2.2. Place – Names in America

European place names appeared in America beginning with the 16th.c. when Europeans came to inhabit the New World. Some of the names that appeared on the map at that time were those of English and French kings and queens. Many names are taken from history and literature, from geology.

Along the east coast of the US, such English names as Plymouth, Cambridge, London, Boston can be found, also with prefix “new”: New England, New Britain, New York.

The first people arrived in America from Holland and built the town New Amsterdam. But 40 years later, when Holland was at war with England, an English fleet under the command at the Duke of York occupied the town and re named it New York. This name has remained to this day. New York City – is a correct name, because there is a state New York. Washington D.C. differs from the state Washington.

The State of New York has Borodino. One of the hottest places in the California desert was called Siberia; it is humorous for those who know the geography of Russia.

There are 22 towns in the U.S. that are called London, or New London, 18 towns named Bristol, many named Chester, Vindsor or New Windsor.

There are towns named Philadelphia in 4 states, besides Philadelphia is the largest city in the state Pennsylvania.

Moscow can be found in 11 American states. In the mid 19^th c. there emerged 5 or 6 Sevastopols on the map of the USA. Odessa is met 9 times and only 2 of these are situated on the seashore, the rest of them are inland towns.

All this explains the American tradition of writing the names of the state as well as the name of the city.

Answer the questions:

1. What is the origin of the place-names in America.

2. What famous European place-names can we find in the geographical map?

3. History of the usa in brief

3.1. Early Explorations. The First Europeans in America

The term New World – newly discovered and unsettled – is used in contrast with Old World, which was for the people of Europe known world of written historical records and literatures.

Before Columbus several flourishing civilizations had existed there for centuries. The earliest inhabitants of America may have arrived over 25,000 years before Columbus in the place what is now Nevada. When the climate began to warm up they ranged the entire New World. And by 1492 (the time Columbus reached the New World) the American civilization had reached a level of culture which included personal wealth, fine buildings, religions.

The Vikings under Leif Ericson were the first Europeans who landed on the coast of North America in 1000.

People tried to find a rout (a western sea rout) to Asia (India) because even a single ship with Asian goods could make a fortune.

Christopher Columbus, an Italian navigator in the service of Spain, on October, 12 in 1492 landed on one of the Bahama Islands and named it San Salvador («божественное спaсение»). He returned three times and discovered Cuba, Haity, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and other islands of the West Indies. He called the people of the Islands Indians; he thought he had discovered India.

Martin Waldseemuller, a German geographer, was the 1 mapmaker who called the New World “America” in 1507, by name of Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian navigator who explored the northern and eastern coasts of South America in 1499.

In 1758 Sir Francis Drake, English navigator and admiral, landed on the California coast. In 1584 Sir Walter Raleigh, English explorer and writer, landed in Virginia.

Answer the questions:

1. Where may the earliest inhabitants of America have arrived?

2. Who were the first Europeans in America?

3. What places did the land on?