Практический курс английского языка - Камянова Т.
ISBN 5-85550-177-9
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As for the social atmosphere in the country it was no less unquiet; workers went on fighting for their rights. In the rejgn of King William iV(1830-1837) the House of Parliament adopted in 1832 a new voting reform which actually gave nothing to workers. A number of political associations started all over the country. Finally there appeared a Charter which contained worker's demands, but they weren't realized by the government. In 1847 Karl Marx made a speech supporting the chartist movement, and the Union of Communists was organized. On the other hand Queen Victoria (1837-1991) became the heart of Empire, standing outside political parties and symbolizing national pride and prosperity. During her reign pre-monopolistic capitalism in Britain turned into imperialism.
By the beginning of the XX century economic life in Britain was dominated by monopolies. The new King Edward VII (1901-1910) assented to major social reforms. His successor Charles V (1910-1936) became the commander-in-chief during the World War I against German militarism.
Notes
1. to dismiss I to summon - распускать, закивать I созывать
2. to execute - (зд.) казнить
3. a bourgeoisie (, bu33wa:'zi:], bourgeois [Ъиэз\га:] - буржуазия, буржуазный
4. a colonial expansion - колониальная
5. to capture ['kasptfa] - захватывать
6. a Charter I the chartist movement - прошение, хартия I чартистское движение
7. to assent (to smth) - изъявлять согласие, соглашаться
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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (THE USA)
0. HISTORY: THE USA FROM ANCIENT TIMES TILL THE XX CENTURY
The first people to live in North America came from Asia between 10,000 and 30,000 years ago. At that time North America and Asia were connected by a land bridge. Eventually North America became populated by many different tribes of people. By the time when in 1492 the New World was discovered by Columbus there were 900 thousand Indians living there.
At the end of the XVI century England established colonies in North America. The colonies were growing rather rapidly. In 1619, the colonists were given the right to self-government. The British eventually established 13 colonies in America: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. The colonies were supposed to shop raw materials for England to use them for the benefit of her own industry. In the XVIII century capitalism was developing in the colonies, and the North Americans were beginning to feel that their way of life, their customs and connections were transforming them into a separate nation. That is how the struggle ofthe American people and British bougeoisie started. In 1775 the Congress ofthe United Colonies met in Philadelphia and they elected George Washington Commander of the colonies' armed forces. In the coarse ofthe War of Independence armed forces were organizing into a powerful army. In 1776 the Philadelphia Congress adopted a Declaration of Independence which introduced the democratic government. It was written by Thomas Jefferson, with the assistance of John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. The document defined the rights of the people of the independent states. Its first part stated that «all Men are created equal» and have the God-given right to «Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.» The second part declared independence from Britain. For six years there had been military actions for the colonies till 1783, when the independence of the former 13 colonies, now the United States of America, were acknowledged. 4
During the Napoleonic wars the United States made an attempt to take Canada from Britain, but it failed. The British captured and burned Washington. A peace treaty was finally signed in December 1814. The British agreed to recognize the United States country boundaries. It made the country completely independent, but there was no hope for peace in the country, as the USA faced the conflict inside the country - it was the conflict between the North and the South. Economy in the South was based on agriculture and on using about 4 million of African slaves; the North was heavily industrialized and stood against slavery. When Abraham Lincoln, who was against slavery, was elected President in 1860, seven Southern states left the Union. They formed the Confederate States of America. In April 1861 southern Confederate forces captured Fort Sumter in South Carolina, and the Civil War began. In less than 5 years, more than 600,000 men were killed and hundreds of thousands of others were wounded. The victory of the Union army over the Confederate was the victory over slavery for further development of capitalism in the united country.
At the end ofthe XIX century there started a reform movement in the USA, called the Progressivism, the aim of which was to achieve greater democracy and social justice, honest government, and more effective regulation of business. Many states enacted laws to improve the conditions under which people lived and worked. When World War I started in Europe in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson urged a policy of strict American neutrality. But after 5 American ships had been sunk, Congress declared war on Germany in April 1917 which was over in November 1918.
