- •1. The geographical position of the usa, its climate, the major rivers, lakes, mountain rangers, some general information about the country.
- •2. Discovery of America. American Indians.
- •3. The European exploration of the North American continent (Spanish, Dutch, French, German territories)
- •4. The first English settlements in North America.
- •5. The war of independence: its reasons and results
- •6. Territorial Expansion of the usa.
- •7. The Civil War: reasons, economic and social results.
- •8. The War of Independence and the Civil War: differences and similarities.
- •9. The First Half of the 20th Century.
- •10. The Great Depression and the Presidency of Franklin d. Roosevelt.
- •11. The us home and foreign policy after wwii.
- •12. The usa in the modern world
- •13. The American Constitution, the Bill of Rights.
- •14. The structure of the Federal Government. The system of checks and balances.
- •15. The Congress of the us. Supreme legislative body.
- •16. President as the head of the Executive power, the us administration.
- •17. The Presidential Elections.
- •18. The North-East
- •19. The Midwest
- •20. The South
- •21. West
- •22. Education in the usa.
- •23.The usa as a multiethnic society.
- •24. Speak on one of the American Presidents.
- •25. American Culture.
8. The War of Independence and the Civil War: differences and similarities.
Difference: basic reasons – W of Ind -> to become a separate powerful state, Civil War-> mostly because of the course of development of the country and different humane rights. War of Ind was between Americans and Britain, thus the control over the British troops was quite isolated. Civil war was of more revolutionary basis (esp after Lincoln’s state that ALL the slaves should be free). Similarities: as the result of both wars two most important documents in the history of the country were issued: War of Ind – The Constitution (1789), Civil War – The Emancipation Proclamation (1862-during the war). After both wars there were long periods of the development of the country: after the 1st one it was ter. expansion first of all, while after the Civil war it was primarily economic, social and political development (attitude towards the Blacks, industries, etc)
9. The First Half of the 20th Century.
After the Civil War the US was a huge country, by 1890 it became the leading world power. During the presidency of Theodor Roosevelt (1901-09) there were demands for social reforms=>education was modernized and the labour movement grew stronger. The Panama Canal (1904-1914) increase US influence in central America. The position’s more strengthened after the WW1 (entered it in 1917, lost 113000 people) => US was the richest creditor country in the world. Woodrow Wilson was Pres.(1913-21), played an active part in setting the League of Nations. But later on - Isolationist Foreign Policy. Immigration into the country was restricted, post-WW1 period – increasing prosperity, increase in crime (organise first of all), prohibition of alc.drinks.BUT in 1929 (Republican Administration) – THE CRASH OF WALL-STREET=> the beginning of world-wide crisis – THE GREAT DEPRESSION. 17 mln unemployed. 1932 – Franklin Delano Roosevelt (democrat) elected Pres, introduced some measures – THE NEW DEAL. It was 1st attempt to introduce public sector (earlier economic life was controlled by private business). Industrial enterprises got subsidies, banks got government support, farmers got subsidies so as to be able to restrict production. Their extra-production was purchased by the Gov. Public works provided work for the unemployment (17 mln -> 8 mln). Moreover the New Deal included social and labour legislation (unemployment relief – пособие по безработице, old age & disability pensions, collective bargaining (trade unions). Roosevelt became very popular, served 3 successive terms, elected for the 4th but died in april, 1945. The US entered the WW2 in December, 1941 after the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbour. The Supreme Commander – Dwight David Eisenhower (IKE). At that time The US played a leading part in the war in the Far East, allied invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Italy & Normandy. In 1945 Henry Truman was responsible for Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Cold War started. 1949 the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was founded.