The United States of America

PLAN

1. The USA, general information .
2. The history of the USA.
3. American symbols.
4. Economy of the USA.
5. Political system of America.
6. Education in the USA
7. American food.
8. The capital of the USA.
9. Places of interest.
10. Holidays in the USA.
11. Famous personalities of America.

The United States of America
General information

The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada
and China). It occupies the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the
Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total
area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA borders on
Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a seaboarder with Russia.
The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia, a special federal area where
the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is about 250
million.
If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest
mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is
Mount McKinley, which is located in Alaska.
America's largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande and the Columbia.
The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.
The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of
Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part is continental. The south has subtropical climate.
Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific
coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.
The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It is the world's leading producer of
copper and oil and the world's second producer of iron ore and coal. Among the most important
manufacturing industries are aircraft, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, armaments,
furniture and paper.
Though mainly European and African in origin, Americans are made up from nearly all races
and nations, including Chinese and native Americans.
The largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco
and others.

The history of the USA

The Pre-Columbian Era is the time before  Christopher Columbus  went to the  Americas  in
1492. At that time,  Native Americans  lived on the land that is now controlled by the United
States. They had various cultures: Native Americans in the Eastern Woodlands
hunted  game  and  deer ; Native Americans in the Northwest fished; Native Americans in the
Southwest grew corn and built houses called  pueblos ; and Native Americans in the  Great
Plains  hunted  buffalo . Around the year 1000, the  Vikings  visited  Newfoundland . However, they
did not settle there.
Native Americans  lived in the  Americas  for thousands of years.  English people  in 1607 went
to the place now called  Jamestown, Virginia . Other European  settlers  went to the colonies,
mostly from  England  and later  Great Britain .  France ,  Spain , and the  Netherlands  also colonized
North America. In 1775, a war between the  thirteen colonies  and Britain began when the
colonists were upset over paying taxation to their government in the UK, but were not being
given any chance to vote in the UK/British elections, to contribute to how that money was spent.
Just after dawn on April 19, 1775, the British attempted to disarm the Massachusetts militia
at Concord, Massachusetts, thus beginning the war with the " Shot Heard Round the World. " On
July 4, 1776, Founding Fathers wrote the  United States Declaration of Independence . They won
the  Revolutionary War  and started a new country. They signed the  constitution  in 1787 and
the  Bill of Rights  in 1791.  General George Washington , who had led the war, became its first
president.
During the 19th century, the United States gained much more land in the West and began to
become  industrialized . In 1861, several states in the  South  attempted to leave the United States to

start a new country called the  Confederate States of America . This caused the  American Civil
War . After the war, Immigration resumed. Some Americans became very rich in this  Gilded
Age , and the country developed one of the largest  economies  in the world.
In the early 20th century, the United States became a  world power , fighting in  World War
I  and  World War II . Between the wars, there was an economic boom called the  Roaring
Twenties , when many people became richer, and a bust, called the  Great Depression , when most
were poorer. The Great Depression ended with World War II.
The United States and the  Soviet Union  entered the  Cold War in 1946. This included wars
in  Korea  and  Vietnam . During this time, African-Americans,  Chicanos , and women sought
more  rights . In the 1970s and 1980s, the United States started to  make fewer things  in factories.
The country then went through the worst  recession  it had since the Great Depression. In the late
1980s, the Cold War ended, helping the United States out of recession. The  Middle East  became
more important in American  foreign policy , especially after the  September 11 attacks  in 2001.

American symbols

The American flag is often called “The Stars and Stripes”, it is also called "Old Glory". It
represents the growth of the nation. It has 13 horizontal stripes, 7 red and 6 white which stand for
the original 13 states. In the top left hand corner there are 50 white stars on a blue background:
one star for each state.
The national anthem of the United States is “The Star Spangled Banner". The words written
during the Anglo-American war of 1812-1814 and set to the music of an old song. Every state
has its own flag, its own emblem and its own anthem too.
The eagle became the national emblem of the country in 1782. It has an olive branch (a
symbol of peace) and arrows (a symbol of strength). You can see the eagle on the back of a
dollar bill.
The Statue of Liberty is the symbol of American democracy. It stands on Liberty Island in
New York. It one of the first things people see when they arrive in New York by sea. This
National Monument was a present form France to the USA. France gave the statue to America in
1884 as a symbol of friendship. Liberty carries the torch of freedom - in her right hand. In her
left hand she is holding a tablet with the inscription "July 4,1776" - American Independence
Day.

Economy of the USA

The United States of America is a highly developed industrialized country. Shipbuilding,
electronics, automobile industry, aircraft industry, space research are highly developed in the
States.
Each region of the United States has characteris¬tics of its own due to the differences in
climate, landscape and geographical position.  
Great Lakes, Atlantic Coast, Pennsylvania, New Jersy are biggest industrial regions of the
country.
The United States has a lot of mineral deposits or resources such as coal, gold, silver, copper,
lead and zink. The south, especially Texas is rich in oil. The coalfields of Pennsylvania are rich
in coal. There are plenty of coal mines.
Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska is the richest farming re¬gion of America and it is known as the
Corn Belt. The land is fertile and well watered. They grow mostly corn and wheat there. Much
livestock is also raised here.
There is a lot of fruit raising area. For example, California oranges, grapefruit, lemons, as
well as other fruits, wines and vegetables are shipped all over the States and to other parts of the

world. The most important crops grown in the States are also tobacco, soy-beans, peanuts, grapes
and many others.
There are a lot of large and modern cities, but a great proportion of the country consists of
open land dotted with farmhouses and small towns. The usual average town, in any part of the
United States, has its Mam Street with the same types of stores selling the same products. Many
American residential areas tend to have a similar look. As to big cities their centres or
downtowns look very much alike. Downtown is the cluster of skyscrapers immitations of New
York giants.
New York City is the first biggest city of the States. Its population is more than eight million
people. It is a financial and advertising business centre. It is also a biggest seaport of the Hudson
River .Industry of consumer goods is also developed here.
Chicago with a population of more than three and a half million is the second largest city in
the USA3t deals in wheat and other grains, cattle meat processing and manufacturing. Other big
cities are Huston, an oil refining and NASA space research centre, New Orleans, a cotton
industry centre, Los Angeles with Hollywood, Phyladelphia, a shipping commercial centre,
Detroit, a world's leading motor car producer and many others.
Political system of America

The USA is a federal union of 50 states. The basic law is the constitution, adopted in 1787,
which prescribes the structure of national government and lists its rights and fields of authority.
Each state has its government and all of them have the dual character of both Federal and State
government. The political system of the USA is divided into three branches: judicial, legislative
and executive. Each branch holds a certain degree of power over the others, and all take part in
the governmental process.
Although the American system of government is based on Great Britain's, it differs in having
a written constitution, that is the bases of all government and law. The constitution of the US was
adopted after the War of Independence on the 17 th  of September 1787. It lists the set of rules, law
regulations, which provide the practical norms, regulating the work of the government. The main
principle underline the constitution was as follows: "Private property is the backbone of liberty".
It was put forward by a rich plantation owner from Virginia James Madison, who is known to be
a father of the constitution.
The constitution consists of Preamble and seven articles. 27 amendments have so far been
added to its original text. The first 10 amendments, known as "the Bill of Rights', were added in
a group in 1791. These amendments establish the individual rights and freedoms to all people of
the states, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of worship etc. Americans
fill that of all freedoms, proclaimed in the constitution, there is only one freedom - the freedom
of enterprise. The 21 st  amendment limited the President's ruling by maximum two terms.
Supreme legislative power in the American government lies with Congress: the Senate, the
Upper House; and the House of the Representatives - the Lower House. The main task of
Congress is to make federal laws, to levy federal taxes, to make rules for trade, to corn money, to
organise Armed forces, to declare war, to make amendments to the constitution or put foreign
treaties into effect.
Under the constitution the US Senate has some special powers, not given to the House of
Representatives. It approves or disapproves the main presidential appointments: Ambassadors.
Cabinet Members and federal judges; also ratify by a 2/3 vote treatments between the USA and
foreign countries. The House of Representatives has a special power of its own - to invent a bill
to raise money.
The Senate is composed of 100 members - two from each of 50 states, who are elected for a
term of several years. Although congressional elections take place every two years, only 1/3 of
the Senate is reelected. A Senator must be at least 30ty years old, a citizen of the USA for 9
years and a resident of the state from which he is elected. Democrats sit in the western part of the

chamber - on Vice-president’s right. Republicans sit on his left. Vice-president presides over the
Senate and conducts debates. The Senate is stable and more conservative than the House of
Representatives and many Senators are more experienced politicians.
The House of Representatives has 450 members. The number of Representatives depends on
the population of each state. A Representative must be at least 25 years age, a US citizen for 7
years and live in the state from which he is elected. Democrats sit on the Speakers right,
republicans - on his left. The Speaker presides over the House and conducts debates. The
Speaker, like Vice-president, may vote. Most of the Congressmen are layers, businessman and
bankers. The American press as an unrepresentative institution sometimes criticises the US
Congress.
The executive power in the USA belongs to the President and his Administration. The
Presidency in the USA is the highest governmental office. President in the USA is the head of
the state and the government, and also the commander-in-chief of the US Armed Forces.
Vice-resident and the Cabinet assist president. The President and Vice-president are elected for a
term of four years and can be reelected. President must be a natural-born citizen of the USA and
at least 35 years old, and for at least 14 years resident of the USA. The term of office of the
President begins on the 2 nd  of January. Presidential elections are head in two stages - in
November and December. Before the elections the candidates for Presidency tour the country,
meeting people and delivering speeches.
The President, as the chief formulator of public policy, often proposes legislation to
Congress. The president can also veto (forbid) any bill passed by Congress. The veto can be
overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and House of Representatives. As head of his
political party, with ready access to the news media, the president can easily influence public
opinion regarding issues and legislation that he deems vital. President conducts foreign affairs,
signed documents, appoints diplomats, Cabinet Members, federal judges with the consent and
advice of the Senate. He outlines the course of his administration threw Congress.
Under the Constitution, the president is primarily responsible for foreign relations with other
nations. He often represents the United States abroad in consultations with other heads of state,
and, through his officials, he negotiates treaties with over countries. Such treaties must be
approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. Presidents also negotiate with other nations less
formal "executive agreements" that are not subject to Senate approval.
The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court, which is the only court specifically
created by the Constitution. In addition, the Congress has established 11 federal courts of appeal
and below them there are 91 federal district courts. Federal judges are appointed for life or
voluntary retirement, and can only be removed from office through the process of impeachment
and trial in the Congress.
Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases arising out of the Constitution: laws and treaties
of the United States: maritime cases; issues involving foreign citizens or governments; and cases
in which the federal government itself is a party. Ordinarily, federal courts do not hear cases
arising out of the laws of individual states.
The Supreme Court today consists of a chief justice and eight associate justices. With minor
exceptions, all its cases reach the Court on appeal from lower federal or state courts. Most of
these cases involve disputes over the interpretation of laws and legislation. In this capacity, the
Court's most important function consists of determining whether congressional legislation or
executive action violates the Constitution. This power of judicial review is not specifically
provided for by the Constitution; rather, it is the Court's interpretation of its Constitutional role
as established in the landmark.

Education in the USA

The American system of education is unlike that in many other countries. Its peculiar feature
is the actual absence of national administration. There are 50 states in the country and each of

them is responsible for its own school. For children aged from 6 to 16 (or 18) education is
compulsory. It is presented by both public and private schools. While public education is
financed by the state, local, and federal government, private education determines its own
curriculum and policy. Public education is universally available and its standards are set by the
state governments. According to statistics, almost 90% of school children in the USA attend
public schools and nearly 10% attend private schools. There are also some children who are
homeschooled.
Apart from differences, which exist throughout the country, there are certain common
features. For example, elementary school normally involves short preschool education.
Elementary and secondary schools take up to 12 years, depending on the state. School year lasts
for 10 months. It starts in September and ends in June. Children usually attend school five days a
week for five or more hours a day. The elementary school curriculum includes English,
mathematics, science, computer skills, music, art, physical education, and some other subjects.
The majority of Americans continue secondary education in institutions of higher education,
which comprise into community colleges, technical schools, universities and special graduate
schools, which offer Doctor’s and Master’s degrees.
Undergraduate education in the USA offers two types of degrees: associate’s and bachelor’s.
Most community colleges offer two year associate’s degrees, although there are some which
have a number of bachelor programs. If a community college doesn’t offer a baccalaureate,
students prefer to transfer to other institution, where they can pursue a bachelor’s degree,
studying for four more years. These four-year colleges or universities can be either private or
public, while community colleges are mainly funded publicly. Public universities are usually
sponsored by government. They can get funding through federal grants, tuition, private
donations. Private universities are funded from private sources. Curriculum widely varies in each
institution. Students are allowed to change their majors several times. Those, who achieve a
bachelor’s degree, are likely to continue studying in the postgraduate.
Grading scale and standardized tests are typical for American education. In schools children
get accessed during each academic year. At certain intervals they also get report cards from
teachers, which are designed for parents. American schools generally use a letter grade. For
example, “A” – for excellent work and “E” – for poor work. To appoint such grades a teacher
should count the total number of points for a student and then translate it into a letter grade. To
ensure that children are achieving the desired level of education American schools hold certain
tests. At the 11th grade students take one or more standardized tests, which evaluate the overall
level of their knowledge. The most common standardized tests are SAT (Scholastic Assessment
Test) and ACT (American College Testing).

American food

If you live in America, you don’t need to be told that whenever possible, Americans will
figure out a way to introduce food into a celebration. And, depending on the occasion and where
it is being held, certain foods just seem to “fit” certain occasions.
For example, spring and summer picnic or cookout menus almost always include hot dogs,
burgers, potato salad and coleslaw, and of course some cold beer. Thanksgiving holiday
(national feast), Christmas, and other winter holiday celebrations are the time for mashed
potatoes, roasted root vegetables, and hams or turkeys (sometimes both) followed by pumpkin,
pecan, or apple pie. On New Year’s Day, a traditional meal of pork and black-eyed peas is eaten
almost everywhere in America.
But, does America actually have a National dish like it has a national anthem, national flag,
national symbol (the bald eagle) and, of course a national pastime? That’s really hard to say.
However, when Americans do think of a national dish, a hamburger and apple pie may be the
first one to come to mind, although technically, it has not been declared such, and neither has
any other food.

That’s probably because there are so many regional foods that to give one certain one that
designation would probably bring a protest on the White. Think about it. Louisiana Cajuns might
want it to be jambalaya, the residents of Memphis, North Carolina, Kansas City, and Texas
would vote for barbecue, while those in Southern states might insist it be fried chicken, macaroni
and cheese, and collard greens. And in the New England states lobster, clam chowder, and fried
seafood would get the nod.

The capital of the USA

The beautiful city of Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States and the centre of its
government. The capital was named after the first president George Washington and was
founded in 1790. It is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. Washington is
not the largest city in the USA. It has a population only 900000.
Washington D.C. has nothing characteristically American in it, as its conception is purely
French. It has long wide avenues, gardens, beautiful parks and no skyscrapers at all. Washington
is the residence of the President and the Congress of the USA. The White House is the
President’s residence, the Capitol – the seat of the American Congress. The largest and the tallest
among the buildings is the Capitol with its great House of Representatives and Senate Chamber.
There are no skyscrapers because no other building must be taller than the Capitol. All american
presidents except George Washington (the White House was not yet built in his time) have lived
in the White House. It was built in 1799.
Washington is a large scientific and cultural centre, where there are many research institutes,
five universities, the National Academy of Science and the Library of Congress.
There is one more well-known building in Washington – Pentagon, the residence of the US
Military department. It is situated in the suburbs to the south of the Potomac.

Places of interest

There are a number of places which tourists want to visit arriving in the USA. This list
includes the White House, Manhattan, Las Vegas, Golden Gate Bridge, Niagara Falls, Grand
Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, and of course Hollywood. 
The White House is situated in the capital of the USA. Since its foundation it has served as
the official residence of the President. The building was first used by John Adams. 
Manhattan is the place which people picture thinking of New York. It is one of its five
boroughs with plenty of skyscrapers. The image of Manhattan has been featured thousands times
on screen. The sights of the area include Times Square, Broadway Theatre, Rockefeller
University, New York City Hall, etc. Manhattan is also one of the most expensive places to live
and to shop. 
Las Vegas is the gambling mecca of the world. This resort city is the leading financial and
cultural center of southern Nevada. Casinos and mega-casino hotels with lavish decorations can
be found throughout the city. All in all, the city is built to create a fantasy-like atmosphere.
An internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge. It spans
the Golden Gate strait – a channel between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. It was built
in 1937 and for almost thirty years remained the world’s longest suspension bridge. The red-
orange colour of the bridge was chosen to make it more visible through thick fog. The bridge is
frequently featured in movies.

One of the most spectacular natural wonders of North America is Niagara Falls. It is
situated between the state of New York and the province of Ontario. It actually contains three
different waterfalls. The largest one, the Horseshoe Falls, is situated on the Canadian side. 
Grand Canyon is an extremely attractive tourist destination. The site is situated in Northern
Arizona by the Colorado River. It is over several millions year. Although it’s not the largest
canyon in the world, the view if this landmark is impressive with its colourful landscapes and
spectacular vistas.
Yellowstone National Park is another remarkable natural sight. It is situated in the state of
Wyoming, although it stretches to Montana and Idaho. It was the first national park in the world
established to preserve natural geysers and wildlife. The park lies on top of a gigantic hotspot,
which has a light molten rock on the surface. Tourists can find geysers and hot springs there. In
addition, they can see grizzly bears and bison, deer and elk and many other wondrous things
within the park borders.
One of the most desired tourist destinations in the USA is Hollywood – the home of
American film industry and entertainment. It is located in central Los Angeles and features
several historic studios. The area of Hollywood also includes the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre,
Paramount Pictures, Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive shopping opportunities and many other
interesting places.

Holidays in the USA

There are no national holidays in the United States. Each of the 50 states has jurisdiction over
its holidays. In practice, however, most states observe the federal (“legal”) public holidays, even
though the President and Congress can legally designate holidays only for federal government
employees.
Ten holidays per year are proclaimed by the federal government. They are as follows:
New Year's Day (January 1)
Martin Luther King Day (third Monday in January)
George Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February)
Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
Independence Day (July 4)
Labour Day (first Monday in September)
Columbus Day (second Monday in October)
Veteran's Day (November 11)
Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
Christmas (December 25).
There is no many traditional holidays, observed by a large number of Americans, which are
neither legal nor official. Among these are Valentine’s Day, St. Patric’s Day, Mother’s Day and
Halloween (the last day of October).
Valentine’s Day has had a long and romantic history. February 14 was the Roman date of
the festival, where were games and dancing and then each young man drew from an urn the
name of the girl who would be his sweetheart for the coming year. In the seventh century the
festival began to be called St. Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is the sweet-hearts holiday when people in love express affection for each
other in different ways. The young people can do it though a small gift or a card.

On October 31, Americans celebrate Halloween. Halloween means "holy" (hallow)
“evening” (een). This is the evening before the Christian holiday – All Saints Day. On All Saints
Day, Christians remember the saints. But Halloween is even older than Christianity.
Before Christianity, people in Europe believed that on October 31 ghosts of dead people
came back. To scare the ghosts, people dressed like devils and were very noisy. They also made
big fires to keep the ghosts away. Later, people did not believe in ghosts, but they kept the day of
Halloween for fun.
Immigrants came from Europe to America and brought with them the custom of Halloween.
Halloween has some strange symbols. One symbol is the jack-o'-lantern in the window. The
jack-o’-lantern is to scare the ghosts. People cut the pumpkin, throw away all of the inside, and
cut a face in it. Then they put a candle inside of it. Jack-o’-lanterns usually look scary, too.
Today, in the United States, Halloween is very popular with children. They wear masks and
special costumes. They want to look like skeletons and ghosts. Then they go from house to house
and say, “Trick or treat!” People give them candies, cookies, or fruit. When people give nothing,
the children sometimes play tricks on them.
On July 4 the Americans celebrate their national holiday – Independence Day. The United
States gained independence as a result of gradual and painful process. By the mid 1700’s,it
became difficult for thirteen British colonies in the New World to be ruled by a king 3.000 miles
across the ocean. The British empire imposed high taxes upon the colonies.
In 1774, the First Continental Congress drew up a list of grievances against the British
crown. This document was the first draft of the document that would formally separate colonies
from England. In 1775, the Revolutionary War began July 2,1776, the Second Continental
Congress presented a second draft of the list of grievances. On July 4 the Continental Congress
approved the Declaration of independence. But the War of independence lasted until 1783. After
the war Independence Day became an official holiday.
On July 4, Americans have holiday from work. People have day-long picnics with favorite
foods like hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans. Lively music is heard everywhere.
People play baseball or compete at three-legged races. or pie-eating or water-melon-eating
contests. Some cities have parades with people dressed as the original founding fathers who
march to the music of high school bands. In the evening people gather to watch firework
displays. Wherever Americans are around the globe they will get together to celebrate
Independence Day.
Thanksgiving. In1620, a religious community sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in
the New World. They settled in what is now known as the state of Massachusettes. Their first
winter in America was difficult. They arrived too late to grow a rich harvest. Moreover, half the
colony died from desease. The following spring the Iroquois Indians taught them how to grow
corn. Indians showed them also how to grow other crops and how to hunt and fish.
In the autumn of 1621 they got a beautiful harvest of corn, barley, beans and pumpkins. The
colonists had much to be thankful for, so they planned a feast. Local Indian chief and ninety
Indians were present. The colonists learned from Indians how to cook cranberries and dishes of
corn and pumpkins.
In following years many of the colonists celebrated the harvest with a feast of thanks. After
the United States gained independence, Congress recommended one yearly day of thanksgiving
for the whole country. Later, George Washington suggested the date November 26 as
Thanksgiving Day. Then, after the civil war, Abraham Lincoln suggested the last Thursday in
November to be the day of thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving Day, family members gather at the house of an older relative, even if they
live far away. All give thanks for everything good they have. Charitable organization offer
traditional meal to the homeless.

Food, eaten at the first Thanksgiving, have become traditional. The traditional thanksgiving
mean consists of roast turkey stuffed with herb-flavoured bread, cranberry jelly, mashed
potatoes, pumpkin pie. Other dishes may vary as to region: ham, sweet potatoes, creamed corn.
Christmas is Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. No one knows the
exact date of Christ’s birth but most Christie celebrate Christmas on December 25. People in the
United States decorate their homes with Christmas trees, wreaths and ornaments. City streets are
filled with colored lights; the sound of bells and Christmas carols can be heard everywhere.
Children write letters to Santa Claus and tell him what presents they would like to get. Many
department stores hire people to wear a Santa Claus costume and listen to children’s requests.
People send Christmas cards to relatives and friends.
A Christmas tree is one of the main symbols of Christmas in most homes. Presents are placed
under the tree. On Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, families open their presents. Some
children hang up stockings so Santa Claus can fill them with candy, fruit and other small gift.
In many parts of the United States groups of people walk from house to house and sing
Christmas carols. Some people give singers money or small gifts or invite them for a warm
drink.
Many people attend church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. They listen to
readings from Bible and singing Christmas carols.
A traditional Christmas dinner consists of stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce
and a variety of other dishes. Some families have ham or roast goose. Pumpkin pie, plum
pudding, and fruitcake are favourite desserts.

Famous personalities of America

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known to most people as Mark Twain, was born and spent his
boyhood in a small town on the Mississippi River. When he grew up, he became a river pilot.
Later he went west and worked as a newspaper reporter. While he was on this job he began
to sign his articles “Mark Twain”. From then on Clemens used Mark Twain as his pen-name.
Clemens travelled a lot and gave lectures.
Clemens spent his summers on his farm. There he wrote “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”,
published in 1876. Tom in the story is really Mark Twain. Huckleberry Finn is his close boyhood
friend, Tom Blankenship. The book tells of the boys’ exciting adventures.
Later Clemens wrote a sequel, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. “Tom Sawyer” and
“Huckleberry Finn” are among the most popular books ever published in the United States.
Among Mark Twain’s other books are “Joan of Arc”, “Life on the Mississippi”.
Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States. He was born in
Kentucky in 1809. His family was very poor. When Lincoln was a boy, he worked on his
family’s farm. He did not go to school. He taught himself to read and write. Later, Lincoln
studied law and became a lawyer. After that, he became a politician.
Everybody liked Abraham Lincoln because he was intelligent and hard-working. Lincoln
was very ambitious. He wanted to be good at everything he did. He said that he wanted to win
the “race of life”. He was also kind and honest. People called him “Honest Abe”.
Lincoln became president in 1860. In 1861, there was a war between the North and the South
of the United States. The people in the South wanted a separate government from the United
States. The North wanted the United States to stay together as one country. Lincoln was the
leader of the North. The Civil War was four years long.
The North won the Civil War. The war ended on April 9, 1865. Six days later, President
Lincoln and his wife went to the theatre. Inside the theatre, a man went behind the president and

shot him in the head. The man’s name was John Wilkes Booth. He was a supporter of the South.
Lincoln died the next morning.
Thomas Alva Edison was born in 1847. He was sick a lot when he was young. Edison’s
mother taught him lessons at home and he only studied the things he wanted to know. At the age
of ten, he read his first science book. After he read the book, he built a laboratory in his house.
Soon, Edison started to invent things. He was interested in the telegraph and electricity. At the
age of twenty-three, he made a special telegraphic machine and sold it for a lot of money. With
this money, he was free to invent all the time.
Edison started his own laboratory at Menio Park, New Jersey. He hired mechanics and
chemists to help him. He worked day and night. Once, he worked on forty-five inventions at the
same time. Edison did not sleep very much. He often fell asleep with his clothes on.
Did you know Edison invented wax paper, fire alarms, the battery, and motion pictures? But
his favourite invention was the phonograph, or record player. He invented the phonograph in
1876. His other famous invention was the light bulb. Edison died in 1931, at the age of eighty-
four. He had over 1,300 inventions to his name! Many people say that Edison was a genius – one
of the smartest people in the world.
Ernest Hemingway is one of the greatest 20th-century American writers. His incredible
career, and the legend which developed around his impressive personality, was that of a man of
action, a devil-may-care adventurer, a brave war correspondent, an amateur boxer, a big-game
hunter and deep-sea fisherman, the victim of three car accidents and two plane crashes, a man of
four wives, but above all a brilliant writer of stories and novels.
Hemingway was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. His father was a doctor who initiated the
boy into the outdoor life of hunting, camping and fishing. In high school Hemingway played
football and wrote for the school newspaper.
In 1917, when the United States entered the First World War, Hemingway left home and
schooling to become a young reporter for the Kansas City Star. He wanted to enlist for the war
but was rejected because of an eye injury from football. Finally he managed to go to Europe as
an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. He joined the Italian army and was seriously wounded.
His war experience and adventurous life provided the background for his many short stories
and novels. He achieved success with A Farewell to Arms , the story of a love affair between an
American lieutenant and an English nurse during the First World War.
Hemingway actively supported the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War and wrote another
successful novel of war, love and death. It was For Whom the Bell Tolls.
During the Second World War Hemingway was a war correspondent first in China and then
in Europe. He fought in France, and helped to liberate Paris.
In his later years Hemingway lived mostly in Cuba where his passion for deep-sea fishing
provided the background for The Old Man and the Sea. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for
literature in 1954.
Unwilling to live with the inevitable physical aging, Hemingway committed suicide, as his
father had done before him under similar circumstances.
Theodore Roosevelt was the twenty-sixth president of the United States. He was president
from 1901 to 1909. He was a very intelligent man. He was also very energetic. He was a boxer, a
soldier, a rancher, and an explorer.
This energetic man was not strong when he was a boy. He had some problems with his
breathing. He had asthma. His father wanted him to be strong. Roosevelt learned to box and did
many other sports. Soon Roosevelt became strong and energetic.
After he became president, Roosevelt kept his body strong. He even boxed in the White
House. One day, another boxer hit him in the eye. After that accident, Roosevelt became blind in
one eye.

Theodore Roosevelt’s nickname was “Teddy”. Everybody called him Teddy. When he was
president, he often went hunting. One day he went hunting with some friends and saw a little
bear. He did not shoot the bear. He said the bear was too small and must go free. The next day
the story of the little bear was in the newspapers. The newspapers named the little bear “Teddy”
after the president. Soon people called toy bears for children “teddy bears”.
When he left the White House, Teddy Roosevelt went to hunt in Africa. He then went to
South America to explore places that nobody knew about. Everybody loved his energy.

ПЛАН

1. США, общая информация.
2. История США.
3. Символы Америки.
4. Экономика США.
5. Политическая система Америки.
6. Образование в США
7. Американская еда.
8. Столица Соединенных Штатов Америки.
9. Достопримечательности.
10. Праздники в США.
11. Знаменитые личности Америки.

Соединенные Штаты Америки
Общая информация

Соединенные Штаты Америки - четвертая по величине страна в мире (после России,
Канады и Китая). Она занимает южную часть Северной Америки и простирается от
Тихого океана до Атлантического. Она также включает в себя Аляску на севере и Гавайи
в Тихом океане. Общая площадь страны составляет около девяти с половиной миллионов
квадратных километров. США граничат с Канадой на севере и с Мексикой на юге. Страна
также имеет морскую границу с Россией.
США состоят из 50 штатов и округа Колумбия, особого федерального округа, где
находится столица страны - Вашингтон. Население страны составляет около 250
миллионов человек.
Если мы посмотрим на карту США, то увидим низменности и горы. Самые высокие
горы - это скалистые горы Кордильеры и Сьерра-Невада. Самая высокая вершина - гора
Маккинли, которая находится на Аляске.
Крупнейшие реки Америки-Миссисипи, Миссури, Рио-Гранде и Колумбия. Великие
озера на границе с Канадой - самые большие и глубокие В США.
Климат страны сильно меняется. Самые холодные регионы находятся на севере.
Климат Аляски - арктический. Климат центральной части страны - резко
континентальный. На юге - субтропический климат. Горячие ветры, дующие с
Мексиканского залива, часто приносят тайфуны. Климат на тихоокеанском побережье
гораздо теплее, чем на атлантическом побережье.
США - высокоразвитая индустриальная страна. Это крупнейший в мире
производитель меди и нефти, а также второй в мире производитель железной руды и угля.
Среди наиболее важных отраслей обрабатывающей промышленности - авиация,
автомобилестроение, текстиль, радио и телевидение, вооружение, мебель и бумага.
Хотя американцы, в основном, европейцы и африканцы по происхождению, они
состоят почти из всех рас и наций, включая китайцев и коренных американцев.
Крупнейшие города - Нью-Йорк, Лос-Анджелес, Чикаго, Филадельфия, Детройт, Сан-
Франциско и другие.

История Соединенных Штатов Америки

Доколумбовая эра - это время до того, как Христофор Колумб отправился в Америку в
1492 году. В то время коренные американцы жили на земле, которая сейчас принадлежит
Соединенным Штатам, - Ньюфаунленде. Они имели различную культуру: коренные
американцы в Восточных Лесах охотились на дичь и оленей; коренные американцы на
северо-западе ловили рыбу; коренные американцы на юго-западе выращивали кукурузу и
строили дома, называемые пуэбло; а коренные американцы на Великих Равнинах
охотились на буйволов. Примерно в 1000 году викинги посетили Ньюфаундленд, однако
не стали селиться там.
Коренные американцы жили в Америке на протяжении тысяч лет. Англичане в 1607
году отправились в местечко, которое теперь называется Джеймстаун, штат Виргиния.
Другие европейские поселенцы отправились в колонии, в основном из Англии, а затем из
всей Великобритании. Франция, Испания и Нидерланды также колонизировали Северную
Америку. В 1775 году началась война между тринадцатью колониями и Британией, когда
колонисты были не довольны тем, что платят налоги своему правительству в
Великобритании, но им не давали никакого шанса проголосовать на Британских выборах,
чтобы внести свой вклад в то, как эти деньги расходовались.
Сразу после рассвета 19 апреля 1775 года англичане попытались разоружить
массачусетское ополчение в Конкорде, штат Массачусетс, тем самым начав войну с
"выстрела, услышанного по всему миру."4 июля 1776 года отцы-основатели написали

Декларацию Независимости Соединенных Штатов. Они выиграли революционную войну
и основали новую страну. Они подписали Конституцию в 1787 году и Билль о Правах в
1791 году. Генерал Джордж Вашингтон, возглавлявший войну, стал ее первым
президентом страны.
В течение 19-го века Соединенные Штаты получили гораздо больше земли на западе и
начали развиваться промышленно. В 1861 году несколько южных штатов попытались
покинуть состав Соединенных Штатов и основать новую страну под названием
Конфедеративные Штаты Америки. Это вызвало гражданскую войну. После войны
иммиграция возобновилась. Некоторые американцы стали очень богатыми в этот Золотой
Век, и страна развила одну из крупнейших экономик в мире.
В начале 20-го века Соединенные Штаты стали мировой державой, сражаясь в Первой
и Второй Мировых войнах. Между войнами был экономический бум под названием
Ревущие Двадцатые годы, когда многие люди стали богаче, и крах, названный Великой
Депрессией, когда большинство из них обеднели. Великая Депрессия закончилась вместе
со Второй Мировой войной.
Соединенные Штаты и Советский Союз вступили в Холодную войну в 1946 году. Это
совпало с войнами в Корее и Вьетнаме. В течение этого времени афроамериканцы,
чиканос и женщины стремились получить больше прав. В 1970-х и 1980-х годах
Соединенные Штаты производили меньше вещей на фабриках. Тогда страна пережила
самую страшную рецессию со времен Великой Депрессии. В конце 1980-х годов
закончилась Холодная война, которая помогла Соединенным Штатам выйти из рецессии.
Ближний Восток стал играть все более важную роль в американской внешней политике,
особенно после терактов 11 сентября 2001 года.

Американские символы

Американский флаг часто называют “звездно-полосатым". Также он имеет название
"Старая Слава". Он представляет собой рост нации; имеет 13 горизонтальных полос, 7
красных и 6 белых, которые обозначают исходные 13 штатов. В верхнем левом углу
находятся 50 белых звезд на синем фоне: по одной звезде для каждого штата.
Национальный гимн Соединенных Штатов - это "Звездно-полосатое знамя". Слова,
написанные во время англо-американской войны 1812-1814 годов и положенные на
музыку старинной песни. У каждого государства есть свой флаг, своя эмблема и свой
гимн.
Орел стал государственным гербом страны в 1782 году. У него есть оливковая ветвь
(символ мира) и стрелы (символ силы). Вы можете увидеть орла на обратной стороне
долларовой купюры.
Статуя Свободы - это символ американской демократии. Он стоит на Острове
Свободы в Нью-Йорке. Это одна из первых вещей, которые люди видят, когда прибывают
в Нью-Йорк морем. Этот национальный памятник был подарком от Франции для США.
Франция подарила статую Америке в 1884 году как символ дружбы. Статуя несет факел
свободы в своей правой руке. В левой руке она держит табличку с надписью "4 июля 1776
года" - День Независимости Америки.

Экономика США

Соединенные Штаты Америки - это высокоразвитая индустриальная страна. В Штатах
высоко развиты судостроение, электроника, автомобильная промышленность,
авиастроение, космические исследования.
Каждый регион Соединенных Штатов имеет свои особенности, обусловленные
различиями в климате, ландшафте и географическом положении.

Великие озера, Атлантическое побережье, Пенсильвания, Нью-Джерси - крупнейшие
промышленные регионы страны.
В Соединенных Штатах есть много месторождений полезных ископаемых или
ресурсов, таких как уголь, золото, серебро, медь, свинец и цинк. Юг, особенно Техас,
богат нефтью. Угольные месторождения Пенсильвании богаты углем. Здесь полно
угольных шахт.
Иллинойс, Айова, Небраска - самые богатые сельскохозяйственные регионы Америки,
известные как «кукурузный пояс». Земля здесь плодородная и хорошо орошаемая. Там
выращивают в основном кукурузу и пшеницу. Здесь также выращивается много скота.
Очень много плодоводческих площадей. Например, калифорнийские апельсины,
грейпфруты, лимоны, а также другие фрукты и овощи поставляются по всем штатам и в
другие части мира. Самыми важными культурами, выращиваемыми в Штатах, являются
также табак, соевые бобы, арахис, виноград и многие другие.
Здесь много больших и современных городов, но большая часть страны состоит из
открытых земель, усеянных фермерскими домами и маленькими городками. В обычном
среднестатистическом городе, в любой части Соединенных Штатов, есть своя Мэм Стрит
со всеми типами магазинов, продающих разнообразные продукты. Многие американские
жилые районы, как правило, имеют похожий вид. Что же касается больших городов, то их
центры или даунтауны очень похожи. Центр города – это скопление небоскребов,
имитирующих нью-йоркские высотки.
Нью-Йорк - первый по величине город Соединенных Штатов. Его население
составляет более восьми миллионов человек. Это финансовый и рекламный бизнес-центр.
Это также самый большой морской порт на реке Гудзон. Здесь также развита индустрия
потребительских товаров.
Чикаго с населением более трех с половиной миллионов человек является вторым по
величине городом в США, который занимается переработкой пшеницы и других зерновых
культур, мясопереработкой крупного рогатого скота и обрабатывающей
промышленностью.
Другие крупные города - Хьюстон, центр нефтепереработки и космических
исследований НАСА, Новый Орлеан, центр хлопковой промышленности, Лос-Анджелес с
Голливудом, Филадельфия, торговый центр судоходства, Детройт, ведущий мировой
производитель автомобилей и многие другие.

Политическая система Америки

США - это Федеральный союз из 50 штатов. Основным законом является
Конституция, принятая в 1787 году, которая определяет структуру национального
правительства и перечисляет его права и сферы полномочий. Каждый штат имеет свое
правительство, и все они имеют двойной характер как федерального, так и
государственного управления. Политическая система США делится на три ветви:
судебную, законодательную и исполнительную. Каждая ветвь обладает определенной
степенью власти над другими, и все они принимают участие в правительственном
процессе.
Хотя американская система правления основана на британской, она отличается тем,
что имеет письменную конституцию, которая является основой всего правительства и
закона. Конституция США была принята после войны за независимость 17 сентября 1787
года. В ней перечисляется совокупность норм, правовых предписаний, которые
обеспечивают практические нормы, регулирующие работу органов государственной
власти. Главный принцип Конституции : «частная собственность-это основа свободы». Он
был выдвинут богатым владельцем плантации из Вирджинии Джеймсом Мэдисоном,
который, как известно, является «отцом» Конституции.

Конституция состоит из преамбулы и семи статей. К настоящему времени в его
первоначальный текст было добавлено 27 поправок. Первые 10 поправок, известные как
"Билль о правах", были добавлены в 1791 году. Эти поправки устанавливают
индивидуальные права и свободы для всех граждан государств, включая свободу слова,
свободу печати, свободу вероисповедания и т.д. Американцы считают, что из всех свобод,
провозглашенных в Конституции, есть только одна свобода - свобода
предпринимательства. 21-я поправка ограничила правление Президента максимум двумя
сроками.
Высшая Законодательная власть в американском Правительстве принадлежит
Конгрессу: Сенату (Верхняя Палата), и Палате Представителей (Нижняя Палата).
Согласно Конституции США, все граждане обоего пола старше 18 лет имеют право
голоса, но на самом деле число избирателей гораздо меньше. Главная задача Конгресса -
принимать федеральные законы, взимать федеральные налоги, устанавливать правила
торговли, собирать деньги, организовывать Вооруженные силы, объявлять войну, вносить
поправки в Конституцию или приводить в действие иностранные договоры.
По Конституции Сенат США обладает некоторыми особыми полномочиями, не
предоставленными Палате Представителей. Он одобряет или не одобряет основные
президентские назначения: послов, членов Кабинета Министров и федеральных с?