The document provides an overview of the United States, including its history, government, geography, climate, religion, and other facts. It notes that most early settlers in the 1600s were English and that the 13 original colonies broke away from Britain in 1776. The US has three branches of government - executive, legislative, and judicial - and is located in North America between Canada and Mexico, with a population of over 318 million people.
2. Brief History
• Most people who came to America in the 1600s were English. People came
for many different reasons. In time, thirteen colonies were developed.
• The thirteen colonies were ruled under Great Britain. Revolutionaries
wanted complete independence from Britain. They began collecting
weapons and getting men ready—waiting to fight for independence.
• The colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as
the new nation, “ The United States of America,” following the Treaty of
Paris in 1783.
3. Location in the World
The United States of America
is located in North America,
bordering both the North
Atlantic Ocean and the North
Pacific Ocean, between
Canada and Mexico.
4. Capital and Major Cities
• Capital – Washington, D.C.
• Major Cities:
–New York City, NY
–Los Angeles, CA
–Chicago, IL
–Houston, TX
–Philadelphia, PA
5. Area & Population of the United
States
• Area: 9,826,675 sq km
• Population: 318,892,103 people
• The United States is the World's third-largest
country by size (after Russia and
Canada) and by population (after China
and India).
6. Climate
The climate is mostly temperate in America, but
tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska,
semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi
River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest.
The United States experiences all four seasons: Fall,
Winter, Spring, and Summer.
7. Religion
• Protestant - 51.3%
• Roman Catholic - 23.9%
• Mormon - 1.7%
• Other Christian - 1.6%
• Jewish - 1.7%
• Buddhist - 0.7%
• Muslim - 0.6%
• Other or Unspecified - 2.5%
• Unaffiliated - 12.1%
• None - 4%
8. Government
• The United States has a constitution-based federal
republic with a strong democratic tradition.
• The government is split in to three branches:
–Executive Branch
–Legislative Branch
–Judicial Branch
9. Executive Branch
The Executive Branch is headed by
the president. The president carries
out federal laws and recommends
new ones, directs national defense
and foreign policy, and performs
ceremonial duties.
10. Legislative Branch
Headed by Congress, which includes the House of Representatives
and the Senate. The main task of these two bodies is to make the
laws.
11. Judicial Branch
Headed by the Supreme Court. Its powers include
interpreting the Constitution, reviewing laws, and
deciding cases involving states' rights.
12. The American Flag
The American Flag presently has 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing
50 small, white, five-pointed stars.
• The 50 stars represent the 50 states
• The 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies
• The blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship
• The red symbolizes courage, zeal, and fervency
• While white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct
• The Flag’s Nickname is Old Glory!
13. Interesting Facts about
America
The US developed the first nuclear weapons, using them on
the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of
World War 2.
The US consumes more petroleum than any other country in
the world.
US dollar bills are made from cotton and linen.