书城外语课外英语-美国各州小知识(十一)(双语版)
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第22章 威斯康星州(1)

威斯康星州小档案:

人口:约550万

面积:约145,438平方公里,排名第26位

州府:麦迪逊Madison

威斯康星州,名称来自印第安语,其意义是“草地”Grassy Place。

1670年开始殖民。1848年5月29日成为美国第30州。以蝴蝶紫罗兰butterfly violet为州花。本州别名为“权皮之州”Badger State。本州箴言:“前进”Forward。

州府是麦迪逊Madison,位于密耳瓦基之西。本州州立大学很多,设于麦迪逊之威斯康星大学,创于1848年。

本州特征有二:第一,乳牛之州。本州全是波状地面,生长茂草,有乳牛两百多万头。全州农场之中,有80%是畜牧乳牛的农场。每年出产的牛奶、牛油及干酪cheese,在各州之中,均列第一位。第二,植林造纸之州。本州地形、气候、土壤均宜于重新植林。通过数10年之努力,已可大量用以制纸。

本州西北滨苏必略湖,东滨密歇根湖,东北界密歇根州,西邻明尼苏达州,西南与南两方面与爱荷华及伊利诺斯两州接壤。本州可分两区:(A)北部是苏必略台地区。(B)中部及南部是低丘浅谷区。冰河时代,密西西比河以东之本州南部,可能经受北部地势较高的影响,无不蚀冰碛地形。这一个地区叫做“无冰碛区”。其他各地,冰碛层分布极广。本州地面二分之一以上是林地,出产硬木材甚富。主要作物为玉蜀黍、燕麦、蔓橘、枫糖浆。火鸡、猪、牛也多。

本州工业很盛,产品总值占本州总生产值的40%。矿产有锌、铁。本州有16个港口。其中最大的一个是位于东南部之密耳瓦基Milwaudee,滨密歇根湖,是美国北部制造内燃机主要都市之一。

Introduction简介

Wisconsin was first inhabited by varied Indian tribes in the 17th century.They included the Algonquian-speaking Menominee,Kickapoo[(墨西哥)基卡普人[语]],Miami[迈阿密(美国佛罗里州达东南部港市)],the Siouan-speaking Winnebago[(pl.winnebago,winnebagos,winnebagoes)温尼贝戈人(居于东威斯康星等地的北美洲印第安人)],Dakota(or Sioux)and Iowa.In the mid-1600’s other groups entered Wisconsin,including the Fox,Sac,Potawatomi and Ojibewa(Chippewa).

The Wisconsin region was first explored for France by Jean Nicolet,who landed at Green Bay in 1634.Jean Nicolet,a native of France,was the first explorer to reach the area while searching for the Northwest Passage to China in 1634.The French lost possession of Wisconsin and all of it’s territories(领土,版图)east of the Mississippi to Great Britain during the French and Indian War.

In 1660a French trading post and Roman Catholic mission were established near present-day Ashland.

Great Britain obtained the region in settlement of the French and Indian Wars in 1763;British possession of Wisconsin ended in 1783,when Britain signed the treaty ending the American Revolution.Because the U.S.government had no effective control over Wisconsin,it remained under unofficial British control.Fur trade continued as the foundation of Wisconsin’s economy.

The first wave of American settlers in Wisconsin came in the 1820’s as a result of a lead mining boom in northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin.The movement of white settlers into the Midwest caused intense(激烈的)conflict when the federal government and settlers attempted to move Native Americans from their lands.Federal policies included uprooting(根除)entire tribes and forcing them to resettle west of the Mississippi.When the Sac people tried to return in 1832,the Black Hawk war started ending in the Bad Axe Massacre(残杀,大屠杀)with less than 1000Native Americans surviving.Other Wisconsin tribes either left the area,or negotiated reservation lands.

The region was successively governed as part of the territories of Indiana,Illinois,and Michigan between 1800and 1836,when it became a separate territory.

No longer having opposition from the Native Americans,a second wave of settlers came to Wisconsin and in 1836the Wisconsin Territory was organized.Around the 1840’s a third wave of settlers came to Wisconsin,attracted by good farmland.At that time the state became the nation’s leading wheat producer.On May 29,1848,Wisconsin was admitted to the Union as the 30th state.

Governor州长

Jim Doyle在2003年1月6日当选为威斯康星州州长。上任之初,他就面临着32美元的财政赤字——这是史无前例的。在他的决策之下,他不仅弥补了赤字,而且还将人民收入的税收降到34年来最底百分比。现在他致力于为本州人创造就业机会,扩大医疗保险,最重要的一点为威斯康星州未来的接班人投资。这些事实都证明了他的领导能力。

Jim Doyle was sworn in as the 44th Governor of Wisconsin on January 6,2003.He is the first Democratic Governor of Wisconsin in more than 16years.Governor Doyle has proven to be a strong leader,working in a bipartisan(两党连立的)way to get Wisconsin back on track.

When he took office,Governor Doyle inherited(继承)a 32billion deficit—the largest deficit in Wisconsin’s history.Governor Doyle faced the challenge head on and balanced the budget while holding the line on taxes.As a result,state taxes as a percentage of income are now the lowest in 34years

Now Governor Doyle is working to move Wisconsin forward creating jobs,expanding access to health care,and most importantly,investing in Wisconsin of future,our kids.

The Doyle Agenda:Putting Kids First

“As a prosecutor(检举人)and as Attorney General,I saw what happens when this state under-invests in children,particularly when they are young.I promised myself if I ever became Governor,I would make Wisconsin’s children my number one priority(优先权),”Governor Doyle has said.Even in difficult financial times for the state,Governor Doyle has worked hard to put the interests of children first.

In his first six months in office—despite inheriting the largest deficit in Wisconsin history—Governor Doyle found a way to provide an additional 189million for Wisconsin public schools,one of the only areas in the budget that received an increase in funding.He also protected four-year-old kindergarten and our SAGE small class size initiative from legislative attempts to eliminate(消除)or weaken the programs.A graduate and strong supporter of the University of Wisconsin,he also enacted the largest increase in financial aid(财政援助)in state history.

In his second year as Governor,Doyle launched(发动)the“KidsFirst”plan for a comprehensive agenda to invest in Wisconsin’s children,starting with the early years of life.The plan includes efforts to improve the quality of child care,expand access to four-year-old kindergarten and school breakfast,strengthen our foster care(看护)and child welfare system,improve children’s health,and offer parent education home visits to every new parent in Wisconsin.

Economy

When Governor Doyle took office,the national economy was deep in recession and Wisconsin was no exception.Through his“Grow Wisconsin”agenda,Governor Doyle has worked hard to put our state in the position to create jobs again.