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Lecture 1 USA

История США

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7 views

Lecture 1 USA

История США

Uploaded by

eladaev5
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 1. History and geography of the United States of America.

Plan:
1. New World. Natives and Explorers.
2. The first English settlements.
3. Geographical divisions of the USA.

1. The New World.


America was discovered so long ago that no one can remember the details. It
appears to have happened about 15,000 years ago, when a tribe of Siberians or
Mongolians crossed a land bridge that joined Asia to Alaska at the time. Later the natural
bridge was covered with water the Bering Strait appeared. So the continents were
isolated and the migration stopped. Modern Europeans knew nothing about American
continent till the 15th century when Christopher Columbus discovered it.
In 1492 C. Columbus, an Italian sailor, whose life-time dream was to find a new
way to India sailed westwards with three little ships. It was a very difficult voyage but in
three months the ships reached and landed on one of the Bahama Islands. Until the end of
his life Columbus thought that the is Island and the mainland were part of India. That’s
why they were called West Indies and the red-skinned natives – “Indians”.
In 1497 another Italian seaman Amerigo Vespucci explored the coast of South
America and proved that the land discovered by Columbus was not India but the new
continent. He is said to have discovered the American mainland. The “New World” was
decided to name after him –America, the land of Amerigo.
For the next 100 years English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and French explorers
sailed from Europe for the New World, looking for gold, riches, honor and glory and less
gold.
Only at the next beginning of the 17th century Englishmen established several
colonies and called them New England. From the Atlantic coast colonists moved to the
west of the continent. They became richer and stronger, but they were ruled by England.
From and paid duty on different things.
At the end for the 17th century (in 1775) the colonists started the War or
Independence. It lasted eight years. In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was written
by Thomas Jefferson. Thirteen colonies declared themselves free and independent of
England. This day (July, 4) is considered to be birthday of the American nation.
After the end of the War of Independence in 1783, 13 states were formed and they
chose George Washington as their first president. At present there are 50 starts on the
American flag, symbolizing 50 U.S states, the stripes represent 13 original states.
NATIVE and EXPLORERS.

Christopher Columbus was so charmed by the Bahamas that he called the Islands
Paradise. Here are his impressions of what he saw there.
“This is the most beautiful Island I have ever seen. There are some large lakes, and
around them is the most wonderful forest. The land around the river is covered with tress.
They are beautiful and green different from ours, each with flowers and fruit. The Indians
houses are the most beautiful that I have ever seen. They are swept and very clean inside,
and the furniture is nicely arranged. The evening air is sweet and fragrant. The mountains
are high and beautiful. This country is the best that language can describe.’’
Amerigo Vespucci added much interesting to the previous description.
“First,I will describe the people. We found so many people here that we couldn’t
count them.They are gentle and friendly. They have large bodies, and their colour is
almost red.I think this is because they go naked,and they are red from sun.They have long
black hair.They are attractive,however the men pierce their cheeks,lips,noses and
ears.They wear blue stones,beautiful crystals,and white bones in their piercings.The
women pierce only their ears.
They live together without a king or a government.They have no metal except gold,
and we hear they have a lot of gold. How ever we have not seen any.The Indians do not
value gold.They are so rich in pearls and in birds,animals and trees.If there is a paradise,I
am sure it is not far from here.”
And here is a glimpse of an Indian to the discoverers.
“The White people never cared for land or deer or bear. When we Indians kill
meat,we eat it all up.When we dig roots or build houses we make little holes.We shake
down acorns and pine nuts.We don’t chop down the trees.We only use dead wood.But the
white people plow up the ground,pull down the trees,kill everything.The tree says, “Don’t
hurt me.I’m sore.”But they chop it down and cut it up.The Spirit of the Land hates them.
The Indians never hurt anything,but the white people destroy all.They blast rocks and
scatter them on the ground .The rock says , ”Don’t .You are hurting me” . But the white
people pay no attention . Everywhere the white man has touched the earth, it is sore.
We didn’t ask you, white men, to come here. The Great Spirit gave us this country
as a home .You had yours.We didn’t interfere with you. The Great Spirit gave us plenty
of land to live on, and buffalo , deer , antelope and other game(wild animals used for
food) . But you have come here; you are taking my land from me , you are killing off our
game , so it is hard for us to live . Now you tell us to work for a living , but the Great
Spirit did not make us to work , but to live by hunting . You , white men , can work if you
want to . We do not interfere with you . We do not want your civilization . We want to
live as our fathers did, and their fathers before them.
Questions for checking comprehension.

1.What did Columbus like about the land he found ?


2 . What were the natives’ houses like , according to Columbus ?
3. How does Vespucci describe the natives ?
4.What did Vespucci admire about the natives he met ?
5.What does it mean that the men “pierce” their cheeks , lips and noses ?
6. In what are the impressions of two discoverers similar ?

2.The first English settlements

The English had visited America at different times . But they had never stayed
very long . John Cabot came to Newfoundland in 1498 . In 1577 Sir Francis Drake sailed
along the western coast of America on his voyage around the world . In the 1606 , some
English people decided they didn’t like the way their king , James the First , was treating
them . They formed a group , which they called the London Company , and sailed for
America . For weeks the little boats were tossed about like corks upon the ocean . Then ,
in April 1607 , the people saw the green shores of the Bay in Virginia . The ships sailed
up the river , which the colonists named the James in honor of their king . About thirty
miles up the James , the party landed . A fort and a few log houses were built , and the
settlement was named Jamestown . That was the first permanent settlement , in what was
to become the United States .
Life was very hard in the little colony . Nearly all the men had come from the well –
to-do families , and couldn’t work . They believed the stories of the riches , which lay
everywhere in the hadn’t enough food . The Indians gave them some corn and taught the
colonists to grow tobacoo . And soon ships with tobacco sailed for England and returned
with things that the colonists needed .
Twenty Negroes were brought to Jamestown in 1619 and sold to the tobacco
planters . This was the beginning of slavery in America .
In the north – east the Pilgrim Fathers , who came there on board the Mayflower ,
founded another colony in Plymouth , in 1620 . The English crown supported the
foundation of colonies in North America and looked upon them as an effective means of
extending English influence against French and Spanish competition and of increasing
their incomes .
To the end of the 17 century thirteen colonies were established on the Atlantic coast
of North America , -New York , New Hampshire , Massachusetts , Maryland ,
Connecticut , Pensylvania , Georgia and other were among them .
Questions for checking comprehension.

1.Who of Europeans came to the coast of America first ?


2.What was the London Company ?
3.When did the London Company sail for America ?
4.Where did they settle ?
5.What settlement did the English build and how was it named ?
6.Why did many of the first settlers die in America ?
7.How did the Indians meet the settlers ?
8.What was the beginning of slavery in America ?
9.When did the Pilgrim Fathers found the second European colony
on the American land ?
10.Did the British Govermment support the foundation of colonies in
North America and why ?

Read the following proper nouns correctly .


Florida - Флорида
Texas - Техас
Montreal – г.Монреаль
Louisiana -Луизиана

Colonial America
The three main nations – England , Spain and France – were the chief nations
to establish colonies in the present United States.The first permanent settlement in the
North America was Saint Augustine (Florida ), founded in 1565

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