Maturitní otázka číslo 10
The USA
Introduction
America is so vast that almost everything said about it is likely to be true and opposite is probably equal too.
G.T.Farrel
Huge country, many cultures, nationalities, Hollywood, scandals (Clinton x Levinska), Florida, skyscrapers, stupid series, Statue of Liberty, White House
Melting pot – everything is mixed and anything new arise from that
Since 60 Pizza or Bowl of salad – everything is mixed, anything new arise from that, but you recognise the parts of that, (people started to look for their roots)
the fourth largest country in the world
borders on Mexico in the south, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, Canada in the north and The Pacific ocean in the west
population 267 mil; area 9.6 mil sq. km
the capital is Washington
the oldest mountains are Appalachian Highlands
about half of the continental USA is occupied by the Cordilleras in the west
the Rocky Mountains are the part of Cordilleras (the highest mountain - Mt. McKinley)
the Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateau are also to the west of the Rocky Mountains
in the middle part there are deserts - Sierra Nevada
a lot of lowlands and highlands
rivers - the biggest is the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande, Hudson, Colorado, Yukon - the biggest in Alaska
lakes - on the borders - Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario - together 250000 sq. km
world famous Niagara Falls 51m high
the climate of the USA is varied . from the Arctic climate in the north to the subtropical climate in the south
original inhabitants were Indians - came from Asia
the first Europeans were in the 10th century - they didn’t manage to make settlements
discovered America and opened the continent for all world
the names Indians, because he though that he is in India
Indians were living mostly from agriculture - potatoes, corn, tobacco
it was rich land of gold
17th century came emigrants from all Europe - the people wanted the gold and find a new occasion failed settlements Spanish, French, Swedish, Dutch, English
1584 – First English colony – Virginia
1607 – permanent settlement – James Town
- the first permanent settlers - named were puritans and were persecuted from England, came to the north of the USA and started to built a new settlement, very hardworking people, after the Pilgrim - the name Plymouth, they came on the ship Mayflower
the first colony - Massachusetts Bay
the first winter was for them terrible half of them died, but with helping of the Indians the second year was
better and they had got a very good harvest - big celebration, since 1621 Americans celebrate it is typical family festival (eat turkey, all family is together, very important day)
after the revolution in England came the second wave of emigrants - royalist - very rich people, came to the south - big cotton fields, corn fields - but they didn’t want to work there - the power were slaves
in the north there was industry, in the south agriculture
1636 – Harvard University, Boston
in 17th and 18th century a great developing of the colonies, but they were under the control of the British government - colonies weren’t able to buy anything from other states, England - high taxis of goods
- colonists threw all tea cargo in to the sea as a protest
it was the beginning of the
the leader of the colonists was George Washington
at the beginning was the British army more successful, but the winners were Americans, they knew why fight, they wanted to be independent - very strong motivation
- Thomas Jefferson wrote the (all people are accrual in front of the Got)
13 colonies founded the USA, theGeorge Washington
in the 19th century split into two large parts, one of them being the North represented by Republicans, and the other the South with the slave- oligarchy supported Democrats
the winner of the election in 1860 was Abraham Lincoln, took a strong anti-slavery stand - in the north theConfederate States of America, in the south the Union
the winner was the Confederate (Emancipation Proclamation - freedom for slaves - Abraham Lincoln)
since 1865 there wasn’t any war on the American continent
1865 - 1877 the period of reconstruction - industrialisation - Henry Fords car factories, J. P. Morgans U. S. Steel....)
the first strong president after many years was Theodore Roosevelt
1924 – Golden door locked, N.Y. Ellis Island
Industry
rich in all minerals - copper, zinc, gas, bauxite, led, oil
three parts - North -East -steal works, engineering, machinery, mining, heavy industry, food industry
industrial area Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York
Chicago, Detroit - Ford, car industry, steal works
- South - Middlesouth - typical agriculture areas, main products - corn, cotton, wheat, tobacco,
fruit
very good conditions
- West - beautiful countryside, agriculture, national parks (Yellowstone), connected with tourist
industry
California - holiday resort, the nicest weather
wood industry, L.A. – S.F. – film industry,weapons, ships, planes
Mexican Gulf – earlier – clothes ind., now – chemical ind. – oil, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans
Political system
American president
Federal Government - finance, foreign affairs, defence
Local government - local problems, social problems, education
Congress - Senate
- the House of Representatives
Typical
- is the largest and best-known park in the USA. It is visited by thousand of people every day. The nature in this park is very diverse. For instance, there is everything from volcanic activity to a variety of forms of nature beauty. The geysers called Old Faithful are the biggest one in this park. It erupts every 10-minute or so wild buffaloes, which are very dangerous.
this park lakes and high peaks are combined in unique scenery.
- the city of gambling, every year spend the people 17 billions dollars in gambling.
- in Arizona, the Colorado River, 217 miles long, 5700 feet deep
- the main attraction for visitors is the city’s nightlife, connected with jazz
Dallas
It is Texas second largest city. Situated on the Trinity River. Dallas was founded in 1841 and populated by the French the City developed as a cotton market in 1870s. and it became the financial and commercial centre of the southwest.
Today the manufactures include cotton processing machinery, textiles, leather goods, aircraft and electronic equipment. Oil is refined, there are meatpacking plants. The city is also known for its museums and musical activities.
The president George Figerald Kennedy was assassinated there in 1963. The John F Kennedy‘s Museum displays films, photographs and data recounting that day.
Chicago
central part of USA, state Illinoi, next to lake Michigan, the third largest city in the USA
modern city, city of skyscrapers, the bussiest transportation centre of the country - O’Hare airport
old building were pullde down and built the new one modern architecture
city of modern art – statues by Piccasso
Gallery of modern art – Europian painters from the turn of the century
Sears tower – 2nd highest building in the world (443 m, 110 stories, 106 cab elevators)
Loop – the central part of Chicago
Chicago has been nicknamed the “Windy City” because of the breezes that blow in from the lake
Las Vegas
on the west of USA, state Neavada
has the reputation of being the entertainment capital of the world
annually plays host to some 15 million visitors
every hotel has a casino and several playing rooms
casinos are open twenty-four hours a day and are designed to keep the guest inside and entertained all the time, most of them offer inexpensive and moderate accomodation and reasonably priced food which is served ot all hours of the day and night
bussines stopped only once and that was just for three hours when the news of John F. Kennedy’s death reached the city
there are no closing hours in Las Vegas and there are no doors to the casinos
New Orleans
on the south of USA, situated where the Mississippi river empties into the Gulf of Mexico
tropical climate, was settled by French in 1718, French influence is still seen even today
the main attraction for visitors is the city’s night life – the night clubs, exotic dancers, unique shows, shops, restaurants and bars
the most popular section is the French Quarter
restaurants specializing in „Creole“ cooking - a hot and spicy mix of French and Spanish dishes
known to be the birthplace of jazz, the sounds of live jazz coming out the doors into the early morning hours
another great attraction is the Mississippi river
Boston
The capital of Massachusetts, one of the oldiest cities in the US, founded in 1630
Many events leading up to the Revolutionary War took place here.
Boston Tea Party – 1773 rebellious citizens disquised as Indians threw tea from British ships into the Harbor in protest against British taxes.
Old State house – seat of the colonial government, a circle of cobblestones in the street neat Old Statehouse marks the Boston Massacre site, where British soldiers in 1770 killed 5 patriots. The archives of the new Statehouse contain many original documents from the rich history.
Amrican Indians
200 indian tribes, when the first white man came to America, there were more then 800 000 Indians there. Indians spoke different languages, one tribe don’t understand other. So they use the language of signs which they invented. Many of them were removed from their land in 1887, their land was cut down from 139 mil to 47 mil square miles, it nearly destroyed their way of life
The Indians have built organisations – National Congress of American Indians … to representate them
Some Ind. Still live their typical way of life, other started to live a new life in modern cities