Темы, выносимые на самостоятельное изучение

1. Выдающиеся художники, скульпторы и композиторы США.

2. Судебная власть в США.

Программой предусмотрено проведение зачета и экзамена, на которых необходимо изложить теоретический материал по дисциплине.

Учебно-методические материалы по дисциплине

1. The World Book. Encyclopedia. Volume 20.

2. Baranovsky L.S., Kozikis D.D. Hello, America! Minsk, 1995.

3. Stevenson D.K. American life and Institutions. Ernst Klett Verlag.

4. An Outline of American Geography. Washington, 1994.

5. An Outline of American History. Washington, 1994.

6. An Outline of American Economy. Washington, 1994.

7. Леонтович О.А., Шейган Е.И. Жизнь и культура США/Лингвострановедческий словарь. Волгоград, 1998.

Chapter I the geographical position and physical features of the british isles lecture 1

Geographical Position

The United States of America occupies a third of the continent of North America. Its territory is about 9.6 mln sq. km. The population is more than 93 mln people.

In its area the USA is fourth in the world after Russia, Canada and The People’s Republic of China. In population it is the third largest country in the world after China and India.

In the north of the USA borders on Canada, in the south-west – on Mexico. In the south the country is washed by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, in the west – by the Pacific Ocean and in the east – by the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is of great importance for the country’s sea communications with Europe, Africa and South America. The largest port-towns of the country are situated on its coast. The sea routes from the USA to Asia and Australia pass over the Pacific Ocean. The sea route via the Panama Canal which connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific runs over the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

The United States is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and the District of Columbia. At the time of the adoption of the US Constitution (1787) the country included the 13 original states: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Rhode Island.

Alaska purchased from Russia in 1867 became the 49^th state in 1959. It is situated in the north-west of North America and has an area of 1,593,440 sq. km. Alaska borders on Canada and is washed by the Arctic and the Pacific Oceans.

The Hawaii Islands, including 24 islands in the Pacific Ocean, occupy an area of 16,729 sq. km. In 1959 Hawaii was admitted to the USA as the 50^th state.

Nowadays the states of the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, are often divided into seven major regions. Each region is made up of states that have similarities in geography, climate, economy, traditions, and history.

World Book, p. 103, map

The regions are: 1) New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont); 2) The Middle Atlantic States (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania); 3) The Southern States (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia); 4) The Midwestern States (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin); 5) The Rocky Mountain States (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming); 6) The South-western States (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas); 7) The Pacific Coast States (California, Oregon, Washington).

New England is a small region in the northeast corner of the country. It’s one of the nation’s industrial centers as much of the region’s land is too hilly or rocky to row crops. But New England produces large amounts of dairy and poultry products and is famous for its maple syrup. Many New Englanders are descendants of English Puritans who settled the region during the 1600s.

The Middle Atlantic States Region stretches inland from the Atlantic Ocean south-west of New England. It’s a major center of international trade. Coal mining and related industries are important economic activities in the western part of the region. The Middle Atlantic States Region ranks as the nation’s most densely populated area.

The Southern States Region is an area of rolling hills, mountains, and plains bordered by broad beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The regions economy used to be heavily based on agriculture which has retained importance in the South. But an industrial boom that began in the mid-1900s has greatly increased manufacturing.

The Midwestern States Region is a vast area of generally flat land that covers much of the center of the United States. The Midwest is famous for its large stretches of for tile soil. Farms in the region produce enormous quantities of corn, wheat and other crops. The Midwest also has a number of large industrial cities (Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee Cleveland).

The Rocky Mountain States Region lies west of the Midwest. The region has the rugged Rocky Mountains, areas of deserts, plains and plateaus. Mining is an important economic activity, but the chief sources of income are such services as health care, hotels, data processing. Farmers grow a variety of crops and graze cattle and other livestock on dry grassy ranges.

The South-western State Region spreads out over a vast area in the south of the country. Here farmers graze cattle and grow cotton. The region has large deposits of petroleum and natural gas, as well as various other minerals. Its largest cities are Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, etc.

The Pacific Coast States Region, which borders the Pacific Ocean, is known for its dense forests, rugged mountains and ocean shore. The region produces a large part of the nation’s fruits, nuts, vegetables, and wine grapes. The region has also abundant timber, minerals, and fish. Much manufacturing takes place in its large cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, etc.). The region has more people of Asian ancestry than any other part of the United States, and a large number of American Indians.

Each state is subdivided into districts which are called traditionally counties. The districts are subdivided into municipalities and townships. The former are dealing with urban and the latter with the rural districts.

The red, white and blue national flag of the USA, “Stars and Stripes”, represents the 13 original states and the number of the states today.

Washington – the capital of the United States – is situated on the Atlantic Coast. It’s a special federal district, the District of Columbia, occupying the area of 178 sq. km. It was founded in 1791 and became the capital on December 1, 1800. It was called after the first president of the USA George Washington (1789-1797). Washington is like no other city of the USA. Its only industry is government. The White House, where the US President lives and works, the Capitol, where the US Congress meets, and the Supreme Court are all in Washington, D.C.

The United States has possession of various island territories in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The territories and dependencies of the USA comprise Puerto Rico, the Panama Canal Zone, Guam, the Virgin Islands, Amercian Samoa, and the Pacific Trust Territory.

Physical Features

The territory of the USA stretches from east to west for a distance of 4,500 km and from north to south – for 2,500 km.

Each region of the United States has characteristics of its own. There are large and modern cities, but a great proportion of the country consists of open land dotted with farm-houses and small towns.

Map from World Book

The country, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, can be divided into seven major land regions. The regions are: 1) The Appalachian Highlands; 2) The Coastal Lowlands; 3) The Interior Plains; 4) The Ozark-Ouachita Highlands; 5) The Rocky Mountains; 6) The Western Plateous Basins and Ranges; 7) The Pacific Ranges and Lowlands.

The Appalachian Highlands extend from the northern tip of Maine south-west ward to Alabama. This rugged region has many mountain ranges. The Appalachian Mountains run along the Atlantic coast of the country, they are ancient, strongly destroyed mountains of no great height (2,000 m).

The Coastal Lowlands extend from south-eastern Main, across the eastern and southern United States, to eastern Texas. Forests of hickory, oak, pine and other trees are common throughout the lowlands. The region has three subdivisions: 1) a slightly elevated rolling plain stretching from southern New York to Alabama and called Piedmont; 2) the Atlantic Coastal Plain; 3) the gulf Coastal Plain.

The Interior Plains occupy a vast area that stretches from the Appalachian Highlands in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west. The western part of the region has vast grasslands and large areas at fertile soil, it’s the chief agricultural section of the country. Deposits of iron ore and coal provide raw materials for many manufacturing industries in the eastern part of the Interior Plains. Important deposits of petroleum and metal ores lie in the western part.

The Ozark-Ouachita Highlands rise up between the Interior Plains and Coastal Lawlands. The Highlands include forested hills, artificial lake, many underground caves and gushing springs. Much of the region has poor soil for farming, but fertile land lies along the river valleys. Deposits of coal, iron ore, and other minerals are valuable natural resources of the highlands.

World Book, p. 121, Rugged Hills.

The Rocky Mountains form the largest mountain system in North America. They extend from Northern Alaska, through Canada and the western United States to northern New Mexico. As compared with the Appalachian, they are high (some peaks are over) 4000 metres and young, their peaks are capped with snow. Lumbering and mining are important industries in the Rockies. The mountains are a storehouse of such metals as copper, gold, lead, silver and zinc. The region also has large deposits of oil and natural gas. On the mountain meadows graze beef and dairy cattle and valleys are used for growing crops.

The Western Plateaus, Basins, and Ranges lie west of the Rockies. This region extends from Washington south to the Mexican border. It is the driest part of the United States. Parts of it are wastelands with little plant life. The Columbia Plateau occupies the northernmost part of the region. The Colorado Plateau lies in the southern part of the region. The plateau’s river gorger, including the Grand Canyon, rank among the world’s great natural wonders. The Basin and Range part of the region is a vast area of mountains and desert lowlands between the Columbia and Colorado plateaus. It includes Death Valley in California. Part of Death Valley lies 86 metres below sea level and is the lowest place in the United States. The central part of the region is the Great Basin, a semi-desert area whose largest lake, the Great Salt Lake, is so salty that bathers cannot sink in it. Near the lake is the Great Salt Lake Desert, which includes a large, hard, flat bed of salt.

World Book, p. 125.

The Pacific Ranges and Lowlands stretch across western Washington and Oregon and most of California. The region’s eastern boundary is formed by the Cascade Mountains in the north and by the Sierra Nevada in the south. The Sierra Nevada Cascade Range together with the Rocky Mountains form the Cordillera Mountain System. Broad, fertile valleys lie west of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains. West of these lands, the Coast Ranges line the Pacific Ocean. Giant redwood trees grow on the mountains in northern California. Set among the Coast Ranges are a number of rich agricultural valleys that produce much of the nation’s lettuce, dried fruit, and wine grapes.

World Book, p. 124.

Rivers and Lakes

The United States has many thousands of streams. Some of them are mighty rivers, which cross the state and even international boundaries. Others are tiny streams. The rivers of the USA belong to the Atlantic and the Pacific basins. All the waters east of the Rockies finally reach the Atlantic; all the waters to the west of the Rockies finally arrive at the Pacific. For this reason the Rocky Mountains are known as the Continental Divide. The chief drainage system of the country is the Mississippi River System.

The Mississippi is one of the world’s great continental rivers. The waters of the Mississippi are gathered from two-thirds of the United States. Together with the Missouri River (its chief western branch, 4,090 km), the Mississippi flows some 6,400 kilometres from its northern source in the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi is a swift, deep and wide river. It is navigable almost throughout its entire length. From the west the Missouri River pours into the Mississippi colouring it deep brown with small pieces of soil. Father down the stream, the waters of the Ohio River joins the Mississippi. The Ohio is the Mississippi’s principal eastern tributary. Other important tributaries of the Mississippi, which rank among the most important rivers of the world, are besides the Missouri and Ohio, the Arkansas River and the Red River.

The two greatest rivers of the Pacific side are the Colorado in the south and the Columbia, which rises in Canada and flows to the north. In the dry western part of the country both rivers, very different in character, are vital sources of life. The Columbia wild in prehistoric times, cutting and shaping the land, now flows with quite dignity. But the Colorado is still a river of enormous fury – wild, restless and angry. It is cutting deeply into the desert rocks, forming the Grand Canyon, which strikes one’s imagination as a fabulous phenomenon of nature. Its perpendicular walls go up to the height of over 1,500 metres above river level.

The Rio Grande (3,200 km) is the most important river of the Southwest. It forms a natural boundary between Mexico and the United States.

The Yukon River rises in the Canadian Rockies, but in its lower course it flows westward across Alaska to its mouth in the Bering Sea.

The United States has thousands of lakes of all kinds and sizes. The Grat Lakes make up the largest group of lakes in the country, as well as the greatest collection of fresh-water lakes in the world. The total area of the Great Lakes (over 245,000 sq. km) is equal to that of Great Britain and forms a vast ‘inland fresh-water sea’. Only Lake Michigan lies entirely inside the United States. The other four lakes, Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario form a border between north-eastern United States and Canada. The lakes are interconnected by short rivers and channels. Between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, on the Niagara River, which links the two lakes are the powerful Niagara Falls, precipitating from a height of almost 60 metres.

Atlas, p. 21.

Another group of lakes is to the west of the Rocky Mountains. Some of these lakes are high in the mountains, in the crater pits of inactive volcanas. Others spread out as shallow sheets of salty water across the western desert plains. The most famous of these salty lakes are the Great Salt Lake, in Utah and the Salton Sea, which lies some 80 metres below sea level in Southern California. The Great Salt Lake contains six thousand millions tons of salt. Other lakes hold millions of tons of soda. Most of the desert lakes are small. The size of each lake generally varies with the amount of local rainfall. Some of the lakes dry up completely for months at a time.

The following region of numerous lakes lies along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic shore. There are hundreds of small lakes and lagoons there. These coastal lakes were formed when the ocean floor gradually rose out of the sea to become the coastal plain.

Climate

The United States has many kinds of climate. The weather ranges from the warm, wet conditions of the Appalachians to the desert conditions of some of the western states. It varies from almost winterless climates in southern Arizona and southern Florida to long, very cold winters in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. The United States has practically all the climatic zones.

The main land mass of the United States is in the temperature zone. The climatic conditions of the country are modified by the great mountains and the winds. The prevailing west winds bring rains from the ocean. The Cascade Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, running from north to south, are so close to the west coast that they catch the largest amount of the rain from the Pacific Ocean before it can go further inland. As a result, there is too little rain for almost the whole western half of the United States, which lies in the ‘rain shadow’ of the mountains.

One of the climate classifications, which is based solely on moisture characteristics divides the United States into five climatic provinces: super-humid, humid, sub-humid, semiarid and arid.

Super-humid province lies along the north Pacific coast inland to the crest of the Cascade Mountains. Precipitation varies from more than 760 mm to more than 3,800 mm annually. Winter is wet. In the mountains much of the precipitation falls as snow which may be 3 to 9 m deep by the end of March. Summer is predominantly dry. Temperatures are relatively high during the winter rainy season, averaging about 4.4°C at sea level. The highest temperatures rarely reach 32.2°C and the warmest month is much colder than it is inland. This is the cloudiest region in the United States.

Humid province lies east of a line from Lake Superior to the Texas coast. Rainfall varies from 760 mm to slightly more than 1,270 mm annually. Much of the winter precipitation is snow. Along the Gulf coast snow is rare. The average annual temperature is less than 4.4°C in northern Minnesota but increases to 21°C along the Gulf coast and 23.9°C in southern Florida. The coldest observed temperatures are about –45.6°C in Minnesota, –28.9°C in Tennessee and –17.8°C in north-west Florida. In January the averages for Minnesota, the Gulf coast and Florida are –15°C, +12.8°C and +21.1°C respectively. In summer (July) there is much less difference from the northern part average (18.3°C) to southern part (26.7°C).

Sub-humid province is a belt 480 to 800 km wide to the west of the humid province. The western boundary is a north-south line from mid-North Dakota through Texas. This province receives less precipitation. From east to west the annual totals decrease from about 760 to 460 mm along the Canadian border and from 850 to about 700 mm in southern Texas. The precipitation is largely concentrated in the late spring and early summer months. Temperatures are cold in winter and hot in summer and are quite similar to those of the western edge of the humid province. In North Dakota temperatures of –45°C have been observed. Summer temperatures are nearly the same from north to south. The highest temperatures recorded have been between 40°C and 45°C.

Semiarid province lies west from the sub-humid province to the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains including the area between the Cascade-Sierra Nevada ranges and the Rocky Mountains. Most of the area receives little rain and snow. In northern Montana the annual average precipitation is about 305 mm; this increases to about 600 mm in the south of Texas. The lowest winter temperatures have varied between –54.4°C in Yellowstone Park, and –12.2°C in Texas. The highest summer temperatures have ranged between 40.6°C and 46.1°C. The Great Valley of California receives almost no rain from May to September.

Arid province is restricted to parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, south-west Texas and south-east California. Precipitation is generally less than 300 mm a year, most of which falls as showers during the summer. Summer temperatures are extremely high. The average July temperature is about 40°C. The highest summer temperature, 57°C was recorded in the Death Valley, California.

Alaska is a land of icebergs and polar bears. Ice masses lie buried in the earth, which is permanently frozen to a depth of 90 or more metres. The sun cannot melt the icy soil more than two thirds of a metre down. The Japan Current of the Pacific warms Alaska and the Arctic cools it. The temperature may drop as low as – 43°C in some places, and may drop to –30°C in others. In any given year more than 11 metres of snow may fall in the north, and more than two metres of rainfall may precipitate upon the city of Juneau in the south.

World Book, p. 126.

Hawaii is located in tropical zone, but its climate is comfortable because of the ocean currents that pass its shores and the winds that blow across the land from the northeast. The temperature usually remains close to the annual average of 24°C.

World Book, p. 126.