Americana

General Information about the United States of America

Basic Facts About the United States (courtesy World Factbook)

Sketchbook USA lavishly illustrates many aspects of American life. These excerpts depict Americans at work, at play, and engaging in civic activities. View the entire Sketchbook USA and all its many photographs

USA Map with Facts in Brief (PDF 668.4KB)- This publication includes plenty of facts and statistics about the United States -- its government, geography, environment, sports and entertainment, the economy and employment, education, transportation, and population.

U.S. Bureau of the Census

Biography of America - an interesting presentation of U.S. history, and companion to the 26-show telecourse and video program of the same name .

Snapshot USA: This edition of eJournal USA is designed to provide a central resource for information about the United States. It is but an introduction, tailored to the current generation of young people around the world, containing many facts and statistics, but also essays which describe a little of how Americans think about their country and the world. June 2006

Fundamental Documents: A Basis for Liberty

U.S. Constitution

The Bill of Rights

The Declaration of Independence

More on the Charters of Freedom

U.S. Freedom Documents in Translation: Bill of Rights and the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, translated in French (PDF, 195KB) by the U.S. State Department.

U.S. History: The Story of the United States

Outline of American History  A chronological look at how the United States took shape -- from its origins as an obscure set of colonies on the Atlantic coast a little more than 200 years ago into what one political analyst today calls "the first universal nation."

The American Presidency

Barack Obama: 44th President of the United States

Obama in His Own Words These pages share President Obama’s words with our global readership. This book includes the complete text of the 44th President’s Inaugural Address. Also featured are extended excerpts from eight other significant campaign and pre-presidential speeches.

The White House this official site features a Biography of the President, White House History, White House Tour , Presidents and First Ladies.

Looking for info on Inaugural, State of the Union & Farewell Addresses of the U.S. Presidents ?

Former Presidents of the United States

U.S. Politics and Government

U.S. Government: A Resilient Balance of Institutions

About America: How the U.S. is Governed

Outline of American Government

Government Information Xchange

U.S. Government Manual (courtesy of the U.S. Government Printing Office)

The Executive Branch the Cabinet Offices and the Executive Office of the President. 

Political Points (New York Times compilation of links)

Thomas: Legislative Information on the Internet need to know what is happening in Congress right now? At Thomas you will find Public Laws, Congressional records, House and Senate Directories and more.

The U.S. Supreme Court

The American Landscape: Geography, U.S. States and Environment

An Outline of American Geography: Regional Landscapes of the United States. This publication considers the physical environment of the United States — landforms, climate, soils, and vegetation — in terms of its impact on the country's cultural, regional, and political development.

Maps of the United States (courtesy of the The Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)

Color Landform Atlas of the Fifty States detailed color maps of each state from Johns Hopkins University.

Stately Knowledge a fun page designed to help you find out the basic facts about any state in the union. Click on the state you are researching to find a list of basic state information. For more detailed information, scroll down to the "Helpful Links" section which will take you directly to official state government homepages where tourism information, state history and much more can be found.

USA Map with Facts in Brief (PDF 668.4 KB)- This publication includes plenty of facts and statistics about the United States -- its government, geography, environment, sports and entertainment, the economy and employment, education, transportation, and population.

U.S. Economic System

USA Economy in Brief What's behind one of the world's most productive economies.

Outline of the U.S. Economy The U.S. economy of the 21st century little resembles that of the 18th century, but acceptance of change and embrace of competition remain unchanged.

U.S. Education System

USA Education In Brief USA Education in Brief covers the development of the public school movement, beginning with "common school," (the iconic little red schoolhouse) in the 18th century, through the Land-Grant university movement to the G.I. Bill of Rights and the civil rights movement which expanded educational opportunity to all U.S. citizens. Additional topics include 21st century challenges; civic, bilingual, and special education; foreign exchanges; and teaching democracy to a new generation.

College and University Education in the United States  What it takes to get accepted and get a visa to study in the USA.

U.S. Population

Today's Total United States Population a daily count calculated by the Census Department. 

News and Media

Handbook of Independent Journalism This handbook covers the ins and outs of what every professional journalist should know — from how to research, write, and edit a story to how to write headlines, choose graphics, and select quotes and sound bites. Print, radio, TV, and Web-based or online journalism forms are discussed in detail, as well as the skills required in beat reporting.

United States Arts and Culture

An Outline of American Literature a publication exploring America's literature.

Art on the Edge This joint publication of the State Department's ART in Embassies Program and its Bureau of International Information Programs showcases the work of 17 contemporary American artists. All have made their art available in U.S. ambassador's residences in countries around the world. As a group, these up-and-comers exemplify such bedrock American values as innovation, diversity, freedom, individualism, and competitive excellence.

Historians on America is a series of individual essays that selects specific moments, decisions, and intellectual or legislative or legal developments and explains how they altered the course of U.S. history. The book consists of 11 separate essays by major historians, ranging from The Trial of John Peter Zenger in 1735 to The Immigration Act of 1965.

American Popular Music American popular music is a kaleidoscopic mélange of styles and dreams. Its vibrancy reflects the mating of cultural diversity to artistic and creative freedom. The stories in this book illustrate how Americans, borrowing from diverse musical traditions, have contributed to humanity’s universal language.

A Patchwork Culture: Identity in America

The American Flag and National Anthem

National Museum of American History Star-Spangled Banner Website

Our Flag - everything you want to know about the American flag

The U.S. Flag Code - provided by Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

Holidays

Holidays.net - choose your holiday, find a site! Hundreds of fun and informative holiday resources. Thanksgiving Day, Independence Day, Halloween and more. Many sites include recipe and craft information useful for students and teachers.

American Foodways

Kitchen Link - the internet's largest recipe resource.

The Food Museum

Barbeque and Southern Foodways 

Thanksgiving recipes

Americans at the Table (PDF 633.3 KB): Numerous influences have affected the development of cuisine in the United States. The absence of royalty, a motivating force for culinary inventiveness in other countries, coupled with the "stoic, utilitarian sensibility" of the Puritan Ethic, may have hindered development of fine cuisine during the country's early decades, but adoption and adaptation of dishes brought by new waves of immigrants over the decades have sparked a richness and diversity in the fare on America's dinner tables and in its restaurants.

United States Sports and Entertainment

America's Favorite Sports

National Parks, National Legacy The people of the United States own and protect a sprawling system of national parks,  including seashores, trails, monuments, and battlefields. All American citizens are, in a sense, stewards of sites where history unfolded, where mountains soar, and where rivers run. They keep these parks for the future, and they treasure them today. As former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, “There is nothing so American as our national parks. The scenery and wildlife are native. The fundamental idea behind the parks is native. It is, in brief, that the country belongs to the people.” This edition of eJournalUSA presents glorious views of the national parks, the history of this vast system, and its mission of conservation and public access.