【英语国家社会与文化】Lesson_4_A_Brief_History_of_the_USA.ppt

Unit Two History The historic periods of the USA Pre-Colonial America English Colonial America (1067-1776) Forming of the USA (1776-1849) The Civil War (1861-1865) Rapid Growth of Economy (1865-1918) Christopher Columbus was the first European to set foot on what would one day become U.S. territory when he came to Puerto Rico in 1492. He thought he had reached India, so he named the local people Indians, not knowing that he had discovered a New Continent. The Spain grabbed enormous wealth from the Indians. Amerigo Vespucci He proved that the land was not India, therefore the land was named America after him. The first English colony in the Americas was founded at Jamstown, Virginia in 1607. (organized by the London company) The Second settlement In 1620, Puritans—the Pilgrim Fathers sailed for Virginia aboard the ship Mayflower. Reason to flee from England: to avoid the religious persecution Landed in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. Puritans Intolerant moralism American values (individualism, hard work, respect of education) Catholic Maryland (the third settlement) Lord Baltimore have his feudal plan executed. Quaker Pennsylvania (the fourth colonial place) William Penn Experiment The spirit of liberty and equality The idea of the melting-pot was first practiced here. Influence Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Forming of the USA (1776-1849)The War of Independence The prelude ---13 colonies (desired more power to determine their own business), ---the British government (collect more taxes from the colonies.) conflict repealed in 1766 ---the British government (sell tea at a lower price in the colonies through its own people.) ---This took away the tea business from American tea merchants. --- the famous Boston Tea Party in 1773 which was considered as the prelude of the War of Independence. The War of Independence ---In September 1774, the First Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia, which encouraged Americans to ref