 |
Immigration of NA, ethnic group
|
|
|
|
The USA has welcomed more immigrants than any other country in the world. More than 75%of all people who ever moved from their homeland settled in the USA. Migration to America began more than 30.000years ago. They were hunters, those people settled throughout north & south America. They are considered to be the only native americans. By 1492 about 1 million native americans lived in the area. Groups of spanish settlers established outposts in what is now Florida, in the southeastern United States, during the 1500s & a small french colony was founded on the new world’s northeastern seacoast (Maine) in 1604. In 1607 great britain founded its 1st permanent north american settlement: Jamestown, in the colony of Virginia – now a state located along the southeastern coast of the united states. Communities of dutch, sweddish & german settlers were also established along north america’s atlantic coastline. Pilgrims was a group of english religious dissenters. They founded the colony of Plymouth in what s now Massachusetts. By 1700 great britain had established clear colonial dominance over that part of north america which later became the eastern united states. 13 separate british colonies governed indirectly by the british parliament provided raw material for the “mother country” & bought goods produced in britain. Many european nationalities lived in the colonies, the official lang spoken was english & british laws & social institutions prevailed. An englishman thomas paine immirated to america & wrote Europe, not england is the parent country to America. A great influx of immigrants occurred after 1820.
Climate.
Climate of britain is variable. The climate of the uk is determined by:
· The position of the island in the temperature belt;
· The fact that prevailing winds flow from the west & south – west;
· The moderate influence of the Atlantic Ocean & the Gulf Stream current;
· The indentation of the coast-line which makes most parts of the country accessible to the oceanic influence.
Due to the influence of the sea britain has an insular climate rather humid & mild with no striking discrepancy between seasons. The eastern areas of britain are drier than the western. The rains lose the greater part of the moisture. Thus while in lancashire it is raining in the west, in yorkshire there is no rain. Autumn & winter are the wettest seasons in britain. October is the wettest month. One of the reasons dampness of the country is the continuous stream of warm water, called the gulf stream that flows on past northern scotland. The average annual rainfall in the wettest parts of the uk is more than 1600mm.
#14
Legislature – the westminster parliament.
The westminster parliament, btitain’s legislature, is made up of 3 elements: the queen; the house of lords & the house of commons, which is elected. The main functions of the parliament: to examine proposals for new laws; to provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government; to scrutinize government policy & administration, including proposals for expenditure; to debate the major essays of the day. A parliament has a maximum duration of 5 years. The life of parliament is divided into sessions. Each usually lasts for 1 year-normally beginning in october or november. The average number of sitting days in a session in 1999 was 149 in the house of commons & 154 in the house of lords. The parliament has 2 chambers:
|
|
|
a) the house of lords which consists of:
· 90 hereditary peers & peeresses of england, scotland, wales & northern ireland;
· life peers – created to assist the house in it’s judicial duties or law lords;
· archbishops of canterbury & york,the bishops of london, Durham & winchester & the 21 senior bishopsof the church of england;
Hereditary peerage continues from generation to generation. The title of the life peer is given by the queen, but the selection is made by the prime minister. The bishops & archbishops (26) are members of the house of lords for as long as they hold office. The house of lords was presided over by the lord chancellor. The official seat of the lord chancellor is called woolsack. The woolsack is a seat in the form of a large cushion stuffed with wool from several commonwealth countries. Lord chancellor is a senior & important functionary i the government of the UK. The lord chancellor is appointed by the sovereign on the advice of the prime minister. The lord chancellor is a member of the cabinet. The lord chancellor was part of all 3 branches of government: the legislative, the executive & the judicial.
b) the house of commons which consists of 650directly elected members of parliament (MPs) – each of whom represents a single constituency or geographical area. General elections are held after the parliament has been dissolved & a new 1 summoned by the queen. Out of 650 seats:533-for england, 59-for scotland, 40-for wales, 18-for north ireland. The chief officer of the house of commons is the speaker, elected by Mpsto preside over the house. The current speaker is john bercow that elected on 22 june 2009. 3 deputy speakers are elected by the house on the nomination of the government but are drawn from the opposition as well as the government party. The leader of the majority party is asked by the sovereign to form a government he becomes prime minister. leaders of the government & opposition sit on the frontbenchers on either sideof the common’s chamber with their supporters the backbenchers sitting behind them. In the commons chamber there are 437 seats. The arrangement of the benches on the right side & the left side suggest a 2 party system. UK has been described 2 party system. The members of the parliamentary majority sit on the right side from the speaker’s chair. The 2nd largest party is called the opposition. Her majesty’s opposition sits on the left side from the speaker’s chair. The speaker’s seat is called the speaker’s chair. there are 3 chairs for his 3 deputies. On the table there are Dispatch boxes which contain Bibles & oath cards.
Native Americans.
People lived in the United States long before the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the Europeans. These people and cultures are called Native Americans. The first people to live in a land are called indigenous peoples. This means they were the original settlers. The Native Americans are the indigenous peoples and cultures of the United States. Sometimes these peoples are referred to as Indians or American Indians. This is because when Columbus had first landed in America, he thought he had sailed all the way to to the country of India. He called the locals Indians and the name stuck for some time. Native Americans lived throughout North and South America. In the United States there were Native Americans in Alaska, Hawaii, and the mainland of the United States. Different tribes and cultures lived in different areas. In the middle of the country lived the Plains Indians, including tribes such as the Comanche and Arapaho. In the Southeast area of the country lived tribes such as the Cherokee and the Seminole. The Native Americans were grouped into tribes or nations usually based on the area they lived in and their culture such as their religion, customs, and language. Sometimes smaller tribes were part of a bigger tribe or nation. As best as historians can tell, these tribes were fairly peaceful prior to the arrival of Columbus and the Europeans. There were hundreds of tribes throughout the United States when Columbus first arrived. Many of them are well known such as the Cherokee, Apache, and the Navajo. The Native Americans did not write down or record their history, so we have to find out about their history in other ways. Today archeologists are able to learn a lot about past cultures by digging up artifacts such as tools and weapons. Much of what we know comes from the recordings of the first Europeans to arrive. Today, some of the descendants of the original American Indians live on reservations. These are areas of land set aside specifically for Native Americans. This helps to protect their heritage and culture. However, only around 30% live on reservations. The rest live outside the reservations just like anyone
|
|
|
3. Green belt –
an area of land around a city where building is not allowed, in order to protect fields and woods. Green belt land refers to an area that is kept in reserve for an open space, most often around larger cities. The main purpose of the green belt policy is to protect the land around larger urban centres from urban sprawl, and maintain the designated area for forestry and agriculture as well as to provide habitat to wildlife.
Green belt offers a number of benefits for both urban and rural population. By preventing the urban sprawl, it helps protect agricultural activities and the unique character of rural communities. Urban population, on the other hand, is provided an access to an open space which offers opportunities for outdoor activities and an access to clean air.
#15
The legislative process.
The legislative process is a long & an interesting one. Parliamentary procedure is based on custom & precedent. The system of debate is similar in both houses. Both houses air opinions & reach decisions by means of debates. Every subject starts off as proposal or motion by a member. After the debate the speaker “puts the question” whether to agree with the motion or not. The question may be decided without voting, or by a simple majority vote. In case of voting the so-called division should be observed. Division is the physical separation ®rouping of MPs according to their stand on an issue put to vote. MPs vote by walking through corridors, known as the Aye-Lobby & the No-Lobby. Near the division Lobbies MPs are counted by Tellers. The speaker supervises voting in the commons & announces the final result. In a tied vote the speaker gives a casting vote without expressing an opinion on the merits of the question. Most legislation originates in bills, that is the law before & while it is journeying through parliament is called a Bill. The government bill gets through several stages which are called reading because in the old days, before printing, members had no copies & the only way in which members could find out what a bill is introduced into parliament, is called the 1st reading. There are 3 readings. Between the 2nd & the 3rd readings there is a clause-by-clause scrutiny in the committee which is composed of 18 to 25MPs. During the 2nd & the committee stage some amendments may be proposed. Amendment is the change to the bill. The 3rd reading is a final debate, often very short. After the 3rd reading the bill automatically moves to the house of lords. The house of lords has similar procedures. Bills must normally be passed by both houses. They must then receive the royal assent before becoming Acts. The law after it has journeyed through all the parliamentary stages & been given the Royal Assent is called Act. The royal assent in practice is a formality. There has been no refusal of the assent since 1707 year. Proceedings of both houses are normally public & visitors can watch the proceedings from the galleries of both chambers. The minutes &speeches-a word for word account of what is said each day in the house of commons in published in the official report of debates which is called hansard.
|
|
|
Population Profile.
the population of the usa is 309 million persons 50.9female 154 mil, 49.1 male 149mil.The USA is a country of many ethnic groups. A ethnic group is made up of people who share 1 or more characteristics which make them different from other groups. The harvard encyclopedia of american ethnic groups lists 106 major groups in the US today, including native americans, albanians, afro-americans, arabs, burmese, chinese, eskimos, filipinos, greeks, irish, italians, jews, mexicans&swiss. There are really more & more than 170 different native american tribes. America has long been known as an ethnic ‘melting pot’. Its current population is 309 million, made up of immigrants or their descendants from virtually every country in the world. Americans as a nation tend to be quite mobile. Over a 5 year period, 1 family in 10 moves to a new state. California has passed new york as the most populous state although the metropolitan area of new york city remains the nation’s largest, with los angeles 2nd & chicago. During the period from 1945 to 1964 the number of childdren born in the US increased dramatically; a total of 76 million babies were born during this period. This sharp increase became known as the “baby boom”
Entente-
an arrangement or understanding between two or more nations agreeing to follow a particular policy with regard to affairs of international concern.
The Triple Entente (from French entente [ɑ̃tɑ̃t] "friendship, understanding, agreement") was the understanding linking the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the signing of the Anglo-Russian Entente on 31 August 1907. The understanding between the three powers, supplemented by agreements with Japan and Portugal, constituted a powerful counterweight to the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Italy, though Italy did not follow through, and soon joined the allies.
Historians continue to debate the importance of the alliance system in igniting the Great War. At the start of World War I in 1914, all three of the Triple Entente entered it as Allies against the Central Powers Germany and Austria-Hungary
#16
The UK executive.
The executive consists of:
· The government; the cabinet & other ministers responsible for national policies;
|
|
|
· Government departments, responsible for national administration;
· Local authorities;
· Public corporations, responsible for operating nationalized industries, subject to ministerial control;
· The scottish, welsh & northern ireland executives.
Britain is governed by her majesty’s government & the devolved authorities in the name of the queen. Her majesty’s government s the body of ministers responsible for the conduct of national affairs. The prime minister is appointed by the queen, & all other ministers are appointed by the queen on the recommendation of the prime minister. Most ministers are members of the commons. the lord chancellor is always a member of the house of lords. The prime minister is also, by tradition, 1st lord of the treasury & minister for the civil service. The prime minister presides over the cabinet & informs the queen at regular meetings of the general business of the government. The prime minister is responsible for:
· Allocation of functions among ministers;
· Recommending a number of appointments to the queen.
These include: church of england archbishops, bishops, deans; senior judges, such as the lord chief justice; privy councellors, poet laureate; constable of the tower london. The prime minister always makes recommendation for the award of many civil honours & distinctions. His office is in downing street. The cabinet is composed of 20- to 25 ministers. The functions of the cabinet are: the initiation & decision making on policy; the supreme control of government; the coordination of government departments. Dont confuse the government with the cabinet. All ministers are responsible to parliament for the work of their departments. Each department has at least 1 minister in the house of commons who can answer members’ questions about the department. Questions are asked during the question time which takes place between 2.35 p.m. & 3.30 p.m. on Mondays to Thursdays. the question time is every Wednesday for 30 minutes when the house is sitting.
2. Time of changes.
Political activism didnt disappear in the 1970s. Some young people campaigned against the nuclear power industry. Women had been moving into the labor force since WWII & in the 1970s feminists movement grew stronger. President Nixon re-established formal relations with the people’s republic of china & negotiated the 1st strategic arms limitation treaty(SALT I) with the soviet union. Republican Gerald Ford did much to restore the trust of the citizens. The 1976 election was won by Democrat Jimmy Carter who couldnt control the chief economic problem of the 1970s-inflation. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) had been increasing the cost of oil, & those increases fueled a general rise in prices. Carter signed a 2nd SALT with the soviet union but it was never ratified by the senate after the soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He seemed ineffectual in the face of another crisis: in 1979 Iranian radicals stormed the United States embassy in Teheran & held 53 american hostage. His greatest success was the negotiating of the Camp David Accord between Israel & Egypt which led to an historic peace treaty between the 2 nations. In the presidential race american voters elected Ronald Reagan a conservative republican & former governor of California. Republican party gained a majority in the senate for the 1st time in 26 years. 2008 was a year of great changes. For the 1st time in the history of the USA that a non-white american was elected the president of the country. The US confronted an insurgency in El Salvador & the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua. The US forces landed in Grenado. The US sent troops to Lebanon 241 american marines were killed in terrorist bombing.
3. Triple Alliance,
secret agreement between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy formed in May 1882 and renewed periodically until World War I. Germany and Austria-Hungary had been closely allied since 1879. Italy sought their support against France shortly after losing North African ambitions to the French. The treaty provided that Germany and Austria-Hungary were to assist Italy if it were attacked by France without Italian provocation; Italy would assist Germany if Germany were attacked by France. In the event of a war between Austria-Hungary and Russia, Italy promised to remain neutral. This abstention would have the effect of freeing Austrian troops that would otherwise have been needed to guard the Austrian-Italian border.
When the treaty was renewed in February 1887, Italy gained an empty promise of German support of Italian colonial ambitions in North Africa in return for Italy’s continued friendship. Austria-Hungary had to be pressured by German chancellor Otto von Bismarck into accepting the principles of consultation and mutual agreement with Italy on any territorial changes initiated in the Balkans or on the coasts and islands of the Adriatic and Aegean seas. Italy and Austria-Hungary did not overcome their basic conflict of interest in that region, the treaty notwithstanding. On November 1, 1902, five months after the Triple Alliance was renewed, Italy reached an understanding with France that each would remain neutral in the event of an attack on the other. Although the alliance was again renewed in 1907 and 1912, Italy entered World War I in May 1915 in opposition to Germany and Austria-Hungary.
|
|
|
#17
|
|
|
