Facts
The United States of America is a federation of 50 states. It is a young nation, founded 4th of July 1776. 4th of July is USA's National Day - Independence Day. USA is a republic and the President of the United States is often refferred to as the world's most powerful man. The cultural and historical background for America is complex and interesting. We know that Christopher Columbus "discovered"  this huge continent at the end of the 15.th century, but it is  a fact that some Vikings from Norway entered America, or "Vineland" some hundred years before this "discovery". Columbus tried to find the seaway to India under the command of the King and Queen of Spain. However, the real Americans - the Native Americans were the first and real Americans, when they crossed the Bering Strait and settled in the continent  more than 15 000 years ago.A sad story followed with wars and conflicts between the new settlers and the natives, or Indians as they were called. The Indians have been treated badly throughout times and they are still often found among the disadvantaged people in America. Indians are not discriminated according to legal rights today, in fact they have some privileges that non-Indians don't have. This site will introduce you to some of the most important and well known cities and places in USA today.
Four Corners
The four states that are located near the east coast of USA, are connected in a point that creates four corners. In this point a person can actually put his hands and feet in all four states at the same time. Because of this, these four states are called the four corners. These states are Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.
Colorado: The Centennial State.
The nickname has its origin linked to Colorado`s independence, since the state got it`s independence in 1876, 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Colorado is also called "Colorful Colorado", because the scenery of mountains, rivers and plains.
Arizona: The Grand Canyon State
One of the seven Wonders of the World exists here, - the Grand Canyon. It`s really a place of magnificent beauty, and draws visitors from all over the world. Arizona is also the Native Americans land. For more than a thousand years, native American farmers inhabited much of the present-day state of Arizona. Ruins of villages and ancient structures in the state testifies the original settlers.
New Mexico: The Land of Enchantment
The first you notice when you visit New Mexico is the vast geographical openness. The charming, winding mountain roads are a deep contrast to the long stretching highways. In the same state you will find wide, open plains and distant horizons. New Mexico is the fifth largest state in the United States.
Utah: The Mormon State (the Beehive State)
This state has been documented as being founded due to religious persecution. In 1847, Brigham Young and the first party of Mormon emigrants reached the Salt Lake Valley. The story of the Mormon exodus is well known, and most people are curious about Mormon Culture, and about their life style. The Mormons Church is called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (LDS Church) The religion is based on Christianity, but has some differences in the practise. The Mormon Church, also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was established by Joseph Smith in 1830. Utah is also known as a state with amazing nature and wildlife. In 2002 the state capital Salt Lake City hosted the Olympic Games.
New York
New York city is located in the state New York. These are easily confused, but the following facts concern the city of New York.The first people who settled in today's New York was the Manahate Tribe of the Algonquian Indians, but the Dutch Governor bought the island of Manhattan in 1626. The prize for this magnificent island was glass beads and trinkets worth about 24 dollars. The Dutch called the city New Amsterdam. It soon came to conflicts between the Dutch and the Indians, and there were constant wars going on. The reason why this city is of extreme importance is because of the coast line and great recourses. In 1664 while the Dutch and the Indians were fighting, the English sailed in and conquered the town. The fleet belonged to the Duke of York, and the place was therefore called New York. New York consists of five boroughs: Manhattan (named after theManhattan tribe), the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. About 8 mill. people live in NY, but the population grows to over 20 million during the daytime because of the workers and the shoppers who live outside the city. Former major Ed Koch once called New York "The Big Apple" in a speech. This has been a nickname for New York since. NY is also called the Melting Pot because of all the different cultures and races melted together.
Sightseeing in New York
The skyscraper skyline
New York is known for its magnificent buildings, and especially the huge skyscrapers. Some of the skyscrapers in the city are famous all over the world, with The Empire State Building (1368 feet tall) as the "starbuilding". This building is famous for "participating" in several films, and is some kind of New York Heritage. The World Trade Centre's twin towers were also famous skyscrapers. These towers were the targets of a horrendous terror act 11th September 2001. You can read more about this in our history page. The name skyscraper was first used around the 1880s, but the first tall buildings were built already twenty years before that. These buildings are actually so tall that a lot of people get skyscraper - sick during heavy winds, because then the buildings sway back and forth. The skyscraper skyline is the reason why no one are able to see the sun in New York. The buildings make shadows that cover the streets, and they can also cause dangerous wind currents between the skyscraper walls.
Central Park
New York's green oasis. Central Park is probably the world's most famous park. It is located in the heart of New York, and is visited by thousands of people every day. The activities available in the park are almost unlimited, and some of the greatest museums and art galleries in the world are to be found here. Spending your leisure time here, would probably be the best way of relaxing in NY. You can go to concerts, watch performances of different kind, go to art exhibitions, or simply stroll along the  paths among the enormous acres of green grass.
The Statue of Liberty
The symbol of New York. - The Statue of Liberty National Monument officially celebrated her 100th birthday on October 28, 1986. The people of France gave the Statue to the people of the United States over one hundred years ago in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution. Over the years, the Statue of Liberty has grown to include freedom and democracy as well as this international friendship. Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design a sculpture with the year 1876. T he Statue was a joint effort between America and France and it was agreed upon that the American people were to build the pedestal, and the French people were responsible for the Statue and its assembly. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (designer of the Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design the massive iron pylon and secondary skeletal framework which allows the Statue's copper skin to move independently yet stand upright.
Broadway
New York consists of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. All except for the Bronx are situated on islands. Manhattan, the heart of New York, is laid out in a classic grid pattern, consisting of streets and avenues with the exception of Broadway, which was actually mapped out along a Native American trail. Broadway is the most famous street in New York, and well known all over the world. When you want to go to to a theatre or see a film or go to a concert, this is the place to be. The street is wide and long, and stretches through NY, but it is the theatre district south of Central Park that is of interest. These sights are only a small selection of the broad assortment of interesting places, sights and entertainment you can find in New York.
New Orleans
New Orleans is the world's jazz centre...... Every great musician in jazz was either born here, or played here. Names as Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Jelly "Roll" Morton and Duke Ellington is connected to this city. The heart of the city is called "The French Quarter", and here you can hear jazz music everywhere, in the streets and in the restaurants....The city was founded by the French in 1718, and first named Nouvelle Orleans after the town Orleans in France. The French lost some of the province to the British in 1763, and this land passed to the Americans after the War of Independence in 1775-83. Napoleon sold the rest of the province to the USA in 1803 to finance his wars. The British tried to take back the city in this period, but the lost. The victory led to the founding of the state of Louisiana in 1812. New Orleans is famous for its delicious food - cajun or creole. The most famous dish is jambalaya which is a spicy mix of chicken, shrimps and sausages cooked with lots of vegetables and served with boiled rice. In August 2005 New Orleans was struck by the hurricane Katrina. It made a tremendous impact on the city and thousands of people lost their homes. The hurricane hit several places in the region, but the flooding caused extreme damages in New Orleans because parts of the city lie below sea level. The goverment and the president were heavily criticised because they responded slowly to the cirisis. Many people lost their lives in the hurricane.