The United States of America is a nation-state stretching across North America between Canada and Mexico, plus Alaska in the continent's northwest, the mid-Pacific archipelago of Hawaii and several territories in the Pacific & Caribbean. Founded by European émigrés rebelling from British control in ...
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3answers
201 views
Why Americans like to enroll in military services despite huge risks involved?
Working in US military is one of the riskiest jobs in America because of the regular engagement in battles compared to other military in the world.
I live in a third-world country. Even in my ...
-4
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2answers
291 views
Why does the United States of America support Israel against Iran? [closed]
Why is it US foreign policy to support Israel in a hypothetical war with Iran?
In the history of relations between U.S and Israel I don't see anything that Israel has ever done for the US to deserve ...
5
votes
1answer
251 views
First US police officer killed in the line of duty
Who was the first US police officer killed in the line of duty? When and where did it take place? By US police officer, I mean any active-duty police officer working for any force in the US ...
8
votes
3answers
804 views
What was President Jimmy Carter's role in the Iranian Revolution?
Iran was a friend to the USA until Carter traveled to Iran and immediately afterwards Iran faced revolution. Khomeini went to Iran from France.
On November 4, 1979, an angry mob of young Islamic ...
8
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3answers
672 views
Early attempts to abolish slavery in USA
Were there any early attempts or debates to abolish slavery in the USA, before Lincoln?
3
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1answer
89 views
What are some major military successes achieved by the former Soviet Union against the Western World?
What are some major military successes achieved by the former Soviet Union against the Western World that shook the US and its cold war allies?
8
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2answers
314 views
Did the Olympics make the Star Spangled Banner the US national anthem?
A long, long time ago, I remember watching a TV miniseries about the first Olympics of the modern era in 1896.
One of the amusing substories I remember involved the USA's National Anthem and the ...
2
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1answer
30 views
When was federal sovereign immunity in the U.S. established?
Lawsuits against the federal government can be dismissed under the doctrine of sovereign immunity. For example, Al Haramain Islamic Foundation v. Obama was recently dismissed (Appeals court dismisses ...
6
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3answers
206 views
Chronology of Political Party Alignment with “Left” and “Right”
I once heard it said that U.S. political parties (Republicans and Democrats) have both spent the last century becoming increasingly liberal, such that 21st century Republicans now hold the same ...
9
votes
1answer
201 views
Did Jefferson really say this quote about patriotism?
Who said this quote?
Patriotism is not a short frenzied burst of emotion, but the long and steady dedication of a lifetime.
I've seen some sources claiming it was Thomas Jefferson and others ...
4
votes
1answer
55 views
President proposes bills: provenance
The President of the United States sends proposed bills to members of Congress, that they may introduce the bills on his behalf. There's no provision for this in the Constitution (AFAICT).
What was ...
13
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4answers
653 views
Why doesn't Russia maintain significant numbers of Aircraft carriers?
The United States has 11 aircraft carriers in total. Russia has only one. We saw in the past that the USSR also didn't put much importance on constructing aircraft carriers and putting them into ...
8
votes
2answers
887 views
Why did Spain not participate in World War I?
Spain was losing influence in America for the previous 100 years, and there was a recent Spanish-American war. So how could have Spain remained neutral?
Why could Spain not find a place in the ...
10
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3answers
886 views
Why did the United States enter World War I?
The topic of World War I came up last night with a few strangers, at a bar, of course. One seemingly knowledgeable gentleman, who happened to have Howard Zinn's A Peoples' History of the United States ...
10
votes
1answer
135 views
Were mattress labels inspired by public outcry?
If you're an American consumer, you likely know the "mattress tag", labels attached to mattresses, pillows, stuffed animals, and pet beds, which often begin "This tag may not be removed under penalty ...
16
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1answer
574 views
Why are the signatures on the United States Declaration of Independence structured as they are?
When looking at the United States Declaration of Independence its easy to notice that John Hancock's signature is more prominent than the others:
From my readings I know John Hancock did sign one of ...
5
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1answer
100 views
Was there ever a single train that ran straight from San Francisco to New York City, or any that ran truly from coast to coast?
Though the first Transcontinental Railroad was finished in 1869, the Overland Route seems to have only taken passengers between San Francisco and Council Bluffs, Iowa / Omaha, Nebraska via the ...
3
votes
2answers
167 views
Why did the US, Britain, France, Denmark and Sweden vote against the UN resolution that condemned Nazism and SS glorification?
Why did some Western countries, including the US, Britain, France, Denmark and Sweden vote against UN resolution 61/147 that condemned Nazism and SS glorification?
6
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1answer
125 views
What coin denominations were used in the US before Dollars and Cents?
In Thomas Jefferson's proposal for a decimal currency, he describes the status quo as:
The [cent] will differ little from the copper of the four Eastern
States, which is 1/108 of a dollar; still ...
7
votes
1answer
209 views
How Many Members of US Congress Have Died While In Office?
As best I can tell, Leo Ryan of California is the only U.S. Member of Congress murdered while in office. He was killed by members of the People's Temple in Guyana in 1978. What I'm looking for are how ...
4
votes
3answers
575 views
Evolution of United States' world role? [closed]
This is a pretty big and general question, but I'm interested to hear some opinions from fellow StackExchangians:
Over the 20th century, how did the United States evolve into being a world ...
3
votes
5answers
158 views
How Did The US Justice System Lose Sight of Intent?
In the USA all that seems to matter is the letter of the law. This example demonstrates how a US law is being used for things it was never intended.
The British Justice System places a huge emphasis ...
10
votes
3answers
404 views
Gold Confiscation Act of 1933
On March 9, 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) called Congress in for an emergency session, which would result in the speedy passing of the Gold Confiscation Act. According to FDR's Executive Order ...
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3answers
767 views
Has the US Congress ever repealed a law?
Has the United States Congress ever repealed legislation, rather than amend the legislation or let the legislation be annulled by the Supreme Court?
It seems to me that once a law is passed it ...
3
votes
2answers
136 views
Which technologies/commodities were available during the 30s on USA?
This is for a RPG story, so I don't need too much accuracy, but the common stuff would be very useful :)
I've already found this site: http://www.paper-dragon.com/1939/ but would like more ...
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2answers
250 views
What are the differences between actual Roman Catholicism and American Catholicism? [closed]
What are the differences between actual Roman Catholicism and American Catholicism?
Please point out the historical, political, cultural and belief differences.
You can also provide me with some ...
3
votes
2answers
189 views
Based on historical experience what would happen if/when the USA/EU fell?
In this video the guy talking mentions that when empires fall. Governance tends to become more local and smallscale(warlords, feudal lords etc) because threats tend to become smallscale and local. And ...
3
votes
4answers
299 views
Were there reasons for Japan to go to war with US aside from US owning Philippines?
Right after the Spanish-American War in 1898, the US acquired the Philippines from Spain. At that time, local leaders desired Philippines independence. The Philippines-American War was fought around ...
6
votes
1answer
100 views
Did the US gov't pay the Cherokee for their lands in Georgia?
According to the Treaty of New Echota, ratified by the US Senate in 1836, the US government was supposed to pay the Cherokee Nation $5 million for their lands in and around Georgia. In exchange, the ...
8
votes
1answer
240 views
What were Hispanic people called in the US in the 1800s?
Today in the US, people from Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas are called by various names: Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, etc. What was the term used by Americans for such people in the 1800s?
...
6
votes
1answer
94 views
During the American Civil War, could you send mail to someone across the border?
Before the Civil War, there was mail service between all the different states. During the war, could you still send a letter from, say New York to Georgia, or did the post office shut down services ...
2
votes
1answer
44 views
Were labor shortages ever a problem for the railroads in the Old West?
Many different rail lines were build in the western United States from the 1850s onwards. Was construction ever delayed/canceled due to difficulty in finding workers, or due to workers leaving the ...
22
votes
7answers
3k views
Was the secession of the Confederate states illegal?
Putting aside their reasons for wanting to do so and all the emotional responses they would provoke, was the secession of states from the Union to eventually form the Confederacy an illegal act in ...
4
votes
4answers
153 views
What precipitated the rise of social safety nets in the United States?
In the United States we received changes in the social safety net over the past century with the big changes coming in the form of social security and medicaid/medicate as well as other programs. The ...
3
votes
1answer
69 views
What were the first “Big Banks” in the United States?
The large financial institutions of the world have dominated the news cycle for the past few years, and it got me thinking, what were the first large banks in the US? I am interested in hearing about ...
3
votes
1answer
133 views
United States Incarceration Rate
How many people were sentenced to prison in 2011 in the United States? This statistic is hard to come by online. The only measured incarceration rate I've come across is the amount of people ...
6
votes
1answer
165 views
Where is the location shown in this picture on a modern day map?
This image from this site is named Traffic Jam at the New York Entrance of the Holland Tunnel. New York City, 1920s
As I understand, this is at Manhattan end of Holland Tunnel. I've tried, without ...
1
vote
2answers
115 views
Were Civil-War-era Americans better writers than modern Americans? [closed]
Whenever I hear people recite speeches, letters, and historical accounts from Americans who lived through the Civil War, I'm struck by the exceptional quality of their writing. Compared to modern ...
5
votes
2answers
140 views
Did non-Indians go into Indian Territory (now Oklahoma)?
From 1854 to 1907 there was a territory reserved for American Indians (aptly named "Indian Territory") in what is now the state of Oklahoma.
How exclusive was this territory? Did non-Indians go ...
6
votes
1answer
114 views
Did American Indians disrupt railroads in their regions?
In the Old West, many railroads went through Indian-occupied areas. Are there any documented instances of the Indians ever sabotaging the railroads? Please provide dates and circumstances where ...
5
votes
1answer
104 views
Did Native Americans sabotage telegraph lines running through their territory?
In the 1800s in the Western US, there were a number of telegraph lines running through territory mostly inhabited by Indians. Did they ever sabotage the lines?
2
votes
1answer
232 views
Where did the railroad companies find workers to build the rails?
In the building of the various transcontinental railroads in the western US during the late 1800s, how did the railroad companies find workers?
I suppose I'm looking for an answer like "They paid a ...
15
votes
1answer
141 views
When did the cats versus dogs rivalry begin in the US?
In the US people that own pets seem to be pegged as either dog people, or cat people. This cultural phenomenon is so prevalent that Hollywood even made a movie about it.
My question is, when did this ...
3
votes
2answers
64 views
Was Brown v Board of Education the only major decision that changed educational choice in America?
Brown v Board of Education was the landmark Supreme Court case in America that was supposed to allow more educational choice for all Americans, basically stopping segregational policies and on a legal ...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
What differences led to Technicolor becoming the dominant color filming technology in Hollywood?
Apparently another technology, Kinemacolor, was invented first in the UK, but it never caught on in Hollywood. Kinemacolor was expensive, and had some other glitches involved, but the fact that it was ...
5
votes
4answers
367 views
What factors led to the rise of political parties in the United States?
I know that at the time the Constitution was drafted partisan political parties did not exist, not in the way that we conceive of them today, and George Washington did not have a political party. ...
2
votes
1answer
46 views
What factors enabled the New York Journal to survive the yellow journalism wars?
The height of yellow journalism was a battle waged between the Joseph Pulitzer owned New York World, and the William Hearst owned New York Journal. However, even though these two papers boasted large ...
8
votes
1answer
93 views
Why was the area now known as Liberia chosen as the location for repatriation of African slaves in the US?
The American Colonization Society thought that colonizing Africa for the purpose of returning US slaves to Africa was the solution to slavery problems. Why, and how, did they come to decide that the ...
7
votes
1answer
102 views
Why did the states that were born out of the Louisiana purchase adopt a common law system, and not a civil law system?
The French system of laws is a civil law system that is based upon the Napoleonic Code, and further back the Justinian Code. The legal system in Louisiana is now bijuridicial retaining some of the ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
What factors led to the US government issuing nutrition guidelines in 1916?
This timeline from the Washington Post says that the United States Department of Agriculture issued its first food guidelines in 1916 for children, and then did one in 1920 for adults. My question is, ...
