query: Wiz Khalifa is a person.

pos: Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz ( born September 8 , 1987 ) , better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa , is an American rapper , songwriter , and actor . He released his debut album , Show and Prove , in 2006 , and signed to Warner Bros. . Records in 2007 . His Eurodance-influenced single , `` Say Yeah '' , received urban radio airplay , charting on the Rhythmic Top 40 and Hot Rap Tracks charts in 2008 .   Khalifa parted with Warner Bros. and released his second album , Deal or No Deal , in November 2009 . He released the mixtape Kush and Orange Juice as a free download in April 2010 ; he then signed with Atlantic Records . He is also well known for his debut single for Atlantic , `` Black and Yellow '' , which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 . His debut album for the label , Rolling Papers , was released on March 29 , 2011 . He followed that album with O.N.I.F.C. on December 4 , 2012 , which was backed by the singles `` Work Hard , Play Hard '' and `` Remember You '' . Wiz released his fourth album Blacc Hollywood on August 18 , 2014 , backed by the lead single `` We Dem Boyz '' . In March 2015 , he released `` See You Again '' for the soundtrack of the film Furious 7 and the song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 non-consecutive weeks .

neg: Wu-Syndicate Wu-Syndicate is a group from Virginia consisting of Joe Mafia , Napoleon , and Myalansky ( who named himself after the gangster Meyer Lansky ) . They were originally called Crime Syndicate but changed their name to Wu-Syndicate when they signed to Wu-Tang Records and became Wu-Tang Clan affiliates . After debuting on the compilation Wu-Tang Killa Bees : The Swarm in 1998 , their self-titled debut album Wu-Syndicate was released in 1999 on both Wu-Tang Records and their own label Slot Time Records . The album was , like most releases from Wu-Tang Clan affiliates during this time enjoyed moderately successful sales with the single `` Where Wuz Heaven '' going gold . Soon after the release there was a dispute of an unknown origin between the group and Wu-Tang Records and the group briefly changed their name to The Syndicate until 2009 with eventual reconciliation and the release of their second official album Grimlenz , produced mostly by Antagonist Dragonspit of Virginia Beach , VA. . Both Myalansky and Napoleon continue to work with Joe Mafia but have refused to work with each other since the release of their first album . In an interview Napoleon stated that though they have always clashed , `` Mya is still my dude though regardless '' . The group has maintained ties with various members of the Wu-Tang Family . Napoleon is currently working on a project with fellow Wu-Tang alumni Solomon Childs , Shaka Amazulu , and Dexter Wiggle called `` Illuminati Network '' . Joe Mafia released his debut solo album This One in 2002 and founded his own label called 58 West Diamond Street Records . Napoleon released his first solo album , Kingpin Wit Da Inkpen in 2007 and a mixtape titled Mark of the Beast in 2011 . Myalansky released his first solo album , Drastic Measures in 2008 and a mixtape a few years later in 2011 AMW.Com . Myalansky has also been working with California rapper Mitchy Slick and has released two more volumes of his AMW.Com mixtape series . In 2013 Myalansky and Joe Mafia featured on the song `` Golden Age Rapper '' by CHG Unfadable .

neg: Paul Methric Paul Robert Methric is an American rapper and producer from Detroit , Michigan , well known as Monoxide Child of the rap group Twiztid .

neg: All Night (Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa song) `` All Night '' is a song by American rappers Juicy J and Wiz Khalifa ; it released was released on May 13 , 2016 by Atlantic Records , Columbia Records , and Empire Distribution . It serves as the lead single from their mixtape , TGOD Mafia : Rude Awakening . It was produced by 808 Mafia member , TM88 . The song samples `` Lonely Star '' by The Weeknd .

neg: Wireless Internet service provider A wireless Internet service provider ( WISP ) is an Internet service provider with a network based on wireless networking . Technology may include commonplace Wi-Fi wireless mesh networking , or proprietary equipment designed to operate over open 900 MHz , 2.4 GHz , 4.9 , 5 , 24 , and 60 GHz bands or licensed frequencies in the UHF band ( including the MMDS frequency band ) , LMDS , and other bands from 6Ghz to 80Ghz .   In the US , the Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) released Report and Order , FCC 05-56 in 2005 that revised the FCC 's rules to open the 3650 MHz band for terrestrial wireless broadband operations . On November 14 , 2007 the Commission released Public Notice ( DA 07-4605 ) in which the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announced the start date for licensing and registration process for the 3650-3700 MHz band .   As of July 2015 , there are over 1,280 fixed wireless broadband providers operating in the US covering 51 % of the US population .

neg: Pez Pez ( trademarked PEZ in capitals ) is the brand name of an Austrian peppermint and associated mechanical pocket dispensers . The mint is a pressed , dry , straight-edged , curved-corner block ( 15 mm ( 5/8 inch ) long , 8 mm ( 5/16 inch ) wide , and 5 mm ( 3/16 inch ) high ) , with Pez dispensers holding 12 Pez pieces .   Pez was invented in Austria , and later exported worldwide . The all-uppercase spelling of the logo echoes the trademark 's style on the packaging and the dispensers , with the logo drawn in perspective and giving the appearance that the letters are built out of 44 brick-like Pez mints ( 14 bricks in the P and 15 in each of the E and Z ) .   Despite the widespread recognition and popularity of the Pez dispenser , the company considers itself to be primarily a peppermint company , and over 3 billion bricks are consumed each year in the U.S. alone . Pez dispensers are part of popular culture in many nations , an example being ` Soul Candy ' in Japanese manga series Bleach . Because of the large number of dispenser designs over the years , they are collected by enthusiasts .

neg: Sunz of Man Sunz of Man is a Wu-Tang Clan affiliated group that currently consists of Prodigal Sunn , Hell Razah , 60 Second Assassin , Shabazz the Disciple and Killah Priest . The group 's first incarnation also included 7th Ambassador and Supreme . It is one of the earliest and most successful of Wu affiliates along with Killarmy , basing much of its lyrical content on biblical stories , social issues , conspiracy theories , and a dose of Five Percenter teachings .

neg: Major Key (album) Major Key ( stylized as Major ð ''` ) is the ninth studio album by DJ Khaled . It was released on July 29 , 2016 , by We the Best Music Group and Epic Records . The album features guest appearances from Future , Big Sean , Rick Ross , Jay Z , Drake , Nas , Kendrick Lamar , Betty Wright , J. Cole , Bryson Tiller , Nicki Minaj , Chris Brown , August Alsina , Jeremih , Kodak Black , Jeezy , French Montana , YG , Yo Gotti , Gucci Mane , 2 Chainz , Jadakiss , Fabolous , Fat Joe , Busta Rhymes , Kent Jones , Travis Scott , Lil Wayne , Meghan Trainor , Wiz Khalifa , Wale and Mavad   The album was supported by four singles , `` For Free '' , `` I Got the Keys '' , `` Holy Key '' and `` Do You Mind '' . Major Key received generally positive reviews from critics and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 . The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) in November 2016 . It received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album .

neg: Radio personality A radio personality ( American English ) or radio presenter ( British English ) , commonly referred to as a `` Disc Jockey '' or `` DJ '' for short , is a person who has an on-air position in radio broadcasting . A radio personality that hosts a radio show is also known as a radio host , and in India and Pakistan as a radio jockey . Radio personalities who introduce and play individual selections of recorded music are known as disc jockeys . The term has evolved to also describe a person who mixes a continuous flow of recorded music in real time . Broadcast radio personalities may include talk radio hosts , AM/FM radio show hosts , and satellite radio program hosts . Notable radio personalities include pop music radio hosts Martin Block , Alan Freed , Dick Clark , Delilah Luke , Wolfman Jack , and Casey Kasem , shock jocks such as Don Imus and Howard Stern , also Ameen Sayani of India , as well as sports talk hosts such as Mike Francesa and political talk hosts such as Rush Limbaugh .

neg: IZ the Wiz Michael `` Iz the Wiz '' Martin ( November 30 , 1958 -- June 17 , 2009 ) was one of the most prominent graffiti writers of the New York graffiti movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s .

neg: Mirza Tahir Ahmad Mirza Tahir Ahmad ( -LSB- ) ( 18 December 1928 -- 19 April 2003 ) was Khalifatul Masih IV ( خليفة المسيح الرابع , khalīfatul masīh al-rābi ) and the head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community . He was elected as the fourth successor of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad on 10 June 1982 , the day after the death of his predecessor , Mirza Nasir Ahmad .   Following the Ordinance XX that was promulgated by the government of Pakistan in 1984 , which prohibited Ahmadi Muslims from any public expression of the Islamic faith , Tahir Ahmad left Pakistan and migrated to London , England , provisionally moving the headquarters of the community to the Fazl Mosque in London . He is noted particularly for his question and answer sessions which he held regularly with people from around the world and for his Quranic discourses . Under his leadership , there was an acceleration in the number of Quran translations produced by the community ; and during his caliphate , the community experienced structural and financial growth on an international level , including the launch of the first Muslim satellite television network , Muslim Television Ahmadiyya in 1994 through which he could communicate televised messages to the community globally and have his sermons and other public engagements transmitted throughout the world through this medium .   Tahir Ahmad also authored many books including , Some Distinctive Features of Islam ; Christianity : a Journey From Facts to Fiction ; Murder in the name of Allah , and his magnum opus Revelation , Rationality , Knowledge & Truth . He initiated various funds for humanitarian causes such as the Maryam Shaadi Fund , used to assist deserving parents in marrying off their daughters , the Sayyidna Bilal Fund , for  the welfare and upkeep of the families of martyrs who have been killed in the cause of the community and the Yatama Fund to provide financial assistance to orphans especially in Africa , India and Bangladesh . In 1994 , he also initiated the international charity organization Humanity First .

neg: Think About It (Naughty Boy song) `` Think About It '' is a song by British record producer Naughty Boy , featuring vocals from American rapper Wiz Khalifa and English singer Ella Eyre . It was released on 17 November 2013 as the fourth single from Naughty Boy 's debut album , Hotel Cabana . The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number 80 and climbed to number 78 on the second week . It premiered on MistaJam 's BBC Radio 1Xtra show on 14 August 2013 . A remix by Wilkinson was given the title of Zane Lowe 's Hottest Record in the World . It is featured in the soundtrack to the 2014 film Vampire Academy . The music video was released on October 29 , 2013 .

neg: DJ Roc August Wisbon ( born September 11 , 1989 ) , known by DJ Roc , is an American DJ and record producer . He is perhaps best known for his music being featured in numerous TV shows and films , including Arrow , The Eric André Show , Jersey Shore , Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and The Smurfs 2 .   His songs have also gained popularity on YouTube , with his channel garnering over 20,000 subscribers and 3 million views .

neg: The Peoples Champ The Peoples Champ is the second studio album by American rapper Paul Wall . It was released on September 13 , 2005 , by Swishahouse , Atlantic Records and Asylum Records . The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 , selling 176,000 copies in its first week . This serves as his first number one in two solo studio releases , after Chick Magnet ( 2004 ) . The album was supported by four singles : `` Sittin ' Sidewayz '' featuring Big Pokey , `` They Do n't Know '' , `` Girl '' and `` Drive Slow '' ( Kanye West featuring Paul Wall and GLC ) . Both `` Sittin ' Sidewayz '' and `` Girl '' are certified gold by the RIAA for selling more than 500,000 copies each in the United States .   The limited edition of The Peoples Champ features two CDs : disc one contains the original album , while disc two contains the `` screwed and chopped '' version by DJ Michael `` 5000 '' Watts . The Watts mix was released as a stand-alone CD the following week .

neg: Now That's What I Call Music! 43 (U.S. series) Now That 's What I Call Music ! 43 was released on August 7 , 2012 . It is the 43rd edition of the Now ! series in the United States . It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart with sales of 111,000 copies in its first week of release , becoming the 16th number-one album in the series ' franchise .   Now ! 43 features two number-one Billboard Hot 100 hits , `` Call Me Maybe '' and `` Part of Me '' .   Instead of the main version of `` Payphone '' , which featured Wiz Khalifa , the `` No-rap '' version was included on this album .

neg: Wiz-Art LISFF Wiz-Art is an annual International Short Film Festival , which takes place in Lviv , Ukraine at the end of July . The festival was started by art formation Wiz-Art , which was founded in 2008 . The festival shows more than 100 brand new short movies every year . Wiz-Art is a powerful cultural and educational platform that unites Ukrainian and foreign filmmakers and introduces them to the Ukrainian audience experienced professionals .

neg: Swizz Beatz discography The discography of Swizz Beatz , an American hip hop record producer and recording artist , consists of one studio album , one compilation album , one mixtape , thirty-nine singles ( including thirty-one as a featured artist ) , three promotional singles and thirty-three music videos .

neg: Amil (rapper) Amil Kahala Whitehead ( born September 19 , 1973 ) , more commonly known by her stage name Amil , is an American rapper , singer , and songwriter from New York City . She was prominent in the late 1990s as a Jay-Z protégé , most notably on the single `` Can I Get A. . . '' from the Rush Hour soundtrack .

neg: Hejaz The Hejaz , also Al-Hijaz ( اَلْـحِـجَـاز , , literally `` the Barrier '' ) , is a region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia . The region is so called as it separates the land of the Najd in the east from the land of Tihamah in the west . It is also known as the `` Western Province . '' It is bordered on the west by the Red Sea , on the north by Jordan , on the east by the Najd , and on the south by ` Asir Region . Its main city is Jeddah , but it is probably better known for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina . As the site of Islam 's holiest places , the Hejaz has significance in the Arab and Islamic historical and political landscape .   Historically , the Hejaz has always seen itself as separate from the rest of Saudi Arabia . The Hejaz is the most populated region in Saudi Arabia ; 35 % of all Saudis live in Hejaz . Hejazi Arabic is the most widely spoken dialect in the region . Saudi Hejazis are of ethnically diverse origins .   The Hejaz is the most cosmopolitan region in the Arabian Peninsula . People of Hejaz have the most strongly articulated identity of any regional grouping in Saudi Arabia . Their place of origin alienates them from the Saudi state , which invokes different narratives of the history of the Arabian Peninsula . Thus , Hejazis experienced tensions with people of Najd .

neg: MoneyWiz MoneyWiz is a money management application that runs on Microsoft Windows , Google 's Android , and Apple platforms including iOS and macOS . MoneyWiz is developed by SilverWiz and is the top selling personal finance app outside of the United States as well as a Top 10 Finance App on the U.S. App Store . MoneyWiz has received awards and recognition which include being named the Best Finance App out of the Top 500 Must Have Apps by The Telegraph . It was named a Sleek Personal Finance App by Macworld and rated as one of the Top 5 Best New Year 's Resolution Apps for iPhone and iPad in 2012 .   MoneyWiz tracks income and expenses as well as allowing users to set and track budgets . It has the ability to schedule payments and also create reports based on the information inputed by the user . The app also has its own syncing platform referred to as `` SYNCbits '' which syncs a user 's information to any device in which the app is installed . MoneyWiz supports twenty languages and is said to comply with the financial system in the countries where the official language is one of the supported ones .

neg: Saleh J Saleh J , prominent Tanzanian hip hop pioneer , was born in Dar es Salaam as Saleh Jaber .   Heavily influenced by the early 1980s rap artists such as LL Cool J and Big Daddy Kane , Jaber began to go by the name of Saleh J . He gained popularity after competing in the popular Tanzanian rap battle TV show , Yo Rap Bonanza . After winning this competition , Saleh J came out with an album which he says was `` done in one day and just hours at continental hotel '' and was just `` distributed to all Indian shop owners . '' In 1992 , Saleh J came out with what is considered his most commercially successful hit -- `` Ice Ice Baby - King of Swahili Rap '' by putting Swahili lyrics to the tune and rhythm of Vanilla Ice 's 1990s hit `` Ice Ice Baby '' .   He left the country of Tanzania soon after to relocate in the United Arab Emirates and by 2003 he had moved to the United Kingdom , where he currently resides .   As Saleh J gained popularity and fame within the young Tanzanian population , he began to compete against other popular Swahili hip hop artists such as Eazy-B and Nigga One . These associations opened many doors for Saleh J , as both these rappers had relationships with a prominent competition in Tanzania , Yo Rap Bonanza , an annual rap battle contest organized and sponsored by local Indian vendors in the marketplace of Dar es Salaam . The YRB contest was not only especially helpful to Saleh J , but also to other Tanzanian hip hop artists , as it included artists from outside the Dar es Salaam region . This integration of other towns and people signified the spread of the hip hop movement throughout Tanzania , indicating a successful career for Saleh J.   Most rappers would rap in English ; however , Saleh J was considered innovative as he created a new style by translating the English rhythms into a rough form of Swahili .   As Saleh J was successful in the late 1980s to early 1990s , today he is considered to be `` old school '' by many Tanzanian hip hop followers , just as Run DMC is considered old school by young American hip hop fans . Today , many new hip hop artists are known to have been inspired by the early Tanzanian hip hop artists who dared to create a new genre of music , Saleh J being one of the most influential artists in Tanzania . Among the popular Tanzanian hip hop artists today are Professor Jay , Juma Nature , Fid Q , and internationally X Plastaz .


query: Rhode Island was the first of the 13 colonies to renounce allegiance to the British Crown.

pos: Rhode Island Rhode Island ( -LSB- roʊd_ˈaɪlənd -RSB- ) , officially the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . Rhode Island is the smallest in area , the eighth least populous , and the second most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states , following New Jersey . Its official name is also the longest of any state in the Union . Rhode Island is bordered by Connecticut to the west , Massachusetts to the north and east , and the Atlantic Ocean to the south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound . The state also shares a short maritime border with New York .   On May 4 , 1776 , the Colony of Rhode Island became the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown , and was the fourth among the newly sovereign states to ratify the Articles of Confederation on February 9 , 1778 . It boycotted the 1787 convention that drew up the United States Constitution and initially refused to ratify it . On May 29 , 1790 , Rhode Island became the 13th and last state to ratify the Constitution .   Rhode Island 's official nickname is `` The Ocean State '' , a reference to the fact that the state has several large bays and inlets that amount to about 14 % of its total area . Rhode Island covers 1214 sqmi , of which 1045 sqmi are land .

neg: Atlantic Northeast The Atlantic Northeast is a region of North America , which includes the US states of Connecticut , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , New Hampshire , Vermont , and Maine , as well as the Canadian Maritimes .   The Atlantic Northeast region is noted for its cultural unity , stark climate , landscape of dense forests , and a shared economic history in the exploitation of logging and the regional fishery . Further uniting this area is the `` Gray Zone '' which is an area of land and sea which is claimed by both Canada and the United States . It is located off the coasts of New Brunswick and Maine . The only land within this area are two islands , Machias Seal Island and North Rock . The `` Gray Zone '' is one of four areas between the two countries whose sovereignty is still in dispute , but is the only one of the disputed areas containing land . In 1979 , both countries filed a joint application to the International Court of Justice to avoid having the dispute settled when oceanic boundaries in the area were set for mineral and fishing rights . Canadians have had a continuous presence in the area since 1832 when a lighthouse was built .   Since the Atlantic Northeast is such a large region , it is home to many different types of wildlife , sports teams , and geographical locations . The Atlantic Northeast is home to the Boston Celtics , Boston Bruins , New England Patriots , Halifax Hurricanes , Boston Red Sox and many more . It also includes many notable species including the Bald Eagle , Atlantic Salmon , and the Swamp Pink . Lastly , the Atlantic Northeast includes many geographical places of interest including the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument and Salem , Massachusetts , home of the Salem Witch Trials .   Though cross-border connections are widely acknowledged , the area has rarely been given a single name . `` Atlantic Northeast '' is a term that has been used most prominently in discussions of regional folk culture , another name that is used is Atlantica . ''   These names are often tied to various proposals for greater economic or political integration of the region

neg: Corbitant Corbitant was a Wampanoag Indian sachem or sagamore under Massasoit . Corbitant was sachem of the Pocasset tribe in present-day North Tiverton , Rhode Island , c. 1618 -- 1630 . He lived in Mattapuyst or Mattapoiset , located in the southern part of today 's Swansea , MA .   In the summer of 1621 , he was involved in a minor altercation with the Plymouth colony involving the Patuxet refugee Squanto at present-day Middleborough , Massachusetts . Corbitant had menaced both Squanto and his companion Hobomok for their close ties with the white strangers . Fearing for their lives , Hobomok was able to get away and escaped back to Plymouth , where he rallied the pilgrims under Miles Standish . Standish led ten men of Plymouth in arms to rescue Squanto from Corbitant . They attacked the Wampanoag village at Nemasket , but by that time Corbitant had released Squanto and withdrawn from the area . Corbitant was nominally obedient to the Great Sachem Massasoit of the Pokanoket . Although described as a `` determined foe of the English , '' nonetheless , `` with other hostile chiefs he signed a treaty of peace with the English in 1621 . ''   Tribes of the Wampanoag federation possessed hunting grounds at Cape Cod , Plymouth , Taunton , Attleboro , Middleboro , Hanson , Duxbury , Freetown , Somerset , Swansea , Mattapoisett , Wareham , and Fall River , in Massachusetts , as well as Tiverton , Aquidneck Island ( Newport ) , Canonicut Island ( Jamestown ) , Little Compton , Bristol , Warren and the lands west to the Providence River . About the year 1622 the Narragansett Federation under Canonicut seized the island of present-day Jamestown from Massasoit .

neg: A Summary View of the Rights of British America A Summary View of the Rights of British America was a tract written by Thomas Jefferson in 1774 , before the U.S. Declaration of Independence , in which he laid out for delegates to the First Continental Congress a set of grievances against King George III , especially against the King 's and Parliament 's response to the Boston Tea Party . Jefferson declares that the British Parliament did not have the right to govern the Thirteen Colonies . He argues that since the individual colonies were founded they were independent of British rule . Jefferson , in this work , held that allodial title , not feudal title , was held to American lands , and thus the people did not owe fees and rents for that land to the British crown .   The work was presented to , and debated by , the First Continental Congress . When this took place , Jefferson did not attend . Despite his attempts , Congress agreed to a more moderate decision than Jefferson 's proposed concept . Despite not being able to completely convince Congress , friends of Jefferson printed the Summary in a pamphlet form . It was distributed throughout London , New York and Philadelphia . Research states that the document `` helped establish Jefferson 's reputation as a skillful , if radical , political writer . ''

neg: British Overseas Territories The 14 British Overseas Territories ( BOT ) are territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom . They are the parts of the British Empire that have not been granted independence or have voted to remain British territories . These territories do not form part of the United Kingdom and , with the exception of Gibraltar , are not part of the European Union . Most of the inhabited territories are internally self-governing , with the UK retaining responsibility for defence and foreign relations . The rest are either uninhabited or have a transitory population of military or scientific personnel . They share the British monarch ( Elizabeth II ) as head of state .   The term `` British Overseas Territory '' was introduced by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 , replacing the term British Dependent Territory , introduced by the British Nationality Act 1981 . Prior to 1 January 1983 , the territories were officially referred to as British Crown Colonies . With the exceptions of the British Antarctic Territory and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands ( which host only officials and research station staff ) and the British Indian Ocean Territory ( used as a military base ) , the Territories retain permanent civilian populations . Permanent residency for the 7,000 or so civilians living in the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia is limited to citizens of the Republic of Cyprus .   Collectively , the Territories encompass a population of about 250,000 people and a land area of about 667018 sqmi . The vast majority of this land area , 660000 sqmi , constitutes the almost uninhabited British Antarctic Territory , while the largest territory by population , Bermuda , accounts for almost a quarter of the total BOT population . At the other end of the scale , three territories have no civilian population ; the Antarctic territory , the British Indian Ocean Territory ( from which the Chagos Islanders were controversially removed ) and South Georgia . Pitcairn Islands , settled by the survivors of the Mutiny on the Bounty , is the smallest settled territory with 49 inhabitants , while the smallest by land area is Gibraltar on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula . The United Kingdom participates in the Antarctic Treaty System and , as part of a mutual agreement , the British Antarctic Territory is recognised by four of the other sovereign nations making claims to Antarctic territory .   Although the Crown dependencies of Jersey , Guernsey and the Isle of Man are also under the sovereignty of the British monarch , they are in a different constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom . The British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies are themselves distinct from the Commonwealth realms , a group of 15 independent countries ( and the United Kingdom ) which each also have Elizabeth II as their reigning monarch , and from the Commonwealth of Nations , a voluntary association of 52 countries mostly with historic links to the British Empire ( which also includes all Commonwealth realms ) .   the Minister responsible for the Territories excluding the Falkland Islands , Gibraltar and the Sovereign Base Areas is Baroness Anelay , Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN . The other three territories are the responsibility of Sir Alan Duncan MP , Minister of State for Europe and the Americas .

neg: Military career of Benedict Arnold, 1775–76 The military career of Benedict Arnold in 1775 and 1776 covers many of the military actions that occurred in the northernmost Thirteen Colonies early in the American Revolutionary War . Arnold began the war as a captain in Connecticut 's militia , a position to which he was elected in March 1775 . Following the outbreak of hostilities at Lexington and Concord the following month , his company marched northeast to assist in the siege of Boston that followed . Arnold proposed to the Massachusetts Committee of Safety an action to seize Fort Ticonderoga in New York , which he knew was poorly defended . They issued a colonel 's commission to him on May 3 , 1775 , and he immediately rode off to the west , where he arrived at Castleton in the disputed New Hampshire Grants ( present-day Vermont ) in time to participate with Ethan Allen and his men in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga . He followed up that action with a bold raid on Fort Saint-Jean on the Richelieu River north of Lake Champlain . He then resigned his Massachusetts commission after a command dispute with the head of a detachment of Connecticut militia troops that arrived in June to reinforce Ticonderoga .   When the Second Continental Congress authorized an invasion of Quebec , in part on the urging of Arnold , he was passed over for leading the expedition . Arnold then went to Cambridge , Massachusetts , and suggested to George Washington a second expedition to attack Quebec City via a wilderness route through present-day Maine . This expedition , for which Arnold received a colonel 's commission in the Continental Army , left Cambridge in September 1775 with 1,100 men . After a difficult passage in which 300 men turned back and another 200 died en route , Arnold arrived before Quebec City in November . Joined by Richard Montgomery 's small army , he participated in the December 31 assault on Quebec City in which Montgomery was killed and he was wounded . Arnold , who was promoted to brigadier general for his role in reaching Quebec , maintained an ineffectual siege of the city until he was replaced by Major General David Wooster in April 1776 .   Arnold then traveled to Montreal , where he served as military commander of the city until forced to retreat by an advancing British army that had arrived at Quebec in May . He presided over the rear of the Continental Army 's retreat from Saint-Jean , where he was reported to be the last person to leave before the British arrived . He then directed the construction of a fleet to defend Lake Champlain , which was defeated in the October 1776 Battle of Valcour Island . His actions at Saint-Jean and Valcour Island played a notable role in delaying the British advance against Ticonderoga until 1777 .   During these actions , Arnold made a number of friends and a larger number of enemies within the army power structure and in Congress . The actions of some of these political enemies resulted in courts martial and other investigations that contributed to his eventual decision to join the British side of the conflict in 1780 .

neg: Origins of the War of 1812 The War of 1812 , a war between the United States , Great Britain , and Britain 's Indian allies , lasted from 1812 to 1815 . The U.S. declared war and historians have long debated the multiple factors behind that decision .   There were several immediate stated causes for the U.S. declaration of war : First , a series of trade restrictions introduced by Britain to impede American trade with France , a country with which Britain was at war ( the U.S. contested these restrictions as illegal under international law ) ; second , the impressment ( forced recruitment ) of U.S. seamen into the Royal Navy ; third , the British military support for American Indians who were offering armed resistance to the expansion of the American frontier to the Northwest ; fourth , a possible desire on the part of the United States to annex Canada . An implicit but powerful motivation for the Americans was the desire to uphold national honor in the face of what they considered to be British insults ( such as the Chesapeake affair ) .   American expansion into the Northwest ( Ohio , Indiana , Michigan , Illinois and Wisconsin ) was impeded by Indian raids . Some Canadian historians in the early 20th century maintained that Americans had wanted to seize parts of Canada , a view that many Canadians still share , while others argue that inducing the fear of such a seizure had merely been a U.S. tactic designed to obtain a bargaining chip . Some members of the British Parliament at the time and dissident American politicians such as John Randolph of Roanoke claimed that land hunger rather than maritime disputes was the main motivation for the American declaration . However , some historians , both Canadian and American , retain the view that desire to annex all or part of Canada was an American goal . Although the British made some concessions before the war on neutral trade , they insisted on the right to reclaim their deserting sailors . The British also had the long-standing goal of creating a large `` neutral '' Indian state that would cover much of Ohio , Indiana and Michigan . They made the demand as late as 1814 at the peace conference , but lost battles that would have validated their claims .   The war was fought in four theatres : on the oceans , where the warships and privateers of both sides preyed on each other 's merchant shipping ; along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. , which was blockaded with increasing severity by the British , who also mounted large-scale raids in the later stages of the war ; on the long frontier , running along the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence River , which separated the U.S. from Upper and Lower Canada ( Ontario and Quebec ) ; and finally along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico . During the course of the war , both the Americans and British launched invasions of each other 's territory , all of which were unsuccessful or gained only temporary success . At the end of the war , the British held parts of Maine and some outposts in the sparsely populated West while the Americans held Canadian territory near Detroit , but these occupied territories were restored at the end of the war .   In the United States , battles such as New Orleans and the earlier successful defence of Baltimore ( which inspired the lyrics of the U.S. national anthem , The Star-Spangled Banner ) produced a sense of euphoria over a `` second war of independence '' against Britain . It ushered in an `` Era of Good Feelings , '' in which the partisan animosity that had once verged on treason practically vanished . Canada also emerged from the war with a heightened sense of national feeling and solidarity . Britain , which had regarded the war as a sideshow to the Napoleonic Wars raging in Europe , was less affected by the fighting ; its government and people subsequently welcomed an era of peaceful relations with the United States .

neg: Opposition to the War of 1812 in the United States Opposition to the War of 1812 was widespread in the United States , especially in New England . Many New Englanders opposed the conflict on political , economic , and religious grounds .   When embargo failed to remedy the situation and Great Britain refused to rescind the Orders in Council ( 1807 ) and France continued its decrees , certain Democratic-Republicans known as war hawks felt compelled to go to war . Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun pushed a declaration of war through Congress , stressing a short war had the added benefit of permitting the United States to grab valuable farmlands in the British colony of Canada . Vehement protests erupted in those parts of the country where the opposition Federalist political party held sway , especially in Connecticut and Massachusetts . The governors of these two states as well as Rhode Island refused to place their state militias under federal control for duty outside of their respective states . In the elections that followed in a few months , some members of Congress who voted for war , paid the price . Eight New England congressmen were rejected by the voters , and several others saw the writing on the wall and declined to seek reelection . There was a complete turnover of the New Hampshire delegation .

neg: Second Continental Congress The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting in the spring of 1775 , in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . It succeeded the First Continental Congress , which met between September 5 , 1774 and October 26 , 1774 , also in Philadelphia . The second Congress managed the colonial war effort , and moved incrementally towards independence , adopting the United States Declaration of Independence on July 4 , 1776 . By raising armies , directing strategy , appointing diplomats , and making formal treaties such as the Olive Branch Petition , the Congress acted as the de facto national government of what became the United States .   When the Second Continental Congress came together on May 10 , 1775 it was , in effect , a reconvening of the First Continental Congress . Many of the same 56 delegates who attended the first meeting were in attendance at the second , and the delegates appointed the same president ( Peyton Randolph ) and secretary ( Charles Thomson ) . Notable new arrivals included Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and John Hancock of Massachusetts . Within two weeks , Randolph was summoned back to Virginia to preside over the House of Burgesses ; he was replaced in the Virginia delegation by Thomas Jefferson , who arrived several weeks later . Henry Middleton was elected as president to replace Randolph , but he declined . Hancock was elected president on May 24 .   Delegates from twelve of the Thirteen Colonies were present when the Second Continental Congress convened . Georgia had not participated in the First Continental Congress and did not initially send delegates to the Second Continental Congress . On May 13 , 1775 , Lyman Hall was admitted as a delegate from the Parish of St. John 's in the Colony of Georgia , not as a delegate from the colony itself . On July 4 , 1775 , revolutionary Georgians held a Provincial Congress to decide how to respond to the American Revolution , and that congress decided on July 8 to send delegates to the Continental Congress . They arrived on July 20 .

neg: House of Burgesses The Virginia House of Burgesses -LSB- ˈbɜrdʒəsɪz -RSB- was the first legislative assembly of elected representatives in North America . The House was established by the Virginia Company , which created the body as part of an effort to encourage English craftsmen to settle in North America , and to make conditions in the colony more agreeable for its current inhabitants .   From 1619 to 1776 , the representative branch of the legislature of Virginia was the House of Burgesses , which governed in conjunction with a colonial governor and his council . Jamestown remained the capital of the Virginia colony until 1699 , when the government was moved to Williamsburg . In 1776 the colony became the independent Commonwealth of Virginia and the House of Burgesses became the House of Delegates .

neg: Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation , formally the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union , was an agreement among the 13 original states of the United States of America that served as its first constitution . Its drafting by a committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress began on July 12 , 1776 , and an approved version was sent to the states for ratification on November 15 , 1777 . The Articles of Confederation came into force on March 1 , 1781 , after being ratified by all 13 states . A guiding principle of the Articles was to preserve the independence and sovereignty of the states . The federal government received only those powers which the colonies had recognized as belonging to king and parliament .   The Articles formed a war-time confederation of states , with an extremely limited central government . Even unratified , the document was used by the Congress to conduct business , direct the American Revolutionary War , conduct diplomacy with foreign nations , and deal with territorial issues and Native American relations . Actually the adoption of the Articles made no perceptible change in the federal government , because it did little more than legalize what the Continental Congress had been doing . That body was now taken over as the Congress of the Confederation ; but Americans continued to call it the Continental Congress , since its organization remained the same .   As the Confederation Congress attempted to govern the continually growing American states , delegates discovered that the limitations placed upon the central government rendered it ineffective at doing so . As the government 's weaknesses became apparent , especially after Shays ' Rebellion , individuals began asking for changes to the Articles . Their hope was to create a stronger national government . Initially , some states met to deal with their trade and economic problems . However , as more states became interested in meeting to change the Articles , a meeting was set in Philadelphia on May 25 , 1787 . This became the Constitutional Convention . It was quickly realized that changes would not work , and instead the entire Articles needed to be replaced . On March 4 , 1789 , the general government under the Articles was replaced with the federal government under the Constitution . The new Constitution provided for a much stronger federal government by establishing a chief executive ( the President ) , courts , and taxing powers .

neg: Province of Quebec (1763–1791) The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years ' War . Great Britain acquired French Canada by the Treaty of Paris in which ( after a long debate ) France negotiated to keep the small but very rich sugar island of Guadeloupe instead . By Britain 's Royal Proclamation of 1763 , Canada ( part of New France ) was renamed the Province of Quebec . The new British province extended from the coast of Labrador on the Atlantic Ocean , southwest through the Saint Lawrence River Valley to the Great Lakes and beyond to the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers . Portions of its southwest ( below the Great Lakes ) were later ceded to the United States in a later Treaty of Paris ( 1783 ) at the conclusion of the American Revolution .

neg: Foreign Protestants Naturalization Act 1708 The Foreign Protestants Naturalization Act 1708 ( 7 Anne c. 5 ) , sometimes referred to as the Foreign and Protestants Naturalization Act 1708 , was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain . It was passed to allow the naturalisation of French Protestants ( Huguenots ) who had fled to Britain since the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 . It was one of the British Subjects Acts 1708 to 1772 .   The Whig majority in Parliament passed the Act with the support of both Houses of Parliament , despite some opposition concerning a `` conflux of aliens that would be invited over '' . A counter-argument is presented in the preamble of the Act , that `` the increase of people is a means of advancing the wealth and strength of a nation '' .   The effect of the Act was that all foreign Protestants could be naturalised , provided they swore allegiance to the government and received sacrament in any Protestant church . Following passage of the Act , up to 12,000 Palatines , Suabians , and other German Lutherans arrived in Britain between May and June 1709 , owing to war in those places . Some German Catholics who arrived were sent back , and some immigrants were sent on to Ireland , New York and Carolina .   The Act was largely repealed by the Tories in 1711 by the Naturalization Act 1711 ( 10 Anne c. 9 ) . The section dealing with naturalizing the children of British subjects born abroad was , however , not repealed . This section says `` 3 . ... the children of all natural born subjects born out of the ligeance of her Majesty her heires and successors shall be deemed adjudged and taken to be natural born subjects of this kingdom to all intents constructions and purposes whatsoever . ''

neg: Crown dependencies The Crown dependencies are the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea , and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel . They are independently administered jurisdictions , and do not form part of either the United Kingdom or the British Overseas Territories . They are self-governing possessions of the Crown ( defined uniquely in each jurisdiction ) . Internationally , the dependencies are considered `` territories for which the United Kingdom is responsible '' , rather than sovereign states . As a result , they are not member states of the Commonwealth of Nations . However , they do have relationships with the Commonwealth , the European Union , and other international organisations , and are members of the British -- Irish Council . They have their own teams in the Commonwealth Games . They are not part of the European Union ( EU ) , although they are within the EU 's customs area .   As the Crown dependencies are not sovereign states , the power to pass legislation affecting the islands ultimately rests with the government of the United Kingdom . However they each have their own legislative assemblies , with the power to legislate on many local matters with the assent of the Crown ( Privy Council , or in the case of the Isle of Man in certain circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor ) . In each case , the head of government is referred to as the Chief Minister .

neg: Henry Bull (governor) Henry Bull ( 1610 -- 1694 ) was an early colonial Governor of Rhode Island , serving for two separate terms , one before and one after the tenure of Edmund Andros under the Dominion of New England . Sailing from England as a young man , Bull first settled in Roxbury in the Massachusetts Bay Colony , but soon became a follower of the dissident ministers John Wheelwright and Anne Hutchinson , and was excommunicated from the Roxbury church . With many other followers of Hutchinson , he signed the Portsmouth Compact , and settled on Aquidneck Island in the Narragansett Bay . Within a year of arriving there , he and others followed William Coddington to the south end of the island where they established the town of Newport .   Bull was a corporal and sergeant on the island , and kept the prison for the colony . He also built a house shortly after his arrival that continued to stand in Newport for nearly three centuries , until destroyed by fire . Late in life , Bull became active in the service of the colony , fulfilling roles as commissioner , deputy , and assistant . In 1685 , during a chaotic period in Rhode Island 's history when the colony was being accused of irregularities , and its charter was being threatened under a new King , the 75-year-old Henry Bull stepped into the office of governor , serving for a year . Soon after he left office , Edmund Andros was appointed royal governor of all the New England colonies , remaining in this position for three years , until another change in England 's monarchy resulted in Rhode Island 's return to its former charter . Uncertainty prevailed in the colony , and two other individuals refused to serve as governor , until Bull , as an octogenarian , once again assumed the governorship in 1690 , returning Rhode Island to its previous form of government under its charter .   Considered to be as fearless as he was honest , Bull was elected to the highest position in the gift of the colony , despite the fact that he could not sign his name ( he used a mark for his signature in the Portsmouth Compact ) . He became a Quaker after his arrival in the Rhode Island colony , and , following a long life , was buried in the Coddington Cemetery in Newport where several other Quaker governors of the colony were also interred .

neg: Repudiation Day Frederick County , Maryland has a half-day bank holiday every November 23 to commemorate Repudiation Day . The Maryland Manual reads on page 329 that The General Assembly of 1894 made November 23 a bank half-holiday in Frederick County , under the title of `` Repudiation Day '' in commemoration of the repudiation of the Stamp Act in 1765 .   In 1765 , The judges who repudiated Britain 's Stamp Act became the first to repudiate the British Stamp Act which was designed to maintain the costs of keeping British troops in America . Frederick County Judges decided they were not going to charge the tax and refused to stamp the documents besides the stamps had not arrived from Britain and the colonists not properly notified . The late Judge Edward Delaplaine called the 12 Frederick County judges who repudiated the British Stamp Act the `` 12 immortal judges . ''   Each year a tea party is hosted by the Frederick Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution to celebrate Repudiation Day , where tea and crumpets are served and the Clerk of the Court reads the original proclamation passed by the judges in November 1765 and by the Maryland Provincial Assembly .   The house on Record Street behind the current City Hall where the Repudiation decision was made has since been demolished .   A plaque that was placed by the Frederick Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in 1904 in the Frederick County Courthouse lists the names of the twelve men who Repudiated the Stamp Act . The plaque can be seen on the right side of the vestibule of the courthouse front entranceway .

neg: Colonial period of South Carolina The history of the colonial period of South Carolina focuses on the English colonization that created one of the original Thirteen Colonies . Major settlement began after 1651 as the northern half of the British colony of Carolina attracted frontiersmen from Pennsylvania and Virginia , while the southern parts were populated by wealthy English planters who set up large plantations dependent on slave labor , for the cultivation of cotton , rice , and indigo .   The colony was separated into the Province of South Carolina and the Province of North Carolina in 1712 . South Carolina 's capital city of Charleston became a major port for traffic on the Atlantic Ocean , and South Carolina developed indigo , rice and Sea Island cotton as commodity crop exports , making it one of the most prosperous of the colonies . A strong colonial government fought wars with the local Indians , and with Spanish imperial outposts in Florida , while fending off the threat of pirates . Birth rates were high , food was abundant , and these offset the disease environment of malaria to produce rapid population growth among whites . With the expansion of plantation agriculture , the colony imported numerous African slaves , who comprised a majority of the population by 1708 . They were integral to its development .   The colony developed a system of laws and self-government and a growing commitment to Republicanism , which patriots feared was threatened by the British Empire after 1765 . At the same time , men with close commercial and political ties to Great Britain tended to be Loyalists when the revolution broke out . South Carolina joined the American Revolution in 1775 , but was bitterly divided between Patriots and Loyalists . The British invaded in 1780 and captured most of the state , but were finally driven out .

neg: History of the United States The date of the start of the history of the United States is a subject of debate among historians . Older textbooks start with the arrival of Christopher Columbus on October 12 , 1492 and emphasize the European background of the colonization of the Americas , or they start around 1600 and emphasize the American frontier . In recent decades American schools and universities typically have shifted back in time to include more on the colonial period and much more on the prehistory of the Native Americans .   Indigenous people lived in what is now the United States for thousands of years before European colonists began to arrive , mostly from England , after 1600 . The Spanish built small settlements in Florida and the Southwest , and the French along the Mississippi River and the Gulf Coast . By the 1770s , thirteen British colonies contained two and a half million people along the Atlantic coast east of the Appalachian Mountains . After the end of the French and Indian Wars in the 1760s , the British government imposed a series of new taxes , rejecting the colonists ' argument that any new taxes had to be approved by them ( see Stamp Act 1765 ) . Tax resistance , especially the Boston Tea Party ( 1773 ) , led to punitive laws ( the Intolerable Acts ) by Parliament designed to end self-government in Massachusetts . American Patriots ( as they called themselves ) adhered to a political ideology called republicanism that emphasized civic duty , virtue , and opposition to corruption , fancy luxuries and aristocracy .   Armed conflict began in 1775 as Patriots drove the royal officials out of every colony and assembled in mass meetings and conventions . In 1776 , the Second Continental Congress declared that there was a new , independent nation , the United States of America , not just a collection of disparate colonies . With large-scale military and financial support from France and the military leadership of General George Washington , the American Patriots won the Revolutionary War . The peace treaty of 1783 gave the new nation the land east of the Mississippi River ( except Florida and Canada ) . The central government established by the Articles of Confederation proved ineffectual at providing stability , as it had no authority to collect taxes and had no executive officer . Congress called a convention to meet secretly in Philadelphia in 1787 . It wrote a new Constitution , which was adopted in 1789 . In 1791 , a Bill of Rights was added to guarantee inalienable rights . With Washington as the first president and Alexander Hamilton his chief political and financial adviser , a strong central government was created . When Thomas Jefferson became president he purchased the Louisiana Territory from France , doubling the size of the United States . A second and final war with Britain was fought in 1812 .   Encouraged by the notion of Manifest Destiny , federal territory expanded all the way to the Pacific . The U.S. always was large in terms of area , but its population was small , only 4 million in 1790 . Population growth was rapid , reaching 7.2 million in 1810 , 32 million in 1860 , 76 million in 1900 , 132 million in 1940 , and 321 million in 2015 . Economic growth in terms of overall GDP was even faster . However , compared to European powers , the nation 's military strength was relatively limited in peacetime before 1940 . The expansion was driven by a quest for inexpensive land for yeoman farmers and slave owners . The expansion of slavery was increasingly controversial and fueled political and constitutional battles , which were resolved by compromises . Slavery was abolished in all states north of the Mason -- Dixon line by 1804 , but the South continued to profit off the institution , producing high-value cotton exports to feed increasing high demand in Europe . The 1860 presidential election of Republican Abraham Lincoln was on a platform of ending the expansion of slavery and putting it on a path to extinction .   Seven cotton-based deep South slave states seceded and later founded the Confederacy four months before Lincoln 's inauguration . No nation ever recognized the Confederacy , but it opened the war by attacking Fort Sumter in 1861 . A surge of nationalist outrage in the North fueled a long , intense American Civil War ( 1861 -- 1865 ) . It was fought largely in the South as the overwhelming material and manpower advantages of the North proved decisive in a long war . The war 's result was restoration of the Union , the impoverishment of the South , and the abolition of slavery . In the Reconstruction era ( 1863 -- 1877 ) , legal and voting rights were extended to the freed slave . The national government emerged much stronger , and because of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 , it gained the explicit duty to protect individual rights . However , when white Democrats regained their power in the South during the 1870s , often by paramilitary suppression of voting , they passed Jim Crow laws to maintain white supremacy , and new disfranchising constitutions that prevented most African Americans and many poor whites from voting , a situation that continued for decades until gains of the civil rights movement in the 1960s and passage of federal legislation to enforce constitutional rights .   The United States became the world 's leading industrial power at the turn of the 20th century due to an outburst of entrepreneurship in the Northeast and Midwest and the arrival of millions of immigrant workers and farmers from Europe . The national railroad network was completed with the work of Chinese immigrants and large-scale mining and factories industrialized the Northeast and Midwest . Mass dissatisfaction with corruption , inefficiency and traditional politics stimulated the Progressive movement , from the 1890s to 1920s , which led to many social and political reforms . In 1920 , the 19th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed women 's suffrage ( right to vote ) . This followed the 16th and 17th amendments in 1913 , which established the first national income tax and direct election of US senators to Congress . Initially neutral during World War I , the US declared war on Germany in 1917 and later funded the Allied victory the following year .   After a prosperous decade in the 1920s , the Wall Street Crash of 1929 marked the onset of the decade-long worldwide Great Depression . Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt ended the Republican dominance of the White House and implemented his New Deal programs for relief , recovery , and reform . The New Deal , which defined modern American liberalism , included relief for the unemployed , support for farmers , Social Security and a minimum wage . After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 , the United States entered World War II along with Britain , the Soviet Union , China , and the smaller number of Allied nations . The U.S. financed the Allied war effort and helped defeat Nazi Germany in the European theater . Its involvement culminated in using the newly invented nuclear weapons on Japanese cities that helped defeat Imperial Japan in the Pacific theater .   The United States and the Soviet Union emerged as rival superpowers after World War II . During the Cold War , the US and the USSR confronted each other indirectly in the arms race , the Space Race , proxy wars , and propaganda campaigns . US foreign policy during the Cold War was built around the support of Western Europe and Japan along with the policy of containment , stopping the spread of communism . The US joined the wars in Korea and Vietnam to try to stop its spread . In the 1960s , in large part due to the strength of the civil rights movement , another wave of social reforms were enacted by enforcing the constitutional rights of voting and freedom of movement to African-Americans and other racial minorities . Native American activism also rose . The Cold War ended when the Soviet Union officially dissolved in 1991 , leaving the United States as the world 's only superpower .   After the Cold War , the United States focused on international conflicts around the Middle East in response to the Gulf War in the early 1990s . The beginning of the 21st century saw the September 11 attacks by Al-Qaeda in 2001 , which would later followed by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan . In 2008 , the United States had its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression , which has been followed by slower than usual rates of economic growth during the 2010s .

neg: Joseph Wanton Jr. Joseph Wanton Jr. ( 1730 -- 1780 ) was a Loyalist , merchant , Deputy Governor of Rhode Island in 1764 and 1767 and owner of Hunter House in Newport , Rhode Island .   Wanton was born to Governor Joseph Wanton and Mary Winthrop Wanton of Newport on February 8 , 1730 . Wanton graduated from Harvard University in 1751 and was involved with privateers during the French and Indian War possibly where he attained the title of colonel . Wanton 's first wife Abigail Honeyman , by whom he had 7 children , died in 1771 . Wanton served as a vestryman at Trinity Church ( Newport ) . Wanton was elected Deputy Governor of Rhode Island in 1764 and 1767 .   Wanton was a loyalist during the American Revolution and was accused of treason and imprisoned by Rhode Island General William West while the British occupied Narragansett Bay in 1776 . When the British occupied Newport , he raised troops for the Loyalist cause . In 1780 Wanton 's property ( Hunter House ) was confiscated , and he fled Newport when the Americans reoccupied the city . Wanton likely died in New York in 1780 after fleeing there with the British . In 1781 his widow Sarah Brenton Wanton ( his second wife whom he married in 1775 ) unsuccessfully petitioned the State of Rhode Island to return of the confiscated Wanton properties in Newport , Jamestown , Prudence Island , and Gould Island .   Some genealogists speculate that Wanton became an Episcopal minister near Liverpool , England , although this seems inconsistent with other information about his life , including the 1780 burial record of one Col. Wanton in the churchyard at Trinity Wall Street Church , Manhattan . It is more likely that it was Joseph and Sarah 's son ; Joseph Brenton Wanton who went to Trinity College , Cambridge in October 1795 , aged 18 ; and later became a minister in Liverpool , England .   Joseph Brenton Wanton ( JBW ) was Joseph Wanton and Sarah Brenton 's only child . Sarah Brenton Wanton remarried in 1784 , to William Atherton ` Esquire of Jamaica ' in Trinity Church , Newport , RI . William Atherton owned Green Park Plantation in Trelawney , Jamaica and Spring Vale Pen Plantation in St James , Jamaica . Sarah died in July 1787 and was buried in Clifton Burying Ground , Newport . It is recorded in Trinity Church Archives that ` He -LSB- William Atherton -RSB- immediately after her -LSB- Sarah 's -RSB- death disposed of his household goods and went to England , where he had a tablet prepared , and had it set up in the church -LSB- Trinity Church , Rhode Island -RSB- in Nov. 1788 . ' In England , he bought Prescot Hall outside Liverpool . He apparently took his step-son , Joseph Brenton Wanton with him , who was registered in Manchester Grammar School . and appears in Cambridge University Alumni as ` Joseph Brenton WAUTON , son of Joseph , Governor of Rhode Island ' , having been to Manchester & Macclesfield Schools , ` where it states that the name was originally WANTON ' . All Joseph Brenton Wanton 's children were called WAUTON although in his Will of 1841 , he signs as ` Joseph Brenton WANTON ' . This seems to be when the name for this branch of the family was changed . In 1803 he married Mary Weston , daughter of a tanner from Halewood , Liverpool , and had 4 children , the two sons went to Cambridge and became ministers in the Church of England . JBW was a minister in the Church of England but retired through ill-health in 1819 , living in Liverpool , the Isle of Man and Cheshire . He died in 1853 .

neg: Carpenter's shed on Gardiners Island A carpenter 's shed built in 1639 , on Gardiners Island in New York is possibly the oldest surviving wooden structure built in New York and was reportedly built when Lion Gardiner first settled on the island .   Gardiner 's Island has been owned by the same family for nearly 400 years and is the only American real estate still intact as part of an original royal grant from the English Crown .   In 1639 , the island was settled by Lion Gardiner from a grant by Charles I as the first colonial English settlement in present-day New York state . The island was originally in its own jurisdiction affiliated with neither New York nor New England . Lion Gardiner reportedly purchased the island in 1639 from the Montaukett Indians for `` a large black dog , some powder and shot , and a few Dutch blankets . '' The Indians called the island Manchonake , while Gardiner initially called it Isle of Wight , because it reminded him of the Isle of Wight in England . The Montauketts gave Gardiner title at least in part because of his support for them in the Pequot War .   The original 1639 royal patent gave Gardiner the `` right to possess the land forever '' with the island being declared a proprietary colony with the Gardiners getting the title of Lord of the Manor and thus able to establish laws for the island .

neg: Jacob Leisler Jacob Leisler ( ca. 1640 -- May 16 , 1691 ) was a German-born colonist in the Province of New York . He gained wealth in New Amsterdam ( later New York City ) in the fur trade and tobacco business . In what became known as Leisler 's Rebellion following the English Revolution of 1688 , he took control of the city , and ultimately the entire province , from appointees of deposed King James , in the name of the Protestant accession of William and Mary .   Beginning in 1689 , Leisler led an insurrection and seized control of the city by taking over Fort James at the lower end of Manhattan . He took over control of the entire province , appointing himself as acting Lieutenant Governor of the Province of New York , which he retained until March 1691 , refusing to yield power until the newly appointed governor himself finally arrived . While Leisler claimed to have acted to support the Protestant accession against Jacobite officeholders in New York , he was arrested by the newly appointed governor of New York in March 1691 . With opponents active against him , he was condemned and executed in New York City for treason against the English monarchs William and Mary . His estate was forfeited to the Crown .   During his period of control , Leisler completed a major purchase of property from John Pell , lord of Pelham Manor , to set up a French Huguenot settlement north of Manhattan . This developed as the city of New Rochelle , New York .   Leisler 's son and supporters found the trial and conviction most unjust ; it was mounted by his enemies . They worked to gain clearing of the names of Leisler and Milborne and restoration of their estates to their heirs , which was achieved in 1695 by an act of Parliament . Remains of the two men were reinterred with honors at the Dutch Reformed Church in Manhattan .


query: Gunday is categorized as a film in the thriller genre.

pos: Gunday Gunday ( English : Outlaws ) is a 2014 Indian action thriller film written and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced by Aditya Chopra . The film features Ranveer Singh , Arjun Kapoor , Priyanka Chopra and Irrfan Khan in the principal roles . The film starts off in the 1970s , with the introduction of 2 young boys : Bikram and Bala , who initially become gun carriers and later coal bandits . They ultimately grow up to become the most powerful goons of Calcutta . The film was released on 14 February 2014 .   The film also released in Bengali with a full Bengali soundtrack also composed by Sohail Sen. Though , in some of the Bengali songs , the singers differ from the original . This was also the first Indian film to have its trailer premiere at the Dubai International Film Festival .

neg: Portrayal of women in film noir Film noir is accustomed to fulfilling specific constructions of gender roles in this aesthetically driven cinema style , creating very specific false archetypes for women within the ongoing history of film noir . According to Andrew Spicer in `` Film Noir , '' the articulation of the patriarchy in film noir is understood as one of the style 's most consistent features , no matter the decade of the film .

neg: Versus (film) is a 2000 Japanese independent zombie action film co-written , produced , and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura . The film is set somewhere in the deep forest of Japan , known as the Forest of Resurrection , where an escaped convict simply referred to as `` Prisoner KSC2-303 '' and a gang of Yakuza battle a horde of zombies while at the same time dealing with their sinister leader who wishes to open the forest 's portal of darkness .   Originally intended as a sequel to Kitamura 's Down to Hell , the script surpassed expectations and ultimately evolved into a different film . Though the film was not released theatrically worldwide ( except in France ) , Versus managed to gain a cult following after its DVD release . In 2004 , an extended version called Ultimate Versus was released which included 10 minutes of new footage , as well as additional new music , CGI , and a few editing tweaks .   Versus combines elements of multiple genres such as gunplay , martial arts action , chanbara sword fighting , zombie horror , and comedy . Director Kitamura chose this creative decision because he believed Versus could have been his first and last film he 'd ever produce and chose to risk everything by adding film elements that influenced him .   Talk of an American remake and sequel began to circulate in 2008 following the release of Kitamura 's Hollywood directing debut , The Midnight Meat Train . However , no news of the remake or sequel has emerged since 2008 .

neg: Gothic film The Gothic film is a film that is based on Gothic fiction or contains Gothic elements . Since various definite film genres -- including science fiction , film noir , thriller , and comedy -- have used Gothic elements , the Gothic film is challenging to define clearly as a genre . Gothic elements have also infused the horror film genre , contributing supernatural and nightmarish elements . To create a Gothic atmosphere , filmmakers have sought to create new camera tricks that challenge audiences ' perceptions . Gothic films also reflected contemporary issues . A New Companion to The Gothics Heidi Kaye said `` strong visuals , a focus on sexuality and an emphasis on audience response '' characterize Gothic films like they did the literary works . The Encyclopedia of the Gothic said the foundation of Gothic film was the combination of Gothic literature , stage melodrama , and German expressionism .   In The Cambridge Companion to Gothic Fiction , Misha Kavka says Gothic film is not an established genre , rather contributing Gothic images , plots , characters , and styles to films . These elements are often found in `` the broader category of horror '' . Kavka quotes William Patrick Day 's definition of the Gothic , '' -LSB- it -RSB- tantalizes us with fear , both as its subject and its effect ; its does so , however , not primarily through characters or plots or even language , but through spectacle '' . Cinema suits the Gothic definition in creating images that establish the spectacle .

neg: For One Thousand Dollars Per Day For One Thousand Dollars Per Day ( Per mille dollari al giorno , Por mil dólares al día , also known as Renegade Gunfighter ) is a 1966 Italian-Spanish Spaghetti Western film directed by Silvio Amadio . The title song '' `` My Gun is Fast '' is performed by Bobby Solo .

neg: Déjà Vu (2006 film) Déjà Vu ( stylised onscreen without accents ) is a 2006 American science fiction thriller film directed by Tony Scott , written by Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio , and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer . The film stars Denzel Washington , Paula Patton , Jim Caviezel , Val Kilmer , Adam Goldberg and Bruce Greenwood . It involves an ATF agent who travels back in time in attempts to prevent a domestic terrorist attack that takes place in New Orleans and to save a woman with whom he falls in love . Filming took place in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina .   The film was premiered in New York City on November 20 , 2006 , and released widely in the United States and Canada two days later on November 22 , 2006 . It received mixed reviews from critics , and earning $ 64 million in the United States and $ 180 million worldwide . It was the 23rd most successful film worldwide for 2006 . The film was nominated for five awards , and also won the Golden Reel Award .

neg: Smoking gun The term `` smoking gun '' is a reference to an object or fact that serves as conclusive evidence of a crime or similar act , just short of being caught in flagrante delicto .  Its name originally came from the idea of finding a smoking ( i.e. , very recently fired ) gun on the person of a suspect wanted for shooting someone , which in that situation would be nearly unshakable proof of having committed the crime .  The phrase originated in the Sherlock Holmes story , `` The Adventure of the Gloria Scott '' ( 1893 ) .   In addition to this , its meaning has evolved in uses completely unrelated to criminal activity : for example , scientific evidence that is highly suggestive in favor of a particular hypothesis is sometimes called smoking gun evidence .  A piece of evidence that falls just short of being conclusive is sometimes referred to as a `` smoldering gun . ''

neg: Fusillade A fusillade is the simultaneous and continuous firing of a group of firearms on command . It stems from the French word fusil , meaning firearm , and fusiller meaning to shoot .   In the context of military tactics , the term is generally used to refer to a type of organized and concentrated gunfire from a military unit armed with small arms , and initiated by a command from a commanding officer . The term can also be used as a verb , as in `` to fusillade an enemy position '' . Suppressing fire ( done in conjunction with fire and movement ) is often in the form of a fusillade .

neg: Day on Fire Day on Fire is an American film which was produced by Lodestar Entertainment and filmed in New York City and Israel in 2006 . It is written and directed by Jay Anania , stars Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis , Carmen Chaplin , Alyssa Sutherland and Martin Donovan and is produced by William Fisch and Larry Rattner . The film was scored by John Medeski with vocals by Judy Kuhn .   Day on Fire was screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival on May 22 , 2006 .   Day on Fire tells the story of a singer , a model , an Arab woman journalist , and a physician as they criss-cross New York City over a 12-hour period . Their intersecting lives unfold against the backdrop of a ghastly suicide bombing in Israel , and the strange New York City wanderings of a malevolent Handsome Man , whose predatory intents lend an air of inevitable , horrific violence . Beautifully and hauntingly musical , this thriller also has a political and personal intrigue that mounts inexorably as the sun begins to set on this fateful day . By the time night has fallen in the city , the crossing of these individual fates is sealed . Each of these four women has found their destiny amidst the brutality that the film reveals .

neg: Film director A film director is a person who directs the making of a film . Generally , a film director controls a film 's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay ( or script ) while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision . The director has a key role in choosing the cast members , production design , and the creative aspects of filmmaking . Under European Union law , the director is viewed as the author of the film .   The film director gives direction to the cast and crew and creates an overall vision through which a film eventually becomes realized , or noticed . Directors need to be able to mediate differences in creative visions and stay within the boundaries of the film 's budget . There are many pathways to becoming a film director . Some film directors started as screenwriters , cinematographers , film editors or actors . Other film directors have attended a film school . Directors use different approaches . Some outline a general plotline and let the actors improvise dialogue , while others control every aspect , and demand that the actors and crew follow instructions precisely . Some directors also write their own screenplays or collaborate on screenplays with long-standing writing partners . Some directors edit or appear in their films , or compose the music score for their films .

neg: Violent crime A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which an offender uses or threatens force upon a victim . This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective , such as murder , as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end . Violent crimes may , or may not , be committed with weapons . Depending on the jurisdiction , violent crimes may vary from homicide to harassment . Typically , violent criminals includes aircraft hijackers , bank robbers , muggers , burglars , terrorists , carjackers , rapists , kidnappers , torturers , active shooters , murderers , gangsters , drug cartels , and others .

neg: Lethal Weapon (franchise) Lethal Weapon is an American buddy cop action comedy franchise created by Shane Black that focuses on two Los Angeles Police Department ( LAPD ) detectives , Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh . The franchise consists of four films released during the 1980s and 1990s , as well as a television series in 2016 . All four films in the series were directed by Richard Donner and also share many of the same core cast members , while the television series recast the main roles with younger actors instead .

neg: Michael Jackson's Vision Michael Jackson 's Vision is a deluxe DVD box set by American recording artist Michael Jackson . It was released on November 22 , 2010 by Epic Records , Legacy Recordings , and Jackson 's own label , MJJ Productions . It includes three DVDs , featuring 4.5 hours of content of 42 music videos with newly restored color and remastered audio . Jackson referred to each of these productions as a `` short film '' and not a music video . This is the first time that all of Jackson 's videos have been released on DVD . According to a statement by the producers , the video recognizes Jackson 's `` pioneering short films that transformed the entertainment industry with timeless , pop culture classics '' .   Disc one features videos from the albums Off the Wall , Thriller and Bad and disc two features videos from the albums Dangerous , HIStory : Past , Present and Future , Book I , Blood on the Dance Floor : HIStory in the Mix and Invincible . The third disc , which is a bonus disc , features seven videos . Michael Jackson 's Vision includes the full-length versions of the John Landis-directed `` Thriller '' and `` Black or White '' as well as the classic `` Bad '' directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese . Also included in the boxed set are Jackson 's collaborations with other noted film directors such as John Singleton , Spike Lee and David Fincher as well as `` Ghosts , '' his rarely seen collaboration with special effects legend Stan Winston . Michael Jackson 's Vision is available in a limited edition boxed set featuring a 60-page glossy hard-bound book that includes behind-the-scenes photos from Jackson 's videos , which includes information for each video including : songwriter , album , director , production date , location and photography .   Ten music videos previously unavailable on DVD including `` One More Chance '' are included . It was also released on the iTunes Store and has iTunes LP features . The videos `` Smooth Criminal '' , `` Speed Demon '' , `` Come Together '' , and `` Leave Me Alone '' come from Jackson 's 1988 film Moonwalker . The `` Smooth Criminal '' segment is actually over 40 minutes long but only the 10-minute song and dance scene is featured . The video `` Another Part of Me '' is from Jackson 's Bad World Tour and `` Will You Be There '' is from the Dangerous World Tour .   The `` HIStory '' video is the only short film that is not included in this box set . The original music video of `` Blood on the Dance Floor '' is replaced with the Refugee Camp Mix for unknown reasons . The videos for The Jacksons ' songs `` Torture '' and `` Body '' are also not included , because Michael did not appear in either of them , despite having a verse in each of them . Also not included is the music video for The Jacksons ' `` 2300 Jackson Street '' .   On February 15 , 2011 , Michael Jackson 's Vision was certified 5 × Platinum by RIAA for the sales of over 0.5 million units in the United States . On December 31 , 2010 , it was also certified Diamond in France ( for the sales of over 60 000 units ) and 2 × Platinum in Australia . On May 29 , 2011 , it was also certified Gold in New Zealand . It has been also certified Gold in Austria and Platinum in Poland .   Reception over the video and audio quality of the box set has been mixed . As the videos are played in 16:9 , videos with a 4:3 aspect ratio are pillarboxed and as a result the resolution is lower than some previous DVDs . Also , the audio is mixed in PCM stereo instead of 5.1 Surround as in many previous DVDs .

neg: Art film An art film is typically a serious , independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience . An art film is `` intended to be a serious artistic work , often experimental and not designed for mass appeal '' ; they are `` made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit '' , and they contain `` unconventional or highly symbolic content '' .   Film critics and film studies scholars typically define an art film as possessing `` formal qualities that mark them as different from mainstream Hollywood films '' , which can include , among other elements , a sense of social realism ; an emphasis on the authorial expressiveness of the director ; and a focus on the thoughts , dreams , or motivations of characters , as opposed to the unfolding of a clear , goal-driven story . Film scholar David Bordwell describes art cinema as `` a film genre , with its own distinct conventions '' .   Art film producers usually present their films at specialty theatres ( repertory cinemas , or , in the U.S. , `` arthouse cinemas '' ) and film festivals . The term art film is much more widely used in the United States , the UK and Australia than in Europe , where the term is more associated with `` auteur '' films and `` national cinema '' ( e.g. , German national cinema ) . Because they are aimed at small niche market audiences , they can rarely get the financial backing that will permit large production budgets , expensive special effects , costly celebrity actors , or huge advertising campaigns , as are used in widely released mainstream blockbuster films . Art film directors make up for these constraints by creating a different type of film , which typically uses lesser-known film actors ( or even amateur actors ) and modest sets to make films that focus much more on developing ideas or exploring new narrative techniques or film-making conventions .   A certain degree of experience and knowledge are required to fully understand or appreciate such films . One mid-1990s art film was called `` largely a cerebral experience '' that one enjoys `` because of what you know about film '' . This contrasts sharply with mainstream `` blockbuster '' films , which are geared more towards escapism and pure entertainment . For promotion , art films rely on the publicity generated from film critics ' reviews , discussion of their film by arts columnists , commentators and bloggers , and `` word-of-mouth '' promotion by audience members . Since art films have small initial investment costs , they only need to appeal to a small portion of the mainstream viewing audiences to become financially viable .

neg: Another Day Another Life Another Day Another Life is a 2009 American suspense thriller film produced , edited , and directed by Rohit Gupta . It 's about a man , Jason , played by Benjamin Jacobs , who struggles to repress his killer instinct as he approaches the planned killing of his lover . The film was selected to showcase at the Short Film Corner - Cannes Film Festival 2009 .  It received critical acclaim at its festival run winning awards & nominations .

neg: Sins of our Youth Sins of our Youth is a thriller/drama released in 2016 starring Lucas Till , Joel Courtney , and Mitchel Musso .  `` Sins of Our Youth '' is a cautionary tale that highlights a new generation in the United States that is desensitized by an oversaturation of violence in the mainstream media and who have ready access to firearms .

neg: Revolver (The Haunted album) Revolver ( stylized as rEVOLVEr ) is the fourth studio album by The Haunted . It was released on 18 October 2004 .   After having been absent for the last two studio albums , Peter Dolving was once again back in the band and provided the vocals for rEVOLVEr . He would remain with the band until he left once again in 2012 .   As the album title attempts to make clear with its stylization ( i.e. with the word `` EVOLVE '' printed in upper case letters between the two r 's ) , the band made a conscious decision to slightly tweak ( or `` evolve '' ) its songwriting on this particular album . As a result , rEVOLVEr contains some elements that were hitherto absent on previous The Haunted albums . Although the album still contains examples of the band 's familiar thrash metal sound ( e.g. No Compromise , Sabotage , Sweet Relief ) , it features considerably more mid-paced riffing ( e.g. 99 , Burnt to a Shell , Fire Alive ) than in any of their previous albums . Two of the tracks even have ballad elements interspersed in them ( Abysmal and My Shadow ) .  Also notable is that rEVOLVEr has quite a few instances of clean singing in it , although the vast majority of the vocal tracking was still done in The Haunted 's traditional hardcore/metalcore style of screaming .   A limited edition digipak of this CD contained two bonus tracks , and different artwork .   A music video was made for `` No Compromise '' which featured Mark Greenway .

neg: List of teen films Teen film is a film genre targeted at teenagers and young adults in which the plot is based upon the special interests of teenagers and young adults , such as coming of age , first love , rebellion , conflict with parents , teen angst , and alienation . Some of these films are targeted at adults as well as teenagers . Teen films have been a trope of the cinema industry for decades since the 1950s . At this time , the film industry saw a greater market for teens with more disposable income and therefore more money to spend on leisure activities , largely going to films . Because of the boom in teen viewers , drive-in movie theaters were also very popular . However , even the silent era had teen films . Recently , online streaming services such as Netflix have created a resurgence in the `` tween '' and teenage-oriented film .

neg: Hold'em (film) Hold 'em is a 2014 American thriller film directed by Clay DuMaw . The film 's plot combines Texas hold 'em with elements from horror and thriller films such as Battle Royale and Saw .

neg: Ram Gopal Varma Ram Gopal Varma is an Indian film director , screenwriter and producer , known for his works in Telugu cinema , Bollywood , and television . Influenced by Russian-American playwright Ayn Rand , and European authors Friedrich Nietzsche , James Hadley Chase and Frederick Forsyth , Varma directed films across multiple genres , including parallel cinema and docudrama noted for their gritty realism , technical finesse , and craft .   Varma has garnered the National Film Award for scripting the political crime drama , Shool ( 1999 ) . In 2004 , He was featured in the BBC World series Bollywood Bosses . In 2006 , Grady Hendrix of Film Comment , published by the Film Society of Lincoln Center , New York City cited Varma as `` Bombay 's Most Successful Maverick '' for his works on experimental films . Varma is regarded as the fountain head of new age Indian cinema .   Varma is known for presenting the Indian Political Trilogy , and the Indian Gangster Trilogy , film critic Rajeev Masand has labeled the series as one of the `` most influential movies of Hindi cinema .  The first installment of the trilogy , Satya , was also listed in CNN-IBN 's 100 greatest Indian films of all time . Varma 's recent avant-garde works include hits such as the alternate history , Rakta Charitra ( 2010 ) , the dramatized re-enactment of 2008 Mumbai attacks in The Attacks of 26/11 ( 2013 ) , a horror fiction , Ice Cream shot with Flowcam Technology ( 2014 ) , a slasher film , Anukshanam ( 2014 ) , Killing Veerappan ( 2016 ) , a documentary drama , and Vangaveeti ( 2016 ) a biographical `` based on true events '' .   Starting his career as a civil engineer , he made an entry into Telugu cinema , with the path-breaking crime thriller , Siva ( 1989 ) screened at the 13th International Film Festival of India , and has garnered Varma , the state Nandi Awards for Best direction , Best first film of a director , and the Filmfare Award for Best Film -- Telugu . Siva explores the concepts of student exploitation by anti-social behavior and the impact of crowd psychology . Subsequently , the film was included in CNN-IBN 's list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time . He then experimented with the Neo-noir , Kshana Kshanam ( 1991 ) screened at the Ann Arbor Film Festival , the sleeper hit won him another Nandi Award for Best Direction , and the Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer . The 1993 political drama , Gaayam received six state Nandi Awards . In 1999 , He directed Prema Katha for which he received his third Nandi Award for Best Director .

neg: Starting pistol A starting pistol or starter pistol is a blank handgun that is fired to start track and field races , as well as competitive swimming races at some meets . The sound of the gun going off serves as the signal for the athletes to begin the event . Starter guns `` can not fire real ammunition or be modified to fire real ammunition . '' Beside sporting events , they are also used in films and in TV or stage shows . Blank shells or caps are used to prevent expelling projectiles , and only small amount of smoke can be seen when shot . Starting pistols may also include modified versions of standard pistols incapable of firing bullets , most commonly achieved by welding an obstruction into the barrel . This is less common nowadays , especially in Western countries . When electronic timing is used , a sensor is often affixed to the gun , which sends an electronic signal to the timing system upon firing . For deaf competitors or for modern electronic systems , a light may be used instead .   An issue with the use of starting pistols is that , since the report of the pistol is carried to the competitors at the speed of sound , which takes about 3 milliseconds to travel one metre , positions nearest the starter hear the report a few milliseconds before further positions . This issue is exaggerated in races where the runners begin in a stagger , putting a significant distance between the nearest and furthest runners . To avoid this problem , the pistol is in all major competitions wired with a microphone that transmits the sound virtually instantaneously to loudspeakers directly behind each competitor .   With security after the September 11 attacks on the US becoming prevalent , causing issues with starting pistols , a trend developed to use electronic starting systems that do not use pistols , but use a `` dummy '' prop pistol which can not function as a firearm that is wired to the timing system . When the starter presses the button , they emit a signal to play a simulated gunshot that is broadcast to loudspeakers behind each lane , show a flash , emit simulated smoke , and start the timing clock . Many venues have switched to the new format . Beyond the security concerns , it has also been observed that even with the use of loudspeakers , some competitors still wait for the actual sound of the gun to reach them , and since the new all-electronic starting pistols have no such problems , they became the official way of starting games at the 2012 Summer Olympics .