The United States of America

The United States of America was founded on the 4^th July in 1776. A former British colony fought the Revolutionary War to earn freedom. Today there are 50 states and federal districts (like Washington, D. C.). The US is bordered by Canada in the north and Mexico in the south. The largest state Alaska and Hawaii are separated from the US mainland.

With an area of more than 9 million squared kilometres, the US is the third largest country in the world, and the geography is very varied. The east coast has many cities, like New York City, Boston and the capital, Washington, D. C. The middle of the country is quite flat- this is where most of the farming occurs. The southern half is more tropical in the east and more desert- like in the west. The western half also has many mountains (the Rocky Mountains) and national parks. The longest US river is the Missouri River, followed by the Mississippi River. The highest mountain is Mount McKinley in Alaska, which has 6 196 meters.

There are about 300 million people in the US. The country is often called a “melting pot” because it is made up of so many different ethnic groups. There are five major ones: White, Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American.

The American political system is laid out in its Constitution. The government is divided into three branches: the executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is made up of the president and his cabinet, or advisors. The legislative branch is the section that makes the laws. It is made up of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Together they form the Congress. The judicial branch is the federal court system, which enforces and defines the laws made by Congress. The highest court in the country is called the Supreme Court.

There are a lot of natural attractions in the US, such as Yellowstone National Park with its geysers and Yosemite National Park with its rocks and waterfalls. The Grand Canyon is a spectacular canyon on the Colorado River. In Sequoia National Park you can find some of the largest living trees on Earth. Everglades National Park in Florida is a special wetland where you can see many animals including alligators.

Structure:

• Foundation of the USA
• USA geographically
• Inhabitants
• Political system
• National Park and its attractions