Gastronomy

The cuisine of the United States is characterized by a varied fusion of cuisine from
other countries adapted to each region. An example is the spaghetti of Italian origin
and the German sausages, which together make the popular spaghetti with
sausages. In the same way it happens with hot dogs and hamburgers of German
origin and popular in the United States.

In its dishes ingredients of

autochthonous origin are used like the
corn, the beans, the sunflower, the
potatoes, the peppers, diverse forms
of cucumbers and ingredients and
custom of other parts of the world
taken by the immigrants. Some of the
typical dishes are apple pie, boston
baket beans, buffalo wings, meat with chili, among others.

The most common traditional desserts are Baked Alaska, Banana split, banana
foster, donuts, brownies, cupcakes. Popular drinks are beer, wine, and strong drinks
usually mixed like whiskey to rocks and vodka.

The typical foods

Barbecue or grill:
It is a roast of beef and smoked pork made on the grill. It is accompanied by a spicy
sauce on the plate or in a separate bowl to add to taste.

Buffalo wings:
They are chicken wings coated in a spicy sauce fried in oil. The sauce is made of
vinegar, red pepper and butter. It is accompanied with ranchera sauce or blue
cheese and celery cut according to the region.

New York style pizza:

The New York style pizza It is characterized by having a mass with high gluten
content. On the dough is covered with a thin layer of tomato sauce and mozzarella
cheese.

Chili and meat:

It is the official dish of the state of Texas. It is a very spicy thick soup made of beans,
chili and pork or beef.

Cheeseburger:
It's a meat burger with lightly melted cheese. It is a United States meal that contains
many calories. It is usually accompanied with tomato, bacon, onion, pickles, lettuce
leaves and with ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard sauces according to taste.
 Independence of United States

The ideas of the Enlightenment had its first political

triumph in the thirteen British colonies of North America,
where there was a revolution in favor of independence and
an order based on the equality of citizens before the law,
the separation of powers and respect to the rights of man.

Since the 17th century, the Atlantic coast of North America

was populated by British settlers, mostly Puritans and
Catholics. There were thirteen colonies, differentiated
between the North and the South:

In the North were New Hapmshire, Massachusetts,

Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania,
and its inhabitants were engaged in commerce and industry.

The southern colonies were Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and
Georgia. Its economy was based on large plantations of cotton, tobacco and rice,
cultivated by black slaves.

The causes of the revolution were:

 The diffusion of the ideas of the Enlightenment among the members of a

wealthy and educated bourgeoisie that was becoming aware of its political
maturity.

 The authoritarian policy followed by King George III (1760-1820) and his
ministers.

 The expenses caused by the Seven Years War (see t39) forced the British
government to increase taxes in the American colonies.

 In 1775 the War of Independence broke out. The insurgents counted on the
worth of three great figures: Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), Thomas
Jefferson (1743-1826), ideologues of the movement, and George Washington
(1732-1799), brilliant military and organizer.

 In 1776 the Declaration of Independence (1776) was proclaimed, drafted by

Jefferson, which represented the first legal formulation of the Rights of Man.

 In 1777 the settlers obtained the important victory of Saratoga, after which
France and Spain granted their support against England.

 In 1781 the British troops were defeated definitively in Yorktown.

 Culture

The diversity of cultures and ethnic groups in the United States has helped shape
the values of the country's population. Of course, some people and groups have a
set of values that they respect, but they are very different from those of the American
society and their attitudes and behaviors are not only based on these values but tend
to reflect them. However, looking at American society as a whole is easy enough to
discern the traits and institutions that seem to have more to do with the way
Americans think and behave, such as individualism and employment.

For better or for worse, the United States is a land of independent people. From the
moment they are old
enough to listen,
Americans are taught to
be independent, to think
for themselves and
develop a set of goals
based on what is most
important to them. They
are encouraged not to
depend on others,
including their friends
and relatives, and learn
that the rewards in the
country are given to those who work the most.

In the United States, one of the first questions people ask themselves when they
meet is "what do you do?" Work occupies a large part of a person's daily life, and
people in the United States are not only proud of the work they do, but they are
characterized by the same work. In other cultures, people may have a tendency to
identify with the lineage of their family, their ethnicity or their religion, but in the United
States, work is perhaps the most central component of a person's identity.

Religion plays an important role in the lives of Americans and the United States is
home to people of all religions and creeds. According to census data, almost three
quarters of the US population identifies itself as Christian. About half of those who
identify as Christians practice one of the many Protestant denominations, and more
than a quarter follow the precepts of the Roman Catholic Church.
 Economy

The outlook for developed countries for the year 2013 seems to be very challenging
and full of risks and uncertainties. The United States economy has not been able to
completely overcome the problems that resulted due to the sub-prime crisis that had
hit the US economy six years ago. Per capita income and employment levels are still
lower than those reached before the crisis. The first half of 2012 witnessed some
signs of recovery.

Investment and exports demand were rising and an improvement in the number of
job opportunities was observed. But these signs of growth were short lived because
of weakened worldwide economic situation and sovereign debt crisis in Europe. In
addition to this, there were home-grown problems like failure in aversion of fiscal
cliff.

Government expenditure in the U.S. is likely to fall by about $98 billion and taxes are
expected to increase up to $450 billion in 2013 due to a fiscal cliff. This scenario will
perhaps send the US economy back into official recession. As a result, the world
economic growth is likely to be impacted and is expected to be halved to 1.2% in
2013. The loss of output to developing countries would be about 1%. Its supporters
however raise an argument that the cliff itself would be a long-term positive. They
say that the U.S. has to manage its deficits, if not now, then at some point of time in
the future. Though this sort of action would be a harsh one because its short term
effects would be bitter, it would be a definitive action for achieving long term benefits.
 Geography

The United States of America is one of the largest countries on Earth. Its 9,372,610
km² places it in third place, after Russia and Canada. Its territory extends through
most of North America, with Alaska, and the Pacific. It covers five time zones from -
5 to -10 UTM. Despite its dimensions it works as a unitary country, since it has a
perfectly integrated economy. It is the first economic power in the world.

Limits

The United States borders Canada to the north, through the 49th N parallel, the
Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, and the Arctic Glacier Ocean (Alaska); to
the east with the Atlantic Ocean; to the south with Mexico a large part of the border
is along the Rio Grande; and to the west
with the Pacific Ocean. Its capital is
Washington D.C. It was a colony of the
United Kingdom until it declared its
independence on July 4, 1776. However,
this independence was only from thirteen
Eastern States. Throughout its history the
United States has increased its territory to
the west at the expense of the territories
colonized by Spain and France; and from
Mexico.

Except for Hawaii in the Pacific and Alaska in the north, the territory of the United
States is very compact. Only the Florida peninsula gives variety to its coasts. The
States included in this contiguous set are called the continental United States.

The currency of the United States is the US dollar, which thanks to its great economic
potential has become the international currency par excellence. The United States
does not have an official language but the majority language is English, followed by
Spanish. However, thanks to the purely immigrant character of the population, most
of the world's languages are spoken. The fact that English is the majority language
means that laws, government decisions and justice are drafted in English.The United
States of America is one of the largest countries on Earth. Its 9,372,610 km² places
it in third place, after Russia and Canada. Its territory extends through most of North
America, with Alaska, and the Pacific. It covers five time zones from -5 to -10 UTM.
Despite its dimensions it works as a unitary country, since it has a perfectly
integrated economy. It is the first economic power in the world.
 Official languages

English is spoken as a mother tongue in 79 percent of the population (most of these

people do not speak any other language). English also serves as the de facto official
language of the United States and is the language in which government affairs are
carried out.

The most important language, after English, in the United States is Spanish, which
is spoken as a mother tongue by approximately 38 million American residents. Like
English, it was inherited from colonization and is given special status in some US
states and territories, such as New Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Tagalog, the language of the Philippines, is the fourth most spoken language in the
United States. This language, along with its more generalized Filipino variety, is
spoken by about 2 million Filipino Americans, and is strongly promoted by Filipino-
American civic organizations and Filipino consulates.
 States of United States

The United State of America consists of 50 states and a Federal District which is
Washington, D.C, which also serves as the capital of the USA. It has severally been
said and believed by American people that the Flag of USA has 50 stars representing
each state in USA.

Besides the 50 States and Federal district in United State, United States also has
sovereignty over 14 Territories. Five out of these 14 (American Samoa, Guam, the
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) have a
permanent, nonmilitary population, while the remaining nine of them (the United
States Minor Outlying Islands) do not.

Apart from Navassa Island, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are
situated in the Caribbean, all other territories are situated in the Pacific Ocean.

Alabama - Montgomery Montana - Helena

Alaska - Juneau Nebraska - Lincoln
Arizona - Phoenix Nevada - Carson City
Arkansas - Little Rock New Hampshire - Concord
California - Sacramento New Jersey - Trenton
Colorado - Denver New Mexico - Santa Fe
Connecticut - Hartford New York - Albany
Delaware - Dover North Carolina - Raleigh
Florida - Tallahassee North Dakota - Bismarck
Georgia - Atlanta Ohio - Columbus
Hawaii - Honolulu Oklahoma - Oklahoma City
Idaho - Boise Oregon - Salem
Illinois - Springfield Pennsylvania - Harrisburg
Indiana - Indianapolis Rhode Island - Providence
Iowa - Des Moines South Carolina - Columbia
Kansas - Topeka South Dakota - Pierre
Kentucky - Frankfort Tennessee - Nashville
Louisiana - Baton Rouge Texas - Austin
Maine - Augusta Utah - Salt Lake City
Maryland - Annapolis Vermont - Montpelier
Massachusetts - Boston Virginia - Richmond
Michigan - Lansing Washington - Olympia
Minnesota - St. Paul West Virginia - Charleston
Mississippi - Jackson Wisconsin - Madison
Missouri - Jefferson City Wyoming - Cheyenne