Aqui les dejo la información para la presentación del Viernes !!1

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

LOCATION

The United States of America (also referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific.

HISTORY

Native American Indian Culture

Many visitors to the USA are interested in our Native American population. They often ask about how they can visit an Indian Reservations, meet Native Americans and learn about their culture. Unfortunately, many foreign visitors to the USA share some common misconceptions about Native Americans. Let's see if we can clarify the situation a bit.

When the European colonists arrived on the American continent, there were nearly 12 million Native Americans living within the confines of the present United States. They were divided into more than one thousand different tribes or kinship groups. Many of those original inhabitants died from the European diseases introduced into their homelands by the colonists. The surviving natives were steadily pushed from one place to another as the invading colonists constantly appropriated more and more of the Indians' lands for farming, ranching and mineral development. Eventually, the US government allocated parcels of land, known as Indian Reservations, to each of the Indian tribes. Most of the lands ceded were unsuitable for cultivation and devoid of any valuable resources. Today, there are one or more Indian reservations in every state.

CURRENCY (MONEDA)

The United States dollar (sign: $; code: USD) is the official currency of the United States of America. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents.

The U.S. dollar is the currency most used in international transactions and is one of the world's reserve currencies. Several countries use it as their official currency, in many others it is the de facto currency and it is also used as the sole currency in some British Overseas Territories.

LANGUAGE

The official language in English, in some states of the country in everyday speech is used Spanish because of the multicultural population.

EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE U.S.A

Further Studies

Florida International University.

Universities are expensive, despite the subsidies.

College life has several divisions ranging from basic university tuition-cycle "or" College "(the first two years), to a degree (four years) to reach the master's and doctorate. The latter are considered college majors.

COLLEGE

The "College" or "Community college provides the first two years of career (followed by a transfer to a four-year program at a university).

These schools, which should not be confused with technical schools, are much cheaper and allow students to save some money, most of which are sponsored by the Department of Education.

Admission to the "College or university is required similar tests as the SAT, a test that assesses student skills in math and English.

For foreign students, require them to post-secondary schools called "TOEFL (Test Of Englishl as a Foreign Language -" Test of English as a Second Language ") which determines the student's ability to communicate in English at university level

UNIVERSITY

Regardless of whether they are public or private universities, these institutions have a set of standards that are adopted and regulated by the Department of Education.

One of the requirements to enter college, is that the applicant has good knowledge of English. This must approve the "TOEFL", explained above.

College life is expensive in many states. Although universities are subsidized by the government, the cost can range between $ 7,000 and U.S. $ 20,000 per academic year. This figure does not include the cost of books, transportation, housing and feeding.

MASTER AND PHD

After the four years of college, the student receives a diploma in a specific area, for example, Economics or Engineering.

The vast majority of U.S. universities provide expertise or master's programs. After this level, we offer doctorates, levels of expertise much more advanced.

American Cooking

American Cooking is hard to define

Few people in the US could agree on which foods are traditional American cooking. Certain simple dishes like roast beef, fried chicken, grilled steak, stuffed turkey, meatloaf, baked potato, yams, corn on the cob, potato salad, apple pie, clam chowder, hamburgers, hotdogs and hot wings would normally be included on most lists of American cooking. Many restaurants and bars in the US serve hot wings or Nachos as snack food. Try them both, but order mild seasoning the first time unless you are accustomed to eating burning coals.

Contrary to popular belief, we folks in the USA do not eat fast food every day. We often eat real food in sit-down restaurants, and we sometimes even prepare home-cooked meals. You will certainly find plenty of fast food establishments and chain restaurants in our country. They are convenient places where you can find a consistent quality of food in clean surroundings with good service. I prefer to explore the local establishments where I can sample a variety of dishes from the regional cuisine.

In america we can also find different styles of cooking as: The New England style cooking, The Southern cooking and Soul Food, The New Orleans Cajun cooking, The Southwestern and Tex-Mex cooking and The California Cuisine.

Holidays in the United States of America

New Years

New Years Day (January 1) is a quiet day for recovery from the celebration of the previous evening. Activities usually include sleeping late and watching football games on the television. Some folks have dinner parties for their family or invited guests. Most businesses and shops will be closed. Some restaurants, bars and even a few shopping centers may be open.

Valentines Day

Valentines Day (February 14) is the holiday of love. This unofficial holiday dedicated to the Christian Saint Valentine is a day for sweethearts and lovers. Admirers send each other Valentine Day greeting cards. Lovers and spouses buy flowers, candy and gifts for their sweethearts. Many couples go to restaurants for intimate dinners. All stores and businesses are open.

Easter

Easter is primarily a Christian holy day commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is celebrated on a Sunday in early spring. Most activities are church or family oriented and usually includes a gathering of the family for a dinner feast. Children often search for colored eggs that the Easter Bunny has hidden in their yard. Businesses are little affected since this holiday is always on a Sunday. Most restaurants, gasoline stations and convenience stores remain open but some shopping centers will close or open only for abbreviated hours.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is usually celebrated on the last Monday in May. It is the traditional beginning of the summer vacation season and the start of the long school break. Originally, this holiday was a time to remember deceased relatives and friends and a time to visit their graves. Today, Memorial Day is a celebration of the beginning of Summer. Most people use this long weekend for picnics, excursions, short vacation trips, or just relaxation and shopping. Businesses and office will be closed but all attractions and shopping facilities will be open.

Independence Day, the Fourth of July

Independence Day, the Fourth of July, is a time for patriotic celebrations, picnics and relaxation. Many cities and towns across the country hold parades, musical performances and fireworks displays. Business offices will close but all stores, restaurants and attractions will remain open.

Labor Day

Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September. It is the traditional end of the Summer vacation season when most schools begin their new terms. This long weekend is usually celebrated with an excursion, a picnic or one last mini vacation of the season. Many folks choose stay at home to relax or catch up on chores. All attractions and shopping facilities will be open

Halloween

Halloween is celebrated on the 31st day of October. This "hallowed evening" preceding the ancient church holiday of All Saints Day, was superstitiously believed to be a time when the souls of the deceased would return to earth to roam about. Today it is a festive occasion in the USA. Some people decorate their homes and yards with images of ghosts, goblins, witches, skeletons and Jack o' lanterns. (Hollowed out pumpkins carved into scary faces and illuminated by small internal candles) In the evening, small children dress in costumes and visit houses in their neighborhoods collecting sweets. Many towns and cities have costumed Halloween parades. The most elaborate and outlandish Halloween parades are held at Greenwich Village in New York City and in San Francisco, California. All businesses and stores are open for normal business hours on this holiday.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. This is equivalent to the annual harvest festivals in many other countries. It is a time to reflect on all of your blessings and to express thanks for a bountiful harvest. It is not a religious holiday. Most people in the USA celebrate this holiday by gathering at their family home for a feast. The traditional dish for the Thanksgiving Day dinner is a large roasted Turkey. After dinner, the preferred recreation is watching football matches on the Television. Most business offices will close on this day. Some stores, shopping centers, restaurants and bars will remain open. The Saturday after Thanksgiving is the traditional opening of the Christmas shopping season. Stores and shops all offer bargain prices and people flock to the shopping centers in great number

Christmas

Christmas is primarily a Christian religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus. It always falls on the 25th of December, but the holiday season actually begins weeks earlier. From the beginning of December, people begin shopping for gifts to give to their children and other family members. They attend holiday parties at their offices, at friend's homes or at restaurants throughout December. Many families decorate their homes and yards with multicolored sparkling lights.

Most families erect small evergreen trees in their homes and decorate them with colored lights and glittering ornaments. On Christmas morning, children awaken to find brightly wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree. Christmas day is an intimate family holiday. Children and grand children all return home for an annual Christmas dinner and exchange of gifts. Close friends, relatives and neighbors often visit each other on Christmas evening. Nearly all businesses, tourist attractions and shopping centers are closed on Christmas. A few restaurants, bars, gasoline stations and convenience stores will remain open.

Hanukah and Kwanzaa

Hanukah and Kwanzaa are also celebrated in December. Hanukah, or the feast of lights, is a Jewish holiday that also includes a tradition of gift giving. It is usually celebrated in mid December. Kwanzaa is a relatively new Afro-American holiday celebrated from December 26 through January first. It has no religious affiliation but is a joyous celebration of the oneness and goodness of life with an emphasis on Afro-American heritage and culture. Together the three holidays of Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa make December the most joyous and festive month in the USA

New Years Eve

New Years Eve (December 31) is a time for big parties and celebrations in the USA. Nearly every restaurant, bar and club hosts a grand New Years eve ball. The festivities usually include music, food, drink, dancing and a lot of noise with a traditional champagne toast at midnight. Some cities and towns host large outdoor celebrations that usually culminate with a huge fireworks display at midnight. The most famous outdoors New Years Eve celebration is held at Times Square in New York City. Most businesses and shops will be open normal hours on New Years Eve, as the celebrating does not begin until evening.

MONUMENTS

THE MEMORIAL PARK

Originally the site of Camp Logan, a training camp for the soldiers of WWI, represents just over 7 %of the city´s park land and has current value estimated at close to $1 billion.

The Statue of Liberty

Colossal Neoclassical sculpture on liberty island in New York Harbor is a gift from the people of France a broken chain lies at it feet and symbolizes freedom.

The United States Capitol

Located in Washington D.C is the meeting place of the United State Congress and the legislature of the Federal government

The Golden gate bridge

As part of both U.S Route 101 and California State Route, it connects the city of San Francisco to Marin County. It´s possibly the most beautiful,photographed, brigde in the world.