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The stripes represent the original 13 Colonies and the stars represent the 50 states of the Union.

The colours of the flag are symbolic as well;

1. RED symbolizes hardiness and valor,

2. WHITE symbolizes purity and innocence,

3. BLUE represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.

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U.S. is the third largest country in the world!

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Foreigners often perceive Americans in various ways, sometimes as stereotypes, due to cultural differences. Key perceptions include:

• Confident but sometimes arrogant:

Americans are often seen as overly confident or opinionated due to their emphasis on participation and individualism, which cultures valuing modesty might interpret as arrogance.

• Hardworking, possibly workaholics:

They are viewed as intensely dedicated to work, often blurring work-life boundaries. While some cultures admire this work ethic, others see them as workaholics.

• Friendly but potentially superficial/cold:

Their outward friendliness (like smiling at strangers) can be seen as superficial, and their lack of small talk in professional settings can make them appear cold or uncaring.

• Direct, yet sometimes rude or confusing: Americans' "open, honest communication" can be perceived as rude or insensitive by cultures prioritizing "face" and indirectness. Conversely, phrases like "I am not sure I agree" can seem confusing or not direct enough to others

https://medium.com/@schultzgroupcc/4-common-perceptions-other-cultures-have-about-u-s-americans-56020ffea92e

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The U.S. government operates with three separate and co-equal branches to ensure checks and balances, preventing any single part from becoming too powerful. This system was influenced by philosophers like Montesquieu.

The three branches are:

• Legislative Branch (Congress):

This branch makes, defines, and creates laws. It is comprised of two houses: the Senate (100 senators, two per state, six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (435 representatives, based on state population, two-year terms).

Congress holds the highest power granted by the Constitution. It can declare war.

• Executive Branch (President):

Led by the President, this branch is responsible for enforcing and putting laws into use. The President serves four-year terms (limited to two), decides government policy, recommends laws, deals with foreign countries, and is commander in chief of the armed forces.

The President can veto bills passed by Congress.

• Judicial Branch (Courts):

This system of courts interprets laws based on the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court is the highest court, consisting of nine justices. It has the power of judicial review, allowing it to declare laws unconstitutional. All federal judges are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate, serving until death or retirement.

Checks and balances are integral: for example, the President can veto a bill, but Congress can override it with a two-thirds vote. The Supreme Court can declare laws unconstitutional. Congress can impeach and remove a President or judge.

While the system can face challenges like hyperactive partisanship and an expansion of presidential power, it retains significant resilience with Congress and the courts able to push back

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The United States is a super cool place because it has lots of special animals and plants you can't find anywhere else in the world! Imagine that – they are truly one-of-a-kind!

Hawaii is like a magic island for these unique living things.

Here are some of the special creatures and plants:

• Mammals: We have unique animals like the Red Wolf and the tiny Pygmy Rabbit.

• Birds: Look out for the Florida Scrub-jay and in Hawaii, the colorful Iiwi!

• Reptiles: There's the big American Alligator and the interesting Florida Worm Lizard.

• Amphibians: We have the Hellbender (a big salamander) and the Houston Toad.

• Fish: In fresh water, there's the Devil’s Hole Pupfish, and in the ocean around Hawaii, Potter’s Angelfish.

• Insects: You might spot the beautiful Kamehameha Butterfly or even tiny Hawaiian fruit flies (over 500 kinds!). Some insects even live only in caves!

• Special Plants: There are amazing carnivorous plants like the Venus Flytrap and giant trees like the Giant Sequoia and Coast Redwood. Hawaii has its own special plants too, like the Hawaiian Silversword.

• Tiny Life: Even super tiny living things, called microorganisms, are found only in places like the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park.

The U.S. is like a huge playground with many different kinds of places, and some areas are extra special for these unique plants and animals, like the Appalachian Mountains and the waters around Hawaii.

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The United States has a greater variety of climates than any other country. Generally, the climate is wetter in the East and South and drier in the West.

Major climate regions include:

• The East and South:

◦ Northeast: Experiences a humid continental climate with snowy winters and warm, humid summers.

◦ South: Has a humid subtropical climate, characterized by milder winters and warm, humid summers.

◦ Florida: Is mostly warm all year.

• The Interior Plains:

◦ The Great Plains have hot and dry summers.

◦ Most of this region features a humid continental climate with long, cold winters.

• The West:

◦ Climates are predominantly dry.

◦ The Pacific Northwest coast has a wet, mild coastal climate.

◦ Alaska: Contains the coldest climates, including subarctic and tundra.

◦ Hawaii: Is the only state with a warm, tropical climate

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The United States is the third-largest country in the world and features an incredible variety of physical characteristics, climates, and resources.

It stretches from coast to coast across North America, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south.

I. Major Physical Features

• The East and South:

◦ Atlantic Coastal Plain: A low, flat area close to sea level along the eastern coast.

◦ Piedmont: Land that gradually rises higher west of the Coastal Plain.

◦ Appalachian Mountains: The main, very old mountain range in the East, with peaks smoothed by erosion, reaching about 6,700 feet (2,040 m).

• The Interior Plains:

◦ Vast plains stretching west from the Appalachians to the Great Plains, filled with hills, lakes, and rivers.

◦ Great Lakes: The largest group of freshwater lakes in the world, serving as an important waterway for trade between the U.S. and Canada.

◦ Mississippi River: North America's largest and most important river, originating in Minnesota and flowing south through 10 states to the Gulf of Mexico, forming a delta from deposited sediment.

◦ Tributaries: Smaller rivers like the Missouri and Ohio flow into the Mississippi, draining the Interior Plains and depositing rich silt that creates fertile farmlands.

◦ Great Plains: A higher region west of the Interior Plains, covered by vast grasslands.

• The West:

◦ Rocky Mountains (Rockies): Very rugged mountain ranges with many jagged peaks rising above 14,000 feet (4,270 m).

◦ Continental Divide: A line of high peaks within the Rockies that divides river flow; rivers to the east flow to the Mississippi, while rivers to the west flow to the Pacific Ocean.

◦ Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada: Other mountain ranges further west, with most Cascade mountains being dormant volcanoes (e.g., Mount Saint Helens).

◦ Mount McKinley (Denali): Located in Alaska, it is North America's highest mountain at 20,320 feet (6,194 m).

◦ Hawaii: Volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, still experiencing ongoing lava and ash eruptions.

II. Climate

The United States has a greater variety of climates than any other country, generally wetter in the East and South and drier in the West.

• The East and South:

◦ Northeast: Humid continental climate with snowy winters and warm, humid summers.

◦ South: Humid subtropical climate with milder winters and warm, humid summers.

◦ Florida: Mostly warm all year.

• The Interior Plains:

◦ Great Plains: Hot and dry summers.

◦ Most of the region: Humid continental climate with long, cold winters.

• The West:

◦ Mostly dry climates.

◦ Pacific Northwest coast: Wet, mild coastal climate.

◦ Alaska: Coldest climates, including subarctic and tundra.

◦ Hawaii: The only state with a warm, tropical climate.

III. Natural Resources

The United States is extremely rich in natural resources.

• Farmland: Covers much of the country, especially in the Interior Plains with fertile soils, producing crops like wheat, corn, soybeans, cotton, fruits, and vegetables.

• Oil: The U.S. is a major oil producer but imports over half its needs (e.g., from Alaska, California, Louisiana).

• Forests: Provide timber for construction and paper.

• Minerals: Nonrenewable resources mined in the Appalachians and Rockies.

Coal: The U.S. has about 25 percent of the world's coal reserves and is a major exporter.

It supplies energy for over half of the electricity produced in the country

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Transcription :

Hi my name is Kylie and welcome to states of the USA!

In this video you will learn how to learn and remember all 50 states of the United States of America and their capital cities.

Did you know that the United States of America is the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada?

It is also the third largest in population following China and India. there are over 315 million people living in the U.S.

The people mostly speak English but many speak Spanish or another language as well, since the U.S. is home to a variety of cultures.

You probably already know that the US is made up of 50 states ! That's a lot of states to visit learn about and remember.

The best way to learn the names and locations of the states is by geographic region, when grouping states together by where they're located on the map, we are also grouping by similar culture climate and history.

In this video we'll break down the regions of the united states into four main regions : northeast, mid west, south and west.

Let's get learning about this great country:

The northeast region of the United States is known for its:

cold winters, especially for the most northern states like Maine and Vermont.

the states and capitals found in this region are Connecticut with Hartford being the capital, Augusta Maine, Boston, Massachusetts, and Concord, New Hampshire.

Mount Washington is found in New Hampshire at over 6 000 feet. It is the highest point in the northeast, but not the highest in the U.S.

Can you guess where the tallest mountain in the United States is located ?

You'll have to keep watching to find out.

Also in this region is Providence Rhode Island which is the smallest U.S. state;

Then there's the State of Vermont with Montpelier or people also pronounce it Montpellier, Trenton,New Jersey, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania;

And finally in the northeast region we have New York. this is a popular State in this region, but be careful!

New York City is not the capital of this state.

Albany is actually the capital city of New York, yet New York City has the greatest population of all the U.S. cities, and it's where the Statue of Liberty is located.

The Midwest region of the United States is sometimes called America's heartland it's the area in the U.S., best known for its farms and lakes, and it's tucked in between the Rocky and Appalachian mountains.

Here are the States and Capitals found in this region: Springfield, Illinois, Indianapolis, Indiana, Lansing, Michigan, Columbus, Ohio, Madison, Wisconsin, Des Moines, Iowa, Topeka, Kansas, St. Paul, Minnesota, Jefferson City, Missouri, Lincoln, Nebraska, Bismarck, North Dakota and Pier South Dakota.

The Southern region of the United States is known for its food and both blues and country music.

The states and capitals found in this region are:

Atlanta, Georgia, Dover, Delaware, Annapolis, Maryland, Raleigh, North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Richmond, Virginia.

Florida is found in the south and is known as the sunshine state as many people come to visit the beaches throughout the year .

You might have already visited walt Disney World which is found in Orlando, (Florida).

The capital city of Florida is Tallahassee.

Next we have the District of Columbia or DC, where the capital of the United States of America is found.

It's called Washington D.C.

For this reason and this is where the White House is located.

Who lives in the White House?

Yes! The President of the United States!

But be careful: Washington DC is not a state, it is actually located on the land of two states:

Maryland and Virginia, continuing we have Charleston, West Virginia, Montgomery, Alabama, Frankfort, Kentucky,

and the capital city of Mississippi is Jackson Mississippi is a long name.

Mississippi when the Mississippi River is combined with the Missouri River, they make up the largest river system in the United States.

Nashville (Tennessee), popular for its country music, is where the grand old Opry house is found.

Music legends like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash got their start in Nashville.

Finally in the South we find Little Rock Arkansas, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Austin, Texas.

and last but not least the western region of the United States is where you can find beautiful beaches, rainforests, mountains and natural wonders.

Arizona is known as the Grand Canyon state and its capital is Phoenix.

Then we find Denver, Colorado where the Rocky Mountains are located,

Boise, Idaho, Helena, Montana, Carson City, Nevada, Santa Fe, New Mexico Salt Lake City, Utah, Salem, Oregon and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Wyoming is a U.S. state with the least amount of people living in it.

the state of Alaska which once belonged to Russia, is now the largest U.S. state that houses the highest mountain in the country.

Mount mckinley which is higher than 20 000 feet above sea level.

Did you guess that Alaska is a state with the highest mountain in the country?

The capital city of Alaska is Juno.

California is the state with the most amount of people living in it.

The largest city in California is Los Angeles, also popularly known as L.A., but the capital of California is Sacramento.

The state of Hawaii is the only state made up entirely of islands it is also the youngest state its capital is Honolulu

And finally in this region is the state of Washington with its capital city of Olympia. Be careful not to confuse this state with Washington DC!

You now know so much more about the United States of America! You can go practice what you learned on our fun online games and quizzes, and remember to always be clever.

QUIZ!!!!!

https://forms.gle/cFH5meX2DboChxNM7

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States of the USA - Recognizing All 50 States

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American cuisine includes milkshakes, barbecue, and a wide range of fried foods.

Many quintessential American dishes are unique takes on food originally from other culinary traditions, including pizza, hot dogs, and Tex-Mex.

Regional cooking includes a range of fish dishes in the coastal states, gumbo, and cheesesteak.