50. American South: agricultural regions and centres

Agriculture constitutes a large sector of South America’s economy in both its tropical and its temperate regions. Livestock production also occupies large parts of rural South America, especially cattle ranching. Most of the commercial livestock production, especially for the export sector, occurs on huge estancias (estates) that have been the source of economic and social dominance for their owners for many generations. Only about one-eighth of South America’s land is suitable for permanent cropping or grazing. It is broadly agreed that agricultural land use throughout the continent is less efficient than it might be. Farm and ranch productivity could be enhanced by measures such as providing adequate agricultural credit, improving marketing, storage, and transportation systems, and expanding the educational system in rural areas. Unemployment is a problem in such areas, even though less than one-third of South America’s working population is employed in the agricultural sector, as compared with nearly one-half of the population for the world as a whole. Black Belt is still used in the physiographic sense, describing a crescent-shaped region about 480 km long and up to 40 km wide, extending from southwest Tennessee to east-central Mississippi and then east through Alabama to the border with Georgia. Before the 19th century, this region was a mosaic of prairies and oak-hickory woods. In the 1820s and 1830s, this region was identified as prime land for cotton plantations, resulting in a rush of immigrant planters and their slaves called Alabama Fever. The region became one of the cores of an expanding cotton plantation system that spread through much of the American South. Eventually, Black Belt came to describe the larger area of the South with historic ties to slave plantation agriculture and the cash crops cotton, rice, sugar, and tobacco.

51. Royal collection and all the castles.

Shaped by the personal tastes of kings and queens over more than 500 years, the Royal Collection includes paintings, drawings and watercolours, furniture, ceramics, clocks, silver, sculpture, jewelers, books, manuscripts, prints and maps, arms and armour, fans, and textiles. It is held in trust by The Queen as Sovereign for her successors and the Nation, and is not owned by her as a private individual Curatorial and administrative responsibility for the Collection is held by the Royal Collection Department part of the Royal Household. The Collection has largely been formed since the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. Some items belonging to earlier monarchs, for example Henry VIII, also survive. The greater part of the magnificent collection inherited and added to by Charles I was dispersed on Cromwell's orders during the Interregnum. The royal patrons now chiefly associated with notable additions to the Collection are Frederick, Prince of Wales; George III; George IV; Queen Victoria and Prince Albert; and Queen Mary, Consort of George V. Over 3,000 objects from the Royal Collection are on long-term loan to museums and galleries around the United Kingdom and abroad. National institutions housing works of art from the Collection include The British Museum, National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of London, the National Museum of Wales and the National Gallery of Scotland. The Royal Collection is the only collection of major national importance to receive no Government funding or public subsidy. It is administered by the Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity established by The Queen in 1993 under the chairmanship of The Prince of Wales. Current projects funded through the Royal Collection Trust include the major expansion of exhibition space at Buckingham Palace and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to mark The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002. Acton Burnell Castle The extensive remains of a fortified tower house built by Edward I's Lord Chancellor, Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath and Wells. The castle was built between 1284-1293, using local red sandstone. It replaced an earlier house on the site, where Burnell had been born. Burnell also built the Bishop's Palace at Wells, which is similar in design to Acton Burnell Castle.  Alnwick Castle Stronghold of the immensely powerful Percy family, built in 14th century on Norman foundations. This is a real castle, not a Victorian fake, but inside the severity turns to 18th and 19th century opulence. Solid marble staircase. Magnificent art collection, particularly 16th century Italian. Show rooms are incomparably sumptuous. Appleby Castle Early 12th century fortifications later owned by Lady Anne de Clifford (see Brougham Castle).  Arundel Castle Home of the Dukes of Norfolk for over 600 years. The castle looks like a Gothic fairy tale. Well, it is, in a sense, but much of the "fairy tale" was created in the 19th century. The heart of Arundel is pure Norman, however, including the keep with the small chamber that was Queen Maud's first home when she made her bid for the throne of England.  Ashby-de-la-zouch Castle Largely ruins, this grim castle sits rather incongruously amid carefully manicured lawns. Aydon Castle A superb example of a late fortified 13th century manor house. Aydon Castle was constructed as a simple manor, but almost immediately fortified in the light of escalating conflict between Scots and English in modern Northumberland. The fortifications did not stop the Scots from sacking Aydon in 1315. The castle changed hands several times over subsequent years.