California

Everyone has heard of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Everyone has seen films from Hollywood. But what else do we know about California?
This book looks at the cities and the mountains , at the sea and the deserts. It looks at history of this exciting state, at the gold miners of 1849 and at San Francisco and its earthquakes.

California became an American state in 1850. 150 years ago it was not a city, but it was just a land of deserts and mountains. In 1849 the Gold Rush started and people from around the world found a lot of gold.

As you know, in May 1937 the Golden Gate Bridge opened. Joseph Strauss, an engineer, and his men built it. Tough today's worker spend four years painting it, Joseph and his men spend four years building!

Vocabulary 
 wharf: 波止場、岸壁、埠頭(ふとう)
 downtown: 商業地区に、都心部に
 naval: 海軍の、海軍による、軍艦の


Escott. J (2000) California. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.