United States of America

• Type: Country
• Location: North America
• Owner/Residents: American wizards and witches, No-Majs (American term for Muggles)
• Key Features: Site of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Pottermore) and the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) (film). Historically subject to unique magical laws, such as Rappaport's Law. (Pottermore)

The United States of America (USA) is a large country in North America with its own distinct and historically isolated magical community. In the original seven novels, the USA is mentioned only in passing, and its wizarding culture is not explored. The vast majority of information regarding the American magical world comes from supplementary materials, primarily the Fantastic Beasts film series and writings by J.K. Rowling on Pottermore. The American wizarding community developed under different pressures than its European counterparts. The historical trauma of the Salem Witch Trials in the 17th century led to a deep-seated mistrust between wizards and the non-magical population. This resulted in the creation of Rappaport's Law in 1790 by MACUSA President Emily Rappaport. This law enforced a strict policy of segregation between the magical and non-magical communities, forbidding intermarriage and even close friendships, a stark contrast to the more integrated, if secretive, society in Great Britain. (Pottermore) The American term for a non-magical person is a No-Maj, a portmanteau of “No-Magic.” (film) The wizarding government is the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA), founded in 1693 and serving as the equivalent of the British Ministry of Magic. (Pottermore) The premier North American school for witches and wizards is Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (Pottermore)

In the original *Harry Potter* series, the USA's role is minimal. Its most notable mention is in the supplementary book Quidditch Through the Ages, which identifies the Fitchburg Finches as a prominent American Quidditch team. (Quidditch Through the Ages) The country's role is massively expanded in the Fantastic Beasts film series, which functions as a prequel to the main story. The first film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is set entirely in New York City in 1926. The plot follows Newt Scamander's accidental release of magical creatures in the city and his interactions with MACUSA and its personnel, including Aurors Tina Goldstein and Queenie Goldstein. The film explores the political climate of the American wizarding world, its tense relationship with No-Majs, and the threat posed by Gellert Grindelwald. (film)

• Fitchburg, Massachusetts: Home to the professional Quidditch team, the Fitchburg Finches, who have won the US League seven times. (Quidditch Through the Ages)
• New York City, New York: A major centre for the American wizarding community and the primary setting for the events of 1926 involving Newt Scamander. The headquarters of MACUSA is magically concealed within the Woolworth Building in downtown Manhattan. (film)
• Mount Greylock, Massachusetts: The location of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school is hidden from No-Maj eyes by a series of powerful enchantments, including a misty cloud that surrounds its peak. (Pottermore)

J.K. Rowling created and detailed the lore of the American wizarding world specifically for the Fantastic Beasts film series and through a collection of writings titled “History of Magic in North America” on the Pottermore website. This expansion provided American counterparts to key British institutions, namely MACUSA for the Ministry of Magic and Ilvermorny for Hogwarts. The invention of the term No-Maj was a deliberate choice by Rowling to reflect a different cultural vernacular. She explained that it is a straightforward, descriptive term that suited the American sensibility. The history of American wizardry, particularly Rappaport's Law and its roots in the Salem Witch Trials, was crafted to establish a unique socio-political backdrop for the Fantastic Beasts story, one defined by secrecy and segregation. (Pottermore, J.K. Rowling interview)