Stars and stripes

The American flag is often called the 'Stars and Stripes.' It has 13 stripes and 50 stars, one for each state. There are many rules for the flag: for example, you should display it only during the day, and you should fold it in a special way. In some schools there is a flag in each classroom, and children stand in front of the flag every day and say the 'Pledge of Allegiance':

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America

And to the Republic for which it stands One nation, under the God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

How to become a US President

According to the US Constitution, a president must be elected every four years. To become a US president, you must...

• Be 35 or older.

• Be a US citizen born in the USA.

• Have lived in the USA at least 14 years.

You can only serve two terms. This means you can only be president twice. This became law in 1951. Before that, the law was different. In fact, Franklin D. Roosevelt became president in 1933 and was still president when he died in 1945.

The US president is not the only person with power. The US government is divided into three parts: the President, the Supreme Court, and the Congress. There are two houses of Congress: the Senate, which has 100 members, called 'sena­tors,' and the House of Representatives, which has 435 members.

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