1. The basic data
   1. total output of U.S. goods and services
      1. $14 trillion
         1. 2007
2. Main features
   1. 19th c.
      1. agricultural country
   2. in the midst of its second radical conversion
   3. 1st conversion
      1. shift from agriculture to manufacturing
   4. great economic freedom
   5. great competitiveness
   6. strong belief in free market principles
   7. the role of the government is reduced to a minimum
   8. Hard work, optimism, self-reliance and looking for profits
   9. small businesses
      1. 6 million
   10. "venture capital"
       1. the capital provided to ambitious and promising firms that come up with some interesting or revolutionary ideas.
       2. Google, Facebook
   11. agriculture
       1. mechanization and inconceivable reduction of work-force
       2. <1% employed
       3. genetically modified food
   12. lobbying
3. The main sectors of U.S. economy
   1. dominance of service sectors
4. Exporter&importer
   1. open borders
   2. 2006
      1. the largest importer
      2. 2nd largest exporter
   3. export
      1. motor vehicles, civil aircraft, semiconductors, industrial machinery, computer accessories and chemicals
   4. trade deficit
      1. Imports raise faster than exports
5. Transportation system
   1. Road transport
      1. Interstate Highway System
         1. Dwight Eisenhower
         2. 1956-1992
         3. free
         4. some toll roads and toll bridges
   2. Road 66
      1. 1930s-1980s
         1. main road from Chicago to Los Angeles
      2. replaced by Interstate 40
      3. " The Grapes of Wrath", "Cars"
   3. Travelling in American culture
      1. "Manifest Destiny"
         1. a belief that God gave them the whole continent and the USA should span from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
   4. Car culture
      1. not luxury, but necessity
   5. Air transport
      1. 19700 airports
         1. 5170 open to public
6. US economy vs. world economy
   1. financial centre
      1. New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
      2. NASDAQ stock market
   2. biggest debtor in the world
   3. US dollar most important
7. Military potential
   1. current economic crisis
8. The Credit Crunch
   1. caused by "housing bubble"
   2. American banks, when they were no longer able to offer mortgages to middle class families, as these families had already had houses, and to increase their profits in this way, started to offer mortgages to people who were too poor to pay them back
   3. Troubled Asset Relief Program
      1. buying out assets and equity from American banks
   4. 2009
      1. new fiscal regulations