The USA

1. The USA An Introduction

2. Geography The USA is the world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India). The US Capital, Washington DC, is 5 hours behind GMT. But the 50 states cover six time zones. Americans tend to have a state identity as well as a national one. Southerners, especially, tend to be very proud of their Southern roots and traditions.

3. Fun, fun, fun! The Grand Canyon Skywalk There is lots of fun to be had in the USA! Where would you like to go?

4. National Anthem The Star Spangled Banner (Verse One) Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early lightWhat so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Star Spangled Banner, Super Bowl 2004

5. The American Dream The notion of the American Dream is very important to the nation’s psyche. Americans, in general, like to believe that hard work and enterprise will have its reward. Because the nation has many freedoms and opportunities, there is not the same welfare support available for those who are not financially independent. While the two main political parties are very different, both share the ideology of the American Dream; individual responsibility, civic duty and patriotism. Yes We Can The election of Barack Obama as President has been heralded as a vindication of the American Dream

6. The Constitution “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Preamble to the US Constitution The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. It has seven articles covering how the country should be governed and the rights of its citizens. There have been seventeen amendments, the most famous, perhaps, being the 1st, which guarantees freedom of religion and free speech and the 2nd, which gives citizens the right to possess firearms.

7. Governance The framers of the Constitution were very careful that no one person or no one part of Government should be all-powerful The system of a separation of powers between The Executive (President), The Legislature (two houses of Congress) and Judiciary (Supreme Court) was set up. This provides a series of checks and balances.

8. The British Connection "He has abdicated Government here ... He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.“ American Declaration of Independence The USA has a “special relationship” with the UK. The UK has been the USA’s strongest international ally for some time. But, this hasn’t always been the case! The War of Independence was fought against the forces of King George III. It was a revolutionary war, inspired by the writings of Thomas Paine and the French revolution. Americans today are proud of their republican ideals of meritocracy. The Patriot

9. Federalism Each state has its own “President” (Governor), its own state congress and its own state court. The Civil War (1861-65) was fought over states rights, in this case whether individual states should have the right to allow slavery or whether the federal government in Washington DC should have the right to legislate for the whole country. President Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery, eleven Southern states seceded from the USA and civil war began. The North won and brought the states back into the Union. Ever since then there has been compromise over the issues states are allowed to legislate on e.g. marital laws and those laws which apply throughout the states.

10. The Scots are always welcome…! Scots have played a key role in the building of America. There is a Scottish diaspora in most parts of the USA. Many Americans have a somewhat romantic view of Scotland, but overall, it’s a positive one and one the Scottish Government is keen to build on for commerce. Americans come to The Gathering 2009

11. The American People Population 307,212,123 (July 2009 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.11 years female: 80.69 years (2009 est.) Ethnic groups; white 79.96%, black 12.85%, Asian 4.43%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.97%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.18%, two or more races 1.61% (July 2007 estimate). About 15.1% of the total US population is Hispanic Religious groups Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.) Languages Spoken English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census) "Give me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" N.B. You will notice the very small numbers of “Amerindians”. Whatever happened to the original residents of the USA?

12. Slavery An estimated 15 million Africans were transported to the Americas between 1540 and 1850. Even with a death rate of 50%, merchants could still expect to make a profit from the trade. 95% of black people lived in the South, comprising one-third of the population there, as opposed to 2% of the population of the North. Malcolm X

13. Civil Rights James Meredeith and Ole’ Miss The Little Rock 9 After the Civil War, most Southern states limited the economic and physical freedom of former slaves by enacting laws that came to be called Jim Crow laws. The Civil Rights movement, led by Dr Martin Luther King, campaigned for an end to segregation in the South and equal rights. Two of the historic confrontations are above. Left, the enrolling of James Meredith, first black student at the University of Mississippi. Right, black students attend high school at the previously all-white Little Rock Central High School, Arkansas.

14. Conservatives v Liberals Rush Limbaugh on Illegal Immigration Michael Moore on Capitalism Americans are very proud of the country’s tradition of free speech. American radio, especially, and now the internet, are the arenas for the “culture war” between conservatives, e.g. Rush Limbaugh and liberals e.g. Michael Moore. Liberals tend to be “pro-choice” on abortion issues, in favour of gun control, gay marriage, state or “social” health care and are more pragmatic in their religious views. Conservatives, the opposite on them all! The American people have the choice!

15. War Since the United States seized the Philippines in 1898, the nation has been involved in military action all around the world. For some, the USA is the champion of democracy across the world. For others, it is an imperialist, occupying force. The military has always been a major employer in the US. Military spending is vital to the US economy. The attacks of 9/11 brought the USA into its most recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. To date, Pentagon spending in Iraq has reached $620 billion, compared with $190 billion in Afghanistan. In July 2009, the New Statesman magazine reported that officially, the US has more than 190,000 troops and 115,000 civilian employees employed in approximately 900 military facilities in 46 countries and territories .

16. Issues to be explored The USA political system: the role and powers of the USA government at federal, state and local level. Political issues: Participation and representation; immigration. Political parties and support from different groups. Political trends. Social and economic issues: (Case study: ethnic minorities) the nature and extent of social and economic inequalities; demands for change; the effectiveness of government responses and the consequences for different groups.