Population300.000.000 people
No. 4 in the list of the biggest countries
Cities:New York,Los Angeles, Philadelphia,Chicago, San Francisco
All climate zones from tropical to arctic 4 time zones – Eastern TZ, Central TZ, Mountain TZ, Pacific TZ
The biggest state is Alaska,mid is Texas, miniRhode Island
National symbols:1.Flag13 stripes (7red+6blue) first states that originated country + 50 stars (each state one),Old Glory or The Stars & Stripesred-courage,white-liberty, independence,blue-loyalty to the country,trojkat\
2.The Statue of Liberty -symbol of emigration, hope, liberty, symbol of French-Amer. friendship
3.The Great Seal of the USA:bald eagle, ribbon, olive branch S.A.(peace), bunch of arrows (defense)
4.The National Anthem:the Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key, 1931 official anthem
5.Uncle Sam:I want you to U.S. Army!
Great lakes:Erie,Ontario(Niagara Falls), Michigan,Superior, Huron
Rivers :Mississippi,Missouri,Ohio, Potomac,Hudson,Colorado,Rio Grande
Landscapes:he Appalachians :coal valleys
Central Lowland – fertile landGreat Plains – the “breadbasket of the nation”, corn, wheat, oat
Colorado Plateau – Grand Canyonierra Nevada Range(California, Nevada) – gold mines
New England:
Pilgrim Fathers:1620 first place to settle in USA is Mayflower,escaped because of religious persecution Triangle trade:sugar from W. Indies, Rum to W.Africa, slaves to N. England
Yankee:American person,who lives in Maine,hard working,pragmatic,creative, mean,not too talkative,Dutch name Jan Kees
Indian Summer:period of nice weather before winter
The Mid-Atlantic Region: Washington D.C:a lot of green areas, no skyscrapers, the White House,the Capitol,FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation),Pentagon (offices of Defense Department)
The Civil War(1861-65) outhern states leaved the Union, slavery ended. Black Codes(Jim Craw):racial segregation, equal but separated.
The Bible belt:lands from N.Carolina to Texas,conservative people,racial separated churches,very religious. Dixies:people living in the South
Well known from jazz music,created by slaves, New Orleans,1920’s golden age
Atlanta – most important city, commercial,transportation,cultural centre, headquarters of many companiesFlorida–the Sunshine State,nice climat, often hurricanes in fall,a garden of subtropical fruits
The Black people in the U.S.A.
From W.Africa.1865-end if slavery after Civil War Abraham Lincoln,13th Amendment.Racial segregation after Jim Crow Laws-equal but separated. 1955 – Rosa Parks in Montgomery Bus Affair, changes of separation. Martin Luther King – leader of the Civil Rights Movement,peaceful resistance,sit-ins, received the Nobel Prize for peace 1964, speech “I have a dream”.12% of black people in the USA
The Southwest:Huge area, very little rain, lack of water, growth in population. Firstly inhabited by Indians. Oil & natural gas in Texas. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) headquarters in Houston, Texas.Las Vegas,Nevada famous for gambling.
The Midwest:Geographical centre,centre of American agriculture&industry.Great Plains:treeless, grassy areas,used to be prairie. “Breadbasket of the Nation” – half of the nation’s crop production(Corn Belt), wheat,oat,corn (maize).Heavy industry – steel, chemicals, machinery (Detroit). “The windy city”-Chicago,industrial metropolis,1884 first skyscraper in the World in Chicago.
Native peoples:Indians.0,8% of current people).Extinction caused by war,illness. Indians live in reservations(300- Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, California),but most of them live in cities.Reservation – land only for the use of Native Americans, not wanted by white people,far from big city.The biggest and the poorest tribe is Navajo,in Arizona,New Mexico,Utah. Apache:the most rich (oil) in New Mexico.
Contribution to Indians: art&craft (jewellery,dog sleds,canoes),medicine plants,crops(corn,potatoes,tobacco), additions made to English language.
Most important tribes: Iroquois – Lake Erie,Ontario,resisted strongly,called Warriors,try to interpret dreams,builders.
Cherokee :Alabama, now in Oklahoma, high cultureNavajo – poor, fertile land in ArizonaSioux typical image,leather robes,buffalo hunters,horse culture,sign language,N. Dakota,S. Dakota
Pueblo Indians:New Mexico,Rio Grande, no reservations,own republic,religion, corn cultivate,pottery,ADOBE houses
The Pacific Northwest:Trade with Asia, economy based on natural resources (lumber,timber,fishing in Oregon).“Foul weather”:a lot of rain, fog.Washington state“Evergreen”:covered by ever green trees, pines, firs), “the way to the Orient”, rainforest :Olympic National Park.
Rockies1st national park in 1872,wildlife (bears, elk, moose).Devil’s Tower National Monument – Wyoming.
Mormonism:Joseph Smith, very hard working,used to have polygamy,but have to stop.Utah
California & Hawaii:
Hispanics: from Mexico,Spanish speaking,large Asian population. Sierra Nevada Range – Gold Rush in California 1848. Death Valley – the lowest, driest, hottest spot in the U.S.A. San Fran:Golden Gate Bridge. Los:Hollywood, movie capital.
Hawaii:Asian origin dominated,1959 50th state,tropical climate, constant wind, Oahu:the most important island.No industry (tourism)
mmigration:
“Melting Pot”:different nationalities,ethnic groups live together.Melting into one culture. Pluralism – not only Americans,also other nationalities remain.
Last Census was in 2000, every 10 years.80% white, 12% black, 4% Hispanics, 3% Asian.
*Poverty, religious prosecutions, political oppression – reasons to come to the U.S.A.
Hispanics – the largest immigrant group,fast growing, Spanish speaking Americans,from Mexico, Puerto-Rico,Cuba.California, Texas are Hispanic friendly. 1850- no restrictions before, 1920- restrictions for Asia, East & South Europe.
Americans Values & Beliefs:
Freedom,Individualism,Pragmatism,Volunteerism, Abundance, Mobility,American Dream,Patriotism.
American dream :if you are hard working you can become rich and respected by people,hard work,trust in your abilities.
Representative democracy:
Be loyal to the country,educate yourself of social knowledge,demonstrate loyalty & tolerance,Vote, participating in democracy.
The Constitution :1787 in Philadelphia, “The Supreme Law” :no other laws can contradict any of its principles,no person is exempt from following it.
3 main principles:Inherent rights, The Government by the people, eparation of powers (check & balance system). 27 amendments – first 10 are “Bill of Rights”.
Legislative branch – Congress (House of Representatives435+Senate100),makes laws, enact laws.Executive – President, ice-PresDepartments, Independent Agencies; provide leadership, enforce laws.Judicial – Supreme Court (appellate court – may overturn decisions by lower court,interpret new laws), lower courts;settle lawsuits,explain & interpret laws. Duties of Congress:regulating money and trade, providing for the national defense,making laws regarding naturalization of people seeking citizenship, passing laws to govern the District of Columbia.
President for 4 years,twice reelected.Enforce laws & treaties,conduct foreign policy,Commander in Chief of Army,appoint people to certain positions. Democratic Party – Obama,Clinton,workers,low class. Republican Party – Bush, people with money. Most presidents are WASP – White Anglo-Saxon Protestants.Vice President–serve as acting president if first is disabled,preside over the senate and vote in case of a tie,act as a link between president and senate, participate in Cabinet meetings.
Judicial branch:every state has its own common law, the right to be represent by a lawyer,state must pay for a lawyer,freedom from cruel punishment,right to a due trial.Death penalty is forbidden in 13 states Alaska, Hawaii,,Iowa,Maine,Massachusetts,Michigan, Minnesota,North Dakota.
State Government headed by Governor.Protection of lives and property,regulation &improvement of intrastate transportation,regulations of intrastate business, ducation.City Governments by Mayor.
Education:
Aims of education – high general level of education, Americanization. John Dewey – created progressive education method of teaching , learning by doing. Elementary school (K-8 grade),Secondary school (9-12 grade).A-excellent, B-good, C-average, D-pass,F-fail.
Requirements to University:HS diploma,Transcript, recommendations from HS teachers,SAT:Scholastic Aptitude Test, ACT – Academic College Testing Program, Interviews.Bachelor degree after 4 year college. Ivy League – best universities in east coast(Brown UnivHarvard, Yale, Columbia U, Princeton).
Religion:
Three Faiths Model – Protestantism-51%, Catholicism-23%,Judaism-2%.
Temperature:100C:212F,0C :32F,(F-32)*5/9 = C, (C*5/9)+32 =F
1in=2,54cm,1ft = 0,49cm,1 mile =1,609km
Ellis Island – main entry for immigrants to the USA, part of Statue of Liberty National Monument, situated in Jersey City, NJ & NY.
Memorial Day-last Monday of May,commemorates U.S.men&women who died while in military service to their country, pecially AmericanCivilWar.Many parades.
Major exports is machinery, high-technology equipment,chemicals,cars.Import include machinery, telecommunications equipment, oil, metals.
National Guard -reserve military force,National Guard units can be mobilized for active duty,during times of war or of national emergency declared by Congress or President.
Cape Canaveral :part of region known as Space Coast,launch site of spacecrafts Kennedy Space Center location.
Smithsonian Institution:educational & research institute & museum complex located in Washington D.C.
The Electoral College:President of the U.S.A is chosen by that group of people,538 elected representatives.
Social mobility:Americans change their place of living very often, it’s easy to move, to start new life.
Halloween :in USA thanks to Irish immigrants,but has its roots in Celtic culture
Tournament of Roses :a famous New Year Celebration in Pasadena USA,festival of music, flowers.
Jury:12 people with clean criminal record, impartial, to say verdict in a court
Manhattan is a major commercial, cultural and financial centre of the USA and of the World.
Pierre l’Enfant was French designer of modern Washington D.C.
Hoover Dam :is dam of the Colorado River,on the border between Arizona & Nevada
Mount Rushmore :monumental sculpture of 4 US Presidents(Washington,Jefferson,Roosevelt,Lincoln) made in rock in South Dakota
Jackson Hole :valley located in Wyoming,formed by Teton Range
Justice of peace :responsible in keeping peace in local government deal with the common law,first judicial stage in state system.