Introducing the United States Its wealth and military might make the United States of America the most powerful country in the world Despite criticism by other countries over economic problems and unpopular wars fought in the middle east the United States still has a major influence on international economics and politics Where in the World Most of the United States lies in the middle part of the continent of North America This is where 48 of the nation’s 50 states are located Two other states lie far away Alaska is beyond the northwest border of Canada the country to the north of the United States Hawaii is made up of several islands in the South Pacific Ocean Beyond the southernmost states lie Central and South America 쑸 The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom one of the most treasured American values IT’S A FACT The Statue of Liberty commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 when America began a campaign against British rule A gift from France the 150-foot 46 m statue stands at the entrance to New York Harbor welcoming ships to the land of the free 4
INTRODUCING THE UNITED STATES A Young Nation The United States was one of the first nations created when Europeans formed colonies overseas About 400 years ago people from Great Britain traveled across the ocean and first settled on the east coast of what is now the United States In 1776 these settlers declared their independence from Britain and after an eight-year war the United States officially became an independent country 쒀 The United States the world’s third largest country shares borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south A Nation of Immigrants Throughout its history the United States has attracted settlers from all over the world People moved there to seek opportunities and freedoms they did not have in their own countries Its many immigrant communities have each left their own stamp on American life 5
UNITED STATES IN OUR WORLD Global Superpower After the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s the United States emerged as the only superpower in the world But what makes it so powerful For one thing it is the richest country in the world The value of U S goods and services is almost twice that of China which has the world’s second-largest economy Military Strength The United States also has the mightiest military in the world It spends about 10 times more on its armed forces than China and Russia which rank second and third Despite this China continues to grow in global power and influence and will probably soon challenge the American status as the only superpower 쑽 Although the war in Iraq is over there is still a strong U S military presence there BASIC DATA Official name United States of America Capital Washington DC Size 3,794,083 sq miles 9,826,630 sq km Population 307,212,123 2010 est Currency Dollar 6
INTRODUCING THE UNITED STATES 쒀 American sports are enjoyed all over the world Here Japan and South Korea play in the final game of the 2009 World Baseball Classic Troubled Times The United States started a war in Iraq in 2003 believing that the Iraqis were hiding powerful weapons The war itself lasted only a few weeks but by 2010 about 50,000 American troops remained in Iraq Although many countries supported the invasion of Iraq others disagreed and many Americans protested against it also In 2008 poor investments caused some large financial companies in the United States to fail Many other countries were affected as a result and a worldwide recession began Cultural Leader One major way America makes its mark on the rest of the world is through its culture American fast-food chains such as McDonalds and Pizza Hut thrive in many countries American sports such as baseball and basketball have become popular throughout the world People all over the globe enjoy as well as mimic American music art fashion film and television However not everyone appreciates America’s influence on their countries arts and culture They feel that their own are lost as America’s influence spreads 7
