United States

Composition

50 states and the federal capital district of Washington, D.C.^[1]

Population

Over 341 million^[1]

Neighbors

Canada to the north and Mexico to the south of the 48 contiguous states^[1]

Form of government

Federal republic under the United States Constitution^[1]

President

Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th president^[8]

Founding documents on display

Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, in the National Archives Rotunda^[3]

Declaration of Independence adopted

July 4, 1776^[1]

Lee Resolution declaring independence

July 2, 1776^[1]

Geography and population

The United States is a country in North America made up of 50 states and the federal capital district of Washington, D.C.^[1] The 48 contiguous states border Canada to the north and Mexico to the south.^[1] The country also includes the semi-exclave of Alaska in the northwest of the continent and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific,^[1] and it claims sovereignty over five major island territories and a number of small, uninhabited islands in Oceania and the Caribbean.^[1]

2:14 Overview A short overview chapter of the Geography Now! episode on the United States.

2:56 Geography A chapter of the Geography Now! episode describing physical and political geography of the United States.

5:35 Fun Fact A chapter of the Geography Now! episode presenting brief facts about the country.

History

British colonization established the Thirteen Colonies, beginning with the settlement of Virginia in 1607.^[1] The Lee Resolution formally declared independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776,^[1] and the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.^[1] Victory in the Revolutionary War (1775 to 1783) brought international recognition of United States sovereignty.^[1]

Divided over slavery, eleven Southern states seceded and formed the Confederate States of America.^[1] The Union's victory in the Civil War (1861 to 1865) led to the abolition of slavery in the United States.^[1] After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, the United States joined the Allies in World War II,^[1] and with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 it emerged as the world's only remaining superpower.^[1]

The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are known together as the Charters of Freedom.^[3] The Declaration set out the nation's founding principles and explained why it broke away from Great Britain;^[3] the Constitution defined the framework of the federal government;^[3] and the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, outlines the rights of citizens and states in relation to the federal government.^[3] The originals of all three are permanently housed in the National Archives Rotunda in Washington, D.C.^[3]

During and after the American Revolutionary War, the new government operated under the Articles of Confederation.^[7] The framers created the United States Constitution after deciding to build a system for running the country,^[7] and the Constitutional Convention relied on compromises to secure its passage.^[7]

8:22 History A long chapter of the Geography Now! episode summarizing United States history.

17:43 Skyscape Closing chapter of the Geography Now! episode showing a view of the United States from the air.

0:45 Native North Americans A chapter of a Crash Course US History episode introducing the indigenous peoples of North America.

1:08 Were Native North Americans 'Primitive?' A chapter of a Crash Course US History episode discussing common misconceptions about pre-Columbian societies.

1:52 Native North American Populations A chapter of a Crash Course US History episode describing the size and distribution of indigenous populations.

3:06 Life in Pre-Columbian America A chapter of a Crash Course US History episode describing daily life in the Americas before European contact.

Government

Under the United States Constitution, the federal government is a republic in which a president holds executive power.^[1] The Constitution separates powers among legislative, executive and judicial branches,^[1] and Congress, the national legislature, has two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.^[1] Under the federal system, each of the 50 states keeps considerable self-government.^[1] The current president is Donald Trump, whom the White House lists as both the 45th and the 47th president of the United States.^[8] USA.gov describes itself as the official guide to United States government information and services.^[4]

0:34 The Articles of Confederation A chapter of a Crash Course US History episode explaining the Articles of Confederation.

2:10 What did the Articles of Confederation Accomplish? A chapter of a Crash Course US History episode assessing the achievements of the Articles of Confederation.

3:12 Shay's Rebellion A chapter of a Crash Course US History episode describing Shays' Rebellion and its political consequences.

4:24 The United States Constitution A chapter of a Crash Course US History episode describing the drafting of the United States Constitution.

International position

The United States performs strongly in measures of economic competitiveness, innovation and tertiary education.^[1] Its economy produces more than a quarter of the world's nominal GDP and has been the largest since roughly 1890.^[1]

The United States is the richest country in the world and ranks first among OECD countries in per-capita disposable household income.^[1] It accounts for close to one-third of global military spending, and its armed forces are generally regarded as the strongest in the world.^[1] A member of many international bodies, it exerts a leading influence on world politics, culture, the economy and military affairs.^[1]

Timeline

1. 1607 British colonisation of North America begins with the settlement of Virginia.^[1]
2. 1776-07-02 The Lee Resolution formally declares independence from Great Britain.^[1]
3. 1776-07-04 The Declaration of Independence is adopted.^[1]
4. 1783 The Revolutionary War ends with international recognition of United States sovereignty.^[1]
5. 1861 Eleven Southern states secede and form the Confederate States of America.^[1]
6. 1865 Union victory in the Civil War leads to the abolition of slavery in the United States.^[1]
7. 1941 The United States enters the Second World War on the Allied side after the attack on Pearl Harbor.^[1]
8. 1991 The Soviet Union collapses, leaving the United States as the world's sole superpower.^[1]