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The United States of America, commonly referred to as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A, America and the States, is the world's most powerful and influential country. It is also one of the largest countries in terms of land area (ranking third or fourth) and population (at slightly over 300 million). The continental U.S., which contains 48 of the 50 states, is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, to the north by Canada to the southwest by Mexico. The country also contains two non-adjacent states, Alaska and Hawaii, which are also its two newest, and has control over a number of overseas territories, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Saipan. The land comprising the U.S. has been inhabited for tens of thousands of years by tribes whose roots apparently trace back to northeast Asia. European exploration and settlement in the 16th century led to the establishment of colonies along the east coast that became increasingly independent of European nations. The original 13 colonies declared their independence from England on July 4, 1776, and the British accepted the new nation in 1783 after defeat in the Revolutionary War. A central feature of the U.S. is its constitution, which was debated and written by some the most wise and learned men in the land and finally ratified by a Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1786. This document was based on what had been learned about government from hundreds of years of European experience as well as from reading the Greek classics. Its noble goals are well summarized by its preamble, which states: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. This freedom, together with abundant natural resources, isolation by two oceans from wars which plagued Europe and much of the rest of the world, and a steady influx of ambitious and talented immigrants have been responsible for making the U.S. the world's leader in a wide range fields and giving it the world's most vigorous economy. The resulting opportunities have made the U.S. an attractive goal for immigrants from all over the world. Despite its great advantages and strengths, the U.S. has not always lived up to its ideals, and both the internal situation and foreign policy have at times been less than noble. For example, on the domestic front, certain minorities were long denied equal rights, native American societies were destroyed and their lands confiscated, slavery persisted for many decades, and much of the natural environment has been severely damaged. Likewise, internationally, the country has been involved in a number of questionable incidents, among the most devastating have been occasional unnecessary and unprovoked wars. The start of the twenty first century has been a particularly traumatic one for America, beginning with the shock of the September 11 attacks and continuing with the policies and events that followed, both domestically and abroad. Yet, a basic optimism persists both within the country and in much of the rest of the world that America can get back on track, start moving closer to its ideals and again set an example for the rest of the world as a shining beacon of peace, hope and justice as it has done in the past. Created November 2, 2006. |