These are the rocks of the old U.S. West.

This is New York State where I live. It is one of the original 13 colonies that became a state under the Constitution. It has limited independence with powers separate from the federal government. The federal government has only necessary powers such as having an army and regulating relations between the states. Other States were admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states and now there are 50. I live on Staten Island in New York City. Half the people of the state live in New York City which has a great harbor. It was also connected by a canal to the Great Lakes using the rivers.