Beacon City

Beacon City was the capital of the American Union until it joined the Global Union. It is the Global Union's most important economic center. There are six layers of roads and sidewalks. One ground level, and five suspended above it.

History
Beacon City is located above the ruins of Washington, D.C., once the capitol of the United States. Washington was destroyed during the States War, when General Lamson destroyed an important dam and flooded the East Coast. He built Beacon City above the ruins of the former capitol and declared it the capitol of the new American Union.

After Beacon City was built, it expanded to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. When the ocean level continued rising, the outer boroughs of Beacon City were flooded. Because the flooding occurred slowly, the inhabitants chose not to relocate, reinforcing the outer-borough skyscrapers instead. Since the streets of this part of Beacon City had become more like canals, people used boats and bridges to move through the outer city.

After the fusing of the American Union into the Global Union, Beacon remained the leading city of the American State. Through the merger, it also became the economic capitol of the world.

Geography
Beacon City is located on the eastern seaboard of the American State. The main part of the city is built over a large hill, which rises 7,920 feet into the air. The top of the hill consists of a plateau that is ten miles long. City Center covers the top of the plateau, while buildings expand into the Atlantic Ocean itself.

Economy
Barrier Street, located in City Center, is the location for the offices of many of the world's largest businesses and greatest economists. The economists on Barrier Street played a major role in the merging of the American economy with that of the European, and, later, the Global Unions.

Education
Most Marked students attend public schools. A few elite students, however, attend MAD, Beacon's private academy for Marked Advancement. Located in City Center, it encourages competition for grades among its students by making class rankings constantly visible on the walls.

Beacon's Unmarked community offers classes to young people in the Markless sublevel.