Portal:United States/Selected article

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Selected article

</noinclude>

Instructions

  1. Use template {{Portal:United States/Selected article/Layout}}.
  2. Add a new Selected article to the next available subpage.
  3. Update parameter |max= to new total for its {{Random portal component}} on the portal page.

Selected articles list

1–25

Selected article 1

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/1 The

techno, ragtime, doo-wop, folk, americana, boogaloo, tejano, surf, and salsa, amongst many others. American music is heard around the world. Since the beginning of the 20th century, some forms of American popular music have gained a near global audience. (Full article...
)

Selected article 2

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/2

Bess Truman with Girls Scouts and their leaders
The
social welfare of young ladies and was formed as a counterpart to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and is based on the Scouting principles developed by Robert Baden-Powell
.

The GSUSA uses the Scout method to build self-esteem and to teach values such as honesty, fairness, courage, compassion, character, sisterhood, confidence, and citizenship through activities including camping, community service, learning first aid, and earning numerous badges by acquiring other practical skills. Girl Scouts' achievements are recognized through rank advancement and by various special awards. GSUSA has programs for girls with special interests, such as water-based activities.

Membership is organized according to age group with activities designed appropriately for each level. The GSUSA is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), and has a long history of accepting girls from all backgrounds.

Selected article 3

Selected article 4

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/4

Yellowstone National Park poster from 1938
Old Faithful Geyser
, one of the most popular areas in the park.

Aside from visits by

U.S. Army was commissioned to oversee the park just after its establishment. In 1917, administration of the park was transferred to the National Park Service
, which had been created the previous year. Hundreds of structures have been built and are protected for their architectural and historical significance, and researchers have examined more than 1,000 archaeological sites.

Yellowstone National Park spans an area of 3,472 square miles (8,987 km²), comprising lakes, canyons, rivers and mountain ranges. Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America and is centered over the Yellowstone Caldera, the largest supervolcano on the continent. Half of the world's geothermal features are in Yellowstone, fueled by this ongoing volcanism. The park is the centerpiece of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest remaining, nearly-intact ecosystem in the Earth's northern temperate zone.

Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles have been documented. The vast forests and grasslands also include unique species of plants.

Forest fires occur in the park each year; in the large forest fires of 1988, nearly one third of the park burned. Yellowstone has numerous recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, boating, fishing and sightseeing. Paved roads provide close access to the major geothermal areas as well as some of the lakes and waterfalls. During the winter, visitors often access the park by way of guided tours that use either snow coaches or snowmobile
.

Selected article 5

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/5

USS Washington in Puget Sound, 10 September 1945
The North Carolina class was a group of two fast battleships, North Carolina and Washington, built for the United States Navy in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The navy was originally uncertain whether the ships should be fast enough to counter the Japanese Kongō class, which was believed by the United States to be capable of 26 knots (30 mph; 48 km/h), or should sacrifice speed for additional firepower and armor. The Second London Naval Treaty's requirement that all capital ships have a standard displacement of under 35,000 long tons (35,560 metric tons (t)) meant that the desired objectives could not be fully realized within the treaty limits, and the navy considered over fifty designs before one was chosen.

Both North Carolina and Washington saw extensive service during World War II in a variety of roles, primarily in the Pacific theater. North Carolina frequently acted as an escort for the fast carrier task forces, and also conducted shore bombardments. In 1942, during the

naval battle of Guadalcanal, Washington heavily damaged the Japanese battleship Kirishima in a chaotic night engagement; Kirishima had to be scuttled the next day. She also served as a carrier escort. In February 1943, she collided with the battleship Indiana and suffered severe damage to her bow. Following repairs, Washington rejoined her sister for the Battle of the Philippine Sea. After the end of the war, both ships took part in Operation Magic Carpet, the withdrawal of American military personnel from overseas deployments. The vessels were laid up in the reserve fleet until the early 1960s, when North Carolina was sold to her home state as a museum ship, and Washington was broken up
for scrap.

Selected article 6

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/6

First page of The Emancipation Proclamation.
African American or Black American ethnic group in the United States. Most African Americans are the descendants of captive Africans held in the United States from 1619 to 1865. Blacks from the Caribbean whose ancestors immigrated, or who immigrated to the U.S., also traditionally have been considered African American, as they share a common history of predominantly West African or Central African roots, the Middle Passage and slavery
.

It is these peoples, who in the past were referred to and self-identified collectively as the American Negro, who now generally consider themselves African Americans. It is these peoples whose history is celebrated and highlighted annually in the United States during February, designated as Black History Month, and it is their history that is the focus of this article.

Others who sometimes are referred to as African Americans, and who may self-identify as such in US government censuses, include relatively recent Black immigrants from Africa, South America and elsewhere who self-identify as being of African descent.

Read more...

Selected article 7

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/7

The current flag of the United States, In use since July 4, 1960
The
canton bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars.

The 50 stars on the flag represent the

British crown and became the first states in the Union.[1] Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory,[2] and the Star-Spangled Banner (also the name of the country's official national anthem
).

Because of its symbolism, the starred blue canton is called the "union". This part of the national flag can stand alone as a maritime flag called the Union Jack[3] which served as the U.S. jack on warships from 1777 until 2002. It continues to be used as a jack by various federally-owned vessels, including those of the Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Selected article 8

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/8

Map of Plymouth Colony showing town locations
Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town of Plymouth, Massachusetts. At its height, Plymouth Colony occupied most of the southeastern portion of the modern state of Massachusetts
.

Founded by a group of

Indian Wars. Ultimately, the colony was annexed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony
in 1691.

Plymouth holds a special role in American history. Rather than being entrepreneurs like many of the settlers of Jamestown, the citizens of Plymouth were fleeing religious persecution and searching for a place to worship God as they saw fit. The social and legal systems of the colony were thus closely tied to their religious beliefs. Many of the people and events surrounding Plymouth Colony have become part of

mythology, including the North American tradition known as Thanksgiving and the monument known as Plymouth Rock
. Despite the colony's relatively short history, it has become an important symbol of what is now labeled "American", owing largely to its treatment in American public schools.

Selected article 9

Selected article 10

Selected article 11

Selected article 12

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/12

7 World Trade Center
7 World Trade Center (7 WTC, WTC-7, or Tower 7) is an office building constructed as part of the new World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The tower is located on a city block bounded by Greenwich, Vesey, Washington, and Barclay Streets on the east, south, west, and north, respectively. 7 World Trade Center was developed by Larry Silverstein, who holds a ground lease for the site from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

The building was constructed to replace the original structure on the site, part of the original World Trade Center. The previous structure, completed in 1987, was destroyed in the September 11 attacks in 2001. Construction of the new 7 World Trade Center began in 2002 and was completed on May 23, 2006. The building is 52 stories tall (plus one underground floor), making it the 64th-tallest in New York. It is built on a smaller footprint than the original; a small park across Greenwich Street occupies space that was part of the original building's footprint.

The current building's design emphasizes safety, with a reinforced concrete core, wider stairways, and thicker fireproofing on steel columns. It also incorporates numerous green design features. The building received the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification and was part of the council's pilot program for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – Core and Shell Development (LEED-CS). (Full article...)

Selected article 13

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/13

The Shuttle–Mir insignia
The
Shuttle–Mir Program was a collaborative space program between Russia and the United States, which involved American Space Shuttles visiting the Russian space station Mir, Russian cosmonauts flying on the shuttle and an American astronaut flying aboard a Soyuz spacecraft
to engage in long-duration expeditions aboard Mir.

The project, sometimes called "Phase One", was intended to allow the United States to learn from Russian experience with long-duration spaceflight and to foster a spirit of cooperation between the two nations and their

Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos). The project helped to prepare the way for further cooperative space ventures; specifically, "Phase Two" of the joint project, the construction of the International Space Station
(ISS). The program was announced in 1993, the first mission started in 1994 and the project continued until its scheduled completion in 1998. Eleven Space Shuttle missions, a joint Soyuz flight and almost 1000 cumulative days in space for American astronauts occurred over the course of seven long-duration expeditions.

During the four-year program, many firsts in

Orlan spacesuit
.

The program was marred by various concerns, notably the safety of Mir following a fire and a collision, financial issues with the cash-strapped Russian Space Program and worries from astronauts about the attitudes of the program administrators. Nevertheless, a large amount of science, expertise in space station construction and knowledge in working in a cooperative space venture was gained from the combined operations, allowing the construction of the ISS to proceed much more smoothly than would have otherwise been the case.

Read more...

Selected article 14

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/14

Statue of Liberty
The
Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence
. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue has become an iconic symbol of freedom and of the United States.

The statue was administered by the United States Lighthouse Board until 1901 and then by the Department of War; since 1933 it has been maintained by the National Park Service. The statue was closed for renovation for much of 1938. In the early 1980s, it was found to have deteriorated to such an extent that a major restoration was required. While the statue was closed from 1984 to 1986, the torch and a large part of the internal structure were replaced. After the September 11 attacks in 2001, it was closed for reasons of safety and security; the pedestal reopened in 2004 and the statue in 2009, with limits on the number of visitors allowed to ascend to the crown. The statue is scheduled to close for up to a year beginning in late 2011 so that a secondary staircase can be installed. Public access to the balcony surrounding the torch has been barred for safety reasons since 1916.

Selected article 15

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/15

Collage of World War II images.
deadliest conflict in human history, resulting in 50 million to over 70 million fatalities
.

The war ended with the total victory of the Allies over Germany and Japan in 1945. World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world. The United Nations (UN) was established to foster international cooperation and prevent future conflicts (such as World War III). The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which would last for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers started to decline, while the decolonization of Asia and Africa began. Most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery. Political integration emerged as an effort to stabilise postwar relations.

Selected article 16

Selected article 17

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/17

Hoover Dam by Ansel Adams, 1942
Franklin Roosevelt
. Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers, and cost over one hundred lives.

Hoover Dam impounds

Hoover Dam Bypass
opened.

Selected article 18

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/18

The Great Kiva of Chetro Ketl
precolumbian
cultural and historic areas.

Composing a

Pueblo people
, who maintain oral accounts of their historical migration from Chaco and their spiritual relationship to the land. Though park preservation efforts can conflict with native religious beliefs, tribal representatives work closely with the National Park Service to share their knowledge and respect the heritage of the Chacoan culture.

Selected article 19

Selected article 20

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/20

The bottom of page 53 of Olney Hymns shows the first stanza of what became "Amazing Grace".
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn written by English poet and clergyman John Newton (1725–1807), published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, "Amazing Grace" is one of the most recognizable songs in the English-speaking world.

Newton wrote the words from personal experience. He grew up without any particular religious conviction but his life's path was formed by a variety of twists and coincidences that were often put into motion by his recalcitrant insubordination. He was pressed into the Royal Navy and became a sailor, eventually participating in the slave trade. One night a terrible storm battered his vessel so severely that he became frightened enough to call out to God for mercy, a moment that marked the beginning of his spiritual conversion. His career in slave trading lasted a few years more until he quit going to sea altogether and began studying theology.

Author Gilbert Chase writes that "Amazing Grace" is "without a doubt the most famous of all the folk hymns", and Jonathan Aitken, a Newton biographer, estimates that it is performed about 10 million times annually. It has had particular influence in

African American spiritual
. Its universal message has been a significant factor in its crossover into secular music. "Amazing Grace" saw a resurgence in popularity in the U.S. during the 1960s and has been recorded thousands of times during and since the 20th century, sometimes appearing on popular music charts.

Selected article 21

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/21

First edition cover of The Red Badge of Courage (1895)
124th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
, commonly known as the Orange Blossoms. Initially shortened and serialized in newspapers in December 1894, the novel was published in full in October 1895. Several of the themes that the story explores are maturation, heroism, cowardice, and the indifference of nature. Adapted several times for the screen, the novel became a bestseller. It has never been out of print, and is now thought to be Crane's most important work and a major American text.

Selected article 22

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/22

Washington Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia to Los Angeles International Airport
in Los Angeles, California.

Less than 35 minutes into the flight, the hijackers stormed the cockpit and forced the passengers to the rear of the aircraft. Hani Hanjour, one of the hijackers who was trained as a pilot, assumed control of the flight. Unknown to the hijackers, passengers aboard were able to make telephone calls to loved ones and relay information on the hijacking.

The aircraft crashed into the western side of the Pentagon at 09:37 EDT. Dozens of people witnessed the crash and news sources began reporting on the incident within minutes. The impact severely damaged an area of the Pentagon and caused a large fire. A portion of the Pentagon collapsed; firefighters spent days trying to fully extinguish the blaze. The damaged sections of the Pentagon were rebuilt in 2002, with occupants moving back into the completed areas on August 15, 2002.

The 184 victims of the attack are memorialized in the Pentagon Memorial adjacent to the Pentagon. The 1.93-acre (7,800 m2) park contains a bench for each of the victims, arranged according to their year of birth, ranging from 1930 (age 71) to 1998 (age 3).

Selected article 23

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/23

Presidents Jiang Zemin of China and Bill Clinton of the U.S.
The
citizens from giving monetary donations to United States politicians and political parties. Seventeen people were eventually convicted for fraud or for funneling Asian funds into the United States elections. A number of the convictions came against long-time Clinton-Gore
friends and political appointees.

Selected article 24

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/24

Flight 93 crash site
United Airlines Flight 93 was a scheduled U.S. domestic passenger flight from Newark International Airport, in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport. It was hijacked in 2001 by four men as part of the September 11 attacks. Over 40 minutes into the flight the hijackers breached the cockpit, overpowered the pilots and took over control of the aircraft, diverting it toward Washington, D.C. Several passengers and crew members made telephone calls aboard the flight and learned about the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. As a result, the passengers decided to mount an assault against the hijackers and wrest control of the aircraft. The plane crashed in a field just outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, about 150 miles (240 km) northwest of Washington, D.C., killing all 44 people aboard, including the hijackers. The plane fragmented upon impact, leaving a crater, and some debris was blown miles from the crash site. The remains of everyone on board the aircraft were later identified. Subsequent analysis of the flight recorders revealed how the actions taken by the passengers prevented the aircraft from reaching either the White House or United States Capitol. A permanent memorial is planned for construction on the crash site. The chosen design has been the subject of criticism and is scheduled to be dedicated in 2011.

Selected article 25


26–50

Selected article 26

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/26

US Marine Corps logo
The
combined-arms task forces to global crises. Alongside the U.S. Navy, the Marine Corps operates under the United States Department of the Navy. Originally organized as the Continental Marines, the Marine Corps has evolved its mission with changing military doctrine and American foreign policy. The Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict including the Revolutionary War. It attained prominence in the twentieth century when its theories and practice of amphibious warfare proved prescient, and ultimately formed the cornerstone of the Pacific campaign of World War II
. By the early twentieth century, the Marine Corps had become the dominant theorist and practitioner of amphibious warfare. Its ability to rapidly respond to regional crises has made and continues to make it an important body in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy. The United States Marine Corps, with 180,000 active duty and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2005, is the smallest of the United States' armed forces in the Department of Defense.

Selected article 27

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/27

The Liberty Bell
The
American Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776, and while there is no contemporary account of the Liberty Bell ringing, most historians believe it was one of the bells rung. It acquired its distinctive large crack sometime in the early 19th century—a widespread story claims it cracked while ringing after the death of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835. The bell was moved from its longstanding home in Independence Hall to a nearby glass pavilion on Independence Mall
in 1976, and then to the larger Liberty Bell Center adjacent to the pavilion in 2003.

Selected article 28

Selected article 29

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/29

Formation of F-4 Phantom II fighter aircraft
The
Iran–Iraq War
. Phantoms remain in front line service with seven countries, and in use as an unmanned target in the U.S. Air Force.

Read more...

Selected article 30

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/30

Image of Space Shuttle Challenger's smoke plume
The
Challenger
, which was made in 1990, and a theatrical movie of the same name, scheduled for release in 2008.

Selected article 31

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/31

Elk at the Opal Terrace at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
The Leopold Report is a 1963 paper composed of a series of ecosystem management recommendations that were presented by the Special Advisory Board on Wildlife Management to United States Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall. Named for its chairman and principal author, zoologist and conservationist A. Starker Leopold, the report proved influential for future preservation mandates and reports. After several years of public controversy regarding the forced reduction of the elk population in Yellowstone National Park, Udall appointed an advisory board to collect scientific data to inform future wildlife management of the national parks. The committee observed that culling programs at other national parks had been ineffective, and recommended management of Yellowstone's elk population. In addressing the goals, policies, and methods of managing wildlife in the parks, the report suggested that in addition to protection, wildlife populations should be managed and regulated to prevent habitat degradation. Touching upon predator control, fire ecology, and other issues, the report suggested that the National Park Service hire scientists to manage the parks using current scientific research. The Leopold Report became the first concrete plan to manage park visitors and ecosystems under unified principles. It was reprinted in several national publications, and many of its recommendations were incorporated into the official policies of the NPS. Although the report is notable for proposing that park management have a fundamental goal of reflecting "the primitive scene... a reasonable illusion of primitive America", some have criticized it for its idealism and limited scope.

Selected article 32

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/32

James Madison, author of the Report of 1800
The
Virginia Resolutions, and the main reason for producing the Report was to answer criticisms that had been leveled at the Resolutions. The arguments made in the Resolutions and the Report were later used frequently during the nullification crisis of 1832, when South Carolina declared federal tariffs to be unconstitutional and void within the state. Madison, however, rejected the concept of nullification and the notion that his arguments supported such a practice. Whether Madison's theory of republicanism
really supported the nullification movement, and more broadly whether the ideas he expressed between 1798 and 1800 are consistent with his work before and after this period, are the main questions surrounding the Report in the modern literature.

Selected article 33

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/33

U.S. Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers at Midway
The
Pacific Theater of World War II. It took place from June 4 to June 7, 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea, and six months after the Empire of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor that had led to a formal state of war between the United States and Japan. During the battle, the United States Navy defeated a Japanese attack against Midway Atoll (located northwest of Hawaii) and destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers and a heavy cruiser while losing a carrier and a destroyer. The battle was a crushing defeat for the Japanese and is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of World War II
. The battle permanently weakened the Japanese Navy, particularly through the loss of over 200 naval aviators. Strategically, the U.S. Navy was able to seize the initiative in the Pacific and go on the offensive.

Selected article 34

Selected article 35

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/35

A Medal of Honor from the late 19th century
The
Commander-in-Chief. The Army Medal of Honor was first awarded during the American Civil War and was last officially awarded for action that occurred during the Battle of Mogadishu
in 1993.

Selected article 36

Selected article 37

Selected article 38

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/38

NASA logo
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (
Launch Services Program
(LSP) which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for unmanned NASA launches.

Selected article 39

</noinclude> Portal:United States/Selected article/39

The Battle of Gettysburg, by Thure de Thulstrup
The
Gettysburg Campaign. Elements of the two armies initially collided at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, as Lee urgently concentrated his forces there, his objective being to engage the Union army and destroy it. Low ridges to the northwest of town were defended initially by a Union cavalry division under Brig. Gen. John Buford, and soon reinforced with two corps of Union infantry
. However, two large Confederate corps assaulted them from the northwest and north, collapsing the hastily developed Union lines, sending the defenders retreating through the streets of town to the hills just to the south.

Selected article 40

Selected article 41

Selected article 42

Selected article 43

Selected article 44

Selected article 45

Selected article 46

Selected article 47

Selected article 48

Selected article 49

Selected article 50


Nominations

Feel free to add FA-Class United States articles and A-Class United States articles, particularly of Top-, High- and Mid-Importance to the above list. GA-Class United States articles of Top- and High-Importance also may be preferred. Some articles of lower importance (or not listed under the U.S. project) also might be included as a way to improve the topical contents balance of the selections. Other United States-related articles may be nominated here as well.

United States popular pages by WikiProject

</noinclude> The following United States WikiProjects include lists of popular pages - the top pages ordered by number of views in the scope of each WikiProject.

National
Superfunds
States
Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming
Borders Canada | Mexico
Government Government | Congress | Supreme Court cases
Culture Military history | National Register of Historic Places
Society African diaspora | Asian Americans | Indigenous peoples of North America

Preferred articles

United States articles by quality and importance

Preferred to showcase at U.S. Portal Selected article: checkY = Selected

Quality Importance
Top High Mid Low
FA FA-Top list FA-High list FA-Mid list FA-Low list

Not listed

A A-Top list A-High list A-Mid list A-Low list

Not listed

GA GA-Top list GA-High list Not preferred Not preferred

Potential articles

The following articles are of higher importance but lower quality. They might already be included here (checkY) or otherwise have a good potential for inclusion with a little improvement. Some articles of lower importance and/or quality also might be included as a way to improve the topical contents balance of the selections.

United States articles by quality and importance

Potential to showcase at U.S. Portal Selected article: checkY = Selected

Quality Importance
Top High Mid Low
GA See preferred list See preferred list GA-Mid list GA-Low list
B B-Top list B-High list B-Mid list B-Low list

not listed

C C-Top list C-High list C-Mid list C-Low list
Start Start-Top list Start-High list Start-Mid list Start-Low list
  1. ^ States are represented collectively; there is no meaning to particular stars nor stripes.
  2. William Driver
    , a nineteenth century shipmaster.
  3. Union Flag of the United Kingdom
    to which this term more commonly refers.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Portal:United_States/Selected_article&oldid=1090426112"