Understanding American Culture and Customs все тексты (слова) песен, переводы, видео, клипы

Salem in the state of Massachusetts is called the "Witch City", but don't be afraid. There aren't women wearing pointy black hats riding around on brooms. The New England city is called the Witch City because of an infamous set of trials that happened there in 1692 to 1693. At the time, the city was just a town in the British colony of Massachusetts. The Salem Witch Trials accused more than 200 people of being witches. People believed witchcraft was real and was criminal. Among the accused were women, men, and even children. Nineteen people were sentenced to death. They were all hanged. One of the accused was tortured with heavy rocks being placed on him until he was crushed underneath the weight. Seven others died in jail.


There was never any proof that those accused, and convicted were really witches. Historians think that people would accuse people because of family feuds. Other historians think that a domino effect occurred, with people becoming hysterical after one accusation. Fear of witches spread like a disease.

The Salem Witch Trials have become a part of the city's history. "The Crucible", a play about the trials by Arthur Miller, has been turned into a movie. The city is not ashamed of its past, but rather uses it to teach tolerance and earn some tourist dollars. There is a memorial dedicated to the innocent people who died because of the witch-hunts. There is a "Witch Museum" that tells the story of what happened. Many people visit Salem around Halloween. Salem police cars have witch logos. A local public school is known as the Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, and the Salem High School sports teams are named the Witches. Films and television shows featuring fictional witches have been filmed in Salem, including "Hocus Pocus" and "Bewitched".

The Empire State Building may be the most famous building in New York City. It is called the Empire State Building because New York State is called the Empire State. It is 1,454 feet tall. Many people think it is the tallest building in the world. This was true when it was built in 1931. In 1970, when the World Trade Center was built, that became the tallest building. Now, the Empire State Building is the fourth tallest building in the U.S. and the 23rd tallest in the world. Inside the building is mostly occupied by offices and stores.


People can go to the top of the building, where there is an observation deck. From the top there are beautiful views of New York City, especially at night. Most people take one of 73 elevators to the top. It takes less than one minute by elevator to get to the 80th floor. That is where there is a gift shop. Some people walk 1,860 steps to the top. Every year there is even a race, with people competing to see who can walk up to the top the fastest.

The landmark is not just famous because of its height. In 1945, a small plane crashed into it. More than 30 people have tried to kill themselves by jumping off the building. In 1933 it was featured in the movie King Kong, where a giant gorilla climbs to the top and falls to his death after being attacked by airplanes. The building was also in the movie Sleepless in Seattle with Tom Hanks.

At night, the top of the Empire State Building is lit up in different colors. It is red and green on Christmas, red for Lunar New Year, and blue for Hanukah. On the Fourth of July it is red, white, and blue.

In U.S. cities like New York City and Los Angeles, many people live in small apartments. Despite not having homes with big yards, some apartment dwellers still seek the companionship that domesticated animals like dogs and cats offer. Some people feel that having a pet, even in a small space, is good for teaching children responsibility.

However, many landlords forbid tenants from having pets, specifically cats and dogs, because of the damage the animals can do to carpets. Some landlords even forbid birds because of the noise they make. Many landlords charge an extra fee, known as a pet deposit, to tenants who want to keep pets. This is to pay for repairs or cleaning caused by the pet.

Many times apartment dwellers will choose animals, like fish, hermit crabs, guinea pigs or hamsters, that make little noise, little mess, and won't chew up the furniture. Other people keep lizards as pets, since they don't require much space and can be kept in small cages or tanks. Another benefit of these smaller pets is that they don't need to be walked. However, some people who live in apartments have pets that are not so ordinary. Some of these less than ordinary pets include mammals like hedgehogs, amphibians like frogs, and spiders like tarantulas. Not all exotic pets are legal though.

In order to maintain public safety, some cities and states have laws banning specific animals as pets. New York City, for example, bans people from keeping ferrets, snapping turtles, pythons, and scorpions as pets. It seems unlikely that a family would have a polar bear named Fluffy or a whale named Bubbles as a pet, New York City has specific laws banning these wild animals from residences. These laws exist for a good reason. In 2003, a man in a Manhattan apartment was discovered to have a 350-pound Bengal tiger as a pet.

Car chases in the Los Angeles area are a fairly regular occurrence. In 2013 there were over 700 car chases. Car chases also have become a source of entertainment. Many car chases are captured on video and broadcast live as they are happening. No one has to wait until the six o'clock news comes on anymore to find out about what happened. People can tune in to their local broadcast television station and see it happening in real time. These car chases are often captured with the help of a news channel's helicopter. The helicopter follows and films the chase through the streets, reporting what streets the cars are passing through.

People like watching car chases for many reasons. They are intense, and filled with drama. A viewer never knows what will happen next. Will the driver give up easily? Does the driver have a weapon? Will the driver get into an accident? Will someone crossing the street get hit? Tune in to find out! Many channels see their ratings soar when they air car chases. They are just giving the people what they want.

Police are not always happy with the media covering car chases live on the air. Police worry that people trying to escape enjoy the attention. Police feel that broadcasting car chases encourages people to escape. Police also worry that the attention brings innocent bystanders to the street. Someone could get hurt. The media insists they have the right to show car chases. They feel they are informing the public.

Car chases happen for many reasons. Sometimes police will chase someone who stole a car. Other times the police may try to do a routine traffic stop. However, the driver with the broken taillight may have a warrant for arrest, so off he drives.

Driving in the U.S. can be confusing not just because of all the rules and laws that drivers must follow, but also because of driving customs. Many people in the U.S. are really dependent on their cars to get to work and school. In fact most American workers spend an hour driving to work each day. In order to drive in the U.S., you have to go to your local Department of Motor Vehicles first, and take a written test to get your learner's permit. If you pass this test, you can practice driving so you can pass a road test and get your license. The Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV has free booklets you can go and get to study for your learner's permit. You can also access the information online and even take a practice written exam. To prepare for the road test, you can have a friend teach you to drive or pay to take classes at a driving school. You cannot, however, practice driving by yourself. If you are caught driving with only a learner's permit, you can get into trouble with the law.

Once you get your driver's license in one state, you can use it drive in all of the United States. Wherever you drive, you will see signs posted along the road indicating the speed limit. These numbers are not a suggestion. Generally you can drive faster on a highway than on local streets. Local police use special equipment to detect your speed. If they detect you are speeding or driving over the speed limit, police can stop you and give you a ticket. You will have to pay a fine and some of the fines are more than $100. The lines painted on the road are not just to keep cars in their lanes. They send a message. For example, a double solid yellow line means that it is against the law to pass another car here.

It is very common to see homeless people on the streets of Los Angeles. This is a problem that has persisted in the city since the beginning of the 20th century. Back in that time, California was known for offering many job opportunities in farming, and many young men were hopping on trains from all over the country to arrive in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, many of those men often ended up finding themselves without a job, a place to stay, or even food to eat. To help these people, many churches began to establish shelters in the area of Los Angeles that would eventually become Downtown. Even as the farm landscape changed to a big city environment, these shelters remained a refuge for many individuals that found themselves homeless in the area.

Nowadays, the homeless population of Los Angeles is made up of much more than just young men looking for work. Many economic and social changes have resulted in both men and women of all ages turning to the streets of Los Angeles. Some of them are there as a result of substance abuse that has left them moneyless and jobless. Others are veterans from various wars that cannot find the resources to get back to their normal lives. Additionally, many of these people suffer from mental disabilities that limit them from finding a job or being accepted in the rest of society.

Since there are a lot of different causes that lead to homelessness, it is easy to see why finding solutions to helping all of the homeless people is so difficult. Although there are many programs that focus on providing the homeless food daily, it is much harder to find programs that try to assist the homeless in finding jobs, and stable housing. In order to finally find a solution that will effectively help decrease the number of homeless people in the city, a lot more individualized attention must be placed on individuals based on their physical and mental health and circumstance.

Not every parent looks forward to the day when their child goes off to school. In fact some parents are not sending their students to school at all. Instead they are choosing to teach their children at home. This is called homeschooling. Parents, caregivers, or private tutors educate children individually at home instead of sending them off to be formally educated in public or private schools. In the U.S. only about three percent of children are homeschooled.

There are many reasons why some parents choose to homeschool. One reason is that some parents do not feel their children are safe in school because of bullying and a growing trend of police in school. Other parents want their child's education to be based on their religion or moral beliefs. Yet other parents feel like the education in school is not good enough. Homeschooling is also seen as a choice for families that live in rural areas, and families that travel, like actors.

There are many different ways to homeschool, and homeschooling allows parents to customize lessons based on their children's needs. Families can purchase textbooks to use or create their own materials. Some parents who follow a philosophy called unschooling, which allows a child to determine when, and how they want to learn based on their natural curiosity. Some worry that homeschooling means students won't have opportunities to socialize. To answer this concern, some families have created cooperatives, where a group of homeschooled students will learn and play together and participate in activities that would normally happen in school like field trips and prom.

Being homeschooled doesn't mean a student cannot go to college. Most colleges accept homeschooled students. It is important, however, for parents and students to create a portfolio or proof of what has been learned.

In Los Angeles, places associated with death are often popular. One such popular place is the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. When someone dies and the cause of death is undetermined or suspicious, the body is brought here for examination. It is the coroner's job to determine the time, cause, and manner of death. Sometimes the coroner will have to perform an autopsy, which is like an operation on a dead body to try to figure out how the person died. One of the reasons the L.A. coroner's office is so popular is because of the number of famous people who have been examined there. Some of those people include Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston.

The Los Angeles coroner's office is so popular that there is even a gift shop where visitors can buy items like shirts, caps, and mugs with the coroner's logo on them. One tee-shirt people can buy even says, "Our bodies of work speak for themselves". They even sell beach towels with body outlines. The store is open five days a week. They also have a website and a paper catalog for those who are not close enough to visit. The coroner's office claims the purpose of the store is to tell people how fragile life is and to create awareness and responsibility toward one's actions. Some people feel that having a store in the same place where dead people are is disrespectful.

There have been a number of television shows about the L.A. Coroner's office. Some of these are reality TV shows featuring what workers really do there. An example is called "Death Detectives". Other shows are fictional like "Quincy M.E." The M.E. stands for medical examiner, the person who performs the autopsies.

A wake is when people go to a deceased person's home or a funeral parlor to pay their last respects. A funeral parlor is a place where the preparation of the corpse for burial takes place. Part of the preparation can be dressing the deceased, doing their makeup, and placing them in a coffin for people to see. Some people do have a closed casket wake, where you can't see the dead person; some people are not even choosing coffins for their dearly departed loved ones.

In the United States, more and more families are choosing not to have traditional wakes. There is a recent trend of people having non-traditional wakes with the deceased person posed doing something they loved doing when they were alive. For example, a family in New Orleans had their dead loved one posed at a table with a cigarette between her fingers and a can of beer. One funeral home in Puerto Rico has become famous for its non-traditional wakes. It all started in 2008, when a family asked for their dead loved one to be propped up against the wall of their home for the wake. When a paramedic died, his family had his dead body in the driver's seat of an ambulance. Another family had a man propped up in a fake boxing ring for his wake. One dead man was posed on top of his motorcycle. Recently, a grandmother was posed sitting in her rocking chair.

These non-traditional wakes have their critics though. Some people think they are disrespectful. They think of death as a solemn and sad occasion, not a time to pose the dead as if they were toys. Fans feel it helps them remember the dead as they were when they were alive.

Some of the everyday heroes in the United States are the country's paramedics. These young men and women are usually the first people who respond to medical emergencies suffered by citizens. Paramedics must complete a very extensive physical training program that is designed to weed out those who cannot make the cut. A paramedic must be in fit condition, and be mentally strong to perform his or her duties in the face of danger. Many of these heroes must endure life-threatening situations when responding to emergencies. Paramedics are usually attached to a county, or city fire department, but there are also some private paramedic organizations.

In Southern California, there are two primary schools for paramedic training. They are UCLA's Daniel Freeman Paramedic program and the Paramedic Training Institute. Both of these schools provide candidates for the Los Angeles County and City Fire Departments. To become a paramedic for a county or city organization, candidates must also pass a psychological screening and a physical training program.

Some of the equipment paramedics carry is very specialized. They carry basic and advanced life support gear such as forcible entry tools so they can reach people in peril, saws to cut through obstacles, and other emergency equipment. Paramedics provide a valuable service to the communities they serve. They must be certified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) techniques, and be trained to handle all situations.

Some paramedics are trained to respond to what is called Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI). These emergencies occur whenever there is a tragic event such as the September 11, 2001 attacks on the country, and other emergencies like earthquakes, mudslides, or floods. Paramedics can also be sent to emergency situations by citizens who call the 911 emergency phone number.

When parents send their children to school, often they don't know what happens day to day. Parents rely on what their children tell them about how they are doing and what they are learning. Generally schools will host parent-teacher conferences at least twice a year. Parent-teacher conferences are short meetings between parents and their children's teachers. Usually parent-teacher conferences are held when teachers give out a student's grades for the term. The parent-teacher conferences give teachers an opportunity to let parents know how their child is doing. A teacher will let a parent know the student's strengths and bring to the parent's attention any problems with grades or behavior. The meetings also offer parents the opportunity to ask questions and see what their child is learning.

When it is almost time for parent-teacher conferences, the school will send parents a note and usually give them an appointment time. There are appointments during the day and in the evening. Evening appointments are used for parents who work during the day. Parent-teacher conferences do not last very long. Normally they do not last longer than 10 minutes. This is why it is important for parents to make sure they arrive at their appointments on time and come prepared with questions. If a parent needs more than 10 minutes, he or she should try to schedule another meeting with the teacher. Keeping a teacher for more than 10 minutes when there are parents waiting is disrespectful.

Most children do not go along with their parents to the meetings. This allows both the parent and teacher to talk honestly about the child's progress without making the child feel bad. Usually a teacher will offer advice to the parent on how to support their child's education.

Each New Year's Day, the city of Pasadena in California hosts a celebration to welcome the year with a series of events that includes the Rose Parade. The parade takes place in the center of the city on Colorado Blvd, and features numerous floats, marching bands, equestrian teams, celebrities, and honorees. It is the most popular parade in the country. It has spawned several other New Year's Day parades throughout the country. In Miami, it's the Orange Bowl Parade; in New Orleans, it is the Sugar Bowl Parade; in Arizona, it's called the Fiesta Bowl Parade. However, the Rose Parade is the oldest and best parade. Many people like to camp out in tents or in sleeping bags the night before to get the best locations to view the Rose Parade.

To brave the cold weather, some people bring portable heaters to keep them warm. It can get into the low 40s at night in Pasadena during the winter, so many people dress warm for the occasion. Food is another big feature at the pre-parade celebration on New Year's Eve. People bring their portable grills to cook their favorite outdoor meals right on the sidewalk. The rich aroma of the grilling food fills the night air, and most people are willing to share their food with other overnight campers. It is fun to sample different dishes from other grillers.

As night turns into morning, there is still electricity in the air. People are excited about the start of the parade, which begins at 8 a.m. sharp. The floats are beautifully decorated in flowers, while the dancers and other performers dress in colorful costumes, some of which are made just for the parade. The marching bands come from nearby cities, high schools, and colleges. It is considered a great honor to participate in the Rose Parade.

The self-portrait is nothing new. Painters and photographers have always used themselves as subjects. Today, however, almost everyone walks around with a camera in his or her pocket. This is because most cell phones have cameras on them. The fact that most people have cell phone cameras with them all the time has led to the rise of the selfie. A selfie is a self-portrait usually taken with a cell phone.

Since the pictures are usually taken on a cell phone, many people tend to share these photographs with friends and even strangers on different social networking websites. Some of the popular social networking platforms people use to share selfies include Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook.

People usually take selfies when they are engaged in normal day-to-day activities. They take selfies of their commutes to work or school. People take selfies of themselves eating. Other people take selfies to show what they are wearing or whom they are hanging out with.

The most common way to take a selfie is by holding a cell phone at arm's length. Some people take selfies by taking a picture of their reflection in a mirror. In these pictures, you can usually see the phone the person is taking a picture with. Selfies taken using a mirror often are taken in a bathroom, which some people think is offensive. The bathroom is a very private place, not a place to take pictures.

One of the darkest days in American history was September 11, 2001. This is a day that will live in infamy for most Americans. It was the most tragic day in the history of the country since December 7, 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. September 11th was the day Muslim extremists hijacked four commercial airliners in an attempt to destroy the American spirit by slamming those jets into four buildings. Three of the four jets reached their targets, while one was stopped by a group of everyday heroes who gave their lives for their country.

In the early morning hours on 9/11, American Airlines, Flight 11 slammed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. A few minutes later, Flight 175, also an American Airlines flight struck the south tower. Both suicide attacks brought the towers down, but not immediately. It took time for the extreme heat from the burning jet fuel to weaken the towers to their eventual collapse. At about the same time, American Airlines, Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, which is a government building in the country's capitol, Washington DC.

The fourth flight, United Airlines, Flight 93, was also headed for the capitol city. Most people think its target was either the capitol building, or the White House, the president's home. A group of brave passengers, upon hearing the news of what was happening in the country, decided to take down the giant airplane even though they knew they would not survive. They stormed the cockpit and took the controls from the hijackers. The plane flew out of control, crashing into a field in the state of Pennsylvania, where all passengers were killed.

In all, about 3,000 Americans lost their lives on that day, but the American spirit was not suppressed. Those responsible for the attacks were quickly dealt with, and the country soon began its journey to recovery. September 11, 2001, a day America will never forget.

On December 7, 1941, the United States of America was attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The surprise attack was intended to destroy the American Pacific Fleet that stood in the way of Japan's complete domination of the Pacific Ocean during the 1940s. The attack was coordinated with attacks in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Pearl Harbor was attacked by more than 350 Japanese airplane fighters, bombers and torpedo planes that were launched from six aircraft carriers.


The early-morning attack sank four U.S. battleships, and four more were heavily damaged. Six of the eight battleships were restored, and returned to service, but the Japanese also destroyed, or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, a minelayer, and an anti-aircraft training ship. In addition, 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed, with many of them on the ground. The attack was devastating. It took the U.S. years to recover from all the damage caused on that fateful morning. However, the Japanese were unable to destroy their main targets, the Navy's aircraft carriers. By what some call a stroke of luck, the U.S. carrier fleet was out to sea at the time of the attack.

The country was in shock at the news of the disaster. U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called the attack cowardly, and declared December 7th as "A day that will live in infamy." On December 8, the United States formally declared war on Japan. This plummeted the country into World War II, which Roosevelt had long hoped to avoid. Soon after the United States' declaration of war against Japan, Germany, which was a Japanese ally, declared war on the U.S. and the country was now fully involved in the greatest war in the history of the world.

California is the largest state in the United States of America. It is home to more than 10 percent of the country's total population. It also has the largest education system in the country. The college and university system is divided into four parts. Those parts are the University of California system, the California State University system, the community college system, and private institutions.

The UC system has more than 230,000 students at its 10 Campuses. It is considered the more prestigious system in the state. It includes top universities like UC Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Both schools rank in the top 25 universities in the country, with Berkeley in the top 10. A degree from the UC system is highly sought, and the academic standards are higher than the other systems. They are also more expensive.

The California State Universities counts 23 universities in its system. It is a diversified system that includes two polytechnic universities, and a maritime university. These schools offer vocational and maritime education, but also offer traditional, academic programs. The systems enrollment is approximately 450,000 students, with about 45,000 faculty members.

The California Community Colleges system is the largest systems of higher education in the state, and the world. It boasts 112 campuses, and serves approximately 2.4 million students. It offers transfer degrees, vocational training, and associates degree programs.

Some of the most majestic landscape views in California are the great California Redwood and Sequoia trees. These trees can be seen up close at Sequoia National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range, east of the city of Visalia. This central California region boasts more than 400,000 acres of natural beauty that is uniquely Californian. The park is known as the Land of the Giants because of its beautiful trees. The landscape features great mountains, foothills, deep canyons, a large cavern system, and, of course, the world's largest trees.

The park sits side by side with King's Canyon National Park in the stunning San Joaquin Valley. Sequoia National Park was officially established as a national park in the 1890s. It features 14 campsites that include picnic tables, fire rings for outdoor cooking, and food storage boxes. It is a great place for a family vacation with many of its campsites open year round. But the most popular attractions are its forests. The ancient trees are some of the oldest living organisms on earth, and draw millions of visitors worldwide. Redwood trees can reach heights of more than 375 feet. They are closely related to the Giant Sequoia trees, and are often mistaken for each other. They both are uniquely Californian, as they do not grow naturally in any other region in the world.

Redwood trees live up to 2,000 years, and have branches that grow up to five feet in diameter. Its bark can grow up to 12 inches thick. The Giant Sequoia trees can live up to an astonishing 3,000 years, and have branches up to eight feet in diameter. Its bark can grow to an amazing thickness of three feet. Both trees have dark brown bark, and look very similar, but the Redwood thrives in coastal climate, while the Sequoia exists in more mountainous areas. In either case, they are a must-see California attraction.

The Fourth of July is the United States' celebration of its independence from England. It is the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the new country's forefathers, and is a national holiday. It has been celebrated every year since 1776. Americans hold this day as one of the most revered holidays in the country.

Independence Day celebrations include firework shows that are held by various organizations throughout the country. The shows are held at stadiums, recreational parks, and private homes. Additionally, many businesses have giveaways and special discounts for all residents on this day. The firework shows are best at stadiums, where they attract a large number of people. This is a recent change in the way Americans celebrate the day. In the past, most people bought their own fireworks from vendors who sell their goods in supermarket parking lots.

The reason many cities no longer allow the sales, or use of fireworks is because of the fire hazards they pose. This is why the large, professional celebrations at stadiums and parks have become popular in recent years. Of course, many people still celebrate at home though. There are some cities where sales and use of fireworks are still legal, and many Americans take full advantage of this.

Another Fourth of July tradition is the backyard barbeque. The holiday occurs in the middle of summer, and Americans love to grill outdoors to avoid the heat inside the house. Hamburgers and hot dogs are the food of choice, but steaks are also prepared often. There is nothing better than a great American meal and a cold drink celebrating the Fourth of July. It is a popular holiday, and it is one that has great meaning to most Americans

One of the most historic, and significant landmarks in the United States is the San Francisco cable car system. It is the world's only, manually operated cable car system. It is run by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. The system dates back to 1878, when the California Street line first opened. In all, there are three lines currently operating in the city, and boasts a fleet of 12 cable cars. There used to be 23 lines in use throughout the city connecting the diverse communities that make up San Francisco. The open-air cars are a major tourist attraction, and are still used by San Francisco commuters on a daily basis.

The simple reason cable cars were first used in the city was because of its landscape. San Francisco is very hilly, which makes it impossible for municipal buses to scale. The solution for this problem was the cable car. These cars are literally pulled by cable, up and down the steep hills of the city, making it easier for people to get from one end of the city to the other.

There are two types of cars in use today. Single-ended cars and double-ended cars. The single-ended cars have open-sided sections with seats that face outward to the street. The rear section of these cars is enclosed with seats facing the interior of the car. These cars seat 29 passengers. They travel in both directions by using a swivel-based turntable that turns the car at the end of the line. The double-ended cars are a bit larger, and can hold up to 68 passengers. It has 34 seats, and grips for an additional 34 standing passengers. The best feature of these cars is the pure fun they are to ride. People who ride the San Francisco cable cars are stepping into part of California's history.

The United States government is composed of three major sections. It is based on the Constitution of the United States of America that was put into effect in May, 1789. The three parts of the U.S. Government are the executive, legislative and judicial branches. Each branch works independently of the other two, and each has its own responsibilities. This system is in place to ensure that no branch can carry more power than the other. This is called the separation of powers, which was written into the constitution.

The executive branch is the branch that most Americans are familiar with. It includes the president of the United States, the vice-president, and the cabinet. The president is the leader of the country and is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military. The vice-president is second-in-command and will act as president if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office. The cabinet acts as agents of the U.S. President, and carry out the duties they are entrusted with.

The legislative branch of government consists of the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Together they form the congress, which can levy and collect taxes, mint money, and establish federal courts. It can also declare war, and raise and support the army, navy, and air force to protect the country. The House of Representatives has 435 members, and the Senate consists of 100 senators, with two from each of the states. Any legislation, or new law, must be approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The judicial branch is entrusted to apply the laws created by the legislative branch of government. It has the power to create lower courts under the Supreme Court of the United States. It works closely with state courts, although they are separate.