Greetings From America

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Hi! Suitcase Sam here, getting ready for an awesome adventure across the USA. I’ll be visiting every state, from sea to shining sea. And I want you to come with me!

We’ll have tons of fun playing games, solving puzzles and learning more about our great country. Along the way, you can color in stamps celebrating all 50 states. It’s a fantastic way to jump-start your journey into “philately” (that’s the fancy word for stamp collecting).

I can’t wait to get started. Let’s go!

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The West

Icy glaciers, desert dunes, majestic mountains. Yes, the West has got it all! You can surf the Pacific Ocean in the morning. Ski down snow-packed slopes after lunch. And lie down next to a desert cactus to sleep under starry skies.

Sounds like a dreamland, doesn’t it? Well, I guess you could say the West was built on dreams. Ever since the days of the Oregon Trail and the California and Alaska gold rushes, people have been following the sun westward searching for opportunities and new beginnings.

Today, folks visit the West to see its natural wonders like the Redwood forests, “Old Faithful” geyser and the Grand Canyon.

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The Midwest

The farmers in the Midwest work very hard to grow a lot of the food that makes us healthy and strong. That’s why people call this region “America’s breadbasket.”
But not all of the Midwest is farmland. In fact, it’s home to America’s:

• Tallest monument (Gateway Arch in Missouri)
• Most famous racetrack (Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana)
• Biggest shopping mall (Mall of America in Minnesota)

The Midwest is also well known for the fantastic musicians and architects who live and work here. Just one trip to Chicago – with its great blues music and beautiful skyline – and you’ll know what I mean.

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The South

The South is home to many of the first European settlements in North America. The Spanish founded the country’s oldest permanent city in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565; the English set up their first permanent colony in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607; and in the 1630s the Dutch and Swedes started colonies in Delaware.

The South is also home to Everglades National Park — the only place in the world that both alligators and crocodiles call home. And both jazz music and the airplane had their first homes in the South.

Making people feel at home is a part of the region’s famous “Southern Hospitality.” You might find yourself chatting with new-found friends as if they were long-lost neighbors. Maybe you’ll sit on your host’s front steps and share a glass of sweet iced tea. But don’t sit and chat for too long, because there’s a lot to see down South!

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The Northeast

The Northeast will not only reward your eyes, but your stomach as well. And the local favorite is definitely seafood. But when you’re eating lobster, remember to use a bib. It can get really messy!

The Northeast is also home to the Statue of Liberty, located in New York Harbor. This important landmark is a symbol of the freedoms that U.S. citizens enjoy. It makes me proud to say, “I’m an American.”

Famous for its changing seasons, the Northeast is like a painter who uses beautiful colors. Winter white, spring pastels, summer greens. And in fall, the leaves brighten the land with a brilliant show of yellow, orange and red.

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Well partner, thanks for coming with me on this incredible journey. Traveling sure does help a person learn more about our great country. Of course, now you know about another fantastic way to experience America: collecting stamps.

Now create a stamp of your own hometown. Is it known for famous people, products, buildings or parks? You can draw pictures of farms or houses or a city skyline, or animals, people or cars — or anything you want! Don’t forget to include the name of your hometown, too.