The United States Geological Survey (USGS, formerly simply Geological Survey) is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility. 

The USGS is a bureau of the United States Department of the Interior; it is that department's sole scientific agency. The USGS employs approximately 8,670 people and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia. The USGS also has major offices near Lakewood, Colorado, at the Denver Federal Center, and Menlo Park, California. 

The current motto of the USGS, in use since August 1997, is "science for a changing world." The agency's previous slogan, adopted on the occasion of its hundredth anniversary, was "Earth Science in the Public Service." 

Prompted by a report from the National Academy of Sciences, the USGS was created, by a last-minute amendment, to an act of Congress on March 3, 1879. It was charged with the "classification of the public lands, and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain". This task was driven by the need to inventory the vast lands added to the United States by the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the Mexican–American War in 1848.

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. Which war ended in 1848?
2. Is there a motto?
3. When was it started?
4. What is it?
5. What was said prior to this?
6. Are they involved in science?
7. How many disciplines?
8. And they are?
9. When was it started?
10. By what?
11. Was this part of a long range plan?
12. What caused this impulsive event?
13. Which group reported on that?
14. How many employees are there?
15. Where is HQ?
16. Are there any other main office complexes?
17. How many?
18. Where are they?
19. Did the US expand its borders?

Numbered answers:
1. Mexican–American War
2. Yes
3. August 1997
4. science for a changing world.
5. Earth Science in the Public Service.
6. Yes
7. four
8. biology, geography, geology, and hydrology.
9. March 3, 1879.
10. an amendment to an act of Congress
11. No
12. the need to inventory the vast lands added to the United States by the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the Mexican–American War in 1848.
13. the National Academy of Sciences
14. 8,670
15. Reston, Virginia
16. Yes
17. Three
18. Lakewood and Denver, Colorado, and Menlo Park, California.
19. Yes