The United States (abbreviated as AS) or (English: United States of America - USA or United States - US) is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal district.
Except for Alaska (northern Canada) & Hawaii (Pacific ocean), the other 48 states and federal districts are located in North America.
The United States is bordered by Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and by Canada to the north and northwest (the Alaskan exclave). To the west the country is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean.
In addition there are still many areas and colonies in many parts of the world, such as Hawaii, which is a state, and other areas such as Puerto Rico, Guam and others that are part of the commonwealth.
The United States of America was formed from 13 former British colonies following the American Revolution following the declaration of independence on July 4, 1776. Originally, its political structure was a confederation.
But after a long debate and the creation of the American Constitution, the colonies finally agreed to form a united state.
In the 19th century the power of the United States expanded across the North American continent. Through coercion, military force, and diplomacy, the US gained many other states inside and outside countries such as Cuba and the Philippines.
However, the country is experiencing bad social problems. In an effort to develop white territory, the native Indians have been victimized.
Through military force, extermination, removal and construction of reservation areas, the native Indians have been eliminated. In the south, there is still a slavery system with blacks as second class citizens.
Discrimination against people of color is one of the causes of civil war between the northern and southern states of the United States.
Although the slavery system was abolished after the defeat of the Southern states, discrimination of skin color continued to be rampant well into the middle of the 20th century.
During that era, the United States continued to advance to become a world industrial ruler, which continued into the 20th century, known as the American Golden Age or the American Century.]
In this century America's influence has expanded in the international arena and became the center of the world's foremost innovation and technology at that time. Some of his technological contributions include telephones, television, computers, the Internet, nuclear weapons, airplanes and space travel.
The United States has experienced several bitter experiences such as the American Civil War (1861-1865) and the terrible economic downturn during the Great Depression (1929-1939) which not only hit America but almost the whole world.
The most recent saddest experience was the 9/11 attacks on September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, New York, in which nearly three thousand people were killed as a result of terrorist attacks.
The United States of America is the 3rd largest country in the world. Geographical conditions are very diverse.
- Pastures on the East Coast
- Appalachian Mountains
- Great Plains in the center of the country
- Mississippi-Missouri River
- Rocky Mountains in the west
The climate varies according to geography, from tropical (hot and dry in summer, warm in winter) in Florida to the tundra (cold all year round) in Alaska.
Most of the country has warm summers and cold winters. Some parts of the United States, such as parts of California, have a Mediterranean climate.