Ready Reference

Visiting the United States

Do I need a tourist visa?
Where can I obtain tourist information?
Where can I find information about the National Parks of the U.S.?
Will my British driver's license be adequate for renting a car?
How can I get a disabled parking permit for my car?
How old do I need to be to buy an alcoholic drink or gamble in the U.S.?
What's the weather like where I'm going?
How can I obtain tickets to tour the White House?
Will I be able to see a Space Shuttle launch while holidaying in Florida?
What products will Customs and Border Protection permit me to bring into the U.S.?
How many British tourists visited the U.S. last year?

Americana

What is the Congressional Gold Medal and to whom has it been awarded?
Where can I find sheet music and recordings of some of America's most popular patriotic melodies?
What is the national anthem of the U.S.?
Where can I find information about U.S. participation in international sporting events?
Who were the former Presidents of the U.S.? How can I contact living former presidents?
What are the names of President Bush's pets? His dogs are called Barney and Miss Beazley, his cat is called India and his Longhorn cow is named Ofelia.
Where can I find information about former President William J. Clinton and his administration?
What are the dates of the public holidays in the U.S.? When are Mother's Day and Fathers' Day celebrated in America?
Flag facts How many stars and how many stripes? When are new stars added?
Law Enforcement Agencies in the U.S.
Why is New York City called The Big Apple?
Where can I locate information about foundations, charities and grant-making organizations in the U.S.?
How can I trace someone in the United States?
How may I obtain my Criminal History Record?
The United States in 2005 : an eJournal of the U.S. Department Of State Office Of International Information Programs (IIP).

U.S. Government

Where can I find information on the 2006 elections?
How many members of Congress are there, and how long are their terms of office?
In the U.S. Congress which is the upper house in Congress?
What is the salary of a member of Congress?
Who are the leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties?
How does a bill become law in the U.S.?
What is the Congressional equivalent of Hansard, the daily record of proceedings in Parliament?
Where can I find rules, regulations and notices issued by the U.S. government?
Where can I find a list, with biographies, of senior U.S. government officials, including the Cabinet, and what agencies comprise the Executive branch?
What is the highest court in the U.S?
What is the Freedom of Information Act?

State Facts

How many states are there?
What is Washington D.C. if it isn't a state?
What is Puerto Rico if it isn't a state?
Plus links to state government web sites and other sources

Postal Information

How should I address a letter to the U.S.?
What are the postal abbreviations for each of the fifty states?
How can I find out the zip code of an address in the U.S.?
What are the current postal rates in the U.S.?

Embassies and consulates

How can I obtain a list of addresses for all U.S. embassies and consulates?
How can I obtain a list of addresses for foreign country embassies and consulates in the U.S.?

Statistics on the U.S.

What is the current population of the U.S.?
I need a basic set of statistics about the U.S. covering population, economics and so on?
I want to know the population of a particular town?
Where will I find the very latest statistics on the economy, employment, prices, transportation, crime, population, education and health?

U.S. Publications

How can I obtain books published in America?
Where can I see American newspapers and magazines. Can I buy American newspapers in the U.K.?
I need a document published by the U.S. Federal government? What is the U.S. equivalent of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The USGPO

American Studies

Sources for Teachers in the U.K.
American Studies: a Department of State web site
What is the text of the U.S. Constitution?(47k). The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as The Bill of Rights
What is the source of the quotation "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth"? The Gettysburg Address
What is the source of the quotation "We hold these Truths to be self evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"? The Declaration of Independence
Where can I obtain more information about American Indians?

The American Embassy in London

Who were the previous American Ambassadors to the U.K.?
Has the American Embassy always been in Grosvenor Square?
What other American connections are there with Grosvenor Square?
Where is the Ambassador's residence?
When have Presidents of the U.S. visited the United Kingdom?
When have the Secretaries of State of the U.S. visited the United Kingdom?

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