02 The United States of America

ECONOMY

• leading world economy – a lot of money goes through US, takes care of business

  • nickname: Wall Street – financial centre in Manhattan

• security X privacy

  • rights from EU not in valid the US – have to undergo background check, but can buy weapons

• very low unemployment rate – 4 % unemployment

• social security system doesn’t exist

  • have to earn for yourself – have to pay health insurance!

  • retirement in your hands

  • didn’t change rules from 1960 – you get the same money

  • when unemployed – 160 dollars a week

  • when you’re unemployed you work for free for a company, that is taking care of you???

• strong companies:

  • Google, Facebook, Intel, McDonalds, Pepsi, KFC

  • they outsource – do not produce in the US – China

• based on immigrants – responsible for seasonal jobs – harvesting, low payed jobs (cleaning, restaurants, stores, fast food)

GEOGRAPHY

• capital: Washington D.C., Columbia

• Physical Map

  • central part formed by Great Plains – bordered by mountain ranges

  • east: Applachian mountains, west: Rocky mountains

  • Hawaii – set of vulcanic islands, continual vulcanic activity

  • Alaska – moorlands, permafrost

• Mountains

  • Appalachian Mts – east

  • Rocky Mountain Ranges

    • Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico and Colorado, the Front Range of Colorado, the Wind River Range and Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, Absaroka-Beartooth and Rocky Mountian Front of Montana and the Clerk Range of Alberta

  • Highest peak: Denali, Alaska (6168 m) – formerly Mt McKinley

• Lowlands

  • Great Plains

  • Coastal Plains – next to Atlantic

• Rivers

  • longest: Mississippi (3770 km)

  • Missouri

  • Yukon River

  • Rio Grande

  • Colorado River

• Lakes

  • The Great Lakes

    • freshwater lakes

    • on or near Canada-USA border

    • lake Superior, lake Michigan, lake Huror, lake Erie, lake Ontario

  • Great Salt Lake – largest salt water lake

• National Parks

  • big wilderness, people live in cities or close vicinity

  • large number of National Parks – started by Theodore Roosevelt (he didn’t want to shoot a bear because it had cubs – they started making Teddy Bears)

  • Yellowstone – established by TR

    • most important

    • active supervolcano

    • small earthquakes

    • Montana, Wyoming, Idaho – borders

  • Yosemite

    • famous for sequoias (red wood)

    • coast of Pacific Oceans

  • Everglade

    • south of Florida

    • brackish waters = mixed salt and river water

    • famous for aligators and manaties

• Cities

  • Capital: Washington DC

  • Main: NY, Boston, LA, San Francisco, New Orleans…