THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The United States of America

Geography
area: 9,372,614 sq km
population: 253,887,000
the USA are situated in southern part of North America being the
4th largest state in the world after Russia, Canada and China;
they border on Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, Canada and the
Pacific Ocean; USA have two lying off the continental part -
Alaska and Hawaii
the country can be divided into five parts:
Appalachian Highlands (Mt. Mitchell - 2,037 m)
Appalachian Plateau - river valleys
Mississippi Basin (Interior Plains)
Cordilleras - Rocky Mountains, Great Basin (Death Valley),
Colorado Plateau (Grand Canyon)
Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada (Mt. Whitney - 4,418 m)
the highest peak is in Alaska - Mt. McKinley (6,194 m)
rivers: Mississippi, Missouri, Hudson, Colorado, Columbia, Rio
Grande, Yukon
Great Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie
and Lake Ontario
other lakes: Great Salt Lake
climate: varied - from the Arctic to the subtropical
capital town: Washington D. C.
other towns: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston,
Philadelphia, San Diego, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio,
San Jose, Indianapolis, Baltimore, San Francisco
states (first 13): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming


History
the American continent was first discovered around the year 1000
by Vikings sailing under Leif Ericson (before them went to
America people from Siberia over the Bering straight
on October 12, 1492 discovered America Spanish mariner
Christopher Columbus
the first colony was founded in Virginia at Jamestown in 1607
in 1620 the Mayflower brought 102 English men to Massachusetts,
where they founded Plymouth colony; they were Puritans and
called themselves Pilgrim Fathers; in October 1621 they
celebrated their first harvest and called this day the day of
Thanksgiving
during next centuries were built up many colonies, e.g. French,
German, Dutch, Irish
first slaves were brought to Virginia in 1619 (it was forbidden
in 1808)
1754 - Indian War - all land east of Mississippi was under
British control
1773 - Boston Tea Party
1775 - the battle of Lexington - beginning of the war
July 4, 1776 - Declaration of Independence (mainly written by
Thomas Jefferson, 2nd Continental Congress)
1783 - the end of the War of Independence
1787 - the new Constitution (confederation was changed by
federation)
1803 - Louisiana Purchase
1867 - Alaska was bought from Russia
Civil War - 1861 - 1865
1863 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1861 - 1865 1863      end_of_the_skype_highlighting - Emancipation Proclamation - granted freedom of slaves
1917 - USA entered the WWI and then W. Wilson participated on
negotiation of peace treaty in Versailles
Black Thursday - October 24, 1929 - stock market crash ' Great
Depression
December 7, 1941 - naval base of Pearl Harbor was attacked by
Japanese ' USA entered the WWII
founding of UNO, NATO
1963 - J. F. Kennedy was assassinated, 1968 - Robert Kennedy too

1968 - assassination of Martin Luther King, the black civil
rights leader
Vietnam War - 1961 - 1973
1973 - 1974 - the Watergate scandal (Richard Nixon)
Gulf War - January 15 - February 28, 1991
11th September 2001 - attack on World Trade Center


Political system
the system of federal government of the USA was established by
the Constitution which was ratified in 1788 and which consists
of the Preamble, Articles I - VII and 26 Amendments to the
Constitution; the Supreme Court proves unconstitutionality of
law
under the system of checks and balances there are three main
branches: the Legislative (both houses of Congress), the
Executive (the President and the Executive office) and the
Judicial (the Supreme Court and Federal courts)
the Congress (both the Senate and the House of Representatives)
is responsible for drafting and passing laws, handling matters
of national finance, ensuring the defense of the nation (with
the President), regulating commerce, admitting new states to the
Union
the Senate is composed of 100 Senators, two for each state; they
are elected to six-year terms by popular vote, however every two
years is one third renewed; the Vice President is the official
presiding officer of Senate; Senate must approve presidents
appointments and ratify foreign treaties, try the President and
can impeach him
the House of Representatives is composed of 435 Representatives
(Congressman and women) who are elected on two-year terms; the
number of Representatives is based on state population (the
greatest number has California); is responsible for originating
all bills relating to taxes
the major political parties are Democratic and Republican
the President is elected every 4 years, may serve maximum two
terms in office, must be over 35 years old, born in USA and have
lived for 14 years there; the President is Commander-in-chief of
the Armed Forces, he appoints all ambassadors, ministers and
consuls
the Executive Office is President's personal staff, has 14
departments (Department of State, Treasury, Defense, Justice,
Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human
Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development, Energy and Veterans Affaires); includes number of
independent agencies - the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA),
the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA)
the Judiciary branch is composed of a three-level hierarchy:
Federal districts courts (94), US courts of appeal (13), the US
Supreme Court (eight Justices and Chief Justice)


Economy
the USA is a leader of world economy, so it's highly developed
industry: manufacturing steel, car industry, electronics,
machinery, clothing
agriculture: corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, tobacco, cattle
breeding, fruit, vegetables
mineral resources: coal, copper, oil, gas, lead, uranium, gold,
iron, mercury


Washington DC
Washington District of Columbia, the national capital of the
USA, is situated on Potomac river and has population of 623,000
(conurbation 3,750,000)
was established by Act of Congress in 1790, the place was chosen
by President Washington himself and designed by French engineer
Pierre L'Enfant
the city has 4 quadrants with the Capitol in its center
1910 - the Height Buildings Act - no building is allowed to be
higher than Capitol
Washington has no industry, it's used only for government and as
a seat of many international organizations, e.g. World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund, the Organization of American states

Congress and its buildings, White House, Pentagon
Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial
Arlington National Cemetery
West and East Potomac Parks and Constitution Gardens
National Air and Space Museum, National Gallery of Art, National
Archives
Opera House, Concert Hall, National Theater, Arena Stage, Ford's
Theater


Interesting places
Detroit - headquarters of Ford, Chrysler and General Motors
Mt. Rushmore - the mountain with colossal portrait heads of US
Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt (carved
by sculptor Gutzon Borghum)
Las Vegas - Hollywood - the center of film industry
the Grand Canyon
Salt Lake City