Unit 1: A first look at the UK and the U.S

bly loyal, very individual.7. The Robin• With red breast present in both sexes• Bird that all British people can identify.• The tameness of British robins has made them so familiar8. The Bowler Hat• is a hard felt hat that introduced by a Norfolk landowner William Coke in the 19th century.• offers a midway between the formality of the top hat associated with the upper classes and the casual nature of soft felt hat worn by the lower middle class.9. Football• The most popular sport in Britain.• The rules of modern football have developed from games played in English’s boy schools since the 19th century.10. Tea• The most definitely British’s national drink.• One hundred and fifty years ago, when rich ladies invited their friends to their houses for a afternoon cup of tea, it became popular.Images of Britain Visit the UK British landmarks Rural EnglandA first look at the United StatesMap of the United States of America (the USA)National flag, National Anthem, & the Pledge of AllegianceNational coat of Arms and National MottoesOther symbols of the USAImages of American Popular CultureA. Map of the USAB. National flag, National Anthem & the Pledge of AllegianceNational Flag• The official national flag of the U.S. consists of 13 horizontal stripes (7 red alternating with 6 white) • In the upper corner near the staff, a rectangular blue field, containing 50 five-pointed white stars1. National Flag• The stripes symbolize the 13 colonies constituting the USA.• The stars represent the 50 states of the Union.“White signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; and Blue, Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice” (Continental Congress) is frequently called the Star – Spangled Banner, the Star and Stripes, or the Red, White and Blue.1. National Flag• The American flag has undergone a process of evolution.• The early flag designed for use in the American colonies.The 1st national flag of the U.S. (December 2nd, 1775)1. National Flag• On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act.“ Resolved, that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”1. National Flag• However, the Congress had made no rule for the arrangement of the stars 	They were displayed in different ways1. National Flag• In 1795, Congress voted to increase to 15 the number of stars and stripes. However, in 1818 Legislation reestablished the number of stripes at 13.• The current flag adopted on July 4th, 1960 is the 27th official national flag.2. National AnthemThe Star – Spangled Banner 2. National AnthemFrancis Scott Key (1779 – 1843)• During the night of September 13th, 1814, the British fleet bombarded Fort McHenry in the harbor at Baltimore, Maryland. • Francis Scott Key, a 34-year old lawyer-poet, watched the attack from a deck of a British prisoner-exchange ship. • As the battle ceased on the following morning, Key turned his telescope to the fort and saw the American flag was still waving => the sight inspired him, began to write the poem which was eventually adopted as the national anthem of the U.S.3. Pledge of Allegiance• is the oath of loyalty to the U.S. national emblem and to the nation it symbolizes.• By proclamation of President Benjamin Harrison, the pledge was first used on October 12th, 1892. “I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the republic for which it stands; one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”• was amended subsequently by the substitution of the words “the flag of the United States of America” on June 14th 1924• In 1954 it was further amended by the addition of the words “under God.” QUIZMatch each of the following countries with its national coat of arms.1. Switzerland2. China3. Finland4. Vietnam5. Indonesia6. Japan7. Thailand8. USAIndonesiaUSAChinaVietnamThailandSwitzerlandJapanFinlandC. National Coat of Arms and National MottoesThe great Seal of the U.S.ACircle of Clouds13 white stars on a blue ground, 1 star for each of the coloniesAzure Blue backgroundBundle of Thirteen ArrowsShield (blue on top, 13 red and white stripes below)Olive Branch(symbol of peace)E Pluribus Unum (meaning Out of Many, One) on scroll in eagle’s beakGlory (rays emanating from the stars)1. The great seal of the U.S.A• On July 4th, 1776, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were given the task of creating a seal for the U.S. • The Great Seal was finalized and approved six years later on Jun 20th, 1782. reflects the beliefs and values that the Founding Fathers wanted to pass on to the descendents.1. The great seal of the U.S.AThe Great seal’s reverse side13-step pyramid with the year 1776 in Roman numeral at the baseThe Eye of ProvidenceThe motto “Annuit Coeptis” means “It [the Eye of Providence] is favorable to our undertakings”A scroll “Novus Ordo Seclorum” means “New Order of the Ages” => refers to 1776 as the beginning of American new era2. National Mottoes• E Pluribus Unum Translated from Latin, meaning “From many, one” or “Out of many, one” Refers to the integration of the 13 independent colonies into one united country.• In God We Trust Was designed by an act of Congress in 1956, but did not supersede “E Pluribus Unum”D. Other symbols of the USALiberty (goddess)ColumbiaUncle SamThe Liberty BellFigure of JusticeNational Floral Emblem – The Rose1. Liberty (Goddess)• Known as Lady Liberty or the Goddess of Liberty• Personifies liberty and freedom• The familiar depiction of Lady Liberty is the monumental Statue of Liberty, in New York Harbor. • It was a gift to the USA from the people of France in recognition of the French – America alliance during the American Revolution.• From her heel to the top of head is 33.86m, holding a tablet in her left hand that reads “July 4th, 1776” (in Roman numerals)2. Columbia• The name Columbia is derived from that of Christopher Columbus.• Was a poetic name for the U.S. which largely fell out of use in the early 20th century• The term “Columbian” has been occasionally used as an alternative word for American when referring to someone from the U.S.3. Uncle Sam• a figure symbolizing the U.S. is portrayed as a tall, white haired man with a goatee, often dressed in red, white and blue, and wears a top hat.• the exact origins of Uncle Sam as a symbol for the U.S. was unknown, but the most widely accepted theory is that Uncle Sam was named after Samuel Wilson.4. The Liberty Bell• Cast in London, 1752, the Liberty Bell rang when the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence => has become the symbol of freedom in the U.S.• Weighs about 2000 pounds (1pound = 0.45kg), is made mostly of copper (70%) and tin (25%).• Was first called the Liberty Bell around 1839.5. Figure of Justice• Justice is most commonly portrayed in the U.S. as a blindfolded woman carrying a sword and a set of scales.• Symbolizes the fair and equal administration of the law, without corruption, greed, prejudice, or favor.6. National Floral Emblem – The RoseOn November 20th, 1986, President Reagan issued Proclamation 5574: The National Floral Emblem of the United States of America: The RoseE. Images of American Popular CultureFast foodSportsThe MoviesPopular Music1. Fast foodHamburgerCoca - ColaMcDonald’s 1. Fast food Americans like fast food and consume a great number of fast food every year. “Fast food” refers to highly processed restaurant foods – prepared quickly, available on demand. Best known: hotdogs, hamburgers, French fries, fried chicken, fish and chips, pizza, chili, soft drinks such as Coca Cola, 7up, etc.1. Fast food Hamburger: called burger, a sandwich containing a flat patty of broiled, grilled, fried ground beef or other meat in a bun, with lettuce and condiments. In the early 19th century, German immigrants introduced the hamburger steak to the U.S. Hamburger got its name from the German town named Hamburg1. Fast food Coca Cola: In May, 1886, Coca-Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton – pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia. First sold to the public at the soda fountain in Jacob’s Pharmacy in Atlanta. By late 1890s, Coca-Cola was one of America’s most popular fountain drinks.2. SportsBaseballBasketball2. SportsBaseball: Evokes more nostalgia among Americans than any other sports. In 1871, the first professional baseball league was born Came of age in the 1920s, when Babe Ruth led the New York Yankees to several World Series titles and became national hero.2. Sports Basketball: Originated in 1891 when a future Presbyterian minister James Naismith (1861-1939) was assigned to teach a physical education class in Massachusetts.3. The Movies3. The Movies First appeared in public in the United States in 1896. The major studios were located in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences annually gives prizes for excellence in creation & production of motion pictures. The Academy Awards, commonly known as Oscars were first presented in 1929.4. Popular MusicJazz (early 1830s)Rock and Roll (early 1950s)Pop (1960s)Jazz “Jazz I regard as an American folk music; not the only one but a very powerful one which is probably in the blood and feeling of the American people more than any other style.” 	(George Gershwin) The origin of Jazz were in Congo Square, New Orleans, where slaves gathered on Sunday to sing and dance as early as the 1830s. Distinguished element of jazz was its fluidity: in live performances, the musicians never played a song the same way twice, but would improvise variations on its notes and words.Rock and Roll By the early 1950s, Jazz had lost some of its appeal to a mass audience. A new form of Pop music, Rock and Roll, evolved from a black style known as Rhythm and blues (R&B) (songs with strong beats).“I do the very best I know how – the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.” Abraham Lincoln