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

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Lecturer: Vũ Th  Luyên ị

Unit 1: A first look at the UK and

the U.S.

A first look at the United States

A first look at the United Kingdom

A first look at the United

A Map of the United

Kingdom

The United

Kingdom

Great Britain

England

B Understanding names

1. Great Britain

3. The British Isles

Great Britain

• the official name given to the two kingdoms

of England and Scotland , and the principality

United Kingdom

• Together with the province of

the United Kingdom (UK).

• Official name is the “United Kingdom

of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”.

• The UK is the member of the European Union (EU).

The British Isles

• The British Isles * consists of: Great Britain

(England, Scotland, and Wales); the whole of Ireland , the Orkney and Shetland Islands, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Herbrides, and the Isle of Wight, Scilly Islands, Lundy Island, the Channel Islands and many other offshore islands.

• Great Britain is the largest island in the British Isles.

* Isle: an Island

The British Commonwealth of

Nations

• the former name of the Commonwealth of Nations : an association of nations consisting of

the United Kingdom + its dependencies + many

former British colonies (now sovereign states but owe allegiance to the British Crown).

• Today there are 54 Commonwealth nations

• The British Monarch is considered the head of state in only 16 commonwealth countries.

C History and meaning of

the Union Jack

• Names: Royal Banner, Union Jack, Union Flag

• Actually three flags in one: the England flag, the Scotland flag, and the patron saint of

Ireland ’s flag.

• The emblems appearing on the Union Jack are the crosses of three patron saints.

C History and meaning

of the Union Jack

• England is represented by the flag of St George

• In 1194 A.D, Richard I introduced the Cross of St George – a red cross on a white ground as a national flag of England

England’s flag

C History and meaning

of the Union Jack

• Scotland is represented by the flag of

St Andrew – a diagonal white cross on

a blue background.

Scotland’s flag

C History and meaning

of the Union Jack

• When King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England, the two union of the two realms under ONE King was represented symbolically by a new flag.

• On 12 th April 1606, the first flag of the union was created.

• The red cross of the England was superimposed on the white cross of Scotland on the blue background

of the Scotland flag.

C History and meaning

of the Union Jack

• Ireland is represented by the flag of St Patrick – a diagonal red cross on a white background.

• In 1801, King George III added the cross of St Patrick to the Union Flag, to make the Union Jack

we have today.

Ireland’s flag

C History and meaning

of the Union Jack

• The designers made the background of the white Scottish cross broader on one side of the Irish red than on the other.

All the separate crosses could be seen and the

Irish Cross has it original background

C History and meaning of

the Union Jack

• The Welsh dragon does not appear on the flag because when the 1st Union Jack was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England.

Wales’s flag

C History and meaning of

the Union Jack

• Both the name and the design of the British flag emphasize the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a union of nations .

• The countries comprising the UK are not isolated

states, together they constitute a powerful union

• Symbolizes the respect for individuality within a

closely knit community .

D Things British

1 British National Anthem

2 The British Monarch

3 The Royal Coat of Arms and the Shield

1 British National

Anthem

• “ God save the Queen ” (traditional music of unknown author), first performed in 1740s, became known as the British national anthem from the beginning of the 19th century.

• When the British monarch is male “God save the Queen” becomes “God save the King”.

• Represents the whole of the UK.

1 British National

Anthem

• However, when an anthem is needed for one of the component countries of the UK, an alternate song is used.

 Wales – Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land Of My Fathers) by Evan

and James James.

 Scotland – Flower of Scotland by Roy Williamson

 Ireland – Ambran na bbFiann (The Soldier’s Song) by

Peadar Kearney and Patrick Heaney.

 England’s most patriotic song – Jerusalem by William

Blake

2 The British Monarch

• is the head of state of the United Kingdom and its oversea territories.

• plays an important ceremonial role but has almost

no real power in politics.

• The current monarch is Queen Elizabeth II (since February 6 th, 1952).

• The primary role of Elizabeth has been as a symbol

of unity and continuity within the Commonwealth of Nations.

2 The British Monarch

• The current heir is Charles, Prince of Wales (son

of the Queen).

• Buckingham Palace is the official town residence

of the British monarch since 1837, located near Saint James’s Park, London.

2 The British Monarch

• It has about 600 rooms and 20 hectares of gardens.

2 The British Monarchy

Prince Philip – Duke of

Edinburgh Queen Elizabeth II

Prince of Wales -

Charles

Princess of Wales - Diana

Duke of Cambridge-

William

Prince Harry of

Wales

The Duchess of

Cornwall

Duchess of Cambridge Princess Royal - Anne

3 The Royal Coat of Arms

and the Shield

• Function: to identify the person who is Head

by the Unicorn of Scotland

4 Britannia

• Was the patron Goddess of the early British Celtic tribes

• Is portrayed as a young woman

in a neo-classical gown and helmet, seated by the sea.

• Holding a trident in one hand

and a shield decorated with the Union Jack, in the other.

5 John Bull

• is a fictional character, used

to personify British nation

• Depicted as an elderly

gentleman, rather portly in

build, wearing full riding kit

complete with breeches and

boots, and a Union Jack

waistcoat.

6 The Bulldog

• Has a very smooth coat,

wrinkly cheeks, powerful front

legs and smaller hind legs.

• Gets along well with both

humans and other dog breeds.

• Symbolized the very essence

of Britishness : solid, reliable,

unshakably loyal, very

individual.

• The tameness of British

robins has made them so

familiar

8 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

A first look at the United

D. Other symbols of the USA

E. Images of American Popular Culture

A Map of the USA

B National flag, National Anthem

& the Pledge of Allegiance

1. National 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 stars

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

• 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 4 th , 1960 is the 27 th

official national flag.

2 National Anthem

The Star – Spangled Banner

• 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 12 th , 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 14 th 1924

• In 1954 it was further amended by the addition of the words “ under God ”

Match each of the following countries with its national coat of arms.

1 Switzerland 2 China 3 Finland 4 Vietnam

5 Indonesia 6 Japan 7 Thailand 8 USA

C National Coat of Arms and

Bundle of Thirteen

Arrows

Shield (blue on top, 13 red and white stripes below)

1 The great seal of the

U.S.A

• On July 4 th , 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 20 th , 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.A

The Great seal’s reverse side

13-step pyramid with the year 1776 in Roman numeral at

the base

The Eye of Providence

D Other symbols of the

1 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 4 th , 1776” (in Roman

numerals)

• 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

• Symbolizes the fair and

equal administration of the

law, without corruption,

greed, prejudice, or favor.

6 National Floral Emblem – The

Rose

On November 20 th , 1986, President Reagan issued Proclamation 5574: The National Floral Emblem of the United States of America: The Rose

1 Fast food

 Best known: hotdogs, hamburgers, French fries, fried chicken, fish and chips, pizza, chili, soft drinks such as Coca Cola, 7up, etc.

1 Fast food

- 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 19 th century, German immigrants introduced the hamburger steak to the U.S.

- Hamburger got its name from the German town named Hamburg

2 Sports

3 The Movies

 The Academy Awards, commonly known as Oscars were first presented in 1929.

4 Popular Music

very powerful one which is probably in the blood and feeling of the

(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