,Capital: Washington, D.C. Largest city: New York City National language : English President: Barack Obama Vice President: Joe Biden Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain Declared :July 4, 1776,Area - Total 9,826,630 km2 Population -2009 estimate306,407,000 GDP:2008 estimate - Total$14.264 trillion Per capita: $46,859 Currency: United States dollar,The peace treaty of 1783 recognized the independence of the United States and the former 13 British colonies became 13 states of the new nation. They were not very clear about the future political system of the United States and about the relationshipsbetween the states and the government of the new nation. A constitution was badlyneeded.,Articles of Confederation(邦联条款),When the War of Independence was over, the Unites States was not one unified nation as it is today. Each new state had its own government and was organized very much like an independent nation, although during the war, there was a plan of cooperation was called the Article of Confederation.,The Article of Confederation failed because the states did not cooperate with the Congress or with each other. The Congress asked each state to send delegates to a convention in Philadelphia to discuss the changes which would be necessary to strengthen the Articles of Confederation. (except Rhode Island, 12 states participated),Constitution of United States,Constitution of United States:the constitution set up a federal system with a strong central government. A federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent(构成的) parts, with some rights reserved to each. The Constitution also called for the election of a national leader, or president. It provided that the federal laws would be made only by a Congress made up of representatives elected by people. It also provide for a national court system headed by a Supreme Court.,Fear 1: one person or group, including the majority, might become to powerful or be able to seize control of the country and create a tyranny(专制、暴政).,Three branches,The executive the legislative and the judicial Each branch has powers that the others do not have Each branch has a way of counteracting(抵消、中和) and limiting any wrongful action by another branch,Fear 2: the new central government might weaken or take away the power of the state governments to run their own affairs.,The Constitution specified exactly what power the central government had, and which power was reserved for the states. The states were allowed to run their own government as they wished, Provided (以为条件) that their governments were republican.,system of check and balance works in many ways to keep serious mistakes from being made by one branch or another,Legislative Branch(立法机构): Congress Passes legislation and appropriates money（拨款）,The legislative branch is made up of elected representatives from all of the states and is the only branch that can make federal laws, levy(征收)federal taxes, declare war or put foreign treaties into effect.The House of Representatives(众议院)The Senate(参议院),The house of Representatives：lawmakers(2-year terms) 435 members according to the size of the state The number of districts in a state is determined by a count of the population taken every 10 years.,The Senate 100 members -two from each state (assures the small states have an equal voice in the one of the house of Congress) 6-year term,Propose a bill,read, studied in committees Commented on and amended in the Senate (House),voted,Not passed,passed,read, studied in committees Commented on and amended in the House (Senate),passed,Become a law,Sent to president for his signature,Groups who try to persuade Congressmen to vote for or Against a bill are known as lobbies.,Executive Branch,The president(4-year term, only 2 terms) -propose legislation to Congress -can veto(否决) any bill passed by Congress (the veto can be overridden(被推翻 )by 2/3 vote in the two house) -easily influence public opinion,-appoint federal judges, including members of the Supreme Court as vacant occur(有空缺)all such court appointment are subject to confirmation by Senate. -has broad power to issue regulation and directives -commander in chief of the armed forces -appoints the heads and senior officials of the executive branch agencies,13 departments,State 国务院 Treasury 财政部 Defense 国防部 Justice 司法部 Interior 内政部 Agriculture农业部 Commerce商业部 Labor 劳工部 Education 教育部 Transportation 交通部 Energy 能源部,Health and Human Service 卫生与公共服务事业部Housing and Urban Development 住房与城市发展部,Foreign affairs,-the president is primarily responsible for foreign relations with other nations. -the president appoints ambassadors(大使) and other officials -with the secretary of state, formulates and manage the nations foreign policy. -the president often represents the US abroad in consultations with other heads of state, and through his officials, he negotiates treaties with other countries.,