1

Extra cheese

Image: Ivan Torres

Let's start with a wild card: extra cheese pizza. It's no surprise it's one of the most popular choices, with its unbeatable trio of classic ingredients: dough, a lot of mozzarella cheese, and a simple tomato sauce. And who doesn't like cheese?

However, its simplicity doesn't make it any less delicious; it can be one of the best pizzas you'll ever taste! And if you want to try something new, some suggest swapping mozzarella for provolone.

2

Pepperoni

Image: Alan Hardman

A total winner of all rankings, pepperoni pizza is undoubtedly one of Americans' favorites. And that's no surprise at all. The combination of delicious melted cheese with a tasty tomato sauce and spicy, smoky pepperoni slices makes it an irresistible variety for most palates. Is it your favorite, too?

3

Sausage

Image: Nadya Spetnitskaya

Thanks to pizza's unlimited variety of toppings, you don't have to pick between protein and carbohydrates; you can enjoy both!

Sausage pizza is now a staple on the menus of many restaurants and pizza chains. And it's no wonder, given that it's one of the most popular choices among Americans. Traditionally, pizza-makers opt for Italian sausage, but you can always choose your favorite type!

4

Mushrooms

Image: Lavi Perchik

Along with pepperoni, sausage, and extra cheese, mushrooms are also one of the most popular pizza toppings in America.

Because of their versatility, mushrooms are a great choice to complement any pizza, whether it's a vegetarian or a meat pizza. In addition, they are a recommended topping for their flavor, nutritional value, and low-calorie content.

5

Green Peppers

Image: engin akyurt

Green peppers also make the top 5. If sausage isn't your choice or you follow a vegetarian diet, green pepper pizza is likely one of your favorites.

The crunchy texture and slightly sweet flavor of green peppers make a fantastic team with pizza crust and tomato sauce, making it one of the most popular.

6

Onions

Image: Adonyi Gábor

There is an alternative that's a must-have on any menu: onion pizza. Although it may not have as many staunch and expressive fans as other varieties, onion pizza is actually one of the most requested options across the country.

Onion, like tomato and cheese, is a widely used ingredient in Italian cuisine, making it a classic that's also included in other varieties and sauces.

7

Black olives

Image: Carissa Gan

Black olives have earned a spot in this ranking, as it is a very appreciated option for those who demand a briny touch on their pizza.

Some people hate them, others love them, but if you've never tried black olives on your pizza, we recommend giving it a shot. Many people have tried them and come back for more!

8

Fresh garlic

Image: Sébastien Marchand

Hand in hand with onion, garlic is a must when it comes to giving a punch of flavor to food. And pizza is no exception. In fact, fresh garlic pizza is also one of the most widely eaten pizzas in America.

While it may not have as large a fan base as other toppings, those who choose garlic as their favorite are incredibly loyal! This variety offers an exquisite combination: Often paired with mozzarella cheese and olive oil, garlic gives a unique touch.

9

Margherita

Image: Aldward Castillo

If we talk about perfect combinations, we can't leave out the legendary Margherita, a fabulous Italian pizza. Created in the 19th century in Naples, Italy, this pizza was invented especially for the Queen Margherita of Savoy, with flavors that represent the Italian flag: the green of the basil, the red of the tomato, and the white of the mozzarella cheese. Irresistible!

10

BBQ Chicken

Image: serjan midili

Chain restaurants and pizzerias wouldn't be the same without the delicious BBQ chicken pizza, a blend of flavor, heartiness, and creativity.

If the more traditional varieties have bored you, this is the perfect option for you. With a combination of sweet and smoky, this variety is undoubtedly a top choice for those who appreciate audacious tastes.

1

Sloth

Two-toed sloths are the species most commonly allowed as pets in the U.S. However, they require special care, a suitable environment, and—since they can live up to 30 years—a committed owner. Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas allow ownership of two-toed sloths without a permit. Other states may require a license.

2

Caiman

One would think that Caiman Central (commonly known as Florida) might allow its residents to own caimans as pets, but it’s actually the contrary: they are considered invasive and dangerous, so depending on the species, they are either illegal to own or require a permit. However, the state of Tennessee allows ownership of dwarf caimans without a permit.

3

Elk

The United States has a large elk population across many states, both wild and domesticated, and many states will allow you to own them as livestock with a proper license. If you’ve always dreamed of having a pet elk, there’s good news: in Alaska, you can legally own a domesticated elk, as long as it was not captured from the wild.

4

Bison

Bison can be found across all 50 states, either in the wild or raised as livestock on ranches. However, not all states permit private ownership of them. In most states, some sort of permit is required to raise bison as cattle, with varying degrees of difficulty. Once again, Alaska offers a solution for bison enthusiasts: like elk, bison can be kept as pets, provided they are domesticated and not captured from the wild.

5

Sugar Glider

These small possums make good pets because they are social, playful, cuddly, and form strong bonds with their owners. However, they are exotic pets and require specialized care, a specific diet, and proper maintenance. Most states allow sugar gliders to be owned without a permit, but Georgia, New Mexico, and parts of New York require a license. In Hawaii, California, and Alaska, owning a sugar glider is illegal.

6

Kangaroo

Surprisingly, many states allow kangaroos and wallabies as pets. Some states may require a license, but Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Oregon classify them as "uncontrolled" exotics, so no permit is needed. Kangaroos and wallabies are completely banned as pets in Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, and New Hampshire.

7

Fennec Fox

Native to North African deserts, fennec foxes are the smallest fox species, characterized by their large ears. You can legally own them without a permit in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and New York (though not in New York City). The rest of the states either require a permit or deem it illegal.

8

Kinkajou

These adorable mammals, also known as honey bears, are related to raccoons and coatis. There are no federal laws restricting kinkajou ownership, but several states either prohibit them or require a permit. States that allow ownership without a permit include Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia.

9

Python

When it comes to permits, not all snakes are treated the same. Regulations depend on how dangerous a species might be and the potential impact on local ecosystems if released. Following this logic, not all pythons are equally restricted: species such as the Burmese or Indian python are illegal in many states, while others, like the Ball python, are legal without a permit in Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Massachusetts, Montana, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

10

Tarantula

Tarantulas are not banned in any state, but some species might be restricted and require a special permit, in particular those considered an endangered species or potentially invasive. So, if you dream of having a pet spider, check your state laws first to ensure your desired species will not cause you legal problems in the future.

1

World War II (1939–1945)

American veteran soldiers are entitled to several benefits as recognition for their service on behalf of the country, but this was not always the case. Before 1944, war veterans received pensions and disability-related medical care, but that was it. WWI veterans had received bonuses for their service, but these were not redeemable until 1945, which led to protests and turmoil during the Great Depression.

To avoid a similar situation with soldiers serving in WWII, a set of laws, popularly known as the "G.I. Bill", was passed in 1944. These laws guaranteed that, in addition to pensions and medical assistance, veterans were entitled to financial help towards education or training, low-cost loans, unemployment benefits, and job-search assistance . Since then, additional "G.I. Bills" have been passed, ensuring that veterans are looked after once their service is complete.

2

The Great Depression (1929–1939)

Historians agree that, despite President Roosevelt’s best efforts, the Great Depression was effectively ended by the industrial mobilization caused by WWII. America’s biggest economic crisis to date had been brought on by several factors , many of them related to reckless market speculation, inefficient monetary policies, lack of social security, and massive bank withdrawals made by panicked citizens.

While F.D.R.’s "New Deal" policies were insufficient to overcome the crisis, they successfully set up a system to prevent a similar economic collapse in the future . As a result of financial and banking reform, personal accounts were federally insured —which prevented future massive withdrawals that would deplete savings, commercial and investment banking were separated, and commissions were set up to regulate trading and prevent fraud. Additionally, social and welfare laws established pensions, work insurance, and unemployment compensation, and protected unions that allowed workers to collectively bargain with their employers.

3

The Great Chicago Fire (1871)

On October 8, 1871, a fire started on DeKoven Street, Chicago, and it burned for three days, destroying 17,450 buildings and leaving 300 casualties and thousands of people homeless. According to legend, the fire was started by a cow (owned by a woman named Mrs. O’Leary), although this was never confirmed; it was the wooden buildings, the strong wind, and the dry weather that turned an accident into a catastrophe.

Americans from all over the country rallied behind the relief effort, donating money, food, clothing, and more, but the tragedy also forced authorities to review their own municipal safety codes. New fire and building safety codes were implemented, banning wood buildings and requiring fire-safe materials such as brick, stone, or marble, as well as fireproof staircases, exit signs, and outward-opening doors. A new fire academy was founded to properly train firefighters, which put Chicago at the lead of America’s firefighting force.

4

Yellow Fever (1793)

In 1793, the city of Philadelphia received cargo ships from Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti), and with them, an epidemic that lasted for half a year. Among the cargo from the Caribbean, there were yellow fever-carrying mosquitoes, which thrived in the crowded docks and in the humid spring and summer weather. The open sewers, poor waste management, and general ignorance about the disease worsened the situation, which only let up with the cold fall weather, with 5,000 people, about 10% of the population, as casualties.

Although the widely believed cause of the spread of the epidemic —foul "miasma" or bad air— was incorrect, it did lead to proper infrastructure changes to prevent a similar situation. The city targeted polluted waterways and rotten waste, exposing severely contaminated wells. Municipal water systems to provide clean drinking water were created, and paved streets with proper gutters and sewers reduced the amount of stagnant water . Additionally, the crisis led to the establishment of municipal health boards, proper quarantine facilities for incoming ships, and municipal hospitals all across the country.

5

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (1911)

Nowadays we expect any factory or building to have proper fire and safety systems in place, but not so long ago safe working conditions were not a given. Places like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York not only lacked fire alarms, sprinklers, and fire escapes, but also locked their doors during work hours to prevent unauthorized breaks and workers' union gatherings . On March 25, 1911, when a pile of rags caught fire, the single fire escape collapsed and, with firefighters' ladders only able to reach six of the ten floors, the factory became a deadly trap that took the lives of 146 workers.

New Yorkers were outraged by the conditions that led to the tragedy, and public pressure led to the establishment of an investigating commission. As a result, more than 30 safety laws were passed , making fire drills, sprinklers, fire escapes, and emergency exits mandatory, among other measures, all of which set a precedent for federal safety codes and protections. The event also strengthened labor unions all across the country, who pushed for better working conditions.

6

The Dust Bowl (1930s)

The 1929 Wall Street Crash had already kickstarted the Great Depression, but the American crisis was still deepening. By the start of the 1930s, years of severe drought had hit the Great Plains (comprising ten states in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions) and had worsened an environment already depleted by human intervention. Native grasses that protected the topsoil had been eradicated through plowing, leaving the land vulnerable to wind erosion, while intensive cultivation of single crops had depleted the land. All this caused severe dust storms that hit the plains, further eroding the fields and suffocating the crops. In an agricultural recession, thousands of families migrated West looking for work.

The government’s response had diverse approaches. The Soil Conservation Service focused on changing detrimental agricultural practices through educating farmers on contour plowing, crop rotation, and shelterbelt tree planting. FDR’s "New Deal" plan established subsidies for farmers, requiring landowners to distribute a percentage of the subsidy to their laborers, and thousands of cattle were acquired, butchered, and distributed by the government to the affected population. Ultimately, the return of rain in the 1940s ended the drought and helped restore the soil, but the education, conservation, and relief mechanisms implemented by the government ensured that the Great Plains would not be as severely affected by drought in the future.

7

The Cold War (1945-1991)

The euphoria of the WWII victory in American politics was short-lived, as the climate quickly shifted to a new threat: communism. The Cold War deeply affected domestic American life, and the paranoia of the Red Scare prompted the government to invest thousands of dollars in defense , infrastructure, political propaganda, and counter-espionage. Sadly, this paranoia also allowed government officials and politicians, like Senator Joseph McCarthy, to persecute and blacklist thousands of suspected communist sympathizers without solid evidence.

While the desire to beat the USSR in public achievements resulted in the government funding the military industry, science education and research, and sports programs, espionage and propaganda were targeted through the creation of federal agencies —among them the CIA, the NSC, and the NSA— that managed domestic security, international intelligence, information, and propaganda.

8

The Revolutionary War Smallpox Epidemic (1775–1782)

The 1775 North American Smallpox epidemic lasted for nearly a decade, well beyond the Revolutionary War, but the military leaders of the Revolution were the ones to put in the efforts to contain it and prevent further spreading of the disease. In 1775, smallpox was a rampant disease in the American colonies, and a big part of the population had not been exposed to it due to isolation. This meant that, when colonists from rural areas joined the Continental Army, overcrowded military camps became a hotspot of contagion. It is estimated that smallpox caused more casualties than the fighting itself.

While smallpox decimated the Revolutionary Army, the British, who had been traditionally exposed to the disease, were immune to it. Recognizing the need to stop the spread of the disease, George Washington ordered a secret mass immunization of the troops in 1777 , a measure that drastically lowered the mortality rates among the army. While several founding fathers were in favor of mass inoculations and better public health policies, most of the colonists were distrustful of vaccinations and of government-mandated health policies. The success of Washington’s mass inoculation showed that public health policies could make the difference, and paved the way for later policies and health systems.

9

The Cholera Waves (1832–1866)

The U.S. went through three major cholera waves in 1832, 1849, and 1866, with tens of thousands of casualties, economic crises, and mass panic. Rapidly growing cities lacked proper sewage, and rancid water accumulated in the unpaved streets, while overcrowding and poor living conditions furthered the contagion. New travel methods such as the railroad helped introduce the disease to different regions, while doctors blamed the epidemic on "bad air" or a divine punishment.

It was not until the 1866 wave that city governments decided to change their approach to the health crisis. New York was the first city to establish a Metropolitan Board of Health, which focused on improving sanitary conditions and reforming the hospital system. Police forces encouraged (or forced) residents to clean their yards and remove manure and rotten waste, while the city strived to maintain clean streets and build sewage systems. By the time the third cholera wave hit New York, the city was prepared, and the number of casualties was much lower. Following its example, other major cities established their own permanent boards of health, implemented municipal health codes, improved their hospitals, and constructed underground sewers.

10

The Smoking and Lung Cancer Crisis (1960s)

Although tobacco had been popular for decades, the 20th century saw a rise in consumption thanks to aggressive cigarette marketing campaigns in print, radio and television. Smoking was allowed everywhere, and it was portrayed as stylish and smart in movies and magazines. There was a lack of education about the addictive properties of nicotine and the chemicals present in commercial cigarettes , a fact that the tobacco industry was eager to keep concealed. By the 1960s, lung cancer and heart disease numbers had risen dramatically, forcing the government to address the situation.

The 1964 Surgeon General’s report was the first to publicly link lung cancer and heart disease with tobacco consumption. Following several reports by other specialists , public opinion about cigarettes drastically shifted, despite the efforts of the tobacco industry . In 1965, Congress passed a law requiring mandatory health warning labels on cigarette packaging, and in 1971, cigarette radio and TV ads were outlawed. As a result, from the 1960s to the 2010s, cigarette consumption decreased by nearly 50%.

11

The Pure Food and Drugs Act (1906)

If you are the kind of person who religiously scans the ingredient list on food and medicine labels, you might not know that these labels exist thanks to a novel (and several journalists' investigations). In the late 19th century, increased food and medicine demands led manufacturers to sell tainted or unsafe products with false labels and filled with unsafe preservatives. Factory sanitary conditions were also subpar, which led many journalists to write about the issue. In 1906, Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle described the meat-packing industry practices in a graphic and revolting way, which caused mass outrage.

The Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906 was the first of a series of laws passed by Congress to address the issue. It created a federal agency (now called the FDA) responsible for overseeing food and drug manufacturing , banned a series of commonly used substances and active ingredients, outlawed the sale of spoiled or contaminated food, set an inspection system for factories, and acted as a baseline for future consumer protection laws.