Have you ever heard America called a “melting pot?” What do you think that means? America is called a melting pot because immigrants have come here from all over the world over the last 400 years. Originally, most settlers came from northern Europe. Your ancestors might have come from England, Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark or Holland.
Over 1.3 million people immigrated from Europe between 1600 and 1820. Many came for religious or political reasons. During the Great Famine in Ireland, thousands of people came to find food and work.
During this same time, 1.5 million slaves were brought to America on slave ships. Most of them came from Africa. In the last 200 years, people have come to America from Mexico, China, Japan, India and other parts of Asia and the Middle East. They too came looking for a better life for their families.
The US also attracts well in access of 70 million tourists every year. Tourism is very important for the economy. Some of the attractions across the country that influence tourism are:
- Statue of Liberty
- Grand Canyon
- Yellowstone National Park
- White House
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Niagara Falls
- Glacier National Park
- Mount Rushmore
The United States is blessed with an abundance of wildlife spread right across the country. Have a look below to see some of what the US has to offer:
- Cougar – (also known as a mountain Lion and also a Puma)
- Eagle
- Black Bear
- Moose
- Wolverine
- Coyote
- Raccoon
- Gila Monster
- Skunk
- Grey Wolf
- Rattlesnake
Mother nature flexes her muscles in the US. Depending on where you live in the country or visit you could experience:
Many people believe that Christopher Columbus discovered America. In 1492 he may well have been the first European explorer to discover America but we know that American Indigenous people have lived here before 15,000 BC.
Fun Facts about the United States of America for Kids
- America has a democratic government. Every citizen has the right to have a voice.
- Declaration of Independence was signed July 4th 1776.
- The United States Constitution was written in 1787.
- The national bird of the United States is the Eagle – national anthem is the Star-Spangled Banner and the national Seal is the Great Seal of the United States.
- Joe Biden is the current president of American – (Jan 20th 2021).
- The president works and lives in the White House.
- Kamala Harris is the Vice President.
- Capital city: Washington D.C. (population 702,455 – 2018).
- New York is the most populated city in the US with over 8.5 million people (2016).
- The largest economy in the world is the US economy.
- Area: 3,539, 224 square miles.
- The US is made up of 50 states, Alaska is the largest state.
- United States shares borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south.
- Over 327 million people live in the U.S. (2018).
- English is the official language, although many people speak Spanish.
- Over 86 percent of people are Christian.
- Americans use the American dollar as currency $.
- 99 percent of adults can read.
- People in the U.S. can expect to live 78.69 years.
- The US has 6 different time zones from the west to east.
- The tallest mountain in the US is Denali found in the Alaskan mountain range 6,190 m.
- The longest river in the US is The Missouri River 2,341 miles – 3,768 km, the second longest is The Mississippi River 2,202 miles – 3,544 km.
- The US shares land borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south
- Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the US (31,700 square miles).
- The largest desert in the United States is the Great Basin Desert.
- The US has many active volcanoes and is one of the most volcanic countries on the planet with over 160 active volcanoes. Kilauea situated in Hawaii is considered to be highly dangerous. In Washington Mount Rainier and St. Helens are also considered dangerous.
- NASA Headquarters are based in Washington D.C.
The United States of America Vocabulary
- Ancestor: family members that came before you, such as your grandmother and great-grandmother
- Famine: a severe food shortage
- Citizen: legal member of a country
United States of America Video for Kids
Check out this cool video about the United States of America for kids:
This is a simple video discussion of the basic facts about the United States of America.
The United States of America Q&A
Question: Who makes the laws in the United States?
Answer: Some laws are made locally, in your city, county or state. Other laws are made on a national level. Every citizen gets to vote to choose leaders. When you are 18, you can vote, too. Then you can have a say in what happens in your country.
Question: In what year was the declaration of independence signed?
Answer: 1776
Question: What is the tallest mountain in the United States?
Answer: Denali is the tallest mountain, located in Alaska at standing at 6,190 m.
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Wildlife Q & A for North America
Question: How many snakes are in North America?
Answer: There are currently 160 known species of snakes in North America. Twenty of these snakes are venomous. These venomous snakes can be classified as Pit Vipers or Coral snakes.
Question: What is the most venomous snake in North American?
Answer: The most venomous snake in North America is the Mojave Rattlesnake. This snake is very aggressive towards humans and if bitten medical treatment is required urgently.
Question: What is the largest native snake in North America?
Answer: The black rat snake is the largest snake in North America, it can measure up to 8 feet long. This snake is not venomous and harmless to humans. Florida has wild Python snakes that are larger but these snakes are not native, they were introduced people.
Question: What is the smallest snake in America?
Answer: The smallest snake in North America is the Leptotyphlops Carlae snake, only up to 4 inches long.
Map of the United States of America
Here’s a map of the United States of America and all its cities and villages. Zoom in to get into street level or zoom out to see other countries around the United States of America! You can see the terrain, but also see the roads, images of the buildings and even take a 3D tour through the streets of the cities of the United States of America, as though you are actually there!
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