Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Conservapedia:Debate Topics

2008-09-30T16:16:32Z

Antonine: /* Religious debates */

'''Debate topic suggestions, organized so that it's not necessary to delete them.'''

(Note: If some topic is miscategorized, it can be cut and pasted without affecting the relevant links.)

==Philosophical debates==
# [[ Can conservapedia become the next wikipedia, is this good or bad]]
# [[Conservapedia:If there is no objective truth, then is the claim "there is no objective truth" also not an objective truth?|If there is no objective truth, then is the claim "there is no objective truth" also not an objective truth?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does History Matter?|Does History Matter?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is a first cause of a process necessary, always possible, or sometimes impossible?|Is a first cause of a process necessary, always possible, or sometimes impossible?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Can Objectivism develop beyond Ayn Rand's original formulation?|Can Objectivism develop beyond Ayn Rand's original formulation?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Can any man live without some code of morality?|Can any man live without some code of morality?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does the universe include everything, or does something outside the universe exist?|Does the known physical universe exhaust all that can exist, or does something exist beyond known physical boundaries?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Why is there something rather than nothing?|Why is there something rather than nothing?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Stem Cells| Embryonic Stem Cells: Why or why not?]]
# [[Debate:Why Reason?]]
# [[Debate:Why does the conservative media often an ugly undertone?]]
# [[Debate:Should pharmacists be forced to fill legal prescriptions they personally object to on moral grounds?]]
# [[Debate:What is the real love?]]
# [[Debate:who created God?]]

==Religious debates==
# [[Debate: Why do people believe the earth is less than 1000 years old given that there are recorded histories predating that?]]
# [[Debate: Should certain books be banned from libraries?]]
# [[Debate: Is communism founded on Christian doctrine?]]
# [[Should the first story of creation be read allegorically or literally?]]
# [[Debate:Is Scientology a false religion]]
# [[Why do Moses, Ezra, Jesus, and Paul all disagree on divorce? Moses allowed divorce, Jesus disallowed it and also allowed it, Paul allowed it, and Ezra actually commanded it to appease God (Ezra 10)??? im confused!! whats a christian to do??]]
#[[Did Jesus ever claim to be God?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Grave errors/inconsistencies in the Bible make literal translation worthless.]]
# [[Conservapedia:Was Jesus born in the right time and place?| Was Jesus born in the right time and place?]]
# [[Conservapedia : What does Christianity say about homosexuality?]]
# [[Conservapedia:If God does not exist, can anything be morally wrong?|If God does not exist, can anything be morally wrong?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is it wrong to have a Christmas tree?|Is it wrong to have a Christmas tree?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Did God create evil?|Did God create evil?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Which Christian denomination is the most true to the central teachings of Christianity?|Which Christian denomination is the most true to the central teachings of Christianity?]]
# [[Debate:If Jesus were alive to day, where on the political spectrum would he fall?|If Jesus were alive to day, where on the political spectrum would he fall?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should Religion Play a Large Role in Modern Societies?|Is religion relevant in todays society? / Should Religion Play a Large Role in Modern Societies?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does the Bible (Old and the New Testament) have the infallible words of God?|Bible (New and Old Testament) Words of God]]
# [[Conservapedia: AntiSemitism|AntiSemitism]]
# [[Does Intelligent Design deny the Existence of God?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Could God create a rock so heavy that he himself could not lift it?|Could God create a rock so heavy that he himself could not lift it?]]
# [[Conservapedia:If there were no religion, would we find another reason to kill each other?|If there were no religion, would we find another reason to kill each other?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Natural Disaster versus Act of God|Natural Disaster versus Act of God]]
# [[Conservapedia:What is the Sabbath day?|What is the Sabbath day?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is it possible to be a conservative and not a religious person or even an atheist?|Is it possible to be a conservative and not a religious person or even an atheist?]]
# [[Debate:Why do we still perform Baptisms?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does_the_Resurrection_negate_Gods_Sacrifice_of_his_only_son%3F|Does the Resurrection negate Gods Sacrifice of his only son?|Does the Resurrection negate God's Sacrifice of his only son?]]
# [[Conservapedia:If_most_Muslims_learned_their_religion_from_their_parents%2C_just_like_us_Christians%2C_they_will_probably_be_hard_to_convert._So_what_can_we_do_to_save_their_souls%3F|If most Muslims learned their religion from their parents, just like us Christians, they will probably be hard to convert. So what can we do to save their souls?]]
# [[Conservapedia:If_most_Christians_learned_their_religion_from_their_parents%2C_just_like_us_Muslims%2C_they_will_probably_be_hard_to_convert._So_what_can_we_do_to_save_their_souls%3F|If most Christians learned their religion from their parents, just like us Muslims, they will probably be hard to convert. So what can we do to save their souls?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does_mainstream_Islam_endorse_violence%3F|Does mainstream Islam endorse violence?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is religion morally wrong?|Is religion morally wrong?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does the Bible display poor ethics and morals?|Does the Bible display poor ethics and morals?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Why the Bible|What makes the Bible a reliable source of knowledge besides tradition?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Why should we be afraid of God?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Do conservative Christians have an unquestioning faith which is comparable to that of the Party in the book 1984?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Antisemitism]]
# [[Conservapedia:Are Christianity and the Bible superior to other religions and scriptures?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Is "Coercive Interrogation" consistent with Christian Values?]]
# [[Should all access to Conservapedia be banned on Sundays?]]
# [[Mary Magdalene - First Witness to the Resurrection - Significance?]]
# [[Debate:Was Christ a fundamentalist?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Atheism vs. Deism]]
# [[Atheism vs. Pastafarianism]]
# [[Why is homosexuality so bad?]]
# [[Debate:Are Young Earth Creationists detracting others from the Faith?]]
# [[If Noah only brought two of every animal on the ark, wouldn't subsequent generations of animals have become increasingly inbred?]]
# [[Debate:Is there 1 God or are there many gods?]]
# [[Debate: Can you be a true Christian and believe in evolution?]]
# [[Debate:Should gay marriage be allowed?]]
# [[Debate:Is atheism a religion]]
# [[Adoption and Abortion]]
# [[Debate: If not naturalism, how do we decide which supernatural explanation is correct?]]
# [[Debate: Are Catholics Christians?]]
# [[Debate: Do Atheist believe they have a soul?]]
# [[Debate:Were Judas' actions necessary and foreordained?]]
# [[Debate: Is it possible to voluntarily convert one's religion?]]
# [[Debate: Can Christianity exist without Apostles and Prophets?]]

==Historical debates==
# [[Conservapedia:Was Benjamin Franklin a deist?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Did racism play a role in the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?|Did racism play a role in the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Was the European colonization of the Americas good for the native people?]]
# [[Was President George H. W. Bush wrong to leave Saddam in power in 1991?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Which was worse? the Civil War and it's effects or slavery?]]
# [[Why are most actors turned politicians Republicans?]]
# [[Debate: Did the Founding Fathers intend to apply their personal faith to the nation "As an institution"?]]

==Political debates==
# [[Debate: Did the Founders have a religious motive?]]
# [[Debate: To what extent should we have obscenity laws]]
# [[Debate: Is communism founded on Christian doctrine?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Why do we still have an embargo on Cuba?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Has Britain Declined?| Quoting Conservapedia's front page; "The British government just affirmed its ban on mentioning Intelligent Design to students.[3] No one there seems to notice how Britain's decline coincided with its promotion of evolution frauds like the Piltdown Man." - Has Britain REALLY declined?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is illegal immigration control the answer to illegal immigration?|Is illegal immigration control the answer to illegal immigration?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Has Britain become the 51st State of the US?|Has Britain become the 51st State of the US?]]
# [[Conservapedia:You think these Phd's are nuts?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does the European Union pose a threat to the United States?| Does the European Union pose a threat to United States Security?]]
# [[Which is true; progressive Liberal or regressive liberal]]
# [[Define torture]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should the United States have entered World War I?|Should the United States have entered World War I?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should the United States have entered World War II?|Should the United States have entered World War II?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should the United States have eliminated communism in North Korea|Should the United States have eliminated communism in North Korea as General Douglas MacArthur wanted?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Was the United States right to drop atomic bombs so quickly on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?|Was the United States right to drop atomic bombs so quickly on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Was it wrong for him to allow the attack in order to wake up the American public and motivate Americans to fight and win the war?|If President Roosevelt had known about the Pearl Harbor attack in advance, would it have been wrong for him to allow the attack in order to wake up the American public and motivate Americans to fight and win the war?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is gun-control the answer to crimes involving guns?|Is gun-control the answer to crimes involving guns?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Was world war inevitable?|Was world war inevitable?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does "free trade" increase wealth rather than simply redistribute it?|Does "free trade" increase wealth or simply redistribute it?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is it even possible to install democracy in a Muslim country?|Is it even possible to install democracy in a Muslim country?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is democracy even possible in Iraq?|Is democracy even possible in Iraq?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should we have given the Panama Canal back to Panama?|Should we have given the Panama Canal back to Panama?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should the United States leave the United Nations?|Should the United States leave the United Nations?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Crusades... Good or Bad?|Crusades... Good or Bad?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Was American soldier Michael New right to refuse to fight wearing part of a United Nations uniform?|Was American soldier Michael New right to refuse to fight wearing part of a United Nations uniform?]] See [[Michael New]]
# [[Conservapedia:Which is a more powerful ideology, Islam or communism?|Which is a more powerful ideology, Islam or Communism?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should the United States intervene in small countries to defeat communism there?|Should the United States intervene in small countries to defeat communism there?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should public displays of the 10 Commandments be allowed under the constitution?|Should public displays of the 10 Commandments be allowed under the constitution?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Which has the best philosophy of education: the public school system, private schools, or the home school movement?|Which has the best philosophy of education: the public school system, private schools, or the home school movement?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should people genetically engineer a cure for homosexuality?|Should people genetically engineer a cure for homosexuality?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should Bush pardon Scooter Libby?|Should Bush pardon Scooter Libby?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should We Support Democrats For Life.org?|Should We Support Democrats For Life.org?]]
# [[conservapedia:Women in the Military?|Women in the Military?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Should students learn a foreign language?|Should students learn a foreign language?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Why does the right side of the political spectrum tend to be more religous?|Why does the right side of the political spectrum tend to be more religious?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should there be a consistent standard on human rights applied to left and right?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should American companies be allowed to send their own troops into a war which America is participating in?|Should American companies be allowed to send their own troops into a war which America is participating in?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Giuliani's lack of social conservative viewpoints should not stop you from voting for him.|Giuliani's lack of social conservative viewpoints should not stop you from voting for him.]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is_President_Bush_good_for_America?|Is President Bush good for America?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is_the_Iraq_War_a_success%3F|Is the Iraq War a success?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does_single_sex_schooling_promotes_homesexuality%3F|Does Single sex schooling promotes homosexuality?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is_the_murder_of_3%2C000_people_just_a_few_or_is_it_a_lot%3F_Does_it_make_a_difference_if_the_murdered_people_are_Americans%3F|Is the murder of 3,000 people just a few or is it a lot? Does it make a difference if the murdered people are Americans?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does the media really have a liberal bias?|Does the media really have a liberal bias?]]
# [[Who was the last Democrat to quit due to ethics and what year was it? Is it fair for Republicans to due the same?]]
# [[What kind of leader will Democrats make if they run from debates on Fox?]]
# [[Are the Democrats capable of fighting terrorism?]]
# [[Can a rogue nation be thought of as a sovereign nation?]]
# [[ Has Russia reinstalled stealth communism?]]
# [[Do we all know what Democrat Presidential candidates stand for yet?]]
# [[Define Civil War]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should gun sales to terror suspects be allowed?|Should gun sales to terror suspects be allowed?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Who would you support for President in 2008?|Who would you support for President in 2008?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is Darwinism liberal or is it conservative?|Is Darwinism liberal or is it conservative?]]
# [[Debate:Why did God place most of the world's oil in politically unstable places?|Why did God place most of the world's oil in politically unstable places?]]
# [[Restoring the USA image in the world, just a fancy phrase that means zilch?]]
# [[Placing the blame on how America got polarized]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is most government criticism really patriotic?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is environmentalism mostly about preserving natural resources?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is the conservative stance on illegal immigration going to loose the Hispanic vote for the GOP in the 08' election?]]
# [[Should President Bush Condemn Armenian Genocide? ]] ''New as of October 10, 2007''
# [[Third Party Debate]]
# [[Debate:Who kills more innocent people: religious believers or atheists?]]
# [[Was congress right to override president Bush's veto on the water projects bill?]]
# [[Debate:Preferred Democrat for the White House?]]
# [[Does Republican equal conservative? Does Democrat equal liberal?]]
# [[Obama's preacher.]]
# [[Is president Bush ignoring human rights violations in China?]]
# [[Debate:Should the United States begin Colonizing Space?]]
# [[Debate:Should the federal government have the power to define marriage?|Should the federal government have the power to define marriage?]]
# [[Debate:The Declaration of Independence or Interdependence?]]
# [[Debate:Should the U.S.A. abide by a withdrawal timetable if the Iraqi Parliament votes for one?]]
# [[Debate:Should U.S. troops be subject to Iraqi law if that allows our continued presence there?]]
# [[Debate:Should government restrictions on smoking be tightened or rolled back?]]
# [[Debate:If Obama trails McCain in polling before the Democratic convention, will they choose Hillary instead?]]
# [[Debate:Is Sarah Palin an asset or a liability to John McCain's candidacy?]]
# [[Debate:Is a candidate's military record relevant anymore?]]
# [[Should politicians be allowed to misspeak?]]
# [[What is sufficient proof that Obama is a Muslim?]]
# [[Debate:Was McCain's threat to pull out of the debates a political stunt?]]

==Scientific debates==
# [[Conservapedia:Why haven't intelligent designists published a single scientific article?|If intelligent design is just as valid as evolution, where are all their scientific findings and publishings?]]

# [[Conservapedia:Does Darwinian natural selection suggest that bigotry is a necessary self-defense mechanism?|Does Darwinian natural selection suggest that bigotry is a necessary self-defense mechanism?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does Darwinian natural selection suggest that homosexuality is bad for the survival of a species?|Does Darwinian natural selection suggest that homosexuality is bad for the survival of a species?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is Darwinian natural selection compatible with Marxism?|Is Darwinian natural selection compatible with Marxism?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is the theory of macroevolution true?|Is the theory of macroevolution true?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Is Giving Birth the Bible Way Better?| Is Giving Birth the Bible Way Better?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should Creationism/Intelligent design be taught as a scientific alternative to evolution in public schools?|Should Creationism/Intelligent design be taught as a scientific alternative to evolution in public schools?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is global warming evident, and if so, is this the fault of man, and how must man stop it?|Is global warming evident, and if so, is this the fault of man, and how must man stop it?]]
# [[Conservapedia:If the universe is young and it takes light millions of years to reach us from far off stars, how can we see them?|If the universe is young and it takes light millions of years to reach us from far off stars, how can we see them?]]
# [[Conservapedia:God, Earth and Global Warming|God, Earth and Global Warming]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is the evidence in favor of evolution convincing?|Is the evidence in favor of evolution convincing?]]
# [[Conservapedia:If the Bible didn't contain a creation story, would anyone even consider the idea of a young earth?|If the Bible didn't contain a creation story, would anyone even consider the idea of a young earth?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is Relativity in direct conflict with the Genesis account?|Is Relativity in direct conflict with the Genesis account?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Who feels that scientific related articles should only reference published research papers instead of websites when dealing with research instead of application?|Who feels that scientific related articles should only reference published research papers instead of websites when dealing with research instead of application?]]
# [[Conservapedia: If it could be unambiguously demonstrated that man is NOT the most evolved animal, then would this support or refute ther idea of Creation by God?| If it could be unambiguously demonstrated that man is NOT the most evolved animal]]
# [[Why are God's works always questioned?]]
#[[Conservapedia:Are there any elements of choice, when it comes to carrying out homosexual acts?|Are there any elements of choice]]
# [[Listing the Earth's most pressing needs in urgent order of fixing]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is homosexuality a mental illness?|Is homosexuality a mental illness?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Can the science of evolution be separated from the philosophy of it?|Can the science of evolution be separated from the philosophy of it?]]

==Debates about Conservapedia==
# [[Conservapedia:Is Conservapedia representing a conservative POV or a Young Earth Creationist POV?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is Conservapedia anti-British?|Is Conservapedia anti-British?]]
# [[The liberal quotient of Conservapedia; what is it? Does it matter?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does bias impair Wikipedia's reliability?|Does bias impair Wikipedia's reliability?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should the term list entries be included in Conservapedia's entry count?|Should the term list entries be included in Conservapedia's entry count?]]
# [[Conservapedia:How should Conservapedia work to avoid having a conservative bias?|How should Conservapedia work to avoid having a conservative bias?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Can Conservapedia Succeed?|Can Conservapedia Succeed?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is Conservapedia fair and balanced?|Is Conservapedia fair and balanced?]]
# [[Conservapedia:How can we protect Conservapedia by distinguishing real conservative encyclopedia articles from satires written by liberals?|How can we protect Conservapedia by distinguishing real conservative encyclopedia articles from satires written by liberals?]]
# [[Conservapedia:What exactly is Conservapedia?|What exactly is Conservapedia?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Was the media attention needed?|Was the media attention needed?]]
# [[Conservapedia Debate Topics full of far left liberal netroots]]
# [[Which is true; progressive Liberal or regressive liberal]]
# [[Conservapedia:Where do you personally look for facts and information on topics "When did Brahms live" or "Why did Monet paint grainstacks?"]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is it okay for Conservapedia to have biased articles?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Who deletes entire discussion items from here? And why?]]
# [[Why do users, who contribute substantially, choose to leave this community?]]
# [[Is the use of copyrighted photographs without permission stealing?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Are there too many debates on Conservapedia? | Are there too many debates on Conservapedia?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is it tasteless for Conservapedia to critique the Virginia Tech poem on the Main Page?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Has anyone ever been been banned for pointing out that many of the other entries on this site are in need of citation and evidence to back up statements?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does an encyclopedia define complex subjects, or insert more bias into them?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Do sysops block editing on pages when it seems their opponents are making strong points?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Is Conservapedia a 'Trustworthy Encyclopedia'?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Does altering the record of debate in a wiki 'Encyclopedia' render the entire thing a farce?]]
# [[Democrats next move, link more stories of heartache like those from Kansas to Gulf Coast.]]
# [[Do quotes used to support a theory just make an article look stupid?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is Conservapedia blinkered?|Is Conservapedia blinkered?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does Conservapedia censor opponents the way Expelled says ID advocates are censored?]]
# [[Debate:Is the Conservapedia Logo in violation of US Flag Code?]]
# [[Conservapedia:The 90/10 rule exists soley to squash debate, and should be eliminated]]
# [[Debate: should atheists be barred from Conservapedia?]]

==Funny, maybe?==

# [[Conservapedia:Are cats just useless Dogs|Are cats just useless dogs?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is the Platypus evidence that God has a sense of humour?|Is the Platypus evidence that God has a sense of humour?]]
# [[Conservapedia: Was the shooting at Virginia Tech somehow President Bush's fault?|Was the shooting at Virginia Tech somehow President Bush's fault? (kind of like he caused hurricane Katrina)]]
# [[Are video games getting better or worse as graphics, sound, and gameplay complexity improve?]]
# [[Debate:Favorite old time radio show]]
# [[Does Harry Potter promote Satanic witchcraft?]]

==Other==
# [[Conservapedia:Are alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine gateway drugs?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Is Rap music torture?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Should marijuana be legalized?]]
# [[Debate:What are the lessons that we should take away from the Milgram Experiment]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does the Theory of Evolution promote atheism?]]
# [[Discussion:Colorado Mall Shootings]]
# [[Discussion:Creationist]]
# [[Debate:Is the Theory of Evolution a conspiricy?]]
# [[Debate:How should we view the fact leading scientists do not believe in god?]]
# [[Conservapedia:Does modern music negatively influence children]]
# [[Discussion:Propaganda in childrens' television]]
[[Category:Conservapedia]]
#[[Debate:What Is Music?]]

Debate:Why did God place most of the world's oil in politically unstable places?

2008-09-30T16:08:39Z

Antonine:

I can't figure out this one, and I hope someone here can. [[User:Sterile|Sterile]] 14:24, 5 May 2007 (EDT)

Indeed. Since the regions of the world where oil is available have historically been unstable long before the discovery or usefulness of petroleum was discovered, one can only conclude that God likes to see people kill each other. [[User:Stile4aly|Stile4aly]] 14:27, 5 May 2007 (EDT)

Why can't people, who happen to live in oil rich places, just get along?

Why would God want us to use a limited and polluting substance as fuel?

[[User:Middle Man|Middle Man]]

Maybe God's chosen people are the Arabs living in the oil rich places.[[User:Prof0705|Prof0705]] 22:14, 5 May 2007 (EDT)

Why did God create stars that we can only see and not reach? The authors question should be moved to Funny, maybe? on the debate forum.--[[User:Jpatt|jp]] 23:34, 5 May 2007 (EDT)

The middle east was not particularly unstable during its long years of Ottoman dominance (positively tranquil compared to Europe in the same period), or even in the interwar period - it's current reputation as a problematic area postdates the discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia in 1938. Texas and Alaska are obviously stable, and the North Sea area is not noted as a hotbed of agitation. [[User:MississippiMud|MisMud]] 23:49, 5 May 2007 (EDT)

Perhaps the oil causes the political instability.[[User:Rebiu|Rebiu]] 23:19, 10 May 2007 (EDT)

Nah, that's just crazy, it's much more likely it's all part of the Homosexual Agenda!

[[Category:Conservapedia Debates]]
[[User:MiddleMan|MiddleMan]]

:The question should be, [[Why are places with immense natural resources politically unstable?]] --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 12:02, 11 May 2007 (EDT)

Greed? (Duh!)

[[User:MiddleMan|MiddleMan]]

I think this question is based on an assumption that shouldn't be being made in a christian worldview: That God creates natural resources when they are discovered, rather than having created them in the beginning along with everything else.
As such, a sensible explanation within the christian worldview would be the fact that the middle eastern nations with oil are in many cases in the area that the Garden of Eden is speculated to have been and in which the Jews (god's chosen people) existed. A concentration of oil in such a place would fit well with this theory, especially if you accept Flood Geology.
Of course, as an atheist, I think the most sensible explanation is simply that the majority of the Earth's landmass has been through political instability in the past 100 years, and in places with large natural resources the instability is likely to be maintained by competing claimants because any given stable situation would favour one of them, and thus the others will fight it.
--[[User:Kingreaper|Kingreaper]] 13:20, 27 June 2007 (EDT)

Another easy debate question. Its to make the richer, Christianer, and therefore better countries (i.e., The USA), are motivated to straighten up the blaspheming Arab countries. --[[User:Cranky Joe|Cranky Joe]] 14:44, 23 July 2007 (EDT)

YOU FOOLS THIS IS CLEARLY A COMMUNIST PLOT!! {{Unsigned|Interested}}
:We've considered that; we just need more evidence before we go public with any accusations. [[User:RobS|Rob Smith]] 22:48, 13 August 2007 (EDT)

*Perhaps to create the illusion of scarcity. What if oil was not really a [[fossil fuel]] made eons before Adam and Eve? What if there is no Santa Claus? Tooth Ferry? Easter Bunny? Then the myth of [[Peak oil]] would not be possible either. The only real question is did G_D make a fixed amount of oil or is there a process that creates oil? Either way ... we are probably supposed to find ways of doing without it or to find out how to make oil.[[User:KirjathSepher|KirjathSepher]] 14:22, 1 September 2007 (EDT)

He didn't. It formed from decaying plant and animal matter over millions of years.

Barack Hussein Obama

2008-09-30T16:00:23Z

Antonine: Undo revision 526674 by Aschlafly (Talk)

''"Obama" redirects here. For other uses see [[Obama (disambiguation)]].''

'''Barack Hussein Obama II''' ({{pron-en|bəˈrɑːk hʊˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə}}; born August 4, 1961) is the [[United States Senate#Seniority|junior]] [[United States Senator]] from [[Illinois]] and [[presidential nominee]] of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] in the [[United States presidential election, 2008|2008 general election]].

Obama is the [[List of African-American firsts|first African American]] to be nominated by a major political party for president.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voanews.com/bangla/2008-08-28-voa1.cfm| title=First African American Nominated as Presidential Candidate of US Major Party| date=2008-08-28|publisher= [[Voice of America]]| accessdate=2008-09-18}}</ref> A graduate of [[Columbia University]] and [[Harvard Law School]], where he served as president of the ''[[Harvard Law Review]]'', Obama worked as a [[Community organizing|community organizer]] and practiced as a [[civil rights]] attorney before serving in the [[Illinois Senate]] from 1997 to 2004. He taught [[constitutional law]] at the [[University of Chicago Law School]] from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] in 2000, he announced his campaign for the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] in January 2003. After a primary victory in March 2004, Obama delivered the [[keynote|keynote address]] at the [[2004 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in November 2004 with 70% of the vote.

As a member of the Democratic minority in the [[109th Congress]], he helped create legislation to control [[conventional weapons]] and to promote greater public accountability in the use of federal funds. He also made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. During the [[110th Congress]], he helped create legislation regarding [[lobbying in the United States|lobbying]] and [[electoral fraud]], [[mitigation of global warming|climate change]], [[nuclear terrorism]], and care for returned U.S. military personnel. After announcing [[Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008|his presidential campaign]] in February 2007, Obama emphasized withdrawing American troops from Iraq, [[U.S. energy independence|energy independence]], decreasing the influence of [[Lobbying in the United States|lobbyists]], and promoting [[Universal health care#United States|universal health care]] as top national priorities.

==Early life and career==
{{main|Early life and career of Barack Obama}}

Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in [[Honolulu, Hawaii|Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]], to [[Barack Obama, Sr.]], a black [[Kenyan]] of [[Nyang’oma Kogelo]], [[Siaya District]], [[Kenya]], and [[Ann Dunham]], a [[White American]] from [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], [[Kansas]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=my.barackobama.com |url=http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/birthcert |title=The truth about Barack's birth certificate |accessdate= 2008-06-13}}</ref> His parents met while attending the [[University of Hawaii at Manoa]], where his father was a foreign student.<ref>Obama (1995), pp. 9–10. For book excerpts, see {{cite news | title=Barack Obama: Creation of Tales|date=2004-11-01 | url=http://www.nationmedia.com/EastAfrican/01112004/Features/PA2-2212.html | work=East African | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> They separated when he was two years old and later divorced.<ref>Obama (1995), pp. 125–126. See also: {{cite news | first=Tim | last=Jones | title=Obama's Mom: Not Just a Girl from Kansas | date=2007-03-27 | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0703270151mar27,1,3372079.story?coll=chi-news-hed | work=Chicago Tribune | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Obama's father returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before dying in an automobile accident in 1982.<ref>{{cite news | first=Kevin | last=Merida | title=The Ghost of a Father | date=2007-12-14 | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/12/13/ST2007121301893.html | work=Washington Post | accessdate=2008-06-24}} See also: {{cite news | first=Philip | last=Ochieng | title=From Home Squared to the US Senate: How Barack Obama Was Lost and Found | date=2004-11-01 | url=http://www.nationmedia.com/EastAfrican/01112004/Features/PA2-11.html | work=East African | accessdate=2008-06-24}} In August 2006, Obama flew his wife and two daughters from Chicago to join him in a visit to his father's birthplace, a village near [[Kisumu]] in rural western Kenya. {{cite news | first=Nico | last=Gnecchi | title=Obama Receives Hero's Welcome at His Family's Ancestral Village in Kenya | date=2006-02-27 | url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-08/2006-08-27-voa17.cfm | work=Voice of America | accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref> After her divorce, Dunham married [[Lolo Soetoro]], and the family moved to Soetoro's home country of [[Indonesia]] in 1967, where Obama attended local schools in [[Jakarta]] until he was ten years old. He then returned to Honolulu to live with his [[Madelyn and Stanley Dunham|maternal grandparents]] while attending [[Punahou School]] from the [[Education in the United States#School grades|fifth grade]] in 1971 until his graduation from high school in 1979.<ref>{{cite news | first=Peter | last=Serafin | title=Punahou Grad Stirs Up Illinois Politics | date=2004-03-21 | url=http://starbulletin.com/2004/03/21/news/story4.html | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | accessdate=2008-04-13}} See also: Obama (1995), Chapters 3 and 4.</ref> Obama's mother returned to Hawaii in 1972 for several years and then back to Indonesia for her fieldwork. She died of [[ovarian cancer]] in 1995.<ref>{{cite news | first=Amanda | last=Ripley | title=The Story of Barack Obama's Mother | date=2008-04-09 | url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1729524,00.html | work=Time | accessdate=2008-06-24}} See also: {{cite news | first=Julia | last=Suryakusuma | title=Obama for President... of Indonesia | date=2006-11-29 | work=Jakarta Post | url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20061129.F03 | accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref>
As an adult Obama admitted that during high school he used [[marijuana]], [[cocaine]], and alcohol, which he described at the 2008 [[Civil Forum on the Presidency]] as his greatest moral failure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/16/warren.forum/ |title=Obama, McCain talk issues at pastor's forum - CNN.com |publisher=cnn.com |date=2008-08-17 |accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/24/news/dems.php |title=Barack Obama, asked about drug history, admits he inhaled |publisher=International Herald Tribune |date=2006-10-25 |accessdate=2008-08-31}}</ref>

Following high school, Obama moved to [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], where he studied at [[Occidental College]] for two years.<ref>{{cite web | title=Oxy Remembers "Barry" Obama '83 | date=2007-01-29 | url=http://www.oxy.edu/x2526.xml | publisher=Occidental College | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> He then transferred to [[Columbia College of Columbia University|Columbia University]] in [[New York City]], where he majored in [[political science]] with a specialization in [[international relations]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.college.columbia.edu/cct_archive/jan05/cover.php | title=Barack Obama '83 | work=Columbia College Today | author=Boss-Bicak, Shira | date=January 2005 | accessdate=2008-06-09}}</ref> Obama graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] from Columbia in 1983, then worked for a year at the [[Business International Corporation]]<ref>{{cite news | first=Sasha | last=Issenberg | title=Obama shows hints of his year in global finance: Tied markets to social aid | date=2008-08-06 | url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/08/06/obama_shows_hints_of_his_year_in_global_finance/?page=1 | work=Boston Globe | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> and then at the [[New York Public Interest Research Group]].<ref name="Who's Who 2008">{{cite book |author=Chassie, Karen (ed.) |year=2007 |title=Who's Who in America, 2008 |url=http://www.marquiswhoswho.com/products/WAprodinfo.asp |location=New Providence, NJ |publisher=Marquis Who's Who |isbn=9780837970110 |page=p. 3468 |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Janny | last=Scott | title=Obama's Account of New York Years Often Differs from What Others Say | date=2007-10-30 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html | work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-13}} Obama (1995), pp. 133–140; Mendell (2007), pp. 62–63.</ref>

After four years in New York City, Obama moved to [[Chicago]] to work as a [[community organizer]] for three years from June 1985 to May 1988 as director of the Developing Communities Project (DCP), a church-based community organization originally comprising eight Catholic parishes in Greater Roseland ([[Roseland, Chicago|Roseland]], [[West Pullman, Chicago|West Pullman]], and [[Riverdale, Chicago|Riverdale]]) on Chicago's far [[South Side (Chicago)|South Side]].<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/><ref>{{cite news |author=Secter, Bob; McCormick, John |date=2007-03-30 |title=Portrait of a pragmatist |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703300121mar30,1,6651421,full.story |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite news | first=Ryan | last=Lizza | title=The Agitator: Barack Obama's Unlikely Political Education | format=alternate link | date=2007-03-19 | url=http://www.pickensdemocrats.org/info/TheAgitator_070319.htm | work =New Republic | accessdate=2008-04-13}} Obama (1995), pp. 140–295; Mendell (2007), pp. 63–83.</ref> During his three years as the DCP's director, its staff grew from one to thirteen and its annual budget grew from $70,000 to $400,000, with accomplishments including helping set up a job training program, a college preparatory tutoring program, and a tenants' rights organization in [[Altgeld Gardens, Chicago|Altgeld Gardens]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Matchan, Linda |date=1990-02-15 |title=A Law Review breakthrough |url=http://search.boston.com/local/Search.do?s.sm.query=&s.author=Linda+Matchan&s.tab=globe&s.si%28simplesearchinput%29.sortBy=-articleprintpublicationdate&docType=&date=&s.startDate=1990-02-15&s.endDate=1990-02-15 |format=paid archive |work=The Boston Globe |page=29 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite news |author=Corr, John |date=1990-02-27 |title=From mean streets to hallowed halls |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&p_theme=pi&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_trackval=PI&s_search_type=customized&s_dispstring=Author(John%20Corr)%20AND%20date(02/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=02/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990)&p_field_advanced-0=Author&p_text_advanced-0=(John%20Corr)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D&xcal_ranksort=4&xcal_useweights=yes |format=paid archive |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |page=C01 |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref> Obama also worked as a consultant and instructor for the [[Gamaliel Foundation]], a community organizing institute.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Obama, Barack |month=August–September |year=1988 |title=Why organize? Problems and promise in the inner city |journal=Illinois Issues |volume=14 |issue=8–9 |pages=40–42 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} reprinted in: {{cite book |year=1990 |pages=pp. 35–40 |author=Knoepfle, Peg (ed.) |title=After Alinsky: community organizing in Illinois |location=Springfield, IL |publisher=Sangamon State University |isbn=0962087335 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite news |author=Tayler, Letta; Herbert, Keith |date=2008-03-02 |title=Obama forged path as Chicago community organizer |url=http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/nation/ny-usobam025598601mar02,0,7841545,full.story |work=Newsday |page=A06 |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref> In mid-1988, he traveled for the first time to Europe for three weeks and then for five weeks in Kenya, where he met many of his [[Family of Barack Obama#Paternal_relations|Kenyan relatives]] for the first time.<ref>Obama (1995), pp. 299–437.</ref>

Obama entered [[Harvard Law School]] in late 1988. At the end of his first year, he was selected, based on his grades and a writing competition, as an editor of the ''[[Harvard Law Review]]''.<ref name="Harvard Law 2007">{{cite news |author=Levenson, Michael; Saltzman, Jonathan |date=2007-01-28 |title=At Harvard Law, a unifying voice |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/28/at_harvard_law_a_unifying_voice/?page=full |work=The Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Kantor, Jodi |date=2007-01-28 |title=In law school, Obama found political voice |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/us/politics/28obama.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all |work=The New York Times |page=1 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Kodama, Marie C |date=2007-01-19 |title=Obama left mark on HLS |url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=516664 |work=The Harvard Crimson |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Mundy, Liza |title=A series of fortunate events |date=2007-08-12 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080802038_pf.html |work=The Washington Post |page=W10 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite journal |author=Heilemann, John |title=When they were young |date=2007-10-22 |url=http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=When+They+Were+Young&expire=&urlID=24417790&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnymag.com%2Fnews%2Ffeatures%2F39321%2F&partnerID=73272 |journal=New York |volume=40 |issue=37 |pages=32–7, 132–3 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} Mendell (2007), pp. 80–92.</ref> In February 1990, in his second year, he was elected president of the ''Law Review'', a full-time volunteer position functioning as editor-in-chief and supervising the ''Law Review'''s staff of eighty editors.<ref name="Harvard Law 1990"> {{cite news |author=Butterfield, Fox |date=1990-02-06|title=First black elected to head Harvard's Law Review |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DC1631F935A35751C0A966958260 |work=The New York Times |page=A20 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Ybarra, Michael J |date=1990-02-07 |title=Activist in Chicago now heads Harvard Law Review |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/28797353.html?dids=28797353:28797353&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=3 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Matchan, Linda |date=1990-02-15 |title=A Law Review breakthrough |url=http://search.boston.com/local/Search.do?s.sm.query=&s.author=Linda+Matchan&s.tab=globe&s.si%28simplesearchinput%29.sortBy=-articleprintpublicationdate&docType=&date=&s.startDate=1990-02-15&s.endDate=1990-02-15 |format=paid archive |work=The Boston Globe |page=29 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Corr, John |date=1990-02-27 |title=From mean streets to hallowed halls |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&p_theme=pi&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_trackval=PI&s_search_type=customized&s_dispstring=Author(John%20Corr)%20AND%20date(02/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=02/27/1990%20to%2002/27/1990)&p_field_advanced-0=Author&p_text_advanced-0=(John%20Corr)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D&xcal_ranksort=4&xcal_useweights=yes |format=paid archive |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |page=C01 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Drummond, Tammerlin |date=1990-03-12 |title=Barack Obama's Law; Harvard Law Review's first black president plans a life of public service |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/60017156.html?dids=60017156:60017156&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Los Angeles Times |page=E1 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Pugh, Allison J. (Associated Press) |date=1990-04-18 |title=Law Review's first black president aims to help poor |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&p_theme=realcities2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_site=miami&s_trackval=MH&s_dispstring=Title(Law%20Review's%20first%20black%20president%20aims%20to%20help%20poor)%20AND%20date(04/18/1990%20to%2004/18/1990)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=04/18/1990%20to%2004/18/1990)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(Law%20Review's%20first%20black%20president%20aims%20to%20help%20poor)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_:D&xcal_ranksort=4&xcal_useweights=yes |format=paid archive |work=The Miami Herald |page=C01 |accessdate=2008-06-15}}</ref> Obama's election as the [[List of African-American firsts|first black president of the ''Law Review'']] was widely reported and followed by several long, detailed profiles.<ref name="Harvard Law 1990"/> During his summers, he returned to Chicago where he worked as a summer associate at the law firms of [[Sidley Austin|Sidley & Austin]] in 1989 and Hopkins & Sutter in 1990.<ref>{{cite news |author=Aguilar, Louis |date=1990-07-11 |title=Survey: Law firms slow to add minority partners |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/28774085.html?dids=28774085:28774085&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Business) |quote=Barack Obama, a summer associate at Hopkins & Sutter in Chicago |accessdate=2008-06-15}}</ref> After graduating with a [[Juris Doctor]] ([[J.D.]]) [[Latin honors|''magna cum laude'']] from Harvard in 1991, he returned to Chicago.

The publicity from his election as the first black president of the ''Harvard Law Review'' led to a publishing contract and advance for a book about race relations.<ref name="Scott 2008a"> {{cite news |author=Scott, Janny |date=2008-05-18 |title=The story of Obama, written by Obama |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18memoirs.html?pagewanted=all |work=The New York Times |page=1 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} Obama (1995), pp. xiii–xvii.</ref> In an effort to recruit him to their faculty, the [[University of Chicago Law School]] provided Obama with a fellowship and an office to work on his book.<ref name="Scott 2008a"/> He originally planned to finish the book in one year, but it took much longer as the book evolved into a personal memoir. In order to work without interruptions, Obama and his wife, [[Michelle Obama|Michelle]], traveled to [[Bali]] where he wrote for several months. The manuscript was finally published in mid-1995 as ''[[Dreams from My Father]]''.<ref name="Scott 2008a"/>
[[Image:Ann Dunham with father and children.jpg|thumb|left|''Right-to-left:'' [[Barack Obama]] and [[Maya Soetoro]] with their mother [[Ann Dunham]] and grandfather [[Stanley Dunham]] in Hawaii (early 1970s)]]
Obama directed Illinois' [[Project Vote]] from April to October 1992, a voter registration drive with a staff of ten and seven hundred volunteers; it achieved its goal of registering 150,000 of 400,000 unregistered African-Americans in the state, and led to ''Crain's Chicago Business'' naming Obama to its 1993 list of "40 under Forty" powers to be.<ref name="Illinois Blue Book 2000">{{cite book |author=White, Jesse (ed.) |year=2000 |title=Illinois Blue Book, 2000, Millennium ed. |url=http://www.sos.state.il.us/bb/toc.html |location=Springfield, IL |publisher=Illinois Secretary of State |oclc=43923973 |page=p. 83 |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Jarrett, Vernon |date=1992-08-11 |title='Project Vote' brings power to the people |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=(Vernon%20Jarrett)%20AND%20date(8/11/1992%20to%208/11/1992)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=8/11/1992%20to%208/11/1992)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Vernon%20Jarrett)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |work=Chicago Sun-Times |format=paid archive |page=23 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite journal |author=Reynolds, Gretchen |month=January |year=1993 |title=Vote of Confidence |url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-1993/Vote-of-Confidence |journal=[[Chicago (magazine)|Chicago]] |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=53–54 |accessdate=2008-06-06}} {{cite journal |author=Anderson, Veronica |month=September 27–October 3, |year=1993 |title=40 under Forty: Barack Obama, Director, Illinois Project Vote |journal=[[Crain Communications Inc.|Crain's Chicago Business]] |volume=16 |issue=39 |accessdate=2008-06-06 |pages=43}}</ref>

Beginning in 1992, Obama taught [[constitutional law]] at the [[University of Chicago Law School]] for twelve years, being first classified as a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996, and then as a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web |author=University of Chicago Law School |date=2008-03-27 |title=Statement regarding Barack Obama |publisher=University of Chicago Law School |url=http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media/index.html |accessdate=2008-06-10}} {{cite web |author=Miller, Joe |date=2008-03-28 |title=Was Barack Obama really a constitutional law professor?|publisher=FactCheck.org |url=http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/was_barack_obama_really_a_constitutional_law.html |accessdate=2008-06-10}} {{cite web |author=Holan, Angie Drobnic |date=2008-03-07 |title=Obama's 20 years of experience |url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/mar/07/obamas-20-years-experience |publisher=PolitiFact.com |accessdate=2008-06-10}}</ref>

He also, in 1993, joined Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, a twelve attorney law firm specializing in civil rights litigation and neighborhood economic development, where he was an [[associate (business rank)|associate]] for three years from 1993 to 1996, then [[of counsel]] from 1996 to 2004, with his law license becoming inactive in 2002.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/><ref>{{cite news |author=Robinson, Mike (Associated Press) |date=2007-02-10 |title=Obama got start in civil rights practice |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/02/20/obama_got_start_in_civil_rights_practice |work=The Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author=Pallasch, Abdon M |date=2007-12-17 |title=As lawyer, Obama was strong, silent type; He was 'smart, innovative, relentless,' and he mostly let other lawyers do the talking |url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/700499,CST-NWS-Obama-law17.article |work=Chicago Sun-Times |page=4 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author= |date=1993-06-27 |title=People |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24302659.html?dids=24302659:24302659&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=9 (Business) |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite news |author= |date=1993-07-05 |title=Business appointments |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=(Business%20appointments)%20AND%20date(7/5/1993%20to%207/5/1993)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=7/5/1993%20to%207/5/1993)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Business%20appointments)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |format=paid archive |work=Chicago-Sun-Times |page=40 |accessdate=2008-06-15}} {{cite web |author=Miner, Barnhill & Galland |year=2008 |title=About Us |url=http://www.lawmbg.com/index.cfm/PageID/2711 |publisher=Miner, Barnhill & Galland – Chicago, Illinois |accessdate=2008-06-15}} Obama (1995), pp. 438–439, Mendell (2007), pp. 104–106.</ref>

Obama was a founding member of the board of directors of [[Public Allies]] in 1992, resigning before his wife, Michelle, became the founding executive director of Public Allies Chicago in early 1993.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/><ref>{{cite web |author=Public Allies |year=2008 |title=Fact Sheet on Public Allies' History with Senator Barack and Michelle Obama |url=http://www.publicallies.org/site/c.liKUL3PNLvF/b.3960231/ |publisher=[[Public Allies]] |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref> He served from 1993 to 2002 on the board of directors of the [[Woods Fund of Chicago]], which in 1985 had been the first foundation to fund Obama's DCP, and also from 1994 to 2002 on the board of directors of The [[Joyce Foundation]].<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/> Obama served on the board of directors of the [[Chicago Annenberg Challenge]] from 1995–2002, as founding president and chairman of the board of directors from 1995–1999.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/> He also served on the board of directors of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Center for Neighborhood Technology, and the Lugenia Burns Hope Center.<ref name="Who's Who 2008"/>

==State legislator, 1997–2004==
{{main|Illinois Senate career of Barack Obama}}

Obama was elected to the [[Illinois Senate]] in 1996, succeeding State Senator [[Alice Palmer (Illinois politician)|Alice Palmer]] as Senator from Illinois' 13th District, which then spanned Chicago [[South Side (Chicago)|South Side]] neighborhoods from [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]]-[[Kenwood, Chicago|Kenwood]] south to [[South Shore, Chicago|South Shore]] and west to [[Chicago Lawn, Chicago|Chicago Lawn]].<ref>{{cite news | first=David | last=Jackson | coauthors= Ray Long | title=Obama Knows His Way Around a Ballot | date=2007-04-03 | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070403obama-ballot,1,57567.story | work=Chicago Tribune | accessdate=2008-01-14}}
{{cite book |author=[[Jesse White (politician)|White, Jesse]] |year=2001 |chapter=Legislative Districts of Cook County, 1991 Reapportionment |chapterurl=http://www.sos.state.il.us/publications/02bluebook/legislative_branch/legdistrictmaps.pdf |title=Illinois Blue Book 2001–2002 |location=Springfield |publisher=[[Secretary of State of Illinois|Illinois Secretary of State]] |pages=p. 65}}State Sen. District 13 = State Rep. Districts 25 & 26.</ref> Once elected, Obama gained bipartisan support for legislation reforming ethics and health care laws.<ref>{{cite news | first=Peter | last=Slevin | title=Obama Forged Political Mettle in Illinois Capitol | date=2007-02-09 | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802262.html | work=Washington Post | accessdate=2008-04-20}} {{cite news | first=Scott | last=Helman | title=In Illinois, Obama Dealt with Lobbyists | date=2007-09-23 | url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/23/in_illinois_obama_dealt_with_lobbyists/ | work=Boston Globe | accessdate=2008-04-20}} See also: {{cite news | title=Obama Record May Be Gold Mine for Critics | date=2007-01-17 | publisher=CBS News | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml | work=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-04-20}} {{cite news | title=In-Depth Look at Obama's Political Career | date=2007-02-09 | publisher=Chicago Tribune | url=http://video.chicagotribune.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?clipid1=1226539 | work=CLTV | format=video | accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> He sponsored a law increasing [[tax credit]]s for low-income workers, negotiated welfare reform, and promoted increased subsidies for childcare.<ref name=Scott20070730>{{cite news | first=Janny | last=Scott | title=In Illinois, Obama Proved Pragmatic and Shrewd | date=2007-07-30 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html | work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-20}} See also: {{cite news | first=Rick | last=Pearson | coauthors=Ray Long | title=Careful Steps, Looking Ahead | date=2007-05-03 | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0705030101may03,1,7439904.story | work=Chicago Tribune | accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> In 2001, as co-chairman of the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, Obama supported Republican Governor Ryan's payday loan regulations and predatory mortgage lending regulations aimed at averting home foreclosures.<ref>{{cite news |author=Allison, Melissa |date=2000-12-15 |title=State takes on predatory lending; Rules would halt single-premium life insurance financing |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/65214450.html?dids=65214450:65214450&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |type=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Business) |accessdate=2008-06-01}} {{cite news |author=Long, Ray; Allison, Melissa |date=2001-04-18 |title=Illinois OKs predatory loan curbs; State aims to avert home foreclosures |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/71459393.html?dids=71459393:71459393&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |type=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref>

Obama was reelected to the Illinois Senate in 1998, and again in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |title=13th District: Barack Obama | format=archive | accessdate=2008-04-20 | date=2000-08-24 | publisher=Illinois State Senate Democrats | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20000824102110/http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html |archivedate=2000-04-12 }} {{cite web | url=http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html | title=13th District: Barack Obama | format=archive | accessdate=2008-04-20 |date=2004-10-09 | publisher=Illinois State Senate Democrats | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040802233730/http://www.senatedem.state.il.us/obama/index.html | archivedate=2004-08-02}}</ref> In 2000, he lost a Democratic primary run for the U.S. House of Representatives to four-term incumbent [[Bobby Rush]] by a margin of two to one.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2000/ilh.htm | title=Federal Elections 2000: U.S. House Results - Illinois | publisher=[[Federal Election Commission]] | accessdate=2008-04-24}}. See also: {{cite web|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14502364|title=Obama's Loss May Have Aided White House Bid}} and {{cite news | first=Janny | last=Scott | title=A Streetwise Veteran Schooled Young Obama | date=2007-09-09 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html | work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref><ref name=McClelland20070212> {{cite news | first=Edward | last=McClelland | title=How Obama Learned to Be a Natural | date=2007-02-12 | url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/02/12/obama_natural/ | work =Salon | accessdate=2008-04-20}} See also: {{cite news | first=Richard | last=Wolffe | coauthors= Daren Briscoe | title=Across the Divide | date=2007-07-16 | publisher=MSNBC | url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/33156 | work=Newsweek | accessdate=2008-04-20}} {{cite news | first=Scott | last=Helman | title=Early Defeat Launched a Rapid Political Climb | date=2007-10-12 | url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb/ | work=Boston Globe | accessdate=2008-04-20}} and {{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-10-24-3157940059_x.htm|title=Obama learned from failed Congress run | work=USA Today | author=Wills, Christopher| date=2007-10-24 | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>

In January 2003, Obama became chairman of the Illinois Senate's Health and Human Services Committee when Democrats, after a decade in the minority, regained a majority.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jackie | last=Calmes | title=Statehouse Yields Clues to Obama | date=2007-02-23 | url=http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117219748197216894-Sn6oV_4KLQHp_xz7CjYLuyjv3Jg_20070324.html | work=Wall Street Journal | accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> He sponsored and led unanimous, bipartisan passage of legislation to monitor [[racial profiling]] by requiring police to record the race of drivers they detained and legislation making Illinois the first state to mandate videotaping of homicide interrogations.<ref name=Scott20070730 /><ref>{{cite news |author=Tavella, Anne Marie |date=2003-04-14 |title=Profiling, taping plans pass Senate |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=Profiling,%20AND%20taping%20AND%20plans%20AND%20pass%20AND%20Senate&s_dispstring=Profiling,%20taping%20plans%20pass%20Senate%20AND%20date(4/4/2003%20to%204/4/2003)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=4/4/2003%20to%204/4/2003)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |type=paid archive |work=Daily Herald |page=17 |accessdate=2008-06-01}} {{cite news |author=Haynes, V. Dion |date=2003-06-29 |title=Fight racial profiling at local level, lawmaker says; U.S. guidelines get mixed review |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/352884461.html?dids=352884461:352884461&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |type=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=8 |accessdate=2008-06-01}} {{cite news |author=Pearson, Rick |date=2003-07-17 |title=Taped confessions to be law; State will be 1st to pass legislation |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/370136121.html?dids=370136121:370136121&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |type=paid archive |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 (Metro) |accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref> During his 2004 general election campaign for U.S. Senate, police representatives credited Obama for his active engagement with police organizations in enacting [[capital punishment in the United States|death penalty]] reforms.<ref>{{cite news | first=Sam | last=Youngman | coauthors=Aaron Blake | title=Obama's Crime Votes Are Fodder for Rivals | date=2007-03-14 | url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obamas-crime-votes-are-fodder-for-rivals-2007-03-13.html | work=The Hill | accessdate=2008-04-20}} See also: {{cite news | title=US Presidential Candidate Obama Cites Work on State Death Penalty Reforms | date=2007-11-12 | publisher=International Herald Tribune | url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/12/america/NA-POL-US-Obama-Death-Penalty.php | work=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> Obama resigned from the Illinois Senate in November 2004 following his election to the US Senate.<ref>{{cite news | first=Melanie | last=Coffee | title=Attorney Chosen to Fill Obama's State Senate Seat | date=2004-11-06 | publisher=HPKCC | url=http://www.hydepark.org/hpkccnews/raoul.htm#ap | work=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref>

==2004 U.S. Senate campaign==
{{seealso|United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004}}
In mid-2002, Obama began considering a run for the U.S. Senate; he enlisted political strategist [[David Axelrod (political consultant)|David Axelrod]] that fall and formally announced his candidacy in January 2003.<ref>{{cite news | first=Scott | last=Helman | title=Early Defeat Launched a Rapid Political Climb | date=2007-10-12 | url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/12/early_defeat_launched_a_rapid_political_climb/ | work=Boston Globe | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Decisions by Republican incumbent [[Peter Fitzgerald]] and his Democratic predecessor [[Carol Moseley Braun]] not to contest the race launched wide-open Democratic and Republican primary contests involving fifteen candidates.<ref>{{cite news | last=Davey | first=Monica | title=Closely Watched Illinois Senate Race Attracts 7 Candidates in Millionaire Range | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/07/politics/campaign/07ILLI.html | work=The New York Times | date=2004-03-07 | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Obama's candidacy was boosted by Axelrod's advertising campaign featuring images of the late Chicago Mayor [[Harold Washington]] and an endorsement by the daughter of the late [[Paul Simon (politician)|Paul Simon]], former U.S. Senator for Illinois.<ref>{{cite news | first=Ben | last=Wallace-Wells | title=Obama's Narrator | date=2007-04-01 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/magazine/01axelrod.t.html | work=[[The New York Times Magazine]] | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> He received over 52% of the vote in the March 2004 primary, emerging 29% ahead of his nearest Democratic rival.<ref>{{cite news | first=Monica | last=Davey | title=From Crowded Field, Democrats Choose State Legislator to Seek Senate Seat | date=2004-03-17 | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E4D61431F934A25750C0A9629C8B63 | work =New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-13}} See also: {{cite news | first=John S | last=Jackson | title=The Making of a Senator: Barack Obama and the 2004 Illinois Senate Race | date=August 2006 | publisher=Southern Illinois University | url=http://www.siu.edu/~ppi/PDF/papers/Obama.pdf | work=Occasional Paper of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute | accessdate=2008-04-13|format=PDF}}</ref>

Obama's expected opponent in the general election, Republican primary winner [[Jack Ryan (2004 U.S. Senate candidate)|Jack Ryan]], withdrew from the race in June 2004 following the release of sensational details from his divorce with actress [[Jeri Ryan]]. Obama was already ahead in the polls when the allegations from Ryan's divorce were released and Republican officials admitted that Ryan's replacement would face an uphill battle.<ref>{{cite news | title=Ryan Drops Out of Senate Race in Illinois | date=2004-06-25 | url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/25/il.ryan/ | work=CNN | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref>

In July 2004, Obama wrote and delivered the keynote address at the [[2004 Democratic National Convention]] in Boston, Massachusetts.<ref>{{cite news | first=David | last=Bernstein| title=The Speech | date=June 2007| url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/June-2007/The-Speech/ | work=Chicago Magazine| accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> After describing his maternal grandfather's experiences as a [[World War II]] veteran and a beneficiary of the [[New Deal|New Deal's]] [[Federal Housing Administration|FHA]] and [[Servicemen's Readjustment Act (USA)|G.I. Bill]] programs, Obama spoke about changing the U.S. government's economic and social priorities. He questioned the Bush administration's management of the Iraq War and highlighted America's obligations to its soldiers. Drawing examples from U.S. history, he criticized heavily partisan views of the electorate and asked Americans to find unity in diversity, saying, "There is not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America."<ref>{{cite web | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention | format=text or [http://www.barackobama.com/tv/speeches.php?bcpid=900718856&bclid=900554575&bctid=791793079 video] | date=2004-07-27 | url=http://www.barackobama.com/2004/07/27/keynote_address_at_the_2004_de.php | publisher=BarackObama.com | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> Broadcasts of the speech by major news organizations launched Obama's status as a national political figure and boosted his campaign for U.S. Senate.<ref>{{cite news | first=Randal C | last=Archibold | title=The Illinois Candidate; Day After, Keynote Speaker Finds Admirers Everywhere | date=2004-07-29 | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A03E7DB103DF93AA15754C0A9629C8B63 | work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-13}} {{cite news | first=Ronald | last=Roach | title=Obama Rising | date=2004-10-07 | publisher=DiverseEducation.com | url=http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_4041.shtml | work=Black Issues In Higher Education | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref>

In August 2004, two months after Ryan's withdrawal and less than three months before Election Day, [[Alan Keyes]] accepted the Illinois Republican Party's nomination to replace Ryan.<ref>{{cite news | first=Maura Kelly | last=Lannan | title=Alan Keyes Enters U.S. Senate Race in Illinois Against Rising Democratic Star | date=2004-08-09 | publisher=Union-Tribune (San Diego) | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20040809-0849-illinoissenate.html | work=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> A long-time resident of Maryland, Keyes established legal residency in Illinois with the nomination.<ref>{{cite news | first=Ford | last=Liam | coauthors= David Mendell | title=Keyes Sets Up House in Cal City | date=2004-08-13 | url =http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/elections/chi-0408130201aug13,1,7640082.story | work =Chicago Tribune | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref> In the November 2004 general election, Obama received 70% of the vote to Keyes's 27%, the largest victory margin for a statewide race in Illinois history.<ref>{{cite news | title=America Votes 2004: U.S. Senate / Illinois | url =http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html | publisher=CNN | accessdate=2008-04-13}} {{cite news | first=Peter | last=Slevin | title=For Obama, a Handsome Payoff in Political Gambles | date=2007-11-13 | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/12/AR2007111201945.html | work=The Washington Post | accessdate=2008-04-13}}</ref>

==U.S. Senator, from 2005==
{{main|United States Senate career of Barack Obama}}
Obama was sworn in as a senator on January 4, 2005.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://obama.senate.gov/about/ | title=About Barack Obama | accessdate=2008-04-27 | publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office}}
</ref> Obama was the fifth African American Senator in U.S. history, and the third to have been [[Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|popularly elected]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/h_multi_sections_and_teasers/Photo_Exhibit_African_American_Senators.htm | title=Breaking New Ground: African American Senators | publisher=U.S. Senate Historical Office | accessdate=2008-06-25}}
</ref> He is the only Senate member of the [[Congressional Black Caucus]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Member Info | url=http://www.house.gov/kilpatrick/cbc/member_info.html | publisher=Congressional Black Caucus | accessdate=2008-06-25}} See also: {{cite news | first=Jeff | last=Zeleny | title=When It Comes to Race, Obama Makes His Point—With Subtlety | date=2005-06-26 | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-050626obama-race,1,7205709.story | work=Chicago Tribune | accessdate=2008-06-25}}
</ref> ''[[Congressional Quarterly|CQ Weekly]]'', a nonpartisan publication, characterized him as a "loyal Democrat" based on analysis of all Senate votes in 2005–2007, and the ''[[National Journal]]'' ranked him as the "most liberal" senator based on an assessment of selected votes during 2007. In 2005 he was ranked sixteenth, and in 2006 he was ranked tenth.<ref>{{cite news | first=David | last=Nather | title=The Space Between Clinton and Obama | date=2008-01-14 | url=http://public.cq.com/docs/cqw/weeklyreport110-000002654703.html | work=CQ Weekly | accessdate=2008-06-25}} See also: {{cite news | first=Tom | last=Curry | title=What Obama's Senate Votes Reveal | date=2008-02-21 | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23276453/ | work=MSNBC | accessdate=2008-06-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings| title=Obama: Most Liberal Senator In 2007 | work=National Journal | date=2008-01-31| accessdate=2008-06-25}}</ref> In 2008, he was ranked by Congress.org as the eleventh most powerful Senator.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/overall.tt | title= Power Rankings: Senate | author=KnowLegis | accessdate=2008-09-07}}</ref>

===Legislation===
{{seealso|List of bills sponsored by Barack Obama in the United States Senate}}
[[Image:Coburn and Obama discuss S. 2590.jpg|thumb|right|Senate bill sponsors Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Obama discussing the Coburn–Obama Transparency Act<ref>{{cite web | title=President Bush Signs Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act | date=2006-09-26 | url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060926.html | publisher=White House | 2008-04-27}}</ref>]]
Obama voted in favor of the [[Energy Policy Act of 2005]] and cosponsored the [[Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act]].<ref>{{cite web | first=109th Congress, 1st Session | last=U.S. Senate | title=S. 1033, Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act | date=2005-05-12 | url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01033: | publisher=Thomas | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> In September 2006, Obama supported a related bill, the [[Secure Fence Act of 2006|Secure Fence Act]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Latinos Upset Obama Voted for Border Fence | date=2006-11-20 | url=http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_324192245.html | work=CBS 2 (Chicago) | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> Obama introduced two initiatives bearing his name: Lugar–Obama, which expanded the [[Nunn–Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction|Nunn–Lugar cooperative threat reduction]] concept to conventional weapons,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/070111-lugar-obama_non/ | title=Lugar–Obama Nonproliferation Legislation Signed into Law by the President | date=2007-01-11 | publisher=Richard Lugar U.S. Senate Office | accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite news | first=Richard G | last=Lugar | coauthors=Barack Obama | title=Junkyard Dogs of War | date=2005-12-03 | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/02/AR2005120201509.html | work=Washington Post | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> and the [[Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006|Coburn–Obama Transparency Act]], which authorized the establishment of USAspending.gov, a web search engine on federal spending.<ref>{{cite news | first=John | last=McCormack | title=Google Government Gone Viral | date=2007-12-21 | url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/502njiqx.asp | work=Weekly Standard | accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite web | title=President Bush Signs Coburn–Obama Transparency Act | date=2006-09-26 | url=http://coburn.senate.gov/ffm/index.cfm?FuseAction=LegislativeFloorAction.Home&ContentRecord_id=eb582f19-802a-23ad-41db-7a7cb464cfdb | publisher=Tom Coburn U.S. Senate Office | accessdate=2008-04-27}} and [http://www.USAspending.gov USAspending.gov]</ref> On June 3, 2008, Senator Obama, along with Senators [[Thomas R. Carper]], [[Tom Coburn]], and [[John McCain]], introduced follow-up legislation: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-3077 S. 3077: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008] ''Govtrack.us'', 2007-2008 (110th Congress)</ref>

Obama sponsored legislation requiring nuclear plant owners to notify state and local authorities of radioactive leaks.<ref>{{cite news |last=McIntire |first=Mike | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/us/politics/03exelon.html | title=Nuclear Leaks and Response Tested Obama in Senate | date=2008-02-03 |
work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> In December 2006, President Bush signed into law the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act, marking the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor.<ref>{{cite web | title=Democratic Republic of the Congo | month=April | year=2006 | url=http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/drc0406.shtml | publisher=United States Conference of Catholic Bishops | accessdate=2008-04-27}} {{cite web | title=The IRC Welcomes New U.S. Law on Congo | date=2007-01-05 | url=http://www.theirc.org/news/the-irc-welcomes-new-us-law.html | publisher=International Rescue Committee | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> In January 2007, Obama and Senator Feingold introduced a corporate jet provision to the [[Honest Leadership and Open Government Act]], which was signed into law in September 2007.<ref>{{cite news | first=Nathaniel | last=Weixel | title=Feingold, Obama Go After Corporate Jet Travel | date=2007-11-15 | url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/feingold-obama-go-after-corporate-jet-travel-2007-11-15.html | work=The Hill | accessdate=2008-04-27}} {{cite news | first=Nathaniel | last=Weixel | title=Lawmakers Press FEC on Bundling Regulation | date=2007-12-05 | url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/lawmakers-press-fec-on-bundling-regulation-2007-12-05.html | work=The Hill | accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite news | title=Federal Election Commission Announces Plans to Issue New Regulations to Implement the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 | date=2007-09-24 | publisher=Federal Election Commission | url=http://www.fec.gov/press/press2007/20070924travel.shtml | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> He introduced [[Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act]], a bill to criminalize deceptive practices in federal elections.<ref>{{cite news | first=Seth | last=Stern | title=Obama–Schumer Bill Proposal Would Criminalize Voter Intimidation | date=2007-01-31 | publisher=The New York Times | url=http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/01/31/cq_2213.html | work=CQPolitics.com | accessdate=2008-04-27}} {{cite web | first=110th Congress, 1st Session | last=U.S. Senate | title=S. 453, Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007 | date=2007-01-31 | url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00453: | publisher=Thomas | accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite news | title=Honesty in Elections | date=2007-01-31 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/31/opinion/31wed1.html | work=The New York Times | format=editorial | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref>
Obama also introduced the [[Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007]].<ref>{{cite news | first=E. Kasak | last=Krystin | title=Obama Introduces Measure to Bring Troops Home |date=2007-02-07 | publisher=The Times (Munster, Indiana) | url =http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/02/07/news/illiana/doc65cc98d8dc6506b28625727b0011edb5.txt | work=Medill News Service | accessdate=2008-04-27}} "Latest Major Action: 1/30/2007 Referred to Senate committee." {{cite web | first=110th Congress, 1st Session | last=U.S. Senate | title=S. 433, Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007 | date=2007-01-30 | url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00433: | publisher=Thomas | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref>

[[Image:Lugar-Obama.jpg|left|thumb|Obama and Richard Lugar visit a Russian mobile launch missile dismantling facility<ref>{{cite web | title=Nunn–Lugar Report | month=August | year=2005 | publisher=Richard Lugar U.S. Senate Office | url =http://lugar.senate.gov/nunnlugar/pdf/trip_report_2005.pdf | accessdate=2008-04-30|format=PDF}}</ref>]]
Later in 2007, Obama sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges.<ref>{{cite web | title=Obama, Bond Hail New Safeguards on Military Personality Disorder Discharges, Urge Further Action | date=2007-10-01 | url=http://bond.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressRoom.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=5C1EBFEB-1321-0E36-BA7D-04630AEFAD31 | publisher=Kit Bond U.S. Senate Office | accessdate=2008-04-27}} See also: {{cite news | first=Philip | last=Dine | title=Bond Calls for Review of Military Discharges | date=2007-12-23 | url=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/special/srlinks.nsf/story/2E7CC823AD55667B862573A7007D12A2?OpenDocument | work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> He sponsored the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act supporting divestment of state pension funds from Iran's oil and gas industry, and co-sponsored legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism.<ref>{{cite news | first=Adam | last=Graham-Silverman | title=Despite Flurry of Action in House, Congress Unlikely to Act Against Iran | date=2007-09-12 | url =http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002583189.html | work=CQ Today | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref><ref name=ObamaSchiff>{{cite web | title=Obama, Schiff Provision to Create Nuclear Threat Reduction Plan Approved | date=2007-12-20 | url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/071220-obama_schiff_pr/ | publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> Obama also sponsored a Senate amendment to the [[State Children's Health Insurance Program]] providing one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries.<ref>{{cite web | title=Senate Passes Obama, McCaskill Legislation to Provide Safety Net for Families of Wounded Service Members | date=2007-08-02 | url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/070802-senate_passes_o_1/ | publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref>

===Committees===
Obama held assignments on the Senate Committees for [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Foreign Relations]], [[United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works|Environment and Public Works]] and [[United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs|Veterans' Affairs]] through December 2006.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20061209190827/obama.senate.gov/committees/ | format=archive | date=2006-12-09 | title=Committee Assignments | accessdate=2008-04-27 | publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office}}</ref> In January 2007, he left the Environment and Public Works committee and took additional assignments with [[United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions|Health, Education, Labor and Pensions]] and [[United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs|Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Obama Gets New Committee Assignments | date=2006-11-15 | publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office | url=http://obama.senate.gov/news/061115-obama_gets_new/ | work=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> He also became Chairman of the Senate's subcommittee on [[United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs|European Affairs]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Tom | last=Baldwin | title=Stay-At-Home Barack Obama Comes Under Fire for a Lack of Foreign Experience | date=2007-12-21 | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3080794.ece | work=Sunday Times (UK) | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama has made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.<ref>{{cite news | first=Christina | last=Larson | title=Hoosier Daddy: What Rising Democratic Star Barack Obama Can Learn from an Old Lion of the GOP | date=September 2006 | url=http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2006/0609.larson.html | work=Washington Monthly | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Chuck | last=Goudie | title=Obama Meets with Arafat's Successor | date=2006-01-12 | url =http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=3806933 | work=WLS-TV | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Obama Slates Kenya for Fraud | date=2006-08-28 | url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1989646,00.html | work=News24.com | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Chris | last=Wamalwa | title=Envoy Hits at Obama Over Graft Remark | date=2006-09-02 | url =http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957666 | work=The Standard (Nairobi) | accessdate=2008-04-27}} {{cite news | first=Vincent | last=Moracha | coauthors=Mangoa Mosota | title=Leaders Support Obama on Graft Claims | date=2006-09-04 | url=http://www.eastandard.net/archives/cl/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143957752 | work=The Standard (Nairobi) | accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> 

==2008 presidential campaign==
{{Future election candidate|section|Obama, Barack}}
{{main|Barack Obama presidential primary campaign, 2008|Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008}}

On February 10, 2007 Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States in front of the [[Old State Capitol State Historic Site|Old State Capitol]] building in [[Springfield, Illinois]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-070210obama-pearson1-story,0,3768114.story | title=Obama: I'm running for president | work=Chicago Tribune | author=Pearson, Rick | coauthors=Long, Ray |date=2007-02-10 | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref><ref name=BBC20070210>{{cite news | title=Obama Launches Presidential Bid | date=2007-02-10 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6349081.stm | work=BBC News | accessdate=2008-01-14}} </ref> The choice of the announcement site was symbolic since it was also where [[Abraham Lincoln]] in 1858 delivered his historic [[Lincoln's House Divided Speech|"House Divided"]] speech.<ref>{{cite news | title=Presidential Campaign Announcement | format=video | date=2007-02-10 | publisher=Brightcove.TV | url=http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=494649996&channel=353512430 | work=Obama for America | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Throughout the campaign Obama has emphasized the issues of ending the [[Iraq War]], increasing [[Energy policy of the United States|energy independence]], and providing [[Universal health care#United States|universal health care]], at one point identifying these as his top three priorities.<ref>{{cite news | title=Barack Obama on the Issues: What Would Be Your Top Three Overall Priorities If Elected? | url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/issues/candidates/barack-obama/#top-priorities | work=Washington Post | accessdate=2008-04-14}} See also: {{cite news | first=Michael | last=Falcone | title=Obama's 'One Thing' | date=2007-12-21 | url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/21/obamas-one-thing/ | work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-14}}
</ref>

[[Image:Flickr Obama Springfield 01.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Obama on stage with his wife and two daughters just before announcing his presidential campaign in Springfield, Illinois]]
Obama's campaign raised $58 million during the first half of 2007, of which "small" donations of less than $200 accounted for $16.4 million. The $58 million set the record for fundraising by a presidential campaign in the first six months of the calendar year before the election.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jim | last=Malone | title=Obama Fundraising Suggests Close Race for Party Nomination | date=2007-07-02 | url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-07-02-voa52.cfm | work=Voice of America | accessdate=2008-01-14}}
</ref> The magnitude of the small donation portion was outstanding from both the absolute and relative perspectives.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jeanne | last=Cummings | title=Small Donors Rewrite Fundraising Handbook | date=2007-09-26 | url=http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=3ECB3515-3048-5C12-004D622CB6F4E214 | work=Politico | accessdate=2008-01-14}}
</ref> In January 2008, his campaign set another [[fundraising]] record with $36.8 million, the most ever raised in one month by a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries.<ref>{{cite news | first=Emily | last=Cadei | title=Obama Outshines Other Candidates in January Fundraising | date=2008-02-21 | url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002674309 | work=CQ Politics | accessdate=2008-02-24}}
</ref>

Among the January 2008 [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008#January|DNC-sanctioned state contests]], Obama tied with [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Hillary Clinton]] for delegates in the [[New Hampshire Democratic primary, 2008|New Hampshire]] primary and won more delegates than Clinton in the [[Iowa Democratic caucuses, 2008|Iowa]], [[Nevada Democratic caucuses, 2008|Nevada]] and [[South Carolina Democratic primary, 2008|South Carolina]] elections and caucuses. On [[Super Tuesday, 2008|Super Tuesday]], he emerged with 20 more delegates than Clinton.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_delegate_count.html | title=2008 Democratic Delegates | work=RealClearPolitics | accessdate=2008-03-25}}</ref> He again broke fundraising records in the first two months of 2008, raising over $90 million for his primary to Clinton's $45 million.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-money7mar07,1,5383518.story | title=Obama sets fundraising record with $55 million | work=Los Angeles Times | author=Dan Morain | date=2008-03-07 | accessdate=2008-03-18}}
</ref> After Super Tuesday, Obama won the eleven remaining February primaries and caucuses.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/make-that-11-for-obama/ |title=Make That 11 for Obama | author=Brian Knowlton | work=The New York Times | date=2008-02-21 | accessdate=2008-03-18}}
</ref> Obama and Clinton split delegates and states nearly equally in the March 4 contests of [[Vermont Democratic primary, 2008|Vermont]], [[Texas Democratic primary and caucuses, 2008|Texas]], [[Ohio Democratic primary, 2008|Ohio]], and [[Rhode Island Democratic primary, 2008|Rhode Island]]; Obama closed the month with victories in Wyoming and [[Mississippi Democratic primary, 2008|Mississippi]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/dates/index.html#val=20080304 | title=Results: March 4 - Multi-State Events | publisher=[[CNN]] | date=2008-03-04 | accessdate=2008-03-04}}
</ref>

In March 2008, a [[Jeremiah Wright controversy|controversy]] broke out concerning Obama's former pastor of twenty years, [[Jeremiah Wright]].<ref name="Obama's Pastor">{{cite news | url=http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=4443788 | title=Obama's Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11 | author=Brian Ross | coauthors=Rehab el-Buri|publisher=''[[ABC News]]'' | date=2008-03-13 | accessdate=2008-03-17}} See also: {{cite news | url=http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/03/for-the-record.html | title=For The Record | work=The Daily Dish | publisher=''The Atlantic'' |date=2008-03-16 | accessdate=2008-03-18 | last=Sullivan | first=Andrew}}</ref> After ABC News broadcast [[Media clip|clips]] of his racially and politically charged sermons,<ref name="Obama's Pastor" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/03/14/obamas-spiritual-adviser-questioned-us-role-in-spread-of-hiv-sept-11-attacks/ | title=Obama's Pastor's Sermon: 'God Damn America' | publisher=FOXNews | author=Jeff Goldblatt | date=2008-03-14 | accessdate=2008-04-04}}</ref> Obama initially responded by defending Wright,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Politics/Story?id=4536957&page=1 |title=Obama Defends Wright on ABC's 'The View'| publisher=[[ABC]]| author=Miller, Sunlen | date=2008-03-27 | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref> but later condemned his remarks and ended Wright's relationship with the campaign.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23634881/ |title=Controversial minister leaves Obama campaign | publisher=[[MSNBC]]|date=2008-03-14|accessdate=2008-04-28|first=Alex|last=Johnson}}</ref> Obama delivered a speech, during the controversy, entitled "[[A More Perfect Union (speech)|A More Perfect Union]]"<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0319/p25s01-uspo.html | title=Remarks by Barack Obama: 'A More Perfect Union' | author=Barack Obama | work=The Christian Science Monitor | date=2008-03-18 | accessdate=2008-03-18}}</ref> that addressed issues of race. Obama subsequently resigned from [[Trinity United Church of Christ|Trinity United Church]] "to avoid the impression that he endorsed the entire range of opinions expressed at that church."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/31/obama-resigns-from-controversial-church/ | title =Obama resigns from controversial church | publisher=CNN | accessdate=2008-05-31 |date=2008-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/31/obama.church/
| title =Obama quits church, citing controversies
| publisher=CNN
| accessdate=2008-07-24
| date=2008-05-31
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24908975/ | title =Obama quits church after long controversy | publisher=MSNBC | accessdate=2008-06-05 | date=2008-06-01}}</ref>

[[Image:Obama Petraeus Hagel.jpg|thumb|General [[David Petraeus]] gives an aerial tour of Baghdad to Barack Obama and [[Chuck Hagel]].]]
During April, May, and June, Obama won the [[North Carolina Democratic primary, 2008|North Carolina]], [[Oregon Democratic primary, 2008|Oregon]], and [[Montana Democratic primary, 2008|Montana primaries]] and remained ahead in the count of pledged delegates, while Clinton won the [[Pennsylvania Democratic primary, 2008|Pennsylvania]], [[Indiana Democratic primary, 2008|Indiana]], [[West Virginia Democratic primary, 2008|West Virginia]], [[Kentucky Democratic primary, 2008|Kentucky]], [[Puerto Rico Democratic primary, 2008|Puerto Rico]], and [[South Dakota Democratic primary, 2008|South Dakota primaries]]. During the period, Obama received endorsements from more [[superdelegate]]s than did Clinton.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24583678/ | title=Superdelegates put Obama within reach | publisher=MSNBC.com | work=The Associated Press | date=2008-05-12 | accessdate=2008-05-13}}</ref> On May 31, the [[Democratic National Committee]] agreed to seat all of the [[Michigan]] and [[Florida]] delegates at the national convention, each with a half-vote, narrowing Obama's delegate lead while increasing the delegate count needed to win.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://freeinternetpress.com/story.php?sid=16916/ | title=Clinton Wins Puerto Rico Primary | publisher=Free Internet Press | work=The Associated Press | date=2008-06-01 | accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref> On June 3, with all states counted, Obama passed the threshold to become the [[presumptive nominee]].<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/03/election.democrats/index.html |title = Obama: I will be the Democratic nominee | publisher=CNN.com |date=2008-06-04|accessdate = 2008-06-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23809081-23109,00.html |title = Obama clinches nomination | publisher=Herald Sun (Australia) | date=2008-06-04|accessdate = 2008-06-06 |author = John Whitesides in Washington}}</ref> On that day, he gave a victory speech in St. Paul, Minnesota. Clinton suspended her campaign and endorsed him on June 7.<ref>{{cite news | first = Jeff and Michael Luo | last = Zeleny | title = Obama Clinches Nomination | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/us/politics/04cnd-campaign.html | work= The New York Times | date = 2008-06-04 | accessdate = 2008-06-04}}</ref> Since then, he has campaigned for the general election race against Senator [[John McCain]], the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee.

On June 19, Obama became the first major-party presidential candidate to turn down [[Campaign finance in the United States#Public financing of campaigns|public financing]] in the general election since the system was created in 1976, reversing his earlier intention to accept it.<ref>{{cite news | author = Salant, Jonathan D. | title = Obama Won't Accept Public Money in Election Campaign | url = http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aNi.G0PhWnFw&refer=home | publisher = [[Bloomberg]] | date = 2008-06-19 | accessdate = 2008-06-19}}</ref>

On August 23, 2008, Obama selected [[Delaware]] Sen. [[Joe Biden]] as his vice presidential running mate.<ref>{{cite news|author=Lis Sidoti and Nedra Pickler|title=Obama picks Biden for veep|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/08/29/politics/p050941D34.DTL |work=San Francisco Chronicle | author=Sidoti, Liz | coauthors=Fouhy, Beth (Associated Press)|date=2008-08-22 | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref> At the [[2008 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]] in [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], [[Colorado]], Obama's former rival Hillary Clinton gave a speech in strong support of Obama's candidacy and later was the person that called for Obama to be nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate by [[acclamation]].<ref>{{cite news | author = Tom Baldwin | title = Hillary Clinton: 'Barack is my candidate' | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4616719.ece | work = TimesOnline | date = 2008-08-27 | accessdate = 2008-08-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/us/politics/28DEMSDAY.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&em |title=Obama Wins Hard-Fought Nomination as Biden and Bill Clinton Rally the Party |publisher=The New York Times |author=Nagourney, Adam | date=2008-08-27|accessdate=2008-08-27}}</ref> On August 28, Obama delivered a speech in front of 84,000 supporters in Denver and viewed by over 38 million on television. During the speech he accepted his party's nomination and presented details of his policy goals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama accepts Democrat nomination |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7586375.stm |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=2008-08-29 |accessdate=2008-08-29 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/08/29/soaring-speech-from-obama-plus-some-specifics/ | title=Soaring speech from Obama, plus some specifics | work=The Christian Science Monitor | author=Marks, Alexandra | date=2008-08-29 | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>

==Political positions==
{{Main|Political positions of Barack Obama|Comparison of United States presidential candidates, 2008}}

Obama was an early opponent of the Bush administration's policies on [[Iraq]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Strausberg, Chinta |date=2002-09-26 |work=[[Chicago Defender]] |page=1 |title=Opposition to war mounts |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220062931.html |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref> On October 2, 2002, the day President [[George W. Bush|Bush]] and [[United States Congress|Congress]] agreed on the [[Iraq Resolution|joint resolution]] authorizing the Iraq War,<ref>{{cite web |author=[[White House Press Secretary|Office of the Press Secretary]] |date=2002-10-02 |title=President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution |publisher=[[Executive Office of the President of the United States|The White House]] |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021002-7.html |accessdate=2008-02-17}} {{cite news |author=Tackett, Michael |date=2002-10-03 |work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |title=Bush, House OK Iraq deal; Congress marches with Bush |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569641.html?dids=203569641:203569641&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref> Obama addressed the first high-profile Chicago [[Protests against the Iraq War|anti-Iraq War rally]] in [[Kluczynski Federal Building|Federal Plaza]],<ref>{{cite news |author=Glauber, Bill |date=2003-10-03|work=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |title=War protesters gentler, but passion still burns |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/203569621.html?dids=203569621:203569621&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}} {{cite news |author=Strausberg, Chinta |date=2002-10-03 |work=Chicago Defender |page=1 |title=War with Iraq undermines U.N. |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-220379051.html |accessdate=2008-02-03}} {{cite news |author=Bryant, Greg |date=2002-10-02 |publisher=[[Medill School of Journalism#Medill News Service - Chicago|Medill News Service]] |title=300 protesters rally to oppose war with Iraq |url=http://mesh.medill.northwestern.edu/mnschicago/archives/2002/10/300_protesters.html |accessdate=2008-02-03}} {{cite web |author=Katz, Marilyn |date=2007-10-02 |title=Five Years Since Our First Action |publisher=Chicagoans Against War & Injustice |url=http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?p=127 |accessdate=2008-02-17}} Mendell (2007), pp. 172–177.</ref> speaking out against the war.<ref>{{cite news |author=Obama, Barack |date=2002-10-02 |title=Remarks of Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama Against Going to War with Iraq |url=http://www.barackobama.com/2002/10/02/remarks_of_illinois_state_sen.php |publisher=BarackObama.com |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref> On March 16, 2003, the day President Bush issued his 48-hour [[ultimatum]] to [[Saddam Hussein]] to leave Iraq before the U.S. [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]],<ref>{{cite web |author=Office of the Press Secretary |date=2003-03-16 |title=President Bush: Monday "Moment of Truth" for World on Iraq |publisher=The White House |url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030316-3.html |accessdate=2008-02-17}} {{cite news |author=Associated Press |date=2003-03-17 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |page=1 |title='Moment of truth for the world'; Bush, three allies set today as final day for Iraq to disarm or face massive military attack |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=headline(Moment%20of%20truth%20for%20the%20world)%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(Moment%20of%20truth%20for%20the%20world)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref> Obama addressed an anti-Iraq War rally and told the crowd that "it's not too late" to stop the war.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ritter, Jim |date=2003-03-17 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |page=3 |title=Anti-war rally here draws thousands |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=headline(Anti-war%20rally%20here%20draws%20thousands)%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=title&p_text_advanced-0=(Anti-war%20rally%20here%20draws%20thousands)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no |format=paid archive |accessdate=2008-02-03}}</ref>

Obama stated that if elected he would enact budget cuts in the range of tens of billions of dollars, stop investing in "unproven" [[National missile defense|missile defense systems]], not "weaponize" space, "slow development of [[Future Combat Systems]]," and work towards eliminating all [[Nuclear warfare|nuclear weapons]]. Obama favors ending development of new nuclear weapons, reducing the current U.S. nuclear stockpile, enacting a global ban on production of fissile material, and seeking negotiations with Russia in order to take [[Intercontinental ballistic missile|ICBMs]] off high alert status.<ref>{{cite video |people=Barack Obama |date2=2007-10-22 |title=Obama-Caucus4Priorities |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o84PE871BE |format=flv |publisher=Obama '08 |accessdate=2008-05-18}}</ref>

In November 2006, Obama called for a "phased redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq" and an opening of diplomatic dialogue with [[Syria]] and [[Iran]].<ref>For audio and text, see: {{cite web | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=A Way Forward in Iraq | date=2006-11-20 | url=http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/hottopics_details.php?hottopics_id=52 | publisher=Chicago Council on Global Affairs | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> In a March 2007 speech to [[American Israel Public Affairs Committee|AIPAC]], a [[Israel lobby in the United States|pro-Israel lobby]], he said that the primary way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons is through talks and diplomacy, although not ruling out military action.<ref>{{cite web | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=AIPAC Policy Forum Remarks | date=2007-03-02 | url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070302-aipac_policy_fo/index.php | publisher=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office | accessdate=2008-01-30}} For Obama's 2004 Senate campaign remarks on possible missile strikes against Iran, see: {{cite news | last=Mendell | first=David | title=Obama Would Consider Missile Strikes on Iran | format=paid archive | date=2004-09-25 | publisher=''Chicago Tribune'' | url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/699578571.html?dids=699578571:699578571&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Obama has indicated that he would engage in "direct presidential diplomacy" with Iran without preconditions.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.barackobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/ |title=Barack Obama and Joe Biden's Plan to Secure America and Restore Our Standing | publisher=Obama for America| accessdate=2008-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/02/us/politics/01cnd-obama.html?_r=2&ei=5088&en=6e53bced62b78a88&ex=1351656000&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin | title=Obama Pledges 'Aggressive' Iran Diplomacy | author=Gordon, Michael R. and Zeleny, Jeff | work=The New York Times| date=2007-11-02|accessdate=2008-06-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/us/politics/24transcript.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all| title=Transcript of fourth Democratic debate |work=The New York Times | date=2007-07-24 |accessdate=2008-06-17}} </ref> Detailing his strategy for fighting global terrorism in August 2007, Obama said "it was a terrible mistake to fail to act" against a 2005 meeting of al-Qaeda leaders that U.S. intelligence had confirmed to be taking place in Pakistan's [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas]]. He said that as president he would not miss a similar opportunity, even without the support of the Pakistani government.<ref>{{cite news | title=Obama Warns Pakistan on Al-Qaeda | date=2007-08-01 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6926663.stm | work=BBC News | accessdate=2008-01-14}} For video and text of the speech, see: {{cite news | title=Policy Address on Terrorism by The Honorable Barack Obama, United States Senator from Illinois | date=2007-08-01 | url=http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.event&event_id=269510 | work=Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars | accessdate=2008-01-30}} For details of the aborted 2005 military operation, see {{cite news | first=Mark | last=Mazzetti | title=Rumsfeld Called Off 2005 Plan to Capture Top Qaeda Figures | date=2007-07-08 | url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/08/news/qaeda.php | work=International Herald Tribune | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>

[[Image:Barack Obama in New Hampshire.jpg|right|thumb|Obama taking questions from a crowd in [[New Hampshire]]]]

In a December 2005, ''Washington Post'' opinion column, and at the [[Save Darfur Coalition|Save Darfur]] rally in April 2006, Obama called for more assertive action to oppose [[genocide]] in the [[War in Darfur|Darfur region]] of [[Sudan]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | coauthors=Sam Brownback | title=Policy Adrift on Darfur | date=2005-12-27 | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600547.html | work=The Washington Post | accessdate=2008-01-14}} {{cite news | first=Jim | last=Doyle | title=Tens of Thousands Rally for Darfur | date=2006-05-01 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/01/MNGFBIIFOA1.DTL | work=San Francisco Chronicle | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> He has [[divestment|divested]] $180,000 in personal holdings of Sudan-related stock, and has urged divestment from companies doing business in Iran.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jim (Associated Press) | last=Kuhnhenn | title=Giuliani, Edwards Have Sudan Holdings | date=2007-05-17 | work=San Francisco Chronicle | url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/17/politics/p171906D95.DTL | accessdate=2008-01-14}}; {{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=Hit Iran Where It Hurts | date=2007-08-30 | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_hit_iran_where_it_hurts.html | work=New York Daily News | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> In the July–August 2007 issue of ''[[Foreign Affairs]]'', Obama called for an outward looking post-Iraq War [[Foreign policy of the United States|foreign policy]] and the renewal of American military, diplomatic, and moral leadership in the world. Saying "we can neither retreat from the world nor try to bully it into submission," he called on Americans to "lead the world, by deed and by example."<ref>{{cite journal | first = Barack | last = Obama | title = Renewing American Leadership | date = July–August 2007 | volume = 86 | issue = 4 | url = http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070701faessay86401/barack-obama/renewing-american-leadership.html | journal = Foreign Affairs | accessdate = 2008-01-14}}</ref>

In economic affairs, in April 2005, he defended the New Deal social welfare policies of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and opposed Republican proposals to establish private accounts for [[Social Security debate (United States)|Social Security]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Ben A | last=Franklin | title=The Fifth Black Senator in U.S. History Makes F.D.R. His Icon | date=2005-06-01 | url=http://www.washingtonspectator.com/articles/20050601obama_1.cfm | work =Washington Spectator | accessdate = 2008-01-14 | }}</ref> In the aftermath of [[Hurricane Katrina]], Obama spoke out against government indifference to growing economic class divisions, calling on both political parties to take action to restore the [[social safety net]] for the poor.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jeff | last=Zeleny | title=Judicious Obama Turns Up Volume | date=2005-09-12 | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0509120140sep12,1,5984193.story?coll=chi-news-hed | work=Chicago Tribune | accessdate = 2008-01-14}}</ref> Shortly before announcing his presidential campaign, Obama said he supports [[universal healthcare]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite news | first=Nedra | last=Pickler | title=Obama Calls for Universal Health Care within Six Years | date=2007-01-25 | publisher=Associated Press via ''Union-Tribune'' (San Diego) | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20070125-1240-democrats-healthcare.html | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Obama proposes to reward teachers for performance from traditional [[merit pay]] systems, assuring unions that changes would be pursued through the [[collective bargaining]] process.<ref>{{cite news | first=Teddy | last=Davis | coauthors=Sunlen Miller | title=Obama Bucks Party Line on Education | date=2007-11-20 | url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=3894699 | publisher=ABC News | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>

In September 2007, he blamed [[interest group|special interests]] for distorting the [[taxation in the United States|U.S. tax code]].<ref>{{cite news | title=A Speech On the Economy, Opportunity and Tax Policy with Senator Barack Obama | date=2007-09-18 | url=http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/events/obama.cfm | publisher=Tax Policy Center | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> His plan would eliminate taxes for senior citizens with incomes of less than $50,000 a year, repeal income tax cuts for those making over $250,000 as well as the capital gains and dividends tax cut,<ref>{{citenews | title=Study:Bush tax cuts favor wealthy | date=2004-08-13 | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/16/politics/main636398.shtml | publisher=CBS | accessdate=2008-04-05}}</ref> close corporate tax loopholes, lift the income cap on Social Security taxes, restrict offshore [[tax haven]]s, and simplify filing of income tax returns by pre-filling wage and bank information already collected by the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Obama Tax Plan: $80 Billion in Cuts, Five-Minute Filings | date=2007-09-18 | url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/18/obama.taxplan/ | publisher=CNN | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Announcing his presidential campaign's energy plan in October 2007, Obama proposed a [[emissions trading|cap and trade]] auction system to restrict carbon emissions and a ten year program of investments in new energy sources to reduce [[Energy policy of the United States|U.S. dependence on imported oil]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Jeff | last=Zeleny | title=Obama Proposes Capping Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Making Polluters Pay | date=2007-10-09 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/us/politics/09obama.html | work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Obama proposed that all pollution credits must be auctioned, with no [[grandfathering]] of credits for oil and gas companies, and the spending of the revenue obtained on energy development and economic transition costs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf|title=The Blueprint for Change: Barack Obama's plan for America|author=Barack Obama| publisher=Obama for America |accessdate=2008-04-20|format=PDF}}</ref>

Obama has encouraged Democrats to reach out to [[evangelicalism|evangelicals]] and other religious groups.<ref>{{cite news | first=Michael | last=Lerner | title=U.S. Senator Barack Obama Critiques Democrats' Religiophobia | date=2006-07-03 | url=http://www.tikkun.org/rabbi_lerner/news_item.2006-07-02.3949597607 | work=Tikkun Magazine | accessdate=2008-01-14}} {{cite web|url=http://www.beliefnet.com/story/194/story_19473_1.html | title=Sen. Barack Obama: Call to Renewal Keynote Address | date=2006-06-28 | work=Beliefnet | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> In December 2006, he joined Sen. [[Sam Brownback]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]]-[[Kansas|KS]]) at the "Global Summit on [[AIDS]] and the Church" organized by church leaders Kay and [[Rick Warren]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Manda | last=Gibson | title=At Global AIDS Summit, Churches Challenged to Take the Lead | date=2006-06-28 | url=http://www.purposedriven.com/en-US/HIVAIDSCommunity/StartingAMinistry/churches_challenged_to_take_the_lead.htm | work=PurposeDriven.com | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Together with Warren and Brownback, Obama took an HIV test, as he had done in Kenya less than four months earlier.<ref>{{cite news | title=Screaming Crowds Welcome U.S. Senator 'Home' | date=2006-08-27 | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/08/26/kenya.obama/index.html | publisher=CNN | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> He encouraged "others in public life to do the same" and not be ashamed of it.<ref>{{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=Race Against Time—World AIDS Day Speech | date=2006-12-01 | url =http://obama.senate.gov/speech/061201-race_against_time_-_world_aids_day_speech/index.html | work=Obama U.S. Senate Office | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Before the conference, eighteen anti-abortion groups published an [[open letter]] stating, in reference to Obama's support for legal abortion: "In the strongest possible terms, we oppose Rick Warren's decision to ignore Senator Obama's clear [[Pro-life#Term controversy|pro-death]] stance and invite him to [[Saddleback Church]] anyway."<ref> {{cite news | title=Rick Warren/Barack Obama AIDS Partnership Must End, Say Pro-Life Groups | date=2006-11-28 | url=http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/791771591.html | work=Christian Newswire Press Release | accessdate=2008-01-14}} See also: {{cite news | first=David | last=Van Biema | title=The Real Losers in the Obama-Warren Controversy | date=2006-12-01 | url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1565076,00.html | work=Time | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> Addressing over 8,000 [[United Church of Christ]] members in June 2007, Obama challenged "so-called leaders of the Christian Right" for being "all too eager to exploit what divides us."<ref>{{cite news | title=Barack Obama: Faith Has Been 'Hijacked' | date=2007-06-24 | publisher=Associated Press via CBS News | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/24/politics/main2971556.shtml | accessdate = 2008-01-14 | }} See also: {{cite news | first=David | last=Brody | title=Obama to CBN News: We're No Longer Just a Christian Nation | date=2007-07-30 | url=http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/204016.aspx | work=Christian Broadcasting Network | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>

A method that political scientists use for gauging ideology is to compare the annual ratings by the [[Americans for Democratic Action]] (ADA) with the ratings by the [[American Conservative Union]] (ACU).<ref>{{cite news | author=Mayer, William | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A28761-2004Mar27?language=printer | title=Kerry's Record Rings a Bell | work=Washington Post | date=2004-03-28 | quote=The question of how to measure a senator's or representative's ideology is one that political scientists regularly need to answer. For more than 30 years, the standard method for gauging ideology has been to use the annual ratings of lawmakers' votes by various interest groups, notably the Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) and the American Conservative Union (ACU). | accessdate=2008-06-07}}</ref> Based on his years in Congress, Obama has a lifetime average conservative rating of 7.67% from the ACU,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.acuratings.org/2005senate.htm | title=2005 U.S. Senate Votes | publisher= American Conservative Union | accessdate=2008-09-20}}; {{cite web | url=http://www.acuratings.org/2006senate.htm | title=2006 U.S. Senate Votes | publisher= American Conservative Union | accessdate=2008-09-20}}; {{cite web | url=http://www.acuratings.org/2007senate.htm | title=2007 U.S. Senate Votes | publisher= American Conservative Union | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref> and a lifetime average liberal rating of 90% from the ADA.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2005.pdf | title=ADA's 2005 Congressional Voting Record | publisher=Americans for Democratic Action | accessdate=2008-09-20}}; {{cite web | url=http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2006.pdf | title=ADA's 2006 Congressional Voting Record | publisher=Americans for Democratic Action | accessdate=2008-09-20}}; {{cite web | url=http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2007.pdf | title=ADA's 2007 Congressional Voting Record | publisher=Americans for Democratic Action | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>

==Family and personal life==
{{see also|Family of Barack Obama}}
Obama met his wife, [[Michelle Obama|Michelle Robinson]], in June 1989 when he was employed as a summer associate at the Chicago law firm of [[Sidley Austin]].<ref>Obama (2006), pp. 327–332. See also: {{cite news | first=Sarah | last=Brown | title=Obama '85 Masters Balancing Act | date=2005-12-07 | work=Daily Princetonian | url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2005/12/07/news/14049.shtml | accessdate=2008-04-28}} {{cite news | first=Eric | last=Tucker | title=Family Ties: Brown Coach, Barack Obama | date=2007-03-01 | publisher=ABC News | url =http://www.abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=2916437 | work=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> Assigned for three months as Obama's adviser at the firm, Robinson joined him at group social functions, but declined his initial offers to date.<ref>Obama (2006), p. 329.</ref> They began dating later that summer, became engaged in 1991, and were married on October 3, 1992.<ref>{{cite news | first=Scott | last=Fornek | title=Michelle Obama: 'He Swept Me Off My Feet' | date=2007-10-03 | url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/585261,CST-NWS-wedding03.stng | work=Chicago Sun-Times | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> The couple's first daughter, [[Family_of_Barack_Obama#Malia_Ann_and_Sasha_Obama|Malia Ann]], was born in 1998,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0708/Born_on_the_4th_of_July.html |title=Born on the 4th of July |date=2008-07-04 |accessdate=2008-07-10 |publisher=[[The Politico]] |last=Martin |first=Jonathan }}</ref> followed by a second daughter, [[Family_of_Barack_Obama#Malia_Ann_and_Sasha_Obama|Natasha ("Sasha")]], in 2001.<ref>Obama (1995), p. 440, and Obama (2006), pp. 339–340. See also: {{cite web | title=Election 2008 Information Center: Barack Obama | url=http://www.gannettnewsservice.com/?cat=153 | work=Gannett News Service | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref>

[[Image:BarackObama-Basketball.JPEG|left|thumb|upright|Obama playing basketball with U.S. military in Djibouti in 2006<ref>{{cite news | title=Senator Barack Obama Visit to CJTF-HOA and Camp Lemonier: 31 August—1 September 2006 | format=video | date=2007-02-06 | publisher=YouTube | url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9GqdzQeCz0 | work =Combined Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref>]]
Applying the proceeds of a book deal,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-obama-rezkomar15,0,4474107,full.story|title=Obama: I trusted Rezko|date=2008-03-15}}</ref> the family moved in 2005 from a [[Hyde Park, Chicago|Hyde Park]], Chicago condominium to their current $1.6 million house in neighboring [[Kenwood, Chicago|Kenwood]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Jeff | last=Zeleny | title=The First Time Around: Sen. Obama's Freshman Year | date=2005-12-24 | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051224obama,1,1815354.story | work=Chicago Tribune | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> The purchase of an adjacent lot and sale of part of it to Obama by the wife of developer and friend [[Tony Rezko]] attracted media attention because of Rezko's indictment and subsequent conviction on political corruption charges that were unrelated to Obama.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24973282/ | title=Rezko found guilty in corruption case | accessdate=2008-06-24 | date=2008-06-04 | work=The Associated Press | publisher=MSNBC.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/16/AR2006121600729.html | title=Obama Says He Regrets Land Deal With Fundraiser | work=The Washington Post | date=2006-12-17 | accessdate=2008-06-10| last=Slevin | first=Peter}}</ref>

In December 2007, ''[[Money (magazine)|Money]]'' magazine estimated the Obama family's net worth at $1.3 million.<ref>{{cite news | title=Obama's Money | date=2007-12-07 | url=http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/moneymag/0712/gallery.candidates.moneymag/5.html | publisher=CNNMoney.com | accessdate=2008-04-28}} See also:
{{cite news | first=Zachary A | last=Goldfarb | title=Measuring Wealth of the '08 Candidates | date=2007-03-24 | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/24/AR2007032400305.html | work=The Washington Post | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> Their 2007 tax return showed a household income of $4.2 million—up from about $1 million in 2006 and $1.6 million in 2005—mostly from sales of his books.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jeff | last=Zeleny | title=Book Sales Lifted Obamas' Income in 2007 to a Total of $4.2 Million | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/us/politics/17obama.html | date=2008-04-17 | work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref>

In a 2006 interview, Obama highlighted the diversity of his extended family. "Michelle will tell you that when we get together for Christmas or Thanksgiving, it's like a little mini-United Nations," he said. "I've got relatives who look like [[Bernie Mac]], and I've got relatives who look like [[Margaret Thatcher]]."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200610/20061018/slide_20061018_284_110.jhtml | title=Keeping Hope Alive: Barack Obama Puts Family First | date=2006-10-18 | work=The Oprah Winfrey Show | accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref> Obama has seven half-siblings from his Kenyan father's family, six of them living, and a half-sister, [[Maya Soetoro-Ng]], the daughter of his mother and her Indonesian second husband.<ref>{{cite news | first=Scott | last=Fornek | title=Half Siblings: 'A Complicated Family' | date=2007-09-09 | url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545462,BSX-News-wotrees09.stng | work=Chicago Sun-Times | accessdate=2008-06-24}} See also: {{cite web | url=http://www.suntimes.com/images/cds/special/family_tree.html | title=Interactive Family Tree | date=2007-09-09 | work=Chicago Sun-Times | accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref> Obama's mother is survived by her Kansas-born mother, [[Madelyn and Stanley Dunham|Madelyn Dunham]].<ref>{{cite news | first=Scott | last=Fornek | title=Madelyn Payne Dunham: 'A Trailblazer' | date=2007-09-09 | url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/familytree/545449,BSX-News-wotreeee09.stng | work=Chicago Sun-Times | accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref> In ''Dreams from My Father'', Obama ties his mother's family history to possible [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] ancestors and distant relatives of [[Jefferson Davis]], president of the southern Confederacy during the American Civil War.<ref>Obama (1995), p. 13. For reports on Obama's maternal genealogy, including slave owners, Irish connections, and common ancestors with George W. Bush, [[Dick Cheney]], and [[Harry S. Truman|Harry Truman]], see: {{cite news | first=David | last=Nitkin | coauthors=Harry Merritt | title=A New Twist to an Intriguing Family History | date=2007-03-02 | url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/bal-te.obama02mar02,0,3453027.story | work=Baltimore Sun | accessdate=2008-06-24}} {{cite news | first=Mary | last=Jordan | title=Tiny Irish Village Is Latest Place to Claim Obama as Its Own | date=2007-05-13 | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/12/AR2007051201551.html | work=The Washington Post | accessdate=2008-06-24}} {{cite news | title=Obama's Family Tree Has a Few Surprises | date=2007-09-08 | publisher=CBS 2 (Chicago) | url =http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/Barack.Obama.family.2.339709.html | work=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref>

Obama plays basketball, a sport he participated in as a member of his high school's varsity team.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jodi | last=Kantor | title=One Place Where Obama Goes Elbow to Elbow | date=2007-06-01 | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/01/us/politics/01hoops.html | work=The New York Times | accessdate=2008-04-28}} See also: {{cite news | title=The Love of the Game | format=video | date=2008-04-15 | publisher=YouTube (BarackObama.com) | url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Lqm5emQl4 | work=[http://www.hbo.com/realsports/stories/2008/episode.133.s1.html HBO: Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel] | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> Before announcing his presidential candidacy, he began a well-publicized effort to quit smoking. Obama told the ''Chicago Tribune''. "I've quit periodically over the last several years. I've got an ironclad demand from my wife that in the stresses of the campaign I do not succumb."<ref> {{cite news | first=Christi | last=Parsons | title=Obama Launches an '07 Campaign—To Quit Smoking | date=2007-02-06 | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-0702060167feb06,0,373462.story | work=Chicago Tribune | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref>

Obama is a Christian whose religious views have evolved in his adult life. In ''The Audacity of Hope'', Obama writes that he "was not raised in a religious household." He describes his [[Ann Dunham|mother]], raised by non-religious [[Madelyn and Stanley Dunham|parents]] (whom Obama has specified elsewhere as "non-practicing [[Methodist]]s and [[Baptist]]s") to be detached from religion, yet "in many ways the most spiritually awakened person that I have ever known." He describes his Kenyan [[Barack Obama, Sr.|father]] as "raised a Muslim," but a "confirmed [[atheism|atheist]]" by the time his parents met, and his [[Indonesian]] stepfather as "a man who saw religion as not particularly useful." In the book, Obama explains how, through working with [[black church]]es as a community organizer while in his twenties, he came to understand "the power of the African-American religious tradition to spur social change."<ref>Obama (2006), pp. 202–208. Portions excerpted in: {{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=My Spiritual Journey | date=2006-10-23 | url =http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1546579,00.html | work=Time | accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal/ | title = 'Call to Renewal' Keynote Address | accessdate = 2008-06-16 | last = Obama | first = Barack | date = 2006-06-28 | work = Barack Obama: U.S. Senator for Illinois (website)}}</ref>

==Cultural and political image==
{{main|Public image of Barack Obama}}

[[Image:Barack Obama in Berlin.jpg|thumb|Obama speaking before a crowd at the [[Berlin Victory Column]] in [[Germany]] on July 24, 2008]]
With his Kenyan father and white American mother, his upbringing in [[Honolulu]] and [[Jakarta]], and his [[Ivy League]] education, Obama's early life experiences differ markedly from those of African American politicians who launched their careers in the 1960s through participation in the [[African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)|civil rights movement]].<ref>{{cite news | last=Wallace-Wells | first=Benjamin | title=The Great Black Hope: What's Riding on Barack Obama? | date=November 2004 | work =Washington Monthly | url=http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0411.wallace-wells.html |accessdate=2008-04-07}} See also: {{cite news | first=Janny | last=Scott | title=A Member of a New Generation, Obama Walks a Fine Line | date=2007-12-28 | url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/28/america/obama.php | work=International Herald Tribune | accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref>

In January 2007, ''The End of Blackness'' [[Debra Dickerson]] warned against drawing favorable cultural implications from Obama's political rise: "Lumping us all together," Dickerson wrote in ''[[Salon.com|Salon]]'', "erases the significance of [[Slavery in the United States|slavery]] and continuing [[Racism in the United States|racism]] while giving the appearance of progress."<ref>{{cite news | first=Debra J | last=Dickerson | title=Colorblind | date= 2007-01-22 | url=http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2007/01/22/obama/index_np.html | work=Salon | accessdate=2008-01-14}} For a sampling of views by other black commentators see: {{cite news | first=Gary | last=Younge | title=Obama: Black Like Me | date=2006-10-27 | url =http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061113/younge | work=The Nation | accessdate=2008-04-07}} {{cite news | first=Stanley | last=Crouch | title=What Obama Isn't: Black Like Me | date=2006-11-02 | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/467300p-393261c.html | work=New York Daily News | accessdate=2008-04-07 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070308142850/www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/467300p-393261c.html | archivedate=2007-03-08}} {{cite news | first=Laura | last=Washington | title=Whites May Embrace Obama, But Do 'Regular Black Folks'? | date=2007-01-01 | url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obamacommentary/193216,CST-EDT-LAURA01.article | work =Chicago Sun-Times | accessdate=2008-04-07}} {{cite news | first=Clarence | last=Page | title=Is Barack Black Enough? Now That's a Silly Question | date=2007-02-25 | url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/4580864.html | work=Houston Chronicle | accessdate=2008-04-07 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070308133020/www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/4580864.html | archivedate=2007-03-08}}</ref> [[David Ehrenstein]], writing in a March 2007 ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' article, compared the cultural sources of Obama's favorable polling among whites to those of "[[magical negro]]" roles played by black actors in [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] movies.<ref>{{cite news | author=Ehrenstein, David | url=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,5335087.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail | title=Obama the 'Magic Negro' | work=Los Angeles Times | date=2007-03-19| accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref> Expressing puzzlement over questions about whether he is "black enough," Obama told an August 2007 meeting of the [[National Association of Black Journalists]] that the debate is not about his physical appearance or his record on issues of concern to black voters. Obama said that "we're still locked in this notion that if you appeal to white folks then there must be something wrong."<ref>{{cite news | first=Les | last=Payne | title=In One Country, a Dual Audience | format=paid archive | date=2007-08-19 | url =http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/1322008241.html?dids=1322008241:1322008241&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT | work=Newsday | accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref>

In a December 2006 ''[[The Wall Street Journal|Wall Street Journal]]'' editorial headlined "The Man from Nowhere," [[Peggy Noonan]], advised "[[The Establishment|establishment]]" commentators to avoid becoming too quickly excited about Obama's still early political career.<ref>{{cite news | first=Peggy | last=Noonan | title=The Man From Nowhere|date=2006-12-15 | url=http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110009388 | work=OpinionJournal (Wall Street Journal) | accessdate=2008-04-07}} See also: Obama (2006), pp. 122–124. For Noonan's comments on Obama winning the January 2008 Iowa Caucus, see: {{cite news | first=Peggy | last=Noonan | title=Out With the Old, In With the New | date=2008-01-04 | url=http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110011083 | work=OpinionJournal (Wall Street Journal) | accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref> Echoing the [[inaugural address of John F. Kennedy]], Obama acknowledged his youthful image, saying in an October 2007 campaign speech: "I wouldn't be here if, time and again, the torch had not been passed to a new generation."<ref>{{cite news | first=Mike | last=Dorning | title=Obama Reaches Across Decades to JFK | format=paid archive | date=2007-10-04 | url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/1353513781.html?dids=1353513781:1353513781&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+4%2C+2007&author=Mike+Dorning | work=Chicago Tribune | accessdate=2008-04-07}} See also: {{cite news | first=Toby | last=Harnden | title=Barack Obama is JFK Heir, Says Kennedy Aide | date=2007-10-15 | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/12/wobama112.xml | work=Daily Telegraph | accessdate=2008-04-07}}</ref>

In March 2007, [[Global Language Monitor]] added "Obama" to its English lexicon based on the use of Obama- as a root for [[neologism]]s such as: obamamentum, obamaBot, obamacize, obamarama, obamaNation, obamanomics, obamican, obamafy, obamamania, and obamacam.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.languagemonitor.com/obamaspeak | title=ObamaSpeak:‘Obama’ as a Word Enters English Language | publisher=Global Language Monitor | date=2007-03-03 | accessdate=2008-09-20}} </ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/offbeat/2008/02/19/moos.obamafied.cnn | title=Are you 'Obamafied'? | type=video | publisher=CNN | date=2008-02-19 | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>

A prominent part of Obama's political image is a belief that his rhetoric and actions toward political reform are matched with a political savvy that often includes a measure of expediency. In a July 2008 ''[[The New Yorker]]'' feature article, for example, [[Ryan Lizza]] wrote: "[Obama] campaigns on reforming a broken political process, yet he has always played politics by the rules as they exist, not as he would like them to exist."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza?currentPage=all | title=Making It: How Chicago shaped Obama | work=The New Yorker | author=Lizza, Ryan | date=2008-05-21 | accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>

==Works==
*{{citebook
|first=Barack
|last=Obama
|title=[[Dreams from My Father]]: A Story of Race and Inheritance
|publisher=[[Three Rivers Press]]
|year=1995
|isbn=0307383415}} Audio Book Grammy Award Winner: Spoken word<ref>{{cite news | author=Morris, Chris | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001994185 | title=U2 goes 5-for-5 at Grammys | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=2006-09-06| accessdate=2008-09-20}}</ref>
*{{citebook
|first=Barack
|last=Obama
|title=[[The Audacity of Hope]]: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
|publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group]] / [[Three Rivers Press]]
|date=October 17, 2006
|isbn=0307237699}} Audio Book Grammy Award Winner: Spoken word<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/302267|title=Obama beats ex-presidents for audiobook Grammy | work=Toronto Star |author=Associated Press |date=2008-02-10|accessdate=2008-02-10}}</ref>
*{{citebook
|first=Barack
|last=Obama
|title=Barack Obama in His Own Words
|publisher=[[PublicAffairs]]
|date=March 27, 2007
|isbn=0786720573}}
*{{citebook
|author=National Urban League
|title=The State of Black America 2007: Portrait of the Black Male
|publisher=Beckham Publications Group
|edition=Foreword by Barack Obama
|date=April 17, 2007
|isbn=0931761859}}
*{{cite journal
| last = Obama
| first = Barack
| title = Renewing American Leadership
| journal = Foreign Affairs
| volume = 86
| issue = 4
| date = July-August 2007
| url = http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070701faessay86401/barack-obama/renewing-american-leadership.html
| accessdate = 2008-01-14}}
*{{citebook
|first=Barack
|last=Obama
|coauthors:U.S. Senate
|title=Barack Obama: What He Believes In - From His Own Works
|publisher=Arc Manor
|date=March 1, 2008
|isbn=1604501170}}
*{{citebook
|first=Barack
|last=Obama
|title=Barack Obama vs. John McCain - Side by Side Senate Voting Record for Easy Comparison
|publisher=Arc Manor
|coauthors=McCain, John
|date=June 13, 2008
|isbn=1604502495}}
*{{citebook
|title=Change We Can Believe In: Barack Obama's Plan to Renew America's Promise
|publisher=[[Three Rivers Press]]
|date=September 9, 2008
|edition=Foreword by Barack Obama
|isbn=0307460452}}

==Notes==

{{reflist|3}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|last=Mendell|first=David|title=Obama: From Promise to Power|publisher=Amistad/[[HarperCollins]]|year=2007|url=http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780060858209|id=ISBN 0-06-085820-6}}
*{{cite book|last=Obama|first=Barack|title=[[Dreams from My Father|Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance]]|publisher=[[Times Books]]|year=2004|id=ISBN 1-4000-8277-3}}
*{{cite book|last=Obama|first=Barack|title=[[The Audacity of Hope|The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream]]|publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group]]|year=2006|id=ISBN 0-307-23769-9}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{BarackObamaSegmentsUnderInfoBox}}
{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Barack_Obama-article1.ogg|2008-09-03}}
*Curry, Jessica. "[http://www.chicagolife.net/content/politics/Barack_Obama Barack Obama: Under the Lights]", ''Chicago Life'', Fall 2004. Retrieved on [[2008-01-14]].
*Graff, Garrett. "[http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/mediapolitics/1836.html The Legend of Barack Obama]", ''Washingtonian'', November 1, 2006. Retrieved on [[2008-01-14]].
*Lizza, Ryan. "[http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_5841 Above the Fray]", ''GQ'', September 2007. Retrieved on [[2008-01-14]].
*MacFarquhar, Larissa. "[http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/05/07/070507fa_fact_macfarquhar The Conciliator: Where is Barack Obama Coming From?]", ''New Yorker'', May 7, 2007. Retrieved on [[2008-01-14]].
*Mundy, Liza. "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080802038.html A Series of Fortunate Events]", ''The Washington Post Magazine'', August 12, 2007. Retrieved on [[2008-01-14]].
*Wallace-Wells, Ben. "[http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/13390609/campaign_08_the_radical_roots_of_barack_obama Destiny's Child]", ''Rolling Stone'', February 7, 2007. Retrieved on [[2008-01-14]].
*Zutter, Hank De. "[http://www.chicagoreader.com/obama/951208/ What Makes Obama Run?]", ''Chicago Reader'', December 8, 1995. Retrieved on [[2008-01-14]].

==External links==
{{Sisterlinks-author|Barack Obama}}

'''Official sites'''
* [http://obama.senate.gov/ Barack Obama U.S. Senator for Illinois] (U.S. Senate office)
* [http://www.barackobama.com/ Obama '08—BarackObama.com] (2008 U.S. presidential campaign)
* [http://www.fightthesmears.com/ Fight the Smears]: the candidate's responses to Internet rumors. 

'''Congressional links'''
{{CongLinks | congbio = o000167 | fec = S4IL00180 | opensecrets = N00009638 | votesmart = 9490 | ontheissuespath = Barack_Obama.htm | legistorm = 76/Sen_Barack_Obama.html | surge = 923 | govtrack = 400629 | findagrave = }}

'''Site directory'''
*{{dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Society_and_Culture/Politics/Candidates_and_Campaigns/Presidential/Candidates/Obama,_Barack}}
*{{worldcat id|id=lccn-n94-112934}}

United Kingdom

2008-09-30T15:52:28Z

Antonine: /* British Expansion and Empire */ adding a bit more detail to history of british empire.

{{Country
|name =''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''
|map =United kingdom rel87.jpg
|flag =Union_jack.jpg
|arms =UK Royal Coat of Arms.png
|capital =London
|capital-raw =
|government =Constitutional monarchy
|government-raw =
|language =English
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Gordon Brown
|pm-raw =
|area =94,526 sq mi
|pop =60,587,300 (2007)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$2.006 trillion
|gdp-year =2006
|gdp-pc =$35,051 (2006)
|currency =Pound Sterling
|idd =
|tld =
}}

The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''', generally called '''The United Kingdom''' or '''The UK''', is a sovereign [[state]] north west of mainland [[Europe]]. It consists of [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], which occupy the island of Great Britain, and [[Northern Ireland]] on the island of Ireland. It attained its current form in 1922 after most of [[Ireland]] was granted independence (although the current name 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was not adopted until 1927), but its origins can be traced back at least to 1603, when England and Scotland came to be ruled by a single monarch (James I of England and VI of Scotland). England and Scotland were formally united under a single parliament, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain, on 1 May 1707.<ref>Murdoch, Alexander, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/themes/96/96282.html England, Scotland, and the Acts of Union (1707)], Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Oxford University Press, Jan 2007, accessed 1 May 2007</ref>

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Its current [[head of state]] is Queen [[Elizabeth II]], and its [[head of government]] is Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]].

[[nationalism|Nationalist]] movements of significant importance exist in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, seeking (in the case of Scottish and Welsh nationalists) to dissolve the United Kingdom and to win independence for their respective territories, and in the case of Northern Ireland nationalists and republicans to achieve a sovereign united Ireland. At the present time, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own legislatures.

The United Kingdom has the fifth largest economy in the world, and is a member of the [[European Union]], [[NATO]] and the [[United Nations]]. The UK's values, culture and institutions were spread throughout many parts of the world during the period of the [[British Empire]], and the UK's contributions to world culture include the English language, the [[parliament|parliamentary]] form of government, the [[Church of England|Anglican]] (or Episcopalian) Church, a tradition of personal liberty, and the common-law legal system.

==Name==
The official name of the country (since 1927) is ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''. The adjective associated with the United Kingdom is "[[British]]". From 1801 to 1927 the official name was ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland''.

The full official name is seldom used except in very formal or legal documents.

* The '''United Kingdom''' is one short version of the official name, and is used for current events since 2000, and for geographical discussions. This is the normal term used to refer to the country as a whole.
* '''Great Britain''' and '''Britain''' are short versions of ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'' but care should be taken about the context in which these terms are used because "Great Britain" is the name of the largest island in the United Kingdom which contains [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]]. As a result this term can cause offence to citizens of [[Northern Ireland]].
* '''Britain''' is used (without the adjective "Great") as a synonym for the United Kingdom as a whole.<ref>number10.gov.uk - [http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page823.asp Countries within a country] - Website of the British Prime Minister.</ref> Historical books and articles normally use "Britain" or "Great Britain" rather than "United Kingdom" or "UK".
* '''England''' is the largest of the four components of the United Kingdom. "England" was often used to stand for the nation in older literature published outside the UK before 1970. However use of "England" to refer to the entire country is considered offensive by many citizens of the other three member nations and is thus discouraged.
* The standard language of the UK is English; [[Welsh]] has parity in Wales, and [[Gaelic]] is widely used on official documents, roadsigns, etc in Gaelic-speaking areas of western Scotland..

==Anthem==
The national anthem of the UK is currently ''[[God Save the Queen]]''. When [[Queen Elizabeth II]] dies or abdicates, her son [[Prince Charles]] will become [[King]], and the anthem will become "God Save the King", with the other words remaining the same (apart from obvious changes in gender pronouns). This same melody is also sung by [[American]] schoolchildren (with different words) as "My Country, 'Tis of Thee".

The constituent nations of the UK have come to have their own unofficial anthems. In the case of Wales, this is ''[[Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau]]'' (''Land of My Fathers''), and for Scotland it is ''[[Flower of Scotland]]''. England does not have its own distinctive anthem in the same way, but at sporting events in which England is competing as a separate nation, [[Edward Elgar]]'s patriotic song ''[[Land of Hope and Glory]]'' is sometimes used (although ''God Save the Queen'' is most commonly used). Additionally the hymn "Jerusalem" has a large number of supporters in England as an alternative to, or replacement for, the national anthem. In Northern Ireland, the Protestant and Catholic communities respectively use ''God Save the Queen'' and ''Amhran na bhFiann'', the Irish national anthem. ''Londonderry Air'' is often used as the anthem for Northern Ireland competitors in sporting events.

It should be noted that ''God Save the Queen/King'' is only the national anthem by long usage, since about 1745. It has never been declared so officially.

==People==
The United Kingdom's population in 2004 surpassed 60 million--the third-largest in the European Union. Its overall population density is one of the highest in the world. Almost one-third of the population lives in England's prosperous and fertile southeast and is predominantly urban and suburban--with about 7.2 million in the capital of London, which remains the largest city in Europe. The United Kingdom's high literacy rate (99%) is attributable to universal public education introduced for the primary level in 1870 and secondary level in 1900. Education is mandatory from ages 5 through 16. About one-fifth of British students go on to post-secondary education. The Church of England and the Church of Scotland are the official churches in their respective parts of the country, but most religions found in the world are represented in the United Kingdom.

A group of islands close to continental Europe, the British Isles have been subject to many invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. Contemporary Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that settled there before the 11th century. The pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse influences were blended in Britain under the Normans, Scandinavian Vikings who had lived in Northern France. Although Celtic languages persist in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, as well as Cornwall in south-west England, the predominant language is English, which is primarily a blend of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French.
*Population (2007 est.): 60.8 million.
*Annual population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.275%.
*Major ethnic groups: British 91%, Irish 2%, West Indian and African 3%, South Asian 3%, others 1%.
*Major religions: Church of England (Anglican), Roman Catholic, Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), Muslim.
*Major languages: English, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic.
*Education: Years compulsory--12. Attendance--nearly 100%. Literacy--99%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2007 est.)--5.01/1,000. Life expectancy (2007 est.)--males 76.23 yrs.; females 81.3 yrs.; total 78.7 years
*Work force (2007, 31.1 million): Services--80.4%; industry--18.2%; agriculture--1.4%.

===Religious Beliefs===
According to the 2001 [[Census]] the religious make-up of the UK at that time was:

{| border="1" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3
|+'''Religions in United Kingdom'''
!Belief
!Thousands
!Proportion
|-
|Christian ||42,079 ||71.6
|-
|No Religion ||9104 ||15.5
|-
|Muslim ||1591 ||2.7
|-
|Hindu ||559 ||1.0
|-
|Jedi Knight ||390 ||0.7
|-
|Sikh ||336 ||0.6
|-
|Jewish ||267 ||0.5
|-
|Other ||179 ||0.3
|-
|Buddhist ||152 ||0.3
|-
|Pagan & Wicca ||40 ||0.1
|-
|Total religious ||45,163 ||76.8
|-
|No answer ||4289 ||7.3
|}
The answers were distorted by an internet campaign just prior to the census, that claimed that if at least 50,000 people stated their religion as 'Jedi Knight' it would be officially classified as a religion. This was not true, though the Office of National Statistics does aggregate very small religions into the 'Other' category whereas a religion of 50,000 would be itemised separately. This separate listing does not constitute any form of official recognition.

Two of the four states of the United Kingdom, England and Scotland, have official state religions. The [[Church of England]] is the official religion of England and the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland is the official religion of Scotland. The (Anglican) Church of Ireland was [[disestablished]] in 1871 and the (Anglican) Church of Wales was disestablished in 1920, whereupon it was renamed the [[Church in Wales]].

===Crown Dependencies===
A number of the smaller [[British Isles]], most importantly [[Jersey]], [[Guernsey]] and the [[Isle of Man]] are 'British Crown Dependencies' and not members of the UK. Their governments are independent of that of the UK other than foreign and defence policy (the UK government retains the legal power to overrule the governments of the Dependencies, but this power has not been exercised since 1967), and they are not members of the [[European Union]].

==Sports and Pastimes==
Many of the most popular [[sport]]s in the world today were developed or codified in the UK. These include [[soccer|football]] (which is called ''soccer'' in North America), [[cricket]], [[Rugby (Sport)|rugby]], [[tennis]], [[hockey]] and [[golf]]. The UK is represented in international competitions by the individual nations (such as in football, the one-day form of cricket and rugby) and by the whole of the UK in other sports (such as [[athletics]], golf and tennis). The Test cricket team is that of 'England & Wales' (colloquially, just 'England') but from time to time has had Scottish and Irish players.

The UK remains a major sporting force both in competition and the administration of sport. It is dominant in several Olympic sports, notably cycling, rowing and sailing and a leading force in cricket, both codes of rugby and golf.

Certain venues have their own distinct and historical recognition and host a number of international competitions. These include Wimbledon for tennis, Silverstone for motor racing, and St Andrews for golf. There are several major venues for football, rugby and cricket.

Domestic sport is dominated by football with one of the strongest and most popular leagues in the world - the Premier League of England. Teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are well known sports club brands and maintain followings across the world. Cricket and both codes of rugby also have strong and popular domestic leagues. Other popular sports include snooker, rowing, golf, tennis, athletics, cycling, darts, horse racing, and motor racing. These most popular sports are well covered by both the print press and television.

Some sports which are more popular in other countries such as volleyball, handball, American football and basketball have small but dedicated followings.

==Government==
''See also [[British politics]]''

The United Kingdom does not have a written constitution. The equivalent body of law is based on statute, common law, and "traditional rights." Changes may come about formally through new acts of Parliament, informally through the acceptance of new practices and usage, or by judicial precedents. Although Parliament has the theoretical power to make or repeal any law, in actual practice the weight of 700 years of tradition restrains arbitrary actions.

Executive power rests nominally with the monarch but actually is exercised by a committee of ministers (cabinet) selected from among the members of the House of Commons and, less frequently, the House of Lords. The prime minister is normally the leader of the largest party in the Commons. Subject to the term limitations a prime minister can continue to govern while he or she commands the support of parliament

==Parliament==
Parliament represents the entire country and can legislate for the whole or for any constituent part or combination of parts. The maximum parliamentary term is 5 years, but the prime minister may ask the monarch to dissolve Parliament and call a general election at any time. The focus of legislative power is the 646-member House of Commons, which has sole jurisdiction over finance. The House of Lords, although shorn of most of its powers, can still review, amend, or delay temporarily any bills except those relating to the budget. The House of Lords has more time than the House of Commons to pursue one of its more important functions--debating public issues. In 1999, the government removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to hold seats in the House of Lords. The current house consists of appointed life peers who hold their seats for life and 92 hereditary peers who will hold their seats only until final reforms have been agreed upon and implemented. The judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive branches but cannot review the constitutionality of legislation.

Members of the House of Commons are elected to represent specific geographic constituencies. Members are elected on a [[First past the post]] system.

==Constituent countries==
The separate identities of each of the United Kingdom's constituent parts are also reflected in their respective governmental structures. Up until the recent devolution of power to Scotland and Wales, a cabinet minister (the Secretary of State for Wales) handled Welsh affairs at the national level with the advice of a broadly representative council for Wales. Scotland maintains, as it did before union with England, different systems of law (Roman-French), education, local government, judiciary, and national church (the Church of Scotland instead of the Church of England). In addition, separate departments grouped under a Secretary of State for Scotland, who also is a cabinet member, handled most domestic matters. In late 1997, however, following approval of referenda by Scottish and Welsh voters (though only narrowly in Wales), the British Government introduced legislation to establish a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. The first elections for the two bodies were held May 6, 1999. The Welsh Assembly opened on May 26, and the Scottish Parliament opened on July 1, 1999. The devolved legislatures have largely taken over most of the functions previously performed by the Scottish and Welsh offices.

Northern Ireland had its own Parliament and prime minister from 1921 to 1973, when the British Government imposed direct rule in order to deal with the deteriorating political and security situation. From 1973, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, based in London, was responsible for the region, including efforts to resolve the issues that lay behind the "the troubles."

By the mid-1990s, gestures toward peace encouraged by successive British governments and by President Clinton began to open the door for restored local government in Northern Ireland. An Irish Republican Army (IRA) cease-fire and nearly 2 years of multiparty negotiations, led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998, which was subsequently approved by majorities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Key elements of the agreement include devolved government, a commitment of the parties to work toward "total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations," police reform, and enhanced mechanisms to guarantee human rights and equal opportunity. The Good Friday Agreement also called for formal cooperation between the Northern Ireland institutions and the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and it established the British-Irish Council, which includes representatives of the British and Irish Governments as well as the devolved Governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Devolved government was reestablished in Northern Ireland in December 1999.

The [[Good Friday Agreement]] provides for a 108-member elected Assembly, overseen by a 12-minister Executive Committee (cabinet) in which unionists and nationalists share leadership responsibility. Northern Ireland elects 18 representatives to the Westminster Parliament in London. However, the five Sinn Fein Members of Parliament (MPs), who won seats in the 2004 election, have refused to claim their seats.

===Principal Government Officials===
*Head of State--Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
*Prime Minister (Head of Government)--The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, MP
*Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs--The Rt. Hon. David Miliband, MP
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Sir David Manning
*Ambassador to the UN--Sir Emyr Jones Parry, KCMG

===Political Conditions===
Tony Blair became the first Labour Prime Minister ever to win a third consecutive term when he was re-elected on May 5, 2005. Labour has a 67-seat majority in the House of Commons. The Conservative (Tory) Party and Liberal-Democrats (LibDems) form the major opposition parties. Blair stepped down as Prime Minister in June 2007. Labour Party leader Gordon Brown succeeded him. The main British parties support a strong transatlantic link, but have become increasingly absorbed by European issues as Britain's economic and political ties to the continent grow in the post-Cold War world. Prime Minister Brown is expected to continue Blair's policy of having the United Kingdom play a leading role in Europe even as the United Kingdom maintains its strong bilateral relationship with the United States. Britain's relationship with Europe is a subject of considerable political discussion in the United Kingdom.

===Membership in the European Union===
The [[Conservative Party|Conservative]] government of [[Edward Heath|Sir Edward Heath]] took the UK into the [[European Union]] in 1973. The [[Labour Party]] under [[Harold Wilson]] won the 1974 general elections and due to splits within the party, called the only national [[referendum]] asking the people if they wanted to stay in the Union. The "yes" vote won by a margin of approximately two to one. The Labour and Conservative parties have since had deep divisions over Union membership. Labour's 1983 manifesto promised to leave the Union, and whilst the Conservative party have never pledged to leave the Union, a growing band of "Eurosceptics" threatened to tear the party apart in the 1990s. All three major parties wish to stay in the Union although disagree over the level of integration, but smaller parties such as the UK Independence Party and the Referendum Party campaigned on the single issue of sovereignty being lost to the Union.

==Defence and Foreign Relations==
The United Kingdom is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is one of NATO's major European maritime, air, and land powers; it ranks third among NATO countries in total defence expenditure. The United Kingdom has been a member of the European Community (now European Union) since 1973. In the United Nations, the United Kingdom is a permanent member of the Security Council. The U.K. held the Presidency of the G-8 during 2005; it held the EU Presidency from July to December 2005.

The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, promoting Britain's wider security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. The 37,000-member Royal Navy, which includes 6,000 Royal Marine commandos, is in charge of the United Kingdom's independent strategic nuclear arm, which consists of four Trident missile submarines. The British Army, consisting of approximately 99,200 personnel, the Royal Air Force, with 42,000 personnel, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, are active and regular participants in NATO and other coalition operations. Approximately 9% of the British Armed Forces is female, and 4% of British forces represent ethnic minorities.

The United Kingdom stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its military forces are part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The U.K. force in Afghanistan will increase to 7,700 by the end of 2007. U.K. forces are primarily based in the Helmand region, where they are on the front line in the war against continued Taliban operations. In addition, the U.K. has contributed more than £500 million to Afghan reconstruction--the second-largest donor after the U.S. The U.K. was the United States' main coalition partner in Operation Iraqi Freedom and continues to have more than 5,000 troops deployed in Iraq to help stabilise and rebuild the country. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1483, the U.K. also shared with the United States responsibility for civil administration in Iraq and was an active participant in the Coalition Provisional Authority before the handover of Iraqi sovereignty on June 28, 2004. Britain's participation in the Iraq war and its aftermath remains a domestically controversial issue.

===Relations with the United States===
The United Kingdom is one of the United States' closest allies, and British foreign policy emphasises close coordination with the United States. Bilateral cooperation reflects the common language, ideals, and democratic practices of the two nations. Relations were strengthened by the United Kingdom's alliance with the United States during both World Wars, and its role as a founding member of NATO, in the Korean conflict, in the Persian Gulf War, and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The United Kingdom and the United States continually consult on foreign policy issues and global problems and share major foreign and security policy objectives.

The United Kingdom is the fifth-largest market for U.S. goods exports after Canada, Mexico, Japan, and China, and the sixth-largest supplier of U.S. imports after Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany. U.S. exports of goods and services to the United Kingdom in 2006 totaled $92 billion, while U.S. imports from the U.K. totaled $93 billion. The United States has had a trade deficit with the United Kingdom since 1998. The United Kingdom is a large source of foreign tourists in the United States. In 2005, 3.4 million U.S. residents visited the United Kingdom, while 4.2 million U.K. residents visited the United States.

The United States and the United Kingdom share the world's largest foreign direct investment partnership. U.S. investment in the United Kingdom reached $324 billion in 2005, while U.K. direct investment in the U.S. totaled $282 billion. This investment sustains more than 1 million American jobs.

==Economy==
The United Kingdom has the fifth-largest economy in the world, is the second-largest economy in the European Union, and is a major international trading power. A highly developed, diversified, market-based economy with extensive social welfare services provides most residents with a high standard of living. Unemployment and inflation levels are amongst the lowest within the European Union.

Since 1979, the British Government has privatised most state-owned companies, including British Steel, British Airways, British Telecom, British Coal, British Aerospace, and British Gas, although in some cases the government retains a "golden share" in these companies. The Labour government has continued the privatisation policy of its Conservative predecessor, particularly by encouraging "public-private partnerships" (partial privatisation) in such areas as the London Underground. The economy of the United Kingdom is now primarily based on private enterprise, accounting for approximately four-fifths of employment and output.

London ranks alongside New York as a leading international financial centre. London's financial exports contribute greatly to the United Kingdom's balance of payments. Ratings agencies rank the United Kingdom's banking sector as one of the strongest in the world and its banks are amongst the most profitable in the G-8. It is a global leader in emissions trading and is home to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is also a government priority to make London the leading center of Islamic finance.

The United Kingdom is the European Union's only significant energy exporter. It is also one of the world's largest energy consumers, and most analysts predict a shift in U.K. status from net exporter to net importer of energy by 2020, possibly sooner. Oil production in the U.K. is levelling off. While North Sea natural gas production continues to rise, gains may be offset by ever-increasing consumption. North Sea oil and gas exploration activities are shifting to smaller fields and to increments of larger, developed fields, presenting opportunities for smaller, independent energy operators to become active in North Sea production.
*GDP (at current market prices, 2007 est.): US$1.93 trillion.
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.8%.
*Per capita GDP (2006 est.): US$31,800.
*Natural resources: Coal, oil, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica.
*Agriculture (1.1% of GDP): Products--cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry, fish.
*Industry: Types--steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles, motor vehicles and aircraft, construction (5.2% of GDP), electronics, chemicals.
*Trade (2006 est.): Exports of goods and services--US$468.8 billion: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco. Major markets--U.S., European Union. Imports of goods and services--US$603 billion: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs. Major suppliers--U.S., European Union, Japan.

===Currency===
The currency of the United Kingdom is the [[Pound|Pound Sterling]], commonly called Pound and written £ or GBP, divided into 100 New Pence (now commonly just called pence or 'p'). Traditionally the UK had a complicated triple currency structure of 20 [[shilling|shillings]] to the Pound and 12 "old pence" (represented by a "d" from the Roman ''denarius'') to the shilling, making a total of 240 pence to the Pound. This system was abandoned in 1971 due to difficulties with computerised accounting systems, in favour of the current [[decimal]] system. This change was not without its critics.

The UK was one of the three [[European Union]] nations of the time (along with [[Sweden]] and [[Denmark]]) not to join the [[Euro]] at its inception, a position it maintains. Banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland are permitted to print their own banknotes, as long as they keep an equivalent amount of sterling in reserve.

==History==
The Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC and most of Britain's subsequent incorporation into the Roman Empire stimulated development and brought more active contacts with the rest of Europe. As Rome's strength declined, the country again was exposed to invasion--including the pivotal incursions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the fifth and sixth centuries AD--up to the Norman conquest in 1066. Norman rule effectively ensured Britain's safety from further intrusions; certain institutions, which remain characteristic of Britain, could develop. Among these are a political, administrative, cultural, and economic centre in London; a separate but established church and distinctive and distinguished university education.

====Union====
Both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted English rule. The English conquest of Wales succeeded in 1282 under Edward I, and the Statute of Rhuddlan established English rule 2 years later. To appease the Welsh, Edward's son (later Edward II), who had been born in Wales, was made Prince of Wales in 1301. The tradition of bestowing this title on the eldest son of the British Monarch continues today. An act of 1536 completed the political and administrative union of England and Wales.

While maintaining separate parliaments, England and Scotland were ruled under one crown beginning in 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I as James I of England. In the ensuing 100 years, strong religious and political differences divided the kingdoms. Finally, in 1707, England and Scotland were unified as Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at Westminster.

Ireland's invasion by the Anglo-Normans in 1170 led to centuries of strife. Successive English kings sought to conquer Ireland. In the early 17th century, large-scale settlement of the north from Scotland and England began. After its defeat, Ireland was subjected, with varying degrees of success, to control and regulation by Britain.

The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed on January 1, 1801, under the name of the United Kingdom. However, armed struggle for independence continued sporadically into the 20th century. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 established the Irish Free State, which subsequently left the Commonwealth and became a republic after World War II. Six northern, predominantly [[Protestant]], Irish counties have remained part of the United Kingdom.

====British Expansion and Empire====
The '''British Empire''' was the [[List of largest empires|largest empire]] in history and, for over a century, was the foremost [[Great power|global power]]. It was a product of the [[Age of Discovery]], which began with the maritime explorations of the 15th century, that sparked the era of the European [[Colonialism|colonial]] empires. By 1921, the British Empire held sway over a population of about 458 million people, approximately one-quarter of the world's population.<ref>Angus Maddison. ''The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective'' (p. 98, 242). [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]], Paris, 2001.</ref> It covered about 36.7 million km² (14.2 million square miles),<ref>Bruce R. Gordon. [http://www.hostkingdom.net/earthrul.html ''To Rule the Earth...''] (See [http://www.hostkingdom.net/Bibliography.html Bibliography] for sources used.)</ref> about a quarter of Earth's total land area. As a result, its political, linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, it was often said that "[[The empire on which the sun never sets|the sun never sets on the British Empire]]" because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous [[colonies]] or subject nations.<ref>This phrase had already been used a few centuries before by the king [[Charles I of Spain]], referring to the [[Spanish Empire]].</ref>

Begun initially to support William the Conqueror's (c. 1029-1087) holdings in France, Britain's policy of active involvement in continental European affairs endured for several hundred years. By the end of the 14th century, foreign trade, originally based on wool exports to Europe, had emerged as a cornerstone of national policy.

During the five decades following [[World War II]], most of the territories of the Empire became independent. Many went on to join the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], a free association of independent states. <ref>Lloyd, T. O. (1996). The British Empire, 1558-1995. 2nd ed. The short Oxford history of the modern world. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198731337</ref> Some have retained the [[British monarch]] as their [[head of state]] to become independent [[Commonwealth realm]]s.

The foundations of sea power were gradually laid to protect English trade and open up new routes. Defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 firmly established England as a major sea power. Thereafter, its interests outside Europe grew steadily. Attracted by the spice trade, English mercantile interests spread first to the Far East. In search of an alternate route to the Spice Islands, John Cabot reached the North American continent in 1498. Sir Walter Raleigh organized the first, short-lived colony in Virginia in 1584, and permanent English settlement began in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. During the next two centuries, Britain extended its influence abroad and consolidated its political development at home.

Great Britain's industrial revolution greatly strengthened its ability to oppose Napoleonic France. By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the United Kingdom was the foremost European power, and its navy ruled the seas. Peace in Europe allowed the British to focus their interests on more remote parts of the world, and, during this period, the British Empire reached its zenith. British colonial expansion reached its height largely during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Queen Victoria's reign witnessed the spread of British technology, commerce, language, and government throughout the British Empire, which, at its greatest extent, encompassed roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of the world's area and population. British colonies contributed to the United Kingdom's extraordinary economic growth and strengthened its voice in world affairs. Even as the United Kingdom extended its imperial reach overseas, it continued to develop and broaden its democratic institutions at home.

[[Image:Gainsborough Mr. and Mrs. Andrews.jpg]]

'''Mr. and Mrs. Andrews by''' [[Thomas Gainsborough]].

====20th Century====
By the time of Queen Victoria's death in 1901, other nations, including the United States and Germany, had developed their own industries; the United Kingdom's comparative economic advantage had lessened, and the ambitions of its rivals had grown. The losses and destruction of World War I, the depression of the 1930s, and decades of relatively slow growth eroded the United Kingdom's preeminent international position of the previous century.

Britain's control over its empire loosened during the interwar period. Ireland, with the exception of six northern counties, gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1921. Nationalism became stronger in other parts of the empire, particularly in India and Egypt.

In 1926, the United Kingdom, completing a process begun a century earlier, granted Australia, Canada, and New Zealand complete autonomy within the empire. They became charter members of the British Commonwealth of Nations (now known as the Commonwealth), an informal but closely-knit association that succeeded the empire. Beginning with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, the remainder of the British Empire was almost completely dismantled. Today, most of Britain's former colonies are independent countries, with many belonging to the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. There are 13 colonies which have elected to continue their political links with London and are known as United Kingdom Overseas Territories. These include Bermuda, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands.

Although often marked by economic and political nationalism, the Commonwealth offers the United Kingdom a voice in matters concerning many developing countries. In addition, the Commonwealth helps preserve many institutions deriving from British experience and models, such as parliamentary democracy, in those countries.

== See also ==

*[[British politics]]
*[[June 2007 UK terror attacks]]

== Notes ==

<references/>

[[Category:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]
[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:NATO members]]
[[Category:EU Members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

United Kingdom

2008-09-30T15:48:19Z

Antonine: /* Anthem */ including the hymn "jerusalem" as an unnoficial english anthem.

{{Country
|name =''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''
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|queen =Elizabeth II
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|pm =Gordon Brown
|pm-raw =
|area =94,526 sq mi
|pop =60,587,300 (2007)
|pop-basis =
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|gdp-year =2006
|gdp-pc =$35,051 (2006)
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The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''', generally called '''The United Kingdom''' or '''The UK''', is a sovereign [[state]] north west of mainland [[Europe]]. It consists of [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], which occupy the island of Great Britain, and [[Northern Ireland]] on the island of Ireland. It attained its current form in 1922 after most of [[Ireland]] was granted independence (although the current name 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was not adopted until 1927), but its origins can be traced back at least to 1603, when England and Scotland came to be ruled by a single monarch (James I of England and VI of Scotland). England and Scotland were formally united under a single parliament, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain, on 1 May 1707.<ref>Murdoch, Alexander, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/themes/96/96282.html England, Scotland, and the Acts of Union (1707)], Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Oxford University Press, Jan 2007, accessed 1 May 2007</ref>

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Its current [[head of state]] is Queen [[Elizabeth II]], and its [[head of government]] is Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]].

[[nationalism|Nationalist]] movements of significant importance exist in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, seeking (in the case of Scottish and Welsh nationalists) to dissolve the United Kingdom and to win independence for their respective territories, and in the case of Northern Ireland nationalists and republicans to achieve a sovereign united Ireland. At the present time, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own legislatures.

The United Kingdom has the fifth largest economy in the world, and is a member of the [[European Union]], [[NATO]] and the [[United Nations]]. The UK's values, culture and institutions were spread throughout many parts of the world during the period of the [[British Empire]], and the UK's contributions to world culture include the English language, the [[parliament|parliamentary]] form of government, the [[Church of England|Anglican]] (or Episcopalian) Church, a tradition of personal liberty, and the common-law legal system.

==Name==
The official name of the country (since 1927) is ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''. The adjective associated with the United Kingdom is "[[British]]". From 1801 to 1927 the official name was ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland''.

The full official name is seldom used except in very formal or legal documents.

* The '''United Kingdom''' is one short version of the official name, and is used for current events since 2000, and for geographical discussions. This is the normal term used to refer to the country as a whole.
* '''Great Britain''' and '''Britain''' are short versions of ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'' but care should be taken about the context in which these terms are used because "Great Britain" is the name of the largest island in the United Kingdom which contains [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]]. As a result this term can cause offence to citizens of [[Northern Ireland]].
* '''Britain''' is used (without the adjective "Great") as a synonym for the United Kingdom as a whole.<ref>number10.gov.uk - [http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page823.asp Countries within a country] - Website of the British Prime Minister.</ref> Historical books and articles normally use "Britain" or "Great Britain" rather than "United Kingdom" or "UK".
* '''England''' is the largest of the four components of the United Kingdom. "England" was often used to stand for the nation in older literature published outside the UK before 1970. However use of "England" to refer to the entire country is considered offensive by many citizens of the other three member nations and is thus discouraged.
* The standard language of the UK is English; [[Welsh]] has parity in Wales, and [[Gaelic]] is widely used on official documents, roadsigns, etc in Gaelic-speaking areas of western Scotland..

==Anthem==
The national anthem of the UK is currently ''[[God Save the Queen]]''. When [[Queen Elizabeth II]] dies or abdicates, her son [[Prince Charles]] will become [[King]], and the anthem will become "God Save the King", with the other words remaining the same (apart from obvious changes in gender pronouns). This same melody is also sung by [[American]] schoolchildren (with different words) as "My Country, 'Tis of Thee".

The constituent nations of the UK have come to have their own unofficial anthems. In the case of Wales, this is ''[[Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau]]'' (''Land of My Fathers''), and for Scotland it is ''[[Flower of Scotland]]''. England does not have its own distinctive anthem in the same way, but at sporting events in which England is competing as a separate nation, [[Edward Elgar]]'s patriotic song ''[[Land of Hope and Glory]]'' is sometimes used (although ''God Save the Queen'' is most commonly used). Additionally the hymn "Jerusalem" has a large number of supporters in England as an alternative to, or replacement for, the national anthem. In Northern Ireland, the Protestant and Catholic communities respectively use ''God Save the Queen'' and ''Amhran na bhFiann'', the Irish national anthem. ''Londonderry Air'' is often used as the anthem for Northern Ireland competitors in sporting events.

It should be noted that ''God Save the Queen/King'' is only the national anthem by long usage, since about 1745. It has never been declared so officially.

==People==
The United Kingdom's population in 2004 surpassed 60 million--the third-largest in the European Union. Its overall population density is one of the highest in the world. Almost one-third of the population lives in England's prosperous and fertile southeast and is predominantly urban and suburban--with about 7.2 million in the capital of London, which remains the largest city in Europe. The United Kingdom's high literacy rate (99%) is attributable to universal public education introduced for the primary level in 1870 and secondary level in 1900. Education is mandatory from ages 5 through 16. About one-fifth of British students go on to post-secondary education. The Church of England and the Church of Scotland are the official churches in their respective parts of the country, but most religions found in the world are represented in the United Kingdom.

A group of islands close to continental Europe, the British Isles have been subject to many invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. Contemporary Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that settled there before the 11th century. The pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse influences were blended in Britain under the Normans, Scandinavian Vikings who had lived in Northern France. Although Celtic languages persist in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, as well as Cornwall in south-west England, the predominant language is English, which is primarily a blend of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French.
*Population (2007 est.): 60.8 million.
*Annual population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.275%.
*Major ethnic groups: British 91%, Irish 2%, West Indian and African 3%, South Asian 3%, others 1%.
*Major religions: Church of England (Anglican), Roman Catholic, Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), Muslim.
*Major languages: English, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic.
*Education: Years compulsory--12. Attendance--nearly 100%. Literacy--99%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2007 est.)--5.01/1,000. Life expectancy (2007 est.)--males 76.23 yrs.; females 81.3 yrs.; total 78.7 years
*Work force (2007, 31.1 million): Services--80.4%; industry--18.2%; agriculture--1.4%.

===Religious Beliefs===
According to the 2001 [[Census]] the religious make-up of the UK at that time was:

{| border="1" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3
|+'''Religions in United Kingdom'''
!Belief
!Thousands
!Proportion
|-
|Christian ||42,079 ||71.6
|-
|No Religion ||9104 ||15.5
|-
|Muslim ||1591 ||2.7
|-
|Hindu ||559 ||1.0
|-
|Jedi Knight ||390 ||0.7
|-
|Sikh ||336 ||0.6
|-
|Jewish ||267 ||0.5
|-
|Other ||179 ||0.3
|-
|Buddhist ||152 ||0.3
|-
|Pagan & Wicca ||40 ||0.1
|-
|Total religious ||45,163 ||76.8
|-
|No answer ||4289 ||7.3
|}
The answers were distorted by an internet campaign just prior to the census, that claimed that if at least 50,000 people stated their religion as 'Jedi Knight' it would be officially classified as a religion. This was not true, though the Office of National Statistics does aggregate very small religions into the 'Other' category whereas a religion of 50,000 would be itemised separately. This separate listing does not constitute any form of official recognition.

Two of the four states of the United Kingdom, England and Scotland, have official state religions. The [[Church of England]] is the official religion of England and the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland is the official religion of Scotland. The (Anglican) Church of Ireland was [[disestablished]] in 1871 and the (Anglican) Church of Wales was disestablished in 1920, whereupon it was renamed the [[Church in Wales]].

===Crown Dependencies===
A number of the smaller [[British Isles]], most importantly [[Jersey]], [[Guernsey]] and the [[Isle of Man]] are 'British Crown Dependencies' and not members of the UK. Their governments are independent of that of the UK other than foreign and defence policy (the UK government retains the legal power to overrule the governments of the Dependencies, but this power has not been exercised since 1967), and they are not members of the [[European Union]].

==Sports and Pastimes==
Many of the most popular [[sport]]s in the world today were developed or codified in the UK. These include [[soccer|football]] (which is called ''soccer'' in North America), [[cricket]], [[Rugby (Sport)|rugby]], [[tennis]], [[hockey]] and [[golf]]. The UK is represented in international competitions by the individual nations (such as in football, the one-day form of cricket and rugby) and by the whole of the UK in other sports (such as [[athletics]], golf and tennis). The Test cricket team is that of 'England & Wales' (colloquially, just 'England') but from time to time has had Scottish and Irish players.

The UK remains a major sporting force both in competition and the administration of sport. It is dominant in several Olympic sports, notably cycling, rowing and sailing and a leading force in cricket, both codes of rugby and golf.

Certain venues have their own distinct and historical recognition and host a number of international competitions. These include Wimbledon for tennis, Silverstone for motor racing, and St Andrews for golf. There are several major venues for football, rugby and cricket.

Domestic sport is dominated by football with one of the strongest and most popular leagues in the world - the Premier League of England. Teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are well known sports club brands and maintain followings across the world. Cricket and both codes of rugby also have strong and popular domestic leagues. Other popular sports include snooker, rowing, golf, tennis, athletics, cycling, darts, horse racing, and motor racing. These most popular sports are well covered by both the print press and television.

Some sports which are more popular in other countries such as volleyball, handball, American football and basketball have small but dedicated followings.

==Government==
''See also [[British politics]]''

The United Kingdom does not have a written constitution. The equivalent body of law is based on statute, common law, and "traditional rights." Changes may come about formally through new acts of Parliament, informally through the acceptance of new practices and usage, or by judicial precedents. Although Parliament has the theoretical power to make or repeal any law, in actual practice the weight of 700 years of tradition restrains arbitrary actions.

Executive power rests nominally with the monarch but actually is exercised by a committee of ministers (cabinet) selected from among the members of the House of Commons and, less frequently, the House of Lords. The prime minister is normally the leader of the largest party in the Commons. Subject to the term limitations a prime minister can continue to govern while he or she commands the support of parliament

==Parliament==
Parliament represents the entire country and can legislate for the whole or for any constituent part or combination of parts. The maximum parliamentary term is 5 years, but the prime minister may ask the monarch to dissolve Parliament and call a general election at any time. The focus of legislative power is the 646-member House of Commons, which has sole jurisdiction over finance. The House of Lords, although shorn of most of its powers, can still review, amend, or delay temporarily any bills except those relating to the budget. The House of Lords has more time than the House of Commons to pursue one of its more important functions--debating public issues. In 1999, the government removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to hold seats in the House of Lords. The current house consists of appointed life peers who hold their seats for life and 92 hereditary peers who will hold their seats only until final reforms have been agreed upon and implemented. The judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive branches but cannot review the constitutionality of legislation.

Members of the House of Commons are elected to represent specific geographic constituencies. Members are elected on a [[First past the post]] system.

==Constituent countries==
The separate identities of each of the United Kingdom's constituent parts are also reflected in their respective governmental structures. Up until the recent devolution of power to Scotland and Wales, a cabinet minister (the Secretary of State for Wales) handled Welsh affairs at the national level with the advice of a broadly representative council for Wales. Scotland maintains, as it did before union with England, different systems of law (Roman-French), education, local government, judiciary, and national church (the Church of Scotland instead of the Church of England). In addition, separate departments grouped under a Secretary of State for Scotland, who also is a cabinet member, handled most domestic matters. In late 1997, however, following approval of referenda by Scottish and Welsh voters (though only narrowly in Wales), the British Government introduced legislation to establish a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. The first elections for the two bodies were held May 6, 1999. The Welsh Assembly opened on May 26, and the Scottish Parliament opened on July 1, 1999. The devolved legislatures have largely taken over most of the functions previously performed by the Scottish and Welsh offices.

Northern Ireland had its own Parliament and prime minister from 1921 to 1973, when the British Government imposed direct rule in order to deal with the deteriorating political and security situation. From 1973, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, based in London, was responsible for the region, including efforts to resolve the issues that lay behind the "the troubles."

By the mid-1990s, gestures toward peace encouraged by successive British governments and by President Clinton began to open the door for restored local government in Northern Ireland. An Irish Republican Army (IRA) cease-fire and nearly 2 years of multiparty negotiations, led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998, which was subsequently approved by majorities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Key elements of the agreement include devolved government, a commitment of the parties to work toward "total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations," police reform, and enhanced mechanisms to guarantee human rights and equal opportunity. The Good Friday Agreement also called for formal cooperation between the Northern Ireland institutions and the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and it established the British-Irish Council, which includes representatives of the British and Irish Governments as well as the devolved Governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Devolved government was reestablished in Northern Ireland in December 1999.

The [[Good Friday Agreement]] provides for a 108-member elected Assembly, overseen by a 12-minister Executive Committee (cabinet) in which unionists and nationalists share leadership responsibility. Northern Ireland elects 18 representatives to the Westminster Parliament in London. However, the five Sinn Fein Members of Parliament (MPs), who won seats in the 2004 election, have refused to claim their seats.

===Principal Government Officials===
*Head of State--Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
*Prime Minister (Head of Government)--The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, MP
*Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs--The Rt. Hon. David Miliband, MP
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Sir David Manning
*Ambassador to the UN--Sir Emyr Jones Parry, KCMG

===Political Conditions===
Tony Blair became the first Labour Prime Minister ever to win a third consecutive term when he was re-elected on May 5, 2005. Labour has a 67-seat majority in the House of Commons. The Conservative (Tory) Party and Liberal-Democrats (LibDems) form the major opposition parties. Blair stepped down as Prime Minister in June 2007. Labour Party leader Gordon Brown succeeded him. The main British parties support a strong transatlantic link, but have become increasingly absorbed by European issues as Britain's economic and political ties to the continent grow in the post-Cold War world. Prime Minister Brown is expected to continue Blair's policy of having the United Kingdom play a leading role in Europe even as the United Kingdom maintains its strong bilateral relationship with the United States. Britain's relationship with Europe is a subject of considerable political discussion in the United Kingdom.

===Membership in the European Union===
The [[Conservative Party|Conservative]] government of [[Edward Heath|Sir Edward Heath]] took the UK into the [[European Union]] in 1973. The [[Labour Party]] under [[Harold Wilson]] won the 1974 general elections and due to splits within the party, called the only national [[referendum]] asking the people if they wanted to stay in the Union. The "yes" vote won by a margin of approximately two to one. The Labour and Conservative parties have since had deep divisions over Union membership. Labour's 1983 manifesto promised to leave the Union, and whilst the Conservative party have never pledged to leave the Union, a growing band of "Eurosceptics" threatened to tear the party apart in the 1990s. All three major parties wish to stay in the Union although disagree over the level of integration, but smaller parties such as the UK Independence Party and the Referendum Party campaigned on the single issue of sovereignty being lost to the Union.

==Defence and Foreign Relations==
The United Kingdom is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is one of NATO's major European maritime, air, and land powers; it ranks third among NATO countries in total defence expenditure. The United Kingdom has been a member of the European Community (now European Union) since 1973. In the United Nations, the United Kingdom is a permanent member of the Security Council. The U.K. held the Presidency of the G-8 during 2005; it held the EU Presidency from July to December 2005.

The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, promoting Britain's wider security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. The 37,000-member Royal Navy, which includes 6,000 Royal Marine commandos, is in charge of the United Kingdom's independent strategic nuclear arm, which consists of four Trident missile submarines. The British Army, consisting of approximately 99,200 personnel, the Royal Air Force, with 42,000 personnel, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, are active and regular participants in NATO and other coalition operations. Approximately 9% of the British Armed Forces is female, and 4% of British forces represent ethnic minorities.

The United Kingdom stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its military forces are part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The U.K. force in Afghanistan will increase to 7,700 by the end of 2007. U.K. forces are primarily based in the Helmand region, where they are on the front line in the war against continued Taliban operations. In addition, the U.K. has contributed more than £500 million to Afghan reconstruction--the second-largest donor after the U.S. The U.K. was the United States' main coalition partner in Operation Iraqi Freedom and continues to have more than 5,000 troops deployed in Iraq to help stabilise and rebuild the country. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1483, the U.K. also shared with the United States responsibility for civil administration in Iraq and was an active participant in the Coalition Provisional Authority before the handover of Iraqi sovereignty on June 28, 2004. Britain's participation in the Iraq war and its aftermath remains a domestically controversial issue.

===Relations with the United States===
The United Kingdom is one of the United States' closest allies, and British foreign policy emphasises close coordination with the United States. Bilateral cooperation reflects the common language, ideals, and democratic practices of the two nations. Relations were strengthened by the United Kingdom's alliance with the United States during both World Wars, and its role as a founding member of NATO, in the Korean conflict, in the Persian Gulf War, and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The United Kingdom and the United States continually consult on foreign policy issues and global problems and share major foreign and security policy objectives.

The United Kingdom is the fifth-largest market for U.S. goods exports after Canada, Mexico, Japan, and China, and the sixth-largest supplier of U.S. imports after Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany. U.S. exports of goods and services to the United Kingdom in 2006 totaled $92 billion, while U.S. imports from the U.K. totaled $93 billion. The United States has had a trade deficit with the United Kingdom since 1998. The United Kingdom is a large source of foreign tourists in the United States. In 2005, 3.4 million U.S. residents visited the United Kingdom, while 4.2 million U.K. residents visited the United States.

The United States and the United Kingdom share the world's largest foreign direct investment partnership. U.S. investment in the United Kingdom reached $324 billion in 2005, while U.K. direct investment in the U.S. totaled $282 billion. This investment sustains more than 1 million American jobs.

==Economy==
The United Kingdom has the fifth-largest economy in the world, is the second-largest economy in the European Union, and is a major international trading power. A highly developed, diversified, market-based economy with extensive social welfare services provides most residents with a high standard of living. Unemployment and inflation levels are amongst the lowest within the European Union.

Since 1979, the British Government has privatised most state-owned companies, including British Steel, British Airways, British Telecom, British Coal, British Aerospace, and British Gas, although in some cases the government retains a "golden share" in these companies. The Labour government has continued the privatisation policy of its Conservative predecessor, particularly by encouraging "public-private partnerships" (partial privatisation) in such areas as the London Underground. The economy of the United Kingdom is now primarily based on private enterprise, accounting for approximately four-fifths of employment and output.

London ranks alongside New York as a leading international financial centre. London's financial exports contribute greatly to the United Kingdom's balance of payments. Ratings agencies rank the United Kingdom's banking sector as one of the strongest in the world and its banks are amongst the most profitable in the G-8. It is a global leader in emissions trading and is home to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is also a government priority to make London the leading center of Islamic finance.

The United Kingdom is the European Union's only significant energy exporter. It is also one of the world's largest energy consumers, and most analysts predict a shift in U.K. status from net exporter to net importer of energy by 2020, possibly sooner. Oil production in the U.K. is levelling off. While North Sea natural gas production continues to rise, gains may be offset by ever-increasing consumption. North Sea oil and gas exploration activities are shifting to smaller fields and to increments of larger, developed fields, presenting opportunities for smaller, independent energy operators to become active in North Sea production.
*GDP (at current market prices, 2007 est.): US$1.93 trillion.
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.8%.
*Per capita GDP (2006 est.): US$31,800.
*Natural resources: Coal, oil, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica.
*Agriculture (1.1% of GDP): Products--cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry, fish.
*Industry: Types--steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles, motor vehicles and aircraft, construction (5.2% of GDP), electronics, chemicals.
*Trade (2006 est.): Exports of goods and services--US$468.8 billion: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco. Major markets--U.S., European Union. Imports of goods and services--US$603 billion: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs. Major suppliers--U.S., European Union, Japan.

===Currency===
The currency of the United Kingdom is the [[Pound|Pound Sterling]], commonly called Pound and written £ or GBP, divided into 100 New Pence (now commonly just called pence or 'p'). Traditionally the UK had a complicated triple currency structure of 20 [[shilling|shillings]] to the Pound and 12 "old pence" (represented by a "d" from the Roman ''denarius'') to the shilling, making a total of 240 pence to the Pound. This system was abandoned in 1971 due to difficulties with computerised accounting systems, in favour of the current [[decimal]] system. This change was not without its critics.

The UK was one of the three [[European Union]] nations of the time (along with [[Sweden]] and [[Denmark]]) not to join the [[Euro]] at its inception, a position it maintains. Banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland are permitted to print their own banknotes, as long as they keep an equivalent amount of sterling in reserve.

==History==
The Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC and most of Britain's subsequent incorporation into the Roman Empire stimulated development and brought more active contacts with the rest of Europe. As Rome's strength declined, the country again was exposed to invasion--including the pivotal incursions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the fifth and sixth centuries AD--up to the Norman conquest in 1066. Norman rule effectively ensured Britain's safety from further intrusions; certain institutions, which remain characteristic of Britain, could develop. Among these are a political, administrative, cultural, and economic centre in London; a separate but established church and distinctive and distinguished university education.

====Union====
Both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted English rule. The English conquest of Wales succeeded in 1282 under Edward I, and the Statute of Rhuddlan established English rule 2 years later. To appease the Welsh, Edward's son (later Edward II), who had been born in Wales, was made Prince of Wales in 1301. The tradition of bestowing this title on the eldest son of the British Monarch continues today. An act of 1536 completed the political and administrative union of England and Wales.

While maintaining separate parliaments, England and Scotland were ruled under one crown beginning in 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I as James I of England. In the ensuing 100 years, strong religious and political differences divided the kingdoms. Finally, in 1707, England and Scotland were unified as Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at Westminster.

Ireland's invasion by the Anglo-Normans in 1170 led to centuries of strife. Successive English kings sought to conquer Ireland. In the early 17th century, large-scale settlement of the north from Scotland and England began. After its defeat, Ireland was subjected, with varying degrees of success, to control and regulation by Britain.

The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed on January 1, 1801, under the name of the United Kingdom. However, armed struggle for independence continued sporadically into the 20th century. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 established the Irish Free State, which subsequently left the Commonwealth and became a republic after World War II. Six northern, predominantly [[Protestant]], Irish counties have remained part of the United Kingdom.

====British Expansion and Empire====
Begun initially to support William the Conqueror's (c. 1029-1087) holdings in France, Britain's policy of active involvement in continental European affairs endured for several hundred years. By the end of the 14th century, foreign trade, originally based on wool exports to Europe, had emerged as a cornerstone of national policy.

The foundations of sea power were gradually laid to protect English trade and open up new routes. Defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 firmly established England as a major sea power. Thereafter, its interests outside Europe grew steadily. Attracted by the spice trade, English mercantile interests spread first to the Far East. In search of an alternate route to the Spice Islands, John Cabot reached the North American continent in 1498. Sir Walter Raleigh organized the first, short-lived colony in Virginia in 1584, and permanent English settlement began in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. During the next two centuries, Britain extended its influence abroad and consolidated its political development at home.

Great Britain's industrial revolution greatly strengthened its ability to oppose Napoleonic France. By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the United Kingdom was the foremost European power, and its navy ruled the seas. Peace in Europe allowed the British to focus their interests on more remote parts of the world, and, during this period, the British Empire reached its zenith. British colonial expansion reached its height largely during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Queen Victoria's reign witnessed the spread of British technology, commerce, language, and government throughout the British Empire, which, at its greatest extent, encompassed roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of the world's area and population. British colonies contributed to the United Kingdom's extraordinary economic growth and strengthened its voice in world affairs. Even as the United Kingdom extended its imperial reach overseas, it continued to develop and broaden its democratic institutions at home.

[[Image:Gainsborough Mr. and Mrs. Andrews.jpg]]

'''Mr. and Mrs. Andrews by''' [[Thomas Gainsborough]].

====20th Century====
By the time of Queen Victoria's death in 1901, other nations, including the United States and Germany, had developed their own industries; the United Kingdom's comparative economic advantage had lessened, and the ambitions of its rivals had grown. The losses and destruction of World War I, the depression of the 1930s, and decades of relatively slow growth eroded the United Kingdom's preeminent international position of the previous century.

Britain's control over its empire loosened during the interwar period. Ireland, with the exception of six northern counties, gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1921. Nationalism became stronger in other parts of the empire, particularly in India and Egypt.

In 1926, the United Kingdom, completing a process begun a century earlier, granted Australia, Canada, and New Zealand complete autonomy within the empire. They became charter members of the British Commonwealth of Nations (now known as the Commonwealth), an informal but closely-knit association that succeeded the empire. Beginning with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, the remainder of the British Empire was almost completely dismantled. Today, most of Britain's former colonies are independent countries, with many belonging to the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. There are 13 colonies which have elected to continue their political links with London and are known as United Kingdom Overseas Territories. These include Bermuda, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands.

Although often marked by economic and political nationalism, the Commonwealth offers the United Kingdom a voice in matters concerning many developing countries. In addition, the Commonwealth helps preserve many institutions deriving from British experience and models, such as parliamentary democracy, in those countries.

== See also ==

*[[British politics]]
*[[June 2007 UK terror attacks]]

== Notes ==

<references/>

[[Category:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]
[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:NATO members]]
[[Category:EU Members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Barack Hussein Obama

2008-09-30T15:29:49Z

Antonine: correcting some biased parts of the article and replacing them with substantiated non-biased facts.