- •1. Describe the geographical position of the British Isles, offering an explanation for its advantages and disadvantages. Define the term «continental shelf», its importance for the economy.
- •3. Examine the main stages in the formation of the population of Great Britain (Ancient Britain, Celts, Romans, and Anglo- Saxons).
- •4.Describe the Danish raids of England. The struggle of Alfred the Great and its results.
- •5. Outline the Norman Conquest and the establishment of feudalism in England and further consolidation of the English state. The main dates in the formation of the u.K.
- •10. Discuss the electoral system. Give an evaluation of the «majority electoral system» existing in Great Britain? Comment on the latest general elections. Change of government in 2007. Reasons.
- •16. Characterize the major political parties in the uk (Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats). The position of these parties in the House of Commons today.
- •17. Expand on the role of the church in the life of the British people.
- •1. Geographical position of the us
- •2 .Physical features of the us, climate, lakes and rivers, minerals
- •3. Native Americans
- •6. Discuss the reasons, development and consequences of the War of Independence (1775-1783).
- •7. Expand on the basic values of the American nation. Explain their importance. Expand on the notion "the frontier heritage”, the heroes. What is political correctness?
- •8 Expansion in the 1st half of the 19cent.
- •8. Analyze growing antagonism between the North and the South. Examine the chief events of the Civil war, its consequences.
- •10.Development us after the Civil War. Monroe Doctrine. American expansionism at the end of the 19 cent.
- •11 How and when American constitution was adopted. What caused the necessity of the bill of rights?
- •12 Explain the structure of the Congress – the supreme legislative body. Discuss the election of Senators and Representatives and whom they represent.
- •13 Institution of American Presidency, main trends of American foreign policy, new policy of Barack Obama
- •14 Presidential elections, Electoral College, Barack Obama – new president
- •15 Explain what is meant by a “strict division or separation of powers” under the Constitution. Outline the structure of the American Constitution.
- •16 Main political parties,
13 Institution of American Presidency, main trends of American foreign policy, new policy of Barack Obama
The president of the United States is head of the executive power, or the chief executive, and his office is one of the most powerful in the world. Under the Constitution he must «take care, that the laws be faithfully executed”. In addition he has important legislative and judicial powers. The official residence and office of the President is in the White House, Washington. D.C.
Constitutional qualifications for the Presidency are relatively 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. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, 1951, limited the Presidency to no more that two terms. Franklin D. Roosevelt had been the only President to be elected four times (the first time in 1933).
If a President dies or is unable to carry out his duties, he is succeeded by the Vice President. The Constitution does not delegate any specific executive powers to the Vice President (or to members of the presidential Cabinet or to other federal officials). Except for the 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 (who presides over the Senate when the Vice President is absent). After them in order of importance, come the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Treasury, the Secretary of Defence and the rest of the cabinet ministers.
Functions:
As head of the government (the executive branch), the President must carry out the government programmes.
He has an important legislative role. He recommends laws to Congress and requests money for federal government operations.
He can veto any bill passed by Congress, and his veto may be overruled by a two-thirds vote in both Houses of Congress.
The President, as head of a political party and as chief executive officer of the government, has a strong influence on public opinion, on what the course of legislation in Congress very often depends. Within the executive branch, the President has Proadpowers to issue so-called executive orders, which have the force of law. He is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the United States.
The President has the authority to appoint the heads of all executive departments and agencies, together with hundreds of other high-ranking officials, including judges, from the district court level to the US Supreme Court. Each appointment must be approved by the Senate.
One more important function of the President is that he can grant a full or conditional pardon to anyone accused of breaking a federal law — make shorter prison sentences and reduce fines.
Under the Constitution the President is responsible for foreign relations with other nations. With the Secretary of State, the President manages all official contacts with foreign governments, and concludes treaties with other countries. Such treaties must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
Main trends:
President Barack Obama introduced a new Global Health Plan which through a comprehensive package sought to spend 65 billion dollars in the next half decade to fight deadly diseases in the poor developing world.
President Obama stated during the 64th UN General Assembly that the U.S. fully supported the UN´s Millennium Development Goals and would work to revive fresh thinking on a number of important global issues concerning the future generation, namely: climate change, nuclear disarmament, the global food crisis, the HINI pandemic and the international financial and economic crisis.
February and March, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made separate overseas trips to announce a "new era" in U.S. foreign relations with Russia and Europe, using the terms "break" and "reset" to signal major changes from the policies of the preceding administration.
Obama continued his outreach to the Muslim world, releasing a New Year's video message to the people and government of Iran.
On September 24, 2009, Obama became the first sitting U.S. President to preside over a meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Early in his presidency, Obama moved to alter U.S. war strategy in Iraq by planning to decrease troop levels. By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end.