- •1.) Describe the geographical position of the British Isles, offering an explanation of its advantages and disadvantages. Define the term “continental shelf”, its importance for the economy
- •3.) Examine the main stages in the formation of population of gb(Ancient, Britain, Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxon)
- •6.) Describe gb as a constitutional monarchy and its role and social influence
- •10.) Characterize the main political parties in the u.K. (Labour, Conservative and Liberal-Democratic). Comment on the results of the elections of May 2005
- •1. Geographical position of the us
- •2 .Physical features of the us, climate, lakes and rivers, minerals
- •4. Discuss the reasons, development and consequences of the War of Independence (1775-1783).
- •5. Expansion in the 1st half of the 19cent.
- •6. Analyze growing antagonism between the North and the South. Examine the chief events of the Civil war, its consequences.
- •9. Institution of American Presidency, main trends of American foreign policy, new policy of Barack Obama. Presidential elections, Electoral College, Barack Obama – new president.
- •10. Main political parties.
4. Discuss the reasons, development and consequences of the War of Independence (1775-1783).
The Brit.Governm., fearing that settlers migrating into the new lands would provoke wars with the Indians, issued a royal proclamation denying the colonists the right to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. This angered the colonists. Heavy taxes were introduced on sugar, cofe, textiles and other imported goods. Britain was worried by Amer.’s growing economy and possible competition. So she did everything to harass this development. The Quartering Act forced the colonies to house and feed British soldiers. The last of the measures of the new financial system was the Stamp Act of 1765 which provoked the greatest organized resistance in the colonies. It provided that special stamps were to be attached to all newspapers or other legal documents. It aroused the hostility o most of the Amer. population. Representatives from 9 colonies met and convened the “Stamp Act Congress”. Opposition was so widespread that the Brit. Governm. was forced to repeal the Stamp Act.At the same time Brit. soldiers were sent to Boston where tension was high. The colonists demanded that taxes only be introduced with the consent of colonial assemblies. To defuse the situation the Br.Govern. abolished many of the new taxes except that on tea. This led to new confrontation which served to drive the colonies into war against the Mother Country.
16.12.1773-a band of men disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded 3 brit. ships lying at anchor in Boston harbor and dumped 342 crates of tea into the waters of the port. It was a form of protest.=>brit. parliam. closed the port to all the shipping.
--.09.1774-th 1st Continental Congress was convened(Philadelphia).=>quiet soon the growing confrontation broke into open fire.
19.04.1775-the commander of the English garrison in Boston sent a unit of soldiers to Concord to seize arms by the colonists. The brit.troops reached Lexington on their way and encountered a band of 70 minutemen(they were supposed to be ready to fight in a minite).Someone fired a shot, and a major exchange of fire took place leaving 8 dead and 10 wounded-“the shot heard round the world”=>the Americ.War of Independ.(1775-83)
The English took Lexington and Concord. But when they reached Boston they suffered more than 250 killed and wounded. The Americans lost 93 men.
May.1775-a 2nd Continent. Congr.met (Philad.) and assumed the powers of a national government. It formed continental Army and Navy under the Command of Colonel G.Washington. The Congress printed its own paper money and sought to establish diplomatic relations with foreign countries.
02.07.1776-the Congress finally decided that united colonies of right ought to be free and independent.
04/07/1776-the Congress adopted a Declaration of Independence, which was drafted by T.Jefferson (democrat, Virginia). The Declaration not only announced the birth of a new nation, but also set forth the principles of human freedom. But these rights did not apply to mlns of Negro slaves and the institution of slavery continued to exist till 1860-s.
It was one thing to proclaim independence, but another to win independence in the course of resolute struggle. At 1st, the war didn’t go well for the poorly equipped and badly trained Americ. army. At times it seemed that the Brit. Army of Redcoats would win, but little by little the situation changed when the Americ. army was joined by 1000-s of volunteers.
October.1777-the Brit.Army under General J.Burgoyne suffered heavy defeat at Saratoga in northern N.Y. After this victory France seized the opportunity to humble Britain.
February.1778-a Franco-American alliance was signed. The Americans began to receive financial and military help from France, and the French navy supported the Americans at sea.
1781-the brit.army was surrounded by a French fleet from the sea and a combined French-American army under G.Washington. Soon the Brit.governm. asked for peace.
September.1783-britain finally recognized the independence of the USA by signing the Treaty of Paris.
The 13 colonies were free. The events of the war are termed as the American Revolution because with the formation of the USA a republic was established as a result of the struggle of the American colonists who overthrow a monarchy based on colonial exploitation and denial of civil and political rights. The Americ. people cherish the democratic gains of the American Revolution.+the Am.Revol.had a great impact on the development of events in Europe(helping to trigger the French Revolution of 1789.).