usa

=United States of America=

Fast Facts
Land: 9,161,923 sq km Water: 664,707 sq km
 * Country:** United States of America
 * Population:** 301,139,947
 * Size:** Total: 9,826,630 sq km
 * Capital City:** Washington DC
 * Currency:** US Dollar
 * Head of Country:** George Bush Junior[[image:us-map.gif width="319" height="204" align="right"]]
 * Language:** English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
 * Religons:** Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)
 * Ethnic Groups:** white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2%
 * Flag Descritption:** The US Flag is made up of 13 equal horizontal stripes that are red and white. In the top left hand corner there is a blue rectangle contaning 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine horizontal rows of six or five stars. These 50 stars represent the 50 states in the US and the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonesian the USA. The USA flag is similar to a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico.

Location
The US in located in the northern hemisphere and bordered by the North Pacific and North Atlantic Ocen, Canada and Mexico.

Geographical Features
The United States is the world's third largest nation by total area behind Russia and China, just ahead of Canada. The coastal plain of the Atlantic seaboard gives way further inland to deciduous forests and the rolling hills of the Piedmont. The Appalachian Mountains divide the eastern seaboard from the Great Lakes and the grasslands of the Midwest. The Mississippi-Missouri River, the world's fourth longest river system, runs mainly north-south through the heart of the country. The flat, fertile prairie land of the Great Plains stretches to the west. The Rocky Mountains, at the western edge of the Great Plains, extend north to south across the continental United States, reaching altitudes higher than 4,300m in Colorado. The area to the west of the Rockies contains deserts such as the Mojave and the rocky Great Basin. The Sierra Nevada range runs parallel to the Rockies, relatively close to the Pacific coast. At 6,194m, Alaska's Mount McKinley is the country's tallest mountain. Active volcanoes are common throughout the Alexander and Aleutian Islands and the entire state of Hawaii is built upon tropical volcanic islands. The supervolcano underlying Yellowstone National Park in the Rockies is the continent's largest volcanic feature.

Climate
Because of the United States' large size and wide range of geographic features, nearly every type of climate can be found in the United States. The climate is temperate in most areas, tropical in Hawaii and southern Florida, polar in Alaska, semi-arid in the Great Plains, desert in the Southwest, Mediterranean in coastal California, and arid in the Great Basin. Extreme weather is not uncommon, with the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico being prone to hurricanes and most of the world's tornadoes occur within the continental United States.

Economy
The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world. It is mainly an industrial economy and is the world's largest consumer of energy and resources. The US ecomony is similar in size that of the combine economies of Europe.

Cost $1.023 trillion They Export: agricultural products such as soybeans, fruit, corn, industrial supplies and organic chemicals, goods such as aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment, automobiles and medicines Their Exporting partners are Canada, Mexico, Japan, China and the UK
 * United States Exports:**

Cost $1.861 trillion They Import food, industrial supplies, crude oil, goods like computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery, automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys Their Importing Partners are Canada, China, Mexico, Japan and Germany.
 * United States Imports:**

Government [[image:http://www.cityofmemphis.org/media/images/gov2.jpg width="264" height="144" align="right"]]
United States is a Federal republic and their independence day is 4 July 1776, when it became independant from Great Britain. The suffrage or minimum voting age is 18, which is universal. They have 50 administrative states.The government opperates from the White House in Washington DC. The president is elected for a four-year term and may be re-elected only once. They have 3 government branches that each do a diffrent job, these 3 branches are the Legislitave, Executive and Judical branch, the same as Australia.

//The Legislative Branch// The Legislative branch or congress is bicameral and is made up of the Senate and The House of Representatives. The Senate has 100 members,2 from each state, which are elected every 6 years. The House of Reprisenatines has 435 member's that are relected every two years.

//The Executive Branch// The Executive Branches job is to make sure that thelaws that are made by the Congress are carried out and done propperly. The President Is the head of this Branch and is chosen by the Electoral College. The Electral collgeg is chosen by the citizens of America, and electoral Cologeg Votes for the President.

//The Judical Branch// The Hudical Branch decides whether fedral laws have been broke. It can also be asked to decided if the laws passed by the Congress agree to the principles of the Constitution. There are lots of diffrent Courts inside the Judical branch, such as The Supreme Court, which has nine justices which are nominated by the president and are appointed to serve for life. Some other Courts are Courts of Appeal, District Courts, Claims Court, Court of Appeal for the Fedral Circuit, Court of International Trade, Territorial Courts such as State and County Courts, Court of Millitary Appeals, Court of Veterans Appeal, Administrative Office of Courts and the Fedral Judical Center.

Australia, however, is a federal and democratic government which was established in 1901. The government in Australia operates from parliament house in Canberra. In Australia we have the freedom of speech, freedom to vote and an equal opportunity to be educated. Most of the laws are based on the English common law and the British Westminster system. One important law that also applies to Americans is that all Australian citizens 18 years of age and over must vote in the Government elections.

In Australia there are 3 levels of government; federal, state and local. Each level has different responsibilities. The head of the Australian Government is the Prime Minister, which is currently John Howard. Each state has its own state government led by a Premier. Queensland’s Premier is Anna Bligh. At the local government level the people in charge are the City Council and Mayors.

History
//The first people of america//:The first people to live in North America came from Asia. They arrived 10,000 to 30,000 years ago when the United States and Asia were connected by a natural land bridge. The first people came acroos this bridge when they were hunting for bison and wolly mathons. They eventuly spread out all over The United States and now these people are known as the native Americans or American Indians. There were many different groups of native Americans. Some lived in small groupsk, others were city dwellers or lived in larger groups called nations that developed their own language, custorms and religions. Each nation was made up of different tribes and each tribe had their own way of life wich was shaped by the land and climate they lived in.

//European explorers find the new world:// In 1492, native american life began to change when the Italian Christoper Columbus, captain of three spainish ships, the //nina, pinta and santa maria,// discovered what european called a new world or the Americas. He thought he had reached the sipes island near India, so when he met the native americans, he called them Indians. At first the native Indians welcomed the newcomers and introduced them to tomatoes, corn, potatoes and tobbaco. The european introduced them to guns, sugercane and horses. They also brought many dieases which killed some of the native Americans. //The Colonies of America:// Soon Spain, France and Brittain sent explorers to america and they began to build new coloneis. the fist 13 collonie were made up of 3 parts, the New england, Middle colonies and southern Colonies. The New England colonies are Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut. The Middle colonies are New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. The Southern Colonies are Virginia, Notrh Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

//Life in British Colonies:// In New England, most people lived in towns or on small farms. They traded fish, lumber and animl furrs with other towns allong the atlantic coast. In the Middle Colonies many familyies lived on farm. Their main cropes were wheat, rye, oate, and barly. The mioddle colonies aslo manufactured glass, leather and barrels,gunes, axes, and tools. They were also know for their iornworks. In the Sountern Colonies nearly all of the people made alivving by farming. Their main crops were tobacco, rice and indigo, a plant that used to make dye. Most of the colonists had small farms and lived simple but the wealther colonists owned huge plantations and had slaves that diid most ot the work for them. The first African Americans were brought to America in 1619. They were brought to America on board crowded slave ships. Many of the slaves died on board the ships or became very sick.

//The Begining of democrocy in the British Colonies//. In 1619 the london Company gave virgina the right to Pass laws and Provide a legislative government. this was the first representave governemnt in America and wass called the House of Burgesses.

//The Mayflower:// In 1620, a group of people called Pilgrims wated ot be separatge form the Church of England, so they set sail on the Mayflower from Plymont England and Headded twords Virgina, but were unfortualy blown off cource and arrvied in Cape Cod Bay which they called thir home port and nammed it Plymont. Before they landed they had to sign a aggreement and gave them a set of laws they must abay.

//The French and Indian War:// The Frecnh and Indina war was fought by the French and Native American against the British and American Colonists. Althought a few of the tribes helped the british, most native americans thought that if they didn't win the British would settle on their anicient ancestral lands. The war lasted untill British Major Genral //James Wolfe// captured Qubec,in 1759, which broke the French hold on Canada. Then finally a peace treaty was signed in 1763, and France lost most of it territory.

//The American Revelotion:// By 1775 there were big dissagerment between the 13 british colonies and the government of Britan. No coloniset could be allected ot the british Parliment in London, yet the Parliament passed lots of taxes that the Coloniset had to pay and the colonisits called this //taxation without repesention.// The British beleived in that the had every right to tax the colonisits, after all, the haid paid to defend the colonies in the in the French and Indian War. Some American Colonists didn't like the British Government to interfear with their lives, but the government didn't understand the Coloinal life and hardships that were brought from heavy taxes. But instead of giving the coclonies more freedome and inderpendance the governent passed more taxes and the colonies broke out in war. The American Soilders were called minuteman and the English were called Redcoats. By the end of the war there wer about 25,300 casualties were killed. The 13 colonies sucessfuly revolted against the british and the United States of America was created.

The Declaration of Indapendance: On the 4th of July 1776 the Continetal Congress appotinted a commity to write down a douctument declearing inderpendace for the 13 colonies. The Comitte included //Tomas Jeffreson, Benhamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman// and //Robert Livingston//. Tomas Jefferson was the principle Author of this Document, and it took him 3 weeks to wright.

//The War of 1812:// The United States tryed to invade Canada and started fight is British, at the same time, but the British now had the American Indinas on their side and Canada won with the help of the Inidans and the French. !812 was the last time that America was invaded. The Candaian Burnned the White House and thats how is got the name white house because it nedded alot of white wasshing afterwards to get rid ot the Black streak on the sides of the building. Also this was what inspired the american Anthem "Star Spangled Banner" because the writter was imprissoned at the time and kept asking his friends if they could still see the United States Flag waving above them.

//The Western Expantion:// From the 1820 onwards ther was the western Expantion, where the american peopel started to spread all of america, travling west to the land held off by the indians, a land never explored before. By the mid 1800's the government had move most of the Indian tribes west of Mississippi river to make way for the travlers. ost of the people travled on Horseback or in a wagon throught rought trails to the western land.

//The Mexican War:// In 1848 the American won the Mexican War and the gained more territory, adding to the size and the influenc of united Staes. The territory was called Texas. This war was started when Mexico didn't want Texas to become part of US territory. The US claimed that the southern boundary of Texas was the Rio Grande River. However, Mexico claimed that the boundary was the Nueces River, which was further north.

//The Gold Rush//: On 24 January 1848, James Marshall discover gold near Sacramento in California. This began the Gold Rush and thousands of people flocked to the goldfields. These people were known as the //forty-niners//, because 1849 was the height of the gold rush. By 1850 nearly all of the gold was gone.

//Slavery and Civl War//: During the early 1800's the US experienced rapid growth. To support this growth, the Southern States used slaves to work their plantations and farms. The Northern States were more industrial and did believe in slavery. By the late 1850's, it was clear that the disagreement over slavery would no be resolved peacefully. This lead to the American Civil War which was fought between the North and South. The war lasted from 1861 to 1865, and more than 600,000 Americans died. Evan After the war ende and slavery was abolished, black people we still not given as much rights as the whites. The southern states still stoped them from voting, testifying aginest white on juries, and joining the millitary or the states army forces. These were known as the //Black Codes//.

//The Second Industrial Revlution:// After the war there was 2nd, and more powerful reveloution. During this time thewhole ecconmy beagn to move away for farming and towards the industrial ages. Companies got bigger and production incresed. Beacause of this sudden change to industry, the wealth of the US grew. Americans from all-over beagn to move from rual areas into the citys, more jobs became avalible and invientions like the light bulb and the railroad made life more comfortable. Unfortuanly only a few people got wealthy and often the works got poorer. Also living and working conditions in the major city's were poor and unhealthy.

//WW1:// USA started out neutral and they were more concerned about their own needs but not necessary what the rest of the world. However, in 1917 the Germans began to sink US ships that were re-supplying the allies, so the US declared war on Germany. Following the war, the League of Nations was formed in an attempt to keep peace amongst the nations of the world.

//The Great Depression:// The Great Depression of 1929 was caused the crash of the stock market. Businesses went bankrupt and lost all their money, making them unable to pay their debts. Over 5,000 banks failed and more than 12,000,000 people, almost one in every three, lost their jobs. People who still had their jobs had to work for much less pay.

//WW2:// World War 2 was the result Germany, Italy and Japan's invasions of neighbouring countries in the late 1930's. For many years the US stayed out of the war, but on 7 Decmber 1941 Japan bombed Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, and the US declared war on Japan and entered the war on the side of the Allies. WW2 lasted for six years and fighting occured on all continents, except Antartica, and on all oceans. The war ended after the US dropped bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. //United Nations:// The United Nationms was founded in 1945 to maintain world peace and security. The US worked with Britain and the Soviet Union to form this new organisation in a hope that international cooperation would stop future wars.

//Cold War:// In the late 1940's democratic and communist countries began a struggle between these two different ways of living. The Cold War was a war of words, rather than weapons. As each side tried to win over other countries, many conflicts flared up all over the world. Both the US and Soviet Union built lots of nuclear weapons, which they pointed at each other, so causing a stand-off. The Cold War lasted until 1989 when the communist countries economies collapsed and the Berlin Wall was pulled down.

//Man Lands on the Moon:// In 1969 two US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. Neil Armstrong claimed that this achievement was "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".

Other Helpfull Links
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usa__