02. The American Dream throughout History

A. The Pilgrim Fathers - 17th century

B. The beginning of a nation - The Founding Fathers - Declaration of Independence - 18th century

C. Video Ellis Island

D. The growth of a nation – Immigration

The Pilgrim Fathers - 17th century

A.The Pilgrim Fathers - 17th century (see book p.76)

Read the text and answer the following questions on a draft.

Then report the content of the text to the class.

Explain who the Pilgrim Fathers were.

Dates of the Plymouth colony

Who founded it? Why?

Name of the ship

How long was the voyage on the ship?

What happened the first year? Who helped them?

Thanksgiving

English King at the time?

Be ready to report your study to the class.

The beginning of a nation - The Founding Fathers - Declaration of Independence - 18th century

B. The beginning of a nation – The Founding Fathers - 18th century (see book p.76)

Read the text and answer the following questions.

Then report the content of the text to the class.

Explain who the Founding Fathers were.

Erratum (dans certains manuels): lire eighteen à la place de twelve, à la troisième ligne du texte.

1. Main dates:

1602 (the answer is in the previous text): ...........................................................

1775: ...................................................................................................................

1776: ...................................................................................................................

1781: ...................................................................................................................

1787: ...................................................................................................................

1789 (the answer is not in the text; browse the web): ….....................................

2. Who were the Founding Fathers?

3. Find the names of the best known Founding Fathers:

George W..…………………,

Thomas J..…………………,

Benjamin F..…………………,

Alexander H..…………………,

John A..…………………...........,

and James M..…………………. .

Four of them were Presidents of the US: Which ones?

4. Browse the websites below and answer the questions.

here and here

a. Complete the first famous sentence of the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths …..................................................................................…......................................................................................... Happiness .”

– le texte parle de Dieu (their Creator) ;

b. Who does the first famous sentence of the Declaration of Independence mention?

It must be remembered that in the U.S. you take an oath on the Bible.

c. What is the first value mentioned?

What about slaves then? If you can't find the answer, open your book p.120...

d. Name the three rights.

Be ready to report your study to the class.

Ellis Island

C. Ellis Island (see book p.77)

Look at the picture (book p.77), read its caption, then listen to the description and history of Ellis Island.

HELP

steerage (ship's cheapest accommodation): entrepont

eerie: étrange, bizarre

acre / ˈeɪkə(r)/ (land measure: 4047 m²): quarante ares (n.f.)

(approximativement un demi-hectare) Note: En France, on ne mesure pas en acre mais en hectare (ha) (1 ha = 10 000 m²).

acres of: des hectares de (woodland)

acres of room (familier): énormément d'espace

Then note the information around the numbers and dates mentioned below. Finally sum up what you have learnt.

Be ready to report your study to the class.

Extra video (if you have time)

The Godfather II, an extract "Ellis Island" (book p.77):

The growth of a nation - Immigration

D. The growth of a nation (see book p.77)

Persons obtaining legal permanent status in the US, from 1820 to 2008.

Note:

On ne tient donc pas compte des immigrés clandestins (illegal immigrants).

Study the chart with the help of the events presented below.

Find the corresponding dates in order to give reasons to explain the peaks and the troughs /trɔfs/ (=creux).

Write the year in the peak or trough boxes.

Consigne:

Pour la restitution, utiliser le lexique spécifique des graphes dans la rubrique méthodologique «Commenter un graphique », page 154 du manuel.

Examples:

This bar chart shows the evolution of legal immigration to the US from 1820 to 2008… Globally, it seems that immigration has increased fairly regularly over almost two centuries…

Yet, we can notice two main peaks: the 1910s and the 1990s, and a trough corresponding to the 1940s…