The U.S. dollar has been one of the strongest currencies in the world, but its history only extends to the U.S. On the other hand, gold has been valuable for thousands of years, tracing many different ancient civilizations.

Inflation refers to the rise in prices, resulting in consumers losing purchasing power. Purchasing power is defined as the ability of consumers to buy goods and services with their money. For instance, a bag of groceries that cost $12.50 in 2015 rose to $18.75 by 2020.

The generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) is a code framework developed for artificial intelligence to facilitate question-answering. It consists of a large language model (LLM) in conjunction with a machine-learning model that employs human languages, like English or French, to formulate prompts.

Immigration has profoundly shaped U.S. culture and population, with over 50 million immigrants residing in the country as of 2019. This process, known as immigration, allows individuals to leave one country for another, often in search of new opportunities

The Republic of Yemen is in West Asia, sharing borders with Saudi Arabia and Oman. It covers an area of 176,000 square miles (455,000 square kilometers), making it the second largest country in the Arabian Peninsula after Saudi Arabia. Yemen has a population of approximately 39.39 million, with a significant majority being Muslim.

Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant derived from the leaves of coca plants. While it is largely used illegally by individuals for personal enjoyment, some indigenous people in South America

A squatter occupies an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building, usually a home or a piece of land they do not own or legally have permission to use. In the US, doors should be locked when a house is vacant.

TikTok, a social media app, became very popular in 2020, surpassing two billion downloads. Five years later, that momentum has not yet halted. In mainland China and Hong Kong, it is known as Douyin, and the owner is ByteDance, which is stationed in China.

A canal is an artificial lake or waterway that is primarily used to facilitate the passage of boats and ships from one body of water to another. The American founders of the Panama Canal were no different when it came to building it, though what makes the Panama Canal special, is the canal’s location.

The Great Depression, a colossal global economic catastrophe that unfolded in the 1900s, stands as the most severe financial crash in the history of the United States. Its far-reaching repercussions were felt worldwide, cementing its status as a pivotal event in economic history, a period that reshaped the global financial landscape

The Founding Fathers of the United States established a government divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This division was implemented to prevent any single branch from gaining too much power, a principle that also applies to state governments. The legislative and executive branches create laws, while the judicial branch has the authority to uphold or reject them.

The world faced immense destruction during the 19th century, primarily due to the two world wars, with WWII emerging as the deadliest conflict in human history. In the aftermath of these devastating wars, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established as a military alliance among nations to safeguard against future conflicts. NATO includes 27 European countries, 2 North American countries, 2 Asian nations, and Australia, with the treaty being signed on April 4, 1949.

The Pahlavi dynasty was a royal dynasty that lasted from 1925 to 1979, led by Reza Shah Pahlavi, a soldier who adopted the name of the Pahlavi language to bolster his nationalist image. In 1921, with support from 3,000 to 4,000 British troops, he captured Tehran and displaced the Qajar dynasty. By 1923, he was the head of the government. Managing power proved to be a complex challenge for Pahlavi.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a group that works together to maintain oil prices. Its founding in 1960 in Baghdad, Iraq, marked a significant moment in the history of global economics. The conference, known as the Baghdad Conference, involved five countries: Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. They met in Baghdad, but the organization established its Secretariat in Geneva before finalizing its location in Vienna in 1965. Three years later, OPEC made its policy on petroleum clear to the world.

In 1971, a man named Hafez al-Assad, born on October 6, 1930, and who passed away on June 6, 2000, set out to gain control of Syria. He amassed significant power through two coups in which he participated. Ultimately, during a third coup, Hafez al-Assad succeeded in taking control of the country

The United States is one of the largest economies in the world, generating a remarkable $5.1 trillion in tax revenue in 2024. Of this total, $77 billion was derived from tariffs. Tariffs are essential components of international trade policy, serving as tools for governments to regulate economic activity. A tariff operates similarly to a tax; when a product is imported through U.S. ports from another country, it is subject to a tax upon entry, indicating that the product is not manufactured in the United States.

During the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church held unparalleled authority, enforcing its doctrines on every individual, including the nobility and monarchs. Despite its power, many affiliated with the Church exploited their positions, and dissent was virtually non-existent—until one brave figure emerged to challenge this status quo: Martin Luther, a German priest.

The American election is one of the freest and fairest elections in the world; however, it is also one of the most complex. One of the reasons why it has that title is because of the Electoral College. America is a representative democracy in which the citizens elect someone to represent them in Congress.

The homeowners association (HOA) is the governing body of a group of homes. It includes the condos in the high-rise buildings, the rows of townhomes, and the neighborhoods of free-standing houses. To join the HOA, you must own land or purchase property in a community with an HOA; then, you can become an automatic member. An HOA tax is imposed to pay for standard services such as removing trash from resident’s homes.