CHAPTER 4 DOMESTIC MAIL Now that you are ready to conduct postal finance business,  let  us  learn  about  domestic  mail.    In  this chapter domestic mail will be defined and you will be introduced to the different classes of mail and rates of postage. INTRODUCTION TO DOMESTIC MAIL Learning Objective:  Recall the areas that fall under the domestic mail system. The definition of Domestic Mail as stated in the DMM is:  “Domestic mail is mail transmitted within, among, and between the United States; its territories and possessions; Army-Air Force post offices (APOs), fleet  (Navy)  post  offices  (FPOs),  and  the  United Nations, NY.  To understand what the term territories and possessions means, see table 4-1. Mail  originating  in  the  United  States  (U.S.),  its territories  and  possessions,  APOs,  FPOs,  and  the United  Nations,  NY,  for  delivery  in  the  Freely Associated States, and mail originating in the Freely Associated  States  for  delivery  within,  among,  and between the Freely Associated States and the U.S., its territories  and  possessions,  APOs,  FPOs,  and  the United Nations, NY, is also treated as domestic mail. To understand what the term Freely Associated States means, see table 4-2. From the definition and tables 4-1 and 4-2, you can see it is possible to send a letter halfway around the world and be subject to the same rate of postage as you would for a letter going around the corner from one address in a city in the U.S. to another address in the same city. Domestic mail is divided into classes according to the contents and weight of the article being mailed, and possibly according to the wishes of the sender. As a postal clerk working a window, you will be accepting  many  different  types  of  articles,  such  as letters,  merchandise,  books,  and  magazines,  just  to name a few.  Before you accept any article for mailing, you must determine what class of mail it is and by what method it is to be sent.  Domestic mail is classified by weight,  contents,  and  service.     Domestic  mail  is divided into five classes:  (l) Express, (2) First-Class, (3) Periodicals, (4) Standard Mail A, and (5) Standard Mail B. 4-1 U. S. Territories and Possessions American Samoa Manua   Island,   Swain’s   Island, Tutuila Island Baker Island Guam Howland Island Jarvis Island Johnston Atoll East Island, Johnston Island, North Island, Sand Island Kingman Reef Midway Atoll Eastern  Island,  Sand  Island,  Spit Island Navassa Island Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island Rota Island, Saipan Island, Tinian Island Palmyra Island Commonwealth of Puerto Rico U. S. Virgin Islands St. Croix Island, St. John Island, St. Thomas Island Wake Atoll Peale Island, Wake Island, Wilkes Island Table 4-1.—U. S. territories and possessions.