The five most driven routes in the United States are some of the busiest highways that connect major metropolitan areas, serve as key transportation corridors, and facilitate significant volumes of commercial and commuter traffic. These routes are integral to the U.S. transportation network.

I-95 (East Coast Corridor)

Runs from Miami, Florida, to Houlton, Maine, spanning approximately 1,920 miles.

Passes through major cities such as New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston.

Serves as the primary north-south route along the densely populated Eastern Seaboard.
I-95, Miami, FL
In Miami, I-95 has approximately 339,500 daily vehicles.
I-75, Atlanta, GA
In Atlanta, I-75 sees around 419,516 vehicles daily.

I-10 (Southern Transcontinental)

It stretches from Santa Monica, California, to Jacksonville, Florida, covering 2,460 miles.

Links major cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, and New Orleans.

A vital east-west corridor connecting the southern United States.

Supports significant freight traffic, particularly in Texas and Louisiana.
I-10, Houston, TX
Certain sections of I-10 in Houston report figures exceeding 313,000 daily vehicles.

I-5 (West Coast Corridor)

Runs from San Diego, California, to Blaine, Washington, near the Canadian border, spanning about 1,381 miles.

Passes through cities like Los Angeles, Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle.

Key north-south route for the West Coast, serving dense urban areas and supporting international trade with Canada and Mexico.
I-5, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
This segment of Interstate 5 experiences approximately 504,000 vehicles.

I-405, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
Interstate 405 has about 383,500 vehicles, contributing to the heavy congestion in the Los Angeles area.

I-80 (Northern Transcontinental)

Extends from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, covering approximately 2,900 miles.

Crosses major cities like Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and Cleveland.

A major east-west corridor connecting the Midwest and the West Coast.

I-35 (Central Corridor)

Stretches from Laredo, Texas, at the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, covering 1,568 miles.

Passes through cities like San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Kansas City, and Minneapolis.

A critical north-south corridor for freight and commuter traffic in the central U.S.

Supports significant trade between Mexico and the United States under the USMCA (formerly NAFTA).

The Texas Triangle (San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas) is one of the busiest regions.

Harry S. Truman's victory over Thomas E. Dewey in the 1948 presidential election is one of the most famous upsets in American political history. Several factors contributed to Truman's surprising win, despite widespread expectations that Dewey, the Republican candidate, would easily defeat the incumbent president. Here's how Truman managed to secure victory:

Truman's Whistle-Stop Campaign

Truman embarked on a relentless and energetic whistle-stop tour across the country, travelling by train and speaking to large crowds in towns and cities. He delivered over 300 speeches, often several daily, covering nearly 22,000 miles.

Truman directly appealed to everyday Americans, positioning himself as a champion of the ordinary people against a "do-nothing" Republican-controlled Congress. His plain-spoken, folksy style resonated with voters, particularly in rural areas and small towns.

Truman successfully ran against the 80th Congress, which Republicans controlled. He labelled it the "Do-N and blamed it for failing to address key issues like housing, healthcare, and labour rights.

This strategy helped shift the focus away from Truman's vulnerabilities (such as economic challenges and unpopularity within his own party) and onto the Republican Party, making Dewey and the Republicans appear complacent and out of touch.

Dewey's campaign was famously cautious and overconfident. He believed he was so far ahead that he could afford to run a non-controversial, vague campaign, avoiding strong positions on significant issues. This lack of specificity made Dewey seem detached and uninspiring to many voters.

- Polls and Media Predictions:

Many public opinion polls and newspapers, including the famous incorrect headline "Dewey Defeats Truman" in the Chicago Daily Tribune, assumed Dewey's victory was inevitable. This may have led some of Dewey's potential supporters to stay home, believing the election was already decided.

Truman secured strong support from labour unions, African Americans, and other traditional Democratic constituencies. His support for civil rights, including the desegregation of the military and his stance on civil rights legislation, helped him secure the African American vote in key Northern states.

Truman's policies and portrayal of Dewey as an ally of big business helped him maintain support among farmers and worker. These groupst might have been expected to drift toward the Republicans.

- Splitting the Opposition: The presence of third-party candidates, such as Strom Thurmond of the States' Rights Democratic Party (Dixiecrats) and Henry Wallace of the Progressive Party, split the opposition vote. Thurmond took away Southern votes from the Democrats, but not enough to cost Truman the election, while Wallace siphoned off some liberal votes that might otherwise have gone to Truman.

- Truman's Persistence:

Despite the overwhelming belief that he would lose, Truman never gave up. His determination and relentless campaigning helped build momentum that many political observers should have noticed or taken seriously.

- Last-Minute Surge:

Truman's vigorous final campaign push, coupled with growing dissatisfaction with Dewey's lacklustre campaign, led to a late surge in support that confounded the polls and pundits.

Outcome:

On election night, November 2, 1948, Truman won with 49.6% of the popular vote and 303 electoral votes to Dewey's 45.1% and 189 electoral votes.

The longest political convention in U.S. history was the 1924 Democratic National Convention, which is often referred to as the "Klanbake" due to the influence of the Ku Klux Klan on the proceedings.

The convention lasted for an unprecedented 16 days, from June 24 to July 9, 1924.

It was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The convention required a record 103 ballots to finally select a presidential nominee, making it the longest and one of the most contentious conventions in U.S. history.

The 1924 Democratic Convention was marked by deep divisions within the party, particularly between the urban, progressive wing (which supported candidates like Al Smith) and the rural, conservative wing (which supported William Gibbs McAdoo). Issues like Prohibition, immigration, and the influence of the Ku Klux Klan further exacerbated the divide.

The Ku Klux Klan, which was at the height of its power during this period, played a significant role in the convention. Its influence, particularly in the debates over whether to condemn the organization by name in the party platform, was a major factor ins length and contentiousness.

After 103 ballots, the convention finally nominated John W. Davis, a compromise candidate who was a former Congressman and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Davis was seen as a conservative choice who could unite the party but ultimately lost the general election to Republican incumbent Calvin Coolidge.

The first political convention held in Chicago was the Republican National Convention of 1860. This convention was significant for several reasons:

- Date: The convention lasted from May 16 to May 18, 1860.

- Location: It was held in a temporary structure known as the "Wigwam," built specifically for the convention. The Wigwam was located at the corner of Lake Street and Wacker Drive in Chicago.

- Significance: This convention is most famous for nominating Abraham Lincoln as the Republican candidate for President of the United States. Lincoln, a relatively lesser-known figure compared to other candidates like William Seward, emerged as a compromise candidate who could unify the party.

- Nomination: Abraham Lincoln won the nomination on the third ballot, defeating other prominent contenders like William H. Seward of New York.

- Election: Lincoln went on to win the 1860 presidential election, leading to his presidency during the Civil War and his eventual role in ending slavery in the United States.

This convention was a pivotal moment in American history, marking the rise of Chicago as a significant political hub and setting the stage for Lincoln's leadership during one of the nation's most critical periods.