The Pledge of Allegiance was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister Francis Bellamy.

It
was first published in the juvenile periodical The Youth’s Companion on September 8, 1892, in the
following form: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands; one nation
indivisible, with liberty and Justice for all.” Soon the words “the flag of the United States of
America” were substituted for “my Flag. In 1954, at President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s urging, the
Congress legislated that “under God” be added, creating the 31-word pledge we say today.
should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When
not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at
the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the
flag, and render the military salute."
Swearing of the Pledge is accompanied by a salute. An early version of the salute, adopted in 1887,
was known as the Balch Salute.
In 1892, Francis Bellamy created what was known as the Bellamy salute. It started with the hand
outstretched toward the flag, palm down, and ended with the palm up. In World War II, the salute
too much resembled the Nazi salute, so it was changed to keep the right hand over the heart
throughout. the US Congress stipulated that the hand-over-the-heart gesture as the salute would be
the salute to replace the Bellamy salute.

The Secretary of State is the official custodian of the great seal of the United States. It is only
attached (affixed) to certain documents, such as foreign treaties and presidential proclamations. The
Great Seal is kept in a mahogany cabinet and displayed in the Exhibit Hall of the Department of
State in Washington, D.C. All State Seal. It has a rich history. Both sides of the Great Seal can be
seen on the back of a U.S. one-dollar bill.
On July 4, 1776, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson were given the task of
creating a seal for the 13 United States of America.
The symbols on the seal reflect the beliefs and values that the Founding Fathers wanted to pass on to
their descendants.

Eagle: In the center of the seal is a bald eagle (our national bird "one from many parts") (one nation
created from 13 colonies). The eagle grasps an olive branch in its right talon and a bundle of thirteen
arrows in its left. The olive branch and arrows are symbols for the power of peace and war.
Shield: A shield with thirteen red and white stripes covers the eagle's breast. The shield is supported
solely by the American eagle as a symbol that Americans rely on their own virtue.
The red and white stripes of the shield represent the states united under and supporting the blue,
which represents the President and Congress. The color white is a symbol of purity and innocence;
red represents hardiness and valor; and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Cloud: Above the eagle's head is a cloud surrounding a blue field containing thirteen stars which
form a constellation. The constellation denotes that a new State is taking its place among other
nations.

Pyramid: The seal's reverse side contains a 13-step pyramid with the year 1776 in Roman numerals
at the base (the year independence was declared).
Eye: At the top of the pyramid is the Eye of Providence with the Latin motto "Annuit Coeptis" in the
sky above - meaning "It [the Eye of Providence] is favorable to our undertakings" or "He favors our
undertakings."
Scroll: Below the pyramid, a scroll reads "Novus Ordo Seclorum" - Latin for "New Order of the
Ages." which refers to 1776 as the beginning of the American new era.

It's the tallest building in Washington, D.C. and it honors the first U.S. president, George
Washington. It remains the world’s tallest masonry structure. The tower is rectangular at its base and
topped with a pyramid. The monument is the world’s tallest obelisk and the tallest stone structure,
made from marble, granite, and gneiss. The tower is rectangular at its base and topped with a
pyramid.
IT TOOK ALMOST 40 YEARS TO COMPLETE THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT'S
CONSTRUCTION.
EARLY IDEAS FOR THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT INCLUDED STATUES, GREEK
COLUMNS, AND TOMBS.
2. Natural resources and their sites. Weather and climate.
Tornadoes, considered to be nature's most violent storms, are more common in the
United States than in any other country in the world.
East of the Rocky Mountains is where tornadoes most often occur, specifically in a
sub-region known as Tornado Alley. Tornado Alley includes the Midwest states of
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, as well as the southern state
of Texas. Not included within Tornado Alley but also known for strong tornado
activity are Minnesota and the Southeastern states of Mississippi, Georgia, and
Florida.
Deadliest Tornadoes in US History
The "Tri-State Tornado" killed nearly 700 people and injured more than 2000 more
in March of 1925, ripping through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana.
The "Natchez Tornado" traveled along the Mississippi River in both Louisiana and
Mississippi    killed more than 300 people.
"St. Louis Tornado"
he country has no fewer than nine unique climate zones.
West North Central, this region experiences a continental climate of four distinct
seasons including snowy winters and sunny summers.
Hawaii belongs to a different climate region, the tropical zone.
Bordered by both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Mexico, humidity levels are high
and storms ranging from thunder clouds to hurricanes occur.

4. The USA flag and its history.

For a while, the U.S. added stripes and stars to the flag when welcoming new states. When
Kentucky and Vermont joined the union, the flag took on two more stars from the original .15
stripes and 15 stars graced the flag. Anticipating a crowded field of stripes, lawmakers decided to
honor each new state with a star, and leave the stripes at the original 13.
The proper way to view a flag on display during a parade or review (except for people in uniform) is
by facing the flag with your right hand over your heart, according to Federal flag laws and
regulations.

6. American symbols (II): the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, Mount
Rushmore, the Bald Eagle.
The sculptor Gutzon Borglum had originally planned to carve more than just presidential figures
into Mount Rushmore—he was going to include words as well. The words were to be a very short
history of the United States. Ultimately, the Entablature was discarded for the inability to see the
words from a distance and lack of funds.
No One Died men dangled precariously off the top of Mount Rushmore
he Hall of Records was to be a large room carved into Mount Rushmore that would be a repository
for American history. Congress, worried that Mount Rushmore would never be finished, mandated
that all work had to be focused on only the four faces.
What remains is a roughly hewn, 68-foot-long tunnel

7. Traditional regions in the USA and their features (geography, economy,

national character - according to the regions).