Unit 2. The history of the USA

8.2.1 Read and translate the text

The history of the USA.

Over 20,000 years ago Indians came from Asia across the Bering Strait. Icelandic Viking Leif Ericson sailed to America in 1000.

The history of the USA began a little more than 500 years ago. In 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered America to the whole world. He thought that it was India. Columbus died believ­ing that Cuba was part of Asia.

English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and French explorers sailed there for gold and riches. But they didn't stay in America.

The first English colony Jamestown appeared in 1607 in Virginia. On the 6th of September in 1620 a group of people left England for America. They sailed from the English city of Plymouth, on board the ship Mayflower. There were 74 men and 28 women on the Mayflower. They set up a colony. They wanted to start a new life and to have no problems with the church.

By 1733 European settlers occupied 13 colo­nies along the Atlantic coast. The colonists in America didn't want to depend on the English King or on England and the War of Independ­ence began.

It lasted from 1775 till 1783.

In 1776 on the 4th of July the Declaration of Independence was adopted. It proclaimed "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness as the hu­man natural rights." In 1783 the Treaty of Paris recognized the independence of the USA. In 1787 the Constitution of the USA was written. In 1789 on the 6th of April Americans elected the first President of the United States of America. George Washington served two terms (1789-1797). The newly-built capital of the country was named Washington.

Then other important events followed. The Civil War began in 1861 and lasted until 1865. It was the war for abolition of slavery.

In the period between 1800 and 1900 the US changed from a small farming nation to a big industrial country. Between 1900 and 1945 the US went through a period of economic growth and hard times. The nation took part in the First World War and the Second World War.

In 1969 on the 20th of July the American space­ship landed on the Moon. It was the first man's walk on the Moon.

And each period in the history of the USA is interesting and important. It shows the hardships and victories of the American people on the way to the American Dream: independent, democratic, powerful state with the developed economy and equal rights for everybody.

8.2.2 Post-Text Exercises

8.2.2.1 Pronounce the following words and geographic names

Bering Strait - Берингов пролив

Icelandic - исландский

Viking - викинг

Leif Ericson - Лейф Эйрикссон

Virginia - Вирджиния

Plymouth - г. Плимут

the Civil War - Гражданская война

Portuguese - португальский

Dutch – голландский

across - через

whole - весь, целый

riches - богатство

to appear - появляться

board - борт (корабля)

to set up - организовывать, возд­вигать

European - европейский

Settler - поселенец

to occupy - оккупировать, зани­мать

coast - морской берег

to depend on - зависеть

independence - независимость

to last - продолжаться

to adopt - принимать

to proclaim - провозглашать

liberty - свобода

pursuit of happiness - поиски счастья

human natural rights - естественные права человека

treaty – договор

to recognize - узнавать, при­знавать

to elect - выбирать

to serve - служить

term - срок

newly-built - заново постро­енный

to name - называть

to follow - следовать

event - событие

abolition - отмена

slavery - рабство

growth - рост

hard times - тяжелые времена

spaceship - космический корабль

to land - приплывать, приземляться

moon - луна

hardship - лишения, нужда

powerful - сильный, могучий

to develop - развивать

equal rights - равные права

8.2.2.2 Answer the questions

1 How did Indians come from Asia to America over 20,000 years ago?

2 When did Icelandic Viking Leif Ericson sail to America?

3 When did the history of the USA begin?

4 Who discovered America to the whole world? When?

5 When and where did the first English colony in America appear?

6 When did the group of people leave the English city of Plymouth for America?

7 What ship did they sail on?

8 How many people were there on board the ship?

9 Why did they sail to America?

10 How many colonies were there in America by 1733?

11 Why did the War of Independence begin?

12 How long did this war last?

13 When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

14 What did this declaration proclaim?

15 When did the Treaty of Paris recognize the independence of the USA?

16 When was the Constitution of the USA written?

17 Who was the first President of the USA? When was he elected? How many terms did he serve?

18 When and why did the Civil War begin?

19 How long did it last?

20 How did the US change in the period between 1800 and 1900?

21 When did the US go through the period of economic growth?

22 When did the American spaceship land on the Moon?

23 What is the American Dream?

8.2.2.3 Choose the right version

1 The Civil War began in ...

1733, 1783, 1865

2 The Constitution of the USA was written in ...

1787, 1778, 1900

3 Christopher Columbus discovered America to the whole world in ...

1492, 1942, 1495

4 The War of Independence began in ...

1069, 1620, 1783

5 By 1733 European settlers occupied ... colonies along the Atlantic coast.

13, 23, 7

6 The first English colony Jamestown appeared in ... in Virginia.

1867, 1607, 1706

7 In ... on the 20th of July the American spaceship landed on the Moon.

1969, 1989, 1961

8.2.2.4 Read the beginning of the sentence and find its end in the text

1 In the period between 1800 and 1900 the US changed from ...

2 In 1789 on the 6th of April Americans elected ...

3 The Declaration of Independence proclaimed ...

4 They sailed from the English city of ...

5 The colonists in America didn't want to depend on ...

6 Icelandic Viking Leif Ericson ...

7 Between 1900 and 1945 the US went through

8 It shows the hardships and victories of the American people ...

9 The history of the USA began ...

8.2.2.5 Put in the missing words according to the text

1 English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and French explorers sailed there for gold and ....

2 The Civil War was the war for ... of slavery.

3 In 1783 the Treaty of Paris recognized ... of the USA.

4 Between 1900 and 1945 the USA went through a period of economic ... and hard times.

5 The American Dream is independent, democratic, powerful state with ... economy and ... rights for everybody.

6 By 1733 European settlers occupied 13 colo­nies along the Atlantic ... George Washington served two ... .

7 Then other important ... followed.

8 They sailed from the English city of.... on board the ship Mayflower.

8.2.2.6 Choose the correct verb for each blank: was named, was adopted, appeared, began, wanted, took part, was written, set up

1 The first English colony Jamestown ... in 1607 in Virginia.

2 They ... a colony.

3 In 1776 on the 4th of July the Declaration of Independence ... .

4 The history of the USA ... a little more than 500 years ago.

5 In 1787 the Constitution of the USA ... .

6 The nation ... in the First World War and the Second World War.

7 The newly-built capital of the country... Wash­ington.

8 They... to start a new life and to have no prob­lems with the church.

8.2.2.7 Read and learn the dialogue by heart. Then act it out

Susan: Hello, Helen.

Helen: Oh, Susan, hello.

Susan: What are you studying so attentively?

Helen: It's a present from my friend, Ben. He has just returned from New York and brought me this book about the history of the USA.

Susan: It's very interesting. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure that I know a lot about the history of the USA. I only watch Ameri­can films on TV almost every day.

Helen: Yes, you are right. Our TV is often occu­pied by these films.

Susan: I agree with you. They entertain us, but they aren't informative. As for me, I'm interested in history. Although the US is a very young country, it has a very interesting history.

Helen: Absolutely. Its history began a little more than 500 years ago.

Susan: I remember exactly because we learnt it at school. Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. By the way, why wasn't America named after him?

Helen: I don't know for sure but he thought that it was India. He died believing that Cuba was part of Asia.

Susan: Helen, can I look through this book?

Helen: OK. Here it is.

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