the usa 1

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 th