Officially the USA began as an independent nation with the Declaration of Independence in July 1776. By the 1770s there were only 13 Britain’s American colonies which contaied 2,5 million people.
In 1789 the Constitution became the basis for thr US federal governmentwith George Washington as the first President.
In 1860 Abraham Lincoln became the president of the USA who struggled against slavery. As the result of the American Civil War (1861-1865) slavery in the USA was abolished.
During the 19th"and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 .
Among the most famous presidents of the USA is Franklin Roosevelt whose economic programs and reforms saved the country during the Great depression.
There were three most dramatic experiences in the nation's history: the Civil War (1861-1865), the Great Depression of the 1930s and Vietnam War of the 1960s — 70s.
After its victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the USA remains the world's most powerful state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and great advances in technology.
Nowadays USA is world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India). It is about half the size of Russia or lightly larger than China or Brazil.
The USA.
The Unites States of America are situated in the central part of the North American continent. Its western coast is washed by the Pacific Ocean and its eastern coast — by the Atlantic Ocean. The total area of the USA is over nine million square kilometers. The population of the USA is about 250 million people; most of the population lives in towns and cities. The USA is a very large country, so it has several different climatic regions. The United States is a land of rivers and lakes. The longest rivers in the USA are the Mississippi, the Missouri and the Rio Grande. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. The United States is rich in natural and mineral resources. It produces copper, oil, iron ore and coal. It is a highly-developed industrial and agricultural country. There are many big cities in the USA, such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and others. The national capital is Washington, D.C. Its population is about 3.4 million. Washington was built in the late eighteenth century as the centre of government. It was named after George Washington. The USA became the world leading country at the beginning of the twentieth century.
There are fifty states in the United States of America. The United States is a young country. Its written history is only a few hundred years old. It is sometimes called the "New World". Over the last 400 years millions of people have come to start a new life in this "New World".
The people of the United States are a mixture of many different nationalities.
There are two main parties in the USA - the Republican party and the Democratic party.
The US government has three branches. The 1st branch is the Congress. The Congress makes the laws. The Congress is divided into two parts, the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The 2nd branch of government is the President and his helpers. They carry out the laws that the Congress makes. The President's term is four years and one can be President for one or two terms, but not longer.
The 3rd branch of government is the Supreme Court. It is made up of nine judges . They have to make sure that the President and the Congress follow the Constitution. Americans are very proud of their Constitution. It was written more than 200 years ago and it is still working!
CITIES OF THE USA.
Among large and famous American cites are Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York.
Washington is the capital of the USA. It is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. George Washington chose the place. The city was founded in 1791 and named after the first president of the USA. Now Washington is the residence of the president and the Congress. The center of the city is on Capitol Hill. The Senate and the House of Representatives work in the Capitol.
The White House is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It is the president's residence. Washington is a large scientific and cultural center. There are five universities in the city. The national academy of sciences and the library of congress are in Washington too. The national museum, the old and new national galleries of art, Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln memorials are among the city sites.
New York is the largest city in USA. It is an economic, financial, scientific and cultural center. Dutch settlers (голландские переселенцы)founded the city in the17th century. The heart of New York is Manhattan. It was here that the Dutch built the first building of the town. The name Wall Street is famous all over the world and stands for the financial center of America. The business center of New York is near Wall Street. Another famous street is Broadway. It is the longest and the widest street in New York. It is the street where most famous theaters are situated. New York is the city of famous skyscrapers. The highest building is now the Impire State Building after the Twin towers were exploded in 2001.
Great Britain
The United Kingdom of G.B. and Northern Irelands is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, G.B. and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. The UK is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The capital of the UK is London.
The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of GB is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.
The landscape of G.B. include mountains and lowlands. There are a lot of rivers in GB, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one. In Scotland there are a lot of lakes.
The climate of G.B. is mild and damp. It is not hot in summer and not cold in winter.
The U.K. is a parliamentary mornachy. The British Parliament consists of two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The prime Minister is the head of the government. There are two main parties in G.B. - the Labour party and the Conservative party.
The U.K. is a highly developed country. The main industrial centers are Sheffield, Birmingham and Manchester.
There sre many universities, cjlleges, libraries, museums and theatres in the country. The most famous universities in G.B. are Oxford and Cambridge.