English speaking countries - USA 2026

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United States of America

999 AD

Leif Erikkson was a Viking and the first European to record a visit to Northern America (Canada). He was returning to Greenland when he was blown off course and landed in Northern America by accident.

1492 AD

Italian explorer Christopher Columbus NEVER set foot on American soil - but he did find the Bahamas. He thought he had discovered India and called the people he met "Indians". 

1607

In 1607, 104 English men and boys arrived in North America to start a settlement. On May 13 they picked Jamestown, Virginia for their settlement, which was named after their King, James I.

Jamestown was the first English colony in America.

Nov. 11, 1620

Pilgrims (very strict Christians) were kicked out of England, weren't happy in Leiden and 40 set out for America. After 66 days at sea, they landed at Cape Cod. They were bad at farming and would have died if local native Americans hadn't given them food. That's why Americans still celebrate Thanksgiving. 

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1609/1624

Henry Hudson finds the east coast of America and starts a colony called "Nieuw-Nederland". In 1624 a city called "Nieuw Amsterdam" is founded where Manhattan, the heart of New York City, is now. Plenty of names in NYC are still dutch: the Holland Tunnel, Brooklyn (Breukelen), Flushing (Vlissingen), Coney Island (konijneneiland), Wall Street (Waalstraat). The words cookie, boss, dollar (daalder) and many more were also adopted from the Dutch language! 

In 1664, England and The Netherlands swap territories: England gets Nieuw Amsterdam and calls it New York. The Netherlands get Surinam and an island in Indonesia. 

1773

American colonists had to pay taxes to England, but had no say in how they were ruled by King George. They revolted by throwing British tea in the Boston Harbor - the Boston Tea Party. "No taxation without representation!"

July 4, 1776

In 1776, Americans declared themselves independent from England. The exact date, July 4th, is still a national holiday, celebrated with fireworks, parades and parties. 

1789

George Washington, the general who had defeated the British army in the American War of Independence and helped write the Declaration of Independence, became the first President of the USA.

1860

Abraham Lincoln is elected President. In the southern states, the economy was based on slavery. Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery. The southern states got very angry because they didn't want to lose the money they earned by using slave labor, and so....

1860-1865

... The Civil War broke out between northern and southern states. The North won and in 1865, slavery was abolished for good. However, southern states still practiced "segregation" until the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s finally put an end to that.

Flag of the U.S.A.

The flag of the United States as we know it today, with the stars and stripes, originated in the  1760's and became popular during the American civil war.
It became the official flag of the United States in 1777.
Each star of the 50 stars represents  a state and the 13 red and white stripes represent the 13 (English) colonies that  won independence from Great Britain in the American War of Independence.
Nicknames for the flag are "the Star- Spangled Banner", "the Stars and Stripes" and "the Red, White and Blue".

1914-1918

America was neutral at first during the First World War, also called the Great War. They did help by sending weapons. In 1917, after the Germans kept sinking American ships and submarines, America decided to send troops and help defeat Germany. 

1942

Germany had invaded half of Europe since 1939. The USA wanted to remain neutral. However, Germany's ally, Japan, attacked the American navy at Pearl Harbor (Hawaii). Then America declared war on Germany and Japan and started to fight on different fronts: in Europe, North Africa and Asia.

1945

In 1945, Germany surrendered and there was peace in Europe. Japan said they would keep fighting to the last soldier. America then dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Over 200,000 people lost their lives. Japan had no choice but to surrender.

The 1960s

The Soviet Union (now Russia) and America became enemies after World War 2. They started the space race. The first living being in space was Laika the Russian space dog. 

Yuri Gagarin, a Russian, was the first man to orbit earth in 1961. Neil Armstrong, an American, was the first man to set foot on the moon in 1969: "A small step for man, a giant leap for mankind". 

Dominance

After World War 2, America becomes the most important country in the world. It has the biggest economy and the best army. It is by far the richest country. Its culture spreads around the globe. Everyone knows and loves American jeans, sneakers, movies, TV shows, music and food. 

21st century

Tech companies set up their headquarters in Silicon Valley, California. From there, they transform all of our lives with their inventions. American technology leads the world. 

2026

Donald Trump was elected President for a 2nd term. He has been convicted of many crimes such as assaulting women and telling his supporters to storm the government buildings after he refused to accept that Joe Biden had won the 2020 election. Trump's supporters don't care about his crimes. They think he will "make America great again" (MAGA). Trump tells many lies and calls them "alternative facts". Everything people say that he doesn't like, even if it is true, he calls "fake news". 

Trump was only President for less than 3 weeks, but already threatened to invade Panama, Greenland and even Canada. He also proposed to evict all Palestinians from Gaza and develop it into a luxurious beach front for the rich and powerful.

American history summary:

- Leif Erikson accidentally stumbles upon Canada (999 AD)

- Christopher Columbus ''discovers'' the United States (1492)

- Pilgrims arrived at Cape Cod, not Plymouth Rock (1607)

- Nieuw Amsterdam (1624-1664)

- Boston Tea Party - no taxation without representation! (1773)

- Declaration of Independence (1776) 

- George Washington is the first President (1789)

- Abraham Lincoln is elected president (1860)

- The American Civil War (1861-63) - end of slavery

- World War I (1914-1918)

- Word War II (1940-1945) - Pearl Harbor, two atomic bombs on Japan

- space race, sports, warfare, technology, tv and film, the internet!!!

- After Fake News, alternative facts, MAGA,  Insurrection - Donald Trump is re-elected (2025)

Opdracht: interview (10 pt)

1. Bedenk tien vragen die met Amerika, de geschiedenis (minimaal 3 vragen) en de cultuur te maken hebben. 
2. Schrijf de vragen op (mag ook op je iPad bij notities).
3. Interview nu iemand van BOVEN DE 50 en iemand van ONDER DE 18 (niet van school!) met de vragen.
4. Film beide interviews. 
5. Op Peppels staat de opdracht . 

*** LET OP: wie deze opdracht HELEMAAL in het Engels doet, krijgt 2 bonuspunten! ***

create.kahoot.it

Do you know what the Star Spangled Banner is?

What is the Pledge of Allegiance?

What is a typical American dish?

Name a difference between a Dutch teenager and an American teenager.

create.kahoot.it

And finally....

The following video explains what people mean when they say something is "violently American":

What did you learn about this topic?
Mention 3 things you didn't know before.

Homework: interview (10 pt)

Bedenk tien vragen die met Amerika, de geschiedenis (minimaal 3 vragen) en de cultuur te maken hebben. 

Schrijf de vragen op (mag ook op je iPad bij notities). Laat ze door de docent goedkeuren. 

Interview nu iemand van BOVEN DE 50 en iemand van ONDER DE 18 met de vragen.

Schrijf de antwoorden op. 

Op Peppels staat een opdracht waarin je het volgende gaat invullen: (1) welke 2 mensen je geïnterviewd hebt, (2) hoe oud ze zijn, (3) welke antwoorden ze hebben gegeven en (4) de overeenkomsten en verschillen die je hebt gevonden in hoe oudere mensen en jongeren over Amerika denken. 

*** Let op: wie deze opdracht in het Engels doet, krijgt bonuspunten! ***