Independence

July 4, 1776

Form of Government

Federal republic (1787-present)

Total Population

318,892,103*

Divisions

50 states, 5 territories, 1 federal district

Major Cities

Washington D.C. (capital), New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago

Major Languages**

English, Spanish

Major Colonial/Semi-Colonial Relationships

U.K., Liberia (1821-1847), the Philippines (1898-1946)

Select Historical Events

• 1600s – 1865: Colonial and U.S. slavery
• 1791: Ratification of U.S. Bill of Rights
• 1830s: Indian Removal Act & Trail of Tears
• 1882: Chinese Exclusion Act
• 1868: Ratification of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
• 1919: Women’s suffrage established
• 1924: Immigration Act of 1924
• 1942 – 1945: Internment of Japanese Americans
• 1950s – 1980s: African-American civil rights, second-wave feminist, and gay liberation movements
• 1964: Civil Rights Act of 1964
• 1965: Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 & Voting Rights Act of 1965
• 1990: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• 2003: U.S. Supreme Court strikes down anti-sodomy laws
• 2015: U.S. Supreme Court strikes down same-sex marriage bans

Diversity Snapshot

*Source: 2014 CIA World Factbook
**Spoken by >10% of population at home