The Fifty-first State

     In 1953 the Danish Constitution officially made Greenland a province of the country but in 1979 had granted the territory home rule which gave it many responsibilities from education to fisheries.  In 2008 a referendum was held in relation to how much autonomy Greenland should have with 75% voting in favor of more.  The coast guard, legal system and law enforcement were transferred to Greenland.  The language was officially changed from Danish to Greenlandic, and Eskimo-Aleut language of the local Inuit.  Greenland also received control over in foreign trade.  The nation has representatives in Copenhagen, Reykjavik, Brussels and Washington, D.C. A poll in 2016 showed that 64% of the island was in favor of independence but a poll in 2017 showed a stark opposition (74% against) if it meant a lowering in the quality of life. There are two factions within the serparatist movement in Greenland: “slow-independence” and “independence-now”.  T...

     Nearly all Greenlandic architecture is extremely utilitarian.  Buildings and other structures emphasize functionality over form. Greenlandic homes are typically constructed of stone, sod, or wood.  During the summers, some families live in tents made from furs or skins. Communities are typically tightly clustered together: for the Eskimo, solitude is a sign of sheer unhappiness. It is thought to be a perversion and absolutely undesirable.

     Greenland features a blend of Inuit and Danish cultures.  Many Greenlanders have expressed uneasiness with the increased Westernization of Greenland communities in recent years, and many efforts are underway to preserve and sustain traditional Inuit ways, which remain an essential part of the country’s national identity. But Greenland’s long association with Denmark has benefited the island's inhabitants in many tangible ways, such as in raising standards of living and improving health care and education. Moreover, most Greenlanders of European descent are sensitive to the importance of preserving the historical culture and perspective of the Inuit people.

     In1979 Greenland declared home rule and has been a self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark and holds two seats in the Danish parliament.  Greenland’s executive branch is led by the Prime Minister of the nation and includes another six department heads which deal with culture, housing, telecommunications, education, transportation, trade and the environment.  Foreign relations, defense and currency are the prerogative of the Danish government.  The nation’s legislature consists of 31 members and are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms.  They elect the prime minister, who is usually the leader of the majority party.  There are 7 parties.

  The typical Greenlandic diet is heavy on consumption of fish, potatoes, vegetables, and canned foods. Seal and polar bear meat is also a staple in many Inuit communities.

     Greenland has a very interesting transportation system as roads outside of the cities are virtually non-existent.  Traditionally, the locals would travel by boat in the summertime and by dog-sled during the winter, but recently air travel (helicopters and airplanes) have started to become the main mode of transport.  Roads exist only within cities and around them and only around 60 km of road is actually paved.  All the railways which have existed in Greenland at one point or another have been abandoned.

     Total population of Greenland is ~59,300 people, out of which 31,390 are men and 27,910 are women.  Approximately 26 percent of the population is 14 years old or younger, while just 6 percent is 65 years and older.  Life expectancy is just shy of 70 years.  The Inuit make up about 990 percent of the population and the rest are of Danish or other Nordic heritage.  The first Vikings were Pagan, but Leif Erikson had converted them to Catholicism.  One of the main reasons as to why recolonization had happened, was to bring the Protestant reformation to the land.  Most of the country is estimated to be Lutheran although the traditional religion of the Inuit is shamanism.

     Qinngua Valley is a valley which runs about 15 km north to south and is the only forest which can be found in all of Greenland.   The valley is situated about 50 kilometres from the sea and protected from the cold winds coming off the interior glaciers of Greenland. In total, over 300 species of plants grow in the valley.  The forest in Qinngua valley is a thicket consisting mainly of downy birch and gray-leaf willow, growing up to 7–8 metres tall. Growing sometimes to tree height is the Greenland mountain ash, which is usually a shrub.  Green alder is also found in the valley.  It is possible that other forests of this type once existed in Greenland but were cleared by early settlers for firewood or building material. The valley was declared a protected natural area in 1930.

    Three-hundren and ten species of vascular plants are found in Greenland, including 15 endemic species.  Except for in Qinngua Valley, which consists mainly of downy birch and grey-leaf willow, growing up to 7–8 metres tall, Greenland has no native forests.  In northern Greenland, the ground is covered with a carpet of mosses and low-lying shrubs such as dwarf willows and crowberries. Flowering plants in the north include yellow poppy, Pedicularis, and Pyrola.  Plant life in southern Greenland is more abundant, and certain plants, such as the dwarf birch and willow, may grow several feet high.  Horticulture shows a certain degree of success. Plants such as broccoli, radishes, spinach, leeks, lettuce, turnips, chervil, potatoes and parsley are grown up to considerable latitudes, while the very south of the country also holds asters, Nemophila , mignonette, rhubarb, sorrel and carrots.      According to a 13th-century Old Norse text, t...

          The island doesn’t have many species of animals living on it and the ones that do exist can be divided into two categories: those native to the land, and those introduced by people.  This is a list of some of the most prominent species. Native species: Polar bear, barren-ground caribou, muskox, Arctic fox, Arctic wolf, etc. Domesticated (introduces): By the Inuit: dogs By the Danes: goats, sheep, oxen, and pigs.

          Theories as to why the Vikings had disappeared: there have been many speculations as to why the Norsemen who had settled the territory around 1000 AD had vanished by the 15th century.  Some believe it was the work of Basque pirates or the Black Plague but as more plausible theory is that they settled the island during a warmer period, where farming was still possible.  But as the “Little Ice Age” set in, they wouldn’t adapt to the new conditions and kept trying to farm the land.  The native Inuit population on the other hand, had hunted seals and whales for survival, which could be done in a colder or warmer climate.

       In 1721 Hans Egede sailed to Greenland on an expedition to convert the old Norsemen to Protestantism.  All he saw were the remnants of a crumbling church.  The Vikings had vanished.  He wrote:  “What has been the fate of so many human beings, so long cut off from all intercourse with the more civilized world?... Were they destroyed by an invasion of the natives… or perished by the inclemency of the climate, and the sterility of the soil?”

     This year the US will open a consulate in Greenland and has announced giving millions of dollars in aid to the island.  It is speculated that President Trump made this move in order to consolidate the resource-rich island before other nations, predominantly China and Russia, could.  Denmark has expressed support for this initiative.

     Starting in America in 2020, “anti-racist” and “anti-colonial” protestors have been vandalizing historical monuments.  The statue of Hans Egede in Nuuk is no exception.  In July of this year, the citizens of Greenland had a vote on whether or not to keep the “controversial” statue of missionary.  According to the results of the vote, 921 citizens wanted the statue to remain with 600 wanting it to be removed.

          In 2019 Greenland opened its first-ever closed prison.  In 1953 Danish authorities decided that inmates in Greenland would stay in “open institutions” which they could leave during the day.  Serious offenders would be sent to Denmark, but now, all inmates prosecuted in Greenland will stay and serve their time there.  But as with many things, the project was controversial.  Many locals believed the prison should not have been situated in such a beautiful place where it was “like a 5-star hotel”.  The architects responded that a panoramic view could help with the well-being of inmates and give them a chance at rehabilitation.

Scientists have discovered an ancient lakebed beneath Greenland that maybe hundreds of thousands of years old or maybe even over 1 million.  The basin (the lake had dried up) has an area of about 7,100 sq. km.

          Cryolite is a mineral that can only be found in the Ivittuutt, Greenland - a small mining town which played an important role in WWII for the Americans.  During the War the US military took control of the island in order to ensure its safety from the Nazi Germans.  “Without it, the Allied forces would not be able to win the Battle of Britain and bomb Germany,” says Rie Oldenburg, a historian and head of education at Campus Kujalleq, a school in Qaqortoq, Greenland.

     In August of 2020, Thule Air Base in Greenland responded to a distress call from a commercial ship.  The crew of 6 were saved after a leak in the engine room.  The effort could be counted as an international one as many entities took part in the mission: the 821st Air Base Group, Vectrus Services, the Royal Danis h Air Force, Joint Arctic Command and the Joint Rescue Coordination Center.

     In August of 2019 President Trump of the United States tweeted his desire to buy Greenland from Denmark.  Many believe this to not be a serious statement but it does show the US’ interest in the Arctic region.  The United States had offered to purchase the territory previously: 1867, 1910, and 1946.

     This week (December, 2020) Denmark apologizes for taking 22 Greenlandic children away from their families in the 1950s.  This was part of a social experiment to create a “new Greenlander” in order to modernize the giant territory.  The experiment was deemed a failure.

   US citizens are wary of any territorial acquisitions of their country. On the one hand, new lands and new achievements instill confidence in the hearts of people, patriotism is growing and there is inspiration. But such acquisitions can sometimes harm the American society, and many understand this. There are also supporters of 51 state policies who want the de facto controlled countries to remain independent. Despite this, the Americans constantly support the residents of the affected countries. They send humanitarian aid, take part in counterterrorism operations and save many lives.

   Today, any acquisition of new territories is regarded as a challenge to the world community. Sometimes even the smallest local skirmishes lead to wars. All this because the world has been divided, divided since the Second World War. I believe that the entry into the United States, for example, Puerto Rico will be viewed as aggression and expansion.

   It is a small group of islands in the Southern Ocean. Its inhabitants speak their native and English languages and trade freely with the United States. The main export product is fish. There are a lot of people on these islands who want to serve in the US Army, apparently due to the small number of work places at home. The monetary unit of the state is the US dollar.

   So, one of the points of the Monroe doctrine says that none of the European countries can interfere in the affairs of America and encroach on its territory. Can both American continents be considered 51 states then? I suppose not. In South America, despite not the highest quality of life, powerful large countries are still developing. In the north of North America is Canada, which also values its territory and is a major economic player. The countries of the Americas are in close economic cooperation. Some of them just don't need maximum US patronage.

   One of perhaps the most daring proposals was the creation of the fifty-first us state on the moon. Of course the offer sounds fantastic, but why not? Of course, there is still debate about whether the Americans were on the moon. But those who say that Armstrong did not step on the surface of the satellite of our planet can say absolutely nothing to prove their words. Therefore, soberly assessing modern realities, we can assert that the settlement of the moon is quite real.

   In the course of US history, we remember that the Philippines were once conquered by the states from Spain. For a huge period of time, after the independence of the Philippines, the United States supported this small country and under bilateral agreements pledged to protect it. Today, the Philippines is increasingly moving away from the United States and is more interested in political contact with China and Russia.

   Another attempt to join the United States was made by the Republic of Yucatan. This separatist state separated from Mexico due to disagreement with the political situation in the country. The United States did not want to accept the Republic as it would entail a war with Mexico. The state did not last long. The main problem of the breakaway state was the unity of its leaders, who disagreed. Local Indians also took an active part in the uprising.

   Attempts to join the United States have been around for a very long time. The Republic of Rio Grande, the territory that separated from Mexico, tried with all its might to become part of the United States. The Rebellious Republic even copied the US government's methods of positioning itself. The republic did not last long. The rebels never succeeded in becoming a US state and the Rio Grande territory was divided between the US and Mexico.

  More Puerto Ricans live stateside in the U.S. than in Puerto Rico. A 2009 report by the Pew Hispanic Center indicates that, as of 2007, 4.1 million Puerto Ricans lived in the mainland versus 3.9 million living in the Island. Since the 1967 referendum, there have been demands that stateside Puerto Ricans be allowed to vote in these plebiscites on the political status of Puerto Rico. Since the 1990s, the role of stateside Puerto Ricans in advocating for Puerto Rico in Washington, D.C., on issues such as the Navy's removal from Vieques and others has increased, especially given that there have been three voting members of the U.S. Congress who are stateside Puerto Ricans (two from New York City and one from Chicago), in contrast to Puerto Rico's single Resident Commissioner in the U.S. Congress with no vote. Between February 24-March 6, 2006, the National Institute for Latino Policy conducted an opinion survey over the Internet of a broad cross-section of stateside Puerto Rican ...

English, along with Spanish, is an official language of the Government of Puerto Rico. Spanish has been an official language in Puerto Rico since it was colonized in the 15th century. English, on the other hand, was first introduced as an official language when the United States occupied the island during the Spanish– American War. Since then, the Puerto Rican government has declared Spanish an official language on several occasions while removing it from that status on as many occasions. Spanish is the most widely spoken and written language, and the vast majority of Puerto Ricans do not use English regularly other than some borrowed English words in their ordinary Spanish speech. Various surveys have found that the majority of Puerto Ricans are not fully fluent in English. The 2000 US Census found that 71.9% of people in Puerto Rico spoke English less than "very well." It also found that 85.6% spoke a language other than English at home (mostly Spanish). After the invasion ...

  However, Puerto Rico's political status is still debated in many international forums, possibly in part because of the circumstances surrounding the vote: "Under United States pressure, General Assembly Resolution 748 passed — though only narrowly and with many countries abstaining. The debate over Resolution 748 prompted the United Nations to agree on governing arrangements that would provide full self-government to non-self-governing territories: in United States terms, these arrangements were statehood, independence, and free association. Yet, under international law, a freely associated state is a sovereign nation in a joint governing arrangement with another nation that either nation can unilaterally end." Though the subject continues to be debated in many forums it is clear that the current territorial status has not satisfied Puerto Rican political leaders, and that despite the divergent views that Puerto Ricans have with respect to their preferred political stat...

  During its 8th session, the United Nations General Assembly recognized Puerto Rico's self-government on November 27, 1953, with Resolution 748 (VIII). (UN Resolution "748 (VIII)", adopted on November 27, 1953, during its 459th Plenary Meeting.) This removed Puerto Rico's classification as a non-self-governing territory (under article 73(e) of the Charter of the United Nations). The resolution passed, garnering a favorable vote from some 40% of the General Assembly, with over 60% abstaining or voting against it (20 to 16, plus 18 abstentions). Today, however, the UN "still debates whether Puerto Rico is a colony" or not.

  The United Nations has intervened in the past to evaluate the legitimacy of Puerto Rico's political status, to ensure that the island's government structure complies with the standards of self-government that constitute the basic tenets of the United Nations Charter, its covenants, and its principles of international law. Some authorities, such as Trias Monge, argue that Puerto Rico "clearly does not meet the decolonization standards set by the United Nations in 1960".

Puerto Rico's main political issue is the territory's relationship with the United States. A United States territory since 1898, and known as "Estado Libre Asociado" (Free Associated State) or as commonwealth since 1952, Puerto Rico today is torn by profound ideological rifts, as represented by its political parties, which stand for three distinct future political scenarios: the status quo (commonwealth), statehood, and independence. The Popular Democratic Party (PPD) seeks to maintain or improve the current status towards becoming a more sovereign territory of the United States, the New Progressive Party (PNP) seeks to fully incorporate Puerto Rico as a U.S. state, and the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) seeks national independence. When asked, in non-binding plebiscites, to choose between independence, statehood, or continuation of the status quo with enhanced powers, as proposed by the PPD, Puerto Ricans have voted to remain a commonwealth. In the penultimate...

  Puerto Rico's current political status limits the autonomy of the Puerto Rican government. For example, the Island's government is not fully autonomous, and a degree of federal presence in the Island is commonplace, including a branch of the United States Federal District Court. People born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens by birth, but that citizenship is protected only by an Act of the US Congress rather than by the U.S. Constitution, with the implication that the U.S. Congress can unilaterally revoke the American citizenship of those born there, either individually or collectively. Puerto Ricans are also covered by a group of "fundamental civil rights" but, because Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory, they are not covered by the full Bill of Rights. All residents must pay federal taxes but, for a variety of reasons, only some pay federal income taxes. Puerto Ricans lack a voting representative in the U.S. Congress, but they do have a Resident Commissioner ...

The political status of Puerto Rico is that of an unincorporated territory of the United States. As such, the island of Puerto Rico is neither a sovereign nation nor a U.S. state. Because of that ambiguity, the territory, as a polity, lacks certain rights but enjoys certain benefits that other polities have or lack. For instance, in contrast to U.S. states, Puerto Rico residents cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections nor can they elect their own senators and representatives to the U.S. Congress. On the other hand, in contrast to U.S. states, only some residents of Puerto Rico are subject to federal income taxes. The political status of the island thus stems from how different Puerto Rico is politically from sovereign nations and from U.S. states. The status of the island is the result of various political activities within both the United States and Puerto Rican governments. The United Nations removed it from the list of non-self-governing territories in 1953, but it remains subjec...

Northern Virginia is a region of the state of Virginia. Despite its statehood, this region wants to secede and become an independent state. Residents of Northern Virginia claim that they are far ahead of the state in development, and their state in the state only slows down this development. At the same time, the Congress is in not in hurry to divide Virginia as the primacy of Democrats in its northern part may affect the balance.

   In t he District of Columbia is the capital of the United States. At the same time, the district itself is not a state, and this means that it does not have its own representation. There is only one delegate to the House of Representatives and he doesn't even have a vote. County residents often run campaigns in an attempt to be recognized as a state since there are even more residents in the District of Columbia than in Wyoming, but they are always denied. What else stops Congress from turning the district into a state is that the Democrats are unanimously supported in the district and, therefore, if there are more of them in representation, the balance may be lost.

Relations between Georgia and the States improved only after Georgia gained independence from the USSR. The USA are investors in the economy of this country. The agreements concluded between the countries allow Georgia to trade duty-free with the USA, which naturally gives them benefits. The United States is also an active participant in the Geneva discussions on the conflicts in Georgia. Americans are well aware of the relationship between the United States and Georgia, but many of them confuse Georgia and the State of Georgia.

  It was the United States that played a key role in the creation of Israel. Of course, it is not worth saying that they did not have specific motives, because having a controlled state is always beneficial, especially in a troubled region. Truman - US President played a direct role in the creation of Israel. American volunteers are often involved in Israel's conflicts, although the US government is trying to stop them. The relationship between Israel and the United States is also considered "special." The United States supplies Israel's soldiers with weapons, supports them economically and creates favorable conditions for the balance in the region.

Today, the United States and Great Britain are military and economic partners. In the opinion of the world community, Great Britain is highly dependent on the United States. The United States sometimes demands support from the United Kingdom in hostilities and practically controls espionage activities. The relationship between these countries is called "special" because of their real proximity. Despite recent events and the constant distance from the United States, Great Britain claims that it will not break off relations with the United States.

When people talk about US-Iraqi relations, one immediately remembers the war. This is not surprising since the powerful government of Saddam Hussein did interfere with certain US political plans for these territories. Now Iraq is sometimes called 51 states due to its economic dependence on the United States and the pro-American government.

A huge country that is located at a huge distance from the United States, but at an even greater distance from Europe. Therefore, it is the United States that influences Australia the most. Today, three countries such as Australia, Japan and the United States can be called an economic triangle, in which Australia is more the main supplier of raw materials and Japan and the United States are producers. The United States is the largest investor in the Australian economy. Despite this, Australia has never expressed a desire to become a state of the United States and is now 51 states only because of the strong Americanization of the population.

  New York is home for mexicans from Puebla The New York City area is now home to over half a million poblanos, natives of the Mexican state of Puebla. A 2005 Smithsonian article by Jonathan Kandell takes a close look at their expectations and aspirations. Most started as undocumented workers, but many have gained legal status through the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (ICRA) or a variety of other means

 Mexican migrants pay 53 billion dollars a year in US taxes Mexicans migrate to the USA looking for work and higher salaries, but those workers pay 53 billion dollars a year in taxes, according to Ignacio Deschamps, head of the Fundación BBVA Bancomer. (The BBVA Bancomer Foundation has helped 20,000 young people in 143 municipalities complete their high school education.)Deschamps claims that for every dollar sent home in remittances, Mexican workers will have already paid 2.50 dollars in US taxes. Hence, in 2008, they would have contributed 53 billion dollars to the US Treasury.

    Air pollution on the Mexico-USA border The worst air pollution along the USA– Mexico border is in Ciudad Ju árez in Chihuahua, located across the Río Grande from the city of El Paso in Texas. It is often claimed that this is because of Mexican authorities ’  poor enforcement of environmental laws and the high number of maquiladora firms operating in the city.  

  April earthquake leads to Mexico-USA talks over water-sharing In April 2010, a large earthquake rattled the Mexicali area, causing significant damage. It was so powerful that it even moved the southern part of California! The magnitude 7.2 earthquake damaged the irrigation infrastructure used by Mexican farmers on land along the lower Colorado River and in the Colorado River delta region. Mexico and US officials are reported to be discussing the Colorado water-sharing agreement, given the damage done to irrigation facilities following the April earthquake (The OOSKA News Weekly Water Report for Latin America and the Caribbean, 18 August 2010).

  Patrolled territory between Mexico and the USA Mexico shares a  3,169  km (1,969 miles) border  with the USA. This is one of the most heavily guarded and frequently patrolled    land borders in the world, and a rare example of a land border that separates two countries with very different levels of economic development. These differences in development have, of course, prompted many Mexicans to migrate to the USA, either as seasonal or permanent migrants, and whether  “ legal”  or undocumented.  

  The main supporter of the sale of Russian America was the younger brother of Alexander II, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich. The general state of finances in Russia, despite the reforms carried out in the country, was deteriorating, and the treasury needed foreign money. Negotiations to acquire Alaska from Russia began under President Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) at the urging of Secretary of State William Seward. In December 1866, at a special meeting in the ceremonial hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, held with the participation of Emperor Alexander II, Grand Duke Constantine, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Gorchakov, Minister of Finance Mikhail Reitern, Governor of the Naval Ministry Nikolai Krabbe and envoy to Washington, Edward Stekl, was a decision was made to sell Russian holdings in North America. On March 30, 1867, an agreement was signed on the sale of Alaska by Russia to the United States of America for $ 7.2 million (11 million royal rubles).

No, we are not going to learn about the battle of Passchendaele. But, we will be able to see the original document on the purchase of Louisiana and find out how much it cost. The Americans were ready to buy New Orleans for 10 million. The French came up with a counter offer to purchase the entire territory of Louisiana for 15 million US dollars. France used the funds received to build a fleet, with which she invaded England. The treaty was signed on April 30, 1803 in the French capital. The Louisiana acquisition caused friction within American society, and for Thomas Jefferson, the deal was one of the major achievements of his political career. Many citizens of the country at that time called their president a hypocrite, because the legality of the purchase was in question. In the US Constitution, for example, there is no indication of the possibility of acquiring territories from other countries. Part of the US political elite preferred to maintain good relations with the Brit...

Each new state is guaranteed security and support. Section  4 .   The   United   States   shall   guarantee   to   every   State   in   this   Union   a   Republican   Form   of   Government ,  and   shall   protect   each   of   them   against   Invasion ;   and   on   Application   of   the   Legislature ,  or   of   the   Executive  ( when   the   Legislature   cannot   be   convened )  against   domestic   Violence . Establishing a state is a very long process. A country that wants to join the United States must adopt its own constitution that will satisfy Congress. The accepted territory cannot leave the United States.