Understanding the United States

A General Survey of the US

Covering the central part of North America, the United States is a vast country to explore. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states with dazzling（耀眼的）landscape and variable geography, also an exciting mixture of cultural diversity and diplomatic controversy.

Country Name

The conventional official name is the United States of America, shortened as the United States, US, or USA. On July 4, 1776, The Declaration of Independence announced that the thirteen North American colonies would be the United States of America, free and independent of Great Britain. It has a nickname, “Uncle Sam.”The image came from a meat provider named Samuel Wilson during the war of 1812. The American Congress officially recognized Uncle Sam as a national symbol in 1961.

Capital

Washington D. C. is the capital and political center of the United States. There are a number of important institutions in this city, such as the White House（residence of the President) and the Capitol Hill（home to the American Congress）.

Language

English is the official language of the United States, also called American English in contrast with British English. According to the 2000 census（人口普查）, English is spoken by 82.1% of its population, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, and other 0.7%.

Note:Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii.

Religion

Most Americans are Christians, among them 52% are protestant and 24% Roman Catholic. For other religions, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, and none 10%, according to a 2002 investigation.

Currency

The official currency of the United States is the United States dollar（USD $）. In 1792 the newly independent United States chose the Spanish dollar, subdivided into 100 cents, as the unit of American currency in preference to the British pound. Now the US dollar is one of the most circulated currencies of the world.

National Flag

On June 14,1777, at Philadelphia, the Marine Committee of the Second Continental Congress offered the resolution which resulted in the adoption of the Flag of the United States.

The flag of the US goes by many names: Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, Star-Spangled（星光灿烂的）Banner, or the Red, White, and Blue. It has 13 stripes—7 red stripes and 6 white stripes. A blue square in the upper corner contains 50 white stars. The stripes represent the 13 original American colonies. The 50 stars stand for the 50 US states. According to the Department of State, red stands for hardiness and courage, white is the symbol of purity and innocence, and blue is the color of vigilance, perseverance and justice.

The National Anthem

The“Star-Spangled Banner”is the national anthem of the United States. It was composed by Francis Scott Key in 1814. The United States Congress made the“Star-Spangled Ban-ner”the national anthem of the United States in 1931.

The National Flower

Rose is the national flower of the United States. President Reagan signed Proclamation in 1986 that rose is named as the National Floral Emblem of the United States of America. The American people hold rose dear as the symbol of life, love and devotion, of beauty and eternity.

The National Bird

The bald eagle was chosen in 1782 as the emblem（象征）of the US because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed to exist only on thes continent of North America.

The Great Seal（国玺）

The Seal of the United States depicts a bald eagle with a shield of 13 al-ternating red and white stripes representing the 13 original States on its breast. Across the top of the shield is a blue field that unites all the stripes into one. The blue chief represents the United States Congress. In his talons（爪）the eagle grasps an olive branch representing peace, and 13 arrows representing war. Above the eagle are thirteen stars inside a circular design, representing a“New Constellation.”In his beak the eagle grasps a flowing ribbon bearing the first MOTTO of the United States: E Pluribus Unum. These Latin words are translated as“Out of many, One.”

Population

The United States is home to about 301 million people. That makes it the world's third most populated country, after China and India, and the most populous of today's developed countries. It has also one of the highest population growth rates of the industrialized nations: about one percent annually. This adds some 2.5 million people every year. Most Americans are descended from immigrants. Immigration now contributes roughly a third of the annual U.S. population increase.