The Early Settlers in North America
The NorthAmerican frontier changed some of the characteristics of thepioneers of the 1750s and intensified others. They were, as a group,semiliterate, proud,and stubborn, as dogged in their insistence on their ownway of life as pine roots cracking granite to grow. Perhaps their greatestresource was their capacity to endure. They outlasted recurrent plagues ofsmallpox and malaria and a steady progression of natural accidents. They were incredibly prolific. Squire Boones family of eight children was small byfrontier standards. James Roberson, an eventual neighbor of Boonesand the founder of Nashville, had eleven children. Twice married John Sevier, the first governor of Tennessee, fatheredeighteen; his longtime enemy, John Tipton, also twice married, producedseventeen. The entire assets of one of these huge families often amounted, inthe beginning, to little more than an axe, a hunting knife, an auger, a rifle,a horse or two, some cattle and a few pigs, a sack of corn seed and another ofsalt, perhaps a crosscut saw, and a loom. Those who moved first into a newregion lived for months at a time on wild meat, Indian maize, and native fruitsin season. Yet if they were poor at the beginning, they confidently expectedthat soon they would be rich. In a way almost impossible to define to urbandwellers, a slice of ground suitable for farming represented not justdollars and cents, but dignity. The obsession brought shiploads of yearners every week to Boston, New York, Philadelphia,Baltimore, Charles Towne, and Savannah. It sent them streaming westward intothe wilderness after their predecessors to raise still more children whowanted still more land.
全文翻译:北美早期殖民者北美的边远地区改变了 18 世纪 50 年代拓荒者的一些特点,而强化了他们的另一些特点。作为一个整体,他们是半文盲,高傲并且顽固。他们坚持自己的生活方 式就象松树根在花岗石中爆缝生长。也许,他们最大的资源是忍耐能力。他们熬过了经常性的天花、疟疾等瘟疫及一系列自然灾难。他们出奇地多育。依他们的标准,斯夸尔布恩 有八个孩子是少的了。最后成了布恩的邻居并且是那士维的建造者的詹姆士罗伯逊有 11 个孩子。曾结过两次婚的约翰塞维尔--田纳西州的第一位州长,生了18 个孩子,他长期 的仇敌,约翰提普敦也结过两次婚并有 17 个孩子。最初,在这些庞大的家庭中,全部的 财产合起来也不过是一把斧头、一把猎刀和一根钻子,一条步枪,一两匹马,牛和猪,一袋玉米种子和一袋盐,或可能还有一把锯子和一台织布机。那些新到一个地区的人们一连数 月靠野味、印第安玉米和季节性野果维持生活。然而,即使最初很贫穷,他们自信很快就会富起来。 一块适合耕种的土地不仅仅代表着金钱,更意味着尊严。这一点是无法向城市 居民解释的。 这一固执的想法每周都将整船整船的渴望者带往波士顿、纽约、费城、巴尔的摩、查尔斯城和萨瓦那。跟随着他们的先行者,这些渴望的人们象潮水一般涌向荒野,去生养更多的子女,而这些子女又将需求更多的土地。
上一篇: 考研英语作文模板之家庭关系类
下一篇: 考研英语作文命题趋势画作文成主流
国内英语资讯:Overseas Chinese say Xis speech charts course for cross-Strait relations
双语阅读:全球首富贝佐斯宣布离婚!他们的爱情故事曾感动世界
坏消息:肥胖不光丑,而且还致癌
双语阅读:有些金钱是人生不能承受之重
国内英语资讯:Vice premier stresses energy security, high-quality growth
中国首批“瑜伽硕士生”引外媒关注
体坛英语资讯:Leipzig held to 1-1 draw by Rosenborg, eliminated from UEFA Europa League
大熊猫地震中受惊吓 目前无伤亡报告
体坛英语资讯:River Plate clinch fourth Copa Libertadores title
亚洲文化火了!海外华裔学生建亚裔“表情包”小组迅速吸粉
体坛英语资讯:Bayern seal group victory after spectacular draw at Ajax
国内英语资讯:Chinese premier meets Tesla CEO
国际英语资讯:UN official, Libyan minister discuss security arrangements in Tripoli
双语阅读:汉堡王推出1分钱汉堡,但必须在麦当劳买
体坛英语资讯:Liverpool defender Gomez out for 6 weeks with broken leg
体坛英语资讯:US womens soccer team to launch 10-game, 10-city warmup tour in buildup to World Cup
体坛英语资讯:Cavs star Thompson fined 15,000 US dollars
国内英语资讯:Chinas high-speed railway length to top 30,000 km in 2019
国内英语资讯:China, U.S. hold vice-ministerial level talk on economic, trade issues in Beijing
冬季旅行,温暖和寒冷的目的地你选哪个?网友:跟谁去才重要
致我们终将逝去的青春:20多岁后悔没去做的8件事
体坛英语资讯:Ronaldo reveals Valladolid interest in Vinicius Jr loan
When Faith Is Questioned 当信念动摇
2019年度最佳饮食
国际英语资讯:Canada completes 2018 NATO deployment in Romania: ministry
国际英语资讯:Irish PM, German Chancellor hold phone talk over Brexit issue
体坛英语资讯:Regional Youth Games gets underway in Botswana
国际英语资讯:San Francisco mayor complains about additional burden amid U.S. federal govt shutdown
国际英语资讯:Democrat Nancy Pelosi becomes House speaker in divided U.S. Congress
国际英语资讯:Swiss national, 6 Moroccans charged over murder of 2 tourists