republic · 1776–present
United States
The United States is a federal republic founded in 1776 on Enlightenment ideals of liberty and self-government, which grew into one of the most powerful and influential nations in history.
Key Takeaways
- The United States was founded in 1776 on Enlightenment ideals of liberty.
- Its founders included Washington, Franklin, Jefferson and Madison.
- It pioneered a written constitution and federal republic.
- It became one of the most powerful and influential nations in history.
- Type
- Federal republic
- Founded
- 1776
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
Born of the American Revolution and shaped by founders like Washington and Franklin, the United States built a constitutional democracy whose ideas, economy and culture came to shape the modern world.
The United States was founded in 1776 as a bold experiment in self-government, applying the Enlightenment ideals of liberty, natural rights and the consent of the governed to the building of a new nation.
Shaped by founders such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, and later preserved through civil war by Abraham Lincoln, the American republic pioneered a written constitution and grew, over two centuries, into one of the most powerful and influential nations in history.
Key Achievements
- Established an enduring constitutional democracy.
- Pioneered Enlightenment ideals of liberty and self-government in practice.
Notable Figures of United States
George Washington
91George Washington was the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolution and the first President of the United States, whose leadership and restraint shaped the new republic.
Benjamin Franklin
90Benjamin Franklin was an American polymath — a founding father, scientist, inventor, writer and diplomat — whose work on electricity and statesmanship made him one of the most admired figures of the 18th century.
Abraham Lincoln
92Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, who led the nation through its Civil War, preserved the Union, and abolished slavery before his assassination in 1865.
Abraham Lincoln
92Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, who led the nation through its Civil War, preserved the Union, and abolished slavery before his assassination in 1865.
Benjamin Franklin
90Benjamin Franklin was an American polymath — a founding father, scientist, inventor, writer and diplomat — whose work on electricity and statesmanship made him one of the most admired figures of the 18th century.
George Washington
91George Washington was the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolution and the first President of the United States, whose leadership and restraint shaped the new republic.
Martin Luther King Jr.
95Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and civil rights leader who championed nonviolent resistance to racial injustice and became the most prominent voice of the movement for equality in the United States.
Nikola Tesla
90Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer whose pioneering work on alternating current and electromagnetism helped electrify the modern world.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the United States founded?
The United States declared independence in 1776 and ratified its Constitution in 1788, founding a federal republic on Enlightenment ideals of liberty and self-government.