2020-07-01
59The USA is a name of the country composed of 50 states joined in a federal republic and its citizens are known as Americans. In the north the US borders on Canada in the south on Mexico it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the east and by the Pacific Ocean in the west. Hawaii which became the 50tieth state in 1959 is situated in the Pacific Ocean halfway between west coast states and the far east. Alaska is separated from Russia by only about 50 miles across the Bering Strait.
The main part of the US consists of several physical divisions including highlands and lowlands. Major highlands are the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the Rocky mountains in the west. The Rocky Mountains extend from Mexico to Canada. The mountains are crossed by streams which flow through deep canyons and fall into the Pacific Ocean. The largest among them are the Colorado and the Columbia rivers.
These rivers are unsiutable for navigation. They are cut by rapids and so serve as an immense source of the electric power.
The central lowland between the two main mountain ranges makes up the basin of the Mississippi river. Its main tributaries the Missoury and the Ohio rivers. The Mississippi together with Missoury form the longest river in the world. (7300 km).
The northern part of the US embraces the region of the five Great Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron-which are connected by natural channels cut by rapids. The greatest of these rapids is the Niagara Falls.
Crossed by mountain ranges from the north to the south, the country is unprotected from the cold winds from the north and fro north winds from the south. This causes great temperature fluctuations. On the whole the US has a continental climate.
The country is rich in coal, oil, iron and other minerals which form a solid base for the development of American industry. In fact, it is highly developed. As regards agriculture, both animal husbandry and arable farming are prominent in the economy.
When the first census was taken in 1790 much of the country had not even been explored and much of it did not belong to the US but to France and Spain. The «western settlers» of that day were in the Appalachian mountains. By 1854 the US had acquired the western pert of the country by purchase and by treaty. This region was unified politically and there were many people living west of the Appalachians as west of them. At that time people seriously believed that the task of settling and developing the country would take at least 500 years. The speed with which it happened is one of the most exciting stories in American history. Vast forests and prairies were turned into farms and industrial cities. At first the settlers went westward along the rivers, then they took the middle of the country, and then they jumped to the Pacific. The reason was the discovery of gold in northern California in 1849. Then people went to the north-west cost through the mountains, having found the route and the last regions to be settled were the dry plains to the east of the Rocky Mountains.
Where did all these people come from? Many left the east because of the lack of money or the love for adventure. Many came from abroad mostly from Europe in search of political or religious freedom. Thousands of Asians came to the pacific coast. The peak of the movement was from 1901 to 1910. Soon the frontier disappeared in the US: no longer was there good new land. Since 1910 the population doubled.
Washington D.C. Washington is the capital city of the US. It is located on the north bank of the Potomac River. Washington is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in the US. It has little industry and only one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in the US.
It has little industry and only one million people. One reason it looks different from other cities is that no building in the city may be no more than 40 meters tall. There are no skyscrapers, because they would hide the city’s many monuments from view. Washington was founded in 1791 in the District of Columbia. George Washington chose the place. A hundred square miles were taken from the states Maryland and Virginia. It was called the District of Columbia. The city is well-planned. It is divided into four sections: NW(north-west), NE(north-east), SW(south-west), SE(south-east). Numbered streets run north and south: First Street, Second Street...Lettered streets such as A-Street B-Street run east and west. Each section has an independent street system. If you are looking for Third Street you need to know what section of the city it is.
The Capitol is the heart of Washington. All the tourists begin sightseeing from the Capitol and see the Senate Chamber, the Hall of Representatives, the Statuary Hall and so on. It got its name from the Temple of Rome. Its builduing begun in 1793. It consists of a central building crowned by a great dome and connected with large wings. There is a little underground train which runs between the Capitol and Senate and the House office buildings. Washington is flat in general but the Capitol stands on the hill.
Today Washington is the city which attracts lots of tourists by its fashionable hotels, restaurants and sights like «Mount Vernon»- the house of the first president George Washington, the Lincoln Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the White House – the residence of the President. It is said, that in 1812 when England was at war with America, the British captured the city and some buildings including the house of the president were set on fire. In 1814 in order to hide the marks of the fire the brown stone walls were painted white and it has been the «White House» ever since. The Washington Monument which is 555 feet tall is called the «Pencil» because of its shape. There is a lift which carry you to 500 foot level observation windows. The Library of Congress contains millions of books and manuscripts. Tourists like to see Washington Cathedral and the Arlington National Cemetery. John Kennedy was buried there.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is in this cemetery. The Lincoln Memorial is worth seeing. It is designed like a Greek Temple. The dominant figure is the realistic figure of Abraham Lincoln seated in the centre of the open Temple. Among the newer buildings is one of the most imposing is the National Gallery of Art.
Washington has wooden areas and red-brick buildings. On the whole the city with its long wide avenues, shady trees on both sides and its crowds of government officials is unlike New York. Washington is the centre of the finance and fun. Its industry is Government. 3\4 of the population is involved in its administrative machine and the general process of the government. They are either politicians or suppliers of services or goods to such people.
