The US is a fairly young country, and Americans are one of the youngest nations in the world. Nevertheless, American history is interesting and rich. It will be useful for all English learners to have an idea about it, especially if you are going to work, live or.

America before European discovery

The first people appeared on the territory of the modern United States about 13 thousand years ago, when the Bering Strait between Alaska and Asia was either frozen or shallow. These people formed divided and warring tribes and became the ancestors of the American Indians.

The Icelandic Viking Leif Eriksson was the first to discover America in 1000 AD. He even tried to colonize new lands, but the colonies did not take root. Eriksson's discovery did not have a significant impact on the history of the local population.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus rediscovered America for Europeans. This fact has already turned the fate of the continent, Europe and the whole world. The colonization of America began in 1565 with the Spanish colonies in Florida. Then the British, French and other Europeans began to arrive on the new continent.

English colonies

In 1607, in the territory of America, in the province of Virginia, the first successful English colony arose - Jamestown. It was sponsored by the London Virginia Company founded there. Before her, the British twice tried to colonize the coast of North America, but to no avail: the colonies did not survive due to Indian raids.

The village of Jamestown developed rapidly thanks to tobacco plantations. By 1620, about a thousand people lived in it. But the relations of the colonists with the local Indians deteriorated greatly due to the seizure of land for plantations. In 1622, the Powhatan tribe carried out a massacre in the city, in which about a third of the entire population of Jamestown died. The colony managed to recover from the attack with several retaliatory strikes.

Plymouth, also known as The Old Colony, became even more successful and, most importantly, significant for US history. It was founded by the famous Pilgrim Fathers who arrived on the American coast on the Mayflower ship. This event is considered one of the most significant in the history of the country, since it was from Plymouth that the purposeful colonization of the continent by the British began. The Pilgrim Fathers laid the foundations of American democracy, civil liberties, and traditions. And their blood flows today in tens of millions of modern Americans.

The Pilgrims were English Puritans who were unhappy with the Church of England's leaning toward Catholicism. They wanted to create a democratic colony with their own church next to Jamestown. After a difficult two-month voyage, the ship sailed to the shores of America, but much north of the intended point due to an error in building a course. The settlers discussed the situation and decided to create the "Mayflower Agreement", in which they expressed their intention to establish a colony independent of Virginia.

The first years for the pilgrims were difficult, half of the settlers died in the first winter. One of the local Indians helped the colonists: he taught them to grow pumpkin and maize, to catch local fish and game. Largely thanks to him, the colony survived and began to develop. The following year, Governor Bradford declared a Thanksgiving Day, on which the settlers celebrated their success and gave thanks to God and the Indians. This tradition spread to other colonies and later became a national holiday in the United States.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the British founded thirteen British colonies in North America: Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Georgia and others. All of them were quite scattered, different in national composition, religion and culture. English Catholics settled in some, German Lutherans or French Huguenots came to others.

Great Britain tried to completely control the economy of the American colonies and supplied industrial goods in exchange for local resources, being completely uninterested in the development of industry in America. Nevertheless, the colonies successfully developed in the industrial area and found new markets for manufactured goods.

Great Britain tried to forbid the colonies to build workshops and engage in foreign trade. American society began to show dissatisfaction with colonial policy and felt the need for independence.

War for independence

Back in 1754, Benjamin Franklin created a project for the union of the English colonies in America with their own government. He invited Great Britain to appoint its own president so that the mother country would retain its power. But London did not like this initiative.

In 1773, the Americans held a protest in Boston against the "tea law," which had shortly been passed by the British Parliament. This law violated the rights of the colonists, as it increased duties on British tea. In response, the Americans destroyed the British cargo of tea. This event became known as the "Boston Tea Party" and was the impetus for the Revolutionary War.

In 1774, the First Continental Congress of the English Colonies met in Philadelphia. Among others, George Washington took part in it. The delegates formulated demands in the UK, but London reacted strongly negatively and demanded full compliance. The Americans realized that it was time to fight for independence, using the main force - unity.

In 1776, the British colonies created the Continental Army and appointed Washington as general. Thus began the War of Independence, more commonly referred to in American literature as american revolution- The American Revolution. Convened for the second time, the Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, which formed the basis of the constitution of the future United States.

The British king sent troops to America to put down the rebellion. The British managed to occupy New York and Philadelphia. At first, the Americans had a hard time, they lost battles and retreated. The first victory for the colonists was at the Battle of Saratoga. Then the Americans enlisted the support of France and Spain, thanks to which they gained an advantage.

The British captured Georgia and Charleston, but could not advance inland, maintaining control only over the port cities. The Americans launched a successful guerrilla war, thanks to which they defeated the British and loyalists who wanted to maintain dependence on the mother country. In 1781, the British fleet was trapped in the Chesapeake Bay and surrendered to Washington. By that time, Britain had already stopped supporting the war.

In 1782, the British House of Commons voted to end the war. Great Britain began negotiations with the colonies, as a result of which they made peace and recognized the independence of the United States of America. The United States abandoned claims to Canada and the west coast of the Mississippi.

US expansion

After the Revolutionary War, the borders of the States were the Great Lakes to the north, the Mississippi River to the west, and Spanish Florida to the south. The Northwest Territories passed to the United States in 1795 after the signing of a peace treaty with the Indians.

America began an active period of expansion of its lands. The new country explained its expansionism with a popular expression Manifest Destiny- Clear intent. The idea of ​​being chosen by God was the American justification for its ambition to extend the territory of the United States all the way to the Pacific Ocean. It was difficult for the Indians to resist the Americans, since Great Britain stopped supporting the local population.

In 1803, the Americans made a successful deal, which they called the Louisiana Purchase: they acquired a huge territory from France, which now includes the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas and others. The banks of the Mississippi River were completely taken over by the United States.

The Americans left the habitable eastern lands, crossed the Mississippi and looked for new regions for life. They explored the Great Plains, the forests of Oregon, the steppes of Texas, the rich lands of California. Entire caravans of ox-drawn wagons traveled across the continent. The California Gold Rush increased the influx of settlers.

In 1845, Mexican Texas passed to the United States. In 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico, defeated the Mexican army and occupied the country's capital. The Mexicans had to cede almost half of the territory of their state - part of the states of Arizona and New Mexico.

Civil War

The slave system flourished in the southern American states in the 18th and 19th centuries. The descendants of blacks, forcibly taken out of Africa, worked as slaves on plantations. By the second half of the 19th century, much of the US national wealth was based on slave labor.

At the same time, there was no slavery in the northern part of the country. Most of the runaway slaves went there. In 1850, the US Congress passed a new law requiring the entire American population, including residents of the northern states, to participate in the capture of runaway slaves. The American movement against this law grew into a movement to abolish slavery. President Lincoln came to power and announced that the new states would be free from slavery. Between the north and the south, which by that time had become separate economic regions, serious contradictions were brewing that led to the American Civil War.

The Civil War began in 1861. 24 northern non-slave states united in the Union, and 11 southern slave states formed the Confederacy. The union was initially in more favorable conditions: 23 million people lived on its territory, almost all of the country's industry and most of the bank deposits were located.

The pretext for war was the battle for Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay: the Confederates attacked the fort, opened fire and captured it. This allowed Lincoln to announce the muster of the army. The South also began calling for volunteers.

The main fighting took place on the territory of the state of Virginia. At first, the Confederation was in the lead, it had excellent commanders on its side. The Southerners won the Battle of Bull Run, then captured Washington. In July 1863, the turning point in the war came: the Confederate army lost at the Battle of Gettysburg. From that moment on, things went better for the Union: the Northern army was able to cut off Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas from other parts of the Confederacy. In 1865, the Confederation lost the capital, and capitulated a few days later.

Losses in the Civil War were huge: several hundred thousand people were killed on each side. The south was completely devastated and destroyed. After the war, slavery in the United States was abolished: a corresponding amendment to the constitution appeared in 1865.

Reconstruction

The period of reconstruction of the country - in particular, its southern part - lasted more than twenty years after the war. It is known as the era of Reconstruction. At this time, the American constitution was supplemented by several amendments that expanded the rights of the black population. Reconstruction affected the social and administrative changes of the South. For example, the law on homesteads contributed to the development of farming.

In 1877 the Democratic and Republican Parties of the USA, representing the rights of the South and the North respectively, made a number of concessions to each other. The Republicans withdrew federal troops from the southern states and passed laws to restrict the rights of African Americans. Republican incumbent Rutherford Hayes vowed not to run for a second term. Northerners volunteered to help build a railroad across Texas and industrialize the southern states. The Democrats, in turn, pledged to respect the rights of blacks and recognize Hayes as the legitimate president. This oral agreement is called the Compromise of 1877. It officially ended the period of Reconstruction.

After the Civil War and Reconstruction, the United States began to actively develop. This period is called the Gilded Age. Many economists and historians believe that it was at this time that the modern American economy was founded. Industry and agriculture grew at a tremendous pace, large corporations appeared, the population increased rapidly, and immigrants came from other countries.

At the end of the 19th century, the per capita income of the United States exceeded that of Britain, Germany, and France. Large industrial cities with huge factories were formed in the north-east of the country. Workers' unions emerged, including the American Federation of Labor. It was at this time that the dynasties of multimillionaires arose - Rockefellers, Astors, Carnegies.

The Gilded Age in the United States ended in 1893, when the country was gripped by an economic crisis. In 1896, one of the most dramatic American presidential elections took place: Republican McKinley defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan by 4.3% of the vote. Thus began a new period in the history of the United States, which is called the era of progressivism.

USA in the 20th century

The era of progressivism lasted until 1920. At this time, the middle class and social classes in the United States were highly politically active, which led to several major reforms - for example, the introduction of an income tax, granting women the right to vote, the emergence of juvenile courts, and modernizing the education system.

During this period, the economy continued to develop rapidly. Conveyor production appeared, which stimulated the growth of the middle class. Trade unions have become an influential force in politics. The Hawaiian Islands and other lands joined the United States after the war with Spain.

In 1917, the American Congress decided to enter the First World War and declare war on Germany. American troops replenished the armies of the Entente and helped defeat Germany, which by that time was running out of strength. The United States considered the Treaty of Versailles unfair and concluded a separate treaty with Germany.

In 1920, Prohibition was passed in the United States - a ban on the production, transportation and sale of alcohol. It operated for 13 years and helped to reduce the level of alcohol consumption in the country by almost half. But the law also had its downsides. There were many criminal organizations that were engaged in bootlegging. Corruption began to flourish among politicians and policemen. In 1933, Prohibition was repealed.

The period from 1922 to 1929 is called the era of prosperity in the United States - Prosperity. The economy continued to develop, wages grew, the States took a leading position in the world. Big business continued to grow. During this period, a consumer society was formed in the United States. The symbol of America in these years is Henry Ford with his Ford company and the Ford Model T, which became the first mass-produced car in the world. The automotive industry developed at a particularly high rate during this period.

In 1929, the Great Depression began in America - a deep economic crisis that affected many countries. Due to the strong decline in commodity prices, production became unprofitable and began to decline. Unemployment has risen. A drought in the Great Plains led to crop failure and an environmental disaster that became known as the Dust Bowl. For several years, the US prairies were regularly covered by the strongest dust storms.

In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt came to power, proposing a new policy called the New Deal. Many of the president's decisions were controversial, but overall he was able to stabilize the economy. He began the fight against unemployment, restored industries, passed a series of laws on labor and pensions, stimulated housing construction and supported culture. Roosevelt was so popular among the people that he was elected as many as four times in a row.

The United States participated in World War II and provided assistance to Great Britain, China and the USSR. In 1945, Japan refused to surrender, and American bombers dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing great destruction. This is the only example of the combat use of nuclear weapons in history.

From the end of World War II until 1995, the United States was in a state of cold war with the USSR. Both states fought for world influence and carried out an arms race, periodically entering into dangerous conflicts.

In recent US history, one of the most significant events is the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack - the largest in the history of mankind. Terrorists hijacked passenger planes and flew them into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York, killing nearly 3,000 people.

The US President is currently Donald Trump of the Republican Party.

Brief information about the country

Date of Independence

Form of government

Presidential republic

Territory

9,519,431 km² (4th in the world)

Population

320 194 478 people (3rd in the world)

Washington

US dollar (USD)

Timezone

Largest cities

New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio

$16.724 trillion (1st in the world)

Internet domain

Telephone code

- one of the largest and most influential states of the modern world. It is located in North America and is the fourth largest after Russia, Canada and China. The United States of America is a multifaceted and diverse country that has made a significant contribution to world culture and science. It is able to offer travelers almost everything that the modern world or nature is rich in: from the wonders of the Grand Canyon, the Great Lakes, mountains and the Pacific coast to the metropolises of New York, Las Vegas and Miami. Here you can enjoy watching whales in Oregon, skiing in the Rocky Mountains, clubbing in San Francisco, watch incomparable entertainment and gambling in Las Vegas, or visit the theater performances between shopping trips in Manhattan.

Video: USA

general information

The area of ​​the country is truly huge - 9.5 million km², and the continental part, the largest, accounts for 7.83 million km². The remaining regions - the states of Alaska (with adjacent islands) and Hawaii, consisting of 24 islands - are separated from the mainland of the United States. The population of the country, according to estimates for January 2017, is 324,932,000 people - this is the third largest in the world after China and India. The capital of the United States is the city of Washington, the largest cities are New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Houston, Seattle and Boston.

During the Cold War, Soviet propaganda spared no epithets for the United States of America. “The stronghold of world imperialism”, “the center of the reactionary ideology”, “the conductor of a brazen expansionist policy”, “the instigator of the third world war” - and this is only a small part of the clichés used in the press that formed the image of the enemy. In fairness, it should be said that the American mass media and representatives of the ruling circles also did not remain in debt, calling the USSR an "evil empire." With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the situation began to change, former Soviet citizens - Russians - began to travel to America more often as tourists, discovering many new and interesting things for themselves. "Uncle Sam", as it turned out, is not as scary as he was painted ...

If we talk about the United States as a tourist destination, then it should be noted that it is year-round. And this is a great advantage that many other countries do not have. Whenever you come to the United States, whatever region or city you choose to travel to, you won't be bored. In California, Colorado and Utah, high-class mountain resorts are at your service, in sunny Florida and exotic Hawaii, chic beaches await you. Finding yourself - either passing through, or purposefully - in small towns in the heart of the country, you can plunge into the world of the Wild West during the civil war in the second half of the 19th century. A trip to the largest metropolitan areas will allow you to get in touch with history, cultural and architectural heritage. And in the USA you will find the best shopping, acquaintance with new technologies, the world of television and film industry. Although the spectator sports here are predominantly American - baseball, basketball, ice hockey and American football - they also provide a lasting experience. And all this will be flavored with sincere smiles from Americans who, despite the aggravation of the world situation, the growing terrorist threat and the global confrontation between major powers, are always glad to those who come to their country with an open heart and pure intentions.

US cities

All US cities

Geography and climate

The United States stretches from west to east for almost 5,000 kilometers and is washed by the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The country is bordered by Canada in the north and Mexico in the south. The Bering Strait, which separates Alaska from Chukotka, serves as the maritime border with the Russian Federation. According to the Constitution, the United States is a federal state, consisting of 50 states and one federal district - Columbia, which includes the capital. In addition, the United States owns the island of Puerto Rico and the Virginia Archipelago in the Caribbean, the Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Atoll, Guam, Eastern Samoa, and others in the Pacific Ocean. Russian citizens will need a US visa to enter both the mainland and other regions.

The vast territory predetermined the variety of climatic zones, ranging from the tropics (Hawaii, California, Florida) to arctic and subarctic weather conditions (Alaska). Among the main factors that determine the climate of the United States is the atmospheric jet stream: it captures air masses and moisture in the North Pacific Ocean and transfers it to the continent. This circumstance causes heavy precipitation in the form of rain and snow on the northwest coast. In the south - for example, in California - the wet season falls mostly in autumn and winter, but the summer in these parts is hot and dry. Inland air masses abut the Pacific Coast Mountains, which stretch along the entire west coast from the border with Canada to the cordon with Mexico, and the Rocky Mountains, the main massif in the Cordillera system of North America, in the western United States and Canada. For this reason, mostly dry weather persists in the west of the Great Plains and in the Intermountain Plateaus.

As for the general temperature background, it is distinguished by uniformity. In most parts of the United States, summer temperatures range from +22 to +28 °C. Moreover, if in the northern and southern states the difference is fixed by thermometers, then it is relatively small. Winters are quite mild, the January temperature ranges from 2° with a minus sign (in the north) to +8 degrees in the southern regions. However, you should not relax: significant temperature fluctuations are possible due to the unhindered penetration of air masses from the Arctic. By the way, the same applies to summer temperatures, with the difference that atmospheric flows move from tropical latitudes.

Precipitation is unevenly distributed across the United States. If in Hawaii, the southeast of the country and the Pacific coast, respectively, 4000 and 2000 mm of rain can fall, then in the interior of California and Nevada this figure can be - just imagine! - no more than 200 mm. The level of precipitation is also influenced by the terrain. Thus, in the Atlantic states and on the western slopes of the mountains, more rain usually falls. But what is interesting: no matter what region of the country you are in, the weather conditions (regardless of the time of year) are the least likely to interfere with a comfortable stay. For example, in the north and in the central part of the Atlantic coast, the swimming season usually runs from June to August-September. But this does not mean at all that it is still impossible to swim in May, and in October it is no longer possible, because even in these months the water maintains a quite comfortable temperature regime.

Fans of taking sea baths at any time of the year choose Florida for their holidays, where the average water temperature, even in winter, rarely drops below 22 degrees. In July-September, in the most "tropical" state of America, the weather is very hot (+36 ... +39 ° С), which, moreover, is distinguished by high, up to 100%, air humidity. However, hurricanes, which are quite frequent from June to November, can interfere with carefree pastime. It is noticeably hot in the summer and in the southern part of the Rocky Mountains, from 26 to 34 degrees with a plus sign. In this regard, it is recommended to plan a trip to these parts in spring or autumn.

Tourists are happy to visit Alaska, despite its harsh climate: 30% of the state is located beyond the Arctic Circle. In the northern and central regions, a subarctic climate reigns, which is characterized by very low temperatures down to -45 ... -50 ° С. But in summer the air in Alaska warms up to +16 ... +20 ° С, with the exception of the northern regions, where thermometers show +2 ... +6 degrees. And all this with minimal humidity: about 250 mm of precipitation falls here annually. In the center and south of the state, it can even be very hot in summer, the air can warm up to +30 degrees, the amount of precipitation is 400-600 mm per year.

Nature, fauna and flora

The chain of the majestic Cordilleras, the picturesque Grand Canyon in Colorado, the vast coastlines of two oceans, rivers and unique lakes, the famous Niagara Falls and the ominous Death Valley in California - all this is the United States of America with its diverse and unique natural landscape. On the vast territory of the country, evergreen forests and mountain ranges, endless expanses of plains teeming with life and arid deserts “coexist”. It is hardly possible to feel the beauty of local natural landscapes virtually - you need to comprehend and feel it visually, being present on the spot. Visiting the habitats of wild animals, the coasts of mountain rivers and the Great Lakes, exploring the steep slopes and observing the vast expanses of the steppes is a real tourist's dream!

Mountain ranges, plateaus of the Cordillera and plateaus occupy almost half of the territory of the United States. The landscape of the mountainous regions of the country is very diverse. Here, on the slopes, there is everything: dense mixed forests, wastelands, and even alpine meadows. Numerous rivers of the United States begin their run from the slopes: Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado, Columbia, Cheyenne, Platte, Klamath, Rio Grande, Umpkua and others.

Alaska, as we have already said, is separated from the main part of the United States - in the northwest of the mainland. Its territory (by the way, the largest of all states) is formed by many plains - both alluvial and moraine - and the northern spurs of the Cordillera mountain range. It is in Alaska that the highest point in North America is located - Mount McKinley, also known as Denali, rushing into the sky at 6194 meters. Many island groups protruding far into the Pacific Ocean - the Aleutian Islands, the Alexander Archipelago, the islands of St. Matthew, Pribylova and others - are a continuation of the local mountain systems.

And finally, sunny Hawaii. The archipelago, which forms the 50th US state, is located in the North Pacific Ocean. The chain of its islands is of volcanic origin. The largest islands - Hawaii, Lanai, Maui, Kauai and Molokai - are formed by the slopes of volcanoes and, accordingly, have a mountainous landscape. The region is famous not only for its stunning resorts, but also for its very high volcanic activity. The most famous local volcano that travelers come to see is Kilauea, which is considered the hallmark of the archipelago. However, at the beginning of 2017, he ordered a long life: on January 2, as a result of an eruption, a huge piece of the volcano collapsed directly into the ocean. For this reason, the authorities decided for security reasons to close the access of tourists to the sights.

The diversity of the natural landscape also implies the diversity of wildlife. Wooded areas cover a third of the United States, their character changes as you move from west to east and from north to south - in accordance with climatic zones. Coniferous trees, together with tundra vegetation, are typical for Alaska, while deciduous trees (oak, birch, ash) and unique cedar forests are typical for the central and eastern regions, respectively. It is impossible not to mention the excellent seascape of California, the true decoration of which are the majestic palm trees and representatives of citrus plants. In general, magnolias and rubber plants are characteristic of the southern states. There are also many types of mangroves - evergreen deciduous forests, usually growing in the tidal zone of sea coasts and estuaries. In the famous American deserts, there are cacti typical of such places and evergreen tree-like yuccas.

According to the same principle, depending on the location of the territory and climatic zones, the fauna of the United States of America was formed. The fauna of the northern latitudes is represented by bears and deer, lynxes and ground squirrels. East of the Rocky Mountains, on the Great Plains, herds of bison, other ungulates and steppe dogs feel comfortable. Grizzly bears, wolves, badgers, foxes and skunks are found in the cedar forests. These lands are also chosen by exotic birds: pelicans, flamingos and kingfishers. In the western United States, in the deserts, reptiles such as lizards and poisonous snakes live. Here you can also meet American hares and marsupial rats. The "masters" of the mountainous areas are elk and mountain goats, tolstologs and pronghorns, representatives of other mammals that have adapted to this habitat. In the south, for example, in Florida, there are graceful cougars and toothy alligators, not to mention exotic birds - pink flamingos, purple moorhens, tree ibis.

US history

The honor of the discoverer of America undoubtedly belongs to the legendary Christopher Columbus, who made four expeditions starting from 1492. However, none of them directly reached the shores of the current United States. Other pioneers of the New World are the Spaniard Ferdinand Magellan, who rounded it from the south in 1519-1521, and the notorious traveler of Florentine origin Amerigo Vespucci. In honor of the latter - America - it was proposed by the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller to name this large continent in the western hemisphere. However, the native Indians, who became the first people who settled in America about 30 thousand years ago after moving there along the Bering Isthmus from Asia, can also be considered candidates for the discoverers.

In 1565, on the Florida peninsula, after the laying of the city of St. Augustine, the first permanent colony of Europeans on the continent, namely the Spaniards, arose. In 1588, they lost the battle with the English fleet, the Spanish crown lost its power and influence, and, in addition to the British, Dutch and French colonists rushed to the continent. The first colony on the territory of the modern United States (Virginia) was founded in 1607 by the British. All the settlers were mainly from the poor - young people looking for their place under the sun, criminals and even people professing puritanism. All were united by one thing - the desire to find gold on new lands and live a decent life. In the period from 1607 to 1732, as the Atlantic coast was settled, thirteen colonies arose: Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware and others.

The native Indians living in the colonies - the tribes of the Iroquois and Algonquins, their total number was approximately 200 thousand people - passed on to strangers their invaluable experience in surviving in unfamiliar conditions. The colonists, in "gratitude", began to exploit the local population, limited their movement and did everything to strengthen the power of the king in America. The response was not long in coming. For example, residents of Boston in 1773 attacked British ships in the local port and threw all the goods into the water - expensive tea. A year later, the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, which condemned the policy of the British, but did not take concrete steps to break off relations with the metropolis.

The first armed resistance took place on April 19, 1775. It marked the beginning of the war for the sovereignty of the North American colonies, which ended only in 1883. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the United States Declaration of Independence, proclaimed two days earlier. On September 3, 1783, the new state was recognized by Great Britain. In 1789, the first presidential election was held - it was a major slave owner and one of the founding fathers of the United States, George Washington, who received 100% of the electoral vote (all subsequent American leaders could only dream of such comprehensive support). In the same 1789, the Bill of Rights was adopted - the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which guaranteed the country's citizens basic rights and freedoms. In 1800, the capital was transferred from Philadelphia to the city of Washington, founded on the banks of the Potomac River in 1790.

Initially, the territory of the United States was small and gradually expanded to the current borders. In December 1845, the Free State of Texas, formed by the Americans on the site of the former Mexican state, was annexed, moreover, by force. As a result of the expansion, the troops of the neighboring state had to retreat. American appetites continued to grow, and President James Polk took the initiative to buy California from Mexico, which was refused. In response, the United States invaded the disputed lands and, faced with resistance, declared war on its neighbors. The American-Mexican armed conflict lasted from 1846 to 1848. As a result, California, New Mexico and some other border territories were annexed to the United States. Mexico had to make do with the $15 million it was paid as "compensation".

Another significant page in the history of the United States of America is the Civil War of 1861-1865, also known as the War of the North and the South. It involved 24 northern states (20 non-slave and 4 slave) and 11 southern states that retained slavery. One of the objective causes of the war was the gap between the North and the South, which arose as a result of the existence of two different economic systems. The improvement of the life of the northerners was perceived by the southerners as a danger to the unconditional power of the ruling circles there. Over 2,000 battles took place during the war. Human casualties: The North lost 360 thousand people killed, more than 275 thousand received various injuries. The "Confederates", as the southerners were called, lost about 258 thousand people. More citizens died in this conflict than in any other war where the United States took part. It ended with the victory of the northern states. Slavery was officially abolished by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Fun fact: The last Civil War veteran died in 1959. It turned out to be 110-year-old Walter Williams.

When the First World War broke out in 1914, America initially remained neutral and even tried to act as a peacemaker between the parties to the conflict. But as soon as in 1915 Germany sank the British passenger ship Louisiana with 100 American citizens on board, President Wilson declared a gross violation of international law. In March 1917, several more American ships were destroyed in a similar way, and the US government had no choice but to declare war on Germany - the authorities made an official decision on this on April 6th. A total of one million young people aged 21-31 were mobilized to participate in hostilities.

Formally, the United States withdrew from the war in 1921, although World War I officially ended in 1918. And after some eight years, a deep economic crisis began in the country. This period went down in history as the Great Depression and ended only in 1940. That, however, did not prevent the “stronghold of world capitalism” from entering the Second World War, the fire of which flared up in 1939 and blazed until 1945, taking tens of millions of lives of innocent people with it.

The war gave the US economy a lot of benefits due to increased military orders, which somewhat softened the blows of the Great Depression. However, the United States did not manage to avoid participation in the hostilities, despite the fact that they and warring Europe were separated by an ocean. It all started with an attack on December 7, 1941 by a Japanese squadron, numbering 441 aircraft, at the Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii. After this large-scale bombing, which led to the death of 2403 people, President Franklin Roosevelt declared war on Japan.

In June 1944, the Americans, being allies of the USSR, became participants in the so-called second (western) front in Europe, landing in Normandy. US troops also operated on the territory of the Third Reich, in Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and even in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The most bloody for the American troops was the participation in the Ardennes operation in the south-west of Belgium, during which the losses amounted to 89.5 thousand people, including 19 thousand killed. In total, the United States lost 418,000 people in World War II.

After 1945, when Nazism was defeated, the United States finally overcame the consequences of the Great Depression and economic growth began in the country. At the same time, a global confrontation between the USA and the USSR, the capitalist and socialist systems as a whole, which went down in history as the Cold War, emerged. This period is characterized by various international crises (for example, the Middle East conflict, the Caribbean crisis, the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan) and the arms race. With perestroika in the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War was announced, positive changes also occurred inside the United States: in the first half of the 90s, a law on universal literacy of the population was adopted, reforms were carried out in the field of medicine, preferential taxation for small businesses was introduced, a number of measures to support the poor.

Meanwhile, in the foreign policy arena, the United States took a direct part in various conflicts. The Korean War and the Lebanese Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War, the invasion of Grenada, Haiti and Iraq, the occupation of the Dominican Republic, the bombing of the former Yugoslavia, the Persian Gulf War, the air strikes on Libya, and finally the civil war in Syria - these are only a small list of US military operations abroad. Eloquent statistics: by the end of the 20th century alone, America used military force outside its borders more than two hundred times in total.

In the new century, the involvement of the United States in foreign conflicts continues. American officials attribute it to the need to "combat international terrorism," especially after the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington by al-Qaeda, which resulted in the death of 2,977 people. It remains to add to the above that such foreign policy activity is often criticized by many states, including Russia.

sightseeings of USA

In the USA, every traveler will be able to find interesting places for himself. The main attractions of the United States include both wildlife and man-made architectural monuments.

Landmarks of Washington

Let's start our acquaintance with the sights of America from the capital - Washington, famous for a large number of various buildings, including world-famous historical buildings, malls and memorial parks, galleries and national museums. By the way, the entrance to the latter - this may surprise someone - is completely free.

You probably won't find a person who has never heard of the majestic residence of American leaders and the symbol of the nation on Pennsylvania Avenue - the White House. The total area of ​​the building exceeds 5 thousand square meters. It has 4 overground and 2 underground floors and 132 rooms. The most famous is the Oval Office, where US presidents work. And also - the Oval Blue Hall (it is intended for ceremonial receptions), the Green Hall - for meetings "without ties", the Dining Room for official receptions on behalf of the head of state, the Great Hall and others. The White House ensemble also includes the Rose Garden, laid out by the wife of President Wilson (on the west side) and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, located at the east wing.

Now let's move to the Capitol, the same snow-white, effectively illuminated at night. In its building, consisting of 540 rooms, the highest legislative body of the country, the Congress, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, operates. A tour of the building is also free, and from the premises, public access is open only to the famous Rotunda, which houses a small collection of sculptures and paintings. Tourists are even given the opportunity to watch the meetings of the Congress - for this it is enough to go to galleries specially designated for this. True connoisseurs and simply connoisseurs of architectural forms will definitely pay attention to the monumentality and at the same time gracefulness of the Capitol - they amaze the imagination.

The Pentagon, which has become a symbol of American military power, in Soviet times was not used to scare only babies. However, we are not talking about the US Department of Defense, but about the building with the same name, built in the first half of the 20th century - its headquarters. True, this world's largest office building of a recognizable pentagonal shape is located not within the city, but nearby. It looks somewhat mundane, but it has its own deep meaning: military architects did not design a skyscraper, as it could become easy prey for would-be terrorists. Prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Pentagon was open to all tours. Now tourists are allowed here in limited numbers, and all excursions must be agreed in advance.

Landmarks of New York

The Statue of Liberty, the world-famous skyscrapers of Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, the UN Headquarters, the Metropolitan Opera and Broadway glowing with all the lights - this is New York, the largest city in the United States, stretching on the Atlantic coast of the country. It seems that the metropolis absorbs into itself, but that's why it is attractive: to inspect and study its majestic sights, as it were, "from the inside" is very entertaining and insanely interesting. And how many new things you can discover! Not everyone knows that the Statue of Liberty is a gift from France for the 100th anniversary of the American Revolution of 1775-1783 and that 25 windows in its crown symbolize earthly treasures, and 7 rays symbolize the seas and continents. Few people know that the strength of the famous Brooklyn Bridge, opened in May 1883 over the East River Bay, was tested ... with the help of elephants. How? Very simple. 21 animals from a circus touring nearby were simply led through this hanging beam structure 1825 meters long and that's it.

A special flavor emanates from the so-called ethnic areas of New York, founded by migrants from among the Chinese, Jews, Italians, Germans, Spaniards and others in the middle of the century before last. Many of them are still heard today: Chinatown, Yorkville, Atlantic Avenue, the Lower East Side, Harlem, the Bronx, Little Italy. We will not exaggerate if we say that each of these quarters is a real open-air museum of the people whose representatives live in it. And, of course, do not miss the opportunity to visit Central Park - one of the most famous sights of the almost 8.4 million metropolis. Here you can just take a walk on your own, find something to do for your child, or sit down with a friendly company for an impromptu picnic right on the grass.

Landmarks of California

Well, now let's head to California - the land of eternal summer! This state, one of the largest in the US, is the cultural and entertainment center of both the West Coast and the entire country. In terms of the number of famous attractions, California surpasses even Europe, and the list is, of course, not limited to Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Santa Barbara and the ominous Death Valley. The face of the state is also defined by magnificent castles, national parks and mountain ranges, creating a unique landscape. Not to mention the beach and ski resorts that have made California famous all over the world.

Los Angeles is a large and vibrant metropolis. This is a showcase for all of America - not only California, despite the fact that it has no administrative functions (Sacramento is the state capital). It is in Los Angeles that the legendary Hollywood is located - the heart of the American and world film industry. In this city, stars of the first magnitude, as if descended from the pages of the tabloids, can be found just on the street, like their old acquaintances. The richest museums coexist here with entertainment centers, architectural sights - with expensive restaurants and modern hotels. No wonder it is called the city of contrasts.

Coming to sunny California and missing out on a visit to Disneyland? Is it possible? The very first park of the famous Walt Disney is located in the city of Anaheim and was opened back in 1955. Interesting facts: the opening ceremony was held by the talented Hollywood actor Ronald Reagan, who in 1981 became the 40th President of the United States. So many years have passed, but the embodied dream of the animation master continues to live and develop. Not only children, but also adults rejoice here at the revived heroes of modern cartoons and the opportunity to relax on the latest attractions. Over 500 million people from all over the world have visited Disneyland over the 60 years of its existence.

Another visiting card of California is the city of San Francisco. Its symbol is one of the most visited historical monuments - the Golden Gate Bridge. The ambiguously perceived sights of the United States include the former Alcatraz prison (Alcatraz): the prisoners were kept here in very harsh conditions ...

Do you want to taste exclusive dishes from fresh seafood? Then you are at Pier 39 with its well-known restaurants. But before you have a delicious meal, you can ride the local cable car - the only one in the world that is manually operated in the 21st century. It is very interesting to visit Silicon or Silicon Valley. Semiconductors based on this element began to be developed here at one time, but today this place is more associated with products from companies such as Apple, Intel and Google. The famous Stanford University is also located here.

Landmarks in Florida

Another sunny American region is Florida, located on the peninsula of the same name and being the most southeastern US state. From the west it is washed by the Gulf of Mexico, in the east the waves of the Atlantic Ocean break on its shores. The total length of the coastline is 1660 km. People come here to relax not only in summer, but also in winter. The west coast is chosen by connoisseurs of family vacations with children, as it is most suitable for this. The East seems to be created for surfers, for whom the high waves characteristic of these places are a real gift of fate.

Florida's famous theme parks - Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, Cyprus Gardens, Daytona Speedway, Kennedy Space Center - are located in Central Florida. In the northern part of the state, it is interesting to visit cities such as Jacksonville and Gainesville. The tourist showcase of the south is the Florida Keys - a chain of coral islands, and, of course, the capital of finance and business, the center of the entertainment industry and nightlife in the southeastern United States - the city of Miami. The concentration of banking and commercial institutions, the presence of first-class beaches, regularly held conferences, festivals and other events attract business people, show business stars and a huge number of ordinary vacationers to this metropolis of 2.5 million. The most glamorous area of ​​the city, or rather, its suburbs, is Miami Beach, where many celebrities rest on the beaches and nightclubs.

Talking about Florida, you can not ignore the famous beaches. For example, Panama City Beach, Daytona Beach and West Palm Beach - they are considered the best here. The first of them has earned a good reputation due to the developed entertainment infrastructure for all tastes and ages (pools, sailing, water skiing, etc.), the second has gained fame as a place where motorsport competitions are regularly held (for example, The Great American Race ). But the third one is recognizable by the snow-white sand, which attracts lovers to soak up the sun.

Sights of Chicago

Let's finish our correspondence acquaintance with the cities and sights of the United States with a small virtual tour of Chicago - the second most important financial center of the United States after New York, as well as the economic, industrial and cultural capital of the Midwest and the largest transport hub throughout North America.

For a long time, this unique and inimitable city has been associated with revolutionary events (suffice it to recall the dispersal of the May Day demonstration in 1886) and organized crime, led by the famous gangster Al Capone and other armed bandits. Modern Chicago, the small homeland of Walt Disney, a favorite of children and adults, opens up to its guests from a completely different side - a wealth of amazing sights. Among them are one of the tallest buildings in the United States - the John Hancock Center, the 110-story Sears Tower and its observation deck with an exclusive glass balcony, the world's largest Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Fine Arts. And also - a huge number of park areas and drawbridges.

National parks

There are huge national parks and nature reserves all over the country, inviting those who want to wander through the swamps of the Florida Everglades or climb the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee or the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

The vast parks of the West with geysers, waterfalls and evergreen forests of the Yellowstone River, Wyoming; the rainbow canyons of Zion National Park, Utah; huge sequoias in northern California; the striking rock formations of Yosemite Valley and, of course, the Grand Canyon of Arizona are wildlife preserves where you can enjoy the natural beauty that holds the soul of the industrial giant that is the United States. Even deserts - the petrified forest southeast of the Grand Canyon or the Death Valley of California's Mojave Desert - allow you to take a break from civilization with benefit.

The high season is from mid-July to mid-August, when most of the well-known parks are full of visitors, so you need to book a campsite in advance.

What to see in the USA

All USA attractions

US travel itineraries

If you are visiting the United States for the first time, you might want to spend a couple of weeks in New York, Miami, San Francisco, or one of the wonderful national parks.

When traveling around the country, Greyhound buses will take you anywhere. Trains are less convenient, with the exception of railroads running along the east, south and west coasts. Airplanes are best for long distances. Shuttle flights operate regularly between New York and Washington or Boston. But if possible, try to travel by bus or by car: this is the best way to experience the immensity of the country and the romance of American roads.

From New York, it is most convenient for history lovers to visit the Mid-Atlantic region (the cities of Washington and Philadelphia), and for those who would like to combine historical curiosity with relaxation, also New England (Boston and the resorts of Massachusetts and Connecticut). Well, for those who are attracted only by boundless beaches or the entertainment theme park of the Walt Disney Corporation and other similar parks, Florida and the Gulf Coast in the south are suitable.

In addition, a two-week vacation in the United States can be devoted to New York, combined with study trips either across the country to California, or to one of the wonders of nature like the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone. New York, especially in summer, will bring a lot of impressions, but pretty exhausting, so for the rest of the trip you will have to calm down a little, in accordance with your well-being.

For a month-long trip, you could take the New York-Boston-W. America, and then visit such wonderful cities as New Orleans or Chicago. The trip ends with a rest on one of the Florida coasts, after which you fly home. If you want to visit many places in America in four weeks, do not try to start with California, which can be so exciting that you forget about your desire to get to know the rest of the country.

The choice of travel routes in the United States is huge, but we must remember that Americans love to combine entertainment with relaxation. And if you want to enjoy your vacation, follow their example by visiting cities, parks or resorts. Even a city like Chicago has sandy beaches around the lake; New Orleans has its own old woman; in New York - Long Island, in Boston - Cape Cod, and near Los Angeles - beaches.

Art

The USA is home to seven world-famous symphony orchestras and opera houses located in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Washington DC and Boston. Innovative canvases and sculptures from Manhattan and California constantly represent the leading trends in the world of art.

Museums in New York, Washington DC and Chicago are among the best in the world. American architecture seeks and finds new solutions, enriching the brilliant tradition that comes from Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry and Daniel Libeskind, chief architect of the new World Trade Center project in New York.

American architecture is often magnificent, sometimes simply stunning, but it has never suffered from timidity in its desire to overcome the difficulties in arranging the business and residential space of today's overcrowded cities.

National cuisine

The United States is called a country of migrants, which is completely true. This circumstance was also reflected in the national cuisine of America, in which the culinary traditions of many countries and peoples, primarily the British, Spaniards, Italians, Chinese and Germans, met and intertwined for centuries. Here, as in Italy, one of the most popular dishes is pizza, the recipe of which has undergone many changes. The well-known hamburger comes from Germany, but in America, its main component was not a meat steak, but an ordinary cutlet.

In the daily diet of Americans, there are many Mexican dishes using beef, processed cheese, beans and spices traditional for the neighboring country. To name just a few: Mole sauce made from cocoa and peanuts, usually served with finely chopped chicken; Tamales corn dough pies, meat or vegetables are added to them; deep-fried pork - Carnitas. The indigenous people, the Indians, had a great influence on the cuisine of the United States. With their light hand, the recipes of many dishes, including those of European origin, began to be enriched with legumes, corn and pumpkin.

One of the features of traditional US cuisine is semi-finished products. The cooking method is most often frying with a large amount of oil. For this reason, the usual food of Americans is saturated with calories, and it cannot be called very useful for the body. No wonder Americans are considered the fattest nation in the world: more than 35% of the population suffers from obesity. For the holidays, a roasted bird with vegetables usually dominates the table, whether it be a turkey, a goose, a duck, or an ordinary chicken. For dessert, both children and adults love pies with various fillings. Americans cannot imagine picnics without barbecues. As for local restaurants, the dishes here are somewhat pompous. These are, as a rule, meat steaks of varying degrees of roasting, as well as lobsters and lobsters.

Hotels and accommodation in the USA

In such a large and developed country as the United States, there can be no problem finding a suitable hotel: among the great variety of proposals, you will definitely find the best option. Using the Booking.com service, you can book a hotel with a discount of up to 60%. However, there are two conditions that, if not met, can create certain difficulties. First: upon check-in, the guest must pay a cash deposit - this is a prerequisite. Its amount varies depending on the "star" of the hotel, but it should not be less than $100. Second: if you are under 21 years old, the deposit will not help - they will refuse to move in, this is the requirement of the law. The deposit is usually not paid in cash, the required amount is simply "frozen" on the cards and then, when the guest moves out (provided that during the stay he did not make additional expenses), the money is "unfrozen". Note to Russian tourists: domestic banks carry out these operations as withdrawals and refunds. If you use a debit card, a refund is made in 3-4 weeks, if you use a credit card - almost instantly. Cash deposit is also accepted, but few hotels practice this.

Tourists often ask: are breakfasts in US hotels included in the cost of living, as is done in many other countries? Answer: usually not. This is not accepted even in hotels in resort areas. However, this problem is easily solved, because there are many restaurants and cafes near the hotels themselves and in the vicinity, where every vacationer can choose dishes for every taste and budget.

By the way, in hotels in American resorts - both beach and ski resorts - the so-called resort tax is also charged, which is paid immediately upon check-in. The same rule applies in Las Vegas. Its amount averages $ 25 per night and includes the cost of a number of additional services: parking, swimming pool, gym, Wi-Fi, etc. For an additional fee, many hotels, even five-star ones, allow dogs to stay. But local hotels (with rare exceptions) do not favor cats. A four-legged friend is unlikely to overwhelm you, given that hotel apartments are very spacious. The size of a standard room starts from 30 m² and above. It is smaller due to the lack of space only in New York - 20-25 m².

Public transport

The transport system of American cities, especially large ones, is branched out and carries an enormous load every day. The metro is popular among travelers and locals. The oldest subway is New York, opened in 1868, younger ones are in Washington, Atlanta and San Jose (Puerto Rico). There are buses in almost every city in the United States, but trolleybuses are in only five: San Francisco, Dayton, Boston, Seattle and Philadelphia.

In some US metropolitan areas, the good old trams are being revived, they are called light rail. High-speed tram lines have recently acquired New York, Seattle, Phoenix and Norfolk. The New York Line serves Kennedy Airport. She has a peculiarity: she does not run along the streets, but along special isolated overpasses. In another 40 cities, the design and construction of modern tram systems is only underway. Also in some cities there is a ferry service that simplifies the movement through the waterways.

Car driving

Traffic in the US is right-hand drive. Road intersections are marked with a stop sign (non-stopping) or a give way/main road sign to indicate who has the right of way. Each state has its own speed limit and depends on the type of road you are driving on. Limits range from 120 km/h on selected freeways to 24 km/h near schools. Such restrictions are almost always indicated and their observance is mandatory, as in the case of the stop sign.

The United States of America is connected by a network of excellent federal highways. Odd numbers indicate highways running north–south, and even numbers indicate east–west highways.

In the event of a breakdown on the freeway, you need to pull over to the right side of the road, turn on the hazard warning lights, tie a piece of white cloth to the door handle or radio antenna, raise the hood and either ask for help on a cell phone or wait for help while sitting in the car.

Automobile Association of America (American Automobile Association - AAA). AAA (1000 AAA Drive, Heathrow, Florida 32746-56-03, tel: 1-800-AAA-HELP (222-43-57); www.aaa.com) provides travelers with US travel information and short-term insurance. In addition, the AAA helps its members and foreigners who are members of recognized motorists unions with breakdowns and other difficulties.

There are many gas stations in the country and it is not difficult to find them. Many stations may be closed in the evenings and on weekends. At night, in some places they require payment without change or a credit card. There is no tip for a full tank, although the cost per gallon is often higher.

Car rental

Most car rental companies in the US provide cars at a fixed price with unlimited mileage. If you are going to drive more than 112 km, this solution is probably the most profitable. The fees are different everywhere, so choose the best option. In addition, some companies rent old, used, but fully functional cars. They are cheaper and especially suitable for outlying trips. When traveling in the summer, make sure you have air conditioning. In addition, you can choose the option when the car is taken in one place and left in another.

In order not to make a huge deposit, grab one of the credit cards recognized in the world; some companies even refuse to take cash as a deposit. Tourists from non-English speaking countries need to have their driver's license translated or have an international driver's license.

To search and book a car in the USA, we recommend using the service that will show you the best prices for all car rental companies in the USA at once.

Time

Forty-eight states that form a single whole are divided from east to west into four time zones: Eastern (Eastern) -5 hours relative to GMT, Central (Central) -6 hours, Mountain (Montain) -7 hours and Pacific (Pacific) -8 hours. Much of Alaska is -9 hours GMT, and Hawaii is -10 hours. During daylight saving time, with the exception of Alaska and parts of Arizona, clocks are set forward one hour on the second Sunday in March and one hour ago on the first Sunday in November.

Opening hours

Offices and businesses in the United States of America are generally open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (6:00 pm). Banks are open Mon-Fri from 9.00 to 14.00, although many are open until 16.00, and some branches are open on Saturday until 12.00. Most museums are usually open daily 10.00-17.30; small museums and art galleries have their own opening hours and are mostly closed one day a week, often on Mondays. Shops in American cities tend to open at 9:00 and close at 17:30, while malls and arcades are open longer, often until 21:00. The malls inside the huge Las Vegas casinos are usually open until midnight.

Crime and security

The crime rate in many large American cities is falling. Violent crimes still occur along with the usual petty theft and non-violent crimes. Follow a few simple rules, and then nothing will overshadow your vacation. Store valuables, cash and travelers checks (letters of credit) in the hotel safe. Take with you only what is necessary in everyday life. Keep your bag closed and keep your wallet in the inside pockets of your clothes, not in your back pocket. Never leave your belongings unattended, either at the airport, in the store, on the beach, or in plain sight in the car. As elsewhere, once in the crowd, beware of pickpockets.

When you are in an unfamiliar place, look around. Stay in busy areas after dark. If you have a car, close the windows and doors so that no one enters the car at the traffic lights. Also, don't drive around with the windows wide open and with your wallet or valuables in the seat next to you.

The city police monitor crime and traffic violations in their localities, while the highway patrols ensure road safety and track those who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

American police officers are mostly friendly and honest. Feel free to contact them for help or advice. In case of emergency, call 911.

Health and medical care

There is no free medical care in the US, so visiting a doctor can be expensive, and a stay in the hospital can even ruin you. Payment for medical services occurs immediately, so a vacation medical insurance is quite reasonable. For insurance coverage, contact a major international company or your travel agent.

Of the drugs, it is better to take with you those drugs that you take regularly. Keep in mind that many over-the-counter medicines in the US require a prescription. If you need to buy such drugs there, get a prescription from your doctor.

Tips

Typically, a service charge is not included in the bill, so a waiter or bartender is entitled to a tip of about 15% (even more in New York or expensive establishments). Ticketers in cinemas and theaters are not tipped, but doormen, cloakroom attendants, etc. should be thanked with a coin of at least 25 cents.

Five things not to do in the USA

• You can't argue or offer a bribe to a police officer. An evening behind bars is hardly included in your travel plan, so if you disagree with law enforcement officers, either put up with it or go to court.
• You can not call African Americans "Negroes", Asians "narrow-eyed", Ukrainians "Russians". The consequences of a showdown will not always be to your face.
• It is impossible to violate the inviolability of private property, even if the door is wide open. Curiosity may not be understood, but they will have time to use weapons.
• You can not drink drinks of any strength in public places. Even a can of beer in a paper bag will not always save you from a fine.
• Finally, watching tanned bodies, slender legs, silicone breasts, do not try to speak out about what you see out loud. A slap in the face will seem like a reward to you, but compared to possible legal costs due to a misunderstood compliment, in relation to men as well. Use the services of the appropriate clubs, where the public comes specifically for flirting.

American Games

Tired of the wonders of the real world, you can immerse yourself in the fictional worlds of Universal Studios and Disneyland, or the sinful spell of Las Vegas and other resort destinations all over the country. But it is customary to tickle the nerves here in moderation to avoid unnecessary tension - purely family entertainment is everywhere (except, of course, Las Vegas - the vicious city knows almost no prohibitions). Children play an important role in life, and Americans have long understood that we all become children at times, perhaps more often than we admit it to ourselves.

Americans love to play. Their own adaptations of European sports are baseball, which, according to one American Encyclopedia, "undoubtedly descended" from English cricket and rounders, and what they call football, to a foreigner's eye, resembles a contest that might well have been invented for Roman gladiators, - Real performances. In addition to spectator sports on the coasts of Florida, California and the Hawaiian Islands, all sorts of notions like surfing, roller skating, parascending and sandboating are springing up, and everyone is armed with soft Frisbees.

National character

Perhaps the most thrilling event of your journey through America will be meeting the different people who inhabit the United States: the deadpan New Englanders, the offhand New Yorkers, the gruffly good-natured Texans, the earnest Midwestern farmers, and you soon begin to realize that, with their dissimilarity, they do not qualify. under no general definition.

Wherever you meet Americans, you see for yourself that they do not emerge as a monotonous people, similar in appearance, language and disposition. Martin Luther King was right when he compared America to a melting pot. He said that it resembles a bowl of vegetable soup, where you can feel the taste of carrots, potatoes, onions and peas at the same time.

One thing is for sure: every time you visit the United States, you will find that the composition of the dish is constantly changing.

Table of measures and weights

The United States of America remained the only country that opposes the introduction of the metric system. Milk and fruit juice are sold in quarter-gallon and half-gallon containers, but wine and spirits today come in liter bottles. Food items are usually weighed in kilograms and grams, as well as pounds and ounces.

English and American measures of volume are somewhat different:
1 US gallon = 0.833 imperial gallons = 3.8 liters and 1 US quart = 0.833 imperial quarts = 0.9 liters.

Customs regulations and visa

As a rule, the US Embassy and Consulates issue multiple-entry B visas (B, B-1, B1/B2) valid for one year to Russian citizens. In rare cases, a single-entry visa valid for three months is issued. At the interview, you can ask for a visa for two years.

The validity of the visa (one, two years) allows entry into the country during this period. The length of stay in the United States is determined at the border crossing by the immigration officer on a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances. When passing through border control, an entry stamp is stamped in the passport and a “migration form” 1-94 is attached, which contains the number of days allowed to stay in the United States. Entry into the United States can be made even on the last day of the visa.

Due to tighter security measures, prepare to be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival in the US. Everyone fills out a customs declaration. Information about changes in the rules of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection can be found on the website: www.cbp.gov.

Foreign citizens can import tax-free and duty-free items intended for gifts with a total value of up to $ 100. This benefit is valid if the gifts are in luggage, if you stay for 72 hours or more and have not used this benefit in the previous six months. This benefit also applies to cigarettes (up to 100 pieces), but the import of Cuban cigars is prohibited.

In addition, plants and foodstuffs are under strict supervision; foreign citizens cannot import fruits, vegetables and meat.

Citizens arriving and departing must report amounts of money, checks, etc. in excess of the total of $10,000.

Electricity

The voltage in the US power grid is 110 V, and the frequency is 60 Hz. Sockets accept plugs with two or three flat pins. Foreign citizens will need a 240 V / 110 V voltage converter and an adapter plug for an electric shaver and other household appliances, if they do not provide for switching the supply voltage.

Communication and Internet

The most famous mobile operators in the United States are Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. But only the last two practice prepaid communication services. They also offer tourists two convenient tariff plans - for a day and for a month. The first one is usually used by those who came to America for a short time, a day of using a SIM card will cost 2-3 dollars. Let's not forget that the US uses the GSM 850/1900 cellular standard, while Russia uses GSM 900/1800. The problem is solvable if your gadget supports both frequencies.

As for the World Wide Web, you can use wireless access, but Wi-Fi is not free everywhere. Russian tourists actively use mobile Internet in roaming. So, the domestic operator Beeline offers a package of 40 MB for 200 rubles. In MTS, you will have to pay 300 rubles for 30 MB. Megafon for the same amount of traffic set the cost of 829 rubles. Many travelers, including Russians, are users of the international roaming operator GlobalSIM (GlobalSIM), which offers, among other things, special tariff plans for mobile Internet. It operates in 200 countries, providing free incoming calls in 147 of them. Calls - both within the US and abroad - are inexpensive, 39 cents per minute.

How to get there

The United States is located on the other side of the ocean from Russia, so the best way to get to America is by air. Aeroflot and Delta make three joint flights from Sheremetyevo to New York, the flight lasts 10 hours and 40 minutes. Flights Moscow - Los Angeles are carried out 6 times a week, travel time is 13 hours.

Singapore Airlines flies from Domodedovo to Houston 5 to 6 times a week, you will spend 12 hours and 15 minutes in the air. Flights from Russia to various US cities are also offered by many European carriers, for example, Lufthansa, Air France, Finnair, KLM, British Airways, Czech Airlines, Iberia, Alitalia, LOT, Austrian, etc. These flights, they are often the cheapest, are carried out with transfers at European airports.

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Although the United States was founded only 300 years ago, American history is filled with the most unexpected and, at times, dramatic turns. Today, America remains one of the strongest powers in the world and the roots of its power lie in the very first years of the existence of the state.

The first people in North America. History of America before the arrival of Europeans

America is called the land of immigrants for a reason. Usually people who say this phrase have in mind the English, German and Dutch emigrants who arrived in America in the 16th-18th centuries. However, even the Indians, who are traditionally called the natives of North America, were in fact also aliens on American soil.

So far, no evidence of the presence of prehistoric man has been found on the territory of North America. For a long time, the North American continent was completely deserted, until here between 42,000 and 16,000 BC. e. the first people did not come through the narrow isthmus of land, which was once on the site of the Bering Strait. The aliens were from Central Asia and Siberia. Until now, geneticists trace the close relationship between the North American Indians and the modern inhabitants of Siberia and Altai.

About 10,000 years ago, the first Americans started farming and gradually moved away from nomadic hunting. Thanks to a varied and plentiful diet, their population has increased dramatically. By the 15th century BC. e. large cities began to appear on the territory of North America. Although the main, most developed Indian cultures were in South America, quite progressive civilizations also existed on the northern continent:

• the Maya who lived on the Yucatan Peninsula;
• the Olmecs, who settled on the southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico;
• Aztecs who lived in what is now Mexico.

Much less is known to the general reader about the peoples who lived at that time directly on the territory of the modern United States. However, several major cultures also flourished here:

• the Poverty Point culture, whose inhabitants settled in Louisiana;
• the Anasazi urban culture centered in Colorado;
• the nomadic culture of the inhabitants of the Great Plains;
• hunter-gatherers of the Pacific coast;
• Eskimos and Aleuts who inhabited modern Canada.

Indian culture was extremely colorful and diverse. Religious and ethical ideas and collectivism played an important role in the life of Indians of all tribes. The Indians did not think of themselves outside the community, which was the key unit of the social order. The religious views of the natives of America were animistic. The Indians believed that in every natural object, structure, tool, etc., one or another spirit lives. Any event in the life of the community entailed many rituals aimed at communicating with spirits and gods.

European colonization of the Americas

The first Europeans in North America were the Scandinavian Vikings, who arrived here at the beginning of the 11th century. However, the first and only Viking colony in America did not last long. Very soon the discoveries of the Vikings were forgotten and the Europeans again lost America.

From the middle of the 15th century, the famous Age of Discovery began in Europe. Europeans discovered Asia with its jewels, expensive fabrics and priceless spices. This gave impetus to the growth of trade and banking. Every year, tens of thousands of daredevils, dreaming of untold riches, rushed to the east. The Great Silk Road was the main artery maintaining communication between the east and the west. It was very dangerous to move along it because of the difficult climatic conditions, diseases and robbers who were waiting for merchants at every turn. In addition, the goods passed through the hands of hundreds of intermediaries, which increased their value tenfold. Especially difficult trade through the Great Silk Road was for Portugal, located in the westernmost point of Europe. The original solution to this problem was proposed by the Portuguese Prince Enrique the Navigator. On his initiative, the Portuguese began to reach Asia by sea, skirting Africa.

The Spaniards, who at that time were the economic and political rivals of the Portuguese, turned their eyes to the west. The Spanish court seemed convinced by the theory of the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus that Asia could be reached not only by sailing east, but also by sailing west. Columbus, having overcome a difficult path, really reached the coast, however, not Indian, as he thought, but South American. Until his death, the navigator never knew that he had discovered a new continent. All the laurels of the discoverer went to a friend and follower of Columbus - Amerigo Vespucci. New lands were named after him.

The Spanish monarchs immediately began to develop the newly discovered territories. Almost no one prevented them from doing this. The Portuguese created their colonies a little later and only in the territory of modern Brazil. Therefore, Spain remained the mistress in Latin America until the beginning of the 17th century.

The Spanish invasion of South and Central America led to the fall of the Inca, Aztec and Maya empires. Those Indians who remained alive after the next Spanish expeditions became slaves. They were forcibly Christianized and forced to abandon their usual culture. However, the use of Indians as slaves turned out to be extremely inefficient. Native Americans were not immune to many of the diseases brought from Europe (primarily tuberculosis, influenza, and smallpox), so deadly infections quickly began to spread among the conquered. However, this did not bother the Spaniards, they simply began to bring slaves to America from Africa.

For a long time, Europeans were not interested in the territory of the modern United States. They rarely went further than the Rio Grande. However, individual daredevils undertook sorties and deep into the northern mainland. Many conquistadors listened to Indian legends about the incredible wonders and riches that are located north of the Rio Grande. Such stories include the parables of Eldorado, the Seven Golden Cities, and the kingdom of Saguenay. The last legend, apparently, had a very real basis: even among the Indians of South America there were rumors that white people had once founded a settlement in the north. Obviously, the Indians used the word Saguenay to denote an ancient, short-lived Viking colony.

The Indians deliberately spread rumors about the wealth of the north in order to ward off greedy conquistadors from their lands. In 1565, the oldest American city, St. Augustine, was founded on the territory of modern Florida. At first, the city was a small fort, founded by the Spanish General Menendez in order to expel the French from Florida, who gradually began to explore the North American continent. As the Spaniards moved north, new American cities arose—Santa Fe, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

While the Spaniards and the Portuguese were mastering Latin America and the south of the North American continent, French and Dutch colonists began to make their way to the north. At the beginning of the 17th century, the English navigator Henry Hudson, who worked for the Dutch East India Company, explored a large river that now bears his name. At the mouth of the Hudson River, several Dutch settlements were created at once, which eventually merged into a single city, later called New York. French colonists at that time explored the north of the mainland - the territory of modern Canada. Quebec was the first city founded by the French in North America. However, the French failed to firmly gain a foothold in America at that time: if the Spanish crown actively supported the conquistadors and allocated them considerable funds for new expeditions, then the French kings did not have such an interest in the western lands and the financing of French sailors was very scarce.

British colonization

England could have joined the race for the development of America as early as the 15th century, but due to a combination of circumstances, English colonies arose here much later. In 1497, Captain John Cabot undertook to look for a "western route to Asia" for the English crown. He managed to reach the island of Newfoundland, becoming the first European since the Vikings to set foot on the land of North America, but, like Columbus, he decided that his expedition had reached the shores of Asia. Cabot's people explored a small stretch of the coast of modern Canada and decided that this was China. Throughout their journey, they did not meet a single native, although they saw traces of bonfires and abandoned household items. Cabot made another expedition to the shores of America, but died shortly after returning to England. Cabot's son - Sebastian - continued his father's research, but due to internal problems in England, the study of North America was suspended.

Under Queen Elizabeth, exploration of overseas territories continued. The new continent could become not only a source of wealth and minerals, but also a place where English Protestants could create their own society away from the Catholic prelates. The lands that the British first set foot on, it was decided to call Virginia ("Virgin") - in honor of Queen Elizabeth, who refused to marry for the sake of her country. The first English colony in North America was the settlement on Roanoke Island, founded in 1585. However, the unforeseen happened: the sailors who participated in subsequent expeditions did not find a single white person on Roanoke. The fort was abandoned, no traces of the colonists could be found. The mystery of the disappeared colony of Roanoke still remains unsolved. According to the most plausible versions explaining the disappearance of the English, the colonists could have moved inland or tried to return to England in small ships; in addition, Spaniards, pirates or Indians could attack their settlement.

However, the British did not abandon their attempts to master North America. Moreover, the initiative to colonize new lands gradually began to move from the English crown to local entrepreneurs. King James I, by special decree, granted the rights to colonize Virginia to two English joint-stock companies:

• London, which was engaged in the development of the south of the North American continent.
• Plymouth, which controlled the north of the mainland.

The latter company was not able to achieve great success and establish a permanent settlement in North America. But the London entrepreneurs were much luckier.

In 1606, the London Stock Company sent an expedition to North American cities led by Captain Newport. The following year, the colonists reached Virginia and founded the settlement of Jamestown there. The first years were extremely difficult for the settlers. They suffered from hunger and disease, in addition, the Europeans were constantly in conflict with the local population. The impetus for the flourishing of a small settlement where misfortunes constantly occurred was two factors: the discovery of tobacco, which was very fond of not only the colonists, but also the inhabitants of the Old World, and the use of black slaves to perform the dirtiest and hardest work. However, the changes affected not only the economic affairs of the colony. The settlers established self-government in Jamestown, which at the time was a very progressive political practice.

Following Jamestown during the 17th-18th centuries, the following emerged in North America:

• the private colony of Lord Baltimore - Maryland, where a lively business center gradually arose;
• Plymouth Colony, founded in the territory of modern Massachusetts by the English "Pilgrim Fathers" (religious dissidents who fled from the persecution of the Catholic Church);
• Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Carolina, Rhode Island, New Haven, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire founded by English Puritans;
• New York - a former Dutch colony captured by the British;
• Georgia, which was created as an outpost to resist the Spaniards.

By the beginning of the 18th century, about 250,000 English people lived in North America. In the north, where soils were poor and scarce, dense housing and small family farms predominated. In the south, with its fertile lands, settlers bought huge tracts of land for plantations for tobacco and rice. It was hard for one single family to work on such huge fields, so the southerners tried to attract hired workers. At first, England itself was the main source of cheap labor, from where young people moved across the ocean in search of a better life. Young people entered into agreements with the planters: in exchange for paying for the road, food and housing, they had to work for their master for several years. After this period, workers received small plots and agricultural implements. However, it was very unprofitable for the planters to use the labor of free white people. Unlike the English poor, African slaves worked for the owner for life, they did not need to pay salaries and provide at least minimum working conditions.

Although English settlements prospered, rich and developed cities appeared here, the British crown was unhappy with the state of affairs in the west, despite the fact that until 1775 the colonists considered themselves loyal subjects of the English king. This was due to a number of reasons:

• Firstly, constant conflicts with the local population, for which the British crown had to allocate a lot of money. If the Spanish colonies were compact small settlements where only professional soldiers and merchants lived, then the English settlers had a much more diverse social composition and inhabited much more extensive territories. British ships with a variety of people constantly approached the American shores. At the same time, all the colonists from Old England needed their own land plots, for which they fought fierce wars with the Indians. Another positive aspect of the Spanish colonization was that mainly single men came from Spain to America. Sooner or later, almost all of them acquired wives from among local women. Moreover, growing up, children born in interracial marriages could occupy not the last posts in the Spanish administration. Thanks to this, racial conflicts between the Spanish colonialists and the Indians came to naught in just a few decades. The situation was quite different among the English settlers. They came to new lands with their whole families, and the union of a white man and an Indian was, in their view, disgusting.
• Secondly, although the English colonists supplied tobacco, sugar and rice to the mother country, the main goal of the original expeditions to the west was gold and other minerals. The Portuguese and Spaniards regularly sent ships loaded with jewels home, but London never received the gold.
• Thirdly, a completely new type of citizen arose in New England, different from the servile subject of the British crown. On the one hand, the colonists, who lived in harsh conditions, were distinguished by great independence and initiative. On the other hand, constant danger forced people to cooperate: this contributed to the fact that in the colonies there was no acute social conflict between rich and poor, especially in the north.

In London, the colonies perceived, although problematic, but, on the whole, an uninterrupted source of money and resources. The colonists regularly sent money and goods to the metropolis, which were then sold at a high price on the European market, and received almost nothing in return. As a result, smuggling trade with other countries began to flourish in the colonies.

In the 1760s, relations between the colonies and the mother country deteriorated sharply. London decided to reorganize life in the colonies. The main goal of the English lords and the king at the same time was to receive additional income for the treasury. The result of these reforms was a series of laws, extremely unpopular among the colonists. The settlers were forbidden to print their own money and move beyond the Appalachian mountains, so as not to provoke further conflicts with the Indians; high taxes were imposed on a number of goods; tax also had to be paid for stamped paper. Innovations met with a storm of criticism and demands for the preservation of the autonomy of the colonies. As a result, London made a number of concessions.

In 1773, the English Parliament, unwilling to abandon colonial money, introduced the tea law. According to this law, only the East India Company now had the opportunity to trade tea in the colonies. The price of the drink soared, which the colonists met with indignation. They began to block the ports in order to prevent English ships loaded with tea from entering America. In December of the same year, in the Boston port, the townspeople drowned a shipment of tea worth 10 thousand pounds sterling into the sea. In history, this action has remained under the name "Boston Tea Party".

These events served as an impetus for the beginning of the national liberation struggle. The main idea of ​​the Americans was the following postulate: the colonists have always been faithful servants of the British crown, but now London has embarked on the path of tyranny and lawlessness, free citizens cannot tolerate this and are ready to take up arms. At the same time, however, until 1776, the Americans did not consider it necessary to fight for complete independence from the mother country.

The Continental Congress, established in the fall of 1774 in Philadelphia, became responsible for protecting the colonies from the British invasion, their economy and domestic politics. In its own way, it was a very progressive structure: the Americans, who feared that sooner or later a tyrannical monarchy would arise on their lands, decided that their government should be based on the principles of election, turnover and democracy. Following the Congress, in individual colonies, their own self-government bodies began to emerge, taking over the functions that were originally performed by British officials.

In the spring of 1775, the first armed clashes took place between British soldiers and local militias. In the same year, Congress ordered the creation of the Continental Army, led by George Washington. However, even this step did not mean that the congressmen were ready to break with London. They tried to reconcile with George III, asking him to remove the most unscrupulous officials from the colonies and repeal a number of laws. The common colonists, however, were more determined. The idea of ​​full independence of the colonies has long been popular among frontier farmers. It was under the influence of these people that the Congress in 1776 began to develop a formal statement of the independence of the colonies. On July 4, the Declaration of Independence was adopted, marking a new era in North American history.

In the spring of 1775, the position of the colonists looked very unenviable. London had a clear superiority in technical equipment, the degree of training of soldiers and the number of people. However, the colonists had their own trump cards. First, they fought on well-known terrain. Secondly, the settlements were scattered along the vast east coast and the British soldiers could not act as a united front. It was unusual and very difficult to pursue small partisan detachments in such conditions. In addition, the colonists had clear goals and ideas, while the morale of His Majesty's soldiers who swam across the ocean was very low.

England decided to strike the first blow at Boston, the main center of anti-British sentiment. There was an opinion that the destruction of the center of the revolution in Boston would lead to the complete eradication of unrest. But the Bostonians managed to resist the British onslaught. Then London decided to change tactics: to capture the largest cities in America, with the help of local supporters of the king (loyalists). In 1776 the British began their plan. First, the royal army managed to rout Washington's army, occupy New York and Philadelphia. However, further actions of the British due to lack of coordination were not so successful. In the autumn of 1777, the Continental Army managed to win its first major victory against the British at Saratoga. At the same time, the old enemies of England - France, Spain and Holland - began to provide support to the colonists. England was isolated.

However, the years 1778-1780 did not go so smoothly for the colonists. They still lacked weapons, supplies and medicine. The Royal Army managed to score a series of victories while Washington had to take a wait-and-see attitude. In the North, the war almost stopped, but a new upsurge of confrontation took place in the South, where a civil war broke out between loyalists and supporters of independence. London was preparing to deliver a decisive blow to the South, but time was lost: the colonists managed to conclude an alliance with France and prepare for a joint action against the British commander-in-chief Cornwallis. In October 1781, after a long siege at Yorktown, Cornwallis was forced to surrender, marking an American victory. In 1783, the Peace of Paris was signed and the colonists were able to take care of the internal affairs of their state.

state building

The main tasks of the colonists were: the development of their own legislation and the creation of governments. There was a long and bitter discussion between federalists and anti-federalists about this in American society:

• the federalists (including the first president, George Washington) were entrepreneurs and large landowners. They believed that the state should have a strong center that controls all the states;
• the anti-federalists, represented by farmers and small merchants, advocated the preservation of the independence of the states.

The Federalists, who had a clear program and a high degree of cohesion, received a legislative initiative for a while. They replaced the rather liberal Articles of Confederation, which served as supreme law during the Revolutionary War, with the Constitution of 1787, which deprived the states of a number of rights. In order to satisfy the demands of the anti-federalists, it was decided to adopt a "Bill of Rights", which, although it did not expand the powers of the states, proclaimed the personal rights and freedoms of Americans.

The constitution briefly satisfied most Americans, and by 1800 there was renewed controversy and demands for a redesign of the federalist model. In 1801, the anti-federalist, founder of the Democratic-Republican Party, Thomas Jefferson won the presidential election. The Jeffersonian government repealed a number of unpopular laws, domestic duties, reduced the national debt, transferred a number of powers to the states, and announced a peaceful foreign policy. In addition, Jefferson almost doubled his state by purchasing Louisiana from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803. However, Jefferson did not completely abandon the legacy of the Federalists, intervening periodically in the affairs of the free market.

Initially, Jefferson did not want to participate in the Napoleonic Wars, but since England, which did not want the United States and France to exchange goods, almost all American foreign trade was paralyzed, the Democrat-Republicans announced the start of hostilities. The Anglo-American War of 1812-1815 ended in victory for the Americans. It was of great importance not only for the foreign, but also for the domestic policy of the young state. The federalists who opposed the war were declared traitors and finally lost political weight.

In the late 1820s, major changes took place in American politics: the number of states increased, the property qualification for voters was reduced. All this led to the appearance in Congress of various groups that defended their interests. In the fierce election of 1824, Andrew Jackson, the founder of the Democratic Party, won. By today's standards, Jackson's politics could hardly be called democratic. For example, he advocated the expulsion of the Indians from their lands. However, he was able to offer the Americans a number of cutting-edge innovations: the abolition of many tariffs, the limitation of the power of the federal center and the granting of a number of rights to the states. However, due to some reckless and impulsive actions (such as the liquidation of the Bank of the United States, which led to an economic crisis), the Jackson era was rather unstable. Very soon, an opposition Whig party (which later became the core of the US Republican Party) was formed, whose members considered Jackson a tyrant and despot. The Whigs advocated nationalization, social reforms and the transfer of all power to Congress. This is how the American two-party system was born.

New trends have also affected the economy. At the beginning of the 19th century, a market system was formed in the United States. This was associated with the following indicators:

• the growth of commodity production;
• widespread use of machines in production;
• development of commodity-money relations;
• the formation of the internal market and economic ties between the states.

More and more resources were required for the needs of the market, therefore, in the first half of the 19th century, the idea of ​​conquering the wild west was especially popular. On the developed lands, transport networks, cities and agricultural lands were created. However, the increment of territories was not only due to moving to the west, but also due to military expansion to the south. Thus, the American-Mexican War of 1846-48 brought the United States territories that today host as many as 5 states. In general, US foreign policy at that time was characterized by expansionism.

By the middle of the century, the standard of living of Americans had increased significantly, the population grew annually and steadily due to immigrants and newborns.

At the same time, the differences between the North and the South began to be especially pronounced. In the North, where market relations developed most actively, economic growth coexisted with crises, bankruptcies, and the collapse of former ideals. And in the South, life flowed more measuredly and conservatively. That is why groups of reformers constantly arose in the North, who wanted a radical restructuring of society and the economy. The southerners, in turn, were satisfied with the status quo, they lived freely and independently, trading cotton with foreign countries and almost not being involved in domestic trade.

In the second half of the 19th century, the contradictions between the South and the North reached their peak. Traditionally, the main cause of the American Civil War is the desire of the northerners to free the slaves who worked on the plantations of the South. In fact, the list of reasons was much wider:

• the dissatisfaction of the northerners with the fact that the South conducts an independent trade in cotton across the ocean, doing without the mediation of entrepreneurs from the North;
• lack of free labor at the enterprises of the North;
• Lincoln's desire to establish federal control over the freedom-loving South;
• the difference in mentalities (southerners are hereditary aristocrats; northerners are businessmen).

The fact that the true motive of the northerners was not at all philanthropic impulses is also indicated by the fact that the slave states were also outside the Confederation (for example, Maryland).

The first armed conflict between supporters of slavery and abolitionists (activists who defended the rights of the black population) occurred in 1858 in Kansas, where the local authorities had to decide on the introduction of slavery.

The elections of 1860 divided the whole country into two hostile camps. As a result, the Republican Abraham Lincoln became president, who at that time, although he did not strongly oppose slavery, believed that slavery should not be extended to new western lands. In the South, the news of Lincoln's election was answered by the creation of the Confederation of the Southern States, which seceded from the United States. Lincoln said that he would fight for the integrity of the country and not allow the spread of slavery in the West, but would not encroach on the established order in the South.

The first battle between the Confederates and the supporters of the Union of the Northern States took place in the spring of 1861 for Fort Sumter. To deplete the South, the northerners decided to establish a naval blockade of the Confederacy. At first, it was very difficult to control the huge coast with just 40 ships. But gradually the fleet of the North grew and the trade of the South with foreign countries was almost completely stopped.

The beginning of 1862 went well for the northerners, so General Grant, who led the Union troops, stopped sensibly assessing the enemy, for which he paid at the battle of Shiloh. Moreover, the Allies managed to strike back and, after a bloody battle, take the Corinth railway station in Kentucky. In the spring, southerners lost such important coastal cities as New Orleans and Memphis. However, the Confederates under the leadership of Jackson later managed to stop the offensive of the northerners in the east, but they themselves were not able to move forward as a united front to the North.

In the first half of 1863, luck accompanied the southerners, especially since mass anti-war demonstrations began in the North. However, in the bloody Battle of Gettysburg, General Lee, who led the Confederates, lost 30% of his men and was forced to retreat. Meanwhile, the northerners, led by General Grant, took control of the entire Mississippi River.

In 1864, the armies of Grant and Sherman moved south to finally break the resistance of the Confederates. The result of these events was the loss of Atlanta by the southerners.

1865 was the last year of the war. The Confederates suffered from a lack of ammunition and food. They no longer trusted their leadership, all the reserves of the South were exhausted. In April, in the town of Appomattox, General Lee was forced to capitulate. The war ended with the victory of the North.

Reconstruction period

It took America several decades to overcome the consequences of the Civil War. The south was completely devastated: cotton plantations and several large cities were destroyed; landowners lost their labor force; about 250 thousand soldiers died in the war. The war did not affect the territory of the North, but the human losses here were even greater than those of the Confederates. Both sides hated each other and considered the enemy responsible for starting the war.

Due to the fact that technically and bureaucratically the procedure for joining the South back into the fold of the United States was ill-conceived and spontaneous, a real struggle broke out between the authorities on the territory of the losing states for access to those wealth of the South that were not destroyed during the war. In addition, both in the North and in the South during the war, their own national governments were formed, which had a very wide range of powers. The process of integrating the southern states only became more difficult after the assassination of Lincoln. Lincoln's project was quite thoughtful, but Johnson, who came to the presidency, could not adequately implement it. In addition to all the problems outlined above, during the Reconstruction period, there was an unprecedented surge of racism throughout the South. So the southerners reacted to the empowerment of blacks with civil rights. To defend the leading positions of the white population, the southerners even created a paramilitary organization - the Ku Klux Klan.

In Washington, there was a fierce debate between President Johnson, who sympathized with the southerners, and Congress. These disputes resulted in:

• empowering adult black men with voting and other civil rights;
• military districts were created on the territory of the rebellious states;
• amnesty for many Confederates.

In general, Reconstruction failed. The proper reform of the South never happened. Of course, the Congress managed to achieve the indivisibility of the country and the elimination of the institution of slavery, but already in the late 1870s, the white population of the south regained a number of its former privileges and began to completely control the political life of the region.

USA before the World Wars

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the United States developed steadily without any major upheavals. The main trends of this period were:

• stabilization of the political system, balance between Republicans and Democrats;
• growth of big business;
• urbanization;
• growth in the number of immigrants.

The United States has become a powerful industrial power with a high standard of living. However, some social problems remained: a large gap between the rich and the poor, as well as the passivity of political leaders who led the country onto a path of stagnation.

However, the world has changed and so has society. So in America there were movements of progressives (supporters of social reforms, strong government and social cohesion) and suffragettes. Although there were such completely democratic views in society, relations between whites and blacks and the indigenous population of America remained tense, as evidenced by the racist laws of Jim Crow.

The onset of the First World War (1914-1918) destroyed the plans of the Americans to establish their influence in Cuba and Hawaii. President Wilson urged Americans to remain neutral and not interfere in European affairs. However, this was not possible, since the world's waters became a field for military operations. Germany carried out attacks on French and British ships carrying American citizens. Moreover, the power of another state in the Atlantic could not please Wilson and his cabinet. And after a telegram sent by the German government to Mexico was intercepted in 1917, which directly spoke of intentions to attack the United States, neutrality became basically impossible. In April 1917 the USA entered the First World War.

In total, about 4 million Americans fought on the Western and Italian fronts. In January 1918, Wilson proposed his own version of a peace treaty, which, in his opinion, was to become the basis for all future international politics. The document provided for freedom of trade, the right of nations to self-determination, the rejection of shadow diplomacy, etc. These principles were to be protected by an organization called the League of Nations. The Entente countries rejected this project and proposed a tougher treaty. Therefore, Wilson's project remained only a beautiful utopian idea.

Interwar period

The years 1920-1941 were characterized by a departure from the ideas of the progressives. The main principles of this era were individualism and decentralization. This gave impetus to the development of private initiative and the economic boom. The Roaring Twenties became a symbol of luxury, broadmindedness and new ideals. However, in 1929, America plunged into the deepest economic crisis in the history of the country. The main causes of the Great Depression were:

• overproduction;
• insufficient consumption;
• uneven development of different branches of production;
• unhealthy hype around the purchase of shares (quotes rarely reflected the true financial affairs of companies).

The Great Depression broke out shortly after Herbert Hoover became president. Therefore, popular rumor blamed the new president for the economic collapse. However, it was Hoover who outlined the first correct steps to eliminate the negative consequences of the Depression: he organized mass work, supported large enterprises and banks, suspended the payment of public debt, etc.

But since the natural recovery of the economy began only under Theodore Roosevelt, it was he who went down in history as the savior of the nation. To revive the economy, Roosevelt developed his "New Deal", which was actually a reworking of Hoover's ideas. By 1939, the effects of the Depression were finally overcome and the American economy prepared for a new take-off.

Because of the Great Depression and disillusionment after the First World War, Americans were extremely reluctant about the idea of ​​re-interfering in European affairs. At the same time, President Roosevelt understood that the Nazi regime could pose a serious threat to his country and wanted to somehow influence public opinion.

In 1939-40, the United States provided Europe with exclusively material support (this is how the Lend-Lease system appeared). America switched directly to military operations only after the Japanese attack on the American base at Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

While the Soviet troops fought on the territory of their country, the American and British armies fought the Nazis and their allies in the Mediterranean region. In 1943-44, Great Britain and America managed to eliminate Mussolini and reach Rome, bringing Italy out of the war. In 1943, at a meeting in Tehran, the leaders of the Big Three agreed to open a second front in Europe. The landing operation in Normandy took place in the summer of 1944 and was called "Overlord". The operation was commanded by Dwight Eisenhower, a talented organizer and experienced military man. The quick victory that the allies had hoped for was not achieved: Hitler managed to prepare a plan for a counteroffensive in the Ardennes and began to implement it in December of that year. The Battle of the Bulge lasted two months and became the bloodiest battle in American history. However, the efforts were not in vain, the Nazi troops were defeated and the war actually ended on the western front.

If in the West the participation of Americans in the war was relatively small, then in the Pacific the main hardships of the war fell on the United States. The struggle with Japan was difficult and protracted, but towards the end of the war there was a definite turning point. In the summer of 1945, it was decided to test in Japan two samples of the latest weapons developed by nuclear physicists, on the condition that the Japanese government reject the offer of surrender. As a result, the world-famous tragedy occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Disputes about how justified such a step by the US military was to this day.

"Cold War"

The United States was the only state that emerged from the Second World War not only not ruined, but also even richer and more developed than in the pre-war period. The forced cooperation between the US and the USSR during the war years has now come to naught and gradually turned into a confrontation. Each of the powers was authoritative and powerful enough to claim world leadership. In addition, Americans and Soviet citizens professed completely different, even opposing values. The United States believed that the USSR was striving to establish communism throughout Eurasia, and in the USSR that the United States was using lend-lease and the system of international loans as a tool to spread its influence in other countries.

Further American foreign policy was determined by:

• the Truman Doctrine (the United States declared that it had the right to defend the oppressed peoples of Europe);
• "Marshall Plan" (issuance of loans to European countries);
• policy of "containment" (preventing the further spread of communism).

The Cold War was the most important reason for the erection of the Berlin Wall, the long division of Germany and a number of other events in different parts of the world.

During the years of the Korean War (1950-1953), the "cold war" actually for some time passed into its "hot" phase: after all, American soldiers fought on the side of South Korea, and Soviet soldiers fought on the side of North Korea. However, the United States failed to achieve its goals in the region. The war brought disappointment to American society and led to the fall of Harry Truman's authority. The next president was a Republican, World War II hero, Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower was also a supporter of the policy of "containment", but at first he acted in other ways. He decided that the most important foreign policy actions were best carried out secretly, so he decided to make the main bet not on the troops, but on the CIA formed in 1947. The CIA facilitated the coup in Iran and supported the French in Vietnam.

With the coming to power of Khrushchev, relations between the two countries became much warmer. However, in 1957, the United States was bitterly disappointed: the USSR launched the world's first artificial satellite into Earth's orbit, demonstrating significant technological superiority. And in 1959, the communist revolution won in Cuba and Fidel Castro came to power. The finally outlined cooperation between the two countries was destroyed by an incident in May 1960, when Soviet missilemen shot down an American spy plane over the territory of their country.

Despite the tense international situation, the "red hysteria" and the fact that huge sums from the budget went to the military, the years 1945-1980 were an era of prosperity for America.

• The purchasing power of the population has grown significantly;
• The government stimulated private initiative and provided jobs;
• The first computers appeared, experiments began on the creation of wireless communication networks;
• In 1958, NASA appeared, and 11 years later, the first landing of a man on the moon took place;

A new era in American history began with the coming to power in 1961 of John F. Kennedy. He planned to continue the policy of "containment", but not to use military, but economic methods of pressure. However, Eisenhower's troubled legacy still made itself felt. The project of the invasion of communist Cuba, conceived by the previous president, almost led to a nuclear war between the USA and the USSR in 1962. Fortunately for the whole world, the two powers managed to agree and resolve the issue peacefully.

Lyndon Johnson, who came to the presidency after the death of Kennedy, was determined to militarize and expand the US sphere of influence abroad. After the failure of the US Marine landings in the Dominican Republic, the president focused on Southeast Asia, intent on stopping the spread of communism in Vietnam. But the Vietnam War turned out to be much more difficult and debilitating than the Americans first thought. Military failures affected Johnson's authority and Richard Nixon won the next presidential election in 1968.

Nixon advocated improving relations with the USSR and China, but at the same time declared that the whole world was a zone of US interests. The Americans elected a president because he promised to quickly end the Vietnam War, however, it continued. At the same time, North Vietnam and the Soviet soldiers who supported it had a clear advantage in the region. A wave of anti-government, pacifist protests arose in America, which forced Nixon to admit defeat in the war and urgently end hostilities.

The new president - Gerald Ford - picked up the foreign policy concept of the previous administration. At the same time, he took a serious step towards international detente: under him, the Helsinki Accords of 1975 were signed, which protected state sovereignty and human rights.

Ford's successor - Jimmy Carter - was an idealist, he believed that the United States could be a just guardian of peace and order. However, this did not win him popularity either with supporters of the use of force abroad or with pacifists who considered Carter a hypocrite. Two events dealt the final blow to Carter's authority: the capture of American diplomats in Tehran and the entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan in 1979. By 1980, most politicians and citizens realized that an aggressive and costly militaristic policy had not justified itself.

In this troubled and turbulent era, a staunch conservative, Ronald Reagan, came to power - a supporter of limited government intervention in the economy and a fan of loud statements. Under Reagan, the US national debt increased significantly, the stock market crashed and inflation began. Foreign policy was also extremely ambiguous: Reagan's tough attitude towards communism did not prevent him from establishing relations with Mikhail Gorbachev. Changes in the USSR diverted the attention of Americans from Moscow, and now Iran was the main foreign policy interest of the United States.

Recent US history

In 1988, George W. Bush, the successor of Reagan's policy, became the owner of the White House. Little dependent on America, the Eastern European processes aimed at establishing democracy have become a symbol of the triumph of American values ​​over communism. An important problem for Bush was the conflict with Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq and a former US ally. Due to foreign policy turmoil, Bush stopped dealing with domestic affairs of the country, which led to an economic recession, the introduction of new taxes and, in the end, the loss of the presidency.

Since the days of Jimmy Carter, America's leaders have been Republicans. But in 1992 Democrat Bill Clinton won the election. His main campaign slogan was concern for the economy. Clinton tried to maneuver between the two parties, but his dual policies, failures in relations with other countries, and numerous scandals associated with him and his family, led to a loss in the 2000 election.

In the presidential chair was again a Republican - George W. Bush. He advocated expanding social programs and tax cuts for ordinary Americans. From the very beginning of his presidency, Bush Jr. had to deal with the terrorist threat. First, envelopes with anthrax were sent to many major US offices, and in 2001, the Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden organized a terrorist attack in New York. In the same year, the United States began fighting the Afghan-based Taliban, whose members had provided sanctuary to bin Laden. And in 2003, hostilities began against Saddam Hussein. Bush Jr. was an active supporter of the deployment of US missile defense elements in the countries of Eastern Europe and the CIS. Despite constantly falling ratings, Bush Jr. managed to retain the presidency for two terms, until in 2009 he was forced to cede it to Democrat Barack Obama.

For many Americans, Obama was the symbol of a new progressive milestone in American history. Most of his domestic political reforms were aimed at empowering and strengthening the position of citizens: increasing the number of medical services covered by insurance; allowing same-sex marriages; tax cuts. Obama finally succeeded in eliminating one of the most notorious terrorists in the history of the world, Osama bin Laden, and began to improve relations with Moscow. However, many Americans soon became disillusioned with their president. Although Obama managed to get the Nobel Peace Prize, he could not complete military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for a very long time, which caused dissatisfaction with his electorate, and also organized a military invasion of Libya. Relations with Russia also deteriorated. In 2017, after two presidential terms, Obama ceded the Oval Office to Republican Donald Trump, a well-known entrepreneur and TV host.

The United States of America plays a leading role in the world community. Researchers call this state an empire that influences the politics of Western countries. Tourists who plan to visit the American states should familiarize themselves with the history of its formation.

The United States of America is easy to find on the map - they are located on the continent called North America and occupy a large part of it. A state in the United States is a territorial unit, by joining them over a number of years, the United States of America was formed.

The exact answer to the question of how many states there are in the United States can be given to those who are seriously engaged in the study of this state. To be precise, today the USA consists of 50 states. Colombia, sometimes listed as the 51 states, is actually a federal district, an independent federal unit. In addition to this, the United States has several island territories that also have sovereignty, they are not subordinate to any state. Each state is divided into districts administered by city municipalities. Rural areas may consist of townships.

Each state is a federation, and they all have equal rights. There is nothing unusual in this, a similar structure can be found in other large states. It is interesting that all states are equal, but they have their own branches of government and their own constitution. Therefore, for the same crime in each state, there may be a different punishment.

US state names, detailed alphabetical list

When studying the United States, questions may arise from a person who knows English well. The thing is that the word "state" can be translated not only as "states", but also as "state". In the middle of the 17th century, when the United States was in the formative stage, individual colonies were considered states.

Each state has not only its own capital, but also a flag and a motto. Next, we list the US states and their capitals.

Moreover, the state capital is not necessarily the largest city. The word "state" has been used in its modern sense since 1776, after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. At that time, the United States consisted of 46 states. Although you can still find indications that these were separate states. For example, the official flag of California has the inscription "Republic of California".

Confederate States of America

There was a period in the history of the United States when the state was practically divided into two parts. And although this lasted only 4 years, the fact remains: in 1861, the Confederate States of America (CSA) appeared. This is a self-proclaimed independent state, which was also called "Confederation" or "Dixie". It existed until 1865. What was the reason for its occurrence?

It is sometimes believed that the Confederation was formed as a result of the abolition of slavery in the United States, which started the Civil War. This is not entirely correct, because the CSA appeared after Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election. As a result, 6 southern states announced their withdrawal from the United States. A month later, Texas joined them. And when Abraham Lincoln announced that he intended to achieve the preservation of the Union, 4 more states announced that they would join the Confederacy.

Sometimes it is believed that the Confederation included not 11, but 13 American states. This is partly correct. The fact is that Kentucky and Missouri turned out to be “border states” between the USA and the CSA. For a while, there were two governments, one on the side of the United States, and the second supported the Confederation. Basically, the CSA included states that did not want to abandon the slave system. Although Maryland was a slave state, martial law was introduced in time, so it remained part of the United States. Delaware remained neutral until the very end of the war. In 1865, the Confederation, having suffered a defeat in hostilities, ceased to exist. These states changed the constitution and abolished slavery.

Texas is a state in the southern United States. It is in second place in terms of territory (only Alaska is larger) and in second place after California in terms of population. At first, this territory belonged to Mexico, and then there was a separate state that existed for almost 10 years - from 1836 to 1845. It appeared as a result of the war in the north-east of Mexico.

Several reasons are given as to why problems in Mexico led to war. On the one hand, the dictatorship of the Mexican president, on the other, the adoption of a new constitution in the country, thanks to which slavery was abolished in 1835. As a result, Texas gained independence in 1836. The state was recognized by the international community as a separate state. But the hostilities did not stop.

Clashes between Mexico and Texas continued for another 10 years. And only as a result of the US victory in the war with Mexico (1846-1848), the issue of territorial claims was settled - Texas received freedom. But most Texans have wanted to join the United States before. Texas is the only independent state in the United States recognized by other countries. Although the separatist movements seeking the independence of this state of America are still active. They believe that Texas was annexed by the United States.

Kingdom and Republic

are islands located in the Pacific Ocean. They are located at a distance of 3700 km from the continental part of America. This is the most recent state that became part of the United States, and this happened already in the 20th century - in 1959. But at first it was a kingdom, and then a separate republic. Why did the islands, located far from the USA, become part of this state as one of the states?

In the 18th century, Hawaii had several semi-state structures. Then King Kamehameha I managed to unite the islands by force and establish a single kingdom. Since 1810, for 85 years, one dynasty ruled here. In 1893, a coup d'état took place in Hawaii with the support of American sailors. But the United States refused to annex the islands, believing that it was contrary to the popular will of the Hawaiians. As a result of the coup, a republic appeared instead of a kingdom. But in 1898 they fell under the protectorate of the United States, and already in the middle of the 20th century they became one of the states. It is considered to be the “sugar” state of the USA.

The most amazing states in the US

What American states can be distinguished and what should you pay attention to? It is difficult to find an unambiguous answer to this question, because each of them has a “zest”. The absence of a state language is also a hallmark of America.

The names of many states have unusual origins.

1. As the researchers note, 25 or 26 names have Indian roots.
2. The name of the northernmost state of Alaska is taken from the language of the Eskimos.
3. Only 20 states have names of European origin: 11 are English, 6 are Spanish and 3 are French.
4. There is an assumption that Rhode Island is a Dutch toponym.

But what about the Americans, did they really not give a name to a single state? It turns out that there is one, and we are talking about the state of Washington. It is named after President D. Washington.

There are states that are distinguished by their extraordinary beauty.

1. Florida is the southernmost part of North America. It is often referred to as the "Sunshine State".
2. Oregon is full of contrasts and variety of landscapes. He could easily compete with the panoramas presented in the film "The Lord of the Rings".
3. Michigan is known for its natural beauty. In addition, there are many large lakes.
4. Colorado is famous for rocky mountains and unusually beautiful canyons. This state is often called the home of wonderful national parks.
5. stands out for its richness of flora and fauna.
6. Arizona has amazingly beautiful canyons. They are visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

The United States was formed in 1776 when 13 British colonies signed the Declaration of Independence. From that moment on, England lost power over them. In order to regain the colonial territories again, troops had to be sent in. This provoked the war, thanks to which the United States gained independence. But some of the colonies still remained loyal to the English crown. In 1787, the Constitution was adopted, which was ratified by 9 of the 13 states. During the late 18th and throughout the 19th century, other states joined. In the 20th century, the United States included the remaining five: Oklahoma (1907), New Mexico (1912), Arizona (1912), Alaska (1959) and (1959).

Why is the District of Columbia (Washington) not part of any state

The District of Columbia is the capital city of the United States of Washington, as well as the territory adjacent to it. Repeated attempts were made to make it a separate state, but American legislators have not come to an unequivocal decision. The last time this issue was submitted for discussion in Congress was in 1993. But the project was rejected. This is also due to the fact that only one person is delegated to the House of Representatives from the district. Yes, and without the right to vote.

Conclusion

Can it be argued that the number of US states will remain the same tomorrow? There is no specific answer to this question. For more than 100 years, this figure has been unstable. Today, several territories and states would not refuse to join the United States as separate states. The most likely candidate is Puerto Rico. It is quite possible that the 51st state under this name will soon appear. The Philippines, Haiti, and Yucatan are also candidates.

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