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John Quincy Adams: grandi progetti per la nazione

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Leggi un estratto di un articolo di VOA Learning English sulle idee del presidente John Quincy Adams e sull'opposizione che dovette affrontare.

John Quincy Adams: Independent

Yet Quincy Adams talked about unity in his presidential inaugural speech. Adams said the Constitution and the representative democracy of the United States had proved a success. The nation was free and strong and stretched across the continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.

He noted that political divisions had eased. So now, he said, it was time for the people to settle their differences and make a truly national government.

In his first message to Congress, President Adams described his ideas.

The chief purpose of the government, he said, was to improve the lives of the people it governed. To do this, he offered a national program of building roads and canals. He also proposed a national university and a national scientific center.

Adams said Congress should not be limited to making laws only to improve the nation's economic life. He said it should make laws to improve the arts and sciences, too.

But many people of the West and South did not believe that the Constitution gave the federal government the power to do all these things. They believed these powers belonged to the states.

Their representatives in Congress rejected the president’s proposals.

In addition, a new opposition party was trying to weaken support for Quincy Adams. They supported a general from Tennessee named Andrew Jackson.

Historian Harlow Giles Unger says John Quincy Adams was never able to meet the high expectations many people had for him.

Capire il testo

Leggi il testo. Scegli la risposta corretta.

  1. What did Adams talk about in his inaugural speech?
    • a) War with other countries
    • b) Unity
    • c) Lower taxes
  2. Adams said that the American system of government had been a success.
    • a) True
    • b) False
  3. According to Adams, what was the chief purpose of the government?
    • a) To make the army stronger
    • b) To protect the powers of the states
    • c) To improve the lives of the people it governed
  4. Which of these was NOT part of Adams's plans?
    • a) Roads and canals
    • b) A national university
    • c) A national scientific center
    • d) A national bank
  5. Adams thought Congress should make laws only to improve the economy.
    • a) True
    • b) False
  6. Why did many people in the West and South disagree with Adams's plans?
    • a) They believed these powers belonged to the states.
    • b) They thought the plans were too small.
    • c) They wanted the national university in their region.
  7. What happened to Adams's proposals in Congress?
    • a) They were approved quickly.
    • b) They were rejected.
    • c) They were changed and then approved.
  8. Who did the new opposition party support?
    • a) Harlow Giles Unger
    • b) A governor from the West
    • c) Andrew Jackson

Parole e dettagli

Scegli la risposta migliore, oppure scrivi una parola dal testo.

  1. The nation stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the ___.
  2. "Political divisions had eased." This means the divisions had ...
    • a) become less serious
    • b) become worse
    • c) just started
  3. It was time for the people to "settle their differences". This means to ...
    • a) move to a new place
    • b) pay their debts
    • c) end their disagreements
  4. In his first message to ___, President Adams described his ideas.
  5. "The chief purpose of the government, he said, was to improve the lives of the people." Chief means ...
    • a) secret
    • b) main
    • c) oldest
  6. Adams was never able to meet the high expectations many people had for him. Expectations are ...
    • a) the rules people wanted him to follow
    • b) the things people believed he would achieve
    • c) the questions people asked him

Soluzioni

Capire il testo

  1. b) UnityIl testo dice: Quincy Adams talked about unity in his presidential inaugural speech.
  2. a) TrueHa detto che la Costituzione e la democrazia rappresentativa degli Stati Uniti si erano dimostrate un successo.
  3. c) To improve the lives of the people it governedHa detto che lo scopo principale del governo era migliorare la vita delle persone che governava.
  4. d) A national bankHa proposto strade e canali, un'università nazionale e un centro scientifico nazionale. Il testo non menziona una banca.
  5. b) FalseHa detto che il Congresso doveva anche approvare leggi per migliorare le arti e le scienze.
  6. a) They believed these powers belonged to the states.Non credevano che la Costituzione desse questi poteri al governo federale. Credevano che quei poteri appartenessero agli stati.
  7. b) They were rejected.Il testo dice: Their representatives in Congress rejected the president's proposals.
  8. c) Andrew JacksonSostenevano un generale del Tennessee di nome Andrew Jackson.

Parole e dettagli

  1. Pacific / Pacific OceanIl testo dice che la nazione si estendeva attraverso il continente, dall'Oceano Atlantico al Pacifico.
  2. a) become less seriousQuando un problema si attenua (eases), diventa meno grave.
  3. c) end their disagreementsTo settle differences significa smettere di essere in disaccordo e trovare una soluzione.
  4. CongressIl testo dice: In his first message to Congress, President Adams described his ideas.
  5. b) mainChief significa principale o più importante.
  6. b) the things people believed he would achieveLe expectations (aspettative) sono ciò che le persone credono che accadrà o che qualcuno otterrà.

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