2) The national emblem

T he national emblem of the United States is the official seal (special circle-shaped design) printed on important documents and used to prove that a document is from the US government. The seal of the President of the United States of America is based upon the Great Seal of the USA. The Presidential seal pictures an American bald eagle holding a ribbon in its beak; the ribbon has the motto of the USA, “E PLURIBUS UNUM”, meaning “Out of many, one”. The eagle is clutching an olive branch (with 13 olives and 13 leaves) in one foot (symbolizing peace) and 13 arrows in the other (the 13 stands for the original 13 colonies and the arrows symbolize the acceptance of the need to go to war to protect the country).

A shield is in front of the eagle; the shield has 13 red and white stripes (representing the original 13 colonies) with a blue bar above it (it symbolizes the uniting of the 13 colonies and represents congress). Above the eagle are 13 white clouds, 13 white stars, and many tiny stars. 50 white stars surround the eagle in a circle (on a deep blue field). The words, “Seal of the President of the United States” surround the seal (on a tan field).

The first President who used a presidential seal was Rutherford B. Hayes; in 1880, Hayes used the seal for White House invitations. US President Harry Truman had the seal redesigned on October 26, 1945, adding the circle of stars and re-orienting the eagle towards the right (the side with the olive branch).

3) The National Anthem

The words of the National Anthem of the USA “The Star-Spangled Banner” were taken form a poem by Francis Scott Key, which was written about a battle between Britain and the USA in 1812-1814. The melody was taken from an English song composed by John Stafford Smith. Here are the words of the first stanza:

O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,

What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

Over the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.

O say, does that star - spangled banner yet wave

O’er the land of the free and home of the brave?

The Anthem is usually sung at the beginning of large public events and especially at professional sports events such as a baseball or a football game. People are expected to stand up and put their right hand over their hearts while the song is being sung in order to show respect and support for their country.

4) The Coat of Arms

T he Coat of Arms of the US represents an eagle with wings outspread, holding a bundle of rods – the symbol of administering – in the left claw and an olive twig – the emblem of love – in the right claw. The motto on the coat of arms is the one that has been mentioned before, that is “E Pluribus Unum”.

5) The Statue of Liberty

T he Statue of Liberty is made of copper and it is empty inside. 225 tons of metal were used for its construction. Inside there is a circular stairway from the base to the crown. There is also a lift in it. The figure shows a young woman holding a torch in her right hand above her head and in her left hand is a tablet with the date “July 4th, 1776” on it, which symbolizes the Declaration of Independence. The torch lights up at night, the statue stands on the east side of the Manhattan Island. The Great State Building stands in the centre of New York, on Manhattan, and presents beautiful views around the horizon night or day, in wet weather or dry, to visitors from all over the world. It has 102 floors and 448 meters high. The Manhattan was the world’s tallest building until the towers of the World Trade Centre were opened in 1972. The Trade Centre’s triumph was short; a new skyscraper was built two years later. In 1974, the 110-storied Search Tower was completed in Chicago. It reached a height of 1,454 feet.