The United Kingdom
- Basic information
◦Full name is The United Kingdom of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland ◦It includes the island of Great Britain, part of island of Ireland and many smaller islands within British Isles
◦The main parts are England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
◦Total area is about 250,000 square kilometers
◦Estimated population counts 67 million people (2020)
◦Parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
◦The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II
‣ Her reign began in 1952
◦The capital city is London
- History
◦Prehistory (Before AD 43)
‣ Prehistory is the time before written records.
‣ The earliest known humans arrived around 900,000 years ago.
◦Romans (AD 43-C.410)
‣ In 55–54 BC, Julius Caesar arrived in Britain, his conquest was not successful. ‣ AD 43, the emperor Claudius launched a full-scale invasion, and Britain’s Roman era began.
‣ The Romans stayed in Britain for almost four centuries. New cities and road. ‣ AD 122, the emperor Hadrian and his wall
◦Early medieval (C.410-1066)
‣ The six and a half centuries between the end of Roman rule and the Norman Conquest are called ‘Dark Ages’.
‣ Invasion of Anglo-Saxons
‣ The region was unified under Anglo-Saxons
‣ Kingdom of England has emerged.
◦Medieval (1066-1485)
‣ Duke William of Normandy’s triumph over King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 ‣ Transformation of country in organisation, government, language, customs and architecture.
‣ Important events: civil war, devastating plague
‣ War of Roses began
◦Tudors (1485-1603)
‣ Henry VII’s victory against Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth
‣ It has ended the War of Roses and Tudors came to power
‣ Henry VIII founded a new church – Anglican Church
‣ The growth of English culture
- Shakespeare
◦Stuarts (1603-1714)
‣ The James I, who was also James VI of Scotland (the son of Elizabeth I’s cousin Mary, Queen of Scots), successfully conjoined England and Scotland.
‣ Gunpowder Plot (1605)
- Plot against British government
◦Georgians (1714-1837)
‣ Queen Anne had no surviving children
‣ the German Hanoverians were brought in to succeed her.
‣ This began the Georgian age – named after the first four Hanovarian kings, all called George.
‣ This period saw Britain establish itself as an international power at the centre of an expanding empire, and accelerating change from the 1770s made it the world’s first industrialised nation.
◦Victorians (1837 – 1901)
‣ Queen Victoria came to the throne when she was just 18 years old. She would rule Britain for over 60 years. During this long reign, the country acquired power and wealth. Britain’s reach extended across the globe because of its empire, political stability, and revolutionary developments in transport and communication.
‣ Many of the intellectual and cultural achievements are from this period • Steam engine, Charles Dickens,
◦20th century (1901-2000)
‣ First World War
‣ Second World War
- Winston Churchill
- Battle of Britain
‣ 1980s
- Margaret Thatcher, privatisation of some state companies – saving the economy ◦21th century
‣ Brexit
- Government
◦The UK is constitutional monarchy
◦All political decision are made by the government
◦The leader of the government is the Prime Minister (PM)
◦He is responsible for all policy and decisions and selects other ministers ◦The PM and his ministers create the decision-making committee, known as the Cabinet ◦The ministers are responsible for to the House in which they sit
‣ House of Commons
- Lower house of the Parliament of the UK
‣ House of Lords
- Upper house of the Parliament of the UK
‣ The government is dependent on Parliament
- Westminster Palace
- Political system
◦Elections
‣ They are held every fiver years to elect a new House of Commons
- The PM can advise the monarch to dissolve Parliament
‣ The monarch is not the head of the government
◦The British law is uncodified, based on several document (Magna Carta) ◦Two political parties
‣ Labour
‣ Conservative
- From 2010, the main political party
‣ The most famous historical political parties were Tories and Whigs
- Geography
◦British Isles
◦Channel Tunnel connects it with France
◦River Thames, Severn, Tyne
◦Highest peak is Ben Nevis
◦Countryside is mostly rolling hills
◦Lakes are called lochs (Loch Ness lake)
◦Orkney Islands
◦David Attenborough and his series of discovering beauties of nature
- Economy
◦highly developed
◦Currency: Pound sterling
◦Sixth-largest national economy (by gross domestic product – GDP)
◦Agriculture
‣ Intensive, highly mechanised
‣ Produces around 65% of its food needs
‣ Brands:
- Aston Martin, Bentley, Land Rover
- BBC, Top Gear
- Burberry, Marks and Spencer, Reebok
- Kit Kat, Skittles, Lipton
- Education system
◦Five stages of education
‣ Early years, primary, secondary, Further Education (FE), and Higher Education (HE) ◦It is also split into “key stages” (four of them) and then into year groups
◦Compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16 (primary and secondary) ◦Primary education (Years R to 6, age 4 to 11)
‣ Primary school begins at age 5 and continues until age 11
- Some primary schools are split up into Infant (5 to 7 yrs) and Junior levels (7 to 11 yrs)
‣ Secondary school
‣ Years 7 and 8
- All students study English, Maths, Sciences, a Humanity and a Modern Language and they can choose optional subjects
‣ Year 9
- Most of the students make the transition from Junior School to Senior School • Very good foundation for the GCSE programme
◦Secondary education (years 10 and 11 – last 2 years, 14 to 16)
‣ Students are preparing for the GCSE
- General Certificate of Secondary Education
‣ 9-12 subjects (compulsory/chosen by the student)
‣ After 2 years they are examined from every subject and receive the certificate • Important for their Further Studies (A-Level or IB) University admission
‣ IGCSE programme (International GCSE) prepare students for A-Level or IB ◦University preparation – years 12 and 13
‣ A-Level study
- At the age of 16, students can start a 2 year programme which leads to Advanced level examinations
- Specialization in 3 or 4 subjects they would want to study at university
◦After the examinations in each subject, the students receive A level Certificates • Recognized by all UK universities
‣ International Baccalaureate (IB)
- Studying more than 3-4 subjects at some independent schools
‣ They study 6 subjects, 3 at higher level and 3 at standard level
‣ The programme also includes a compulsory Core programme (Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service)
◦Further Education
‣ Vocational courses
‣ Colleges that prepare students to study at university
◦University
◦undergraduate study
‣ Bachelors degrees – three years to complete
◦postgraduate study
‣ Master’s degree are very intensive and shorter
‣ Typically 12 months to complete or 2 years
◦Boarding schools
‣ Residential schools where pupils live and study during the schools year
‣ Approx. 500 across the country
‣ Very prestige
‣ Paid
◦State boarding schools
‣ Paid boarding, education is free
- Culture
◦Arts
‣ Literature
- Geoffrey Chaucer
- Daniel Defoe (Robinson Crusoe)
- Jane Austen (The Pride and Prejudice), Charles Dickens (Oliver Twist), Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights)
- Roald Dahl, J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), George Orwell (1984) ‣ Theatre
- George Bernad Shaw (Pygmalion), Oscar Wilde (The Importance of Being Ernest), William Shakespeare (Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) ‣ Music
- Popular
◦Beatles
◦Rolling Stones
◦The Queen
‣ Cinema
- Lawrence of Arabia, Monty Python, James Bond franchise
- Trainspotting
- Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love, Actually
- Red Dwarf, Black Adder, Mr. Beam, Doctor Who, Sherlock
‣ Science and Technology
- Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell, James Joule, Stephen Hawking
‣ Cuisine
- Full breakfast
◦Eggs, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, toast, fried tomatoes ◦Fish and chips
◦Pudding, biscuits, jam and cakes
◦Tea
‣ Sports
- Football
◦Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City
- Golf
- Tennis
◦Wimbledon championship
‣ Symbols
- Union Flag
- Holidays, Festivals, Feastdays, Traditions
◦Public holiday are called “bank holidays”
◦New Year’s Day (1,2,3 January)
◦St, Patrick’s Day (17 March, Northern Ireland)
◦Good Friday (Variable)
◦Easter Monday (Variable)
◦Early May bank holiday (First Monday in May)
◦Spring Bank holiday (Last Monday in May)
◦Late Summer Bank Holiday (Last Monday in August)
◦Christmas Day (25 December)
◦Boxing Day (26 December)
Sources:
https://www.wikipedia.org,
https://www.goway.com/travel-information/europe/united-kingdom/nature-and-wildlife/ https://www.english-heritage.org.uk
https://www.brightworldguardianships.com/en/guardianship/british-education-system/ https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219167/ v01-2012ukes.pdf
https://www.nationalgeographic.com
- Basic information
◦Located in North America
◦Third largest country by both total area and population
◦Population: 331 million ppl (2021)
◦It consists of 50 states
‣ Some of them are California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Geogie, Colorado, Hawai, Alaska ◦Federal republic
‣ Current president is Joe Biden
◦The capital city is Washington D.C.
‣ D.C. means District of Columbia
◦The most populous city and financial center is New York City
- History
◦12,000 years ago
‣ First inhabitants migrated from Siberia
◦European settlements (15th and 16th century)
‣ Colonization of Norse are controversial
‣ 1493 – discovery of America
- Christopher Columbus landed in Puerto Rico
‣ Settlers and native became dependent on each other
◦Independence
‣ Thirteen Colonies against the British Empire (American Revolutionary War) ‣ The causes of war were high taxation and repression of American colonies ‣ This led to boycott of British goods
‣ Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 (Thomas Jefferson)
‣ After its defeat, in 1781 Britain signed a peace of treaty
‣ Internationally recognized sovereignty of America
‣ First president was George Washington
◦Expansion
‣ This events led to expansion of America
- American Indian Wars
- Louisiana Purchase (1803)
- California Gold Rush
◦The American Civil War
‣ between the United States (North) and the Confederacy (South)
‣ Central cause was the status of slavery
- Expansion of slavery – one of the key political issues in these days
‣ North was against slavery (A.Lincoln), whether south was practically dependent on it • South economy was based on agriculture, hence they needed some working power ‣ After the Civil War there were years of another expansion and industrialization (Railways) ‣ Development of the American Old West
◦Further industrialization
‣ Telegraph, railroads, electric light and telephone
◦Rapid economic development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ‣ C.Vanderbilt, John D. Rockerfeller, Andrew Carnegie
‣ Railroads, petroleum and steel
‣ Banking – J.P.Morgan
◦World War I
‣ Until 1917 neutral, then alongside Allies
◦Roaring Twenties
‣ Women’s legal right to vote was established
‣ Rise of radio for mass communication and invention of early television
◦Great Depression
‣ Wall Street Crash of 1929
◦World War II
‣ In 1941 were US supplying materiel to the Allies
‣ December 7
- Pearl Harbor Attack by the Empire of Japan
‣ US then joined the Allies against the Axis powers because of the attack ‣ After the end of the war in the Europe, Japan and US continued fighting ‣ The US for the first time used nuclear weapon on Japan in the cities of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki in August 1945, Japanese surrendered on September 2, ending World War II ◦Cold War
‣ The cause was political tension between the US and Soviet Union
- Ideological divide between capitalism and communism
‣ American troops were involved in Korean war and later in Vietnam War ‣ Space Race
- Competition to achieve superior spaceflight
- 1969 – the US became the first nation to land people on Moon
◦Another economic expansion, urbanization and growth of population ◦1960s
‣ Civil Rights movements to confront racism
- Martin Luther King Jr. – prominent figure, Civil Rights Act of 1968
‣ Begining of movements for gender equality and gay rights
◦1970s and 1980s
‣ Oil crisis
‣ 1991 – the end of the Cold War
- The Soviet Union was dissoluted
◦1990s
‣ Economic prosperity
‣ Gulf War against Iraq
◦21th century
‣ September 11, 2001 – terrorist attack on World Trade Center and the Pentagon ‣ 3,000 people dead
‣ President G.W.Bush launched the War on Terror
- 20-year war in Afghanistan
‣ Financial crisis of 2007-08
- Great Recession, the cause was so called housing bubble
‣ Barack Obama
- FIrst multiracial president
‣ Donald Trump
- Covid-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, raid on the U.S. Capitol ‣ Joe Biden
- Government
◦The US is a federal republic of 50 states
◦U.S. Constitution – country’s supreme legal document
◦Federal government comprises three branches:
‣ Legislative
- Congress – Senate (100 members, each state=2 senators, six-year term) and the House of Representatives (435 voting members, two-year term)
- Makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, power of impeachment • U.S. Capitol
‣ Executive
- The president (four-year term) is the commander-in-chief of the military, right to veto, appoints members of the Cabinet
- The White House
- Cannot be elected more than two times,
- Elected by electoral college system, not by direct vote
◦Each state has electoral votes (538)
◦Absolute majority of 270 or
more is required to elect the
president
‣ Judicial
- The Supreme Court and lower federal courts
- Interpret laws and overturn thos they find unconstitutional
- The Supreme Court Building
- Political parties
◦Two-party system
◦Center-right Republican Party – conservative
◦Center-left Democratic Party – liberal
- Geography
◦Northeast
‣ Valleys and mountains of the Appalchians
‣ New York, Pennsylvania
‣ Most economically developed, densely populated region of the country
◦Southwest
‣ Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma
‣ The Mojave, the Sonoran and the Chihuahuan Deserts
‣ The Colorado Plateau
- High-altitude desert region, forests, the Colorado River
◦West
‣ Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada
‣ Washington, Oregon, and California (The Pacific States)
‣ The Rocky Mountains, mountain ranges: Sierra Nevada, the Cascades, and the Pacific
Coast Ranges
◦Southeast
‣ Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
‣ Coastal Plains (adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean)
◦Midwest
‣ Illions, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
◦Mountains
‣ Alaska: the Brooks Range and the Alaska Range
‣ Highest: Mt. Denali (6,190 m)
‣ Mt. Whitney (4,421 m) – the highest peak of contiguous US
◦Rivers
‣ Missouri, Rio Grande, Colorado River, Arkansas River, Columbia River, Red River
• Economy
◦The country ranks fifth in the world in nominal GDP per capita
◦One of the most technologically powerful countries
‣ AI, computers, pharmaceuticals, medical, aerospace, and military equipment
◦Currency: U.S. dollar
◦Largest trading partners are China, the EU, Canada, the UK and Taiwan
◦Famous companies:
‣ Walmart, Amazon, Apple, CVS Health, Microsoft, FedEx, Pfizer, PepsiCo, Intel, IBM, HP, Boeing, Caterpillar, Nike, Coca-Cola Company
- Education system
◦Education is compulsory over an age of range starting between five and eight and ending between ages of sixteen and eighteen
‣ Depending on the state
◦The system of compulsory education is called K-12
◦Public, or certified private school, or approved home school program
◦Compulsory ed. is divided into three levels
‣ Primary: Elementary school
‣ Secondary: middle or junior high school, and high school
◦Post-secondary education is divided into college and graduate school
- For better understanding may help this picture
- Universities and colleges are not public in the US and very expensive, students are borrowing money for studying (so called Student’s Loan). However, after they end up in college, they usually have a large debt to pay.
- Culture
◦Literature
‣ E.A. Poe (The Pit and the Pendulum, The Raven)
‣ Mark Twain (The Adventure Tom Sawyer) Walt Whitman (Leaves of Grass)
‣ F. Scott Fitzgerald (The Great Gatsby)
‣ Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird)
‣ William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck
‣ The Beat Generation (Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac – On the Road)
‣ Joseph Heller (Catch-22)
◦Cinema and Theater
‣ Hollywood, The Academy Awards (Oscars) 
‣ Walt Disney – leader of animated film
‣ Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne
‣ Broadway
◦Music
‣ African-American music had a huge impact
‣ Folk, blues, jazz
‣ Louis Armstrong (jazz), Elvis Presley, Metallica, the Eagles, the Animals, (rock), Bob Dylan (folk revival), Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Madonna
◦Mass media
‣ NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX
‣ The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today
‣ Google, Youtube, Amazon, Yahoo, Facebook
◦Food
‣ Sweet potatoes, corn, squash
‣ Apple pie, fried chicken, doughnuts, french fries, ice cream, hamburgers, hot dogs are amongst the typical food
◦Sports
‣ Baseball – national sport, American football, basketball, skateboarding, hockey, lacrosse and surfing
‣ Super Bowl – globally watched event of American football, NFL, great marketing opportunity
‣ Auto racing – NASCAR, IndyCar
- Festives, Holidays, Feast Days, Traditions
◦New Year’s Day (January 1)
‣ Celebration of a new year at home, with friends, giant gathering in New York’s Times Square
◦Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. (third Monday in January)
◦African American History Month (February)
◦Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February)
◦Memorial Day Holiday (last monday in May)
‣ Honoring the lives lost in conflicts
◦Independence Day (July 4)
‣ Commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence
◦Labor Day (first Monday in September)
‣ Commemorations the contributions of working men and women
◦Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15)
◦Columbus Day (second Monday in October)
◦National Native American Heritage Month
◦Veterans Day (November 11)
‣ Recognition of those who served in Second World War and the Korean conflict ‣ Memorial Day, by contrast, honors those who gave their lives
◦Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
‣ Occasion for large and festive meal, and for expressing thanks for that bounty ‣ Usually a turkey is eaten
◦World AIDS Day (December 1)
◦Human Rights Day (December 10)
◦Christmas Day (December 25)
- You may noticed that most of the holidays are celebrated on Monday. Well, that’s not a coincidence. People usually travel a great distances to celebrate these holidays with families and friends across the states. By free Monday, the weekend is prolonged and people have more time to celebrate it.
- Sources:
- https://ar.usembassy.gov/education-culture/irc/u-s-holidays-celebrations/
- https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/usa_map.htm
- https://www.wikipedia.org
- Basic information
◦Country in North America
◦Consist of ten provinces and three territories
◦Second largest country (nearly 10 million square km)
◦Capital city is Ottawa
◦Other metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver
- History
◦Indigeous people were first settlers
◦11th century
‣ The Norse arrived and settled in Newfoundland
◦16th century
‣ British (explorer John Cabot was the first know European who landed here) and French colonization began
‣ The colony of New France
◦17th century
‣ North American fur trade monopoly – main economic venture
‣ The Beavers Wars (The Iroqua Wars)
- Conflict between French and natives because of hunting beavers
◦Beavers almost went extinct…until they hadn’t
◦18th century
‣ France ceded all of its colonies to the UK due to the Treaty of Paris after Seven Years’s War
‣ The province of Canada was split into French-speaking Lower Canada (later Quebec) and English-speaking Upper Canada (later Ontario)
◦19th century
‣ Act of Union 1840
- These two provinces were united as the Province of Canada
‣ New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were also joined through Confederation ‣ Canada has its government, but the UK continued to set their policies, this ended after the First World War
◦20th century
‣ Great Depression in Canada in 1930s
- Economic downturn
‣ Economic growth because of the World War II
‣ 1965 adoption of Maple Leaf Flag
‣ 1969 bilingualism (English and France)
◦21th century
‣ prospering age
- Government
◦constitutional monarchy with parliamentary system
◦Monarch is Queen Elizabeth II
◦Her representative is governor general
◦The real power has the Cabinet
‣ Head of it is Prime Minister (at present Justin Trudeau)
◦Legislative power
‣ The Parliament of Canada
- Bicameral – House of Commons, and the Senate of Canada
◦Judicial
‣ Supreme Court of Canada
- Politics
◦Liberal Party of Canada
◦Conservative Party of Canada
- Economy
◦Currency: Canadian Dollar
◦Famous companies:
‣ IMAX, Four Season Hotels and Resorts
- Geography and nature
◦Rocky Mountains
◦Canadian Prairies
◦St. Lawrence River
◦Many lakes
◦Beavers, polar bears, moose, bison
- Culture
◦Maple Leaf, Hockey
- Places to visit
◦Quebec (only walled city in North America, really beautiful)
Sources: wikipedia.org, https://wwf.ca/stories/canadas-10-most-iconic-animals/
Australia
- Basic information
◦Part of the Commonwealth
◦Country is located on the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and smaller islands
◦World’s sixth largest country
◦Capital city is Canberra, largest one is Sydney, other cities are Melbourne, Brisbane ◦Currency: Australian dollar
◦Country consist of six colonies and ten territories
- History
◦First settlers were Indigenous people
◦European colonisation
‣ First were the Dutch in 1606
‣ There were no attempts to settle here from the sailors
‣ In 1770 James Cook claimed the land for Great Britain
‣ After the loss of the American colonies, British Government sent a fleet of ship to establish a new penal (exile) colony for convicts
◦19th century
‣ Thr penal colony became a civil society
‣ The indigenous people declined due to disease or conflict with settlers
‣ The six colonies gained responsible government
◦20th century
‣ Status of self-governing dominios with the British Empire
‣ In both world wars on the side with allies
‣ Emu war – an attempt ccordinated by the army to recude numbers of emus • Australia lost it
‣ After war there has been a significant increase in living standards
- Government
◦Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
◦Power is divided between the federal and state and territorial governments ◦Federal government is separated into three branches
‣ Legislature: the bicameral Parliament: the monarch (represented by the governor general), the Senate, and the House of Representatives
‣ Executive: Federal Executive Council: the PM and other ministers
‣ Judiciary: the High Court of Australia
◦Each of the six states and ten territories has its own parliament
‣ They have plenary legislative power to legislate on any subject
◦Two major political groups: the Australian Labor Party and Coalition (Liberal + National Party)
• Nature and Geography
◦Wide variety of landscapes
‣ Tropical rainforests, mountain ranges and desert (outback)
◦driest continent
◦The Great Barrier Reef
‣ The world’s largest coral reef
◦Mount Kosciuszko
‣ Highest mountain on the mainland
◦Uluru – Ayers Rock
‣ Famous sandstone monolith
◦Diverse range of habitants, most of them unique due to geographic isolation, continent’s great age and variable weather
‣ Most of them endemic
‣ Animals: platypus, echidnas, kangaroo, koala, wombat, emu, kookaburra, dingo ‣ Plants: eucalyptus, acacia
- Economy (famous companies and brands)
◦Vegemite, Qantas airlines – known companies
◦Thirteenth-largest economy
- Culture
◦Famous actors:
‣ Geoffrey Rush, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger
◦Cuisine:
‣ Influenced by British and Irish cuisine
‣ Australian meat pie
‣ Flat white
◦Sport: Cricket and football
◦Sydney Opera House
New Zealand
- Basic information
◦An island country
◦It consists of two parts:
‣ The North Island
‣ The South Island
◦Capital city is Wellington, most populated is Auckland
◦Official languages are English and Maori
◦Total area is 268,000 square kilometers
◦Population: 5,127,330 ppl (August 2022)
◦Currency: New Zealand dollar
- History
◦First settlers were Eastern Polynesians,they arrived here between 1250 and 1300 ◦Polynesians settlers developed a culture known as Maori
◦17th century
‣ First European to visit NZ was Dutch explorer Abel Tasman
‣ Hostile encounter between natives and Tasman’s crew
‣ From this event, European did not revisit the country
◦18th century
‣ James Cook arrived and after him, numerous Europeans and American were trading with NZ
◦19th century
‣ Christian missionaries came and began to settle New Zealand
- Eventually converted most of the Maori population
‣ Responsible government in 1856
◦20th century
‣ It is proclaimed dominion
‣ After both wars there was increasing prosperity
‣ Maori began to leave their traditional rural life
- Government
◦Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
◦Constitution is not codified
◦The queen is Elizabeth II, represented by governor-general
◦Legislative power: New Zealand Parliament – queen and the House of Representatives ‣ Cabinet is the highest policy-making body in government, formed by ministers and the PM
- Nature and Geography
◦NZ is long and narrow
◦It has extensive marine resources
◦The South Island is the largest landmass
‣ Southern Alps (highest peak is Aoraki/Mount Cook)
‣ Fjords
◦The North Island is less mountainous but is marked by volcanism
‣ Highly active Taupo Volcanic Zone
◦Geographical isolation influenced evolution of the country’s species
‣ Birds: kiwi, kakapo and takahe (flightless)
‣ Reptiles: tuatara, skinks and geckos
‣ Penguins (13 of world’s 18 species)
- Some are so unique that they have been called living fossils
‣ A lot of species went extinct since human arrival
- Haast’s eagle and moa
- Economy (famous companies and brands)
◦Air New Zealand, Anchor, 42 Below vodka
- Culture
◦Influenced by east Polynesia culture and then by British and Irish
◦Sport
‣ Rugby is considered a national sport
◦Cuisine
‣ pavlova is considered a national dessert
‣ hangi is traditional Maori method of cooking food
- Heated rocks buried in a pit oven
◦Media
‣ The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed here
- Basic information
◦The Czech Republic is located in the middle of the Europe
‣ Its neighbors are Germany, Poland, Austria and Slovakia
◦Total area counts nearly 79 square kilometers
◦The capital city si Prague
‣ Other major cities are Brno, Ostrava, Plzeň and Liberec
◦Total population counts around 10.5 million people
- History
◦First settlers were slavic tribes
◦Frankish merchant Samo and his empire was mainly located in Moravia
◦In the 9th emerged the Duchy of Bohemia under the Přemyslid dynasty
◦In 13th century, thanks to Golden Bull of Sicily, the Duchy was raised to a Kingdom ◦After a series of dynastic wars, the House of Luxembourg gained the Bohemian throne ‣ Jan Lucemburský, Charles IV. (the fourth)
◦Hussite wars
‣ Jan Hus tried to reform the Church and critised it a lot
‣ Then he was burned down as a heretic
‣ Jan Žižka was a successful military commander
◦Habsburg rule
‣ Rudolf II
‣ Defenestration of Prague
- Thirty Years` War, Battle of White Mountain
‣ Dark Age (1620 to the late 18th century)
- Czech language almost died out
- Degradation of political status of Bohemia
◦Under Austrian Empire (still Habsburgs)
‣ Czech National Revival
- The goal was to revive Czech language, culture and national identity
◦Czechoslovakia
‣ Created in 1918 after collapse of Habsburg monarchy and at the end of the World War I • Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk
◦German occupation and World War II
‣ The Czech alnds became protectorate of Nazi Germany and a great part of their area was taken by the Nazis
‣ Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, 27.5.1942
◦1946
‣ Communist Party won the elections and became the main political party for next 43 years
◦1968
‣ Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia stopped political liberalization called Prague Spring
◦1989 – Velvet Revolution
‣ Václav Havel, no people were hurt and Czechoslovakia returned to liberal democracy ◦1993 – the country split into Czech Republic and Slovakia
◦1999 – Joined NATO
◦2004 – Joined the EU
- Government
◦Unitary parliamentary republic
‣ Current president is Miloš Zeman (2022) and prime minister is Petr Fiala • Legislature
◦Parliament
‣ Upper house – Senate
‣ Lower house – Chamber of Deputies
- Nature
◦National parks
‣ four of them
◦Rivers
‣ Moldau, Elbe, Morava, Sázava
◦Mountains
‣ Giant Mountains (Krkonoše), Jeseníky, Krušné Mountains
- Economy
◦Industry
‣ Škoda Auto, škoda Transportation, ČEZ Group, Agrofert
◦Food Industry
‣ Agrofert, Kofola, Hamé
- Culture
◦Art
‣ Josef Mánes, sculptor J.V. Myslbek, painters Mikoláš Aleš, Václav Brožík, Vojtěch Hynais ‣ Alfons Mucha, Max Švabinský (Art Noveau)
‣ Jan Zrzavý, František Kupka
‣ Josef Lada, Jan Saudek
◦Architecture
‣ Josef Gočár, Jan Santini Aichel, Killian Ignaz Dientzenhofer
◦Literature
‣ Franz Kafka (The Trial), Karel Čapek (R.U.R.), Božena Němcová (Granny), Bohumil Hrabal, Milan Kundera (The Joke)
◦Music
‣ Antonín Dvořák (New World Symphony), Bedřich Smetana (The Bartered Bride) ◦Theatre
‣ National Theatre, Laterna magika, puppet theatre (Hurvínek)
◦Film
‣ Karel Zeman (Deadly Invention, Baron Prášil, great animation effects)
‣ Miloš Forman (Amadeus, One Flew over the Cuckoo`s Nest)
‣ Jiří Trnka (the founder of the modern puppet film)
◦Sport
‣ Jaromír Jágr, David Pastrňák (hockey), Jiří Procházka (MMA), Emil Zátopek (run) ◦Cuisine
‣ Beer (Pilsen, Kozel)
- Education system
◦Children start with preschool, and continue on to elementary, secondary, university, and post graduate education
◦Classification system
‣ Scale 1 to 5
◦Preschool
‣ For smoother transition to elementary school
◦Elementary education
‣ Nine-years duration, from ages of 6 to 15
‣ Children have the option to apply for 6 or 8-year gymnasiums after their 5th or 7th grade ‣ Gymnasiums are targeted toward a specific area of study
◦Upper secondary education
‣ General or vocational
‣ Generally four years long
‣ Ended up by the maturita exam (final examination)
- An exam of the Czech language, several exams in the student’s area of
specialization
- Two parts:
◦A common (state) exam
◦Profiling exam
‣ Vocational certificate often do not continue in studying and instead pursue their career in their field
◦Tertiary or university education
‣ The system of entrance exams is designed specifically by each individual college ◦Universities offer accredited bachelor’s, master’s, and engineering degrees ◦Doctoral programs
- Holidays, Festivals, Feastdays, Traditions
◦Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State and New Year (January 1) ◦March or April: Good Friday and Easter Monday
‣ Commemoration of death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
- Day of folk customs: girls paint eggs to give it to the boys, who walk around with carols and whips on Easter Monday, the boys hit the girls gently with the whip on the buttocks
◦The Burning of the Witches (April 30)
‣ Final farewell to winter
◦Labour Day and May Day (May 1)
‣ May Day – day of those in love
◦Victory Day (8 May)
‣ Celebration of the end of the World War II
‣ Celebrations and military parades
- Freedom Festival in Plzeň
◦Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (July 5)
‣ Arrival of Slavic missionaries to Great Moravia to spread Christianity
◦Jan Hus Day (July 6)
‣ Jan Hus was a Roman Catholic priest, religious thinker, a university techaer and a
reformer
‣ One of the first reformers
‣ The Church called him heretic, excommunicated him and in the end burned alive in Constance on 6 July 1415
◦Czech Statehood Day (28 September)
‣ On this day, patron of the Czech lands, prince Wenceslas was murdered
◦Independent Czechoslovak State Day (28 October)
‣ On this day in 1918, the independent Czechoslovakia was declared
◦All Souls’s Day (November 2)
‣ Czechvisits cemeteries and remember for their dead loved ones
◦International Student Day and Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (17 November) ‣ Two holidays
- 1939 Nazi Germany closed all Czech universities
- 1989 demonstration against the communist regime – the fall of communist regime ◦St. Nicholas Tradition (December 5)
◦Christmas (24-26 December)
- Festivals
◦Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
◦Summer Shakespeare Festival
◦Prague Spring International Music Festival
Sources:
https://www.mzv.cz/washington/en/culture_events/education/education_system_in_the_czech_republic/ index.html
http://www.myczechrepublic.com/czech_culture/czech_holidays/
https://traveltriangle.com/blog/festivals-in-czech-republic/
https://www.visitczechrepublic.com/en-US/8d315cdd-9abe-4d6c-8e63-567fa1b77b98/article/n-public-holidays https://www.wikipedia.org
London
- Basic information
◦The capital and the largest city of England and the UK
◦Population: over 9 million
◦It is situated on the River Thames
◦Districts: City of London and 32 boroughs
◦One one the major financial centres in the world
◦Seat of the Government of the UK
‣ The PM’s residence – 10 Downing Street
‣ Palace of Westminster
- History
◦Romans founded the city called Londinium
◦1666 The Great Fire of London destroyed many parts of the city
◦In the world wars, London was bombed by the Germans
◦1948 Summer Olympics were held a the original Wembley Stadium ◦1952 The Great Smog
‣ Clear Air Act 1956 solved the situation
◦2012 Summer Olympics
- Places to see and visit
◦Hyde park – most famous and largest park
‣ Speaker’s Corner – every week it is occupied by debates, protests and artists ◦Westminster
‣ Big Ben, House of Parliament
◦Camden
‣ Cultural neighborhood in north London, goths, punks, rockabillies ◦London Eye
‣ Giant ferris wheel, beautiful view
◦Soho
‣ Popular nightlife spot, center of the city’s LGBTQ community
‣ A lot of gay and lesbian bars, jazz barr and clubs, theaters
◦Piccadilly Circus
‣ Square filled with bright lights and electronic screens
◦Oxford Street, Bond Street
◦Museums, Galleries, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Tower Bridge
• Traffic and transport
◦One of the largest public transport networks, quite cheap, Oyster Card – similar to Lítačka ◦Buses – iconic double- decker buses
◦The Tube – London Underground
◦Docklands Light Railway (DLR)
◦Riverboat services
◦Local trains
◦Trams
- Food
◦Full English Breakfast
◦Fish and Chips
◦Afternoon Tea
◦Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Tips and tricks
◦Buy a London Pass – way to see many of London’s iconic landmarks
◦Get an Oyster Card
◦Do not get on Hop on Hop off Buses
◦Bring and umbrella
◦The British drive on the left
New York
- Basic information
◦The most populous city in the United States
◦Population: approx. 8,804,000
◦Area: 778,2 square kilometers
◦Global, cultural, financial, and media centre
◦Home to the HQ of the United Nations
◦Consists of five boroughs
‣ Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island
◦Sometimes called The Big Apple
- History
◦First European visit was in 16th century
◦Trading port in 17th century, center of slavery
◦Rapid growth of population in 19th century
◦1920s and 1930s
‣ The Harlem Renaissance – intellectual and cultural revival of African American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics and scholarship centered in Harlem ‣ Flourished during the Prohibition period.
◦Post-world war II economic boom
‣ Wall Street leading America’s place as the world’s dominant economic power ◦1970s to 1990s
‣ economic a social problems, rising crime rates
◦September 11 2001 – Attack on the World Trade Center
- Places to see and visit
◦Statue of Liberty
◦Central Park
◦Rockefeller Center
◦Broadway and the Theater District
◦Empire State Building
◦9/11 Memorial and Museum
◦Times Square
◦Brooklyn bridge
◦New York Public Library
◦Wall Street
◦St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- Traffic and transport
◦Inexpensive, MetroCard (similar to Lítačka)
◦Subway
◦Buses
◦The Roosevelt Island Tram
◦Taxis
- Food
◦You can here basically every cuisine, italian and chinesse most popular
• Tips and tricks
◦Do not stop in the middle of the sidewalk
◦Do not make small talk with locals (they are in rush)
◦Do not use an ATM in a store
◦Do not take a either cab to or from the airport (it is expensive)
Sources:
https://www.londonxlondon.com/best-london-travel-tips/
https://devourtours.com/blog/traditional-foods-london/?cnt=CZ
https://www.visitlondon.com/traveller-information/getting-around-london/london-transport https://www.girlwiththepassport.com/19-new-york-city-mistakes/
https://www.nycgo.com/plan-your-trip/basic-information/transportation-in-nyc/getting-around https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/new-york-city-us-ny-nyc.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City
- Basic information
◦The capital and largest city in the Czech Republic
◦Historical capital of Bohemia
◦Population: 1,3 million people
◦Mayor: Zdeněk Hřib (2022, Pirates)
◦The city is situated on the Vltava river
◦Located in the Prague Plateau
◦Seat of the government
‣ Prague Castle – the president
‣ House of Representatives – On Lesser Quarter
‣ The Senate – Lesser Quarter, Valdštejn, Kolovratský and Furstenberg palaces ◦Divided into four quarters
‣ Hradčany
‣ Lesser Town
‣ Old Town and Josefov
‣ New Town
- History
◦Celtic tribe appeared in the area around the fifth and fourth century BC
‣ They established an oppidum
‣ Named the region of Bohemia
- Home of the Boii people
◦Late 5th century AD
‣ Migration Period
‣ Germanic tribes left after them, the Slavic tribes settled the Central Bohemian Region ◦Legendary origins of Prague attribute its foundation to the 8th-century Czech duchess Libuše and her husband, Přemysl
◦Prague flourished during the 14th century reign of Charles IV
‣ He transformed Prague into an imperial capital, ordered to build the New Town, The Charles Bridge, founded Charles University in 1347, began the construction of Saint Vitus Cathedral, ordered to build The Hunger Wall (he wanted to provide employment and food to the workers)
◦His son Wenceslaus IV did not rule wise and caused many problems in the country
‣ Jan Hus, a theologian and rector at the Charles University, preached in Prague • Bethlehem Chapel
- He was burned alive for his criticism of Church
- This was a beginning of the Hussite Wars
◦Battle of Vítkov Hill in 1420
‣ Jan žižka against Emperor Sigismund
◦Battle of Prague (1648)
‣ Attack of the Swedish troops
◦Habsburg Era
‣ Rudolf II welcomed in Prague astrologers, magicians, scientists, musicians, and artists ‣ Prague became the capital of European culture – prosperou period
◦The Prague was center of many significant historical events
‣ National Revival, Assasination of Reinhard Heydrich, Velvet Revolution
◦After the Velvet Revolution, prague became the capital city of the new Czech Republic
• Places to see and visit
◦National Theatre, Estates Theatre
‣ In Estates Theatre premiered Mozart’s Don Giovanni
‣ Mozart lived in Prague for some time
◦Museums
‣ National, Jewish, the Alfons Mucha, the National Gallery and Library
◦Festivals
‣ Prague Spring International Music Festival, Febiofest, Summer Shakespeare Festival ◦Barrandov Studios
‣ Home of many movies (Mission Impossible, Doom, Amadeus, Chronicles of Narnia) ◦Prague Castle
◦Vyšehrad Castle
‣ Beautiful sceneries
◦Petřín Hill, The Astronomical Clock on Old Town City Hall, Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Dancing House, National Monument in Vítkov, Church of St. Ludmila, Letohrádek Hvězda
- Traffic and Transportation
◦Inexpensive, vast net, gets you practically everywhere, reliable
◦Bus, tram, train and subway
◦Three main train stations
◦International airport of Václav Havel
◦Boats on Vltava
◦Petřín Funicular
- Food
◦In Prague you can find a lot of good restaurants and pubs for reasonable prices. ◦Main attraction is the Pilsner Beer – the best one in the world
‣ Always look for pubs where is it from tank not from barrel
◦You can find basically every cuisine
- Tips and tricks
◦Be aware of scam money exchange
‣ Always change in certified places
◦Travel by public transportation
‣ Cabs and taxis are overpriced
◦Watch the Honest Guide on YouTube
‣ Best tips and tricks in Prague channel
- Basic information
◦Country in north-western Europe
◦Consisting of 26 of the 32 counties (Irish administrative division) of the island of Ireland ◦The capital and largest city is Dublin
◦Official languages
‣ Irish
‣ English
◦Unitary parliamentary republic
◦Total area: 70,273 square kilometers
◦Population: around five million
◦Currency: Euro
- History
◦From the Act of Union in 1801, until 1922, the island of Ireland was part of the UK
◦1916 Easter Rising
‣ Armed insurrection against British rule by irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army ‣ Unsuccessful
‣ Profound effect on changing public opinion in Ireland against the British Government
◦1919 Declaration of independence
‣ Proclamation of an Irish Republic
‣ Not admitted at Paris Peace Conference
◦1921 War of Independence
‣ Anglo-Irish Treaty
‣ The entire island became self-governing Dominion
◦Northern Ireland exercised its right under the treaty to leave the new Dominion ‣ Rejoined the UK in 1922
◦Irish Civil War
‣ Consequence of the ratification of the Anglo-Irish Treaty
‣ Anti-treaty forces
- Objected that the treaty abolished the Irish Republic of 1919 to which they had sworn loyalty
- Arguing with the fact that the state would remain part of the British Empire and members of parliament would have to swear an otah of fidelity to the British King
‣ Pro-treaty forces
- Argued that the treaty gave “not the ultimate freedom that all nations aspire ti and develop, but the freedom to achieve it”
‣ At the start, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) split into two opposing camps ‣ Pro-treaty forces won and removed any doubts about the necessity of enforcing the treaty
- Government and Politics
◦Constitutional republic with a parliamentary system of government
◦Parlament = Oireachtas
‣ Bicameral
‣ Composed of the President of Ireland and the two houses
- Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives)
- Seanad Éireann (Senate)
‣ Áras an Uachtaráin = official residence of the President
‣ Leinster House in Dublin = houses of the Oireachtas
◦The President
‣ head of the state, seven-years term
◦The Taoiseach (Prime Minister)
‣ Serves as the head of government
◦It is customary for coalitions to form a government
‣ Not sigle-party government since 1989
◦The Dáil
‣ 160 members
◦The Seanad
‣ 60 members
- Nature and Geography
◦Cliffs, hills, and mountains
◦Highest point is Carrauntoohil
‣ in the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks
◦Longest river is River Shannon
◦Numerous island, peninsulas, headlands and bays
◦Great forests
‣ Oak, ash, hazel, birch, alder, willow, aspen, elm, Scots pine, yew
- Economy (famous companies and brands)
◦Guinness Beer
◦Bailey’s Irish Cream
◦Ryanair
◦Jameson
- Culture
◦Literature
‣ Jonathan Swift
- Gulliver’s Travels
‣ Laurence Sterne
- Tristram Shandy
‣ Oliver Goldsmith
- The Vicar of Wakefield
‣ James Joyce
- Ulysses
‣ Oscar Wilde
- An Ideal Husband, The Happy Prince
‣ Samuel Beckett
- Waiting for Godot
◦Music and dance
‣ Best selling act is the rock band U2
‣ Various types of dancing
- Social dance
◦Living tradition
◦Céilí
‣ Varied formations from couples of 2 to 16 people
◦Set dance
‣ Quadrilles – four couples arranged in a square
- Performance dances
◦Stepdance
‣ Rapid leg movements, with the body and arms kept largely stationary
◦Cuisine
‣ Boxty (potato pancake), colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale), coddle
(dish made to use leftovers), stew, bacon and cabbage
‣ Full Irish breakfast
- Rashers, egg, sausage, white and black pudding, fried tomato ‣ Irish whiskey
◦Sports
‣ Gaelic football and hurling (similar to rugby)
‣ Horse racing
‣ Association football (soccer)
‣ Netball (related to basketball)
‣ Golf
Zdroje:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland#History