2015-05-26
2037
Florida ['floridə]
Texas ['teksəs]
St. Lawrence River [seint'lo:rəns] – река Св. Лаврентия
Quebec [kwi'bek] – Квебек
Montreal [,montri'o:l] – Монреаль
Louisiana [,lusi'ænə] – Луизиана
the Huguenots ['hju:gənots] — гугеноты
The three main nations – England, Spain and France – were the chief nations to establish colonies in America. The first permanent settlement in the North America was Saint Augustine (Florida), founded in 1565 by the Spaniard Pedro Menendez de Aviles. Spanish control came to be exercised over Florida, Texas and a large part of the Southwest, including California. The French established strongholds on the St. Lawrence River (Quebec and Montreal) and spread their influence over the Great Lakes country and along the Mississippi; the colony of Louisiana was a flourishing French settlement. The first English settlement was founded in 1607 on the present territory of Virginia. The next settlements were initiated by the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony in 1620. The more important Massachusetts Bay colony was built by the Puritans in 1630.
From the Atlantic coast colonists gradually penetrated into the depths of the continent, driving back the native population, taking away their lands by force and deception and destroying them. The religious and political turmoil of the Puritan revolution in England, as well as the repression of the Huguenots in France stimulated emigration to the English colonies. The main stimulus for emigration to America was the desire to own land. Almost all the colonists took up agricultural work. Small family farms based on natural economy prevailed in the northern colonies and tobacco and cotton plantations in the south.
By the late 17th century small farms in the coastal areas of the South were beginning to give way to large plantations which were worked by Negro slaves from Africa. Africans were imported in ever-increasing number. The development of trade, industry and agriculture in the colonies constantly conflicted with the economic policy of Britain.
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Check your comprehension.
1. What countries were the first to establish colonies on the newly discovered land? 2. When was the first permanent settlement founded? 3. What American territories were occupied by the Spaniards? 4. Which settlements were built by the French and where? 5. What English settlements were founded in North America? 6. How did the colonists penetrate to the west of America? 7. What stimulated emigration of the English and French to America? 8. What kind of work did the colonists take up? 9. What farms were developed in the north and south of the continent? 10. What gave stimulus to the development of large plantations?
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