United States

The United States of America (USA), most often referred to simply as the United States or US, is a democratic republic in North America that is currently the world's only superpower. Established in 1776 as a collection of break-away English colonies, the United States has since eclipsed its mother nation and most other nations in terms of relative economic, political, military and arguably cultural importance. Because of this, the United States has often been accused of economic, political, military and cultural imperialism. The United States's capital in Washington D.C., wher e the capitol is also located, is subdivided into 50 smaller political units called states, and is bordered by Canada in the north, Mexico in the south. Alaska also has a marine border with Russia in the west. The current president of the United States is Republican George W. Bush who took office in January of 2002.

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Politics and government

The United States of America consists, as its name suggests, of a number of states. In 1776, there were only 13 states which declared their independence, but the number has grown since to the current number of 50. The states have a high degree of autonomy, and are allowed to make their own laws. See also: U.S. States

Although the country is a democracy, the government is mostly dominated by just two political parties, the Republicans and the Democrats. See also: Political parties

The government basically consists of three branches, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. The head of the executive branch is the President of the United States of America. The legislative branch is formed by the United States Congress, while the United States Supreme Court is the head of the judicial branch.

History

Something about the Indian history (Native Americans) here

After the European discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492, many explorers form Europe explored the continent. The first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States was the Spanish Saint Augustine, in Florida, 1565. While the Spanish and the French, English colonies were founded on the east coast, where there were also some Dutch and Swedish settlements. Many of the English colonists where religious refugees.

As England put more taxes and other requirements on its colonies in America, thirteen states decided to declare themselves independent. After a war with England (American Revolution), this culminated in the formation of the United States of America. The first modern democracy was born.

As the country expanded by incorporating or buying other colonies and expansion to the west, a conflict grew between the southern states and the northern states. In the north, slavery had been abolished, but this was unthinkable in the south, where the economy depended heavily on slaves in the agriculture. The southern states seceded from the rest, forming Confederate States of America, which led to the American Civil War. This war ended in 1865, with the Confederation surrendering.

The country grew out to a major industrial power, fed by millions of immigrants from Europe and Russia. The United States remained neutral at the outbreak of World War I in 1914, but were drawn in the conflict with the German sinking of a US passenger ship (Lusitania). After the war ended with the Treaty of Versailles, which penalised Germany as the losers of the war, the USA went back to neutrality.

At the end of the prosperous 1920s, American economy received a major blow, starting with a stock market crash in 1929, which started the Great Depression.

The United States once again remained neutral at the start of World War II, though it did provide Great Britain with weapons and tactical materials. After a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Americans declared war on Japan and Germany, joining the allied forces lead by Great Britain and the Soviet Union. The Allied forces succeeded in defeating the Germans by May 1945, while the Japan capitulated after two atomic bombs where thrown in August of the same year.

After the war, Europe became divided between countries allied with the communist Soviet Union, and countries allied with the United States. These two super powers became arch-enemies, leading to the so-called Cold War, which never really resulted into a real war between the countries.

During the 1960s, the country got involved in a civil war in Vietnam. In this war, where the US army fought against mostly invisible guerilla troops, the United States were unable to win. With a population mostly opposed to the American involvement, the troops were withdrawn in 1973.

After the ending of the Cold War with the fall of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe between 1989 and 1991, the United States emerged as the world's only super power.

Politics and government

History

Other topics