United States history

a) The New World

America was discovered so long ago that no one can remember the details. It appears to have happened about 15,000 years ago, when a tribe of Siberians or Mongolians crossed a land bridge that joined Asia to Alaska at the time. Later the natural bridge was covered with water, the Bering Strait appeared. So the continents were isolated and the migration stopped. Modern Europeans knew nothing about American continent till the 15^th century when Christopher Columbus discovered it.

In 1492 Columbus, an Italian sailor, whose life-time dream was to find a new way to India, sailed westwards with three little ships. It was a very difficult voyage but in three months the ships reached and landed on one of the Bahama Islands. Until the end of his life Columbus thought that the islands and the mainland were the part of India. That’s why they were called West Indies and the red-skinned natives — “Indians”.

In 1497 another Italian seaman Amerigo Vespucci explored the coast of South America and proved that the land discovered by Columbus was not India but the new continent. He is said to have discovered the American mainland. The “New World” was decided to name after him — America, the land of Amerigo.

For the next 100 years English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and French explorers sailed from Europe for the New World, looking for gold, riches, honour and glory. But the North American wilderness offered early explorers little glory and less gold.

Only at the beginning of the 17^th century Englishmen established several colonies and called them New England.

<== попередня сторінка	\|	наступна сторінка ==>
The Victorian age. Britain and World Wars. Welfare State.	\|	B) The First English Settlements

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