Pre-reading questions:
- Is this region on the coast or inland?
- Can you name any states which belong to this region?
- Here are a few cities: can you unscramble the letters and name the cities? mtarbeilo osonbt aehldpahipil
- Find out if anyone in your class has been to any of these cities or the region? Perhaps someone landed at one of the international airports, on route to another destination in America.
New England
New England is made up of 6 states: Connecticut, Rhode Island (the smallest state in the US), Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine (the northernmost state on the mainland). British Pilgrims arrived in 1620, settling in the colony of Plymouth, located in southern Massachusetts. Before the arrival of the British, the area was home to many Native American tribes, one of the larger tribes called the Wampanoug.
New England is referred to as the “cradle of the American Revolution”, as many famous historic events began here, particularly in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is here in New England that the rebellion against the British began and ended in the late 1700’s. The New England colonies were the first to demonstrate against British rule. The Boston Tea Party, the famous ride of Paul Revere and the battles in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts are to name a few.
New England was home to many famous poets and literary legends like Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Robert Frost and Nathaniel Hawthorne. With so many talented literary writers, it is no wonder that the first public school in the US was also in Boston.
Today New England is known for their excellence in sports. Many teams have won several National championships including: Boston Celtics (basketball), Boston Bruins (ice hockey), Boston Red Sox (baseball) and the Patriots (NFL football). As New England is not a large region, these teams represent all of New England, not only Boston, as some of their names suggest.
New England is an attractive tourist region, offering numerous outdoor activities. As five of the six states are coastal, it offers beautiful beaches and summer fun.
Mid-Atlantic
The Mid Atlantic states include Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Major cities are Baltimore, the capital city of Washington DC and the country’s largest city in population, New York.
The Mid-Atlantic region played an integral part in the American Revolution. It was home to the nation's first capital, Philadelphia, birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. During its growth, it attracted many immigrants from Europe, making it the multicultural region it is today.
New York City, the most multicultural city in America, is the hub of the region and a leading global city. Home to the United Nations, Broadway and Wall Street, this trendsetting city influences all corners of the world with finance, culture, commerce and entertainment.
People and Culture
Today the people of the Northeast are often referred to as inventive, imaginative, shrewd and hardworking, having adopted many of these traits from the Puritan settlers. The Northeast is very multicultural with large pockets of immigrant groups, Jewish, Irish, and Italian to name a few.
The Northeast is the most densely populated region of the US. It is considered the nation’s cultural centre; with theatres, art galleries and prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Princeton and Yale. Finally, although the Northeast is geographically small, it is the wealthiest of the regions.
Tasks:
Comprehension
- Which states comprise New England?
- Who were the first inhabitants of this region?
- Why is New England often referred to as "the cradle of the American Revolution"?
- Mention some famous literary legends from New England.
- Which states comprise the Mid-Atlantic region?
- Why is this region of great historical interest?
- What characterizes the people of the Northeast?