American Witches and Wizards

• Type: Wizarding Community
• Location: United States of America
• Governing Body: Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) (Pottermore)
• Wizarding School: Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Pottermore)
• Key Features: Use of the term No-Maj for non-magical people; historically stricter laws regarding segregation from the non-magical community. (Pottermore)

The American wizarding community is the collective body of witches and wizards residing in the United States of America. While the community is mentioned in passing in the original novels, its detailed history and societal structure were significantly expanded upon in supplementary materials by J.K. Rowling. The American wizarding population is composed of magical folk from numerous backgrounds, including those of Native American descent and immigrants from across the globe. The community's development was deeply impacted by the Salem Witch Trials, which, unlike in Europe, involved genuine witches among the non-magical victims. This event fostered a deep-seated distrust of No-Majs (the American term for Muggles). Another significant threat in the community's early history came from the Scourers, corrupt wizarding mercenaries who hunted down fellow magical folk for profit. (Pottermore) In response to these threats, the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) was established in 1693 to govern the magical community and create its own laws. One of its most consequential laws was Rappaport's Law, enacted in 1790. This law enforced strict segregation between the wizarding and No-Maj populations, forbidding intermarriage or even close friendships. This was a direct response to a major breach of the International Statute of Secrecy and shaped American wizarding culture for centuries, making it far more clandestine than its British counterpart. (Pottermore) The premier magical school for the North American continent is Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded in the seventeenth century by the Irish witch Isolt Sayre and her No-Maj husband, James Steward. (Pottermore)

The presence of American witches and wizards in the original seven novels is extremely minimal. Their only direct mention is as attendees of the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, for which Ludo Bagman notes that tickets were in high demand “from as far afield as America.” The American wizarding world, particularly that of the 1920s, serves as the primary setting for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film series. The story follows Newt Scamander's visit to New York City and his interactions with members of the community, including the Aurors Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein and her sister, Queenie Goldstein, as well as the President of MACUSA, Seraphina Picquery. (Fantastic Beasts film)

• Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: The major North American wizarding school, located on Mount Greylock in Massachusetts. (Pottermore)
• Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA): The American wizarding government. In the 1920s, its headquarters was located inside the Woolworth Building in New York City. (Fantastic Beasts film)
• The Blind Pig: A clandestine wizarding speakeasy in New York City during the 1920s, operated by a goblin named Gnarlak. (Fantastic Beasts film)

Almost all detailed information about the American wizarding community comes from writings by J.K. Rowling published on the Pottermore website, primarily in the collection titled “History of Magic in North America.” This lore was created to build the world for the Fantastic Beasts film series. The American term for a non-magical person, `No-Maj` (short for “No Magic”), was created by J.K. Rowling for this expansion of the wizarding world and stands in contrast to the British term `Muggle`. (Pottermore)