美国概况英文版

[美国概况]美国的50个州美利坚合众国（United States of America），简称美国，旧称花旗国的简称，它是位于北美的一个带有民主、分权、制衡传统的联邦共和国。美国是联合国安全理事会常任理事国，并对议案拥有否决权。美国本土位于盎格鲁美洲南部，东濒大西洋，西临太平洋，北靠加拿大，南接墨西哥及墨西哥湾。美国的气候大部分地区属温带和亚热带气候，仅佛罗里达半岛南端属热带。飞地阿拉斯加州位于北纬60至70度之间，属北极圈内的寒冷气候区；另一块飞地夏威夷州位于北回归线以南的大洋洲，属热带气候区。美国幅员辽阔，地形复杂，各地气候差异较大。美国的州是指美国联邦内部的任意一个成员州。权利是在个体的州和联邦政府之间分配。在美国宪法下，联邦政府可以对明显由宪法赋予的内容立法，这就使得权利的管制中心仍然由州保留。由独立宣言而从英国独立的美国，刚开始的时候有13个州。州可以通过国会的批准加入联邦。起初的时候，没有关于州份是否可以脱离联邦的法律。但是在美国内战后，脱离联邦的行为是禁止的。美国各州的邮政缩写，英中文全称以及首府，按英文缩写排列：AK Alaska 阿拉斯加州 朱诺AZ Arizona 亚利桑那州 凤凰城AR Arkansas 阿肯色州 小石城CA California 加利福尼亚州 萨克拉门托CO Colorado 科罗拉多州 丹佛CT Connecticut 康涅狄格州 哈特福德DE Delaware 特拉华州 多佛FL Florida 佛罗里达州 塔拉哈西GA Georgia 乔治亚州 亚特兰大HI Hawaii 夏威夷州 火奴鲁鲁ID Idaho 爱达荷州 博伊西IL Illinois 伊利诺州 斯普林菲尔德IN Indiana 印地安那州 印地安那波利斯IA Iowa 爱荷华州 得梅因KS Kansas 堪萨斯州 托皮卡KY Kentucky 肯塔基州 法兰克福LA Lousiana 路易斯安那州 巴吞鲁日ME Maine 缅因州 奥古斯塔MD Maryland 马里兰州 安那波利斯MA Massachusetts 麻萨诸塞州 波士顿MI Michigan 密歇根州 兰辛MN Minnesota 明尼苏达州 圣保罗MS Mississippi 密西西比州 杰克逊MO Missouri 密苏里州 杰弗逊市MT Montana 蒙大拿州 海伦那NE Nebraska 内布拉斯加州 林肯NV Nevada 内华达州 卡森市NH New Hampshire 新罕布什尔州 康科德NJ New Jersey 新泽西州 特伦顿NM New Mexico 新墨西哥州 圣大非NY New York 纽约州 奥尔巴尼NC North Carolina 北卡罗莱那州 罗利ND North Dakota 北达科他州 俾斯麦OH Ohio 俄亥俄州 哥伦布OK Oklahoma 奥克拉荷马州 奥克拉荷马市OR Oregon 俄勒冈州 塞勒姆PA Pennsylvania 宾夕法尼亚州 哈里斯堡RI Rhode Island 罗德岛州 普罗维登斯SC South Carolina 南卡罗莱那州 哥伦比亚SD South Dakota 南达科他州 皮尔TN Tennessee 田纳西州 纳什维尔TX Texas 德克萨斯州 奥斯汀UT Utah 犹他州 盐湖城VT Vermont 佛蒙特州 蒙比利埃VA Virginia 维吉尼亚州 里士满WA Washington 华盛顿州 奥林匹亚WV West Virginia 西维吉尼亚州 查尔斯顿WI Wisconsin 威斯康星州 麦迪逊WY Wyoming 怀俄明州 夏延按译名的拼音顺序的列表：阿肯色州 AR Arkansas 小石城阿拉巴马州 AL Alabama 蒙哥马利阿拉斯加州 AK Alaska 朱诺爱达荷州 ID Idaho 博伊西爱荷华州 IA Iowa 得梅因奥克拉荷马州 OK Oklahoma 奥克拉荷马市北达科他州 ND North Dakota 俾斯麦北卡罗莱那州 NC North Carolina 罗利宾夕法尼亚州 PA Pennsylvania 哈里斯堡德克萨斯州 TX Texas 奥斯汀俄亥俄州 OH Ohio 哥伦布俄勒冈州 OR Oregon 塞勒姆佛罗里达州 FL Florida 塔拉哈西佛蒙特州 VT Vermont 蒙比利埃华盛顿州 WA Washington 奥林匹亚怀俄明州 WY Wyoming 夏延加利福尼亚州 CA California 萨克拉门托堪萨斯州 KS Kansas 托皮卡康涅狄格州 CT Connecticut 哈特福德科罗拉多州 CO Colorado 丹佛肯塔基州 KY Kentucky 法兰克福路易斯安那州 LA Lousiana 巴吞鲁日罗德岛州 RI Rhode Island 普罗维登斯麻萨诸塞州 MA Massachusetts 波士顿马里兰州 MD Maryland 安那波利斯蒙大拿州 MT Montana 海伦那密苏里州 MO Missouri 杰弗逊市密西西比州 MS Mississippi 杰克逊密歇根州 MI Michigan 兰辛缅因州 ME Maine 奥古斯塔明尼苏达州 MN Minnesota 圣保罗内布拉斯加州 NE Nebraska 林肯内华达州 NV Nevada 卡森市南达科他州 SD South Dakota 皮尔南卡罗莱那州 SC South Carolina 哥伦比亚纽约州 NY New York 奥尔巴尼乔治亚州 GA Georgia 亚特兰大特拉华州 DE Delaware 多佛田纳西州 TN Tennessee 纳什维尔威斯康星州 WI Wisconsin 麦迪逊维吉尼亚州 VA Virginia 里士满西维吉尼亚州 WV West Virginia 查尔斯顿夏威夷州 HI Hawaii 火奴鲁鲁新罕布什尔州 NH New Hampshire 康科德新墨西哥州 NM New Mexico 圣大非新泽西州 NJ New Jersey 特伦顿亚利桑那州 AZ Arizona 凤凰城伊利诺州 IL Illinois 斯普林菲尔德印地安那州 IN Indiana 印地安那波利斯犹他州 UT Utah 盐湖城除去美国的夏威夷和阿拉斯加两个州，其余的48个州和哥伦比亚特区被称为美国本土或美国大陆。每一个州被分为更小的的行政区域，在大多数州被称为县或郡（英文county，但路易斯安那州的郡是parish）。一个县可能包括了几个城市和市镇，但有时候只包含城市的一部分。另外还有一个直接由国会领导，独立于各州的的地区是哥伦比亚特区。这里也是国家的首都华盛顿的所在地。一些值得留意的情况：美国面积最大的州是阿拉斯加，面积最小的州是罗德岛州。华盛顿州是目前唯一为了纪念美国总统而命名的州，美国的首都华盛顿哥伦比亚特区和华盛顿州不同，分别位于美国的东部和西部；特拉华州被认为是美国的第一个州，即最早加入美国联邦的州。它是美国独立时最初的13个州之一。13个最早加入联邦的州包括Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, 和 Virginia。美国州名的来源和含义ALABAMA（阿拉巴马）：来源于巧克陶印第安语，意思是"thicket-clearers"或者"vegetation-gatherers"，"拓荒者"或者“打草人”。AlASKA（阿拉斯加）:来源于阿留申语，意思是"great land"或"that which the seas breaksagainst"，"伟大的土地"或"分割海的地方"。ARIZONA（亚利桑那）：来源于印第安语"Arimnac"，意思是"hule spring"，"小泉水"。ARKANSAS（阿肯色）：来源于印第安语，意思是"a breeze near the ground"，"靠近地面的微风"。CALIFORNIA（加利福尼亚）：来源于法语"Califerne"，是一部11世纪法国史诗中所想象的地方。COLORADO（科罗拉多）：来源于西班牙语，意思是"ruddy"或"red"，"红色的"。CONNETICUT（康涅狄格）：来源于印第安语，意思是"beside the long tidal river", "在长长的潮河旁"。DELAWARE（德拉华）：纪念托马斯·魏斯特爵士"Sir Thomas West, Lord De La Warr"，德拉华河和德拉华湾也以此命名。FRORIDA（佛罗里达）：来源于西班牙语，意思是"feast flowers(Easter)"，"花的节日"，即复活节。GEORGIA（乔治亚）：纪念英国的乔治二世皇帝。In honor of George II of England.HAWAII（夏威夷）：来源不确定。这个群岛可能是以其发现者夏威夷·罗亚(Hawaii Loa) 命名，也可能以传统的波利尼西亚人的家乡Hawaii orHawaiki命名。IDAHO（爱达荷）：来源于印第安语，意思是："gem of the mountains", "山中的宝石"；另一种说法的意思是"Goodmorning""早上好"。ILLINOIS（伊利诺）：来源于印第安语加上法语后缀，意思是"tribe of superior men"，"贵人的土地"。INDIANA（印第安纳）：来源于印第安语，意思是:"land of Indians"，"印第安人的土地"。IOWA（依阿华）：来源于印第安语，意思是"the beatiful land"，"这块美丽的地方"，另一种说法是"the sleepyones"，"爱睡觉的人们"。KANSAS（堪萨斯）：来源于苏族印第安语，意思是"people of the south wind", "南风的人们"。KENTUCKY（肯塔基）：来源于易洛魁印第安语"Ken-tah-ten"，意思是"land of tomorrow"or"the dark or bolldyground"，"希望的土地"，或"黑色的沃上"。LOUISIANA（路易斯安那）：纪念法国路易十四世皇帝，"In honor of Louis XIV fo France".MAINE（缅因）：纪念英国查理一世皇后海丽塔·玛丽亚，"Henrietta Maria, Queen fo Charles I ofEngland"据说她拥有过法国的缅因省，"The province of Mayne in France"MARYLAND（马里兰）：纪念英国查理一世皇后海丽塔·玛丽"In honor of Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I ofEngland".MASSACHUSETTS（麻萨诸塞）：来源于印第安语，意思是"great mountain place"，"伟大的山地"。MICHIGAN（密执安）：来源于印第安语，意思是"great lake"or"big water"，"大湖"。MINNESOTA（明尼苏达）：来源于达科他印第安语，意思是"sky-tinted water", "天色的水域"。MISSISSIPPI（密西西比）：来源于印第安语，意思是"father of waters"，"水之父"。MISSOURI（密苏里）：来源于印第安语, 意思是"town of the Large canoes"，"大独木舟之乡"。MONTANA（蒙大拿）：由J.M.阿西从拉丁词典中选的词，是拉丁化的西班牙语，意思不详。NEBRASKA（内布拉斯加）：来源于澳托印第安语，意思是"flat water"，"平川之水"。NEVADA（内华达）：来源于西班牙语，意思是"snow-capped"，"雪山"。NEW HAMPSHIRE（新罕布什尔）：来源于英国的罕布什尔郡，"Hampshire"。NEW JERSEY（新泽西）：来源于海峡的泽西岛，"the Channel Isle of Jersey"。NEW MEXICO（新墨西哥）：来源于墨西哥，"the country of Mexico"。NEW YORK（纽约）：纪念英国的约克公爵，"In honor of the English Duke of York"。NORTH CAROLINA（北卡罗来纳）：纪念英国的查理一世，"In honor of Charles I of England".NORTH DAKOTA（北达科他）：来源于达科他印第安语，意思是"allies" or "leagued"，"同盟"或"联盟"。OHIO（俄亥俄）：来源于印第安语，意思是"great river"，"大河"。OKLAHOMA（俄克拉荷马）：来源于巧克陶印第安语，意思是"red people"，"红种人"。OREGON（俄勒冈）：来源不明。人们一般认为这个名字第一次在1778年由乔那森·卡佛(JonathanCarver)使用，取自于英国军官罗伯特·罗杰斯(Robert Rogers)之书。PENNSYLVANIA（宾夕法尼亚）：纪念维廉·宾爵士"Sir William Penn”，意思是"penn's Woodland"，"宾的树林"。RHODE ISLAND（罗德岛）：来源于希腊的罗德岛，"the Greek Island of Rhodes"。SOUTH CAROLINA（南卡罗来纳）：纪念英国的查理一世皇帝，"In honor of Charles I of England"。S0UTH DAKOTA（南达科他）：同北达科他。TENNESSEE（田纳西）：来源于柴罗基印第安语，意思是："the vines of the big bend"，"大弯的蔓藤"。TEXAS（德克萨斯）：来源于印第安语，意思是"friends"，"朋友"。UTAH（犹他）：来源于犹特印第安语，意思是"people of the mountains"，"山里人"。VERMONT（佛蒙特）：来源于法语"vert mont"，意思是"green mountain"，"绿山"。VIRGINIA（佛吉尼亚）：纪念伊丽莎白一世英国圣洁女皇，"In honor of Elizabeth I，'Virgin Queen' of England"。WASHINGTON（华盛顿）：纪念乔治·华盛顿，"In honor of George Washington"。WEST VIRGINIA（西佛吉尼亚）：同佛吉尼亚。WISCONSIN（威斯康辛）：法语化的印第安语，意思不详。WYOMING（怀俄明）：德拉华印第安语，意思是"mountains and Valleys alternating"，"起伏的山谷"。

Culture of the United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from American culture) This article serves as an overview of the customs and culture of the United States; for the "popular (pop) culture" of the United States, see arts and entertainment in the United States. American culture is a Western culture, with influences from Europe, the Native American peoples, African Americans and to a lesser extent Asian Americans and other young groups of immigrants. The United States has traditionally been known as a melting pot, with a trend towards cultural diversity. [1] Due to the extent of American culture there are many integrated but unique subcultures within the United States. Further information: Cultural history of the United States Attitudes The DeclarationThe formative years of the United States were the late 18th century when the country was founded, and a great deal of American culture is couched in the ideals of The Enlightenment. The Declaration of Independence's mission statement about securing life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; the French Revolution's ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity; and the national motto, E pluribus unum ("From many, one"), reflect the country's values and social development. Another primary influence on American culture is the constant stream of new immigrants, many of whom have fled persecution or oppression in their home countries, and are seeking freedom (including religious freedom) and economic opportunity, leading them to reject totalitarian practices. By and large, Americans value the ideals of individual liberty, individualism, self-sufficiency, altruism, equality, Judeo-Christian morals, free markets, a republican form of government, democracy, populism, pluralism, feminism, and patriotism. (Americans often believe that their patriotism has nuances that differentiate it from nationalism and nationalism's negative connotations.) [edit] Society and economic attitudes There is a close relationship between America's political and economic traditions. It is widely believed that the individual pursuit of self-interest leads to the best result both for the individual and for society as a whole. It has been a successful formula for both economic success and optimal political function for many. The precise amount of individual economic freedom that Americans should have is often debated, with the (usually relatively slight) differences in opinion marking the major differences between political parties. The end result, however, is that the U.S. economy has become the largest on earth, with most of its citizens enjoying comparatively high living standards. The fact that the United States is the largest English-speaking marketplace allows firms to compete across the country and to enjoy economies of scale (cost reductions that arise from the huge scale of manufacturing) that reduce prices and benefit consumers. The relatively uniform commercial culture—with many large stores or "chains" operating nationwide—produces a commercial atmosphere that is relatively homogeneous throughout the country. The population of the United States tends to be centered in large cities, in marked contrast to the demographics of a century ago, when the country was quite agrarian. The United States is generally skeptical or hostile toward socialist and communist ideologies, but some of the related movements, such as the labor movement, became a defining part of America's heritage after the New Deal. The American process of Judicial Review caused the United States to be less affected by socialist ideas and policies in the 20th century than was Europe, because the Supreme Court overturned much labor legislation which in the Europen countries remained law[1]. The McCarthy Era and the Cold War as a whole demonstrated a deeply felt hostility to communism, which, especially at that time, was perceived as anti-individualist, undemocratic, and essentially anti-American. They are also evidenced in aspects of social policy (for example, the absence of a national health care system and the constant controversy about the size and role of the government, especially the federal government, in individuals' lives and in states' laws). The American tradition of free-market capitalism has led the populace (and their leaders) to generally accept the vicissitudes of the free market and the continuous alterations to society that a changing economy implies, although social and economic displacement are common. The result is a flexible, profit-oriented socioeconomic system. [edit] Relationship to other countries/cultures Some Americans exhibit ethnocentric or insular outlooks, with little interest in the culture or political developments of other countries. For example, as a possible result of this trait, comparatively few books from European countries or Japan are translated for sale in the United States and sales of those that are translated tend to be slow. Imported films are generally less successful than domestic productions. Likewise, imported television shows are also rarely successful, except on PBS, although remakes of foreign shows are increasingly common (though there are of course exceptions, such as anime and Monty Python). This is emphasized in the Americanization of such television shows as The Office, Queer as Folk, Red Dwarf and even Dad's Army. In this process, the show is often rewritten and localized with American actors cast in the place of their British counterparts. By contrast, in many other countries, films and television programs produced abroad are broadcast unchanged (except for dubbing/subtitling). Americans also tend to travel to other countries less than citizens of European countries, for example, partly because international travel from the United States typically entails much further distances than for Europeans resulting in much higher costs. The average American worker has fewer vacation days than the average European (10-15 rather than the European average of around 20). America's vast size also enables its citizens to go great distances, and see a variety of places, without leaving the country. For example, one can travel within the continental United States from a near-tropical region (e.g. Southern Texas) to a frigid region (Minnesota). Lifestyles, food, and culture also tend to differ within the different regions. [edit] Body contact and expression In most regions of the U.S., public display of affection, as well as significant expression of emotion, was historically disapproved of and discouraged, prior to the mid-20th century. Such attitudes have seen considerable change, however, with the cultural revolutions of the 1960s and 1970s. There is considerable variation with respect to attitudes, mostly generational in nature, and while Americans are not generally as demonstrative of their affections as, say, Latin Americans or Southern Europeans, they are considerably more so than, for instance, the Northern Europeans or the Japanese, have been historically. Noticeable regional differences in norms of social expression also exist. For example, it is generally acceptable in the egalitarian Northeast (especially among younger Americans) for a female candidly to discuss sexuality and certain aspects of sexual behavior in conversation among friends, while such expression is usually recognized as socially taboo in the more genteel South. [edit] Names The citizens and many other residents of the United States refer to themselves and each other as Americans, and to their country as the United States or as America. Non-Hispanic Americans understand, and may say, "the Americas" with the meaning of the two major continents of the Western hemisphere, but generally will resist using "America" in that sense, despite that designation's familiarity to Spanish speakers. While to many foreigners "Yankees" is synonymous with the American people, Americans almost always use the term for the sports team, for New Englanders, New Yorkers, or with reference to those living in the northeastern U.S. in contrast to Southerners. The major exception to that is Americans' occasional ironic usage of "Yankee" (or especially "Yank", construed by Americans as a British usage), in attempting to convey either striving to transcend American parochialism, or resignation to the failure of any such striving. "The States" is a term generally used when referring to the country from an overseas or Canadian vantage point. "The US" or "The U.S." is a casual, short-hand term. When discussing the American Civil War, Americans use the phrase "the Union" to refer to the states that remained under the control of the federal government in Washington and did not secede to join the Confederacy. The phrase is also occasionally used in contemporary discussions of American federalism and states' rights. Fairly formal terms, still short-hand, evoking patriotic observances (possibly with irony) are "U.S.A." (with or without the periods, and usually with "the"); a more marked version is "the U. S. of A." In the nineteenth century it was fairly common for Americans to refer to their nation simply as "the Republic," an appellation which has since fallen out of use. The official name of the nation, the "United States of America," is very formal and is most often used in formal government documents, pledges, or ceremonies, but not in colloquial conversations. [edit] Intra-national allegiances San Francisco's ChinatownBecause of the size and large population of the country, America is often described as a nation of joiners who tend to self-associate with non-familial groups. Individuals tend to perceive themselves as "free agents" rather than bound by family or clan ties. Group allegiances are sometimes regional, but can also be related to a professional or fraternal organization. For example, residents of North Carolina are proud to be "Tar Heels," Indiana residents are "Hoosiers" and Texans are notorious for an especially prominent state pride often compared to nationalism. Many cities have a strong sense of civic identity, often reinforced by an innocuous but deeply felt rivalry with another local city. An example of such a rivalry exists between the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. A strong rivalry that continues to this day involves the cities of Boston and New York, which is centered around the historic rivalry in the sport of baseball between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Recent immigrants tend to congregate with other immigrants from their country of origin, often establishing neighborhoods (sometimes called ethnic enclaves) in cities with popular names like "Chinatown", "Poletown", or "Little Saigon." Second- and third-generation descendants of immigrants tend to have looser affiliations with their ethnic groups. America has tens of thousands of clubs and organizations, and if a group has a charitable or service orientation, Americans may volunteer their time through those groups. Examples of these groups include the Rotary Club, the Boy Scouts of America, Little League, etc. [edit] Food A hamburger is a famous food in the United States.Main article: Cuisine of the United States The types of food served at home vary greatly and depend upon the region of the country and the family's own cultural heritage. Americanized versions of these cultural foods, such as American Chinese cuisine, sometimes appear. Recent immigrants tend to eat food similar to that of their country of origin. Families that have lived for a few generations in the U.S. tend to eat some combination of that and the food common to the region they live in or grew up in, such as New England cuisine, Midwestern cuisine, Southern cuisine, Tex-Mex cuisine, and Californian cuisine. [edit] Popular culture Main Article: Arts and entertainment in the United States The United States is known around the world for the films, shows, and musical performances that it produces. The biggest centers of popular American culture are New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Florida, and Las Vegas. Smaller venues such as Branson, Missouri and Nashville have become popular, but most cities host travelling productions of popular Broadway shows. [edit] Technology and gadgets Main articles: Technological innovations of the United States Americans, by and large, are often fascinated by new technology and new gadgets. Many of the new technological innovations in the modern world were either first invented in the United States and/or first widely adopted by Americans. Examples include: the lightbulb, automobiles, the airplane, the transistor, nuclear power, personal computers, the Internet and online shopping. There are also many within the United States that share the attitude that through technology many of the evils in the society can be solved. [edit] Tobacco Use of tobacco has decreased sharply among Americans; there is a strong correlation with education, with use at only 10 percent among the college educated, while continuing at 40 percent among high school dropouts. Users smoke cigarettes; a fraction smoke cigars or pipes. Fewer and fewer public places, or business places, permit smoking. Often smokers are forced outside the building. Some cities and even some states, such as California, New York, New Jersey, Utah, Washington, and Florida, and Rhode Island, prohibit smoking inside public places. [edit] Sports Main article: Sports in the United States An Army-Navy basketball game in 1992American sports are quite distinct from those played elsewhere in the world. The "big three" are baseball, american football and basketball, which are all popular on both the college and professional levels. Baseball has a huge following and is referred to as the "national pastime"; Major League Baseball teams play almost every day from April to October. American football (known simply as "football" in the U.S.) attracts more viewers within the country than baseball nowadays; however, National Football League teams play only 16 regular-season games each year, so baseball is the runaway leader in ticket sales. Basketball, invented in Massachusetts by the Canadian-born James Naismith, is another popular sport, represented professionally by the National Basketball Association. NASCAR has also grown from a mainly Southern sport to the second-most-watched sport in America behind football. Less popular, but still considered a major spectator sport, is hockey. Hockey, always a mainstay of Great Lakes and New England area culture, gained tenuous footholds in regions like the Carolinas and Tampa Bay, Florida in recent years, as the National Hockey League pursued a policy of expansion. Unlike in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, soccer has a relatively small following, and is mostly popular in the more international cities with large immigrant populations, like New York and Los Angeles. Generally few non-Hispanic American adults appear to be attracted to soccer as spectators, but the sport is widely played by children of all backgrounds. The extent in America to which sports are associated with secondary and tertiary education is unique among nations. Particularly notable in basketball and football, high school and particularly college sports are followed with a fervor equalling or exceeding that felt for professional sports; college football games can draw six-digit crowds, the college basketball championship tournament played in March draws enormous attention, and for upper-tier schools, sports are a significant source of revenue. Though student athletes may be held to significantly lower academic requirements than non-athletes at universities, a minimum standard does exist. [edit] Fashion An "aloha shirt," popular in Hawaii and temperate western statesDress was moderately formal until the 1960s, when a revolution took place that stressed casual and informal, and in the Western tradition of pants and a shirt. Exceptions are major cities such as New York and Los Angeles, where many residents embrace a more expensive and "stylish" approach to fashion. Social and business situations may call for tailored suits or other more elegant outfits. Tuxedos and evening dress occasions have become much less common since 1960. The top hat vanished in 1960--along with most millinery. Skirts and dresses are usually exclusively reserved for females. Men wear kilts only as part of celebrations such as parades, or as part of a family reunion tradition. Jeans, a T-shirt and athletic shoes come close to being a "national uniform". Types of clothing worn often have something to do with which region of the country people live in. Some Texans and residents of the Southwest dress in boots and hats in a style typically associated with traditional cowboys. In the region from New England to New Jersey, preppy style clothing is popular. In the South, people sometimes dress more casually, although formality in certain contexts is valued some parts of the region, a trend which may also influence ethnic groups outside the South, including African Americans. The greatest variations in dress are related to climate. Easterners generally tend to dress more formally than Westerners, though this is also closely connected with cultural history as well. Residents of northern states wear heavy sweaters, warm, water-resistant boots, stocking caps and heavy coats or down parkas in the cold season. In Hawaii, the Hawaiian shirt as an acceptable item of wear by men has received formal approval by the state legislature. In beach areas and places with relatively warm and consistent climates, especially California, Hawaii, and Florida, "skimpy" clothing is considered acceptable in all but the most formal settings. Cowboy hats, Western boots and large silver belt buckles are found in southwestern and western regions of the United States, particularly Texas and Arizona. However, many from the Southern United States dress in the aforementioned jeans and t-shirt. The trend toward informality has increased among many segments of society. For instance, students at colleges and universities are often noted for wearing flip flops or thong sandals as well as pajamas to class. [edit] Education Main article: Education in the United States In the American educational system children are generally required to attend school from the age of five or six until age 16, with the majority continuing until they are at least 17 or 18, or have graduated from high school. The public education systems vary from one state to another but generally are organized as follows: Age five: Kindergarten Ages 6-11: Elementary school. Children start in grade 1 and advance to grade 5 or 6. Ages 12-14 or 11-14: Junior high school or middle school (usually grades 7-8 or grades 6-8, respectively). Ages 14-18: High school (usually grades 9-12 or 10-12, depending on whether the community uses middle schools or junior high schools). A system also becoming more popular is 4-year schooling segments. Such as: Ages 6-9 (Grades 1-4) Elementary. Ages 10-13 (Grades 5-8) Middle. Ages 14-17 (Grades 9-12) High/secondary. The entire span of primary and secondary education, from Kindergarten to grade 12, is often abbrieved in the US as K-12 or K12, which in spoken American English is rendered as "K through 12" or "K 12." Additionally, many children attend schools before they reach the age of five. These pre-schools are often private and not part of the public educational system although some public school systems include pre-schools. [edit] Public education Public education in the United States is provided by the individual states, not by the federal government (except in the limited