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Physical features






The relief of the USA is greatly diverse.. The west is under the powerful Cordillera Mountain System (4000m)a) The Rocky Mountains are the major mountain range in the USA and one of the greatest in the world. It stretches from Mexico to the Arctic and divides the country into two parts - the East and the West. The Rocky contains the highest point of the USA - Mount McKinley (6193m) (Alaska). The Rockies are sharp, rugged and young mountains. They are very rich in minerals (gold, silver, lead, copper).

b) The Cascade Range almost unbroken mountain range with lots of forests.

c) The Sierra Nevada mountains (rich in gold). The lowest point close to the Sierra Nevada is Death Valley (85m bellow sea level)d) The Great North-American Plateau is situated between the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada. The central part is Great Basin. This is a territory of deserts. The climate here is extremely dry. The sun shines 9 months of the year and the temperature goes up to 50°C in the shade. There are a lot of dead rivers and lakes. The remaining ones dry up when it doesn't rain for a long period of time. But this land is very rich in minerals. 2. Centre

1) The Great Plains2) The Central Plains

3. The east is occupied by the Appalachian Mountains (ancient strongly destroyed mountains (2000m), the Atlantic Coastal Plain, The Gulf Coastal Plain, the vast Central Plain and the Plateau of Prairies or the Great Plains.

The Rockies are known as a continental divide and they separate the rivers belonging to the Atlantic Basin (east) and the rivers belonging to the Pacific Basin (west). RIVERS The Atlantic Basin The Mississippi (6400km) is one of the worlds great continental rivers like the Amazon in South America, the Congo in Africa, the Volga in Europe, the Ganges and the Amur in Asia. It is, actually, called " the father of waters". It is navigable throughout its entire length and drains 31 states. The Missouri River is the western brunch of the Mississippi. It's the most destructive river of the USA. Its water is deep-brown with bits of soil. The Atlantic Basin also includes the Ohio River, the Arkansas River, the Red River. The. Pacific Basin The Columbia River was wild in the past but now it's quite. The Colorado is a furious river. It cuts deeply into the Desert Rocks and forms the Grand Canyon (perpendicular walls (nearly 90°) going up to 1500m above the river level). The Hoover Dam (200m) produces enough electricity for California. The Rio Grande forms a natural border between the USA and Mexico. The Pacific Basin also includes the Yukon River. LAKES The Great Lakes are the largest group of lakes in the USA and the greatest collection of fresh water lakes in the world. It consists of 5 lakes: Lake Michigan - the only lake that is situated entirely on the territory of the USA Lake Superior Lake Huron These lakes are interconnected by short rivers and channels. Through the Saint Lawrence and Hudson Rivers they are connected with the Atlantic Ocean. The Great Salt Lake is situated in the Great Basin and appears to be the greatest lake of the area. It often changes size and shape and sometimes even dries up completely. It contains 6 thousand million tonnes of salt. Other lakes are situated along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast. They were formed when the Ocean floor rose out of the sea to become the Coastal Plain.

3.Native Americans When the first Europeans came to North America there were about 10 million Indians north of present-day Mexico and they had been living there for quite a long time. The American Indians or the Native Americans arrived from Asia during the last Ice Age (20 000 - 30 000 years ago) crossing the land-bridge between Siberia and Alaska that is now under the Bering Strait. The oldest documented Indian cultures in North America are: Sandia(15 000B.C); Clovis (12 000 B.C.); Folsom (8 000 B.C.).The name " Indians" was first applied to them by Christopher Columbus who mistakenly believed that America was a part of the Indies in Asia. The major Native American tribes are: Iroquois Inuit Algonquians Cherokee Apache Navajo Cree Ojibwa When the Europeans started to arrive and settle in North Americans in the 16th - 17th c. they were in most cases heartily welcomed by the Natives. Unfortunately, the Europeans came to conquer and paid back with violence and atrocities. Very soon the number of the Native Americans started to decline and their life became miserable.

4.War of Independence Pre-history: At first the settlers of the 13 colonies were quite happy to be ruled by Britain because: They were protected from the French in Canada and Louisiana by the British Navy ànd Army The British Government seldom interfered in colonial affairs (colonies had their ownr government with a governor as a head). The taxes on imported goods were light; smuggling was possible. But after 1760 the situation changed. The British worried about the development of industry in America and about possible competition (when their goods wouldn't be bought in America and would be replaced by home-produced) and did everything to stop this development After the Seven Years' War the British lost a lot of money and decided to get the money from the American colonies by introducing heavy taxes on imported goods; The Quartering Act — required that the local authorities should find suitable housing and feed the British troops.

The Declaration Act — stated the Britain had power over all the territories and people in American colonies.

1773 — “The Boston Tea Parry” — the British introduced a tea tax and monopoly on tea export to the colonies and that meant that the illegal trade of tea that existed in America before was not possible any longer. As a result a group of colonists dressed as the Native Americans boarded the merchant ship in Boston and threw 342 cases of tea into the ocean. The British Government responded by closing the port of Boston and sent more troops to the colonies. War. To resist the British troops the militia was organized. It consisted of volunteers from the local population who were given arms to defend the colonists from the British Army.1775 - the Congress of representatives of the colonies met in Philadelphia and began to act as a national government. It appointed George Washington (from Virginia) the Commander-in-Chief of Armed

Forces.The Congress: organised the army and navy printed its own paper money; started diplomatic relations with foreign countries.Thomas Jefferson (a democrat from Virginia) prepared the text of the “Declaration of Independence” that proclaimed the independence of the 13 American colonies, the equality of all men and other unalienable rights. It was adopted by the Congress in 1776.At first the war did not go well for the Americans, but in 1777 the French offered their financial and military help to the Americans and soon the British Government asked for peace => In 1783 the Treaty of Paris was signed. The 13 colonies were now free and independent. George Washington was elected the first president of the USA and the capital was transferred from Philadelphia to Washington, DC.

5. Expansion of the 1st half of the19th cent.

Consequences of the War: 1803 - Louisiana in the south was bought from Napoleon for 27 million $ which doubled the size of the country; 1804 - the expedition to the Pacific Coast was organized The Americans continued to explore and colonise the western lands; 1819 – Florida was obtained from Spain; 1842 - the Treaty of Webster- Ashburton established the US-Canada border. In 1846 the dispute about this border was eventually settled and the USA got Oregon, Washington and Idaho; 1836 - Texas declared its. independence from Mexico and expressed its willingness to join the USA. Thus in 1845 it was annexed by the USA; 1847 - As a result of the victory in the war with Mexico the USA obtained a very large territory California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado. 1867 - the USA bought Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million $ (2 cents per an acre); it became the 49th state in 1959; 1900 - the USA annexed Hawaii - the only island state; it became the 50th state in 1959.

6.Civil War Pro-history: 1. There was a very important issue that started the regional and economic difference between the North and the South of the USA — slavery. The North declared slavery a peculiar institution while the South regarded it an essential part of its economy (the economy of the South depended on planters – people who owned at least 20 slaves who worked on plantations). The poor whites of the South did not own slaves supported slavery because they feared that if freed the blacks would compete with them for land and work.2. The Abolitionists - the people who organized an anti-slavery movement (the Abolitionism). It emerged in the early 1830s and its goal was to stop slavery. The leader of the movement was a young man from Massachusetts - William Garrison. The Abolitionists helped slaves to escape to safe places in the North, as far as Canada. This process was known as " The Underground Railroad" (hereinafter UR). The UR was a secret network of escape routes to help slaves reach the

freedom moving to the northern states.UR Stations - hiding or stopping places for slaves along the UR routes (houses, farms, stables, wells, store-rooms, churches, secret passages)

UR Conductors - people who guided the slaves on their way. An unofficial president of the UR was Levi Coffin - a Quaker from North Carolina. Most of the traveling was done at night and on foot. The salves were guided by the North star or followed the well-known water routes. During the day they hid in the UR stations where they received food, rest and further directions.3. 1850 - The fugitive Act was passed. It gave right to slave-owners to catch and return escaped slaves and prohibited to help escaped slaves. Nevertheless the northerners continued to help the slaves. 1860 (!) - Abraham Lincoln (the leader of the Republican Party of the North, a son of poor farmer, friendly with blacks and against slavery) won the Presidential elections. This triggered the breaking away of the southern states from the Union. The first states to leave the USA in 1869 was South Carolina. Later it was joined by North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas. In 1861 they proclaimed themselves an independent nation - The Confederate States of America

The North The South
22 million people 9 million people
Leader – Abraham Lincoln Leader – Jefferson Davis
Booming manufacture and industry (including defense industry) Lack of many things and money, agricultural industries, no defense industries
  The South hoped for the British support because the British needed cotton for textile production which the south sold them, but the British remained neutral.

1863 – Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that granted freedom to all slaves and also tried to preserve the Union.3. 1863 – the greatest battle of the war took place at Gettysburg (in Pennsylvania). The Confederates were defeated. Here Lincoln made his famous speech known as the Gettysburg Address.4. The Confederates were running out of everything (food, money, etc.). In 1865 General Lee – leader of the Confederate Army – surrendered to General Grant at Appotomox and the Civil war was over. Consequences: The South was defeated and impoverished. The Union (the USA) was saved. Slavery was abolished by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Further development of industry, trade and agriculture took place. More immigrants started to arrive attracted by better working conditions to towns and by the fact that in the countryside the settlers could easily get land and start farming.

7. Constitution of the USA.

the Constitution of the United States, formed in 1787. It is a relatively brief document of some 12 pages, consisting of the Preamble. Seven Articles and Twenty-Seven Amendments. The Con­stitution of the United States is the source of government authority and the fundamental law of the land. The Constitutional Convention which was to adopt a new constitution officially opened on May 25, 1787, in Philadelphia. Under the Constitution, power was further divided among the three branches of the national government: legislative (the Congress), executive (the President) and judicial (the Supreme Court). Each was given its own authority. When the Constitution was written in 1787, there were only 13 states. The drafters" of the Constitution saw that the future might bring a need for changes, that js whv they provided a method of adding amendments. Over the past 200 years 27 amendments have been adopted, but the basic document, the Constitution itself, has not been changed. The pattern of government planned so long ago for

13 states, today meets the need of 50 states and 60 times as many people.

Only several years later, in 1791, under the strong popular pressure, the Congress was forced to adopt the first 10 amendments to the Constitution dealing with civil liberties. They were called collectively the " Bill of Rights". From these amendments the Americans received guarantees of such basic rights as freedom of speech, the press and religion, the right of peaceful assembly freedom from unreasonable search, arrest and seizure. The Bill of Rights aIso deals with the system of justice: Since the Bill of Rights, was adopted, 17 other amendments have been added to tbe Constitution. But the political system created by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is basically the same today as it was in 1790.Adopted in 1787, the Constitution was finally ratified and came into force onMarcF4, 1789.

8. Function of the Congress The constitution of the United States grants all the le­gislative powers of the federal government to the Con­gress which consists of two Houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate, the smaller House, is composed of two members from each state, as provided by the Constitu­tion. Membership in the House of Representatives is " based on the number of-population, thefefere4ts size is not mentioned in the Constitution. To be elected to the Senate a person must be least 30 years of age, a citizen of the United States for at least nine years, and a resident of the state from which he or she is elected: To become a member of the House of Representatives a person must be at least 25, a citizen for seven years, and a resident of the state which he represents. The Congress meets in regular sessions, beginning with January 3, almost àll thå óear round. The President mav call a special session-when he thinks it necessary Session are held in the Capitol in Washington. D.C. At the beginning of each new Congress, members of the political parties select their political leaders in both Houses The Congress is the supreme legislative organ. The Senate and the House of Representatives have equal constitutional rights. Each house has the power to introduce bills on any subject. After introduction all bills are sent to certain committees A bill passed by one House, is sent to the other After the bill is passed by both Houses, it is sent to the President for his approval. The bill vetoed by the President must be reapproved by a two-thirds vote in both Houses to become law, an Act of Congress. The bills, proposed by the White House or the Cabinet usually pass all stages without any difficulty.

9. American Presidency Constitutional qualifications for the Presidency are relatlvely simple: The president must be at least 35 years old, a resident of the country for at least 14 years and a national born citizen. The President, together with the Vice President, is elected to a four-year term. If a President dies or is unable to carry out his duties, he is succeeded by the Vice President. Except for fee right of succession to

the presidency, the vice president’s only constitutional duties are to serve as the presiding officer of the Senate. next in line of succession to the Presidency come the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate After them in line of succession to the Presidency, in order of importance come to the Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, the Secretary of Defence and the rest of the Cabinet ministers. The Constitution provides, that if no candidate has a majority, the decision should be made by the House of Representatives, with all members from a state voting as a unit. In this case, each state.and the District of Columbia would be given one vote only. Candidates for the Presidency are chosen by po­litical parties several months before the presidential election, which is held every four years (every leap year) on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The presidential term of four years begins on January. 20 (the next year). He starts his official duties with an inauguration ceremony, tradi­tionally held on the steps of the Capitol, where Congress works. The newly- elected President publicly takes an oath of office, which is traditionally administered by the Chief Justice of the United States.

Presidental elections The method of electing President is peculiar to the United States. The pre­sidential election is technically an election of presidential electors, not of a President directly. The people of each state do not vote directly for the Pre­sident at the first stage which is held on the first Tuesday after the first Mon­day in November every four years. They elect as many electors as this state has Senators and Representatives in the Congress. These electors are selected exclusively by the corresponding party machines. The candidate with the highest number of votes in each state wins all the electoral votes of the state. The electors of all 50 states and the District of Columbia (3 electors) - a total of 538 persons - compose what is known as the Electoral College, though it never meets as a body. Instead, the electors gather in the state capitals shortly after the election and cast their votes for the candidate with the largest num­ber of popular votes in their respective states. To be elected President, a can­didate for the Presidency must receive 270 votes. The Presidential elections of 2000 revealed the inadequacy of the existing system, when the votes for the two presidential candidates were very; Hose at the first stage in November.

10. Party system of the USA Political parties are the basis of the American political system. At the national level, the United States makes use of a two-party system that has remained practically unchanged throughout the nation's history, even though rival national parties have appeared and disappeared from the political scene. The Federalists, for example, who rallied around " President George Washington, disappeared slowly after 1800 because the problem of creating a powerful federal government was solved. And the Whig party, which arose in the 1830s in op­position to the Democratic Party which, was formed by Andrew Jackson in 1828 during, the presidential campaign which he won. Today the United States has two major political parties. One is the Democratic Party, formed during the presidential campaign in 1828 by Andrew Jackson. The other is the Republican Party, which was in 1854, by people in the states of the North and West such as Abraham Lincoln, who wanted the government to prevent the expansion of slavery into new state then being admitted to the union. Members of the Democratic and Republican parties are not registered; they do not have cards and do not pay membership dues. One explanation for the long life of the Republican and Democratic parties is that they are not strong ideological organizations, but loose alliances of state and local parties that unite every four years for the presidential election.

 


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