lecture 1--The National Flag The number of the stars and stripes The meanings of the stars and stripes The colors of the flag The meanings of the colors

The National Flower Rose Pot marigold

The National Bird The Bald Eagle stands for bravery, strength and victory. The outer appearance of the bald eagle The habitat of the bald eagle—Alaska It is also an important feature of the national emblem.

The National Emblem It was designed by William Barton and Charles Thomson. The bald eagle The national flag The olive branch The arrows The ribbon with the words “the United States” The thirteen stars in the cloud

The Territory of the U.S. Situated in the middle part of North America, the U.S. has a territory of 9, 372, 615 square kilometers, which includes Alaska in the northwestern part of North America and Hawaiian Islands on the Pacific. The length from the east end to the west end on its mainland is 4, 500 kilometers, and from the north end to the south end is 2, 700 kilometers. It has a coastline of 22, 680 kilometers.

The Population of the U.S. The population of the U.S. is 280, 440,000 (January 2003). By July 2001, there are 199, 300, 000 population of Anglo- Saxon origin, accounting for 70% of the total population; 37, 000, 000 population of Latin American origin, accounting for 13% of the total population; 36, 000, 000 population of African origin, accounting for 12.7% of the total population; 12, 500, 000 population of Asian origin, in which there are about 1, 645, 000 population of Chinese origin, accounting for 0.58% of the total population.

Washington D.C. The capital of the U.S. Washington Monument Jefferson Memorial Lincoln Memorial The White House The Capitol Library of Congress

Boston—the State of Massachusetts It is the earliest city established in the United States. It has many famous universities, such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Boston. It is full of European atmosphere.

New York (the Big Apple)—the State of New York The largest city in both the U.S. and the world Skyscrapers Empire State Building The United Nations Headquarters Chinatown Wall Street Greenwich Village Central Park

Philadelphia—the State of Pennsylvania The fourth largest city in the U.S. Independence Hall Betsy Ross House Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Franklin Institute

Chicago—the State of Illinois The second largest city in the U.S. It has a nickname— “The Supermarket of America” Sears Tower Lincoln Park

Houston—the State of Texas The fifth largest city in the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Manned Spacecraft There are many famous corporations around the city, such as General Electric (GE) and International Business Machines (IBM).

San Francisco—the State of California In the early days it was the place where Chinese people concentrated. Golden Gate Bridge The largest Chinatown outside of Asia

Los Angeles (the Big Orange)—the State of California The third largest city in the U.S. Hollywood Beverly Hills Disneyland University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)