The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states. Each state has its own government (“state government”). In some ways the United States is like 50 small countries. The government of the USA acts according to the Constitution which was signed by the first thirteen representatives of thirteen original American states in 1787. The document was written in 1787 and since that time twenty six Amendments have been added. The first ten Amendments were simply rights or the Bill of rights. According to the Constitution the USA is a republic. So, the officials of any rank are elected by US citizens. Every citizen has rights which can not be violated. The Constitution proclaims a federal system of government which keeps both the states and the federal power from getting too much power. It means that the federal government is given certain powers, for example, to make peace or war, to issue money and to regulate the trade and so on. Constitution has been amended twenty six times. The Bill of Rights guarantees individual liberties: freedom of word, religion and so on. Later amendments abolished slavery, granted the vote to women and colour people and allowed citizens to vote at the age of 18. The federal power is located in Washington, D.C. It is based on legislative, executive and juridical branches of power. The legislative power of the USA is vested in the Congress of the USA, in other words the American Parliament. The Congress was created by Article I of the Constitution, adopted in 1787. It consists of two chambers — the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is made up of 100 members (2 from each state) elected for a term of 4 years. One third of the Senate is elected every 2 years. To be elected a Senator, a person must be at least 30 years old, and have been a citizen of the USA for at least 9 years. The House of Representatives comprises representatives from each state, elected for a two-year term. The number of representatives from each state depends on its population, but each state is represented. To be elected a representative, a person must be at least 25 years old, and have been a citizen of the USA for at least 7 years. The presiding officer of the Senate is the Vice-President of the USA. The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the Speaker, is elected by the House. The work of preparing and considering laws is done by the committees of both Houses. There are 15 standing commissions in the Senate and 19 in the House of Representatives. The Congress assembles at least once a year. The executive branch is headed by the President who is assisted by the Vice President. The President enforces federal laws, serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The President can veto a bill unless Congress by a two-thirds vote shall overrule him. The Vice President, elected from the same political party as the President, acts as chairman of the Senate, and in the event of the death of the President, assumes the Presidency. The President of the USA is chosen in nationwide elections every 4 years together with the Vice.-President. The President can not be elected for more than two terms. The President is the head of the executive branch of the government; he appoints the members of the Cabinet. The Cabinet advises the President on many matters and is composed of the heads often executive departments; Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of Defense and others. The judicial branch of the government is headed by the Supreme Court which settles disputes between the states. The Supreme Court may veto any law passed by the Congress if it contradicts the Constitution of the USA. The judicial branch is made up of Federal District Courts, 11 Federal Courts and the Supreme Court. Federal judges are appointed by the President for life. Federal courts decide cases involving federal law, conflicts between citizens of different states. The USA is a federal union, and the President is the head of the federal government, which deals with international problems and national matters. But every state has its own constitution and state government headed by the congress and managing their local affairs. Their laws and decisions must not contradict the Constitution of the USA. There are two main political parties: Republican and Democratic. The symbol of the Republican party is the Elephant and the symbol of Democratic is the Donkey. The US national flag — stars and stripes — is red, white and blue. Thirteen stripes represent the original 13 states, the 50 stars represent the current number of states in the USA. .