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Washington
Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The state is named after George Washington, the first President of the United States. The state capital is Olympia, and the largest city is Seattle. As of the 2000 census, the state population was approximately 5.9 million and the state work force numbered about 3.1 million. Residents are called "Washingtonians" (emphasis on the third syllable, which rhymes with bone).
It should not be confused with Washington, D.C., the nation's capital. To avoid confusion, the capital is often called simply D.C. and the state often called Washington state.
The battleship USS Washington was named originally for President Washington, but was later renamed USS Washington in honor of the state, which is named after President Washington.
History
Prior to the arrival of explorers from Europe, this region of the Pacific Coast had many established tribes of Native Americans, each with its own unique culture. Today, they are most notable for their totem poles and their ornately carved canoes and masks. Prominent among their industries were salmon fishing and whale hunting. In the east, nomadic tribes travelled the land and missionaries such as the Whitmans settled there.
The first European record of a landing on the Washington coast was by Spanish Captain Don Bruno de Heceta in 1775 on board the Santiago, part of a two-ship flotilla with the Sonora. They claimed all the coastal lands up to the Russian possessions in the north for Spain.
In 1778, British explorer Captain James Cook sighted Cape Flattery, at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but the straits would not be explored until 1789 by Captain Charles W. Barkley. Further explorations of the straits were performed by Spanish explorers Manuel Quimper in 1790 and Francisco Eliza in 1791, then by British Captain George Vancouver in 1792.
The Spanish Nootka Convention of 1790 opened the northwest territory to explorers and trappers from other nations, most notably Britain and then the United States. Captain Robert Gray (for whom Grays Harbor county is named) then discovered the mouth of the Columbia river and, beginning in 1792, he established trade in Sea Otter pelts. In 1805 the Lewis and Clark expedition entered the state on October 10.
In 1819 Spain ceded their original claims to this territory to the United States. This began a period of disputed joint-occupancy by Britain and the U.S. that lasted until June 15, 1846 when Britain ceded their claims to this land with the Treaty of Oregon.
Due to the migration along the Oregon Trail, many settlers wandered north to what is now Washington and settled the Puget Sound area. The first settlement was New Market (now known as Tumwater) in 1846. In 1853 the Northern Pacific railroad line reached Puget Sound, linking the region to the other states. During that same year Washington Territory was formed from part of Oregon Territory.
Washington became the 42nd state in the United States on November 11, 1889.
Early prominent industries in the state included agriculture and lumber. In eastern Washington the Yakima Valley became known for its apple orchards while the growth of wheat using dry-farming techniques became particularly productive. The heavy rainfall to the west of the Cascade Range produced dense forests and the ports along Puget Sound prospered from the manufacturing and shipping of lumber products, particularly the Douglas fir. Other industries that developed in the state include fishing, salmon canning and mining.
By the turn of the 20th century the state of Washington was one of dangerous repute in the minds of many Americans. Indisputably as "wild" as the rest of the wild west, the public image of Washington merely replaced cowboys with lumberjacks, and desert with forestland. One city in particular, Aberdeen, had the distinction of being "the roughest town west of the Mississippi" due to excessive gambling, violence, extreme drug use and prostitution (the city itself changed very little over the years and remained off-limits to military personnel well into the early 1980's).
For a long period Tacoma was noted for its large smelters where gold, silver, copper and lead ores were treated. Seattle was the primary port for trade with Alaska and the rest of the country and for a time possessed a large ship-building industry. The region around eastern Puget Sound developed heavy industry during the period including World War I and World War II and the Boeing company became an established icon in the area.
During the depression era a series of hydroelectric dams were constructed along the Columbia river as part of a project to increase the production of electricity. This culminated in 1941 with the completion of the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest in the United States.
During World War II the Puget Sound area became a focus for war industries, with the Boeing Company producing many of the nation's heavy bombers and ports in Seattle, Bremerton, and Tacoma available for the manufacturing of warships. Seattle was the point of departure for many soldiers in the Pacific, a number of which were quartered at Golden Gardens Park. In Eastern Washington the Hanford Works atomic energy plant was opened in 1943 and played a major role in the construction of the nation's atomic bombs.
In 1980, following a period of heavy tremors and eruptions, the northeast face of Mount St. Helens exploded outward, destroying a large part of the top of the volcano. This eruption flattened the forests for many kilometers, killed 57 people, flooded the Columbia River and its tributaries with ash and mud and blanketed large parts of Washington in ash, making day look like night.
Law and government
Washington has 49 Legislative Districts, and elects one Senator and two House members from each district. The majority party is the Democratic Party. Washington State senators and representatives are elected for four year and two year term respectfully. There are no terms limits.
Washington's executive branch is headed by a governor elected for a four-year term. The governor may serve up to 4 terms. The current Governor of Washington is Christine Gregoire, a Democrat. She has been governor since 2005. See List of Washington Governors for the complete list of Washington's governors.
The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the state of Washington. Nine justices serve on the bench, and are elected at large.
US Congress
The two US Senators from Washington are Senator Patty Murray (D) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D).
Washington's representatives in the United States House of Representatives are Jay Inslee (D-1), Richard Ray (Rick) Larsen (D-2), Brian Baird (D-3), Richard Norman "Doc" Hastings (R-4), Cathy McMorris (R-5), Norm Dicks (D-6), Jim McDermott (D-7), David Reichert (R-8), and Adam Smith (D-9).
State Elected Officials
- Judicial
- Washington Supreme Court
Politics in Washington
While the Democratic Party has long dominated Washington, it should be noted that the 2004 Washington gubernatorial election was among the closest races in United States election history; the winner, Christine Gregoire, was elected after a second recount turned the election in her favor by a margin of 129 votes, or 0.0045%. At the same time, John Kerry easily won the state's eleven electoral votes by a margin of 11 percentage points with 54.9% of the vote. The state is politically divided by the Cascade Mountains, with Western Washington being Democratic (particularly Greater Seattle) and Eastern Washington being strongly Republican. Since the population is larger in the west, the Democrats usually fare better statewide.
Washington has usually been considered a key swing state politically, although in recent elections, it has been comfortably in the hands of the Democrats.
Although nationally, Washington is not usually a major force in politics, in 1994, Washington was one of the places where the Republican Party gained power in their nationwide landslide. Republicans won six of the eight House of Representative seats held by Democrats and Republican Slade Gorton held on to his Senate seat.
Washington has voted for the Democratic candidate in presidential elections recently in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. It was considered a key swing state in 1968 and 2000. In 1968, it was the only Western state to give its electoral votes to Hubert Humphrey. In 2004, John Kerry won the state's 11 electoral votes by a margin of seven percentage points with 52.8% of the vote.
In 2004, Washington's gubernatorial race was so close that the Secretary of State certified Republican candidate Dino Rossi as governor-elect almost a month after the polls had closed, beating out the Democratic candidate Christine Gregoire by just over two hundred votes. Due to the small margin of victory, a machine recount (required by law) took place and, by a margin of only 42 votes out of more than 2.8 million cast, Rossi won again. However, the Democrats requested a final hand count of the votes. Gregoire ended up winning this count by 129 votes and was inaugurated on January 12, 2005. The subsequent court battles raged for months after the election, but ultimately ended with Gregoire retaining her office. The final official count left Gregoire ahead by 133 votes.
Washington has the distinction for being the first and so far only state to elect women to all three major statewide offices at the same time, both Senators and the Governor.
There has been recurring talk about Washington spliting in two seperate states, divided by the Cascade Mountains. Proposed names have included Columbia and Lincoln.
Geography
Lincoln]
Lincoln]
Washington is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west, Oregon to the south (the Columbia River forming most of this border), Idaho to the east and British Columbia, Canada to the north. It is famous for scenery of breathtaking beauty and sharp contrasts. High mountains rise above evergreen forests and sparkling coastal waters. Its coastal location and Puget Sound harbors give it a leading role in trade with Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Rim. Puget Sound's many islands are served by the largest ferry fleet in the United States.
Washington is a land of contrasts. The deep forests of the Olympic Peninsula are among the rainiest places in the world and the only rainforests (such as the Hoh Rain Forest) in the continental United States, but the flat semi-desert that lies east of the Cascade Range stretches for long distances without a single tree. Snow-covered peaks tower above the foothills and lowlands around them. Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the state, appears to "float" on the horizon southeast of Seattle and Tacoma on clear days. The eastern side of the state can be divided into two regions: the Okanogan Highlands and the Columbia River Basin.
Washington is also notable for being home to four of the five longest floating bridges in the world: the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and Homer M. Hadley Bridge over Lake Washington, and the Hood Canal Bridge connecting the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas.
Geographical features
Kitsap Peninsula]]
Kitsap Peninsula in foreground]]
- Puget Sound
- Bainbridge Island
- Camano Island
- San Juan Islands
- Whidbey Island
- Vashon Island
- Columbia River
- Snake River
- Yakima River
- Cascade Range
- Mount Adams
- Mount Baker
- Glacier Peak
- Mount Rainier
- Mount St. Helens
- Mount Stuart
- Olympic Mountains
- Mount Olympus
:See also: List of Washington rivers, List of Washington islands
Demographics
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2004, Washington's population was 6,203,788. This includes 631,500 foreign-born (10.3% of the state population), and an estimated 100,000 illegal aliens (1.6% of state population).
Race and ancestry
The racial makeup of the state:
- 78.9% White
- 7.5% Hispanic
- 5.5% Asian
- 3.6% Mixed race
- 3.2% Black
- 1.6% Native American
The five largest reported ancestries in Washington are: German (18.7%), English (12%), Irish (11.4%), Norwegian (6.2%) and Mexican (5.6%).
Many Mexicans are migrant farm workers, living in the southeast-central part of the state. Wahkiakum County has many residents of Scandinavian origin. Washington has the fifth largest Asian population of any state, with Filipinos being the largest group.
6.7% of Washington's population were reported as under 5, 25.7% under 18, and 11.2% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.2% of the population.
Religion
The religious affiliations of Washington's population are:
- Christian – 71%
- Protestant – 45%
- Baptist – 7%
- Lutheran – 7%
- Methodist – 4%
- Presbyterian – 3%
- Other Protestant or general Protestant – 24%
- Roman Catholic – 22%
- Mormon – 5%
- Other Christian – 1%
- Other Religions – 2%
- Non-Religious – 27%
As with many other western states, the percentage of Washington's population identifying themselves as "non-religious" (an umbrella term which is sometimes synonymous with or includes elements of atheism, agnosticism, skepticism, freethought, humanism, secular humanism, heresy, logical positivism, and even apathy) is much higher than the rest of the U.S. The percentage of non-religious people in Washington is the highest of any state, and church membership is among the lowest of all states.
Important cities and towns
apathy skyline]]
- Seattle
- Olympia
- Spokane
- Tacoma
- Bellevue
- Redmond
- Vancouver
- Everett
- Bellingham
- Tri-Cities
- Walla Walla
- Wenatchee
- Yakima
- Aberdeen
- Bremerton
- Port Townsend
- Port Angeles
- Gig Harbor
- Mount Vernon
Economy
The 2003 total gross state product for Washington was $244 billion, placing it 11th in the nation. The per capita income was $33,332. Significant business within the state include the design and manufacture of jet aircraft (Boeing), computer software development (Microsoft, Amazon.com, Nintendo of America), electronics, biotechnology, aluminum production, lumber and wood products, mining, and tourism. The state has significant amounts of hydroelectric power generation. Significant amounts of trade with Asia pass through the ports of the Puget Sound.
Agriculture
Asia
Washington is a leading agricultural state. (The following figures are from the [http://www.ofm.wa.gov/databook/pdf/nt14.pdf Washington State Office of Financial Management] and the [http://www.nass.usda.gov/wa/ssoinfo.htm Washington Agricultural Statistics Service].)
For 2001, the total value of Washington's agricultural products was $5.4 billion, the 12th highest in the country. The total value of its crops was $3.2 billion, the 8th highest.
In 2002 Washington ranked first in the nation in production of raspberries (87.8% of total U.S. production), hops (74.4%), spearmint oil (also 74.4%), wrinkled seed peas (65.6%), apples (60.2%), Concord grapes (51.8%), sweet cherries (48%), pears (44.9%), lentils (41.9%), peppermint oil (35.2%), carrots for processing (34.5%), tart cherries (32.8%), Niagara grapes (32.4%) and sweet corn for processing (29.2%). Washington also ranked second in the nation in grapes (all varieties taken together), apricots, asparagus (over a third of the country's production) and green peas for processing; third in the nation for wheat, prunes and plums, summer dry onions, trout and butter; fourth in barley and peaches; and fifth in cranberries and strawberries.
Education
Colleges and universities
strawberries
strawberries
State universities
- Central Washington University
- Eastern Washington University
- The Evergreen State College
- University of Washington
- Washington State University
- Western Washington University
Private universities
Community colleges
Professional sports teams
|
| Club |
Sport |
League |
City & Stadium |
Logo |
| Seattle Seahawks |
Football |
National Football League; NFC |
Seattle, Qwest Field |
Qwest Field |
| Seattle SuperSonics |
Basketball |
National Basketball Association |
Seattle, KeyArena |
KeyArena |
| Seattle Storm |
Basketball |
Women's National Basketball Association |
Seattle, KeyArena |
KeyArena |
| Seattle Mariners |
Baseball |
Major League Baseball; AL |
Seattle, Safeco Field |
Safeco Field |
| Seattle Sounders |
Soccer |
USL First Division (men's)
W-League (women's) |
Seattle, Qwest Field |
Qwest Field |
| Seattle Thunderbirds |
Ice Hockey |
Western Hockey League |
Seattle, KeyArena |
KeyArena |
| Spokane Chiefs |
Ice Hockey |
Western Hockey League |
Spokane, Spokane Arena |
|
| Everett Silvertips |
Ice Hockey |
Western Hockey League |
Everett, Everett Events Center |
|
| Tri-City Americans |
Ice Hockey |
Western Hockey League |
Kennewick, Tri Cities Coliseum |
Tri Cities Coliseum |
| Tacoma Rainiers |
Baseball |
Pacific Coast League; AAA |
Tacoma, Cheney Stadium |
Cheney Stadium |
| Spokane Indians |
Baseball |
Northwest League; A |
Spokane, Avista Stadium |
|
| Everett AquaSox |
Baseball |
Northwest League; A |
Everett, Everett Memorial Stadium |
|
| Yakima Bears |
Baseball |
Northwest League; A |
Yakima, Yakima County Stadium |
|
| Tri-City Dust Devils |
Baseball |
Northwest League; A |
Pasco, Tri-City Stadium |
|
Arts and culture
Tri-City Stadium
- Washington State Park System
- Music of Washington
- List of Washington musicians
- List of people from Washington
State symbols
The State song is "Washington, My Home", the State bird is the American Goldfinch, and the State fruit is the Apple.
See also
- Washington state congressional delegates
- Capital punishment in Washington
- List of hospitals in Washington
- List of Washington state prisons
- List of Washington state forests
- List of radio stations in Washington
- List of television stations in Washington
- List of Washington county name etymologies
- List of colleges and universities in Washington
- List of school districts in Washington
- List of ZIP Codes in Washington
- List of high schools in Washington
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas in Washington
Political activism
- List of Washington initiatives
Transportation
- Amtrak Cascades
- Interstate 5
- Interstate 82
- Interstate 90
- Interstate 205
- Interstate 405
- U.S. Highway 2
- U.S. Highway 12
- U.S. Highway 97
- U.S. Highway 101
Washington has an extensive system of state highways, called State Routes and the third largest ferry system in the world.
External links
- [http://access.wa.gov/ State of Washington website]
- [http://www.courts.wa.gov/education/constitution/index.cfm Constitution of the State of Washington]
- [http://www.leg.wa.gov/rcw/index.cfm Revised Code of Washington (State Law)]
- [http://www.leg.wa.gov/wac/ Washington Administrative Code (State Administrative Rules)]
- [http://search.leg.wa.gov/pub/textsearch/default.asp State Code Search Tool]
- [http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/53000.html U.S. Census Bureau]
- [http://www.arts.wa.gov/ Washington State Arts Commission]
- [http://www.terragalleria.com/america/north-west/washington-State Photos of Washington - Terra Galleria]
- [http://www.UntraveledRoad.com/USA/Washington.htm Photographic virtual tour of Washington]
- [http://www.iloveseattle.org/sog/pass.html Mountain & River Webcams from Around Washington]
- [http://pnw.wikicities.com Pacific Northwest Community]A wiki on the Pacific Northwest
- [http://www.countymapsofwashington.com/ County Maps of Washington] Full color maps. List of cities, towns and county seats
- [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15229/15229-h/15229-h.htm A Review of the Resources and Industries of the State of Washington], 1909, by Ithamar Howell, from Project Gutenberg
Category:States of the American West
-
Category:States of the United States
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U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, together with the District of Columbia and Palmyra Atoll (an uninhabited incorporated unorganized territory), form the United States of America. The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty, in that an "American" is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of residence.
The United States Constitution allocates power between the two levels of government in general terms; the general idea is that by ratifying the Constitution, each state has transferred certain aspects of its sovereign powers to the federal government while retaining the remainder for itself. The tasks of education, health, transportation, and other infrastructure are generally the responsibility of the states.
Over time, the Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed. The general tendency has been toward centralization, with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did.
Legal relationship
At the time of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776, the 13 colonies became 13 independently sovereign states, which became fourteen in 1777 with the formation of the Vermont Republic; for a brief period, they were in effect legally separate nations. But upon the adoption of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the states became a single sovereign political entity as defined by international law, empowered to levy war and to conduct international relations, albeit with a very loosely structured and inefficient central government. After the failure of the union under the Articles of Confederation, the thirteen states joined the modern union via ratification of the United States Constitution, beginning in 1789.
Under Article IV of the Constitution, which outlines the relationship between the states, the Congress has the power to admit new states to the union. The states are required to give "full faith and credit" to the acts of each other's legislatures and courts, which is generally held to include the recognition of legal contracts, marriages, criminal judgments, and - at the time - slave status. The states are guaranteed military and civil defense by the federal government, which is also required to ensure that the government of each state remains a republic.
The Constitution is silent on the issue of the secession of a state from the union. The Articles of Confederation had stated that the earlier union of the colonies "shall be perpetual", and the preamble to the Constitution states that Constitution was intended to "form a more perfect union". In 1860 and 1861, several states attempted to secede, but were brought back into the Union by force of arms during the Civil War. Subsequently, the federal judicial system, in the case of Texas v. White, established that states do not have the right to secede without the consent of the other states.
- Four of the states bear the formal title of Commonwealth: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In these cases, this is merely a name and has no legal effect. However, the United States has non-state areas called commonwealths (Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas) which do have a legal status different from the states.
- States are free to organize their judicial systems differently from the federal judiciary, as long as due process is protected. See state supreme court for more information. For example, most lawsuits in the state of New York are filed in the Supreme Court, and then appealed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. The highest court in New York is the Court of Appeals.
- The joint resolution which admitted the Republic of Texas to the Union as a state guaranteed Texas the right to divide itself up into up to 5 states. This clause may be redundant, however, as any such state would arguably require Congressional approval, just as when Maine was split off from Massachusetts; it may also be unconstitutional, as reducing the equal suffrage of the other states in the United States Senate.
List of states
The states, with their U.S. postal abbreviations, traditional abbreviations, capitals and largest cities, are as follows. For a complete list of non-state dependent areas and other territory under control of the U.S., see United States dependent areas.
State names speak to the circumstances of their creation. (See the lists of U.S. state name etymologies and U.S. county name etymologies for more detail.)
- Southern states on the Atlantic coast originated as British colonies named after British monarchs: Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Some northeastern states, also former British colonies, take their names from places in the British Isles: New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York.
- Many states' names are those of Native American tribes or are from Native American languages: Kansas, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Mississippi, Texas, Utah, and others.
- Because they are on territories previously controlled by Spain or Mexico, many states in the southeast and southwest have Spanish names. They include Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, and Nevada.
- Because it was previously a French colony, Louisiana is named after the Louis XIV (King of France at the time).
- The origins of the names of California, Oregon, Idaho, and Rhode Island are unknown, although various theories exist.
Trivia
Names
- "Georgia" can refer to either a U.S. state or to an independent country in the Caucasus.
- The name "New York" can refer to any one of three geographical levels: a state, a city in that state, or a county (coterminous with the borough of Manhattan) in that city.
- "Washington" is a state, a city corresponding to the District of Columbia (and thus not part of any state), and a number of cities and counties in various states. See the list of places named for George Washington.
- The state of Washington is the only state named after a U.S. President (or after a person born within the area now comprising the U.S., for that matter).
- The official name of Rhode Island is "the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations."
- Only two states have state capitals named for the state (however, such name-sharing occurs commonly with states and provinces in some other countries, where the state or province actually often takes its name from a capital city): Oklahoma, with capital Oklahoma City, and Indiana, with capital Indianapolis (which means Indiana City). Iowa City, Iowa was the first state capital of Iowa but the capital was later moved to Des Moines, Iowa.
- Maine is the only state with a one-syllable name.
Geography
- Colorado and Wyoming are bounded by two circles of latitude and two meridians each, i.e. they appear to be rectangles in a cylindrical map projection.
- Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming are the only states whose borders are made up of only straight lines (taking meridians and circles of latitude as straight lines) and, thus, the only states whose borders completely ignore natural features.
- Every state—except Hawaii, which has no land boundaries—has straight lines as at least part of its boundaries. These are usually combined with rivers (see river borders of U.S. states), ridge lines and other natural boundaries. Pennsylvania and Delaware are unique in that their common border is an arc of a circle, see The Twelve-Mile Circle.
- The lower peninsula of Michigan is shaped like a mitten; Louisiana is shaped like a boot.
- Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia have panhandles.
- Alabama, Missouri, New Mexico and Mississippi have bootheels.
- Alaska and Hawaii are the only states that are not physically connected to other states; Maine is the only state that borders only one other state. Missouri and Tennessee each border eight other states, the most for any state.
- Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah are the only four states to share a common border, known as the "Four Corners."
- Appearances given by the stereographic projection to the contrary, Minnesota is the northernmost of the forty-eight contiguous United States, as a northern spur of the state contains a portion of Lake of the Woods. At one time it was thought that Lake of the Woods contained the headwaters of the Mississippi River (now known to be at Lake Itasca).
- Alaska is the northernmost state and the westernmost state. Some would argue that it is also the easternmost state, as the Aleutian island chain crosses the 180º line of longitude.
Grouping of the states in regions
Alaska, The South and The Northeast. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the Aleutian Islands and the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are omitted from this map.]]
States may be grouped in regions; there are endless variations and possible groupings, as most states are not defined by obvious geographic or cultural borders. For further discussion of regions of the U.S., see the list of regions of the United States.
State lists
- List of U.S. state capitals
- List of current and former capital cities within U.S. states
- List of U.S. states' largest cities
- List of U.S. states by date of statehood
- List of U.S. states that were never territories
- List of U.S. state name etymologies
- List of U.S. states by area
- List of U.S. states by elevation
- List of U.S. states by population
- List of U.S. states by population density
- List of U.S. states by time zone
- List of U.S. states by unemployment rate
- Traditional U.S. state abbreviations
- U.S. postal abbreviations
- U.S. state temperature extremes
- Codes: FIPS state code, ISO 3166-2:US
- Lists of U.S. state insignia
- List of U.S. state amphibians
- List of U.S. state beverages
- List of U.S. state birds
- List of U.S. state butterflies
- List of U.S. state colors
- List of U.S. state dances
- List of U.S. state dinosaurs
- List of U.S. state fish
- List of U.S. state flags
- List of U.S. state flowers
- List of U.S. state foods
- List of U.S. state fossils
- List of U.S. state grasses
- List of U.S. state insects
- List of U.S. state instruments
- List of U.S. state license plates
- List of U.S. state mammals
- List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones
- List of U.S. state mottos
- List of U.S. state nicknames
- List of U.S. state reptiles
- List of U.S. state seals
- List of U.S. state slogans
- List of U.S. state soils
- List of U.S. state songs
- List of U.S. state sports
- List of U.S. state tartans
- List of U.S. state trees
See also
- Geography of the United States
- List of regions of the United States
- Political divisions of the United States
- United States territory
- United States territorial acquisitions
- List of U.S. counties that share names with U.S. states
- States' rights
- Statehood Quarter
References
External links
- [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US9S_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (in order of population)]
- [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_US9_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (alphabetical)]
- [http://www.usnewspapers.org US Newspapers by State]
- [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0854966.html Origin of State Names]
United States, States of the
Category:Subdivisions of the United States
- U.S. State
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simple:List of U.S. states
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zh-min-nan:Bí-kok ê hêng-chèng-khu
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) is an area often defined as northwestern corner of the continental United States. Its boundaries are imprecise: the Pacific coast states of Washington and Oregon are always included, with Northern California and the Idaho Panhandle a common addition, although extreme eastern Oregon near Boise may be excluded because of the Rocky Mountain influence. The part of Montana west of the Continental Divide, especially the extreme west near Missoula, is sometimes also included.
A multinational view of the PNW leads to the inclusion of coastal British Columbia as well as the Alaska Panhandle. This broader view may relate to the region's modern origins in the former Oregon Country, and also the shared history and similar weather and culture, especially on the Coast. Another common factor throughout the region is the dynamic civilization of the Northwest Coast peoples, who despite very different languages shared a fairly common artistic and mythical context, as well as what is known as a Sprachbund.
In climate, the PNW is restricted to the coastal region from Kodiak Island in Alaska south to northwest California, but not extending more than 50-150 km inland, although with some exclaves as far east as Glacier National Park. That region is characterized by high rainfall and an oceanic climate with mild winters.
History
climate
During the colonial period, various claims to the Pacific Northwest were made by Russia, Spain, and Great Britain. The United States established a claim following the exploration of the region by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. From the 1810s until the 1840s, modern-day Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana, along with most of British Columbia, were part of the Oregon Country, which was jointly administered by the United States and Great Britain after the Treaty of 1818. John McLoughlin, Chief Factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, headquartered at Fort Vancouver was the de facto local political authority for most of this time.
This arrangement ended as U.S. settlement grew and Polk was elected on a platform of "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight"; after a war scare with the United Kingdom, the two nations negotiated the 1846 Oregon Treaty, partitioning the region along the 49th parallel and resolving most (but not all) of the border disputes.
The mainland territory north of the 49th Parallel remained unincorporated until 1858, when a mass influx of Americans and others during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush forced the hand of Colony of Vancouver Island's Governor James Douglas, who declared the mainland a Crown Colony, although official ratification of his unilateral action was several months in coming. The two colonies were amalgamated in 1866 to cut costs, and joined the Dominion of Canada in 1871. The U.S. portion became the Oregon Territory in 1848; it was later subdivided into territories that were eventually admitted as states, the first of these being Oregon itself in 1859. See Washington Territory.
Geography
The Pacific Northwest is dominated by several mountain ranges, including the Coast Ranges, the Cascade Range, the Columbia Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. Because many areas have plentiful rainfall and a relatively low population density, it has:
- some of North America's most extensive forests;
- more than its share of aluminum refineries, due to plentiful and inexpensive hydroelectric power from, for example, the hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River run by agencies such as the Bonneville Power Administration.
The major cities of Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle all began as seaports supporting the logging, mining, and farming industries of the region, but have developed into major technological and industrial centers (such as the Silicon Forest), which benefit from their location on the Pacific Rim.
The region has four U.S. National Parks: Crater Lake in Oregon, and Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades in Washington. Other outstanding natural features include the Oregon Coast, the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. St. Helens, and Hells Canyon on the Snake River between Oregon and Idaho. The only Canadian National Park that is identifiably in the Pacific Northwest is Pacific Rim National Park on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Also in British Columbia are Mount Revelstoke National Park, Glacier National Park and Yoho National Park, but these are sufficiently away from the coast and the PNW cultural ecumene as to be perhaps considered outside the area.
Culture
The Pacific Northwest's culture is quite similar to that of California, but is generally seen as being a much less cool place to be from and the sparsely populated areas of PNW east of the Cascade Range are often lumped into Middle America. The accent spoken in the Pacific Northwest is considered to be "very neutral" to most Americans, and is about the same accent as that spoken in California and most of the Midwest.
Environmentalism is very popular in most Pacific Northwest cities, from as small as Ashland, Oregon to as large as San Francisco. The Pacific Northwest is also known for indie music, especially grunge and so-called alternative rock. Foods of the area include salmon, huckleberries, and chai.
Miscellaneous facts
- The Pacific Northwest is the least church-going part of English-speaking North America, yet it is home to four international charities, three of which are faith-based: Northwest Medical Teams International, World Concern, and World Vision International. The fourth is Mercy Corps.
- Despite its low rate of church attendance, the region is also known as a magnet for unique religious and spiritual groups, ranging from the Doukhobors and Mennonites of British Columbia and countless religiously-based communal efforts by ethnic groups such as Finns, Norwegians, Danes and others. Exploration of eastern religions (especially Buddhism and Taoism) has been fashionable in the Pacific Northwest for many years, and because of immigration to Canada the Lower Mainland of British Columbia has a very large Sikh community and cultural presence as well as a major growth in Chinese Buddhist temples and congregations. Also attracted to the area are alternative religions and alternative spirituality, whether of the New Age variety or something more sinister and Crowleyesque such as the disastrous commune run by Brother Twelve in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia early in the 20th Century. In more recent times, the cult of the allegedly immortal being Ramtha is centred on Yelm, Washington.
- The Pacific Northwest is home to the popular news and views website Pacific Northwest Portal, based out of Redmond, Washington.
External links
- [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/wauhtml/aipnhome.html American Indians of the Pacific Northwest] from the Library of Congress
- [http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/ Pacific Northwest Region] of the United States Forest Service
- [http://www.pnba.org/ Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association]
- [http://www.pnna.com/ Pacific Northwest Newspaper Association]
- [http://www.pnt.org/ Pacific Northwest Trail Association]
- [http://faculty.washington.edu/gregoryj/pnwlabor/ Pacific Northwest Labor and Civil Rights History Projects], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_history_%28discipline%29 Labor History] links from the [http://www.washington.edu/ University of Washington]
- [http://www.gonorthwest.com/Visitor/about/northwest.htm What is the Northwest?] and [http://www.gonorthwest.com/Visitor/about/culture.htm a "Provocative description"], articles from a commercial website
- [http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=632878 Many Relief Agencies Call the Northwest Home] from Oregon Public Broadcasting
- [http://pnw.wikicities.com Pacific Northwest Community]A wiki on the Pacific Northwest
Category:Regions of the United States
Category:Regions within the American West
George Washington
George Washington (February 22 1732 – December 14 1799) was the successful Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and later became the first President of the United States, an office to which he was elected twice (1789-1797).
Washington first gained prominence as an officer during the French and Indian War, a war which he inadvertently helped to start.
After leading the American victory in the Revolutionary War, he refused to lead a military regime, returning to civilian life at Mount Vernon.
In 1787 he presided over the Constitutional Convention that drafted the current U.S. Constitution, and in 1789 was the unanimous choice to become the first President of the United States. His two-term Washington Administration set many policies and traditions that survive today. After his second term expired, Washington again voluntarily relinquished power, thereby establishing an important precedent that was to serve as an example for other future republics.
Because of his central role in the founding of the United States, and his enduring legacy, Washington is often called the "Father of his Country".
Scholars rank him with Abraham Lincoln among the greatest of presidents.
Early life
According to the Julian calendar, Washington was born on February 11 1731; according to the Gregorian calendar, which was adopted during Washington's life and is used today, he was born on February 22 1732 (Washington's Birthday is celebrated on the Gregorian date). At the time of his birth, the English year began March 25 (Annunciation Day, or Lady Day), hence the difference in his birth year. His birthplace was Pope's Creek Plantation, south of Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
Washington was part of the economic and cultural elite of the slave-owning planters of Virginia. His parents Augustine Washington (1693–April 12 1743) and Mary Ball (1708–August 25 1789) were of English descent. He spent much of his boyhood at Ferry Farm in Stafford County, near Fredericksburg and visited his Washington cousins at Chotank in King George County. He was home schooled and was also trained as a surveyor (obtaining his certificate from the College of William and Mary). He surveyed the Shenandoah Valley for Lord Fairfax, a distant relative, in western Virginia and retained a lifelong interest in western lands. His only foreign trip was a short visit to Barbados in 1751. He survived an attack of smallpox, although his face was scarred by the disease. He was initiated as a Freemason in Fredericksburg on February 4 1752. On brother Lawrence's death in July 1752, he rented and eventually inherited the estate, Mount Vernon in Fairfax County, Virginia (near Alexandria).
French and Indian War and afterwards
Alexandria
At twenty-two years of age, George Washington fired some of the first shots of what would become a world war. The trouble began in 1753, when France began building a series of forts in the Ohio Country, a region also claimed by Virginia. Robert Dinwiddie, the governor of Virginia, had young Major Washington deliver a letter to the French commander, asking them to leave. The French refused, and so in 1754 Dinwiddie sent Washington, now promoted to lieutenant colonel in the First Virginia Regiment, on another mission to the Ohio Country. There, Washington and his troops ambushed a French Canadian scouting party. After a short skirmish, Washington's American Indian ally Tanacharison killed the wounded French commander Ensign Jumonville. Washington then built Fort Necessity, which soon proved inadequate, as he was compelled to surrender to a larger French and American Indian force. The surrender terms that Washington signed included an admission that he had "assassinated" Jumonville. (The document was written in French, which Washington could not read.) The "Jumonville affair" became an international incident and helped to ignite the French and Indian War, a part of the worldwide Seven Years' War.
Washington was released by the French with the promise not to return to the Ohio Country for one year. Washington was always eager to serve in the British Army, which had a low regard for colonials. His opportunity came in 1755, when he accompanied the Braddock Expedition, a major effort by the British to retake the Ohio Country. The expedition ended in disaster at the Battle of the Monongahela. Washington distinguished himself in the debacle—he had two horses shot out from under him, and four bullets pierced his coat—yet he sustained no injuries and showed coolness under fire in organizing the retreat. In Virginia, Washington was acclaimed as a hero, and he commanded the First Virginia Regiment for several more years, although the focus of the war had shifted elsewhere. In 1758 he accompanied the Forbes Expedition, which successfully drove the French away from Fort Duquesne.
Washington's goal at the outset of his military career had been to secure a commission as a regular British officer—rather than staying a mere colonial officer. The promotion did not come, and so in 1759 Washington resigned his commission and married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy widow with two children. Washington adopted her two children, but never fathered any of his own. The newlywed couple moved to Mount Vernon where he took up the life of a genteel farmer and slave owner. He held local office and was elected to the provincial legislature, the House of Burgesses.
By 1774 Washington had become one of the colonies' wealthiest men. In that year, he was chosen as a delegate from Virginia to the First Continental Congress. Although the American Revolution had not yet devolved into open warfare, tensions between the colonies and Great Britain continued to rise, and Washington attended the Second Continental Congress (1775) in military uniform—the only delegate to do so. He strongly supported independence.
American Revolution
American Revolution, 1851, Metropolitan Museum]]
The Continental Congress needed to select as commander in chief of its newly formed Continental Army a natural leader with a commitment to the cause, suitable military experience, a commanding personality, and a base in a major colony. Washington was the unanimous selection, and was selected on June 15 1775. The Massachusetts delegate John Adams suggested his appointment, citing his "skill as an officer... great talents and universal character." He assumed command on July 3.
During his first great military triumph Washington drove the British forces out of Boston on March 17, 1776, by stationing artillery on Dorchester Heights. The British army, led by General William Howe, retreated to Halifax, Canada. Washington moved his army to New York City in anticipation of a British offensive there. In August the British invaded in overwhelming numbers and Washington led a clumsy retreat that almost failed. He lost the Battle of Long Island on August 22 but managed to move most of his forces to the mainland. However, several other defeats sent Washington scrambling across New Jersey, leaving the future of the Revolution in doubt.
On the night of December 25 1776, Washington staged a brilliant comeback. He led the American forces across the Delaware River to smash the Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey. Washington followed up the assault with a surprise attack on General Charles Cornwallis' forces at Princeton on the eve of January 2, 1777, eventually retaking the state of New Jersey. The successful attacks built morale among the pro-independence colonists.
In summer 1777 the British launched a two-pronged attack, with Burgoyne marching south from Canada while Howe attacked the national capital of Philadelphia. Washington moved south but was badly defeated at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11. An attempt to dislodge the British, the Battle of Germantown, failed as a result of fog and confusion, and Washington was forced to retire to winter quarters at the miserably inadequate Valley Forge. In the face of high rates of disease Washington insisted on vaccinations to protect the soldiers from smallpox, which probably stem impact of that deadly disease over the harsh winter.
Washington stood steadfast, demanding supplies from Congress. His men recovered their morale despite the harsh winter conditions. A new system of drill and training was established by Baron Friedrich von Steuben, who had served on the Prussian general staff. Von Steuben improving the army’s fighting capabilities so that it could match the British in the field. Washington attacked the British army moving from Philadelphia to New York at the Battle of Monmouth on June 28 1778, a drawn contest, but the British effort to disrupt the national government had failed. Burgoyne’s invading army, meanwhile, was captured at Saratoga in October, giving the British a crushing defeat. It now seemed likely that the British would never reconquer the new nation, and France signed a formal alliance with the U.S.
After 1778 the British made one last effort to split apart the new nation, this time focused on the southern states. Rather than attack them there, Washington's forces moved to West Point New York. In 1779 Washington ordered a fifth of the army to carry out the Sullivan Expedition, an offensive against four of the six nations of the Iroquois Confederacy which had allied with the British and attacked American settlements along the frontier. There were no battles but at least forty Iroquois villages were destroyed and the hostile Indians moved permanently to Canada. In October, 1781 American and French forces and a French fleet trapped General Cornwallis at Yorktown in Virginia. Washington quick-marched south, taking command of the American and French forces September 14, and pressed the siege until Cornwallis surrendered. It was the end of significant fighting, though British forces remained in New York City and a few other places until the final peace was ratified in 1783.
In March 1783, Washington learned about a conspiracy that was being planned by some of his officers who were upset about back pay in the Continental Army's winter camp at Newburgh, New York. He was able to defuse this plot. Later in 1783, by means of the Treaty of Paris, the British recognized American independence. Washington disbanded his army and on November 2 at Rockingham House in Rocky Hill, New Jersey and gave an eloquent [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=mgw3&fileName=mgw3b/gwpage016.db&recNum=347 farewell address] to his soldiers. A few days later the British evacuated New York City, and Washington and the governor took possession of the city; at Fraunces Tavern in the city on December 4, he formally bid his officers farewell.
Activities between Revolution and Presidency
Fraunces Tavern
On December 23 1783 General George Washington resigned his commission as Commander in Chief of the Army to the Congress, which was then meeting at the Maryland State House in Annapolis. This action was of great significance for the young nation, establishing the precedent that civilian elected officials, rather than military officers, possessed ultimate authority. Washington was a firm republican, believing that the people are sovereign and that no one should ever come to power in America because of military force, or because of birth in a noble family.
At the time of Washington's departure from military service, he was listed on the rolls of the Continental Army as "General and Commander in Chief." (See Retirement, death, and honors section below for more on this topic.)
Although the world was at peace in the late 1780s, Washington worried that the fledling nation had such a weak central government that it could not survive a future war. He therefore endorsed plans to create a new constitution. His support guaranteed it would happen and he presided over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. For the most part he did not participate in the debates involved, but his prestige was great enough to maintain collegiality and to keep the delegates at their labors. He adamantly enforced the secrecy adopted by the Convention during the summer. Many believe that the Framers created the Presidency with Washington in mind. After the Convention, his support convinced many, including the Virginia legislature, to support the Constitution.
Washington farmed roughly 8,000 acres (32 km²). Like many Virginia planters at the time, he was frequently in debt and never had much cash on hand. In fact, he had to borrow $600 to relocate to New York, then the center of the American government, to take office as president.
In 1788–1789, George Washington was elected the first President of the United States. The First U.S. Congress voted to pay Washington a salary of $25,000 a year—a significant sum in 1789. Washington, the wealthiest individual in the nation at the time and whose wealth (all of it in land that could eventually be sold) by some estimates exceeded $500 million in current dollars (as of 2005), refused to accept his salary.
Presidency
Main article: Washington Administration
Washington Administration]]
George Washington was elected unanimously by the Electoral College in 1789, and remains the only person ever to be elected president unanimously (a feat which he duplicated in 1792). As runner-up with 34 votes, John Adams became Vice President-elect.
In 1791 Congress imposed an excise tax on distilled spirits, leading to protests. By 1794, after Washington ordered the protesters to appear in U.S. district court, the protests turning into full-scale riots, and outright rebellion. Washington raised an army, and marched at its head into the rebellious districts. There was no fighting, but Washington's forceful action proved the new government could protect itself.
After two terms, Washington issued his "Farewell Adress" (actually a letter), and refused to run for a third term in office. This precedent of two terms was only to be broken successfully by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940 and 1944.
Cabinet
Supreme Court appointments
As the first President, Washington appointed the entire Supreme Court, a feat almost repeated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during his four terms in office (1933–45). Washington appointed the following Justices to the Supreme Court of the United States:
- John Jay - Chief Justice - 1789
- James Wilson - 1789
- John Rutledge - 1790
- William Cushing - 1790
- John Blair - 1790
- James Iredell - 1790
- Thomas Johnson - 1792
- William Paterson - 1793
- John Rutledge - Chief Justice, 1795 (an associate justice since 1790)
- Samuel Chase - 1796
- Oliver Ellsworth - Chief Justice - 1796
Major Presidential Acts
- Signed Judiciary Act of 1789
- Signed Indian Intercourse Acts, starting in 1790
- Signed Residence Act of 1790
- Signed Bank Act of 1791
- Signed Coinage Act of 1792 or Mint Act
- Signed Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
- Signed Naval Act of 1794
States admitted to the Union
- North Carolina (1789)
- Rhode Island (1790)
- Vermont (1791)
- Kentucky (1792)
- Tennessee (1796)
Retirement, death, and honors
Tennessee The Apotheosis of Washington is found in the rotunda of the United States Capitol]]
After retiring from the presidency in March 1797, Washington returned to Mount Vernon with a profound sense of relief. He established a distillery there and became probably the largest distiller of whiskey in the nation at the time. In 1798 his distillery produced 11,000 gallons of whiskey and a profit of $7,500.
During that year, Washington was appointed Lieutenant General in the United States Army (then the highest possible rank) by President John Adams. Washington's appointment was to serve as a warning to France, with which war seemed imminent. Washington never saw active service, however, and upon his death one year later the U.S. Army rolls listed him as a retired Lieutenant General, which was then considered the equivalent to his rank as General and Commander in Chief during the Revolutionary War.
Within a year of this 1798 appointment, Washington fell ill from a bad cold with a fever and a sore throat that turned into acute laryngitis and pneumonia and died on December 14 1799, at his home. Modern doctors believe that Washington died from either a streptococcal infection of the throat or, since he was bled as part of the treatment, a combination of shock from the loss of blood, asphyxia, and dehydration. One of the physicians who administered bloodletting to him was Dr. James Craik, one of Washington's closest friends, who had been with Washington at Fort Necessity, the Braddock expedition, and throughout the Revolutionary War. Washington's remains were buried in a family graveyard at Mount Vernon.
Congressman Henry Light Horse Harry Lee, a Revolutionary War comrade, famously eulogized Washington as "a citizen, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
With the exception of Dwight Eisenhower, who held a lifetime commission as General of the Army (five star), George Washington is the only President with military service to reenter the military after leaving the office of President. Even though he had been the highest-ranking officer of the Revolutionary War, having in 1798 been appointed a Lieutenant General (now three stars), it seemed, somewhat incongruously, that all later full (that is, four star) generals in U.S. history (starting with General Ulysses S. Grant), and also all five-star generals of the Army, were considered to outrank Washington. General John J. Pershing had attained an even higher rank of six-star general, General of the Armies (above five star—though the most stars Pershing actually ever wore were four). This issue was resolved in 1976 when Washington was, by Act of Congress, posthumously promoted to the rank of General of the Armies, outranking any past, present, and future general, and declared to permanently be the top-ranked military officer of the United States. [https://www.perscom.army.mil/tagd/tioh/rank/goa.htm]
Summary of Military Career
- 1753: Commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Virginia Militia
- 1754: Led abortive expedition to Fort Duquesne, later served as aide to General Edward Braddock
- 1755: Promoted to Colonel and named Commander of all Virginia Forces. Commissioned a Brigadier General later that year
- 1758–75: Retired from active military service
- June 1775: Commissioned General and Commander in Chief of the Continental Army
- 1775–81: Commands the Continental Army in over seven major battles with the British
- December 1783: Resigns commission as Commander in Chief of the Army
- July 1798: Appointed Lieutenant General and Co | |
