Many books have been written recounting the history of the country from its earliest days at Jamestown to
the time of the American Revolution. But the story can also be related without words from a perusal of surviving landmarks. Old homes, taverns, churches, and public buildings, the drama of colonial times and the lives of our ancestors are revealed in their architecture. The buildings that exist today are now, for the most part, museums.
They were not always; some were official buildings in which the affairs of the colony were conducted.
Others were the homes of men and women; children were born in them and were married and died. Still others were places of worship where the colonists sought refuge in the word of God. The sequence of colonial architecture, whether in New England or on the James River, was that of necessity; one can see the shift from crude shelters and defensive outposts to the construction of dwellings, churches, homes, and public buildings of a planned community with a definite future.
Between the two strong and opposing cultures of Virginia and New England, the only continuous highway
was the sea. The early model of New England could hardly have worked in the South, and neither could the
early model of Virginia have worked in the North. Two main cultures emerged from the English settlements in the North and South: the Southern planter society had a ruling aristocracy and great class distinctions between the wealthy and the poor; New England was more of an egalitarian settlement under the control of a Puritan oligarchy, in which a strong middle class had developed.
The first concern of the European settlers, after they arrived in America, was to provide them with shelter.
They did this with whatever materials were at hand, according to whatever methods of construction they could remember, devise, or observe. The earliest shelters in all frontier situations were similar caves were dug in hillsides, tent-like structures were made of tree branches and covered with cloth, or stakes were driven into the ground to form palisades, which were roofed with rushes or branches woven into mats and covered with sod or plastered with mud.
Of the original houses built by the first settlers, there seem to be no remains, but there is documentary evidence.
The first dwellings, at least among the poorer class, were what were called "cellars". They were so
named because they were constructed in exactly the same way as were the outdoor cellars used for the storage of vegetables. None of the well-to-do among the settlers made use of these cellars except for the first fewweeks, or perhaps, months of their stay. The homes of the poor no longer exist today; they were either torndown or left to decay. Most of the homes that remain today are representatives of the middle and wealthyclasses.
The homes of the English colonists were derived from both the manor house and the humble cottage of
their mother country. In seeking the origins of the style of building and manner of their construction, it is found that, in the colonies, the differences in construction are traceable to the parts of the old country from which the majority of settlers came. It was the most natural thing in the world for them to bring with them impressions of their native home. It was just as natural for them to erect dwellings more or less in the same way, as they had been accustomed to do in their homeland. Always to be taken into consideration, however, was the availability of materials and tools necessary for construction.
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Active Vocabulary
1) to recount
2) perusal ,
Tw[(down 3) ancestor
4) affair ,
5) refuge ,
6) worship , ,
7) shelter
8) outpost
9) to emerge ,
10) egalitarian
11) cave ,
12) stake
13) palisades
14) rush
15) sod
16) evidence ,
17) storage
18) well-to-do ,
19) manor house
20) mother country
Exercises on the Text
Match the beginnings of the sentences with their endings using the information from the text
1. Old homes, taverns,churches, and public buildings,the drama of colonial times
2. The early model of New England could hardly have worked in the South
3. The earliest shelters in all frontier situations were similar caves were dug in hillsides, tent-like structures
were made of tree branches and covered with cloth
4. They were so named because they were constructed in exactly
5. In seeking the origins of the style of building and manner of their construction, it is found that
a. the same way as were the outdoor cellars used for the storage of vegetables.
b. in the colonies, the differences in construction are traceable to the parts of the old country from which the majority of settlers came.
c. and the lives of our ancestors are revealed in their architecture.
d. and neither could the early model of Virginia have worked in the North.
e. or stakes were driven into the ground to form palisades, which were roofed with rushes or branches woven into mats and covered with sod or plastered with mud.
Fill in the gaps with the words given below
1. But the story can also be related without words from a of surviving landmarks.
2. The buildings that exist today are now, for the part, museums.
3. Between the two strong and opposing cultures of Virginia and New England, the only continuous was
the sea.
4. Most of the homes that remain today are of the middle and wealthy classes.
5. The first concern of the European settlers, after they arrived in America, was to them with shelter.
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highway, provide, perusal, most, representatives
Translate the following word combinations from English into Russian
1. a perusal of landmarks
2. places of worship
3. a Puritan oligarchy
4. representatives of wealthy classes
5. defensive outposts
Grammar Reference
.
Complete the sentences using Participle II
1. Freddy felt very (relieve).
2. Finch looked suddenly (detach), (lose) in his own thoughts.
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3. I was greatly (annoy) with Monica for interfering.
4. I could not get (use) to things changing like that.
5. Jim got too (depress) to listen to their talk.
6. I was quite (prepare) for a disagreeable surprise.
7. Well, I must say you are not very (fit) for accountancy.
8. I looked at him as if I were (surprise) to see him there.
9. I did not feel (incline) for guessing-games.
10. You bet I am burning myself out. I have been doing it for so many years now and who cares? At this
moment I feel quite (play) out.
11. She was not so (convince) as she tried to sound.
12. It was their last reception before Easter and the house was even more (crowd) than usual.
Choose the appropriate verbal in the function of objective predicative
1. I do not want to see anyone . (to hurt)
2. Roger gave such a boisterous laugh that I saw other people towards our table. (to glance)
3. Jeff smiled, slowly letting the door . (to close)
4. Diana had the table on. (to lay)
5. The sight of the man made him his mind. (to change)
6. One man had got himself in the accident. (to kill)
7. Light was coming through in the corner room, and he could hear a piano . (to play)
8. Everyone talked a little louder than natural in an instinctive desire to make the party . (to go)
9. There are people who would like to see him a fair chance. (to give)
10. I did not expect the issue the tragic form it did. (to take)
11. The picture always left me sad. (to feel)
12. I have often heard it . (to say)
13. The judge did not like witnesses jokes. (to make)
14. I came to tell you him while there is time. (to find)
15. I shall have someone on to keep a watch on the house. (to put)
16. Even his mother could not stop him that. (to do)
17. She could not bring herself that she feared she might lose him. (to say)
18. He had to force himself hi uncle. (to visit)
19. I want a telegram at once. (to send)
20. She then explained why she had asked me on that night. (to call)
21. It was easy to imagine Kate silent. (to sit)
22. Next morning he got his cheque . (to cash)
23. Suddenly they saw him his temper and were uncomfortable. (to lose)
24. In fact I found myself that I would have to do something about it immediately. (to think)
25. Then I saw Rose out on Rogers arm, an impressive smiling couple. (to walk)
26. Two events induced Basil to London. (to return)
27. Edward soon made his views . (to know)
28. For once I saw Ann out. (to put)
29. Maybe I can get Jack it. (to write)
30. "I shall not have anything against her," he said unexpectedly. (to say)
Role Play
You are two pilgrims. Discuss the problem of constructing some kind of shelter for your families.
UNIT 4
Warming Up
1. Have you ever heard about Queen Anne style in architecture?
2. What architectural style was predominant in Britain during Queen Victorias reign?
3. Do you know anything about these two British Queens Victoria and Anne?
4. What characteristic features of Queen Anne style can you name?
5. Do you know any famous representatives of this architectural style?
