COUNTRY PROFILE

What began as a collection of British colonists fleeing religious persecution in their homeland has become the world's last remaining superpower. The United States boasts nearly every kind of landscape and the world's most ethnically diverse population. Early settlers declared their independence from Britain in 1776 and began a westward expansion to the pacific coast, usurping land from native tribes along the way. The Civil War in the second half of the 19th century ended slavery of African Americans, but racial harmony remains an elusive goal in the United States. The most powerful economy in the world with immense agricultural and industrial production. The state of health of the U.S. economy has worldwide repercussions. Massive government deficits and adverse trade balance could precipitate future crises for the world economy, as well as for the nation itself. Freedom of religion is written into the constitution, and no state in the world has been so strongly influenced by biblical Christianity. The separation of State and Church enshrined in the constitution has been misused by liberal and anti-Christian minorities to limit the public exercise of religion and to promote permissive legislation.

OVERVIEW

Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in North America in 1492, the continent was inhabited by peoples thought to have descended from nomadic Mongolian tribes, who traveled across the Barents Sea. The first wave of European settlers, mainly English, French and Dutch, crossed the Atlantic in the 17th century and colonized the Eastern Seaboard. The restrictions on political rights and the punitive taxation which the British government imposed on the American colonists led to the American War of Independence (1775-1783), with the Declaration of Independence being signed in 1776. The outcome was a humiliating defeat for the English King, George III. The American Constitution, which was born out of this victory, has been imitated by many other countries. By 1853, the boundaries of the United States were, with the exception of Alaska and Hawaii, as they are today, following a period of settlement, purchases from the French and Spanish and annexation of Indian and Mexican lands. Economic activity in the southern States centered on plantation agriculture. Attempts by liberally-inclined Republicans, led by Abraham Lincoln, to put an end to slavery on which it depended were fiercely opposed. The election of Lincoln to the Presidency in 1861 precipitated a political crisis in which seven southern States (joined later by three others) seceded from the Union, resulting in the American Civil War. The more powerful and better-equipped Union forces prevailed after four years of fighting. After the war, the country entered a period of consolidation, building up an industrial economy and settling the vast interior region of America commonly known as the Midwest. The mid- and late 19th century also saw the formulation of an American foreign policy with two principal elements: formal diplomatic and trading links were established with the old colonial powers; while on the American continent, the U.S. sought to establish itself as the regional power - a policy espoused by the Monroe Doctrine (1822), which laid the basis for intervention in support of the USA's 'national interest'. The latter has been a constant feature of US policy ever since. Successful diplomatic and commercial overtures were also made to Japan; this in turn paved the way for the growth of U.S. power in the Pacific. 

In Europe, U.S. intervention in 1917 proved decisive for the allies, and signaled the emergence of the USA as a global power. Driven by free-market economic policies and innovative developments in technology and production methods - notably the growth of the motor industry - the USA had by this time undeniably become the world's leading economy. The USA entered World War II following the Japanese attack on the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor, although its earlier neutrality had been decidedly favorable to the Allied Powers, especially Britain. Domestic post-war politics have revolved around the struggle between the Republicans and Democrats, the only two parties of any significance. The Republican Party, often referred to as the GOP or Grand Old Party, picks up most corporate support and substantial backing from wealthy individuals; the Democrats are perceived as the party supported by particular interest groups, thus the 'labor vote', 'black vote', 'Jewish vote' and so on, and as having more liberal views on social and welfare policy. Both Republican and Democratic candidates have been elected to the Presidency with roughly equal frequency over the history of the nation, but Republicans have been more frequent in the White House since 1945 while the Democrats have dominated Congress. 

World War II also saw the birth of nuclear weapons and the superpower conflict, which has until recently dominated modern international relations. The essence of post-war U.S. foreign policy has been the struggle against the spread of communist influence, not only for ideological reasons but also for economic motives. Despite the dangers of nuclear escalation, direct military intervention has not been eschewed, however, as in the Korean War of the 1950s (under UN auspices), the ill-fated Vietnam mission and, most recently, the Middle East. The Reagan administration, which came to office in 1980, reinvigorated the ideological struggle, although relations between the USA and the former USSR improved greatly after 1985 owing, almost entirely, to the 'new thinking' adopted in Soviet foreign policy under the Gorbachev regime. In November 1988, Reagan's Vice-President George Bush was elected to the White House. As far as the USA was concerned, the collapse of the Soviet bloc meant the Cold War was won and the foreign policy effort needed to be realigned. Thus we have the 'New World Order', a loosely defined notion coined by Bush before the war against Iraq in early 1991. The enemy, so to speak, was best defined by one White House staffer as 'that swirling pot of poison made up of zealots, crazies, drug traffickers and terrorists'. 

Despite some opposition NAFTA was endorsed by the Bill Clinton administration. GATT meanwhile was transformed into the World Trade Organization, which now effectively operates as a regulatory authority for international trade. In the first two years of his presidency, Clinton was able to make use of the Democrats' traditional control of Congress. However, his poor record in most areas led to a Republican victory in mid-term Congressional elections which gave the GOP ('Grand Old Party') unprecedented control of both Houses of Congress, which they have maintained ever since. The feuds between Congress and the White House were almost continuous, covering almost every aspect of policy - and were later to have devastating consequences for the Clinton presidency. 

George W. Bush, governor of Texas, successfully defeated Vice President Al Gore after a highly televised controversy over the state of Florida. After many months of counting and re-counting votes, Bush was declared the winner by the Supreme Court.


FACTS

Population: 273 million
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Major language: English
Major religion: Christianity
Form of government: federal republic
Monetary unit: 1 dollar = 100 cents 
Main exports: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, scientific equipment, food and live animals
Head of government and state: President


LEADERS

President:
George W. Bush

George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946 and grew up in Midland and Houston, Texas. He received a bachelor's degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He served as an F-102 pilot for the Texas Air National Guard. He began his career in the oil and gas business in Midland in 1975 and worked in the energy industry until 1986. After working on his father's 1988 presidential campaign, he assembled the group of partners that purchased the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989 and later built the Ranger's new home, the Ballpark at Arlington. He served as managing general partner of the Texas Rangers until he was elected Governor of Texas on November 8, 1994, with 53.5 percent of the vote. Bush and his wife, Laura, a former teacher and librarian who grew up in Midland, now reside in the White House in Washington, D.C. They have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, a dog, Spot, and three cats, India, Cowboy and Ernie. Bush is a Methodist and has served on the boards of various charitable, business and civic organizations.

OBSTACLES TO MINISTRY

• An unholy alliance of minority rights groups such as humanists, homosexuals, New Age enthusiasts and pro-choice abortionists exploit the provisions of the constitution and control of the media to disparage and mock Christians and limit or remove anything Christian in public life.

• Reaching out to the many diverse ethnic groups around the country.

SPIRITUAL POWER POINTS

• Young people present one of the major areas of spiritual battle with many turning to anger, drugs, sex and alcohol for their answer.

• Spiritual unity across denominational barriers.

Special thanks to Patrick Johnstone's, "Operation World" publisher, ISBN# 0-310-40031-7; 
and country profiles by ABC news.com, Mytravelguide.com and usembassy.ro.