Columbus discovered America in 1492 but he thought it was the coast of India. A few
years later another traveler named Amerigo Vespucci proved that it was not India but an
unknown continent. In 1506 this continent was named America in honour of Amerigo. The
original inhabitants of North America were the Indians. Being driven from their lands they
have settle in the so-called reservation in the west. The United States of America (USA)
occupies a large territory between 49 and 25 N. L. (North Latitude). It is siuated in the
central southern part of North America. The USA is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the
east and by the Pasific Ocean in the west. In the north the USA borders on Canada and in
the south-on Mexico. The country may be divided into five parts: the Atlantic and Gulf
coastal plan, the Appalachial Highland, the Inteor Plain, the prairie that lies to the
west of the Mississippi and the Cordilleren or Western Higbland and the Pacific Slope
including the Pacific valley and the Coast Ranges. The United States has Thousands of
lakes all kinds and sizes. The Grate Lakes make up the largest group of lakes in the
country, as well as the greatest collection of fresh-water lakes in the world. But only
Lake Michigan lies entirely inside the US. Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario from a border
between North-estern United States and Canada. The five Great lakes are connected by
natural channels cut by rapids. The greatest of these rapids is Niagara Falls. The waters
of the five lakes have their outlet into the Atlantic O cean by the St. Lawrence River.
The most important of the salty lakes are the Great Salt Lake, in Utah the Salton Sea in
Southern California. The USA has one of the longest rivers in the world-the Mississippi
River. Its main tributaries are the Missouri and Ohio Rivers. The rivers in the west are
unsuitable for navigation. The largest among them, Columbia and Colorado Rivers, flow
though deep canyons. Being cut by rapids their rivers serve as an immense source of
electric power. The USA has different climatic regions: continental, subtropical desert
climate and other. Large reserves of coal, oil, iron, gas, copper, from a solid base for
the development of the US industry. When the USA was formed there were only 13 states.
These were the 13 colonies, which in 1776 had declared their independence from Great
Britain and fought a 6 year War of Independence. Now the country of 50 states.
1861-65 For four years there was a civil war in the USA between the northern and the
southern states .The war was adout the slaves who worked on the cotton and sugar farms.The
south lost the war, and the government stopped slavery.
1776 After a war with Britain, America became independent country.Americans wrote
theDeclaration of Independence and designed a new Flag - the Starts and Stripes.
1876 The Native American tribes lived America before Europeans arrived. There were many
battles between the European settlers and the Native Americans. The Sioux won the Battle
of Little Big Horn and kept their land.
1886 Dr Pemderton made one of the most famous drinks in the world'to help the
brain'.
1969 The first people on the moon were three American astronauts:Neil Armstrong,Buzz
Aldrin and Ed Collins.
1773 At the 'Boston Tea Party'Americans threw tea into the sea bacause they did not
Want to pay tax to the British governmrnent.
Before 1620 Before the English and other Europeans arrived in America, there were
Already millions of Native Americans there.
1909 An American, Henry Ford, produced the first car: the Model T Ford.
1965-75 American fought in Viethenam for ten years to help South Vietnam against North
Vietnam. South Vietnam and the Americans Lost the war.
1620 These are the first pcople from England who arrived in America. They left England
because of religious problems.
1963 Martin Luther King, the leader of the black Civil Rights movement in the USA, gave
his famous speech, 'I have a dream:'
He wanted black people and white people to be equal at school and at work in the USA.
