First inhabitants of New Zealand

The first people who settled in New Zealand were a brownskinned people called Maoris. They came from Polynesian islands located northeast of New Zealand. The country was discovered by Europeans in 1642, but they did not start to settle in the islands until the late 1700's. Today, most New Zealanders are descendants of the early European settlers.

Maoris make up about 12% of the country's population.Maoris were the first inhabitants of New Zealand, arriving on the islands in about 1000. Maori oral history maintains that the Maoris came to the island in seven canoes from other parts of Polynesia. In 1642, New Zealand was explored by Abel Tasman, a Dutch navigator. British captain James Cook made three voyages to the islands, beginning in 1769. Britain formally annexed the islands in 1840.

The Treaty of Waitangi (Feb. 6, 1840) between the British and several Maori tribes promised to protect Maori land if the Maoris recognized British rule. Encroachment by British settlers was relentless, however, and skirmishes between the two groups intensified.

 

POPULATION OF THE UK

England is densely populated part of the UK. The population of England is, and has been for centuries, greater than that of all other parts of the United Kingdom combined.

About 30 million people live within the area which runs approximately from the mouth of the river Thames in the east to the mouth of the river Mersey in the west and contains five of the biggest cities, a number of other sizable towns and much rich agricultural land.

The earliest known people of Britain were of Iberian origin. Then followed a long succession of invaders, including the Celts, the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, the Danes and at last in 1066, the Normans.

It was the last time Britain was invaded.

Nowadays one can see people of many colours and races in the United Kingdom.

The population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is over 57 million people.

The United Kingdom is inhabited by the English, the Scots, the Welsh, and the Irish who constitute the British nation. Over 46 million people live in England, over 3 million in Wales, a little over 5 million in Scotland and about 1.5 million in Northern Ireland.

The population lives mostly in towns and cities and their respective suburbs. The distribution of the population is quite uneven.

The most densely populated areas are Greater London, the South and the Southwest. Only London's population is over 7 million.

Most of the mountainous parts of the United Kingdom, including much of Scotland, Wales and the Pennine Chain in Northern England are very sparsely populated.

The British are the descendants of different peoples who settled in the British Isles at different times.

They are mostly inhabitants from the former British colonies.

The official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is English.

Besides standard literary English there are several regional and social dialects.

 

 

UNIT IV

SOME FACTS AND HISTORY

OUTSTANDING EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF

GREAT BRITAIN

1. Read the text and answer the following questions:

 

1) What tribes influenced the British civilization most of all?

2) What happened in 43 A.D.?

3) Whose invasion played an important role in the history of Britain?

4) What led to the Industrial Revolution?

5) What were the 13 North American colonies replaced by?

 

There were many outstanding events in the history of Great Britain. Many different tribes tried to control the territory of Britain. England was added to the Roman Empire in 43 A.D. Roman invasion played a very important role in the history of the country. The Roman built the first roads in the country, dug the first walls. The Romans, who were great architects, constructed the first towns in Britain.

But the Normans influenced the British civilization most of all. They came in 1066 under the leadership of William the Conqueror. As the invaders spoke French, their speech influenced the English language.

Once the British had to face the French in 1805 at the battle of Trafalgar. Then Admiral Nelson won a great victory over the French fleet. In order to commemorate this event the monument to Admiral Nelson was erected on this square.

In the 18th century technological and commercial innovation led to the Industrial Revolution. The 13 North American Colonies were last, but replaced by colonies in Canada an India.

 

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

1. Read the text and answer the following questions:

 

1) Who discovered America?

2) Did Columbus intend to reach America or India?

3) Is there any confusion about the East and the West?

4) How did Columbus call first people in America?

5) Did he make other voyages in search of India?

6) What do you know about Pilgrims?

America was founded by Columbus in 1492. He was born in Italy. His father and both grandfathers were cloth makers. Columbus was a seaman and made many sea voyages. Most people in Columbus's days thought that the earth was flat and they did not believe that beyond the Atlantic Ocean lay India.

In 1492 the King and the Queen of Spain gave him money to go to India. He decided to sail west as he was sure that our planet was round. There were 3 caravels: the Santa Maria, the Nina and the Pinta. After sailing 4000 miles he reached some land. The crew saw something like a white cliff and cried out: "Tierra! Tierra!". Columbus thought 'that it must be India but it was not. It was a new land — a new continent. It was America. Columbus named the land they had reached San Salvador ("Holy Saviour"). People began to speak about the land as "The new World".

European people came to the New World for many reasons. Some hoped to find gold and silver. Priests and missionaries came to bring the Christian religion to the Indians. Among those who came for freedom was a small group of English people called Pilgrims. They wanted to start a new life and to have no religious problems they had in England. In 1620 on the ship "Mayflower" they landed in the north-east of America.

They set up a colony and called that part of the country "New England".

 

CANADA’S HISTORY

1. Read the text and ask questions to your group-mates:

Canada ’s history is an exciting story of development of a vast wilderness into a great nation. Most experts believe that the first people who lived on this land came from Asia about 15000 years ago. They came over a land bridge that once connected Asia and North America. Their descendants are known today as Indians. The ancestors of the Eskimos came to Alaska after them probably about 5000 years ago.

In 1497, John Cabot, an Italian navigator in the service of England, found rich fishing grounds off Canada’s south-east coast. His discovery led to the European exploration of Canada. France set up a colony in Eastern Canada in the early 1600’s. Great Britain gained control of the country in 1763, and thousands of Britain emigrants came in Canada. In 1867, the French and English-speaking Canadians helped to create a united colony called the Dominion of Canada. Two groups worked together to settle the country and to develop its great mineral deposits and other natural resources.

Canada gained its independence from Britain in 1931. During the middle of 20^th century, hard-working Canadians turned their country into an economic giant. Today Canada is a leading producer of wheat, oats, barley. Canada also ranks among the world’s top manufacturing countries, and it is a major producer of electronic power.

Throughout its history, Canada has often been troubled by lack of unity among its people. French Canadians, most of them live in the province Quebec, have struggled to preserve their own culture. They have long been angered by Canadian policies based on British traditions. Many of them support a movement to make Quebec a separate nation. People in Canada’s nine other provinces also frequently local needs over national interests.

 

THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA

1. Read the text and ask questions to your group-mates:

 

The history of Australia records that the first settlers were Aboriginals from Southeast Asia who arrived about 40,000 years ago. The first European explorations did not begin until the 17th century. The first territorial claim was made in 1770, by Captain James Cook, who took possession in the name of the British Empire.

Between the 18th and 19th centuries, six colonies were established: New South Wales (1786), Tasmania (formerly Van Diemen’s Land – 1825), Western Australia (1829), South Australia (1834), Victoria (1851) and Queensland (1859). In 1901, the colonies united and became federated as the States of the Commonwealth of Australia.

THE HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND

1. Read the text and ask questions to your group-mates:

New Zealand was one of the last major landmasses settled by humans. New Zealand was first settled by Eastern Polynesians between 1250 and 1300, concluding a long series of voyages through the southern Pacific islands. Over the centuries that followed these settlers developed a distinct culture now known as Māori.

The first Europeans known to have reached New Zealand were Dutch explorer Abel Tasman and his crew in 1642. In a hostile encounter, four crew members were killed and at least one Māori was hit by canister shot. Europeans did not revisit New Zealand until 1769 when British explorer James Cook mapped almost the entire coastline. Following Cook, New Zealand was visited by numerous European and North American whaling, sealing and trading ships. They traded food, metal tools, weapons and other goods for timber, food, artefacts, water, and on occasion sex. The introduction of the potato and the musket transformed Māori agriculture and warfare. Potatoes provided a reliable food surplus, which enabled longer and more sustained military campaigns.

New Zealand, originally part of the colony of New South Wales, became a separate Colony of New Zealand on 1 July 1841. The colony gained a representative government in 1852 and the 1st New Zealand Parliament met in 1854. In 1856 the colony effectively became self-governing, gaining responsibility over all domestic matters other than native policy.

UNIT V

TRADITIONS

Very often when speaking of English traditions we think first of some curious theatrical ceremonies of the court or parliament procedure. There come to our mind the medieval uniforms of the guards, the solemn cloaks and wigs of the judges or the top hats (bowlers) and the invariable umbrellas of the clerks of the London City.

But the word “tradition” does not mean only that. First and foremost “tradition” is the generally accepted made or way of living, acting, behaving of just doing things. There are many very good traditions of this kind in the everyday life of the English.