An Illustrated History of the USA Для учащихся старших классов Подготовлено Корчемкиной Е.Е., школа 489, Московский р-н, Санкт-Петербург

Content The First Americans Why is America called “America” Explorers From Europe “We shall be an ideal community…” “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” Test yourself

The First Americans The First Americans At daybreak on the morning of Friday, August , an Italian adventurer named Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain to find a new way from Europe to Asia. His aim was to open up a shorter trade route between the two continents. On the morning of October 12, he stepped ashore on the beach of a low sandy island. He named the island San Salvador — Holy Savior. Columbus believed that he had landed in the Indies, a group of islands close to the mainland of India. For this reason he called the friendly, brown-skinned people who greeted him "los Indios" — Indians.

In fact, Columbus was not near India. It was not the edge of Asia that he had reached, but islands off the shores of a new continent. Europeans would soon name the new continent America, but for many years they went on calling its inhabitants Indians. Only recently have these first Americans been described more accurately as "native Americans" or Amerindians. There were many different groups of Amerindians. They spoke over three hundred separate languages, some of which were as different from one another as English is from Chinese. Europeans called America "the New World." But it was not new to the Amerindians. Their ancestors had already been living there for maybe 50,000 years

Why is America called “America” The reason is that to the end of his life Columbus believed that his discoveries were part of Asia. The man who did most to correct this mistaken idea was AMERIGO VESPUCCI, an Italian sailor from Florence. He had made 2 voyages of exploration along the coasts of South America and wrote that these coasts were part of a new continent. A German scholar who was convinced by Vespucci’s ideas named the new continent AMERICA, using the feminine form of Vespucci’s first name as the other continents had female names.

The reason is that to the end of his life Columbus believed that his discoveries were part of Asia. The man who did most to correct this mistaken idea was AMERIGO VESPUCCI, an Italian sailor from Florence. He had made 2 voyages of exploration along the coasts of South America and wrote that these coasts were part of a new continent. A German scholar who was convinced by Vespucci’s ideas named the new continent AMERICA, using the feminine form of Vespucci’s first name as the other continents had female names.

Explorers From Europe In Newfoundland the archaeologists found the foundations of huts built in VIKING style.VIKING It was the Spanishthe Spanish who began the lasting European occupation of America. It was a lust for gold that led Herman Cortes to conquerHerman Cortes the Aztecs in the 1520s. By the 17 th century plenty of people in Europe were ready to settle in America.

We shall be an Ideal Community

“Pilgrims” are people who make a journey for religious reasons. But for Americans the word has a special meaning. “Pilgrims” are people who make a journey for religious reasons. But for Americans the word has a special meaning. “Pilgrims” a small group of English men and women to find the religious freedom.To them it means a small group of English men and women who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1620.They went to America to find the religious freedom. Pilgrim Fathers. Pilgrim Fathers.Americans sometimes call them the Pilgrim Fathers. Pilgrim Fathers. People wanted the Church to become more plain and simple, or “pure”. Because of this they were called Puritans. People wanted the Church to become more plain and simple, or “pure”. Because of this they were called Puritans. Puritans.

The history of the Pilgrims knows several settlements and documents of agreements. The most known are the Mayflower Compact, the Plymouth colony and the Massachusetts Puritans. the Mayflower Compact, the Plymouth colony the Massachusetts Puritans. The ideas of the Massachusetts Puritans had a lasting influence on American society. Its leader, John Winthrop said that they should build an ideal community for the rest of mankind to learn from. John Winthrop “We shall be like a city on a hill”, said he. “The eyes of all people are upon us”. To this day many Americans continue to see their country in this way, as a model for other nations to copy.

“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” On July 2,1776, The Continental Congress declared that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.” On July 4, it issued the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. The United States of America.It was written by Thomas Jefferson. It officially named the Colonies The United States of America. It claimed that all men had a natural right to “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.

Test yourself Who were the first americans?the first americans When did an Italian adventurer land and where?an Italian adventurer How did he name the island?the island Were Indians – the Indians?the Indians Who are Amerindians?Amerindians Amerigo and America – what’s the connection between them?Amerigo What did the modern scientists find about the people who explored America?explored America? Who promised to make an ideal community?ideal community What does the word “Puritans” mean?“Puritans” Who were “Pilgrims”?“Pilgrims”? Who was the leader of the Massachusetts Puritans?Massachusetts Puritans What did he promise?promise What do you know about the Declaration of Independence?Declaration of Independence