United States of America A Country Study Guide

The United States of America is the world’s foremost economic and military power, with global interests and an unmatched global reach. America’s gross domestic product accounts for close to a quarter of the world total, and its military budget is reckoned to be almost as much as the rest of the world’s defence spending put together. The country is also a major source of entertainment: American television, Hollywood films, jazz, blues, rock and rap music are primary ingredients in global popular culture. The United States originated in a revolution which separated it from the British Crown. The constitution, drafted in 1787, established a federal system with a division of powers which has remained unchanged in form since its inception. The United States is a federal republic. The federal government of the United States is set up by the Constitution. There are three branches of government. They are the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. State governments and the federal government work in very similar ways. Each state has its own executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The executive branch of a state government is led by a governor, instead of a president. The United States of America’s large cultural, economic, and military influence has made the foreign policy of the United States, or relations with other countries, a topic in American politics, and the politics of many other countries. All of these fissures were on display during the 2016 national presidential campaign between Trump and Hillary Clinton. While national security is a concern, so too, is the debt incurred from wars and expenditures on an aging population. The United States leads the developed world in deaths due to firearms.