Maturita 2026

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The USA 🇺🇸 ​

1. Basic facts ​

  • Official name: The United States of America (the US / the USA).
  • Location: North America – between Canada (north) and Mexico (south).
  • Area: ~9.8 million km² – third largest country in the world.
  • Population: ~330 million – third most populated.
  • Capital: Washington, D.C.
  • Currency: US Dollar ($, USD).
  • Language: English (de facto), Spanish widely spoken.
  • States: 50 + federal district (D.C.). Alaska and Hawaii are not connected to the mainland.
  • Flag: “Stars and Stripes” – 50 stars (states) + 13 stripes (original colonies).
  • Motto: In God We Trust; also E pluribus unum.

2. Political system ​

  • Federal presidential republic with separation of powers.
  • Executive: President + Cabinet. (currently Donald Trump, second term since January 2025).
  • Legislative – Congress:
    • Senate – 100 senators (2 per state), 6-year term.
    • House of Representatives – 435 members, 2-year term.
  • Judicial: Supreme Court – 9 justices, lifetime appointment.
  • Each state has its own governor and laws.
  • Two main parties: Democrats and Republicans.

3. History highlights ​

  • 1492: Columbus reaches the Americas.
  • 1620: Pilgrim Fathers arrive on the Mayflower.
  • 4 July 1776: Declaration of Independence – celebrated as Independence Day.
  • 1861–1865: American Civil War – industrial North vs. slave-keeping South. Abraham Lincoln, abolition of slavery.
  • 7 Dec 1941: Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor → USA enters WWII.
  • 11 Sep 2001: terrorist attacks – World Trade Center destroyed, Pentagon damaged.
  • 2008: Barack Obama elected as first Black president.

4. Geography ​

  • The Rocky Mountains in the west, Appalachian Mountains in the east.
  • Highest peak: Mount Denali / McKinley (6,194 m) in Alaska.
  • Great Lakes on the Canadian border: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior. Niagara Falls between Erie and Ontario.
  • Longest river: Missouri, then Mississippi.
  • Grand Canyon – Arizona, on the Colorado River.
  • Climate: very varied – tropical Florida, deserts in the southwest, harsh winters in the north.
  • National parks: Yellowstone (geysers), Yosemite, Sequoia, Everglades.

5. Washington, D.C. ​

  • The capital, named after George Washington.
  • The White House – president’s residence.
  • The Capitol – seat of Congress.
  • The Pentagon – Department of Defense headquarters.
  • Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Martin Luther King Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial.
  • The Mall – central park lined with monuments and museums (Smithsonian).

6. New York City ​

  • Largest city by population.
  • Important centre of business, finance, art and media.
  • Statue of Liberty (gift from France, 1886).
  • Wall Street – financial centre.
  • Central Park in Manhattan.
  • Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center.
  • Times Square, Broadway, Fifth Avenue.

7. Other famous cities ​

  • Los Angeles – Hollywood, film industry.
  • San Francisco – Golden Gate Bridge, tech and Silicon Valley nearby.
  • Chicago – jazz, skyscrapers, Lake Michigan.
  • Boston – historic, top universities (Harvard, MIT).
  • New Orleans – birthplace of jazz, French-American culture.
  • Atlanta – home of Coca-Cola and CNN.
  • Las Vegas – casinos, entertainment.
  • Miami – beaches, Cuban culture.
  • Houston – NASA Space Center, oil industry.

8. American sports ​

  • Baseball – national pastime (MLB, World Series).
  • American football – pads & helmets, NFL, Super Bowl in February.
  • Basketball – NBA (LeBron James, Stephen Curry).
  • Ice hockey – NHL.

9. Famous Americans ​

  • Presidents: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama.
  • Writers: Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby), Mark Twain, Stephen King.
  • Artists: Andy Warhol (Slovak-born, pop art).
  • Actors: Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Marilyn Monroe.
  • Musicians: Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Madonna, BeyoncĂ©, Eminem.
  • Tech/business: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg.

10. Culture ​

  • Often called a “melting pot” – many ethnic groups (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American).
  • Hollywood dominates global film.
  • Music genres born in the USA: jazz, blues, rock & roll, hip-hop, country.
  • Food: burgers, hot dogs, pizza, BBQ, fried chicken, donuts, Tex-Mex.

11. Holidays ​

  • 4 July – Independence Day.
  • Thanksgiving – 4th Thursday in November, roast turkey.
  • Halloween (31 Oct).
  • Memorial Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, MLK Day, Presidents’ Day.
  • Christmas (25 Dec).

12. Speaking strategy ​

Start with the basics (50 states, federal republic, third largest country). Move to the political system (use executive / legislative / judicial). Mention Washington vs. New York. Add one big history event (Independence, WWII or 9/11). Mention 2–3 famous Americans and a couple of cultural exports (Hollywood, jazz).