The growth of the city

New York was founded in 1624 by the Dutch, who called it New Amsterdam. Its Dutch origins can be seen in the names of old New York families like Stuyvesant and Vanderbilt, and in place names such as Brooklyn (originally Breukelen) and Harlem. In 1664 the English gained control and changed the name to New York. In 1898 several towns were combined to make Greater New York City, which became the second largest city in the world, after London, though at the time part of it consisted of farms. Soon after, many new buildings were constructed, and in 1904 the New York subway was opened.

New Yorkers speak in a very direct way which can seem rude to people from other parts of the US. Some have little patience with visitors who are not used to the fast pace of the city. But for many visitors, meeting real, rude New Yorkers is part of the attraction of going to the city.

· AMERICAN SYMBOLS

Statue of Liberty – America’s symbol of Freedom

The Statue of Liberty is a splendid statue, which stands on a small Bedloe’s Island at the entrance to New York harbour. Its top reaches 305 feet (nearly 100 metres) above the water level. The Statue of Liberty is the work of the well-known 19th-century French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi. The statue is made from copper sheets and it is hollow 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 freeing herself from shackles. She holds a torch in her right hand above her head and in her left hand is a tablet with the date "July 4^th. 1776" on it which symbolizes the Declaration of Independence. The torch lights up at night, the statue stands on the east side of Manhattan Island.

The Statue of Liberty was built on funds collected in France and symbolizes the friendship of the United Slates and France of those days. The statue, presented to the United States of America in 1884, became national monument in 1924.

The American flag

The United States flag is called the "Stars and Stripes". It has thirteen stripes, seven red and six white, and fifty five-pointed white stars on a blue field in the upper left-hand corner. One star is for each state of the United Slates now (from 1959), and the stripes are for the first thirteen states of the union.

The United States began as nation of 13 states. These were the colonies, which in 1776 declared themselves free and independent of Great Britain and fought the eight-year war of Independence. On the 14th of June in 1777 the Americans adopted their own flag. The first American flag had 13 red and white stripes and 13 white stars (a star and a stripe for each one of the former 13 colonies). The new country began to grow and more states joined it. But there was no place on the flag for more stripes. So it was decided that the flag must always have 13 stripes. Every time a new state joined the Union, a new star was added to the national flag.

Americans enjoy their flag. They use the stars and stripes as a popular design anywhere and everywhere, including clothes, shoes and hats. As a reflection of patriotic feelings of the American people, the Stars and Stripes stand by the President's desk. It hangs in many offices, in every classroom. During national holidays the Stars and Stripes are everywhere, on the streets, on houses, and in the big parades.

· ABOUT SOME AMERICAN HOLIDAYS

Some of the American holidays are associated with the history of the nation. There are also some holidays that have come to modern times from the old colonial days. Most of these holidays are not legal holidays. Schools, offices and banks may close or may stay open. Some of the holidays are very popular, especially with the children and young people. There are many customs and traditions associated with these holidays.

JULY 4 - INDEPENDENCE DAY. It is the biggest national holiday in the USA. It is the birthday of the American nation. The Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, when the American colonies were fighting for independence against England.

OCTOBER 31 - HALLOWEEN. It is not a legal or a national holiday. Schools, offices and banks do not close. Halloween is the day or evening before Alhallow's or All Saints' Day. Many Halloween stories and games are hundreds of years old. Halloween customs date back to a time when people believed in devils and witches and ghosts.

It is a holiday for children and young people. In the evening of October 31 they dress up in different old clothes and wear masks. They cut horrible faces in empty pumpkins (тыквa) and put a lighted candle inside. The children go from house to house and knock on the doors, calling "trick or treat". This means that if you give them a "treat"- sweets, cakes, fruits or anything else they like - they go away without "trick".

THE 4th THURSDAY OF NOVEMBER - THANKSGIVING DAY. It is a legal holiday in the US. This is a family holiday: many people go to church in the morning and at home they have a big dinner with turkey. People gather to give thanks for all the good things in their lives.