef brisket ribs or pork shoulder wood smoked slowly for hours. Ribs are served as as a whole- or half-rack or cut into individual ribs brisket is usually sliced thin and the pork shoulder can be shredded "pulled pork" or chopped "chopped pork" . Sauce of varying spiciness may be served on the dish or provided on the side. Various parts of the US have unique styles of barbeque. Generally the best barbeque is found in the southeast with the most distinct styles coming from Kansas City Texas Tennessee and North Carolina . However barbeque of some variety is generally available throughout the country. Barbeque restaurants differ from many other restaurants in that the best food is often served at very casual establishments. A typical barbeque restaurant may have plastic dinnerware picnic tables and serve sandwiches on cheap white bread. Barbeque found on the menu at a fancy chain or non-specialty restaurant is likely to be less authentic. Ribs and chicken are always eaten with your fingers pork and brisket are either eaten with a fork or put into a sandwich. Note that the further one gets from the South the more likely that "barbecue" refers to food cooked on a grill with no smoking such as hamburgers or hot dogs. With a rich tradition of immigration America has a wide variety of ethnic foods everything from Ethiopian cuisine to Laotian food is available in major cities with large immigrant populations. Chinese food is widely available and adjusted to American tastes. Authentic Chinese food can be found in restaurants in Chinatowns in addition to communities with large Chinese populations. Japanese sushi Vietnamese and Thai food have also been adapted for the American market in recent years. Fusion cuisine combines Asian ingredients and techniques with more traditional American presentation. Indian food outlets are available in most major US cities and towns. Mexican/Hispanic/Tex-Mex food is very popular but again in a localized version. Combining in various ways beans rice cheese and spiced beef or chicken with round flatbread loaves called tortillas dishes are usually topped with spicy salsa sour cream and an avocado mix called guacamole . Small authentic Mexican taquerias can be found easily in the Southwest and increasingly in cities throughout the country. Middle Eastern and Greek foods are also becoming popular in the United States. The "gyro" known as "Doner Kebab" or "Schwarma" in Europe is a popular Greek sandwich of sliced processed lamb on a pita bread topped with lettuce tomatoes and a yogurt-cucumber sauce. "Hummus" a ground chickpea dip/sauce and "baklava" pastries are frequently found in supermarkets along with an increasingly widespread and high-quality array of "pita" products. Vegetarian food is easy to come by in big urban areas. As vegetarianism is becoming more common in the US so are the restaurants that cater to them. Most big cities and college towns will have vegetarian restaurants serving exclusively or primarily vegetarian dishes. In smaller towns you may need to check the menu at several restaurants before finding a vegetarian main course or else make up a meal out of side dishes. Wait staff can be helpful answering questions about meat content but be very clear about your personal definition of vegetarian as dishes with fish chicken or even small quantities of beef or pork flavouring may be considered vegetarian. This is especially common with vegetable side dishes in the southeast. Meat-free breakfast foods such as pancakes or eggs are readily available at diners. People on low-fat or low-calorie diets should be fairly well-served in the U.S. as there has been a continuing trend in calorie consciousness since the 1970s. Even fast-food restaurants have "lite" specials and can provide charts of calorie and fat counts on request. For the backpacker or those on very restricted budgets American supermarkets offer an almost infinite variety of pre-packaged / pre-processed foods that are either ready or almost ready for consumption e.g. breakfast cereal ramen noodles canned soups etc. In the largest cities "corner stores" abound. These small convenience stores carry a variety snacks drinks and prepackaged foods. Unlike most convenience stores their products are sold at relatively low prices especially by urban standards and can provide for snacks or even nutritionally partial meals for a budget no more than $5 a day. edit Etiquette It is usually inappropriate to join a table already occupied by other diners even if it has unused seats Americans prefer this degree of privacy when they eat. Exceptions are cafeteria-style eateries with long tables and at crowded informal eateries and cafes you may have success asking a stranger if you can share the table they're sitting at. Striking up a conversation in this situation may or may not be welcome however. Table manners while varying greatly are typically European influenced. Slurping or making other noises while eating are considered rude as is loud conversation including phone calls . It is fairly common to wait until everybody at your table has been served before eating. You should lay cloth napkins across your lap you can do the same with paper napkins or keep them on the table. Offense isn't taken if you don't finish your meal and most restaurants will package the remainder to take with you or provide a box for you to do this yourself sometimes euphemistically called a "doggy bag" implying that the leftovers are for your pet . If you want to do this ask the server to get the remainder "to go" this term will be almost universally understood and will not cause any embarrassment. Some restaurants offer an "all-you-can-eat" buffet or other service taking home portions from such a meal is either not allowed or carries an additional fee. Many fast food items sandwiches burgers pizza tacos etc are designed to be eaten by hand so-called "finger food" a few foods are almost always eaten by hand french fries barbecue chicken on the bone even at moderately nice restaurants. If unsure eating finger food with a fork and knife probably won't offend anyone eating fork-and-knife food by hand might as it's considered "uncivilized" and rude. When invited to a meal in a private home it is considered polite for a guest to ask if they can bring anything for the meal such a dessert a side dish or for an outdoor barbecue something useful like ice or plastic cups or plates. The host will usually refuse except among very close friends but it is nonetheless considered good manners to bring along a small gift for the host. A bottle of wine box of candies or fresh cut flowers are most common. Gifts of cash prepared ready-to-serve foods or very personal items e.g. toiletries are not appropriate. An exception is the potluck meal where each guest or group/family must bring a food dish to share with everyone these shared dishes make up the entire meal. Usually dishes are grouped e.g. salads main dishes or casseroles side dishes desserts you should ask the host if they want you to bring something in particular. Ideal dishes for a potluck should be served from a large pot dish or bowl and would be spooned or forked on to diners' plates—hence the emphasis on salads casseroles and spoonable side dishes. edit add listing Drink Drinking customs in America are as varied as the backgrounds of its many people. In some rural areas alcohol is mostly served in restaurants rather than dedicated drinking establishments but in urban settings you will find numerous bars and nightclubs where food is either nonexistent or rudimentary. In very large cities of course drinking places run the gamut from tough local "shot and a beer" bars to upscale "martini bars". American tradition splits alcoholic drinks into hard liquor and others. Americans drink a wide array of hard liquors partially divided by region but for non-distilled spirits almost exclusively drink beer and wine . Other fermented fruit and grain beverages are known and sold but not consumed in great quantities most fruit drinks are soft meaning 'non-alcoholic' not 'low alcohol volume' . 'Cider' without further qualifiers is a spiced apple juice and 'hard cider' is a relatively little-consumed alcoholic beverage in spite of the US having been one of its most enthusiastic consumers a mere two centuries ago. Be prepared to specify that you mean a liquor or cocktail in shops not specifically dedicated to alcohol. Beer is in many ways the 'default' alcoholic beverage in the US and is priced cheaply and bought without high expectations for quality. The various idioms for alcohol consumption frequently and sometimes presumptively refer to beer. While most American beer drinkers prefer light lagers ndash until the 1990s this was the only kind commonly sold ndash a wide variety of beers are now available all over the U.S. It is not too unusual to find a bar serving 100 or more different kinds of beer both bottled and "draft" served fresh in a cup though most will have perhaps a dozen or three with a half dozen "on tap" available on "draft" . Microbreweries ndash some of which have grown to be moderately large and/or purchased by one of the major breweries ndash make every kind of beer in much smaller quantities with traditional methods. Most microbrews are distributed regionally bartenders will know the local brands. Nowadays all but the most basic taverns usually have one or more local beers on tap and these are generally more full of character than the big national brands which have a reputation for being generic. Some brew pubs make their own beer in-house and generally only serve the house brand. These beers are also typically considered superior to the big national brands. Vineyards in Palisade Colorado Wine in the U.S. is also a contrast between low-quality commercial fare versus extremely high-quality product. Unlike in Europe American wines are labeled primarily by the grape merlot cabernet sauvignon Riesling etc. . The simple categories 'red' 'white' and 'rosé' or 'pink' are also used but disdained as sole qualifiers by oenophiles. All but the cheapest wines are usually also labeled by region which can be a state "California" an area of a state "Central Coast" a county or other small region "Willamette Valley" or a specific vineyard "Dry Creek Vineyard" . As a general rule the narrower the region the higher quality the wine is likely to be. Cheap cask wines are usually sold in a box supporting a plastic bag bottled wines are almost universally priced as semi-luxury items with the exception of 'fortified wines' which are the stereotypical American answer for low-price-per-milliliter-alcohol 'rotgut'. All 50 U.S. states now support winemaking with varying levels of success and respect. California wines are some of the best in the world and are available on most wine lists in the country. The most prestigious American wine region is California's Napa Valley although the state also has a number of other wine-producing areas which may provide better value for your money because they are less famous. Wines from Oregon's Willamette Valley and the state of Washington have been improving greatly in recent years and can be bargains since they are not yet as well known as California wines. Michigan Colorado's Wine Country and New York State's Finger Lakes region have recently been producing German-style whites which have won international competitions. In recent years the Llano Estacado region of Texas has become regionally renowned for its wines. Sparkling wines are available by the bottle in up-scale restaurants but are rarely served by the glass as they often are in western Europe. The best California sparkling wines have come out ahead of some famous brand French champagnes in recent expert blind tastings. They are comparatively difficult to find in 'supermarkets' and some non-alcoholic sparkling grape juices are marketed under that name. The wines served in most bars in America are unremarkable but wine bars are becoming more common in urban areas. Only the most expensive restaurants have extensive wine lists and even in more modest restaurants wine tends to be expensive even if the wine is mediocre. Many Americans especially in the more affluent and cosmopolitan areas of the country consider themselves knowledgeable about wine and if you come from a wine producing country your country's wines may be a good topic of conversation. America's native spirit mdash bourbon straight up Hard alcohol is usually drunk with mixers but also served "on the rocks" with ice or "straight up" un-mixed with no ice on request. Their increasing popularity has caused a long term trend toward drinking light-colored and more "mixable" liquors especially vodka and away from the more traditional darker liquors such as whiskey and bourbon that many older drinkers favor. However this is not an exclusive trend and many Americans still enjoy whiskey and bourbon. It was formerly wholly inappropriate to drink hard liquor before 5PM the end of the conventional workday even on weekends doing so is still commonly treated as vulgar or an indicator of alcoholism. While bars will serve hard drinks before 5 don't be surprised by strange looks or remarks on the subject. A relic of this custom is "happy hour" a period lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours usually between 5PM and 8PM during which a significant discount is offered on selected drinks. Happy hour and closing time are the only presumptive customs in American bars although 'ladies night' during which women receive a discount or some other financial incentive is increasingly common. Although laws regulating alcohol sales consumption and possession vary somewhat by state and county the drinking age is 21 throughout the U.S. except in most of the outlying territories where it is 18 . Enforcement of this varies but if you're under 30 you should definitely be prepared to show photo ID when buying alcohol in a store or entering a bar which often refuse admittance to "minors" under 21 . In some states people who are under 21 are not even allowed to be present in bars or liquor stores. A foreign passport or other credible ID will probably be accepted but many waiters have never seen one and it may not even be legally valid for buying alcohol in some places. As a driver's license is the most ubiquitous form of ID in the US and have a magnetic strip for verification purposes some supermarkets have begun requiring them to purchase alcohol. In such cases it is the cash register not the cashier which prevents such purchases. It's worth noting that most American ID's have the date of birth laid out as month/day/year while frequently other countries ID's use year/month/day or day/month/year which may cause further confusion. Using false identification to misrepresent your age is a criminal offense in all 50 states and while most alcohol vendors will simply refuse to sell or take a blatantly fake ID away a few also call the police which may result in prosecution. Selling alcohol is typically prohibited after a certain hour usually 2 AM. In some states most stores can only sell beer and wine hard liquor is sold at dedicated liquor stores. Several "dry counties" ndash mostly in southern states ndash ban some or all types of alcohol in public establishments private clubs with nominal membership fees are often set up to get around this. Sunday sales are restricted in some areas. Most towns ban drinking in public other than in bars and restaurants of course with varying degrees of enforcement. Even in towns which allow public drinking a visible bottle rather than one in a small bag which is so commonly used for it as to be synonymous with public drinking is either illegal or justifies police attention. All communities have some sort of ban on "drunk and disorderly" behavior some quite stringent and as a rule intoxication is an aggravating rather than exculpating factor in all but the most and least severe offenses. Drunk driving comes under fairly harsh scrutiny with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08% considered "Under the Influence" and many states considering 0.05% "Impaired". If you're under 21 however most states define a DUI from 0.00-0.02%. Drunk driving checkpoints are fairly common during major "party" events and although privacy advocates have carved out exceptions if a police officer asks a driver to submit to a blood-alcohol test or perform a test of sobriety you generally may not refuse and in certain states such as New York it is a crime in its self . DUI "driving under the influence" and DWI "driving while intoxicated" are typically punished quite harshly including thousands of dollars in fines and a jail sentence. In many jurisdictions catching and enforcing DUIs is the main job of patrolling police it is watched for jealously and treated severely. It is also usually against the law to have an open container of alcohol anywhere in the car other than in the trunk. Some states have "open bottle" laws which can levy huge fines for an open container in a vehicle sometimes several hundred dollars per container. edit Nightlife The bright lights of Sin City Las Vegas Nevada Nightclubs in America run the usual gamut of various music scenes from discos with top-40 dance tunes to obscure clubs serving tiny slices of obscure musical genres. Country music dance clubs or honky tonks are laid fairly thick in the South and West especially in rural areas and away from the coasts but one or two can be found in almost any city. Also gay/lesbian nightclubs exist in nearly every medium- to large-sized city. Until 1977 the only U.S. state with legalized gambling was Nevada . The state has allowed games of chance since the 1930s creating such resort cities as Las Vegas and Reno in the process. Dubbed "Sin City " Las Vegas in particular has evolved into an end-destination adult playground offering many other after-hours activities such as amusement parks night clubs strip clubs shows bars and four star restaurants. Gambling has since spread outside of Nevada to a plethora of U.S. cities like Atlantic City New Jersey and Biloxi Mississippi as well as to riverboats offshore cruises and Indian reservations. State lotteries and "scratch games" are another popular form of legalized gambling. However online gaming and wagering on sports across state lines remains illegal in the U.S. edit add listing Sleep Classic 1950s motel in Seligman Arizona along Route 66 By far the most common form of lodging in rural United States and along many Interstates is the motel . Providing inexpensive rooms to automotive travellers most motels are clean and reasonable with a limited array of amenities telephone TV bed bathroom. Motel 6 52 +1 800 466-8356 is a national chain with reasonable rates $30-$70 depending on the city . Super 8 Motels 53 +1 800 800-8000 provides reasonable accommodations throughout the country as well. Reservations are typically unnecessary which is convenient since you don't have to arbitrarily interrupt a long road trip you can simply drive until you're tired then find a room. However some are used by adults looking to book a night for sex or illicit activities and many are located in undesirable areas. Business or extended-stay hotels are increasingly available across the country. They can be found in smaller towns across the midwest or in coastal urban areas. Generally they are more expensive than motels but not as expensive as full-scale hotels with prices around $70 to $170. While the hotels may appear to be the size of a motel they may offer amenities from larger hotels. Examples include Marriott's Courtyard by Marriott Fairfield Inns and Residence Inns Hilton's Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn Holiday Inn's Holiday Inn Express Starwood's Four Points by Sheraton and Hyatt Place. Some extended-stay hotels are directed at business travelers or families on long-term stays that are often relocating due to corporate decisions . These hotels often feature kitchens in most rooms afternoon social events generally by a pool and serve continental breakfast. Such "suite" hotels are roughly equivalent to the serviced apartments seen in other countries though the term "serviced apartments" is not generally used in American English. Hotels are available in most cities and usually offer more services and amenities than motels. Rooms usually run about $80-$300 per night but very large glamorous and expensive hotels can be found in most major cities offering luxury suites larger than some houses. Check-in and check-out times are almost always fall in the range of 11AM-noon and 2PM-4PM. Note that many U.S. cities now have "edge cities" in their suburbs which feature high-quality upscale hotels aimed at affluent business travelers. These hotels often feature all the amenities of their downtown/CBD cousins and more but at less exorbitant prices. In many rural areas especially on the coasts and in New England bed and breakfast B amp B lodging can be found. Usually in converted houses or buildings with less than a dozen units B amp Bs feature a more home-like lodging experience with complimentary breakfast served of varying quality and complexity . Bed and breakfasts range from about $50 to $200 per night with some places being much steeper. They can be a nice break from the impersonality of chain hotels and motels. Unlike Europe most American bed and breakfasts are unmarked one must make a reservation beforehand and receive directions there. The two best-known hotel guides covering the U.S. are the AAA formerly American Automobile Association typically pronounced "Triple-A" TourBooks available to members and affiliated auto clubs worldwide at local AAA offices and the Mobil Travel Guide available at bookstores. There are several websites booking hotels online be aware that many of these sites add a small commission to the room rate so it may be cheaper to book directly through the hotel. On the other hand some hotels charge more for "drop-in" business than reserved rooms or rooms acquired through agents and brokers so it's worth checking both. There are also youth hostels across the U.S. Most are affiliated with the American Youth Hostel 54 organization a Hostelling International member . Quality of hostels varies widely but at $8-$24 per night the prices are unbeatable. Despite the name AYH membership is open to people of any age. Non-AYH hostels are also available particularly in larger cities. Be aware that hostels are clustered in more touristy locations do not assume that all mid sized towns will have a hostel. Camping can also be a very affordable lodging option especially with good weather. The downside of camping is that most campgrounds are outside urban regions so it's not much of an option for trips to big cities. There is a huge network of National Parks 55 +1 800 365-2267 with most states and many counties having their own park systems too. Most state and national campgrounds are of excellent quality with beautiful natural environments. Expect to pay $7-$20 per car on entry. Kampgrounds of America 56 KOA has a chain of commercial campground franchises across the country of significantly less charm than their public-sector equivalents but with hookups for recreational vehicles and amenities such as laundromats. Countless independently owned private campgrounds vary in character. Some unusual lodging options are available in specific areas or by prior arrangement. For example you might enjoy staying on a houseboat in Lake Tahoe or the Erie Canal. Or stay in a treehouse in Oregon. More conventional lodging can be found at college or university dormitories a few of which rent out rooms to travelers during the summertime. Finally in many tourist areas as well as big cities one can rent a furnished house by the day. edit Learn Short courses may be undertaken on a tourist visa. Community colleges typically offer college-credit courses on an open-admissions basis anyone with a high school degree or its equivalent and the required tuition payment can generally enroll. In large cities open universities may offer short non-credit courses on all sorts of practical topics from ballroom dance to buying real estate. They are a good place to learn a new skill and meet people. Studying full-time in the United States is an excellent opportunity for young adults seeking an advanced education a chance to see a foreign country and a better understanding of the U.S. and its people. It can be done independently by applying directly to a college for admission or through the "study abroad" or "foreign exchange" department of a college in your own country usually for a single term or one year. Either approach requires at minimum an F or J student visa. The latter is usually easiest the two institutions will handle much of the arrangements and you don't have to make a commitment to four years living in a strange country. Be forewarned however many state universities and private colleges are located in small towns hundreds of miles from any big urban centers. Don't expect to spend your weekends in New York if your college is in North Dakota . The types of schools vary dramatically. In conversation Americans tend to use the terms "school" and "college" inclusively any college or university might be referred to as "school" and a university might be called "college". State university systems are partially subsidized by state governments and may have many campuses spread around the state with hundreds of thousands of students. Private colleges are generally smaller hundreds or a few thousand students with a larger percentage of their students living on campus some are affiliated with churches and may be more religious in character. Other kinds of colleges focus on teaching specific job skills education for working adults and providing inexpensive college-level education to local residents. Although nearly all colleges are open to students regardless of race gender religion etc. many were originally established for a particular group e.g. African-Americans women members of a particular religion and may still attract primarily students from that group. Several private colleges remain female-only there are a few male-only private colleges and private religious colleges may expect students to practise the school's faith. Colleges are funded by "tuition" charged to the student which is often quite expensive very commonly reaching into the tens of thousands of dollars per year. The most selective colleges and hence often the most desirable run up to US$40 000-$50 000 dollars per year including both tuition and "room amp board" in that price. Most U.S. citizens receive substantial financial assistance from the federal government in the form of grants and low-interest loans which are not available to non-citizens. Often financial aid for foreign students is provided by their home country. They may be eligible for privately-funded "scholarships" intended to provide educational opportunities for various kinds of students. Some U.S. banks offer loans to foreign students which usually require a citizen to guarantee that they'll be repaid. Contact the Financial Aid Office of any college you are interested in attending for more information about the sources of aid available. Almost all U.S. colleges and universities operate web sites in the .edu domain with information for prospective students and other visitors. Information on touring a handful of them has been collected into Touring famous universities in the U.S. . edit Work Work in America is best arranged long before you enter the United States. Young people who are full time students of certain nationalities can apply for a J1 "Exchange Visitor" visa 57 which permits paid work as au pairs or summer work for up to 4 months in virtually any type of job. The United States Department of State has full information on applying for this type of visa including the precise categories that qualify. The H-1B visa allows a limited number of skilled and certain unskilled employees to work in the United States. It is based on a petition filed by an American employer. The most common careers of hard-to-get H-1B visa holders are nurses math teachers and computer science professionals. Paid work is generally not allowed on a B1/B2 visitor visa. Working unlawfully in the United States runs the very real risk of arrest deportation and ineligibility to re-enter the country. Illegal immigrants also run the risk of dangerous work conditions. If you are seeking to adjust visa status or to enter the U.S. on a working visa you should first check the official government websites of the US Department of State 58 which issues visas abroad and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 59 which administers immigration programs within the United States. Unfortunately con artists both in the U.S. and overseas often prey on people's desire to travel or work here. Keep in mind that visa applications do not usually require an attorney or other intermediary be wary of and verify any "advice" offered by third parties. Keep in mind that anyone entering under the Visa Waiver Program cannot adjust their status for any reason. edit Stay safe edit Crime It is true that for an industrialized nation the U.S. has a fairly high violent crime rate however most crime is concentrated in inner city neighborhoods. Few visitors to the U.S. experience any sort of crime. Much crime is gang- or drug-related or the result of family / personal disputes and it usually occurs in areas that are of little interest to visitors. You can all but ensure that you won't experience crime by taking common-sense precautions and staying alert to your surroundings. Most American urban areas have homeless people. In some areas aggressive panhandling is a concern. If you feel you are being harassed say NO firmly and walk away. Security has increased along the United States–Mexico border due to increased illegal immigration and drug crime. Only cross the country's borders at official crossings. edit Police American police are generally polite professional and honest. If stopped by a police officer you should stay calm be exceedingly polite and cooperative avoid making sudden movements and explain in advance what you are doing if you need to reach for your purse or wallet to present your identification. If in your vehicle turn on the inside lights and keep your hands on the wheel to make it clear that you are not a threat do not exit the vehicle unless told to do so. Police in the U.S. are usually more formal and cautious than police in other nations. Do not attempt to offer a bribe under any circumstances you will be arrested on the spot. If you need to pay a fine the officer can direct you to the appropriate police station courthouse or government office. edit 911/Emergency Services During any emergency dialing 911 pronounced "nine-one-one" at any telephone will connect you to the emergency services in the area police fire ambulance etc . Calls to 911 are free from payphones and any mobile phone capable of connecting with local carriers. Give the facts. The dispatchers will send help. Unless you are calling from a mobile phone the 911 operator can almost certainly trace your line instantly and locate you. With mobile phones it is more difficult and in some states you may be connected to the regional office for the state police or highway patrol which will then have to transfer you to the appropriate local agency once they talk to you and figure out what you need. Because of many horror stories of situations where mobile phone users became incapacitated either by criminals or illness after calling 911 and the operator could not locate them in time in recent years more and more mobile phones have incorporated GPS devices that will display the user's precise geographical location to the 911 operator. If you are staying in one area it may be helpful to have the phone numbers for the local emergency services so as to get through directly to the local dispatch. Moreover in most locations 911 calls are recorded and are open public records while the conversation with the local emergency dispatchers cannot be accessed by the public. Do remember that if you dial emergency dispatchers directly instead of through 911 the operator may not be able to trace your location. Note also that if you have a GSM mobile phone the standard technology in most of the world especially in Europe you can also dial 112 which is the standard emergency number for GSM networks worldwide. U.S. GSM carriers AT amp T T-Mobile and smaller regional operators automatically redirect 112 calls to 911. edit Border Patrol Near the land borders with Canada and Mexico as well as inland areas where illegal immigration is a major problem The United States Border Patrol conducts random immigration screenings on intercity buses and trains patrols city streets and sets up vehicle checkpoints. Unless you are traveling to or through one of these areas such as Buffalo NY or San Diego it's highly unlikely you'll encounter border patrol once inside the United States. If at any point you are approached by border patrol simply state your country of citizenship when requested and as a foreign national be prepared to show your passport I-94/94W entry record and visa if applicable - which you should be carrying with you at all times. The officer may also ask you a few questions about your itinerary but once they establish that you are here legally as a tourist they'll move right on to the next person - their primary concern is catching illegal immigrants who evaded the border and are attempting to travel inland not to give you a second immigration interview. edit Natural disasters The U.S. is a huge country with very varied geography and parts of it are occasionally affected by natural disasters hurricanes in June through November in the South including Florida blizzards sometimes called "Noreasters" in New England and the areas near the Great Lakes and the Rocky Mountains tornadoes mostly in the Great Plains region earthquakes in California and Alaska floods in areas of the Midwestern United States and wildfires in the late summer and early fall on the West Coast particularly California . See the regions in question for more details. Because tornadoes are so common between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains this area has earned itself the colloquial name Tornado Alley . The San Andreas Fault is a tectonic plate boundary running through California an area prone to earthquakes. edit Gay and lesbian Homosexual relations are legal throughout the US. Many states and cities have anti-discrimination codes including public accomodations in hotels restaurants and transport. Several states have legalized gay marriage or civil unions though this is not recognized at the federal level. In general Americans take a live-and-let-live approach to sexuality but there are significant exceptions. Attitudes toward homosexuality vary widely even in regions with a reputation for tolerance or intolerance. Acceptance is most common in major cities throughout the country and smaller cities suburbs and college towns of the Pacific Coast the Northeast and Hawaii. Homophobia and anti-gay violence may be encountered in some suburban and rural areas especially in the Southeast and interior West but the chances of this are relatively low. The U.S. has many gay-friendly destinations where openly gay couples are common including New York 's Chelsea Chicago 's Boystown San Francisco 's Castro Street and Noe Valley Washington 's Dupont Circle Miami Beach 's South Beach and Los Angeles ' West Hollywood . Even outside of gay neighborhoods many major cities are gay-friendly especially in the Northeast and the West Coast. An increasing number of resort areas are known as gay-friendly including Fire Island Key West Asheville Provincetown Ogunquit Rehoboth Beach Saugatuck and parts of Asbury Park . In these areas it's generally not a problem to be open about one's sexual orientation. In many other smaller cities there are neighborhoods where gay people tend to congregate. Some gay-friendly businesses like to advertise themselves as such with a rainbow flag or a small pink triangle or three-vertical-striped sticker in the window. Of course chances are you'll also be welcome at any other public establishment. If you are planning to engage in any sort of sexual activity with the locals beware the heightened risk of HIV and other infections in the United States. A gay American man is 44 times more likely to contract HIV than a heterosexual one and 46 times more likely to contract syphilis. This risk grows greatly among American men likely to engage in one-night stands and other higher-risk behaviour. In a nation where 0.5% of a 300-million strong population already suffer from HIV this can amount to a very real danger. As a non-resident facing the US healthcare system may be exceedingly difficult and expensive even for lesser STDs. Safe or no sex is strongly advised during your stay. edit Illicit drugs Street drugs including marijuana are illegal throughout the U.S. Marijuana use is more widely accepted than other drugs particularly on the West Coast but generally not to the degree that it is in Canada or Western European countries. Although a few states have passed laws legalizing the medical use of marijuana this will not protect any foreign citizen caught in possession. Outside of drug-using circles most Americans frown upon illicit drug use regardless of quantity and travelers would be wise to avoid using such substances in the United States. Penalties can be very severe and can include mandatory minimum jail terms for possession of personal quantities in some states. Also ANY drug possession near a school however slight the quantity will land you a heavy jail term. Attempting to bring any quantity into the U.S. poses a serious risk of being arrested for "trafficking". edit Prostitution Prostitution is illegal in all areas except at licensed brothels in rural Nevada counties. In other states tolerance and enforcement of prostitution laws vary considerably but be aware that police routinely engage in "sting" operations in which an officer may pose as a prostitute to catch and arrest persons offering to pay for sex. edit Firearm-Related Issues It's true many - but by no means all - Americans own a firearm of one sort or another except certain classes of people e.g. convicted felons and domestic violence offenders drug users and the mentally unstable firearm ownership is legal in most locales with varying degrees of restriction by state. Contrary to popular belief most Americans are responsible with their firearms and use/carry them appropriately and within the limits of the law though the limits of American gun laws themselves may stretch the definition of 'responsible' in the eyes of many fellow First World visitors . The vast majority of Americans are non-violent except in defense. Your chances of a firearm-related injury in the U.S.A. are very low but please keep the following in mind In the city encountering somebody with an openly visible firearm is more of a cause of concern than seeing somebody with one in the country and may be a sign of oncoming trouble. note however that many states permit "open carry" for legal firearm owners and while uncommon in cities you may encounter somebody with a holstered firearm. Don't be too concerned but use common sense in assessing the situation. Hunting is a popular sport in rural America. If venturing out into the hinterlands it is a good idea to inquire if any hunting is currently afoot and where. If in an active hunting area wear bright colors particularly "Blaze Orange" to differentiate yourself from terrain and prey. If you have a dog with you you should also put a blaze orange vest on it as well. You can find these vests at most camping sport and pet stores and they should be relatively inexpensive. In some states mainly ones in which hunting is very popular you will need to get a permit to hunt from the Department of Natural Resources for that state DNR . Some states require simply an application to receive a hunting permit while others require that the person take a Firearms Safety class. While hunting in most states there are restrictions on the number of game you can kill and some require that you "tag" the animal with DNR provided tags. Also some states require the color Blaze Orange to be worn at all times. A number of American states have "concealed-carry" laws which enable people to possess a firearm in their handbag jacket car glovebox etc. Should these people encounter a life-threatening situation they may react with lethal force. Very few criminal incidents by people possessing these permits have been recorded. Don't cause trouble and this should pose no danger to you. Property owners may defend their homes with firearms during a burglary or home invasion. If in rural areas do not cross land posted as private property without permission from the owner. edit Stay healthy edit Disease Being a highly industrialized nation the United States is largely free from most serious communicable diseases found in many developing nations however the HIV rate is higher than in Canada and Western Europe with about a 0.5% infection rate in the overall population. Two diseases that while rare are worth becoming educated about are rabies and Lyme disease . Rabies is more prevalent in eastern regions of the country and may be contracted from animal bites if you are bitten by any mammal see a doctor quickly - do not wait for symptoms. Lyme disease is spread via the deer tick which are prevalent in the woodlands and open fields of many rural areas. When venturing into the outdoors it is a good idea to apply an insect repellent onto exposed skin surfaces that is effective against deer ticks. Other diseases that are endemic within the United States but are of far less concern include Hantaviral Pulmonary Syndrome found in western regions Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever mostly in the Rocky Mountain region West Nile Virus all regions and Eastern/Western Equine Encephalitis particularly in the mid-west region . It should be noted that all of the above listed diseases are extraordinarily rare and the medical system of the United States is very much capable of handling any of these when necessary. For the latest in traveler's health information pertaining to the United States including advisories and recommendations visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention destination United States website 60 edit Health Care The American health care system is world-class in quality but can be very expensive. Americans generally use private health insurance paid either by their employer or out of their own pocket some risk paying high hospital bills themselves or depend on government subsidized health plans. As a traveler you should have travel insurance or potentially face high costs if you need medical care. In a life-threatening emergency call 911 to summon an ambulance to take you to the nearest hospital emergency room "ER" or in less urgent situations get to the hospital yourself and register at the ER's front desk. Emergency rooms will treat patients without regard to their ability to pay but you will still be presented with a bill for all care. Do not use ERs for non-emergency walk-in care. Not only can this be 3-4 times more expensive than other options but you will often wait many hours before being treated as the staff will give priority to patients with urgent needs. In most areas the charge for an emergency room visit starts around $500 in addition to any specific services or medications you may require. Most urban areas have minor emergency centers also called "urgent care" etc. for medical situations where a fully equipped emergency room would be excessive. However their hours may be limited and few are open overnight. Walk-in clinics are another place for travelers to find routine medical care letting patients see a doctor or nurse-practitioner without an appointment but often with a bit of a wait . They are typically very up-front about fees and always accept credit cards. To find one check the yellow pages under "Clinics" or call a major hospital and ask. Make sure to tell the clerk you will be paying "out of pocket" if they assume an insurance company will be paying for it they may order tests that are not medically essential and in some cases bill for services that aren't actually provided. Dentists are readily available throughout the United States again see the yellow pages . Dental offices are accustomed to explaining fees over the phone and most will accept credit cards. Most counties and cities have a government-supported clinic offering free or low-cost testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases call the Health Department for the county you are in for more details. Many county clinics offer primary health care services as well however these services are geared towards low-income residents and not foreign travelers. Planned Parenthood 61 1-800-230-7526 is a private agency with clinics and centers around the country providing birth control and other reproductive health services for both females and males. edit Respect Burning Man Nevada It is polite to shake hands when meeting someone or being introduced. It is often omitted in less formal situations. Unless it is really crowded leave about an arm's length of personal space between yourself and others. Social kissing as done in some parts of Europe is not practiced. Best to take your cues from others' behavior toward you. As a result of its history of racial discrimination and the modern push toward equality Americans are exceptionally touchy about issues of race. If you have to reference race Black or African-American Asian Latino or Hispanic Native American or American Indian and White are acceptable terms. There are Native American reservations scattered throughout the country. Many of these reservations are home to sites that are sacred to the tribe and certain places may be off-limits to all but tribe members. If you enter a reservation's territory please be sure to respect the land. Also see the section on tipping and the section on smoking . edit Contact edit By phone U.S. telephone numbers are invariably written in one of these formats XXX-YYY-ZZZZ XXX YYY-ZZZZ YYY-ZZZZ sometimes with a "1" in front because the country code for the U.S. is "1" . The first three digits XXX are the area code which is specific to a region or city. The other seven digits YYY-ZZZZ are the phone number and all seven must be dialed even if YYY matches your phone number. Normally the area code should not be dialed if it matches the area code of your phone number this is why it is sometimes not written. However many large cities and metro areas are assigned multiple area codes and use 10-digit dialing where all 10 digits must be dialed. Mobile phones may also require you to dial all 10 digits. You may occasionally see phone numbers for business which spell out words such as "1-800-FLOWERS". Almost all phones have letters written on each number "2" is "ABC" "3" is "DEF" etc. which you use to dial the number for example "FLOWERS" becomes "356-9377". Long-distance calls are calls outside your area code or codes if you are in a metro area with 10-digit dialing . To dial long-distance dial "1" first then the area code and phone number. Calls to Canada and certain Caribbean islands can be dialed using "1" as if they were in the U.S. some Caribbean islands are expensive calls to other locations require an international access code "011" . If you dial incorrectly the phone system will sometimes tell you what you need to dial differently. At some locations businesses and hotels with internal phone systems you will need to dial an access code usually "8" or "9" to reach an outside line before dialing the number. Mobile phones typically do not require you to dial "1" first. Numbers with the area code 800 888 877 or 866 are toll free within the U.S. Outside the country dial 880 881 882 and 883 respectively but won't be toll free. The area code 900 is used for services with additional charges applied to the call e.g. "adult entertainment" . This is also true of "local" seven-digit phone numbers starting with 976. Most visitor areas and some restaurants and bars have books with two listings of telephone numbers often split into two books the "white pages" for an alphabetical listing and the "yellow pages" an advertising-filled listing of business and service establishments by category e.g. "Taxicabs" . Directory information can also be obtained by dialing 411 for local numbers or 1-areacode-555-1212 for other areas . If 411 doesn't work locally try 555-1212 or 1-555-1212. Directory information is normally an extra cost call. As an alternative directory information is available for free via 1-800-Free411 which is ad-supported. Information directories are also available online at each regional telephone company's web site AT amp T Verizon Bell South and Qwest as well as free411 . Although each claims to have all the local phone numbers of the others using the site of the region you are searching for yields the best results i.e. AT amp T for most of California Verizon for the Northeast etc. Many residential land-line phones and all cellular mobile phones are unlisted. Prior to the popularity of personal cell phones pay phones were ubiquitous on sidewalks all over the United States and commonplace in other places such as gas stations. Today however many phone companies have removed them or have increased their charges substantially. You will probably have to enter a store or restaurant to find one though some are against the outer wall of such businesses usually in front or near bus stops. Long-distance telephone calling cards are available at most convenience stores. Most calling cards have specific destinations in mind domestic calls calls to particular countries so make sure you get the right card. Some cards may be refilled by phoning a number and giving your Visa/Mastercard number but often operators refuse foreign cards for this purpose. Moreover calls may cost more if a payphone or toll-free number is used or if a mobile number is dialled or if more calls are made rather than few but longer calls . edit Mobile phones American mobile phone service known as cell phones regardless of the technology used is not very compatible with that offered elsewhere. While GSM has been gaining popularity the U.S. uses the unusual 1900 and 850 MHz frequencies check with your operator or mobile phone dealer to see if your phone is a tri-band or quad-band model that will work here. The two largest GSM network operators are T-Mobile USA 62 and AT amp T 63 . Roaming fees are high and text messages may not always work due to compatibility issues between networks. Alternatives to using your own phone include renting one most larger airports have a shop with rental fees starting at $3/day or buying a cheap local prepaid phone. If you unlocked your home phone you can remove your home sim and purchase a prepaid sim . Be aware however that prepaid mobiles in the U.S. are not nearly as common as in Europe per-minute fees for prepaid service are generally high usually around $0.25/minute . In addition you will be charged for receiving calls or SMS. However if you are staying for quite some time in the US there are monthly prepaid plans that offer unlimited domestic and international SMS and calls for selected countries and a large amount of mobile data. edit By mail Diamond Head amp Waikiki Beach Honolulu Hawaii First class airmail postcards and letters if not oversized or over one ounce/28.5 grams are $0.75 to Canada and Mexico and $0.98 elsewhere. All locations with a USPS zip code are considered domestic including Alaska Hawaii Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Guam American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Marshall Islands Palau U.S. Navy ships at sea etc. Domestic postcards are $0.28 and small letters up to an ounce are $0.44. If you put a solid object like a coin or keys in an envelope you'll pay a surcharge. You can receive mail sent both domestically and from abroad by having it addressed to you as "General Delivery." In other countries this is often called Poste Restante . There is no charge for this service. You just go to the main post office wait in line and they will give you your mail after showing ID such as a passport. John Doe General Delivery Seattle Washington 98101-9999 U.S.A. The last four digits of the ZIP postal Code for General Delivery is always '9999'. If the city is large enough to have multiple post offices only one usually in the center of downtown will have the General Delivery service. This means for example if you're staying in the Green Lake district of Seattle a few miles north of downtown you cannot receive your mail at the Green Lake Post Office and must travel downtown to get it. On the other hand if you're completely outside of the city of Seattle and in a smaller town with only one post office you can have it sent there. UPS and FedEx also have a "Hold for Pickup" option. edit By Internet Most Americans have Internet access mostly in their homes and offices. Internet cafes therefore are not common outside of major metropolitan tourist and resort areas. However you do have some options except perhaps in the most rural of areas. If you bring your own computer Chain hotels usually provide in-room Internet connections sometimes wireless either included with the price of the room or at an additional charge. Local establishments like bed-and-breakfasts and roadside motels are less likely to have Internet access. Many coffee shops bookstores and some fast food restaurants such as Burger King provide free wireless Internet access though you may need to make a purchase first. Starbucks the country's largest coffee chain now offers free public WiFi at all company-owned stores. Public libraries frequently offer free WiFi. Some cities have free WiFi access that spans a central business district several square miles or even citywide. Most colleges and universities offer free WiFi in their libraries and student centers sometimes called "student union" . Public access to these buildings varies from school to school. Some institutions severely restrict library access—for example very few library buildings at Harvard University are open to the general public. Public state-supported schools generally open their library buildings to the general public. If you happen to be near a college or university with more than one library note that the school's main library is generally open for longer hours than a subject-specific library or the student center. In any case it doesn't hurt to check with the school's library regarding public access to buildings and WiFi. Airports even smaller regional ones usually provide WiFi within passenger terminals usually for a nominal charge. If driving in a pinch you can always park in a chain hotel parking lot on a crowded suburban/urban residential street or by a commercial strip by coffeeshops or libraries and grab WiFi access from your car. Unlike Europe most WiFi signals are not password protected and can be easily accessed. Some local municipalities are outlawing this practice but enforcement is nearly non-existent. You can also purchase a mobile broadband modem which can be attached to your laptop via a USB drive and subscribe to a prepaid plan. Service providers include Verizon Wireless and Virgin Mobile Sprint . If you don't have your own computer Internet cafes can still be found in some larger cities e.g. New York and Los Angeles Some locations such as airports and shopping malls have pay-per-use internet access terminals where 3-5 minutes of web time can be purchased for $1 although these are becoming increasingly rare and typically use older slower dial-up technology rather than offer broadband speeds. Nearly all public libraries have PC terminals with broadband internet access and usually productivity software such as Microsoft Word available for free public use this is the reason why the U.S. lacks internet cafes . You may need a library card to access services although staff will frequently make exceptions for visitors. The best bet for computer rental is a "photocopy shop" such as FedEx Kinko's now in the process of rebranding as FedEx Office 64 +1 800 2KINKOS/+1 800 254 6567 which is a national chain. Some higher-end hotels have "business centers" where you can use a computer connected to the internet fax a message use a printer and make copies. Electronics stores that sell computers such as Best Buy or the Apple Store sometimes allow customers to access the Internet from the computers on sale on the floor for at least a short while this is generally a kindness and you should not depend on it for regular usage but it sometimes makes for a convenient option. The Apple Store is particularly generous with their policy and will not ask you to leave if you come just to access the Internet. Another albeit less likely possibility is a university library. Private universities in larger cities tend to restrict entry to the library building itself to enrolled students and faculty. Public university libraries are generally required by law to be open to the public at least as far as books go but almost invariably a student login is required to access computer terminals. Public university libraries sometimes have one or two computer terminals set up for visitor use but its always best to call ahead to be certain first. This is a usable article. It has information about the country and for getting in as well as links to several destinations. An adventurous person could use this article but please plunge forward and help it grow Retrieved from " http //wikitravel.org/en/United_States_of_America " Category Usable articles Views Article Discussion Edit History Personal tools My page My talk Preferences My watchlist My contributions Log in / create account Navigation Main Page Project Home Travellers' Pub Recent changes Random page Help Uploads amp bug reports Wikitravel Extra feeds Travel news and trivia Search Toolbox What links here Related changes Don't upload file Special pages Printable version Permanent link In other languages ca Estats Units de Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika eo Usono es Estados Unidos fi Yhdysvallat fr États-Unis d'Amérique hi संयुक्त राज्य अमरीका hu Amerikai Egyesült Államok it Stati Uniti d'America ja アメリカ合衆国 ko 미국 nl Verenigde Staten van Amerika pl Stany Zjednoczone pt Estados Unidos ro Statele Unite ale Americii ru Соединённые Штаты Америки sv USA zh 美利坚合众国 other sites Wikipedia Open Directory World66 Wikitravel Shared This page was last edited at 01 18 on 19 June 2011 by Wikitravel user LtPowers . Based on work by Peter Fitzgerald William M Goetsch Peter Budny and Dale Arnett Wikitravel user s ChubbyWimbus Burmesedays TrekkingTurtle Hybridace101 and Ikan Kekek Anonymous user s of Wikitravel and others . Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 images are available under various licenses see each image for details. Privacy policy About Wikitravel Terms of use United States From New World Encyclopedia Jump to navigation search Previous United Press International Next United States Bill of Rights Images OK The United States of America —also referred to as the United States the USA the U.S. America or archaically Columbia–is a federal republic of 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each of the 50 states has a high level of local autonomy under the system of federalism. The United States was born as a nation with the Declaration of Independence made by the 13 colonies on July 4 1776. It was recognized internationally by the Treaty of Paris 1783 after the defeat of British forces in the Revolutionary War . Its roots however begin in the seventeenth century when British Dutch and German colonists began migrating to North America seeking freedom and economic opportunity. They included Puritans Quakers and others who wanted to freely practice their religion many of these devout men and women thought of America as God's "new Israel " a place to build a godly society that would become a beacon of hope to the world. This can be called America's Protestant root one which has had a lasting impress on its identity. Equally important were the motives and hopes of people seeking economic freedom in a new land without the restrictions of European class society they came from the colonists of Jamestown 1609 to the later waves of immigrants in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The frontier would encourage this love of freedom and its endless possibilities anyone regardless of his or her background could become wealthy by self-reliance and hard work under a system of free-market capitalism. America's identity is thus rooted in the power of these two universal ideas – the exemplary society and the land of freedom and opportunity. In this it is unique among nations which by and large base their identity on ethnicity or tribe Germany for Germans Japan for Japanese and so on. The idea of America transcending ethnicity made it a successful multi-ethnic society. From the beginning slavery and racism have been the nemesis of the United States. Slavery considered essential by plantation owners in the South was reluctantly permitted in the Constitution even though it contradicted the universal rights that were enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and violated the Protestant conscience as expressed in the Abolitionist movement . The struggle to establish full rights for all Americans would require a bloody Civil War 1861–1865 to abolish slavery and a hundred years later the Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. to finally end racial discrimination and set America on the course to becoming a genuinely color-blind society. In the nineteenth century the U.S. became an industrial power. The nation became a center for invention and technological development major technologies that America either developed or was greatly involved in improving are electricity the telephone the automobile television computers the Internet nuclear power air travel space travel and genetic engineering. With its new-found might and its native idealism in the twentieth century America took a major role on the world stage as a defender of democracy in World War I World War II and the Cold War which included the Korean and the Vietnam Wars . In the twenty-first century following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the United States has been acting as the world's only superpower and yet in the face of new challenges it is unsure of how to play its special role in the world. United States of America Flag of the United States Great Seal of the United States National mottos E Pluribus Unum 1776-present Latin Out of Many One In God We Trust 1956–present Principal language English Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City President Barack Hussein Obama Area #160 - Total #160 - #160 % water Ranked 3rd 9 631 418 km² 4.9% Population #160 - Total 2005 est. #160 - Density Ranked 3rd 296 151 242 32/km² Independence 1776 Currency US dollar Time zones Universal Time -5 to -11 National anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Internet TLD .us Country calling code 1 Contents 1 History 2 Vision of the Founding of the United States 3 A Special Role in the World 4 Politics 4.1 Federal government 4.2 State and local governments 4.3 Foreign relations 4.4 Political divisions 4.5 Military 5 Geography 5.1 Important Cities 6 Economy 6.1 History of United States Economy 6.2 Resources 6.3 Regional Variations 6.4 Transportation 6.5 The United States and the World Economy 7 Demographics 7.1 Ethnicity and race 7.2 Language 7.3 Religion 7.4 Class 8 Society and Culture 8.1 Overview 8.2 Protection of Rights and Freedoms 8.3 Education 8.4 Popular Culture 9 Challenges for the United States 9.1 Law and an Aging Society 9.2 Economic Challenges 9.3 Social Challenges 9.4 Foreign Policy Challenges 10 Federal holidays 11 Related topics 12 International rankings 13 Notes 14 References and further reading on challenges 14.1 United States Government 14.2 Other 15 Credits History The European colonization of the Americas began after Columbus re discovered them in 1492. There is speculation that Norwegian expeditions to North America led by Leif Eriksson c. 1000 C.E. and the Chinese to South America c. 1421 predated Columbus. Yet the saga of the United States began with Columbus's European discovery. In the seventeenth century many British Dutch and German colonists began migrating to North America seeking freedom and economic opportunity. In the North many colonists included Puritans Quakers and others who wanted to freely practice their religion. Some thought of it as God's new Israel and set out to build the Kingdom of God in America. In the South many plantations were built to export agricultural products to Europe. In 1754 at the Albany Congress Benjamin Franklin made the first serious proposal for a union of British colonies in North America. However the colonists became increasingly frustrated by British rule and in 1776 13 colonies issued the Declaration of Independence . They formed a confederation of states in 1777 which was ratified in 1781 as the Articles of Confederation . This government failed because it was unable to raise revenues to pay for the Revolutionary War 1775–1783 . George Washington called the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and after long debate the United States Constitution was adopted in 1789 forming the world's first constitutional federal republic. The young republic was confirmed after it survived British invasion in the War of 1812 . From the beginning slavery has been the nemesis of the United States. The practice of slavery considered essential by plantation owners in the South was inherited from colonial rule. At the founding it was reluctantly allowed by northerners with the hope that the practice would eventually be phased out. Some viewed it as denying people rights that were enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. However the practice continued in the South and when efforts were made to expand the practice into new territories and supported by the Supreme Court with the Dred Scott decision it became an issue that helped precipitate the Civil War 1861–1865 . During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries people seeking freedom and prosperity poured into the United States from Europe. New states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent obtaining territories held by Spain France Mexico Britain and Russia . Many Native American nations were destroyed and resettled in the process. The U.S. became an industrial power as trade protection banking reforms and corporate legislation helped domestic companies expand. The country flexed its naval muscle in the Spanish-American War 1898 which led to the acquisition of overseas territories in Cuba Puerto Rico and The Philippines. The twentieth century has been termed "the American Century " despite the hardships of the Great Depression 1929–1939 . The nation became a center for invention and technological development major technologies that America either developed or was greatly involved in improving are electricity the telephone the automobile television computers the Internet nuclear power air travel space travel and genetic engineering. The United States took a major role on the world stage as the defender of democracy in World War I World War II the Cold War which included the Korean and the Vietnam Wars and the Gulf War . After World War II the United States emerged as one of two superpowers the other being the Soviet Union . After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the United States was left as the world's leading military power. It became involved in police actions and peacekeeping beginning in the 1990s through United Nations actions in Kosovo Haiti Somalia and Liberia . After terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon the U.S. started a war against the Taliban in Afghanistan and later a war in Iraq. These attempts to reign in Islamic fundamentalism and bring democracy and political stability to the Middle East by the use of military force have met with only limited success. They challenge the United States to rethink its role in the world and how it can best deal with an increasingly pluralistic world. Vision of the Founding of the United States Benjamin Franklin The 13 colonies which formed the United States were based on different philosophies and religions. Puritans settled in New England Baptists in Rhode Island Quakers in Pennsylvania Roman Catholics in Maryland Dutch Reformed in New York and Episcopalians in Virginia . Unity among these religious faiths could only be achieved through a national philosophy that was general and tolerant. Benjamin Franklin 's own philosophy paralleled that of the American founding. Born to a candlemaker in Puritan Boston he became a wealthy self-made publisher philosopher and world-renowned scientist in Philadelphia the most cosmopolitan city in the colonies where free religious expression was cherished. Franklin personally donated money to every church in Philadelphia to the revivalist preacher George Whitefield and to the Jewish synagogue under the philosophy that religion by whatever name promotes the moral rectitude and spiritual self-discipline required of a free people. Franklin also founded the American Philosophical Society. When Thomas Paine wanted to publish his manuscript on the errors and contradictions in Christianity and the Bible Franklin told him to burn it because it was not constructive and could undermine the morality of the people. While fighting a common enemy in the English crown most people in the United States regardless of religion agreed that certain truths were universal and self-evident that human beings were created equal and they desired life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This was the sacred bedrock of their philosophy. They believed in a Creator whose laws governed the universe and they attempted to create a more perfect system of justice that reflected these universal laws. Based on their study of history philosophy and literature the Bible ancient Greece Rome and modern European philosophy they developed a constitution that also emphasized equal justice and checks and balances on power. In the philosophy of the founders families and religions in the private sphere not the government were responsible for the cultivation of citizens capable of self-governance and democracy. Checks and balances on power prevented anyone from abusing power and becoming a tyrant like the king in England . No earthly authority was entitled to absolute power that was left to the Creator. The Constitution also prevented any faith from being established as a national religion. This led to a very lively free market in religion. A Special Role in the World Many early Christian colonists believed that God would work through them to establish God's sovereignty in America that the Old World was in the clutches of Satan and that America was reserved for the "last days " when a "new heaven and a new earth" would appear. They were a "second Israel " "God's faithful remnant " in a new land. Such biblical language was adapted to the unique situation in which these fervent believers found themselves building afresh and having these views reinforced in church sermons every Sunday. Many communities and towns were given biblical names like "New Canaan" in Connecticut or theological terms like "Providence" in Rhode Island . The theme of God's Sovereignty corresponded to the Founders' notion of a Supreme Being whose laws governed the universe and of which their laws were to be a reflection. This theme was present during the Constitutional Convention when Benjamin Franklin gave an impassioned speech urging delegates to put aside petty interests for the sake of future generations. For Franklin and others they had a special chance to create a new model of government for the world. Jacksonian Democrats who spoke of expansion referred to the Manifest Destiny of the United States. This founding philosophy first faced the test of slavery which contradicted the principles of freedom and "unalienable rights" that America stands for. Strengthened by waves of Christian revivals in the 1840s Americans in the North and West flocked to the cause of Abolitionism generating the moral fervor that led to the Civil War. However as popular theology in the nineteenth century shifted from the "Sovereignty of God" to the more limited Christocentic idea of the "Reign of Christ " the tendency of Protestant churches to be narrow-minded posed a challenge to the inclusive society envisioned by the Founders. Persecutions followed in which Freemasons and Deists whose philosophy most closely corresponded to the more liberal founders were publicly made to stand up in churches and renounce their belief. Roman Catholics were widely persecuted to the point where they felt they had to create private schools to protect their children. Statue of Liberty In response nineteenth-century liberals and transcendentalists exemplified by Ralph Waldo Emerson secularized the theme of the special role of the United States as a leader in human progress. The United States itself rather than God became the rescuer the safe haven and the land of hope. This theme is stamped in bronze on the Statue of Liberty with the poetic imagery of Emma Lazarus Give me your tired your poor Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these the homeless tempest-tost to me I lift my lamp beside the golden door Beginning in the 1870s progressivists increasingly influenced by Darwinism and Marxism lobbied for government social-welfare programs to supplement what they saw as inadequate programs run by the churches. Progressives often with an atheistic faith were as far to the left of the Enlightenment thinkers as Christian revivalists were to the right. Meanwhile the moral idealism of Protestantism continued to leaven American society. The popular theme promoted by the churches to the masses in this period of progressivism was perfectionism and the literal building of the Kingdom of God in America with a theology known as the social gospel. Orphanages and schools for poor workers such as Hull House founded by Jane Addams encouraged the ethic of compassion and solidarity with slum-dwellers as society industrialized. Andrew Carnegie and other business tycoons began the tradition of philanthropy based on the belief that their wealth was ultimately a gift of God and should be used according to the tenets of the Gospels. The moral crusading continued with Prohibitionists crusading against public intoxication. The twentieth century saw America's idealism channeled into safeguarding democracy abroad through participation in World War I and World War II as well as the Cold War . Fighting the evil represented by the Nazi regime and later the communist regimes that were enslaving millions gave Americans a sense that they were truly fulfilling the special role for which divine Providence had prepared the nation. Yet any certainty about America's role in the world was undone in the late twentieth century by a "culture war" between the conservative right and the liberal left. Yet neither side's narrow and partial philosophy was by itself capable of sustaining national life. The growth of the welfare state decried by the right and the dominance of corporate interests attacked by the left gave an additional economic dimension to this conflict. Also at issue was America's attitude towards the United Nations many on the right see American exceptionalism as making it morally superior to the quarreling and corrupt UN system while many on the left believe America should be a partner with the UN in creating a multilateral world order. Hence even though the United States found itself the sole superpower following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 it is a nation deeply divided over its sense of purpose and place in the world. Politics There are three levels of government in the United States—federal state and local. All of these are elected by the American people. Federal government First President of the United States George Washington The federal government is the national government. The Constitution of the United States initially limited the powers of the federal government to defense foreign affairs printing money controlling trade and relations between the states and protecting human rights. However the federal government has increasingly overstepped these bounds especially in welfare and education. The federal government is made up of the Congress the legislative branch the President the executive branch and the Supreme Court the judicial branch . These three branches were intended to supply checks and balances on each other. The Congress is a bicameral lawmaking institution composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate both of which meet in the United States Capitol in Washington D.C. The House has 435 representatives also called congressmen and congresswomen who are elected by the people of a congressional district to represent that district for a term of two years. The number of districts for each state depends on the size of the population of the state but each state has at least one representative. During the 2000 United States census the districts had an average size of about 640 000 people. The Senate consists of 100 senators who are also elected by the people of a state to represent that state for a term of six years. Each state has two senators regardless of its size. The Constitution initially gave the power to elect senators to the state legislatures the 17th Amendment 1913 transferred this ability to the people eliminating an important check and balance on power between the two houses that the founders intended. At the top of the executive branch is the President of the United States who acts as the Commander in Chief of the armed forces. The President signs laws into action and can also issue pardons . He has few other Constitutional duties among them being the requirement to give a State of the Union address to Congress periodically. Since counting began with Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation 1862 U.S. Presidents have issued nearly 14 000 executive orders which are like edicts or decrees. The Supreme Court has rarely challenged the practice and it has become a common way for the president to increase his power. Congress has its own ways of checking the powers of an excessively imperial President through its control of the budget and appropriations through the Senate's role in the approval process of cabinet appointments by holding congressional hearings to expose presidential wrongdoings and by its power to impeach the President and other high officials in the executive branch. Below the President is the Vice President who is first in line of succession and is the President of the Senate with the ability to cast a tie-breaking vote. Both of these are elected by the people via an electoral college for four-year terms. Next are the members of the Cabinet. These are positions created by the President to assist in performing his or her executive duties. The departments they head include the Department of Defense the Justice Department and the State Department. The Constitution instructed the Congress to establish a Supreme Court and inferior courts as necessary. The Supreme Court initially had six justices and its number stabilized at nine in 1869. The Supreme Court was intended to interpret the law and to decide on conflicts between states. A case could be appealed from a state court to a federal court only if there was a federal question the supreme court of a state was to be the final authority on the interpretation of that state's laws and constitution which governed relations among citizens of states. The Supreme Court can declare legislation made at any level of the government as unconstitutional nullifying the law and creating precedent for future law and decisions. Some have complained that the Supreme Court sometimes exceeds its Constitutional mandate by de facto creating laws not just interpreting them. For example after the Civil War the 14th Amendment 1868 was passed for the purpose of guaranteeing the rights of former slaves. However it has primarily been used to give the federal government authority on economic and social matters that the founders had intended to be the jurisdiction of states. On the other hand the President and/or Congress can reign in a court that they regard as excessively activist through the process of appointing new justices to fill vacancies on the Court. Below the Supreme Court are the courts of appeals and below them are the district courts which are the general trial courts for federal law. State and local governments The state governments have the greatest influence over people's daily lives. Each state originally had citizens from different religious and cultural backgrounds. Each has its own written constitution and has different laws. The highest elected official of each state is the governor. Each state also has an elected legislature with one or two houses whose members represent the different parts of the state. Of note is the New Hampshire legislature which is the third-largest legislative body in the English-speaking world and has one representative for every 3 000 people. Each state maintains its own judiciary with the lowest level typically being county courts and culminating in each state supreme court though sometimes named differently. In some states supreme and lower court justices are elected by the people in others they are appointed as they are in the federal system. The institutions responsible for local government at the town city or county levels make laws that affect their particular area. These laws concern issues such as traffic zoning and land use and law enforcement. The highest elected official of a town or city is usually the mayor . Foreign relations The Constitution gave the president the authority to conduct foreign policy. In his Farewell Address George Washington stated that the United States should form no alliances and should seek good trade relations with all nations. Except for expansion within North America the United States adhered to this policy until the 1890s. At that time the United States began to build up a navy for the purpose of guaranteeing secure trade routes overseas. Shortly thereafter the U.S. began to exercise its muscle in "gunboat diplomacy " taking Puerto Rico Cuba and the Philippines in the Spanish-American War 1898 . The United States has had peaceful relations with Canada its largest trading partner throughout its history. At the end of the nineteenth century many Americans began to support international institutions for world peace. Andrew Carnegie donated funds to build a house for the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Theodore Roosevelt supported the use of the Court to settle a dispute between Japan and Russia . However Roosevelt refused to allow the Hawaiians to bring the United States to the Court to discuss the occupation of Hawaii. The United States eventually allied with France and Britain in World War I motivated by the ideal of safeguarding democracy. After World War I President Woodrow Wilson lobbied Europe for fairer treatment of Germany and support for a League of Nations however the country returned to isolationism until Hitler had taken much of Europe and Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor. After World War II the United States was a key player in the formation of the United Nations . It was a time when America was at the peak of influence around the world as the exemplar of democracy and freedom and having demonstrated generosity even to its former enemies Germany and Japan . During World War II the United States developed a large military supply industry that it continued to expand as an arms race with the Soviet Union continued through the Cold War . With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the United States emerged as the world's sole superpower. However rather than enjoying its status perceived unilateralism and inconsistency in U.S. foreign policy has led to growing suspicion around the world. Political divisions With the Declaration of Independence the 13 colonies were for a brief time each nation-states modeled after the European states of the time. However with the adoption of the U.S. Constitution they surrendered certain powers to the federal government but retained the majority of legislative authority for themselves. In the following years the number of states within the U.S. grew steadily due to Western expansion the conquest and purchase of lands by the national government and the subdivision of existing states resulting in the current total of 50. By the end of the Civil War the Union had become a nation-state in its own right while the states had lost most of their autonomy. The states are generally divided into smaller administrative regions including counties cities and townships. Several autonomous territories or reservations have been set aside for Native Americans by treaty. The United States also holds several other territories districts and possessions notably the District of Columbia which is the nation's capital and several overseas possessions the most significant of which are Puerto Rico American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands . The United States has held a Naval Base at an occupied portion of Guantanamo Bay Cuba since 1898. The United States government claims a lease to this land which only mutual agreement or U. S. abandonment of the area can terminate. The Cuban government disputes this arrangement. Political divisions of the United States States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Federal #160 district District of Columbia Insular #160 areas American Samoa Baker Island Guam Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll Kingman Reef Midway Atoll Navassa Island Northern Mariana Islands Palmyra Atoll Puerto Rico Virgin Islands Wake Island Military The armed forces of the United States of America consist of United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Navy United States Air Force United States Coast Guard The combined U.S. Armed Forces consists of 1.4 million active duty personnel along with several hundred thousand each in the Reserves and National Guard. There is currently no conscription . The U.S. Armed Forces is the most powerful military in the world and their force projection capabilities are unrivaled by any other single nation . Geography Map of the United States PDF The United States is located primarily in central North America. It has land borders with Canada and Mexico as well as several territorial water boundaries with Canada Russia Cuba and The Bahamas . It is otherwise bounded by the Pacific Ocean the Bering Sea the Arctic Ocean the Atlantic Ocean the Gulf of Mexico and the Straits of Florida. Two of the 50 states Alaska and Hawaii are not contiguous with any of the other states. The United States also has several territories and possessions around the world. As the world's third-largest country by total area the U.S. landscape varies greatly temperate forestland and rolling hills on the East Coast mangrove in Florida the Great Plains in the center of the country the Mississippi – Missouri river system the Great Lakes which are shared with Canada the Rocky Mountains west of the plains deserts and temperate coastal zones west of the Rocky Mountains and temperate rain forests in the Pacific Northwest. Alaska 's tundra and the volcanic tropical islands of Hawaii add to the geographic and climatic diversity. The climate varies along with the landscape from tropical in Hawaii and southern Florida to tundra in Alaska and atop some of the highest mountains. Most of the North and East experience a temperate continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. Much of the American South experiences a subtropical humid climate with mild winters and long hot humid summers. Rainfall decreases markedly from the humid forests of the eastern Great Plains to the semiarid shortgrass prairies on the High Plains abutting the Rocky Mountains. Arid deserts including the Mojave extend through the lowlands and valleys of the American Southwest from westernmost Texas to California and northward throughout much of Nevada . Some parts of the American West particularly Southern California have a Mediterranean climate. Rain forests line the windward mountains of the Pacific Northwest from Oregon to Alaska. The political geography is notable as well with the Canadian border being the longest undefended border in the world and with the country being divided into three distinct sections The continental United States also known as the lower 48 Alaska which is physically connected only to Canada and the archipelago of Hawaii in the central Pacific Ocean . Important Cities New York City New York Los Angeles California Chicago Illinois The United States has dozens of major cities including several important global cities such as New York City Los Angeles and Chicago . The capital of the United States is Washington D.C. The 15 largest cities by population are listed below based on the 2000 Census . All the figures shown are for the population within the city limits which is the main usage of the word "city" in the United States. The ranking of metropolitan areas by population is quite different although the top three spots are unchanged. New York City New York – 8 008 278 Los Angeles California – 3 694 820 Chicago Illinois – 2 896 016 Houston Texas – 1 953 631 Philadelphia Pennsylvania – 1 517 550 Phoenix Arizona – 1 321 045 San Diego California – 1 223 400 Dallas Texas – 1 188 580 San Antonio Texas – 1 144 646 Detroit Michigan – 951 270 San Jose California – 894 943 Indianapolis Indiana – 791 926 San Francisco California – 776 733 Jacksonville Florida – 735 617 Columbus Ohio – 711 470 There are other major cities which while having a small core city have a large metropolitan area and are otherwise important. These include Atlanta Georgia Boston Massachusetts Denver Colorado New Orleans Louisiana and Seattle Washington . Economy The nation's currency History of United States Economy The economy of the United States began with two distinct visions. Thomas Jefferson envisioned a society of farmers tradesmen and artisans with family businesses. This model appealed to the colonists who had thrown tea in Boston Harbor in what has been called the first protest against globalization. The East India Company and Hudson's Bay Company were viewed as tools of oppression used by King George III against the colonists. Jefferson wanted protection from corporations built into the Bill of Rights. Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists aspired to a more capitalist economy modeled after England . During its first 60 years the United States was very ambivalent towards banks and corporations. In 1829 President Andrew Jackson closed the federal bank. Most states kept corporations on a tight leash often only allowing those that existed for a public purpose and then limiting their charters to 20 years. Originally federal revenues were raised through tariffs on trade. These tariffs protected industry in the North and allowed them to flourish in a market where domestic goods could enjoy more profit yet be cheaper to the American consumer than foreign products. The tariffs on the other hand hurt the South whose products were exported. Foreign countries imposed tariffs on Southern agricultural products like cotton in retaliation for American tariffs. Great debates such as the one between Henry Clay and John Calhoun persuaded many Southerners that they had to secede from the Union or perish economically. After the Civil War American industrialists gained increasing influence on the U.S. economy. By 1870 many corporate lawyers had become Supreme Court justices they changed laws to be more favorable for industry. In 1886 in Santa Clara County vs. the Southern Pacific Railroad corporations were given personhood with many of the same rights and protections as individual citizens. By the 1890s corporations were pushing for a navy to escort the shipment of products abroad and a few years later they reversed their position on tariffs and advocated their substitution with income taxes to make U.S. products more affordable in foreign markets. Capitalists continued to influence U.S. politics until the Great Depression when unregulated investment schemes overpriced stocks and overextended banks led to an economic collapse. In the 1930s with the New Deal President Franklin Delano Roosevelt instituted more government regulation such as founding the Security and Exchange Commission SEC and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC and social welfare programs like Social Security and unemployment benefits. The welfare state gradually expanded placing a greater burden on taxpayers through the Carter administration in the late 1970s. High inflation and interest rates as much as 20 percent on home loans prompted the Reagan "supply side" economic revolution of 1980 which led to an undoing of much industrial regulation and a dramatic growth in the economy paving the way for U.S. leadership in globalization of the world economy. Resources The United States has rich mineral resources with extensive gold oil coal and uranium deposits. Successful farm industries rank the country among the top producers of among others corn wheat sugar and tobacco . The U.S. manufacturing sector produces among other things cars airplanes and electronics . The largest sector of the economy now is the service sector about three-quarters of U.S. residents are employed in that sector. Regional Variations Economic activity varies greatly from one part of the country to another with many industries being largely dependent on a certain city or region New York City is the center of the American financial publishing broadcasting and advertising industries Silicon Valley is the country’s primary location for high technology companies while Los Angeles is the most important center for film production. The Midwest is known for its reliance on manufacturing and heavy industry with Detroit serving as the center of the American automotive industry the Great Plains are known as “the breadbasket of America” for their tremendous agricultural output while Texas is largely associated with the oil industry the southeastern U.S. is a major hub for medical research as well as many of the nation's textiles manufacturers. Transportation To link its vast territories the United States has built a network of roads of which the most important aspect is the Interstate highway system. Americans are renowned for their "car-crazy" lifestyle and the sprawling car-oriented design of their cities. The United States also has a transcontinental rail system that is used for moving freight across the lower 48 states. Air travel is often preferred for destinations over 300 miles 500 km away and some airports such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and O'Hare International Airport are among the busiest in the world. There are several major seaports in the United States including New York City Savannah Georgia Miami Florida Houston Texas Los Angeles California and Seattle Washington plus Anchorage Alaska and Honolulu Hawaii outside the contiguous 48 states. The United States and the World Economy Several countries have linked their currency to the dollar such as the People's Republic of China or even use it as a currency such as Ecuador although this practice has subsided in recent years. The largest trading partner of the United States is Canada 20 percent followed by Mexico 12 percent China Mainland 10 percent Hong Kong 1 percent and Japan 8 percent . More than 50 percent of total trade is with these four countries. In 2003 the United States was ranked as the third-most visited tourist destination in the world its 40.4 million visitors ranked behind France 's 75 million and Spain 's 52.5 million. Demographics 2000 population density by county The United States is the third most-populous country in the world behind China and India . It has been bolstered by waves of immigration especially from Europe in the nineteenth century and from Latin America and Asia in the twentieth century. Ethnicity and race Americans in part due to categories decided by the U.S. government generally describe themselves as being one of five ethnic groups White also called Caucasian African-American also called Black Hispanic also called Latino Asian-American frequently specified as Chinese American Indian American Korean American Vietnamese American etc. and Native American also called American Indian. White The majority of the 295 million people currently living in the United States at the 2000 Census descend from European immigrants who have arrived since the establishment of the first colonies. Major components of the European segment of the U.S. population are descended from immigrants from Germany 15.2 percent Ireland 10.8 percent England 8.7 percent Italy 5.6 percent Scandinavia 3.7 percent and many immigrants also coming from Slavic countries. Other significant immigrant populations came from eastern and southern Europe and French Canada few immigrants came directly from France . These numbers however are inaccurate as many citizens listed themselves as "American" on the census 7.2 percent . A county-by-county map of plurality ethnic groups reveals that the areas with the largest "American" ancestry populations were mostly settled by English Scottish Irish and Welsh the percentages of whom should consequently be slightly larger . Hispanic While there were few immigrants directly from Spain Hispanics from Mexico and South and Central America are considered the largest minority group in the country comprising 13.4 percent of the population in 2002. This has brought increasing use of the Spanish language in the United States. Mexicans alone made up 7.3 percent of the population in the 2000 Census and this proportion is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades. The "Hispanic" category is based more on language than race and is defined by the Census as anybody from or with forebears from Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America so Hispanics may be of any race. About 45 percent identify by their ethnic background only "Mexican" "Salvadoran" they are usually mestizos or even American Indians of unmixed ancestry. About 40 percent identify as white with more European especially Spanish ancestry however on average they tend to have more American Indian or African blood than non-Hispanic whites. They are a diverse group consisting of mostly Puerto Ricans and Cubans and a large proportion of the New Mexican Spanish Tejanos and recent South American immigrants as well as children of mixed marriages between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. Another 5 percent identify as black or mulatto they typically are descended from Spanish-speaking Caribbean immigrants such as Dominicans . The remainder includes mostly self-identified Indians Maya Mixtec etc. and people of mixed background. Most Filipinos however are not considered Hispanic. African American About 12.9 percent 2000 Census of the American people are African Americans most of whom are descendants of the enslaved Africans brought to the U.S. from the 1620s into the nineteenth century. Starting in the 1970s the black population has been bolstered by immigration from the Caribbean especially Jamaica and Haiti more recently starting in the 1990s there has been an influx of African immigrants to the United States due to the instability in political and economic opportunities in various nations in Africa . Asian American A third significant minority is the Asian American population 4.2 percent most of whom are concentrated on the West Coast and Hawaii . It is by no means monolithic the largest groups are immigrants or descendants of emigrants from China the Philippines India Vietnam South Korea and Japan . Native American The aboriginal population of Native Americans known as American Indians and Inuit make up about 1.5 percent of the population. According to the 2000 Census the United States has 31 ethnic groups with at least one million people. Language The United States does not have an official language at federal level however English is the language of the government and is spoken by the majority of the population. Twenty-seven individual states have adopted English as their official language and three of those— Hawaii Louisiana and New Mexico —have also adopted Hawaiian French and Spanish as their official languages respectively. Spanish follows English as the second most-spoken language in the United States due to the influence of the mass waves of often illegal Mexican immigrants in recent decades and is becoming a primary language in some areas of the Southwest. The primarily signed language is American Sign Language ASL . As of 2004 the United States was the home of approximately 336 languages spoken or signed of which 176 are indigenous to their areas. Religion As of 2001 1 the distribution for major religions in the United States was estimated as follows Protestant 52 percent Roman Catholic 24 percent no religious faith 14 percent including atheists and agnostics Jewish 1.5 percent Muslim 0.5 percent See Islam in the United States Buddhist 0.5 percent Hindu 0.4 percent and Unitarian Universalist 0.3 percent . The largest single religious denomination in the United States is the Roman Catholic Church followed by the Baptist Methodist and Lutheran churches. Counted together Christians numbered 77 percent of the population. The United States stands out among industrialized nations for its relatively high level of religiosity. This is in part due to the separation of church and state. Not supported by the state religious leaders must go beyond tradition and compete to serve the spiritual needs of their congregations or lose their financial support. Nearly 44 percent of Americans attend a religious service at least once a week. However this rate is not uniform across the country attendance is more common in the Bible Belt–composed largely of Southern and Midwestern states—than in the Northeast and West Coast. Class In terms of relative wealth most U.S. residents enjoy a standard of personal economic wealth that is far greater than that known in most of the world. For example 51 percent of all households have access to a computer and 67.9 percent of U.S. households owned their dwellings in 2002. However there is also a considerable amount of poverty in the United States with 12.1 percent of the population living below the official national poverty level. The social structure of the United States is somewhat stratified with a significant class of very wealthy individuals who are often alleged to hold disproportionate cultural and political influence. On one widely used measure of inequality the Gini coefficient the United States has the highest inequality of any wealthy country and that inequality is growing. Nevertheless ideas of social mobility figure prominently in the American Dream which holds that someone born into a poor family can through hard work ultimately rise into the upper classes. There is much debate over how often this actually occurs in modern American society both compared with earlier eras and with other developed nations. Society and Culture The American Bill of Rights enacted in 1791 provides a list of basic guaranteed rights Overview The United States began with diverse groups of people with different social and cultural interests and goals living in different states. The Constitution left the creation of positive social goals and the solution to issues to the individual states for citizens to work out in their own way. Instead it created restraints on social policies through the provisions of the Bill of Rights freedom of speech the right to bear arms freedom of religion trial by jury and protection from cruel and unusual punishment. The formation of national media the common struggle for independence commercial exchange and internal migration led to a gradual homogenization of the national culture and the formation of common national goals. Over the years national goals and social policies have evolved that often conflict with the original freedoms and responsibilities envisioned by the founders of United States for its citizens. Protection of Rights and Freedoms Slavery stood as an obvious contradiction to the ideal that all people deserve equal treatment under the law. After the Civil War the greatest catalyst for the formation of national identity the 14th Amendment was passed allowing the Federal Supreme Court to make decisions related to the rights of individuals relative to state governments. This legislation was passed for the protection of former slaves. Following on the 14th Amendment many anti-discrimination and reverse-discrimination laws have been passed in an attempt to promote justice for minority groups. Some examples of these are the Civil Rights Acts the Americans with Disabilities Act and hate crime legislation. The 14th Amendment has led to federal intrusions into state affairs in many other ways as well to the chagrin of those who value states' rights. However the sorry record of the states in protecting civil rights in the past seemed to justify these intrusions. Today many Americans expect the Supreme Court to make decisions on controversial social issues that divide the nation such as abortion to protect the rights of women or the unborn and euthanasia to protect the rights of the elderly. Where there is no national consensus on these matters such rulings can create dissatisfaction. Despite high ideals the United States has at times been criticized for violations of human rights including racial discrimination police brutality unwarranted incarceration and the imposition of the death penalty in some states. Groups such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have criticized human rights abuses in the United States most recently at the U.S.-run detention camps in Guantanamo Bay Cuba . There is increasing concern about the potential for surveillance of computer records to erode human rights and liberties. These criticisms show that law alone is incapable of guaranteeing human rights. Civil and responsible individual and group behavior which includes love and respect for others is essential for the guarantee of human rights in a democracy. The founders of the United States expected families churches and schools in the private sector to produce such people. Such moral education is a necessary counterpart to law in a free society. Education Today in the United States all students must attend mandatory schooling from kindergarten through 12th grade. Parents may send their children to a public school which is free or to a private school where parents must pay tuition. Public schools are highly decentralized with funding and curriculum decisions taking place mostly at the local level through school boards. Early in the history of the United States there was no requirement for children to attend school. As an agrarian society schooling was not required to earn a livelihood unless one was to become a teacher lawyer or minister. Apprenticeships were common in preparation for a skilled trade. Reading was usually taught so that one could read the religious texts that would help guide one to a responsible moral life. The push for public education came from industrial leaders in the mid-nineteenth century as they tired of providing support for private schools that could provide a basic education for employees in need of greater skills for industry such as math accounting science and drawing. Political leaders like Horace Mann also advocated public education as a method of creating good United States citizens. From the beginning public education has been fraught with moral and religious controversies over what “good” values are for citizens and what constitutes "truth." On the frontier many teachers of one-room schoolhouses were Christians who openly taught Protestantism . Discrimination against Catholics became so widespread that they set up an entire parallel school system. Generally until the 1960s a "civil religion " which supported a belief in God and Country prevailed. The counter-cultural movement which solidified in the 1960s promoted a secular if not anti-religious worldview for public schools one which opposed civil religion in education. This caused many parents to feel that public schools had been politically co-opted and that they undermined the values of religion and citizenship they were teaching their children at home. This led to increased home schooling the formation of private schools and new experiments with charter schools in which parents could feel more comfortable with what their children were being taught. Public education is still a much politicized and highly emotional issue in the United States with citizens very divided over the purpose and content of public education. The United States is a great center of higher education boasting more than 4 000 universities colleges and other institutions of higher learning the top tier of which may be considered to be among the most advanced in the world. Many foreign students study in the United States both bringing their culture with them and taking American culture back to their home nations. Universities in the United States range from prestigious Harvard University founded in 1636 to the local community colleges where most people can get a post-secondary education at a much lower cost. In the twentieth century with increases in jobs requiring higher education it became more popular to send children to college. However only 25 percent of jobs in the United States require college degrees. Popular Culture Rural American Church Nearing the midpoint of its third century of nationhood the U.S. plays host to the gamut of human intellectual and artistic endeavor in nearly every major city offering classical and popular music historical scientific and art research centers and museums dance performances musicals and plays outdoor art projects and internationally significant architecture. In most traditional societies the state religion or authoritarian ruler has enforced a particular vision of culture "from above." The freedom of expression in United States has allowed for the widespread development of popular culture or culture "from below." Singers artists writers and sports players compete for audiences that will be attracted to their various forms of cultural expression. Popular culture is also a boon to national media which gain by promoting these various forms of expression. The original 13 colonies were permeated with culture promoted by elite social leaders. In the North many colonists came seeking to build societies based on religious principles. In the South the aristocracy promoted family civil behavior good manners and loyalty to the government. These cultural values helped create the self-directed and self-restrained behavior needed by a democracy. Traditional religious and social leaders often lament that popular culture undermines the values necessary to promote a healthy society. U.S. culture has a large influence on the rest of the world. This influence is often criticized as cultural imperialism by those who feel their own traditional values are being displaced by a popular hedonistic culture that does not promote good citizenship. Popular culture tests behavioral limits. Thirty years after the free sex and drugs associated with the 1960s social scientists have shown these behaviors to be self-destructive and socially destructive. However the freedom of expression in the United States has also given birth to new cultural elements that have made a lasting contribution to civilization. Woodstock Rock Music Festival 1969 Music U.S. music "good" or "bad " is heard all over the world and it is the sire of such forms as blues and jazz and had a primary hand in the shaping of modern rock and roll and popular music culture. Many great Western classical musicians and ensembles find their home in the U.S. New York City is a hub for international operatic and instrumental music as well as world-famed Broadway plays and musicals while Seattle and the rest of Washington is a world leader in the grunge and heavy metal music industries as well as the visual arts and various media in fantasy. New York Seattle and San Francisco are worldwide leaders in graphic design and New York and Los Angeles compete with major European cities in the fashion industry. Several forms of electronic music originated from the United States. This includes house from Chicago techno from Detroit and garage from New York. Movies U.S. movies primarily embodied in Hollywood and television shows can be seen almost anywhere. This is in stark contrast to the early days of the republic when the country was viewed by Europeans as an agricultural backwater with little to offer the culturally "advanced" world centers of Asia and Europe. Since the mid-twentieth century cinema and television have supplanted both the novel and the theater as the primary literary vehicles for conveying a story and creative efforts in both these media are dominated by the United States. An Army-Navy Football Game Sports Some sports that originated or evolved in the United States particularly baseball basketball and American football have achieved a worldwide audience the Super Bowl the annual championship game of the National Football League is one of the most-watched broadcasts in the world with viewership far outnumbering the total American population. Baseball is extremely popular in Latin American nations and Southeast Asia and football has had some success in expanding to Europe NFL Europe . However few "foreign" sports like hockey have caught on in America attempts to create professional soccer football leagues have struggled and cricket and rugby are not played at any professional level. The United States hosts some of the premier events in other sports such as golf including The Masters tennis U.S. Open and auto racing particularly the Indianapolis 500 . It has also hosted the World Cup in 1994 and has hosted eight Olympiads more than any other nation. Challenges for the United States Law and an Aging Society The United States suffers from an accumulation of law as have other aging societies such as the Roman Empire in the third century C.E. Sometimes antiquated laws remain in effect that complicate or even contradict newer laws creating several layers of law over time. The principles of justice that legitimated the nation at the time of its founding are sometimes obscured by more recent laws designed to shift money or wealth from one person or group to another causing allegations of injustice. Laws have also been passed designed to protect individual rights that complicate trials by imposing procedures and rules of evidence that shield a jury from truth and create more work for lawyers making trials more lucrative. Rules and procedures have been devised by Congress to pass legislation secretly or obfuscate it through committees or omnibus legislation containing irrelevant "pork." These procedures reduce transparency and the accountability of members of Congress. In a similar manner the Supreme Court has ruled on laws and amendments developing a body of interpretation that becomes enforceable and thus reduces the realm of individual or state freedom on those issues. Over time the creation of Cabinet posts with a weighty bureaucracy executive orders the promulgation of doctrine in foreign policy and homeland security measures have aged the executive branch into a complicated and expensive arm of the government that places a tax burden on citizens and reduces their freedom. These agencies often work at cross-purposes unnecessarily duplicate the efforts of one another or remain in existence after they are no longer needed. These combined effects of aging reduce the legitimacy of government in the eyes of those who suffer injustice or a lack of freedom as a result of them. These problems caused the Roman Empire to eventually become a police state and the United States must work hard to make the laws and the machinery of its government reflect the principles of justice for which it stands in order to remain legitimate in the eyes of its citizens and the world at large. Economic Challenges Moving from a population in which 80 percent were subsistence farmers to one in which 60 percent were industrial workers brought a Great Depression and hardship as the society was forced to adjust to industrial development. A similar shift began in the 1960s and is being completed with outsourcing robotic production processes and economies of scale that reduce the amount of industrial labor needed to a small percentage of the U.S. population. Today with over 75 percent of jobs in the service sector Americans must find ways to provide useful goods or services to others without relying on either farmland or a job as an industrial laborer. This requires an appropriate shift in education and entrepreneurship. The U.S. economy also suffers from its disproportional involvement in production of military hardware dating back to the war economy of World War II . A development that President Eisenhower called the military-industrial complex involved collusion between the military and industry to direct significant portions of the federal budget toward new military technology regardless of proven national need. Today the United States suffers some of the same problems faced by the Soviet Union just before its collapse. The heavy weight of a military economy tempts the nation toward empire in foreign policy making new enemies as a self-fulfilling prophecy and causing a spiral that at some point may become unsustainable. Other nations notably in Europe and Asia are developing peace-time economies based on goods and services used by citizens in daily life giving them long-term economic advantages over the United States amid predictions that China will overtake the United States as the leading economic power of the twenty-first century. A significant challenge for the United States is its national debt. It has not gone down in absolute terms in any single year since the Eisenhower administration in 1960. Since then under both democratic and republican governments social programs and military spending caused the national debt to balloon to over $125 000 per family in 2005. Lack of national fiscal control is a cultural and moral problem as well as an economic challenge. Social Challenges Issues related to social security welfare education gambling health insurance and corporate welfare are issues now in the hands of state governments and the federal government. These issues have been shaped by political pressure and bureaucratic expansion rather than reason or market forces. Social issues were all originally left to families communities and religious groups by the founding fathers today these same issues have become often selfish demands converted to so-called entitlements which governments have been unable to provide economically or shape efficient and workable policy over. A grave sense of inequity and unfairness is often perceived by some groups in existing policies. The negative effects of slavery still haunt the United States as social and educational inequalities continue in other forms. Motivated by their "bottom line " corporations and many wealthier taxpayers seek to eliminate social services altogether and return them to the private sphere where failure occurred in the past. Those seeking or dependent on government social services on the other hand make demands without regard to their necessity or cost. A genuinely whole and workable view is seldom promoted through the two-party system which reflects one interest or the other but not a broad view of society as a whole. Genuine facts and figures must be brought together with appropriate responsibility and market forces at all levels. It is a major challenge to the political system as it exists. Foreign Policy Challenges The twentieth century saw America's sense of exceptionalism – the Puritan and biblical image of "a light to the nations " channeled into safeguarding democracy abroad through participation in World War I and World War II as well as the Cold War . Apparent clarity about America's role in the world however was undone in the late twentieth century by a "culture war" between the conservative right and the liberal left. Conservatives held to a vision of America's moral superiority and its duty to remake the world in its image. Progressives and leftists saw the hubris in such a position and pointed to America's warts and foibles epitomized in the expression "ugly American." This conflict began in earnest with the Vietnam War when many became disillusioned with the apparent corruption of the South Vietnamese regime which America was propping up in the name of anti-Commumism. The debate surfaced again over the role America should play in the United Nations as many on the right viewed the United States as morally superior to the quarreling and corrupt UN system while many on the left believed that America should be a partner with the UN in creating a multilateral world order. The dominance of corporate interests and their foreign policy goals such as safeguarding the nations' need for oil gave an additional economic dimension to this conflict. In the twenty-first century this questioning of America's role in the world continued with the perceived misadventure in the Iraq war. Even though the United States had the satisfaction of finding itself the sole superpower following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 thus seemingly confirming the moral superiority of its democratic system it is a nation deeply divided over its sense of purpose and place in the world. Hence its foreign policy has been rendered largely reactive of events unable to project a positive national image or purpose. Perceived unilateralism and inconsistency in U.S. foreign policy has led to growing suspicion around the world. Overcoming this challenge will require Americans to harness their idealism to the service of humanity recognizing the diversity of global cultures while resisting the temptation to simplistic military "solutions." Federal holidays Date Name Remarks January 1 New Year's Day Beginning of year marks the traditional end of "holiday season." January third Monday Martin Luther King Jr. Day Honors the late civil rights leader. Few organizations outside federal and state governments grant time off for this holiday though many colleges and universities observe the day with special events and canceled classes. February third Monday Presidents' Day Honors former U.S. presidents especially Washington and Lincoln who both share February birthdays. Few organizations outside federal and state governments grant time off for this holiday. May last Monday Memorial Day Honors servicemen and women who died in service also marks the traditional beginning of summer. July 4 Independence Day Usually called the Fourth of July. Celebrates the United States' independence from Great Britain formally declared on this date in 1776. September first Monday Labor Day Celebrates achievements of workers. This holiday is held instead of the traditional worldwide Labor Day May 1 which actually began in the U.S. Also marks the traditional end of summer. October second Monday Columbus Day Honors Christopher Columbus traditional discoverer of the Americas. Somewhat controversial and few organizations outside federal and state governments grant time off for this holiday. November 11 Veterans' Day Previously known as Armistice Day it honors those who have served in the military. Also marks the end of World War I in 1918. Traditional observation of a moment of silence at 11 a.m. in remembrance of military service members occurs. November fourth Thursday Thanksgiving Day of thanks that marks the traditional beginning of the "holiday season." The day before Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel day of the year in the U.S. and the day after is traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year known as "Black Friday." December 25 Christmas and Winter Solstice Celebration of Christmas the birth of Jesus . In recent years there has also been an effort to relate this holiday to Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Over time it has returned to a more secular winter solstice holiday outside of religious communities with many non-Christians and non-observant Christians feasting and buying and exchanging traditional Christmas gifts. Most retailers count on the Christmas holiday to provide a significant portion of their total annual sales. The above days are those in which federal employees are given a day off work. There are many other legal national holidays including Administrative Professionals' Day Wednesday last full week of April Law Day May 1 Teacher's Day Tuesday first full week of May Mother's Day second Sunday in May Maritime Day May 22 Armed Forces Day third Saturday in May Flag Day June 14 Father's Day third Sunday in June Parent's Day fourth Sunday in July Aviation Day August 19 Grandparent's Day first Sunday after Labor Day Patriot Day September 11 Constitution Day September 17 Navy Day October 27 and Pearl Harbor Day December 7 . Related topics Topics in the United States History Timeline Colonial Era American Revolution Westward Expansion Civil War World War I Great Depression World War II Cold War Vietnam War Civil Rights Foreign relations Military Demographic and Postal history Politics Law Constitution and Bill of Rights Declaration of Independence Political parties Democrats amp Republicans Elections Electoral College Political scandals Political divisions Government Federal agencies Legislative branch Congress House Senate Executive branch President amp Vice-President Cabinet Attorney-General Secretary of State Law enforcement FBI Intelligence CIA DIA NIMA NRO NSA Judicial branch Supreme Court Military Army Navy Marines Air Force Geography Appalachian Mtns. Rocky Mtns. Great Plains Midwest The South Mississippi River New England Mid-Atlantic Pacific Northwest Mountains Valleys Islands Rivers States Cities Counties Regions Extreme points Economy Banking Companies Standard of living U.S. Dollar Wall Street Demographics US Census Bureau Languages Religion Social structure Standard of living Arts amp Culture Music hippies blues jazz rock and roll hip hop gospel country Film amp TV Hollywood Literature Poetry Transcendentalism Harlem Renaissance Beat Generation Visual arts Abstract expressionism Cuisine Holidays Folklore Dance Architecture Education Languages Media Other United States territory Communications Transportation Highways and Interstates Railroads Uncle Sam Flag American Dream Media Education Tourism Social issues Immigration Affirmative action Racial profiling Human rights War on Drugs Pornography same-sex marriage Poverty Prisons Capital punishment American Exceptionalism Anti-Americanism American Folklore American English United States-Mexico barrier International rankings IMD International World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005 ranked 1 out of 60 economies countries and regions World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2004–2005 – Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking ranked 2 out of 104 countries A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Magazine Globalization Index 2005 ranked 4 out of 62 countries United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index 2004 ranked 8 out of 177 countries Save the Children State of the World’s Mothers 2004 ranked 10 out of 119 countries Heritage Foundation / The Wall Street Journal 2005 Index of Economic Freedom ranked 12 out of 155 countries The Economist The World in 2005 – Worldwide quality-of-life index 2005 ranked 13 out of 111 countries Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2004 ranked 17 out of 146 countries tied with Belgium and Ireland Reporters Without Borders Third annual worldwide press freedom index 2004 ranked 22 American territory tied with Belgium amp 108 in Iraq out of 167 countries Notes ^ #160 America may refer to the nation of the United States or to the Americas — North Central and South America . The latter usage is more common in Latin American countries where the Spanish word América refers to both continents. The United States or Estados Unidos in Spanish is a less ambiguous term and less likely to cause offense. The term American meaning a citizen or national of the United States has no straightforward unambiguous synonym. Many alternative words for American have been proposed but none have enjoyed widespread acceptance. References and further reading on challenges Anderson Gordon L. Philosophy of the United States Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. St. Paul Paragon House 2004. ISBN 1557788448 . Cherry Conrad ed. God's New Israel Religious Interpretations of America's Destiny. Chapel Hill NC University of North Carolina Press 1998. ISBN 0807847542 . Niebuhr H. Richard. The Kingdom of God in America. New York Harper Torchbooks 1959. ISBN 061300497. Gray Kenneth R. Larry A. Frieder and George W. Clark. Corporate Scandals The Many Faces of Greed. St. Paul Paragon House 2005. ISBN 1557788383 . Johnson Chalmers. The Sorrows of Empire Militarism Secrecy and the End of the Republic. New York Henry Holt 2004. ISBN 0805070044 . Molloy John Fitzgerald. The Fraternity Lawyers and Judges in Collusion. St. Paul Paragon House 2004. ISBN 1557788413 . Deneen Patrick J. Democratic Faith. Princeton NJ Princeton University Press 2005. ISBN 069111871X . United States Government Official website of the United States Government – Gateway to governmental sites White House – Official site of the U.S. President Senate.gov – Official site of the United States Senate House.gov – Official site of the United States House of Representatives Supreme Court – Official site of the Supreme Court of the United States Portrait of the USA – Published by the United States Information Agency September 1997. US Census Housing and Economic Statistics Updated regularly by US Bureau of the Census. The National Atlas of the United States. CIA World Factbook Entry for United States Other U.S. Newspapers by State National Motto History and Constitutionality Historical Documents Reference U.S. specific web resources sorted by state Info links for each state Archive of 163 U.S. interventions USA Paper Money – 2004 Twenty Dollar SPECIMEN and Issued banknotes Credits New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards . This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License CC-by-sa which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here United_States May 31 2005 #160 history Note Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed. Retrieved from http // newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/United_States Research begins here... Categories #32 Images OK Credited Countries Geography History Politics and social sciences Views Article Feedback Menu Categories Search Personal tools Log in Navigation Main Page Index of Articles Information Pages Random Article Contact Categories Art music literature sports amp leisure Biography Geography History Life sciences Philosophy and religion Physical sciences Politics and social sciences Toolbox What links here View source Page history Printable version Permanent link This page was last modified on 14 June 2010 at 16 07. Content is available under Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details. About New World Encyclopedia Disclaimers United States From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation search This article needs more sources for reliability . Please help improve this article by adding reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged or removed. November 2010 The English used in this article or section may not be easy for everybody to understand. You can help Wikipedia by Wikipedia How to write Simple English pages . The United States of America also known as America the United States the US or the USA is a federal republic country on the continent of North America . It is located mostly in North America . It consists of 50 states and a federal district . After the United States was on the winning side of two World Wars see WW1 and WW2 and after the Cold War it has become the world's only superpower . It is famous for its influence over finance commerce culture military politics and technology. United States of America Official flag Coat of Arms National information National motto 1776 - 1956 E Pluribus Unum Latin "Out of many one" 1956 - In God We Trust National anthem The Star-Spangled Banner About the people Official languages None at federal level some states specify English de facto Population # of people #160 - Total 308 745 538 2010 1 ranked 3rd #160 - Density 78 per mi² / 30 per km² Geography / Places Here is the country on a map . Capital city Washington D.C. Largest city New York New York Area #160 - Total 6654² / 9 631 m² ranked 3rd/4th #160 - Water 181 273 mi² / 469 495 km² 4.875% Politics / Government Established Independence Revolutionary War #160 - Declared July 4 1776 #160 - Recognized September 3 1783 Leaders President Barack Obama Vice President Joe Biden Economy / Money Currency Name of money US dollar $ USD International information Time zone -5 to -11 Telephone dialing code 1 Internet domain .US .UM .EDU .GOV .MIL Contents 1 States 2 Government 2.1 Executive branch 2.2 Legislative branch 2.3 Judicial branch 3 History 4 Politics 5 Land 6 Geography 7 Economy 8 Demographics 8.1 Money 8.2 Religion 8.3 Languages 9 Culture 9.1 Federal holidays For 2011 Gregorian calendar 9.2 Flag 10 References 11 Other websites 11.1 United States government 11.2 Other change States In the United States of America there are 50 states Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin and Wyoming . There are also five territories with civilian governments American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico and United States Virgin Islands . Some or all could become future states or parts of states. change Government The federal government is set up by the Constitution . There are three branches of government. They are the executive branch the legislative branch and the judicial branch . State governments work very much like the federal government . change Executive branch The executive branch is the part of the government that enforces the law. Members of the U.S. Electoral College elect a President who is the leader of the executive branch as well as the leader of the Armed Forces. The President decides whether or not the bills that the Legislative branch passes will become laws and the President may veto any bill. The President may also make "executive orders" to ensure that people follow the law. Two of the most famous executive orders were President Abraham Lincoln 's Emancipation Proclamation and President Dwight D. Eisenhower 's order to send 1 200 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division to allow the Little Rock Nine into a school that refused to admit African Americans students. The President is in charge of many departments that control much of the day-to-day business of government. For example Department of Commerce makes rules about trade and business . The President chooses the heads of these departments and also nominates judges at the federal nation-wide level. However the Senate part of the legislative branch must agree with all of the people the President chooses. The President may serve two 4-year terms making 8 years in all. change Legislative branch The west side of the United States Capitol which is home to the United States Congress The legislative branch is the part of the government that makes laws. The legislative branch is called Congress. Congress is divided into two "houses". One house is the House of Representatives . The House of Representatives is made up of Representatives who are each elected by voters from their own state. The number of Representatives a state has is based on how many people live there the more people a state has the more representatives it gets. Every 10 years the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a census or count of the population of the United States. States gain or lose Representatives based on their total population as shown by the census. Representatives serve two-year terms. The total number of representatives today is 435. The leader of the House of Representatives is the Speaker of the House who is also the person who would become president if the President or Vice President were unable. The other house is the Senate . In the Senate each state is represented equally by two Senators. Because there are 50 states there are 100 senators. Before the President makes treaties or appoints officials the Senate must approve them. Senators serve six-year terms. The Vice President of the United States serves as president of the Senate but may only cast votes in order to break a tie vote. In practice the Vice President is usually absent from the Senate and a Senator is selected to serve as president pro tempore or temporary president of the Senate. Representatives and Senators propose laws called "bills" in their respective houses. A bill may be voted upon by the entire house right away or may first go to a small group of members of that house known as a committee which may recommend a bill for a vote by the whole house. If one house votes to pass a bill the bill then gets sent to the other house if both houses vote for it it is then sent to the President who may sign the bill into law or veto it. If the President vetoes the bill it is sent back to Congress. If Congress votes again and passes the bill with at least a two-thirds majority the bill becomes law and cannot be vetoed by the President. Under the American system of federalism Congress may not make laws that directly control the states instead Congress may use the promise of federal funds or extenuating circumstances such as national emergencies to encourage the states to follow federal law. This system is both complex and unique. change Judicial branch The Judicial Branch is the part of government that interprets what the law means. The Judicial Branch is made up of the Supreme Court and many lower courts. If the Supreme Court decides that a law is not allowed by the Constitution the law is said to be "struck down" and is no longer a valid law. The Supreme Court is made up of 9 judges called Justices who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. One of these 9 Justices called the Chief Justice heads the Court. A Supreme Court Justice serves until he or she dies or resigns quits in the middle of his or her term . When that happens the President nominates someone new to replace the Justice who left. If the Senate agrees with that choice the person becomes a Justice. If the Senate does not agree with the President's choice then the President must nominate someone else. Famous court cases such as Marbury v. Madison which was decided in 1803 have firmly established that the Supreme Court is the ultimate interpreter of the United States Constitution and has the power to strike down any law that conflicts with it. 2 change History Main article History of the United States change Politics The United States of America consists of 50 states 5 territories and 1 district Washington D.C. . States can make laws about things inside the state but federal law is usually about things dealing with more than one state or dealing with other countries. In some areas if the federal government makes laws that say different things from the state laws people only have to follow the federal government's law because the state law is not a law any more. Each state has a constitution of its own different from the federal national Constitution. Each one of these is like the federal Constitution because they talk about how each state's government is set up but some also talk about specific laws. The federal and a lot of state governments are dominated today by two groups of politicians called political parties the Republicans who are usually more conservative and the Democrats who are usually more liberal although other people can sometimes be elected too like people from the Green Party or the Constitution Party . The two main parties get support from different people and businesses who give money to the parties. Since people give money to the politicians the politicians must listen those people's opinions. This is called lobbying. All Americans are allowed to lobby the government but when small groups have a lot of money they are better at lobbying. Some people think that this is a problem and want rules to be made to change this. As of May 2010 the President is a Democrat and there are more Democrats than Republicans in Congress. So Democrats have a lot of power in the federal government. However there are still many powerful Republicans who can try to stop the Democrats from doing things that they believe will be bad for the country. Also the Democrats do not always agree with each other on what to do. And if enough people decide to vote against Democrats in the next election then they will lose power. In a republic like the United States no party can do whatever they want. All politicians have to argue compromise and make deals with each other to get things done. They have to answer to the people and take responsibility for their mistakes. The USA's large cultural economic and military influence has made foreign relations or relations with other countries an especially important topic in American politics and the politics of many other countries. change Land The United States has grown from 13 states in 1776 to 50 states 5 territories Guam Puerto Rico American Samoa Northern Mariana Islands US Virgin Islands 1 district District of Columbia and other lands such as Guantanamo Bay and Johnston Atoll today. The country grew from East to West. It conquered and bought lands. It also divided some states into two. The states are divided into smaller counties . Two states use different words than "county". Louisiana uses the word "parish". Alaska uses the word "borough". The United States also consists of several other lands that are not states. Most of these are colonial territories and are not a part of the Mainland U.S. Some examples are Puerto Rico American Samoa Guam U.S. Virgin Islands Northern Mariana Islands The United States also includes one federal district that was split from a state Washington D.C. the capital. The Philippines was once a possession of the United States and before that a possession of Spain. Now the Philippines is an independent country . Palau the Federated States of Micronesia and other Pacific island nations were once governed by the United States as a United Nations "Trust Territory" but are now independent. The U.S. military has bases in many countries. The U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay was rented from Cuba even after that country had a Communist revolution. change Geography Main article Geography of the United States The United States is the third biggest country in the world. Its geography varies a lot. There are forests and meadows on the East Coast The Appalachian Mountains in the east The Great Plains in the middle of the country The Mississippi - Missouri river in the middle The Rocky Mountains west of the plains Deserts and coastal areas west of the Rocky Mountains Forests in the Pacific Northwest Arctic regions of Alaska Volcanic islands in Hawaii Long coastline many beaches The climate varies along with the geography from tropical hot and wet in summer warm and dry in winter in Florida to tundra cold all year in Alaska. Large parts of the country have warm summers and cold winters. Some parts of the United States like parts of California have a Mediterranean climate . change Economy The United States has a capitalist economy . This means that people are allowed to start their own businesses. The country has low unemployment and inflation and a large trade deficit meaning the United States buys more things from other countries than it sells . The country has rich mineral resources with many gold oil coal and uranium deposits. Farming makes the country among the top producers of among others corn maize wheat sugar and tobacco . American produces cars airplanes and electronics . About 3/4 of Americans work in the service industry . The top 15 trading partners in terms of total trade are Canada China Mexico Japan Germany UK South Korea France Taiwan Netherlands Brazil Malaysia Italy Singapore Ireland change Demographics The United States of America has people of many different race and ethnic background. 80% of the people in the United States descend from European immigrants. Many people are descended from Germany England Scotland Ireland Africa and Italy . 3 13% of the people in the United States are African-American . Most of them descend from the African slaves that were brought to America . Asian-Americans make up only 5% of the population in America but make up a bigger portion in the west coast. For example in California Asian-Americans make up 13% of the population of that state. Asian-Americans are underrepresented in the media. Hispanic-Americans or people of Latin origins make up 15% of the nation. The original peoples called Native American or American Indian s and Inuit Eskimos are a very small group. 11% of the people in the United States are foreign born. 18% speak a language other than English at home. For people 25 and older 80% have are high school graduates while 25% have a bachelor's degree or higher. The 2000 Census counted self-reported ancestry. It identified 43 million German-Americans 30.5 million Irish-Americans 24.9 million African-Americans 24.5 million English-Americans and 18.4 million Mexican-Americans. change Money The social structure of the United States has a big range. This means that some Americans are much much richer than others. The average median income for an American was $37 000 a year in 2002. However the richest 1% of Americans have as much money as the poorest 90%. 51% of all households have access to a computer and 41% had access to the Internet in 2000 a figure which had grown to 75% in 2004. Globally less than one percent of people own a computer. Furthermore 67.9% of American families owned their homes in 2002. In addition there are 200 million cars in the United States two for every three Americans and roughly one-third of all cars in the world. The debt has grown to over $13 000 000 000 000. change Religion The level of Christianity in the US is declining. 86.2% called themselves Christian in 1990 and 76.5% said this in 2001 . 4 However the United States is still one of the most religious countries in the Western World and the most religious country where most people are not Catholic . Unlike most other Protestant countries most Americans believe in God. The religious memberships in 2001 were Protestant 52% Catholic 24.5% none 13.2% 2% Buddhist Jewish 1.3% and 0.5-0.3% for Muslim Agnostic Atheist Hindu and Unitarian Universalist . There is a large difference between those who say that they belong to a religion and those who are members of a church of that religion. 5 show that church membership in 2001 was 53% Christian 2.3% Jewish and 0.1% Muslim others lower. change Languages Languages 2007 English only 225.5 million Spanish incl. Creole 34.5 million Chinese 2.5 million French incl. Creole 2.0 million Tagalog 1.5 million Vietnamese 1.2 million German 1.1 million Korean 1.1 million The United States does not currently have an official language although the United States Congress has considered officially designating English as such for many years since it is the most used language and the language in which the United States Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution are written. Spanish has increased in usage in certain sectors of society due to an influx of immigrants especially from Mexico and Cuba. French is also a predominant language in parts of Louisiana because of former occupation from France. change Culture American popular culture goes out to many places in the world. It has a large influence on most of the world especially the Western world. American music is heard all over the world and American movies and television shows can be seen almost anywhere. change Federal holidays For 2011 Gregorian calendar 6 Date Name Remarks January 1 New Year's Day Celebrates the beginning of the year. January 17 3rd Monday in January Martin Luther King Jr. Day Honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr an African-American civil rights leader. February 21 3rd Monday in February Washington's Birthday Honors all of the American Presidents but specifically George Washington b. February 22 and Abraham Lincoln b. February 12 May 30 Last Monday in May Memorial Day Honors military servicemen and marks the traditional start of summer. July 4 Independence Day Celebrates the Declaration of Independence otherwise known as "The Fourth of July". September 5 1st Monday in September Labor Day Celebrates the achievements of workers and marks the traditional end of summer. October 10 2nd Monday in October Columbus Day Honors Christopher Columbus the man who discovered the Americas for Europe although Native Americans had been in the Americas for a long time and is not celebrated in some states like Montana . November 11 Veterans Day Honors all military servicemen. The day usually includes a moment of silence at 11 a.m. November 24 4th Thursday in November Thanksgiving Gives thanks for the autumn harvest and marks the traditional beginning of the "holiday season". December 25 Christmas Commemorates the birth of Jesus see Christianity although it is widely acknowledged that Jesus was most likely born in the summer in Israel . It is widely celebrated by many Americans primarily as a reminder of Jesus' life but also as a winter holiday of peace friendship and gift-giving. change Flag The American flag is made up of fifty stars on a blue background. It also has thirteen stripes seven red and six white. The fifty stars represent the fifty states. The red represents courage. The blue represents the sky and respect for God. The white represents peace and purity. The thirteen stripes represent the thirteen original colonies. 7 The US Flag change References ↑ "Census 2010 News U.S. Census Bureau Announces 2010 Census Population Counts Apportionment Counts Delivered to President" . 2010.census.gov . 2011 last update . http //2010.census.gov/news/releases/operations/cb10-cn93.html . Retrieved March 7 2011 . #160 ↑ http // landmarkcases.org/marbury/home.html ↑ http // geolytics / gclid=CK7Nw9bgpJYCFRJ4xgod32jc5g ↑ http // gc.cuny.edu/studies/key_findings.htm ARIS 2001 ↑ http // census.gov/prod/2001pubs/statab/sec01.pdf ↑ "2011 Federal Holidays" . U.S Office of Personnel Mamagement . http // opm.gov/Operating_Status_Schedules/fedhol/2011.asp . Retrieved 23 December 2010 . #160 ↑ USA Flag Meaning. 2009 Retrieved from http // mapsofworld /usa/usa-flag/usa-flag-meaning.html on 16th of September 2010 change Other websites Wikimedia Commons has images video and/or sound related to United States change United States government US Constitution in basic English Official website of the United States government - Gateway to governmental sites The White House - Official site of the Presidential residence Senate.gov - Official site of the United States Senate House.gov - Official site of the United States House of Representatives SCOTUS - Official site of the Supreme Court of the United States Portrait of the USA - Published by the United States Information Agency September 1997. US Census Housing and Economic Statistics Updated regularly by US Bureau of the Census. CIA world factbook change Other National Motto History and Constitutionality Historical Documents Reference US specific web resources sorted by state Geography Trainer US States 1.1 game v · d · e #160 United States #160 topics History Pre-Columbian #160 · Colonial era Thirteen Colonies #160 · Declaration of Independence #160 · American Revolution #160 · Westward expansion #160 · Civil War #160 · Reconstruction #160 · World War I #160 · Great Depression #160 · World War II #160 · Korean War #160 · Cold War #160 · Vietnam War #160 · Civil Rights Movement #160 · War on Terrorism By topic Demographic #160 · Industrial #160 · Military #160 · Postal Government #160 #160 #160 Law Constitution Bill of Rights Separation of powers Enforcement Department of Justice DoJ Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Legislature House Senate Executive Cabinet Federal agencies Foreign policy Judiciary Supreme Court Appeals Intelligence Central Intelligence Agency CIA Defense Intelligence Agency DIA National Security Agency NSA Military Army Marine Corps Navy Air Force Coast Guard Politics Political divisions #160 · Political parties Democrats #160 · Republicans #160 · Other #160 · Elections Electoral College #160 · Uncle Sam #160 · Puerto Rico Political status #160 · Independence movement Geography Territory #160 · States #160 · Cities #160 · Counties #160 · Regions New England #160 · Mid-Atlantic #160 · Southern #160 · Midwest #160 · Great Plains #160 · Northwest #160 · Southwest #160 · Mountains Appalachian #160 · Rocky #160 · Rivers Mississippi #160 · Missouri #160 · Colorado #160 · Islands #160 · Extreme points #160 · National Park System #160 · Water supply and sanitation Economy United States dollar #160 · Companies #160 · Wall Street #160 · Federal Reserve #160 · Banking #160 · Insurance #160 · Standard of living Personal #160 / household income #160 · Income inequality #160 · Homeownership #160 · Communications #160 · Transportation Cars #160 · Trucks #160 · Highways #160 · Airports #160 · Railroads #160 · Tourism Society Demographics #160 · Languages American English #160 · Spanish #160 · Religion #160 · Social class American Dream Culture Music Classical #160 · Folk #160 · Popular #160 · Jazz #160 · TV #160 / Film Hollywood #160 · Harlem Renaissance #160 · Beat Generation #160 States and Territories of the United States States Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming National capital District of Columbia Island areas American Samoa • Baker Island • Guam • Howland Island • Jarvis Island • Johnston Atoll • Kingman Reef • Midway Atoll • Navassa Island • Northern Mariana Islands • Palmyra Atoll • Puerto Rico • Virgin Islands • Wake Island v · d · e Countries and territories of North America Independent Antigua and Barbuda #160 · Bahamas #160 · Barbados #160 · Belize #160 · Canada #160 · Costa #160 Rica #160 · Cuba #160 · Dominica #160 · Dominican #160 Republic #160 · El #160 Salvador #160 · Grenada #160 · Guatemala #160 · Haiti #160 · Honduras #160 · Jamaica #160 · Mexico #160 · Nicaragua #160 · Panama #160 · Saint #160 Kitts #160 and #160 Nevis #160 · Saint #160 Lucia #160 · Saint #160 Vincent #160 and #160 the #160 Grenadines #160 · Trinidad #160 and #160 Tobago #160 · United #160 States Governed by other countries Anguilla #160 · Aruba #160 · Bermuda #160 · British #160 Virgin #160 Islands #160 · Cayman #160 Islands #160 · Greenland #160 · Guadeloupe #160 · Martinique #160 · Montserrat #160 · Navassa #160 Island #160 · Netherlands #160 Antilles #160 · Puerto #160 Rico #160 · Saint-Pierre #160 and #160 Miquelon #160 · Turks #160 and #160 Caicos #160 Islands #160 · U.S. #160 Virgin #160 Islands v · d · e Group of Eight G8 Members Canada #160 · France #160 · Germany #160 · Italy #160 · Japan #160 · Russia #160 · United Kingdom #160 · United States Representative European Union v · d · e North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO Member countries Albania #160 · Belgium #160 · Bulgaria #160 · Canada #160 · Croatia #160 · Czech Republic #160 · Denmark #160 · Estonia #160 · France #160 · Germany #160 · Greece #160 · Hungary #160 · Iceland #160 · Italy #160 · Latvia #160 · Lithuania #160 · Luxembourg #160 · Netherlands #160 · Norway #160 · Poland #160 · Portugal #160 · Romania #160 · Slovakia #160 · Slovenia #160 · Spain #160 · Turkey #160 · United Kingdom #160 · United States Candidate countries Macedonia Retrieved from " http //simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States " Categories Articles needing 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