THE USA

The United States of America (USA)

• There are 50 states.• The largest state is Alaska.• The capital city is Washington

DC (District of Columbia)• The three biggest cities are

New York, Chicago and Los Angeles

Indipendence Day

The Declaration of Independence

• It takes place on July 4th. • The American Revolution began when a

group of colonists protested against the high taxes on tea.

• The British Army surrendered in 1781.• America was officially born in 1783

Ellis IslandEllis Island, in New York Harbor, was the place where immigrants arrived from Italy, Germany, Ireland and many other countries.Now the old Immigration Station is a museum.

Factfile of immigrants to the USA:Numbers and country of origin1820-1880 3 million (Germany) 2.8 million (Ireland) 2 million (Britain)1880-1930 4.6 million (Italy)1930-1965 940,000 (Germany) 390,000 (Italy)1965-2000 4.3 million (Mexico) 1.4 million (the Philippines)Many other immigrants to the USA came from:Vietnam, China, India, Russia, Iran and Jamaica.

The Civil Rights MovementIn 1865 slavery was abolished in all parts of the USA. But black Americans were not equal to American citizens. They could not vote, they could not sit on the same buses or in the same restaurants as white Americans. They were second-class citizens. In the 20th century the situation changed, thanks to the Civil Rights Movement and its leader Martin Luther King, a Baptist minister from Alabama.In 1955 a black worker, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat on a bus and she was arrested. Thus caused a public protest leaded by King; the black workers stopped going on the buses until the bus company agreed to end segregation. In 1963 M.L. King led 250.000 people in a march on Washington DC.

Rosa Parks

Martin Luther King“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

In his speech he used these words to explain his dream for equality between black and white citizens in America.

He made the abolition of racial discrimination laws in 1964-1965 and then he was assassinated.

The American Government

The first American president

America is a democracy.The American government is called the Congress.It has two parts: • the Senate• the House of Representatives.

The president has his office in the White House in Washington.

The White House

It is the place where the president of the USA lives and works. The first president who lived there was John Adams in 1800. The president works in the Oval Office.

The Capitol

Capitol Hill is the home of the US Senate. Moreover it is the place where American Congress meets to make new laws and important decisions.

The monuments

The Statue of Liberty

Mount Rushmore

The Empire State Building

The Statue of Liberty

It is placed in New York Harbour. It was the first thing immigrants saw when they arrived in New York. The flame is a symbol of liberty and the crown’s rays represent the seven continents.

Back to The Monuments

Mount RushmoreIt is placed in the Black Hills.The four faces represent the presidents: G. Washington, T. Jefferson, A. Lincoln and T. Roosvelt.

Back to The Monuments

The Empire State Building

Back to The Monuments

With his 448mt, it is the tallest building in New York.President Hoover opened it in May, 1931.

THE END