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The United States of America has, for the last ~80 years or so, led the self-called Free World. This era has been referred to as the Pax Americana, though America's dominance over global politics has gradually been slipping over the course of a few decades. Not to say the U.S. isn't a powerful country anymore, political authority is now just more divided than it was in the 90s, when it had almost complete undisputed authority.

The American Experiment

A republic, if you can keep it

— Benjamin Franklin

Before the independence of the United States, there were no modern constitutional democratic states. French political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville published the book "La Démocratie en Amérique" (1835) in which he described the U.S. as a democracy free from the social constraints European states had. Since America had no old nobility with significant power, he praised America for its unusual social equality.*

* Social equality in an Enlightened sense, obviously excluding women and people of color

Timeline

Declaration of Independence: 1776
The Thirteen Colonies were a patchwork of British colonies along the Atlantic seaboard. Even though they were primarily populated by descendants of British settlers, as they were hit with 'unfair' British taxation and a pullback of semi-autonomous governance, they pushed back and eventually sought complete independence from Britain.
Civil War: 1861–65
The economic bases of the geographic North and South were very different. While the North had a very diverse economy, the South primarily depended on cotton plantations run by slaves. When the Republican Abraham Lincoln became president, the South feared that he would 'take away' their slaves. Thus, they seceded from the Union.
Cold War: 1947–91
The capitalist U.S. and communist USSR were two major superpowers of the world and saw each other as direct ideological enemies. Due to building suspicion and fear of being outpaced, both sides started to produce nuclear weaponry en masse as well as rallying various parts of the world to fight on their behalf as proxies to protect their ideology.

Basic Information

Government

The U.S. is a constitutional federal republic with a president whose leadership is elected every 4 years. Authority is divided between the central and state governments. Both work within the constraints of the American constitution.

Nationalism

The vast majority of Americans follow civic nationalism where your identity as an American is tied to the American social contract rather than your race, religion or otherwise.

Economy

The U.S. follows a capitalistic economic model with a guaranteed free market and a private flow of goods.

Ideology

The U.S. is governed or at least claims to govern with the core tenets of liberalism in mind, that being freedom, democracy and equality.

Reach

The U.S. is an enormous country that is able to economically as well as politically influence the Americas as well as the broader world. It is also a great culture exporter.

Capital	Montgomery (~200,000)
Nickname	The Yellowhammer State
Motto	"Audemus jura nostra defendere"
Area	52,420 sq mi (30th)
Population	~5.1 million
Admitted to Union	December 14, 1819 (22nd)
Largest City	Huntsville (~220,000)
Median Household Income	~$59,700 (40s)

Capital	Juneau (~31,500)
Nickname	The Last Frontier
Motto	"North to the Future"
Area	665,384 sq mi (1st)
Population	~700,000
Admitted to Union	January 3, 1959 (49th)
Largest City	Anchorage (~291,000 million)
Median Household Income	~$86,600 (bottom 10)

Capital	Phoenix (~1.6 million)
Nickname	The Grand Canyon State
Motto	"Ditat Deus"
Area	113,990 sq mi (6th)
Population	~7.4 million
Admitted to Union	February 14, 1912 (48th)
Largest City	Phoenix (~1.6 million)
Median Household Income	~$66,600 (30s)

Capital	Little Rock (~200,000)
Nickname	The Natural State
Motto	"Regnat populus"
Area	53,179 sq mi (29th)
Population	~3.0 million
Admitted to Union	June 15, 1836 (25th)
Largest City	Little Rock (~200,000)
Median Household Income	~$55,400 (mid-40s)

Capital	Sacramento (~500,000)
Nickname	The Golden State
Motto	"Eureka"
Area	163,700 sq mi (3rd)
Population	~40 million
Admitted to Union	September 9th, 1850 (31st)
Largest City	Los Angeles (~4 million)
Median Household Income	~$95,500 (top 5)

Capital	Denver (~715,000)
Nickname	The Centennial State
Motto	"Nil sine numine"
Area	104,094 sq mi (8th)
Population	~5.9 million
Admitted to Union	August 1, 1876 (38th)
Largest City	Denver (~715,000)
Median Household Income	~$80,000 (top 10)

Capital	Hartford (~120,000)
Nickname	The Constitution State
Motto	"Qui transtulit sustinet"
Area	5,543 sq mi (48th)
Population	~3.6 million
Admitted to Union	January 9, 1788 (5th)
Largest City	Bridgeport (~148,000)
Median Household Income	~$83,600 (top 5)

Capital	Dover (~39,000)
Nickname	The First State
Motto	"Liberty and Independence"
Area	2,489 sq mi (49th)
Population	~1.0 million
Admitted to Union	December 7, 1787 (1st)
Largest City	Wilmington (~71,000)
Median Household Income	~$75,000 (top 15)

Capital	Tallahassee (~200,000)
Nickname	The Sunshine State
Motto	"In God We Trust"
Area	65,758 sq mi (22nd)
Population	~22.2 million
Admitted to Union	March 3, 1845 (27th)
Largest City	Jacksonville (~950,000)
Median Household Income	~$67,900 (30s)

Capital	Atlanta (~500,000)
Nickname	The Peach State
Motto	"Wisdom, Justice, Moderation"
Area	59,425 sq mi (24th)
Population	~10.9 million
Admitted to Union	January 2, 1788 (4th)
Largest City	Atlanta (~500,000)
Median Household Income	~$71,200 (mid-20s)

Capital	Honolulu (~345,000)
Nickname	The Aloha State
Motto	"Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono"
Area	10,931 sq mi (43rd)
Population	~1.5 million
Admitted to Union	August 21, 1959 (50th)
Largest City	Honolulu
Median Household Income	~$95,300 (6th)

Capital	Boise (~240,000)
Nickname	The Gem State
Motto	"Esto perpetua"
Area	83,569 sq mi (14th)
Population	~1.9 million
Admitted to Union	July 3, 1890 (43rd)
Largest City	Boise (~240,000)
Median Household Income	~$71,600 (mid-20s)

Capital	Springfield (~115,000)
Nickname	The Prairie State
Motto	"State Sovereignty, National Union"
Area	57,914 sq mi (25th)
Population	~12.6 million
Admitted to Union	December 3, 1818 (21st)
Largest City	Chicago (~2.7 million)
Median Household Income	~$78,400 (top 15)

Capital	Indianapolis (~880,000)
Nickname	The Hoosier State
Motto	"The Crossroads of America"
Area	36,420 sq mi (38th)
Population	~6.8 million
Admitted to Union	December 11, 1816 (19th)
Largest City	Indianapolis (~880,000)
Median Household Income	~$67,000 (mid-30s)

Capital	Des Moines (~215,000)
Nickname	The Hawkeye State
Motto	"Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain"
Area	56,273 sq mi (26th)
Population	~3.2 million
Admitted to Union	December 28, 1846 (29th)
Largest City	Des Moines (~215,000)
Median Household Income	~$71,000 (top 20)

Capital	Topeka (~125,000)
Nickname	The Sunflower State
Motto	"Ad astra per aspera"
Area	82,278 sq mi (15th)
Population	~2.9 million
Admitted to Union	January 29, 1861 (34th)
Largest City	Wichita (~395,000)
Median Household Income	~$70,000 (top 25)

Capital	Lansing (~112,000)
Nickname	The Great Lakes State
Motto	"Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice"
Area	96,714 sq mi (10th)
Population	~10.0 million
Admitted to Union	January 26, 1837 (26th)
Largest City	Detroit (~620,000)
Median Household Income	~$68,000 (top 30)

Capital	Columbus (~910,000)
Nickname	The Buckeye State
Motto	"With God, all things are possible"
Area	44,826 sq mi (34th)
Population	~11.8 million
Admitted to Union	March 1, 1803 (17th)
Largest City	Columbus (~910,000)
Median Household Income	~$67,500 (mid-30s)

Capital	Oklahoma City (~700,000)
Nickname	The Sooner State
Motto	"Labor omnia vincit"
Area	69,899 sq mi (20th)
Population	~4.0 million
Admitted to Union	November 16, 1907 (46th)
Largest City	Oklahoma City (~700,000)
Median Household Income	~$59,000 (low-40s)

Capital	Frankfort (~28,000)
Nickname	The Bluegrass State
Motto	"United we stand, divided we fall"
Area	40,408 sq mi (37th)
Population	~4.5 million
Admitted to Union	June 1, 1792 (15th)
Largest City	Louisville (~620,000)
Median Household Income	~$60,000 (low-40s)

Capital	Baton Rouge (~225,000)
Nickname	The Pelican State
Motto	"Union, Justice, Confidence"
Area	52,378 sq mi (31st)
Population	~4.6 million
Admitted to Union	April 30, 1812 (18th)
Largest City	New Orleans (~385,000)
Median Household Income	~$55,000 (bottom 10)

Capital	Augusta (~19,000)
Nickname	The Pine Tree State
Motto	"Dirigo"
Area	35,380 sq mi (39th)
Population	~1.4 million
Admitted to Union	March 15, 1820 (23rd)
Largest City	Portland (~68,000)
Median Household Income	~$68,000 (top 30)

Capital	Annapolis (~40,000)
Nickname	The Old Line State
Motto	"Fatti maschii, parole femine"
Area	12,406 sq mi (42nd)
Population	~6.2 million
Admitted to Union	April 28, 1788 (7th)
Largest City	Baltimore (~585,000)
Median Household Income	~$94,000 (top 5)

Capital	Boston (~655,000)
Nickname	The Bay State
Motto	"Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem"
Area	10,565 sq mi (44th)
Population	~7.0 million
Admitted to Union	February 6, 1788 (6th)
Largest City	Boston (~655,000)
Median Household Income	~$96,000 (top 5)

Capital	Saint Paul (~310,000)
Nickname	The North Star State
Motto	"L'Étoile du Nord"
Area	86,936 sq mi (12th)
Population	~5.7 million
Admitted to Union	May 11, 1858 (32nd)
Largest City	Minneapolis (~430,000)
Median Household Income	~$80,000 (top 10)

Capital	Jackson (~165,000)
Nickname	The Magnolia State
Motto	"Virtute et armis"
Area	48,432 sq mi (32nd)
Population	~3.0 million
Admitted to Union	December 10, 1817 (20th)
Largest City	Jackson (~165,000)
Median Household Income	~$52,000 (bottom 5)

Capital	Jefferson City (~44,000)
Nickname	The Show Me State
Motto	"Salus populi suprema lex esto"
Area	69,707 sq mi (21st)
Population	~6.2 million
Admitted to Union	August 10, 1821 (24th)
Largest City	Kansas City (~510,000)
Median Household Income	~$63,000 (mid-30s)

Capital	Helena (~33,000)
Nickname	The Treasure State
Motto	"Oro y Plata"
Area	147,040 sq mi (4th)
Population	~1.1 million
Admitted to Union	November 8, 1889 (41st)
Largest City	Billings (~120,000)
Median Household Income	~$66,000 (mid-30s)

Capital	Lincoln (~295,000)
Nickname	The Cornhusker State
Motto	"Equality before the law"
Area	77,348 sq mi (16th)
Population	~2.0 million
Admitted to Union	March 1, 1867 (37th)
Largest City	Omaha (~485,000)
Median Household Income	~$72,000 (top 25)

The United States of America

Homepage

The American Experiment

Timeline

Declaration of Independence: 1776

Civil War: 1861–65

Cold War: 1947–91

Basic Information

Government

Nationalism

Economy

Ideology

Reach

State Handbook

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idaho

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maine

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michigan

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montana

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nevada

new hampshire

new jersey

new mexico

new york

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north dakota

ohio

oklahoma

oregon

pennsylvania

rhode island

south carolina

south dakota

tennessee

texas

utah

vermont

virginia

washington

west virginia

wisconsin

wyoming

IGOs

Capital	Carson City (~58,000)
Nickname	The Silver State
Motto	"All for Our Country"
Area	110,572 sq mi (7th)
Population	~3.2 million
Admitted to Union	October 31, 1864 (36th)
Largest City	Las Vegas (~640,000)
Median Household Income	~$69,000 (top 30)

Capital	Concord (~44,000)
Nickname	The Granite State
Motto	"Live Free or Die"
Area	9,349 sq mi (46th)
Population	~1.4 million
Admitted to Union	June 21, 1788 (9th)
Largest City	Manchester (~115,000)
Median Household Income	~$88,000 (top 10)

Capital	Trenton (~90,000)
Nickname	The Garden State
Motto	"Liberty and Prosperity"
Area	8,723 sq mi (47th)
Population	~9.3 million
Admitted to Union	December 18, 1787 (3rd)
Largest City	Newark (~310,000)
Median Household Income	~$96,000 (top 5)

Capital	Santa Fe (~90,000)
Nickname	The Land of Enchantment
Motto	"Crescit eundo"
Area	121,589 sq mi (5th)
Population	~2.1 million
Admitted to Union	January 6, 1912 (47th)
Largest City	Albuquerque (~500,000)
Median Household Income	~$62,300 (43rd)

Capital	Albany (~100,000)
Nickname	The Empire State
Motto	"Excelsior"
Area	54,555 sq mi (27th)
Population	~19.6 million
Admitted to Union	July 26, 1788 (11th)
Largest City	New York City (~8.3 million)
Median Household Income	~$75,000 (top 10)

Capital	Raleigh (~480,000)
Nickname	The Tar Heel State
Motto	"Esse quam videri"
Area	53,819 sq mi (28th)
Population	~10.8 million
Admitted to Union	November 21, 1789 (12th)
Largest City	Charlotte (~900,000)
Median Household Income	~$67,000 (mid-30s)

Capital	Bismarck (~75,000)
Nickname	The Peace Garden State
Motto	"Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and Inseparable"
Area	70,698 sq mi (19th)
Population	~780,000
Admitted to Union	November 2, 1889 (39th)
Largest City	Fargo (~130,000)
Median Household Income	~$76,000 (top 10)

Capital	Salem (~180,000)
Nickname	The Beaver State
Motto	"Alis volat propriis"
Area	98,381 sq mi (9th)
Population	~4.3 million
Admitted to Union	February 14, 1859 (33rd)
Largest City	Portland (~650,000)
Median Household Income	~$74,000 (top 15)

Capital	Harrisburg (~50,000)
Nickname	The Keystone State
Motto	"Virtue, Liberty, and Independence"
Area	46,055 sq mi (33rd)
Population	~13.0 million
Admitted to Union	December 12, 1787 (2nd)
Largest City	Philadelphia (~1.6 million)
Median Household Income	~$73,000 (top 20)

Capital	Providence (~190,000)
Nickname	The Ocean State
Motto	"Hope"
Area	1,545 sq mi (50th)
Population	~1.1 million
Admitted to Union	May 29, 1790 (13th)
Largest City	Providence (~190,000)
Median Household Income	~$74,000 (top 15)