The United States of America

13.MO – The United States of America

- basic geographical and historical facts

- original inhabitants

- national symbols

- type of administration

- economy

- culture, places of interest

Osnova:

1. Geography

2. People

3. History

4. National symbols

5. Political system

6. Economy

7. Culture – places of interest

1. GEOGRAPHY

- situated in the southern part of North America

- borders with Canada (North), Mexico (South), Russia (in Alaska)

- around 10 million square km

- 4th largest country

- capital city is Washington D.C.

- surrounded by Atlantic and Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico

- landscape is diverse – from central plains to high mountains

- mountain ranges: Appalachian and Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada

- highest peak is Mount Mc Kinley in Alaska (6168 m)

- lowest point is Death Valley

- largest rivers are Mississippi and Missouri third largest river system in the world

- on Canadian border: Niagara Falls, 5 Great lakes (Ontario, Erie, Huron, Superior, Michigan)

- climate is varied – from subarctic in Alaska to subtropic in Florida or Hawaii

2. PEOPLE

- 320 million inhabitants

- third most populous country

- national language is English

3. HISTORY

• 1492 discovered by Christopher Columbus

  • He named inhabitants Indians

  • Sometimes it is called beginning of the modern age

• 1507 continent named after Amerigo Vespucci

• 17th century Puritans (Separatist) decided to seek religious freedom – typical colony was named Massachusetts Bay colony, these first colonists are known as Pilgrim Fathers

• Manhattan was bought by the Dutch from Indians – they named it New Amsterdam

• 1664 Britain conquered Manhattan and renamed it New York

• 1773 Boston tea party – protesters throw the shipment of tea to the sea

• 1775-83 war of independence

• 4th July 1776 Declaration of Independence – first president G. Washington

• 19th century civil war

• W. W. I. – Woodrow Wilson managed to keep the States out of the war

• 1929 Black Friday – stock market in Wall Street

• W. W. II. – 41 Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour, 45 were atom bombs (Hiroshima, Nagasaki)

• 1963 J.F.K. assassinated

• 2009 first African-American president Barack Obama elected

4. NATIONAL SYMBOLS

- flag, anthem and Great Seal

- flag: consists of 13 red and white stripes (original British colonies) and a blue field called Canton with 50 stars (US states), nickname is Stars and Stripes. 1777 first original flag.

- anthem: The star-spangled banner

- Great Seal: bald eagle holding an olive branch and 13 arrows

5. POLITICAL SYSTEM

- federal presidential constitutional republic

- the government is divided into 3 branches – the executive, legislative, judicial

- executive branch is headed by the president (D. Trump)

- president have seat in White House and is elected every 4 years, haven´t got unlimited power

- the legislative branch is represented by the Congress – made up by the Senate (100 members) and the House of representatives (435 members) seat in US Capitol

- the major parties are the Democratic and Republican Party

- the judicial branch is composed of the Supreme Court and Lower federal court