The Usa

IN THE BEGINNING

Native Americans of North America.
Central and South America: Maya, Aztecs and Incas.

In the 16th century Europeans came to America with slaves from Africa.
Till 20th century there have been lots of immigrants.

Three countries: Canada, Mexico and the USA.

50 states with white, Hispanics (Spanish speaking), black, Asian, Native American.

Languages: English,Spanish.

THE PILGRIM FATHERS.

They were Europeans who did the journey across the Atlantic.

Americo Vespucci (Italian businessman)
Vikings came to Vinland. Canada or New England.
Columbus ---> Caribbean.
Native Americans ---> Indians
They all looked for richness.

French, the Dutch and British ---> North America
French: Quebec
Dutch: New York
British: Virginia and NewEngland

Groups of English people:
Colony of Jamestown in Virginia (1607). they looked for gold, they had a hard life, they grew tobacco and had slaves.
Plymouth, Massachusetts: 'Pilgrim Father'. They had strong ideas about religion. They were not agree with the English church. They came in the 'Mayflower'. They were farmers and didn't have slaves.

Thanksgiving: in 1621 they hada dinner to thank the first fook they had grown themselves. It is celebrated on 4th Thursday of November. Typical food: turkey and pie with pumpkin.

THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

1770---> 13 colonies along the east coast of North America governed by Britain. They were angry because of high taxes.

Boston Tea Party ( 1773): men throw boxes of tea into the sea.

The war was provocked becauseof fights between colonies and British government.

George Washington, who was a farmer, was the chief of American army.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the 'Declaration of Independence' in 1776: rights to life, freedom, happiness. George III was the king of Britain at that moment.
The day of the Declaration of Independence is the 4th of July.

Americans won the war in 1781.

1789---> GeorgeWashington was declared 1st president of the USA. (1789-1797).
Jefferson: 3rd president.

Lewis and Clark travel to the Pacific with a youn native american women, Sacagawea.

USA bought Florida from Spain (1819).

American flag ---> 'Stars and Stripes'. It appeared in the war of Independence.
Stars are states added. Now, there are 50. the last one was Hawaii.
Stripes are the first13 states.

THE CIVIL WAR ( 1861 ) (fight for the right of black people)

- There were lots of differences between North and South.
South: with slaves
North: no slaves
- Abraham Lincoln: 16th president of USA.
- Republican Party (didn't want slaves)
- killed by Booth at the theatre

- South:
- Robert E. Lee: southern soldier
- cotton
-North:
- General Sherman and Grant ( they helped to win the war)
- factories

- North won an important battle in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

- North won the war in Appomattox in 1865.

- Grant: president of the USA in 1868.

- Literature:
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
Gone with the Wind

THE WILD WEST

During the XIXth century lots of people came to live into the West.There were no many cowboys, but farmers. They had a very hard life.
The railway brought many people together.
Pony Express: horses and riders that carry the post.
Buffalo Bill: well-known rider

NATIVE AMERICANS

When Europeans arrived in the 15th century, they killed many native Americans and brought many diseases who killed them.

- In the West: the Cheyenne, the Blackfoot, the Sioux.- Buffalo(in the North) were used fot food, houses, clothes, knives, ... ( also shot by Europeans)

- Sitting Bull ( Sioux chief ) fought against the white men.
He won an important battle: Little Big Horn (1876), but he didn't win the war.

- Battle of Wounded Knee: it marked the end of the 'Indian Wars'. Many Native Americans were killed and started to live in special places called...