n i a t i r B t n e i c n A

Historians call Anglo-Saxons the peoples who lived in the south and east of Gr eat Britain, from the early 5th century AD to the Norman conquest of 1066. They spoke Germanic dialects, and wer e the descendants of three powerful Germanic tribes: the Angles, the Saxons (from northern Germany) and the Jutes (from Denmark). During 350 years of Roman occupation of Britain, there was constant contact with Rome because of trading and commerce, and the Britons had to adopt the Roman language and customs. However although the Romans were technically advanced and politically wellorganised, they could not completely Hadrians Wall, Cumbria, Northern England control the fierce Northern tribes in the area which is now Scotland. For this reason, in AD 122 the Emperor Hadrian built the famous Hadrians Wall to keep the Roman part of the countr y safe from the aggressive Scottish tribes. You can still see it today.

Britain in AD 500 and the Roman Invasion

Various myths and legends surround the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. The Celts, one of the most mysterious people of all times, arrived in Britain between 1500 BC and 400 BC during the Bronze or the Iron Age. One of their most famous constructions, Stonehenge, can still be seen today on Salisbury Plain, not far from London.

The Vikings and the Normans

When the Roman legions abandoned Britain in the early 5th century, the number of Germanic immigrants to Britain began to incr ease, and in 789 the Vikings invaded Britain. They brought many changes in culture and traditions to the Anglo-Saxon society, but more important for the countrys future was the conquest of England by the Normans in 1066, after the invasion by William the Conqueror Duke of Normandy, and his success at the Battle of Hastings. This event in English histor y created one of the most powerful monarchies in Europe, and was the last successful foreign conquest of the countr y.

Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, UK

Julius Caesar led the first Roman invasion of the British Isles around 54 BC, and started to settle the country. By this time Roman society was sophisticated, with paved roads, public facilities such as thermal baths and a complex political system. British society was less developed; people still lived in simple villages and wer e mainly animists.

Now answer these questions:

Who were the Anglo-Saxons? Where did they come from? How long did the Roman occupation of Britain last? Were there many differences between Roman and British societies in 54 BC? Give some examples. 5 What can you see on Salisbury Plain? Who built it? 6 Who was Julius Caesar and what did he do in 54 BC? 1 2 3 4

7 Who was William the Conqueror? Why is he crucial in British history? 8 Why did Emperor Hadrian decide to build the Wall? 9 Every country in the world has monuments and f amous places to visit. Choose one in your city/area/ region and speak about it, its history, why you like it, etc.

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r o r e u q n o C e h t William
The Norman king William I (known as William the Conqueror, because of his success in military campaigns) was King of England from late 1066 until his death in 1087. William invaded England in 1066, leading an army of Portrait of William the Conqueror Normans, Bretons and Dutch and beat the English forces of King Harold at the Battle of Hastings . He then decided to march westward and to attack London from the north-west. Once in London, he was crowned in Westminster Abbey, on Christmas Day 1066. Williams reign brought French culture to England and it deeply influenced the court in London and the arts, politics, cooking and manners of England in the Middle Ages.

The birth of Modern English

This period also saw dramatic changes in the English language, in the organisation of society and the church. William replaced English with French as the language of the ruling classes for nearly 300 years, thus mixing the original Anglo-Saxon language of the country with the Norman one. Like many of his successors, William ruled England but lived in Normandy. There he died at the age of 59 and William Rufus (his third son) Entrance to the Tower of London became the next English king, with the name of William II. The Norman invasion was the last time that England was successfully conquered by a foreign power. In the following centuries many other invaders tried such as the Nazis during World War II but none ever succeeded!

William's Reign
Williams reign was characterized by a large programme of building and fortification, to prevent rebellion among the defeated Britons. The masterpiece of the era is the White Tower, the original core of the Tower of London.

View of the Tower of London

Now answer these questions:

1 Where did William the Conqueror come from? 2 Why did people give him this nickname? 3 Where did William oppose the English Army and who won the battle? 4 What is the name of the famous building the Normans constructed during William Is reign? 5 What influence did French culture have on Britain during the Norman period? What influence did French have on the English language?

6 Who was William Rufus? 7 Where did William the Conqueror live most of the time? 8 Where was William crowned and when? 9 William the Conquerors conquest of England brought many changes in the English language: make a list of a few English words that may have a French origin.

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t lo P r e d w o p n u G e h Guy Fawkes and t

The early 17th century was the Secretary of State. a turbulent time for On the night of England with different November 4th the religious factions competing cellars under the for political power. During Parliament were that period Catholics were inspected, and Guy persecuted in Protestant Fawkes was discovered England and a group of there with matches in conspirators aimed to start a his pockets. He was revolt in the Midlands and taken to the Tower of take the throne of England. London, interrogated Guy Fawkes was a member and executed, along of this group of English with the other Catholics who planned to conspirators of the blow up the Houses of Gunpowder Plot. t Fireworks in London at Guy Fawkes Nigh Parliament, kill King James I and most of the Protestant aristocracy on November 5th 1605 (the so-called Gunpowder Nowadays, on Guy Fawkes Night British children Plot). That night Guy Fawkes had to set fire still make a Guy (a doll filled with straw) and to the explosives placed under the Houses take him around the streets shouting A penny of Parliament. for the guy!. All the money they collect is The plotters decided to rent a house near the spent on treats River Thames to conceal the gunpowder, and at the parties when they learnt that a coal merchant had which follow, vacated a cellar under the House of Lor ds, they in front of immediately took it. They stacked 36 barr els of enormous gunpowder under a pile of coal, and while the bonfires and other conspirators left London to arrange the there are subsequent rebellion, Guy Fawkes was left in the fireworks to cellar, ready to ignite the barrels. represent the explosion which almost ended the However, one of the conspirators had a br othermonarchy. in-law in the House of Lords and wrote him a letter advising him to stay away fr om the Houses A typical guy filled with straw of Parliament on the day of the plot. Shocked and terrified the man immediately took the letter to

November 5th: Guy Fawkes Night

The Gunpowder Plot

A Letter to the Lords

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5 6

Who was Guy Fawkes? What was the Gunpowder Plot? Who was the King of England in 1605? Where did the plotters put the barrels of gunpowder? How was the plot discovered? What happened to Guy Fawkes after he was discovered?

7 Who shouts A penny for the guy! and what is a guy? 8 What other things characterise Guy Fawkes Night today? 9 Why do you think everybody is happy on Guy Fawkes Night?

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e r a e p s e k a h S m a i l l i W e r t a e h T n a h t e b a z and the Eli

The poets life
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. The In the 16th century theatre became third child of John Shakespeare, a the most popular form of glove-maker, and Mary Arden, entertainment in England and this William went to Stratford Grammar demand started the formation of School, where he received a good basic small companies of actors, usually education. In 1582, he married Anne financed by great noblemen. Hathaway and they had three children. When a play was successful, the William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Shakespeare probably left Stratford actors were given permission to around 1586 to join a company of perform it in public. travelling The Globe was a typical theatre in Shakespeares actors, and days and it was ver y different from a modern eventually theatre. The plays took place in the open air in arrived in daylight when the weather was good, and ther e London. He was no scenery on the stage. Women were not became a very allowed to act in the theatr e and female roles popular writer were usually played by young boys. The action of plays and of took place mainly on the large platform stage poetry. behind which there was another smaller stage William Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford separated by a curtain. upon Avon The galleries for the audience almost completely William wrote 38 plays surrounded the stage, and tragedies, comedies, histories people watched the action and romances. Hamlet, like from three sides, many of his dramas, was sometimes becoming part performed at the Globe of the performance Theatre in London. themselves. When he retired from writing, Between two and three Shakespeare went back to thousand people, from all Stratford and lived in a large, classes of society attended comfortable house called New The Globe Theatre today the plays and the Place. He died on his 52nd audience consisted of a variety of ver y different birthday in 1616 and was buried in Holy Trinity people noblemen, merchants, artisans, soldiers Church in Stratford. If you go to Stratford today, and servants: a variegated and strange crowd you can visit his original birthplace. often noisy and out of control!

The Globe and Pre-Shakespearean Drama

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Where was William Shakespeare born? What did his father do? What kind of education did young William have? Why did he leave Stratford in 1586 ? What was The Globe? Can you describe it briefly? What did William do when he retired? What kind of literature did Shakespeare write?

8 What kind of people went to watch a typical Shakespeares play? 9 Shakespeares plays are still very appreciated and loved by people from all over the world. Find out news about his most famous dramas. Explain what makes Shakespeare a modern writer.

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s e c e i p r e t s a M s Shakespeare
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: the story
One night Prince Hamlet of Denmark meets the ghost of his dead father inside Elsinore Castle. The ghost tells him that he was murdered by Hamlets uncle, Claudius. Now Claudius has married Hamlets mother, Gertrude, and has declared himself the new King. The ghost asks Hamlet to take revenge for his murder. The Princes life changes completely. He discovers that Ophelia, the girl he loves, her father Polonius and even his own mother the Queen all support Claudius. Because of his strange behaviour, everybody except his friend Horatio believes that Hamlet is mad. After much indecision, finally Hamlet kills Claudius, but his revenge causes many other deaths ... including eventually his own. Only Horatio survives to tell the truth to the world.

Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, Denmark

Instead he is thoughtful and empathetic. He hesitates about killing his uncle in cold blood because he hates violence, revenge and killing and feels they are not part of his nature, but he still feels that he should avenge his beloved father.

Romeo and Juliet: the story

The play takes place in the town of Verona, where the Montagues and the Capulets are two rival families involved in a family feud. No member of the family is ready to forgive and forget the past. Romeo Montague goes to a party where he meets Juliet, and immediately falls in love with her. He later discovers that she is a Capulet, a daughter of the rival family of the Montagues. But he loves her anyway and they

Main themes
What makes this play still relevant today are its characters and the nature of Hamlets dilemma. Hamlet is essentially a modern man: he suffers because of his complex psychology. He is unusual for his own time because he is not a strong and brave man of action like the other courtiers around him.
Hamlet

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s e c e i p r e t s a M s Shakespeare
confess their love for each other during the ver y famous balcony scene in which they decide to secretly marry to stop the feud between the two families. Unfortunately, things only get worse for Romeo and he ends up killing Tybalt of the Capulet family and is banished from Verona. The Capulets plan Juliets marriage to Paris. But Juliet does not want to marr y him so she arranges with Friar Lawrence to fake her own death with a sleeping potion that will make everyone think that she is dead. Friar Lawr ence promises to tell Romeo about the potion, but Romeo does not receive the message on time and when he hears of Juliets death he goes to her tomb, sees her body and desperate, drinks real poison and dies. When Juliets potion wears off, she awakens and finds her lovers corpse. She then stabs herself with Romeos dagger. The two families find the bodies and decide to finally make peace with each other: the feud is over.

Main themes
Romeo and Juliet fall in love on impulse and decide to get married without even thinking about the consequences of their actions and the family feud. But it is the feud that r eally causes their deaths. The two families cant even remember what they are fighting about, members of the Capulets and Montagues hate each other only because of their family names. The play shows how such negative, pointless hate can only generate more trouble and sometimes, tragedy.

Juliets balcony in Verona

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4

What is Hamlet, Prince of Denmark about? Why is Hamlet considered to be a modern character? Why does Hamlet kill his uncle Claudius? What does revenge cause all through the story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark? 5 Who are the Montagues and the Capulets and where do they come from? 6 Why does Juliets father hate Romeo?

7 Who is Tybalt and what happens to him and to Romeo as a consequence? 8 Why does Juliet drink a potion? 9 What is Juliets reaction when she awakes and sees Romeo is dead? 10 Why, in your opinion, is Romeo and Juliet still relevant for a modern audience? Why? 11 Which of these two famous plays is your favourite? Explain why.

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s n o i t u t i t s n I K U
The Parliament and the Prime Minister
England is sometimes called the Mother of Parliaments, because its democratic institutions date from the 17th century and have set the standards for many other democracies all over the world. Established in 1707, the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom. The Sovereign, currently Queen Elizabeth II , is its official head and in theory supreme legislative power still belongs to the British Sovereign, but in practice real power is administered by the government and the MPs (Members of Parliament ) in Parliament. The Prime Minister, who leads the political party with the majority of seats in Parliament and is also head of all the gover nment ministers, is its highest political authority. The British Parliament comprises the House of Lords, and the House of Commons who meet in separate chambers in the Houses of Parliament at Westminster in London. The House of Commons is formed of MPs elected by the people and discusses the problems and running of the country, opposes or supports the actions of the government and decides on new laws. The House of Lords consists of peers of the r ealm, senior judges and bishops of the Chur ch of England. Among the peers, some inherited their titles in their families, others wer e given their titles for services to the country. The House of Lords today doesnt have any real legislative power but it can reconsider bills which have been passed by the House of Commons and make amendments to them. The senior judges in the Lords however do have an important function: they are the final Court of Appeal in the British judicial system.

The Houses of Parliament on the river Tham

es, London

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s n o i t u t i t s n I K U
The Sovereign and the Magna Carta
Britain is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch. The Constitution of the United Kingdom is based on the Magna Carta, written in 1215 during the Norman period. Limiting the powers of the monarch and stating his/her position before the law, the Magna Carta influenced the development of Common Law and also many constitutional documents in later democracies, including the United States Constitution. The Queen has no real legislative power: she has to respect the decisions and laws approved by Parliament. The present monarch, Elizabeth II, has reigned since 1952. She and the other members of the Royal Family have of ficial and ceremonial roles as representatives of the United Kingdom and its territories all over the world. At present, 54 independent countries (the lar gest being Canada, Australia and India) ar e part of the Commonwealth.

Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations.

After World War II, many of the overseas colonies and dominions which were part of the British Empire became independent of Britain. Times changed and the glorious era of the British Empir e which at its largest covered one third of the world, was over. A new free association of these now independent countries with shared cultural influences and common economic interests was established. This is known as the British Commonwealth.

Queen Elizabeth II

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5

How old is the British Parliament? How many Houses does it have? Who are MPs and how do they get their jobs? Who sits in the House of Lords? Who is the highest political authority in the British political world? 6 Whos the current British Sovereign?

7 What is his/her real role in British society? 8 What was the Magna Carta and what did it influence? 9 What is the Commonwealth of Nations and how many member states does it have today? 10 Do you know any other monarchies in Europe? Which ones? Can you name any members of those royal families?

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! s e l t a e B e h T The Fab Four:

More than simply an English rock band, The Beatles were a phenomenon which changed the life and music culture of thousands of young people all over the world for ever! characterised cultural revolution of the 1960s. The band was definitely hugely influential.

The band splits up

As the years passed and their popularity gr ew, internal creative pressures increased dramatically in the band, and the cr eative duo McCartneyLennon started to break down. The two singersongwriters disagreed on practically everything and when John Lennon started a r elationship with Japanese performance artist Yoko Ono, their creative partnership finally ended. After the split, each ex-Beatle found success in an independent musical career. Today, only McCartney and Starr remain active: John Lennon was killed by a fanatic in New Y ork on December, 8th 1980, and George Harrison died in 2001. During their career, the Beatles sold more albums in the USA than any other artist. They also received 7 Grammy Awards and Queen Elizabeth II even appointed them Members of the Order of the British Empire. In 1988 The Beatles were admitted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

A stamp representing the Fab Four

Formed in Liverpool in 1960, the members of the band were John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). The Beatles first r eached success in late 1962 with their hit, Love Me Do. Successive albums, such as Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road, Yellow Submarine and The White Album transformed them into a living legend.

Beatlemania
The Beatles popularity in the 1960s and 70s was enormous and people even invented a wor d to describe it: Beatlemania. Not only everybody sang their songs and loved them, but people also started dressing and cutting their hair like their heroes and mimicking The Beatles lifestyle. Young people also considered them as the embodiment of the ideals, freedom and youth culture which

The Rock&Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland

OH, USA

Now answer these questions:

1 Who were the Fab Four? 2 What was Beatlemania? 3 Why were The Beatles so important during the 1960s? 4 What is Love me do? When did it become popular? 5 Who composed most of The Beatles songs?

6 Why did the band split up? 7 Who are the only Beatles still alive and what happened to the rest of the band? 8 Do you know any Beatles song? Which one? Do you like it? Why? Why not?

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d l r o W g n i k a e p The English S

Map of the English Speaking Countries in

the World

After Chinese, English is the second most spoken language in the world, but is definitely the most widespread. Heres a list of the main countries where it is the official language, apart from the UK, Ireland and the USA.

Jamaica
A major island in the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica was first a Spanish possession and later became a British colony. Though independent from Britain, Queen Elizabeth II is the sover eign of the state. With its 2.8 million people, it is the thir d most populous anglophone country in North America. Famous people from Jamaica include Bob Marley and the fastest human being on Earth, the 100 metres sprinter Usain Bolt. Kingston is the largest city and the countr ys capital.

Canada

Bordering south with the USA, Canada is a bilingual country, where almost 60% of the people speak English and more than 32% speak French. Canada has very cold winters and the far north of the country is practically da uninhabited. Over The aerial view of Ottawa, capital city of Cana 80% of the Canadian population lives within 150 km from the US border in the south. A federation with ten provinces and three territories, Canada is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Its capital is Ottawa and Toronto is the largest city.

View over Ocho Rios port town, Jamaica

10

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d l r o W g n i k a e p The English S
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa, between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The country was settled in the 19th century by Dutch, Flemish, German and French settlers and became a British dominion in 1910. South Africa is a rich and quite pr osperous country but it was notorious in the past for the Apartheid issue, the political and economic inequality between its black and white citizens and the 27-year battle of its former pr esident Nelson Mandela, to end that r egime. The capital city is Johannesburg.

The City of Cape Town, South Africa

Australia
Located in the Souther n hemisphere, Australia is the worlds smallest continent. It was discovered by Dutch explorers in 1606 and the eastern half of Australia was claimed by the British in 1770 after captain Cook navigated around it. It was initially a penal colony and was settled by criminals transported there from Britain and Ireland. The population grew quickly in the following years and during the 19th

Perth, Australia. City wide skyline view from

Kings Park.

century it became a Crown Colony. The population today is about 22 million, with 60% of Australians concentrated in and ar ound the cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. The nations capital city is Canberra. Its original inhabitants, the Aborigines, still survive in the desert area in the centre and west of the country, called the Outback.

11

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d l r o W g n i k a e p The English S
New Zealand
New Zealand is formed by two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, and several smaller islands. It is about 2,000 km south-east of Australia in the pacific Ocean and is the countr y nearest to the South Pole. The countr y was settled in the 19th century by farmers from Britain and Europe and the majority of New Zealanders ar e of European descent although there are now also many Asian immigrants. The indigenous Maori are the largest minority and are well-integrated into society. The country has developed a unique fauna dominated by birds because there are no natural mammal predators there. Wellington is the capital city.

India
The Republic of India is a country in South Asia, surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Part of the British Empire from the eighteenth century, India became an independent nation in 1947 after its struggle for independence against Britain led by non-violent leader Mahatma Ghandi. The capital city of the countr y is New Dehli. English is one of the official languages of the countr y and it is spoken and written fluently by many Indians.

A view of Mt Cook from the shore of Hook

er Lake, New Zealand

Mahatma Ghandi

Now answer these questions:

1 Which is the most spoken language in the world? 2 Which are the two official languages of Canada and how many people speak them? 3 Which is the third most populous anglophone country in North America? 4 Where do most of Canadians live and why? 5 Name a couple of important Jamaicans.

6 Who is Nelson Mandela and why is he famous? 7 Which continent was discovered by the Dutch in the 17th century? 8 Where do most New Zealanders originate from? 9 Who are the Maori and where do they live nowadays? 10 Why, in your opinion, English is spoken in so many different countries of the world? Explain.

12

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d n a l s I d l a r e m Ireland, the E
the Irish language, which is taught in schools along with English and used on television and in the Irish parliament.

Dublin
Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles; surrounded by hundreds of other smaller islands it lies east of Gr eat Britain, separated from it by the Irish Sea. The island hosts two countries: the independent Democratic Republic of Ireland (or EIRE) in the south and west, and Norther n Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, located in the north-east of the island. The island is characterized by low hills, white beaches, a luxuriant green vegetation, and a mild, changeable oceanic climate. A Norman invasion in the Middle Ages r esulted in English domination of the countr y which lasted for centuries. In 1801 Ir eland officially became a part of the United Kingdom. A strongly Catholic country, Ireland opposed Protestant Britains rule and the resulting war of independence in the early 20th centur y led to the division of the island, creating the Irish Free State (Eire) and Northern Ireland. In 1973, both parts of Ir eland joined the European Community, EIRE adopting the Euro monetary system. Ireland has a strong indigenous Celtic culture, expressed through its literature and music, and Dublin is the largest city and the capital of Ireland. Its Irish name is Baile tha Cliath, while the English name comes from the Irish word Dubh Linn meaning black pool. This modern city is located on the east coast of the island at the mouth of the River Lif fey. Originally founded as a Viking settlement, it became the islands most important city after the Norman invasion. A youthful and vibrant city, Dublin today has a lively nightlife, live music is frequently played on streets and in bars. The city also has one of the fastest gr owing populations of any European capital city.

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5

Where is Ireland situated? How many countries are there in Ireland? Whats the climate of Ireland like? When did British domination of the island start? Is Ireland part of the European Union?

6 Who founded the city of Dublin? 7 What is Dublin like today? 8 Do you know any Irish writers, musicians or sports stars? Why are they famous?

13

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e l g n a i r T e v a l The S
cotton, sugar, and tobacco. Thanks to this system, the United States grew extremely rich during the first half of the 19th centur y.

The role of slaves

The history of slavery in the United States began shortly after the first English settlement in Virginia and lasted until the end of the American Civil War. The Atlantic slave trade, also known as the Slave Triangle, is the name given to the traffic of goods and human beings from England to Africa and to the colonies of the New World, from the 16th century to the 19th century. Most of the West and Central African slaves who arrived to the New World, were captured in raids, but others wer e also bought from or traded with African kings, who captur ed them from enemy tribes. The first step in the Slave Triangle was the export of goods from Europe to Africa. For each captive the African kings accepted in exchange various kinds of goods from Europe. The second step was the exportation of Africans slaves across the Atlantic Ocean to the Southern states of the USA. The third and final step was the r eturn of goods to Europe from the Americas, especially Conditions for slaves varied according to the slaves skin colour but were always difficult. Darker slaves worked in the fields, while lighter-skinned ones could work in their owners houses as domestic servants. Slave traders preferred not to trade complete slave families because the members usually wanted to stay together and this created problems when they tried to sell them, so they usually separated family members before they sold them. Conditions for slaves were very difficult and they had no civil rights. Their owners considered them to be their property, like the animals on their farms.

The Abolition Movement

From the 1750s, during the American Revolution people began to be influenced by the philosophy and ideals of the Enlightenment movement in Europe and slavery started to be seen as a social evil that had to be abolished. Many influential people supported the Abolition Movement including the writer Harriet Beecher Stowe (author of the novel Uncle Toms Cabin) and Harriet Tubman, a member of the Underground Railroad who helped 350 slaves to escape from the South.

Now answer these questions:

1 When did the history of slavery in the USA begin? 2 What was the Slave Triangle? 3 Where did most of the black slaves in the US come from? 4 How were they caught?

5 What did the African kings accept in exchange for human beings? 6 Why was slavery positive for the US? 7 Which factors influenced the treatment of slaves? 8 Do you think that the US have totally resolved their racial problems today? Explain.

14

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n a c i r e m A e v i A Nat o m i n o r e G : r o i r War

War with the Americans

In the years to come Geronimo and his warriors began a series of intermittent raids against white settlements and they were so successful at evading capture that they became an embarassment to the government of the USA. In 1882, US Army General George Crook went to Arizona to conduct a campaign against the Apaches. Geronimo eventually surrendered in January 1884. However, when he heard that his captors planned to hang him he escaped from the San Carlos Reser vation where he was imprisoned, accompanied by 35 warriors and 109 other Apache men, women and childr en. At least 5,000 white soldiers and 500 Indians paid by the USA were involved in the final capture of Geronimo, five months and 1,645 miles later, in his camp in the Sonora Mountains.

Geronimo was born to an Apache tribe in 1829 in an area of Arizona now belonging to the Federal State of New Mexico. He was a quiet child, like any other Indian boy leading the traditional life of his tribe in the desert. However when the Mexicans killed his family in a terrible raid Geronimo changed from a peaceful Indian into one of the boldest Native American warriors of all times. With his band of Apache followers, he took part in numerous raids against white settlers and soldiers in northern Mexico, and in the US states New Mexico and Arizona. His adversaries gave him the nickname of Geronimo, the Spanish version of the name Jerome.

Exile
The Americans promised Geronimo exile in Florida and permission to return to the land of his birth, but they didnt keep their promises. Instead they took Geronimo and his followers to Florida and forced them to work in prison ther e. Over the years stories of Geronimos bravery and ferocity transformed him into a legend that fascinated people all over the world. In his later years he appear ed at numerous fairs, selling souvenirs and photographs of himself. He died on February 17th, 1909, but he never saw his homeland, beloved Arizona, again.

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5

Where was Geronimo born? How did he get the name of Geronimo? What happened to Geronimos relatives? Who was George Crook and why did he go to Arizona? What did Geronimo do at San Carlos Reservation ?

6 What did the Americans promise him when he surrendered in the Sonora Mountains? 7 Why were people fascinated by Geronimo, in your opinion? 8 Why do you think Geronimo took part in fairs? How do you think he felt? Explain.

15

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Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull was born around 1831 in the South Dakota area to a Lakota Sioux tribe; his original birth name was Tatanka-Iyotanka, which was then translated to Sitting Bull by the Pale Faces.

A Native American Hero

Sitting Bulls first important battle against the American Army was a striking victory for the Army and left the Sioux badly into pieces, mainly because of the Armys large use of artillery. As a consequence many Native American chiefs renounced the fight and moved to reservations, while Sitting Bull refused to surrender and became a strong and respected tribal leader. By then though, white settlers, missionaries, and railroad workers, started to move all acr oss the United States, forcing the Native Americans to abandon their tribal lands. Sitting Bull decided to unite his people against this invasion, tr ying to make peace and trade with the whites.

3,000 Native Americans had left their reservations to follow Sitting Bull. Custer rapidly lost many troops ... and his life as well! This victory made Sitting Bull a hero among the great Native American leaders such as Crazy Horse and Apache Geronimo. But the Natives end was already signed, because Custers death brought thousands more Army soldiers to the area; these attacked the Lakota Indians and forced them to surrender. Once again Sitting Bull refused to, and in May 1877 he crossed the Canadian border, where he remained in exile for a number of years, until hunger and cold finally forced him, his family and a few remaining warriors, to surrender. Ironically, in 1885, Sitting Bull was allowed to join the Buffalo Bills Wild West Show. By then the so-called Wild West did no longer exist: Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill had become two circus characters!

The Little Big Horn Battle

But when in 1876 gold was discover ed in the Black Hills (a holy place for the Sioux) and his people were forced away from their reservation in the area, Sitting Bull took up arms against the whites and refused to be moved. He then, followed by other Native warriors, decided to camp nearby the Little Big Horn River . When Colonel George Armstrong Custer attacked the Indian tribes, he did not r ealize that more than
National Cemetery at Little Big Horn Battl efield

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5

Who was Tatanka-Iyotanka? Which tribe did Sitting Bull belong to? What happened in 1876 in the Black Hills? Why were those hills so important for the Natives? What did Sitting Bull try to do with the other Native tribes? 6 What happened at Little Big Horn?

7 How many Indian warriors joined with Sitting Bull at Little Big Horn? 8 Who were Crazy Horse and Geronimo and what did they share with Sitting Bull? 9 What happened to Sitting Bull in May 1877 and why did he act so? 10 How do you think Sitting Bull felt to be in a circus with Buffalo Bill? Why do you think he decided to act so?

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t e i r r a H : s n o c I American n o s r a C t i K d n a Tubman
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe places used by black slaves in the southern states of the United States to escape to the free states in the north of the country or to Canada. Sympathetic white abolitionists helped them and between 1810 and 1850 the Underground Railroad helped almost 100,000 black people to escape. Harriet Tubman was an Afro-American abolitionist. Born as a slave, she escaped and began various missions to rescue slaves using the Underground Railroad. When the American Civil War began, Tubman worked for the Union Army, first as a cook and nurse, and then as a spy. After the war she was active in the womens suffrage movement (to obtain the vote for women in political elections) and when she died she became an icon of courage and fr eedom for Americans. At that time Kentucky was still a wilder ness populated by animals like wild geese, ducks, turkeys, quails and pigeons and with ver y few settlers. Deer, antelopes, moose, wolves, and even bears were also common, there was very little agriculture and most people lived by hunting and trapping animals for their meat and fur. There were no schools to attend in this ar ea, so young Kit Carson had no education. By the age of 15 he was an excellent horseman and could shoot very well. He was friendly with some of the Native Americans who lived near him and eventually became a trapper, an Indian guide and interpreter. He lived with the Native American Indians in their villages and later married a Cheyenne girl of unusual intelligence and beauty, with whom he had a daughter. Because of his love for the Native American way of life and for the state of Kentucky, Carson became one of the most famous men in American history and many stories were told about him. He died on May 23rd, 1868 at a time when the Native Americans traditional way of life was ending because of the politics of the White Man. Soon his beloved Indians had to give up their nomadic lifestyle and started to weave blankets to sell to tourists as souvenirs to make money. The Golden Era of the Wild West was over.

Kit Carson and the Wild West

Kit Carson is known to many childr en as a comic character in a famous Italian cartoon strip, but Christopher Kit Carson was a r eal person, born in Kentucky in December 1809.

Now answer these questions:

1 What was the Underground Railroad? 2 Who was Harriet Tubman? 3 What did Harriet do at the end of the American Civil War? 4 Describe Kentucky by the time of Kit Carsons childhood.

5 6 7 8

What did Kit become when he grew up? How did he feel about Native Americans? Why did he become famous? Which of these two American icons is your favourite and why? Explain.

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d n a h s u R d l o G The t s e W e h t f o t s the Conque

The Gold Rush was a period of mass migration of people, started after gold was first discovered in large quantities in California in 1848. News of the discovery soon spread and in a few years mor e than 300,000 people moved to Califor nia from the rest of the United States and from all over the world. there were other more negative effects of the Gold Rush: the Native Americans were killed and compelled to move out of their traditional sacred lands and move to US reservations to make room for the white settlers. The Gold Rush also resulted in creating many ghost towns. The first gold-seekers were These were settlements which commonly called the forty-niners grew up very suddenly because because they arrived in the first some people said they had Pioneers getting the gold by panning wave of immigrants around 1849. found gold in the area, only to at a riverbed They travelled to California across be abandoned just as suddenly the continent in covered wagons when this proved to be untrue pulled by horses, and their trip was exceptionally and gold was discovered somewhere else. hard: they had to face wild animals, storms, Nowadays, ghost towns survive as tourist hostile Native American Indians and bandits. attractions, still preserving much of their original At first, the pioneers retrieved the gold from architecture. riverbeds using a simple technique called panning, but later they also started to r ecover it by digging in the ground and in the mountains of the area. Although the precious metal brought immense wealth to a few lucky gold diggers, most of them never found any and r eturned home still poor. The effects of the Gold Rush on the development of the state of Califor nia were enormous however. In just a few years San Francisco gr ew from a group of tents to a booming town, and r oads, churches, schools and houses wer e built to accommodate the growing population. California was eventually recognised as a state in 1850 but

A ghost town

Now answer these questions:

1 Why did so many people move from all over the world to California in the mid 1800s? 2 Who were the forty-niners? 3 How did they travel to California? 4 What happened to the state of California as a consequence of the Gold Rush?

5 What was panning? Describe it in your own words. 6 What is a ghost town? Are there any similar towns in your area? 7 How do you think the Native Americans felt about the Gold Rush? Explain your point of view.

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Get Ready for the exam / Histor y of the USA

Malcolm X
Malcolm X remains one of the most influential and controversial figures of the 20th century. He was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19th, 1925 to a black American family. When he was a child he saw his familys house set on fire by members of the Ku Klux Klan and his father killed in a suspected car accident. The X also represented the brand that many slaves in the plantations received on their upper arm to identify them as slaves. Malcolm X became one of the best orators of all times and his speeches grew famous among black people all over the countr y. Differently from Martin Luther King and others in the Black Rights Movement, he believed in armed political struggle not just non-violent protest, and he was a controversial figure for this reason. When he made a pilgrimage to Mecca some years later, he saw Muslims of different races treated as equals and he began to believe that Islam could be the solution to racial problems. But back home in the USA tensions increased dramatically and on February 21st, 1965 while he was giving a speech in Manhattan, three black men stood up in the audience and shot him. After his death, Dr Martin Luther King declared that, Malcolm X fought and died for what he believed to be right. He will have a place in the palace of martyrs. Malcolms ideals and reputation survived after his death, as proved in the movie Malcom X (1992) by black director Spike Lee, which was recognized as one of the 10 best films of the decade.

Early Life
Malcolm Little was an excellent student but he left school after a teacher told him that his aspirations of becoming a lawyer wer e no realistic goal for a nigger. Malcolm then moved to Harlem, New York, where he found work as a shoeshine boy. It was a difficult life and after a while he began selling and using drugs. As a consequence, in 1946 he went to prison for 10 years. There he converted to Islam and started reading hundreds of books which helped him to widen his education. He also became an activist in the movement for political rights for Black Americans.

Politics and Beliefs

Soon after his release, Malcolm decided to change his surname to "X", explaining that he r efused to accept the slave surname, given to his ancestors by their white master many generations befor e.

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5 6

Who was Malcolm Little? How and why did he change his name? Why did young Malcolm leave school? What did young Malcolm do in New York City? What did Malcolm do during his stay in prison? Why was Malcom X different form other members of the Black Rights Movement?

7 Why was the visit to Mecca important in his life? 8 What was the political atmosphere in the USA like at the beginning of 1965? 9 What do you think about the condition of black people in the USA today? Do they have equality with white people? Why? Why not?

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K F J y d e n n e K John Fitzgerald
The New Frontier
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the youngest President of the USA: he became president at the age of 43. His family were from Ireland originally; they were Catholics in a nation that was mainly Protestant and had a tradition of working in politics for the Democratic party. John was a handsome aristocrat, but he was also a war hero: during World War II he had ser ved in the US Navy. His presidential program, called the New Frontier, aimed to extend the civil rights of many Americans but foreign crises occupied much of his time as president. One of the most serious was the Vietnam War: many people criticized him for the US militar y presence in Vietnam. President Kennedy was a great orator and a popular leader. His inspiring personality is summed up in his most famous motto: Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your countr y. Unfortunately, his life came to a tragic end. He was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on November 22nd, 1963. During the JFK Administration, many important political events took place, such as the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Space Race.

The Space Race and the Apollo Project

During the 1960s the USSR, Americas main political rival, made incredible progress in space exploration. The Russian launched successful space missions and even sent a man Y uri Gagarin into space to orbit the Earth. JFKs administration decided that the USA must compete to win the Space Race and announced the American goal to land a man on the Moon within a decade: this was the Apollo Project.

The American Congress then approved the Project but Kennedy died before the agreement was formalized. On July 20th, 1969, almost six years after JFKs death, Neil Armstrong was the first man to land on the Moon.

Now answer these questions:

1 How old was John Fitzgerald Kennedy when he became President of the USA? 2 Was Kennedy the first of his family to enter politics? 3 Where was his family from? 4 What was the New Frontier? 5 What was the biggest crisis JFK faced during his presidency?

6 What were some of the important world political events which happened during Kennedy's presidency? 7 What happened in Dallas, Texas, on November 22nd? 8 Which was the first nation to send a man into space? 9 Who was the first man to set foot on the Moon and when? 10 What do you think JFK meant with his famous motto? Explain.

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: t s e t a e r G e h t Im Muhammad Ali
The greatest boxing champion of all times, he was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay on January 17th, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, but changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam. But Ali was not only a boxer: he was a symbol, a hero and an outstanding figure in the history of human rights. controversial war were repeated in the media around the world: I ain't got no quarr el with them Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger. As a result of his refusal, his boxing licence was taken away and he was stripped of this W orld Heavyweight title. Ali was then sent to prison but he kept on training while he was inside and when he returned in 1974 he regained his title, when he defeated champion George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire.

Retirement
In 1978 Ali retired from professional boxing and in 1984 doctors discovered that he had Parkinsons disease. During the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta he had the honor of lighting the flame to start the games. It was a poignant moment for the world to see The Gr eatest boxer of all time fragile and trembling with Parkinsons disease. On November 17th, 2002, Mohammad Ali went to Afghanistan as a special guest of the United Nations as their UN Messenger of Peace, on a three-day goodwill mission to try and bring peace to the ar ea.

A symbol for youth

Ali was three times the World Heavyweight Champion and the winner of an Olympic gold medal, which he famously threw into the Ohio River after being refused service at a whites-only restaurant nearby. In 1966, Ali, a conscientious objector, refused to serve in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. His famous words about the

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5

What was Muhammad Alis real name? Was Ali only famous as a boxer? Why did he throw his Olympic medal in the river? Why did Ali refuse to serve in the Vietnam War? Why did he go to prison?

6 Who was George Foreman? 7 What happened in Alis life in 1984? 8 Why, in your opinion, was Muhammad Ali chosen to light the Olympic flame in Atlanta in 1996? 9 Who is a conscientious objector? Explain.

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Get Ready for the exam / Histor y of the USA

San Francisco
A short history
Europeans officially discovered and explored the San Francisco Bay area and its islands in 1542. Before the arrival of Spanish and Portuguese explorers the area had been inhabited for 20,000 years by the native tribes called Oholones who were organized in a nomadic society of hunters. The European community was first settled in 1776, when the Spanish founded a mission ther e named Francis of Assisi , and a fort to guard the entrance to San Francisco Bay. But it was the Gold Rush starting around 1848 near the city that caused the town to suddenly expand, incr easing the population in just one year fr om 1,000 to 25,000!

Then on April 18th, 1906, a terrible earthquake shook the city and caused a fir e that burned for three days and destroyed almost all of San Franciscos centre. The city was quickly rebuilt but its location on the St. Andr eas fault means that it is always susceptible to seismic activity: infact, San Francisco was again badly damaged by an earthquake in 1989.

Earthquake in San Francisco

In 1850 the construction of the first transcontinental railroad connecting San Francisco with the eastern states of the USA, attracted thousands of workers, especially from China. It was completed in 1869 and by 1900 San Francisco had more than 340,000 inhabitants and was a flourishing metropolis.

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Get Ready for the exam / Towns in the USA

San Francisco
The City area
The port of San Francisco is one of the lar gest in the USA and the city is ser ved by an international airport and by two major transport systems: the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), which links the city with Oakland across the Bay, and the MUNI. San Francisco is also famous for its cable cars, called trolleys, which take people up and down the many hills above the bay.

Famous landmarks
Other highlights of this vibrant city ar e the handsome Golden Gate Bridge , the symbol of San Francisco, Alcatraz Island in the middle of the Bay, a former prison with spectacular views of the city, and Chinatown, with the biggest Chinese population outside of China, which offers a beautiful display of architecture, food markets, and souvenir shops. Finally ther es the Transamerican Pyramid, the tallest building in San Francisco, which you can see fr om everywhere in and around the City.

Golden Gate Bridge

Skyline with the Transamerican Pyramid

Alcatraz Island

Now answer these questions:

1 Who were the first inhabitants of the area around San Francisco ? 2 Which Europeans discovered the area? 3 Where did the city get its name from? 4 What was the main reason for the population boom in 1848? 5 What happened in San Francisco in 1906 and 1989?

6 7 8 9

What are the main landmarks of San Francisco? Which landmark is the symbol of the City? What is Chinatown? San Francisco is situated on St. Andreas fault. Find out information on faults and earthquakes, take notes and write a short paragraph.

23

Get Ready for the exam / Towns in the USA

s n o i t u t i t s n I S U
The United States of America is a Federal Union of fifty states plus the District of Columbia. The federal government is based on the American Constitution and has three different branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. Each of these branches has some authority to act on its own but it is also r egulated by the other two to guarantee democracy. The Constitution also limits the powers of the federal gover nment, and provides great authority to the individual states. The seat of the federal gover nment is in Washington, DC.

The Legislative branch: The Congress

The American Congress, like most parliaments, consists of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives consists of 435 members, each serving for a two-year term. Representatives are elected in proportion to the population of the different states. Each state also elects two Senators, regardless of its population, so in the Senate there are 100 senators each elected for a six-year term. The House of Representatives is managed by the Speaker and Congress meets in the Capitol in Washington, DC.

The Executive branch: The President

The President of the USA lives in the White House and is the Head of State, the Head of Government, and the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. He carries out the decisions taken by Congress. He can propose new laws but these must be approved by Congress. In times of national emergency he can act independently of Congress if it is for the good of the country. A number of Secretaries, each in charge of a Department, assists the President in the administration of the nation. The best known of them is the Secretary of State, who deals with foreign affairs. The President is elected for a four-year term, at the end of which he can be r eelected but he cant hold the office of President for more than 8 years.

The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the judicial body of the federal system and deals with legal problems between states, and with the interpretation of the Constitution. US judges are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Each State has also its individual court systems which are separate from but not entirely independent of the Supreme Court.

Now answer these questions:

1 How many States are the in the USA? 2 What is the role of the American Constitution in the US federal system? 3 What is Congress and where does it meet? 4 Who is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and where does he live? 5 What is the role of Secretaries?

6 Which Secretary is best known and what does he deal with? 7 How many people sit in the Senate and how do they get their office there? 8 Who is the Speaker? 9 Which are, in your opinion, the main differences between the American and the Italian political systems?

24

Get Ready for the exam / Histor y of the USA

d l r o W e h t s a A Web as Wide
The Internet is a system which connects computers to one another by means of a common language (called a Protocol). Today it serves billions of users all over the world. This network of networks links millions of private, public, university, business, and government networks and offers its users a huge quantity of fr ee information and services. Some of its most common applications are the World Wide Web (or www), the huge hypertext which inter-links documents, and email. children. People who were born before this are known as Digital Immigrants they have had to learn to use the new system as adults.

How it works
The Internet is commonly used at home, in public places and in schools, and its use is becoming cheaper and cheaper. New applications for it are created almost daily one of the most r ecent is the famous Facebook social network. But ... do you know how The Internet really works? When you send an e-mail, or you shar e a chatroom with your friends, your message is split into many packets of information and forwarded to your friends computer. These packets never follow the same route and they sometimes reach the other side of the world before they reassemble again on your friends computer screen and reveal your message! This explains why the Inter net can sometimes be so slow: it all depends on how many packets ar e travelling on the same routes at the same time. And when you surf the Net and visit a W ebsite, the Server which hosts the page that you want to read, sends your browser (the software you use to connect to the Net) a real copy of the page on your computer. Did you ever notice how the pages that you commonly surf, ar e faster to appear than those that you surf for the first time? Now you know why!

History
During the Cold War period American military scientists decided to build a system to connect all their computers in order to manage defence against a possible enemy attack: the name of the system was ARPANET. When in 1987 US President Ronald Reagan and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev signed the agreement to end the Cold War, it was decided to open the network for commercial purposes. Use of the Internet soon began to expand all over the world, and came to a tur ning point when the use of e-mail surpassed that of traditionally delivered mail (now called snail mail). Nowadays, people born since the 1990s are commonly called Digital Natives meaning that the Internet already existed when they were born and they have grown up using it since they wer e

Now answer these questions:

1 2 3 4 5

What is a Protocol? What is the www? How did the Internet originate? What is a Digital Native? What is a snail mail?

6 7 8 9

How does e-mail work? What is a browser? What do people use them for? What do you use the Internet for? Talk about your experience of using it.

25

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