United States of America

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The flag of the United States of America with 52 stars as it was used from 2033 until 2079
The flag of the United States of America with 52 stars as it was used from 2033 until 2079

The United States of America (United States, US , USA, or America) was a democratic republic on the North American continent of Earth. Founded in the 18th century, the United States played a significant role in the history of Earth prior to the world's unification.

Contents

[edit] History

American Revolution, as seen through the Guardian of Forever
American Revolution, as seen through the Guardian of Forever
The Constitution found on Omega IV
The Constitution found on Omega IV
The First World War embarked a new era in technological warfare
The First World War embarked a new era in technological warfare
World Trade Center attack
World Trade Center attack
1600s - English colonization 
English settlers established colonies on the eastern coast of North America. The New England colonists acquired the moniker, Yankees, a nickname eventually used to refer to Americans in general.
1692 - Salem witch trials 
An alien race, the Megans briefly mingled among the Puritan population of Massachusetts, until their presence kindled the Salem witch trials. (TAS: "The Magicks of Megas-Tu")
1775 to 1783 - American Revolution 
The colonies declared their independence from the British Empire in 1776. Under the military leadership of General George Washington and with the support of the French King, the rebellion was successful. (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever"; TNG: "The High Ground")
1788 - Constitution 
The Constitution of the United States is adopted, and thereafter George Washington is elected President. (TOS: "Court Martial", "The Omega Glory")
1861 to 1865 - American Civil War 
The US was divided over the issue of slavery, leading to the secession of the southern states and the Civil War in the 1860s. Under the political leadership of Abraham Lincoln, with a military led by Ulysses S. Grant, the Union was preserved and slavery was abolished within the nation. (TOS: "The Savage Curtain"; VOY: "Death Wish", "The Q and the Grey")
1917 to 1918 - World War I 
The US is involved in the European conflict that broke out in 1914
1920s - Prosperity and prohibition 
The US is in a period of great prosperity until the Crash of 1929. (TOS: "A Piece of the Action")
1930s - Great Depression 
After the Crash of 1929, the US enters a period of economic upheaval and misery. (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever")
1940s - World War II 
The USA is instrumental in the defeat of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan in the Second World War.
1940s to 1990s - Cold War 
High tensions emerge between the US and the Soviet Union, the two largest military and economic powers. (DS9: "Little Green Men", "Our Man Bashir"; VOY: "Future's End")
2001 - Terrorist attack 
Two airliners are crashed into New York City's World Trade Center. (ENT: "Storm Front, Part II")
2020 to 2024 - Sanctuary Districts 
The US establishes the Sanctuary Districts in an effort to alleviate rising unemployment and poverty, which will lead to the Bell Riots. (DS9: "Past Tense, Part I", "Past Tense, Part II")
2026 to 2053 - World War III 
The US participated in, and survived, the devastating Third World War in the mid 21st century, as part of a Western (North American and European) alliance against the Eastern Coalition. In 2053, a peace treaty was negotiated and signed in the American city of San Francisco.
2033
The US adds a 52nd star to its flag, indicating the addition of a 52nd state to the union. The flag has 52 stars until 2079. (TNG: "The Royale")
2063
The Vulcans made first contact with Earth in the North American town of Bozeman, Montana. (Star Trek: First Contact)
2153 - Xindi incident 
The region of the United States known as Florida is devastated by the first Xindi superweapon. (ENT: "The Expanse")
22nd century - United Earth 
The United States of America joins in the establishment of a United Earth government in 2150, and the United Federation of Planets in 2161.
As a political entity, the United States still seems to exist into the late 24th century. (VOY: "Imperfection")
Much of US history through the 20th century was paralleled on Miri's Earth and Omega IV.

[edit] States

The United States was a federal union of semi-autonomous political units, called states. From 1959 through the balance of the 20th century, there were 50 States in the Union; in 2033, there were 52. The nation's capital was Washington, DC.

[edit] Organization

[edit] Political

[edit] Defense and security

[edit] Space program

[edit] Americans

[edit] Background

In TNG: "The Royale", Data states that the American flag with 52 stars determines the date of the Charybdis wreckage as originating between 2033 and 2079. From this we can determine the following:

  • In 2033 the number of states in the US became 52
  • In 2079 the United States could have:
    • Added one or more states
    • Seceded or dissolved one or more states
    • Changed or modified the flag format

Ominously, 2079 was also mentioned in TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint". It was the year of Q's court, defined by the time period post-atomic horror. Some assume this does not bode well for the states. However, evidence from Star Trek: First Contact as well as Star Trek: Enterprise suggest this may not be the case, as parts of the planet, particularly Zefram Cochrane's area (Montana) were improving due to contact with the Vulcans.

A San Francisco address seen on-screen in ENT: "Affliction" included "USA, Earth", suggesting that "USA" exists at least as a political/geographic designation in 2154. Since the United Kingdom's Royal Navy continued to exist in 2154, this indicates that all nations did not completely surrender their sovereignty in joining the United Earth Government in 2150. Furthermore, personnel records shown on screen in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" list "State" as part of at least two people's home addresses, suggesting that the USA continued into the 23rd century as well. Certainly, James T. Kirk was well-versed in, and quite passionate about, United States documents and customs, so much so that he was able to give an impassioned, memorized recital of the Preamble to the Constitution to the Yangs of planet Omega IV. (TOS: "The Omega Glory") Samuel T. Cogley referenced the Constitution to the court at Kirk's trial in TOS: "Court Martial", so the United States obviously looms large in the minds of Starfleet officers in the 23rd century. There are many references to individual American states throughout the run of all the series, but it is not specified if the references are solely geographical or if they retain a political implication as well.

The 52-star flag seen in "The Royale" is unusual in that the field of stars rests on a red stripe instead of a white stripe. The 15-star "Star-Spangled Banner" flown over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 was the last such flag, and since then, all flags (then returning to 13 instead of 15 stripes) have had the familiar arrangement of the field being to the left of the first seven stripes and resting on the 8th, a white. This was probably an error in the art department, but being a future flag, it could be "official," with the government making that change for one reason or another, though it seems unlikely.

TOS: "The Omega Glory" makes it clear that the war there occurred generations ago, and that post war the lifespan lengthened to about a thousand years. This places the war well before 1200 AD, meaning that Omega IV had the United States of America, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the United States Constitution several centuries (at least) before Earth.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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