United States of America

United States or United States of America Abbr. U.S. or US or U.S.A. or USA A country of central and northwest North America with coastlines on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It includes the noncontiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii and various island territories in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. The area now occupied by the contiguous 48 states was originally inhabited by numerous Native American peoples and was colonized beginning in the 16th century by Spain, France, the Netherlands, and England. Great Britain eventually controlled most of the Atlantic coast and, after the French and Indian Wars (1754-1763), the Northwest Territory and Canada. The original Thirteen Colonies declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776 and formed a government under the Articles of Confederation in 1781, adopting (1787) a new constitution that went into effect after 1789. The nation soon began to expand westward. Growing tensions over the issue of Black slavery divided the country along geographic lines, sparking the secession of the South and the Civil War (1861-1865). The remainder of the 19th century was marked by increased westward expansion, industrialization, and the influx of millions of immigrants. The United States entered World War II after the Japanese attack (1941) on Pearl Harbor and emerged after the war as a world power. Washington, D.C., is the capital and New York the largest city. Population: 302,000,000.

United States

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United States of America

n

(Placename) (functioning as singular or plural) a federal republic mainly in North America consisting of 50 states and the District of Columbia: colonized principally by the English and French in the 17th century, the native Indians being gradually defeated and displaced; 13 colonies under British rule made the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and became the United States after the War of American Independence. The northern states defeated the South in the Civil War (1861-65). It is the world's most productive industrial nation and also exports agricultural products. It participated reluctantly in World Wars I and II but since the establishment of the United Nations in 1945 has played a major role in international affairs. It consists generally of the Rocky Mountains in the west, the Great Plains in the centre, the Appalachians in the east, deserts in the southwest, and coastal lowlands and swamps in the southeast. Language: predominantly English; Spanish is also widely spoken. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: dollar. Capital: Washington, D.C. Pop.: 286 067 000 (2001 est. ). Area: 9 518 323 sq. km (3 675 031 sq. miles) Often shortened to United States Abbreviations US USA.

Thesaurus

Noun

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United States of America - North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776 U.S.A., United States, US, USA, America, the States, U.S. multiple voting - the act of voting in more than one place by the same person at the same election (illegal in U.S.) snake dance - a ceremonial dance (as by the Hopi) in which snakes are handled or invoked reallotment, reapportionment, reallocation - a new apportionment (especially a new apportionment of congressional seats in the United States on the basis of census results) trust busting - (law) government activities seeking to dissolve corporate trusts and monopolies (especially under the United States antitrust laws) Boston Tea Party - demonstration (1773) by citizens of Boston who (disguised as Indians) raided three British ships in Boston harbor and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into the harbor; organized as a protest against taxes on tea recall - the act of removing an official by petition American Civil War, United States Civil War, War between the States - civil war in the United States between the North and the South; 1861-1865 water spaniel - any dog of two large curly-coated breeds used for hunting waterfowl maquiladora - an assembly plant in Mexico (near the United States border); parts are shipped into Mexico and the finished product is shipped back across the border slave market - a marketplace where slaves were auctioned off (especially in the southern United States before the American Civil War) totem - emblem consisting of an object such as an animal or plant; serves as the symbol of a family or clan (especially among American Indians) hooter, schnoz, schnozzle, snoot, snout, nozzle, honker, beak - informal terms for the nose southernism - an attitude characteristic of Southerners (especially in the US) shamanism - any animistic religion similar to Asian shamanism (especially as practiced by certain Native American tribes) Social Security number - the number of a particular individual's Social Security account joint resolution - a resolution passed by both houses of Congress which becomes legally binding when signed by the Chief Executive (or passed over the Chief Executive's veto) Bill of Rights - a statement of fundamental rights and privileges (especially the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution) Athabascan, Athapaskan language, Athabaskan, Athapascan, Athapaskan - a group of Amerindian languages (the name coined by an American anthropologist, Edward Sapir) inaugural, inaugural address - an address delivered at an inaugural ceremony (especially by a United States president) tart - a small open pie with a fruit filling teacake - any of various small cakes or cookies often served with tea partridge - flesh of either quail or grouse cola, dope - carbonated drink flavored with extract from kola nuts (`dope' is a southernism in the United States) combination in restraint of trade - (law) any monopoly or contract or combination or conspiracy intended to restrain commerce (which are illegal according to antitrust laws of the United States) State Department - a department of government in one of the 50 states department of the federal government, federal department, federal office - a department of the federal government of the United States federation of tribes, tribe - a federation (as of American Indians) NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization - an international organization created in 1949 by the North Atlantic Treaty for purposes of collective security OAS, Organization of American States - an association including most countries in the western hemisphere; created in 1948 to promote military and economic and social and cultural cooperation nation - a federation of tribes (especially Native American tribes); "the Shawnee nation" independent agency - an agency of the United States government that is created by an act of Congress and is independent of the executive departments IC, Intelligence Community, National Intelligence Community, United States Intelligence Community - a group of government agencies and organizations that carry out intelligence activities for the United States government; headed by the Director of Central Intelligence county - (United States) the largest administrative district within a state; "the county plans to build a new road"