Download american civilization

GALEONE Serena
1st master
Teacher: K. Williams
AMERICAN CIVILIZATION:
THE PACIFIC
I. OREGON
1° Capital of Oregon and main regions:
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon.
It is located in the Willamette Valley.
There are 9 different regions in Oregon: the Northern Coast, the Central Coast, the
Southern Coast, Portland Metro Area, Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon,
Columbia River Gorge, Central Oregon and finally Eastern Oregon.
2° Geography:
First of all, Oregon is mostly famous for its numerous forests and its large reserves of
standing timber.
This state's geography can be divided into six areas; the Coast Range, the Willamette
Lowland, the Cascade Mountains, the Klamath Mountains, the Columbia Plateau,
and the Basin and Range Region.
As far as borders are concerned, Oregon is bordered by Washington on the north and
California and Nevada on the south. On the east, Oregon is bordered by Idaho and
on the west Oregon is bordered by the Pacific Ocean.
The state is well-known for its forests, volcanic peaks, valleys and its extraordinary
coastline. The view on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific is breathtaking.
Moreover, Oregon is also home to the deepest lake in America called Crater Lake.
Oregon’s longest rivers are Columbia River, Snake River, Willamette, John Day,
Klamath and Deschutes.
Oregon is a state divided by mountains. The Cascade Mountains stretch across the
entire length of Oregon, leading to two different climates. West of the Cascades there
is a mild, moist marine climate. And east of the Cascades, Oregon's high desert
country can be really hot or bitterly cold.
3° State symbols:
- The state flag is navy blue, with gold lettering and symbols.
- The state motto is "She Flies With Her Own Wings".
- The state song is "Oregon, My Oregon" by J.A. Buchanan of Astoria and Henry B.
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4° Accents and dialects:
Portlanders don't have a big accent. Indeed, it can’t be compared to the dialects of
Texans, New Yorkers or Californians. Nevertheless, you can sometimes hear Pacific
Northwest English which is a dialect of the English language, especially spoken in
the Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Northwest is defined as an area that includes the
American states of Oregon, Washington, and parts of Alaska.
5° When did the state join the Union:
Oregon was admitted as a state on Valentine's Day in 1859.
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II. WASHINGTON
1° Capital of Washington and main regions:
Olympia is the capital of the U.S. state of Washington.
There are 8 different regions in Washington: Columbia River Plateau, North
Cascades, Olympic Peninsula, Palouse, Puget Sound, Rocky Mountains, San Juan
Islands and Southwest Washington.
2° Geography:
Nicknamed "the Evergreen State", the forested land of Washington plays a key-role
in the economy of the state and in the region's environment.
Washington, the 18th largest state in the union, can be divided into six geographic
land areas: the Olympic Mountains, the Coast Range, the Puget Sound Lowlands, the
Cascade Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, and the Rocky Mountains. As far as
borders are concerned, Washington is bordered by Canada in the north and Oregon
in the south. On the east, Washington is bordered by Idaho and, on the west, there is
the Pacific Ocean. Then, powerful rivers through the state provide natural habitat for
a huge wildlife. The mighty Columbia River provides 30% of the nation's
hydroelectric power. Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake. This lake is the
second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan.Thanks to its temperate
rainforests in the west, its high mountains of the Cascade Range in the centre,
northeast and far southeast, and its eastern semi-deserts, Washington is a state of
fantastic natural beauty. Finally, The Cascade Range contains several volcanoes
which often reach altitudes higher than the rest of the mountains.
3° State symbols:
- The state flag has a deep green background with the state seal in the center. The
state seal represents George Washington, the first president of the United States.
- The state motto is “Bye and bye”.
- The state song is “Roll On Columbia, Roll On".
4° Accents and dialects:
Pacific Northwest English is the most common dialect in Washington.
5° When did the state join the Union:
Washington became the 42nd state to join the Union on November 11, 1889.
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III. CALIFORNIA
1° Capital of Washington and main regions:
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California.
California's topography can be divided into 8 main regions within the state: Klamath
Mountain, Coastal Ranges, The Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, Cascade Mountains,
Basin and Range Region, The Los Angeles Ranges and The San Diego Ranges.
2° Geography:
California is the third largest state after Alaska and Texas. The landscape is very vast
and varied. As far as borders are concerned, California is bordered by Oregon to the
north. In the south, California has an international border with Mexico. To the east,
Nevada and Arizona share the California border. California meets the Pacific Ocean
on the west. California has over 1200 miles of coast line. San Francisco and San Diego
are two of the continent's most protected bays. Then, this state has numerous rugged
mountain ranges such as the Sierra Nevada, Klamath Mountains and the Cascade
Mountains which contains two active volcanoes. Then, the Peninsular Ranges divide
Southern California into two sections: the arid west and the desert east. The deserts
of California include the Mojave Desert (with the Death Valley for example) and the
Sonoran Desert. Nowadays, the Central Valley creates a rich agricultural centre and
receives two major rivers the Sacramento and the San Joaquin.
3° State symbols:
- The state flag is the bear flag.
- The state motto is “Eureka… I have found it”.
- The state song is “I Love You, California”.
4° Accents and dialects:
California English is a dialect of the English language.
5° When did the state join the Union:
California joined the Union on September 9, 1850.
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IV. ALASKA
1° Capital of Washington and main regions:
Juneau is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alaska. There are 5 different regions in
Alaska: Southcentral, Southeastern (or Panhandle), Interior, Southwest, Arctic (the
land of permafrost: famous for its permanently frozen ground).
2° Geography:
Alaska is the largest US state by area. This state is the only non-contiguous American
state on continental North America. Alaska is thus an exclave of the United States.
The climate of the interior of Alaska is mostly subarctic. As far as borders are
concerned, most of Alaska is surrounded by water. To the north is the Arctic Ocean.
To the south is the Gulf of Alaska and Pacific Ocean. To the west is the Bering Sea.
Alaska's land borders Canada to the east and south. Alaska's geography can be
categorized into four main areas: two mountain ranges, a central plateau, and the
Arctic slope (or coastal plain). Furthermore, there are many rolling hills and swampy
river valleys. Yukon River, for example, is the longest river in Alaska (1,875 miles).
There are active volcanoes in the Aleutians islands. Then, Alaska has more than three
million lakes and has half of the world's glaciers.
3° State symbols:
- The state flag is the Big Dipper with a blue field representing the sky, the sea, and
mountain lakes, as well as Alaska's wildflowers.
- The state motto is “North to the future”.
- The state song is “Alaska’s flag”.
4° Accents and dialects:
Pacific Northwest English is the most common dialect in Alaska. Moreover, many
diphthongs in the Alaskan dialects have merged.
5° When did the state join the Union:
Alaska joined the Union on January 3, 1959.
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V. HAWAII
1° Capital and main islands:
Honolulu, on the island of Oʻahu, is the capital city of the U.S. state of Hawaii.
Hawaii is composed of a chain of 132 islands. Its eight main islands are Niʻihau,
Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and Hawaiʻi.
2° Geography:
Hawaii occupies most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean. As far as
borders are concerned, Hawaii is bordered by Australia on the northeast, by the
continental Unites States on the southwest and on the southeast by Japan. Then, the
Hawaiian chain is especially the visible portion of a series of massive volcanoes.
Several volcanoes on the Big Island, for example, are still active. After that, the north
and southeastern coast of Hawaii is protected by high cliffs. Hawaii has also 2 major
mountains ranges which are called "The Waianae range" and another one called
"Koolau". Furthermore, most of the tropical rainforest is found on the island of Kauai
and on the Big Island. Finally, Hawaii has also a lot of beautiful beaches. It’s a kind of
paradise on earth.
3° State symbols:
- The state flag looks like the Union Jack of Great Britain.
- The state motto is “Ua Mau ke Ea o ka 'Āina i ka Pono” means “The life of the land is
perpetuated in righteousness”.
- The state song is "Hawai`i Pono`î".
4° Accents and dialects:
Hawaii Pidgin English (also called: Hawaii Creole English, HCE, or Pidgin) is a
creole language based in part on English. This dialect is used by many local residents
of Hawaiʻi. It is also fundamental to know that Hawaii is the most ethnically and
racially diverse state of any state in the United State. There is a mix including mostly
Caucasians, Americans of Japanese descent, and Polynesians.
5° When did the state join the Union:
Hawaii joined the Union on Augustus 21, 1959 and became the 50th state of the US.
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References:
http://www.el.com/to/oregon/
http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/or_geography.htm
http://www.pds.pdx.edu/Publications/Ward.pdf
http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/wa_intro.htm
http://www.50states.com/californ.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/us/A0858561.html
http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Oregon/stateFLAG.html
http://iguide.travel/California/Regions
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