VOA标准英语2010年-America's Early History Lives Again in

The city of Williamsburg, Virginia, is one of the most popular historical attractions in the United States. Established in the 17th century, it was for a while the capital of the colony of Virginia and the site of several historical events during America's Revolutionary War.  Our reporter recently visited Williamsburg for a look at its colonial past and events leading to the U.S. Independence Day celebrations. 

The streets of Williamsburg look just like they did in the summer of 1781, when British soldiers occupied Williamsburg toward the end of the Revolutionary War.  The British only stayed for a week, then marched out of town on July 4th, five years to the day after the American colonies had first declared their independence. Tim Suthpin is the director of historic programs at colonial Williamsburg.

"This is probably the beginning of what we call Americans, right here," said Tim Suthpin. "We started as a British colony; we became more removed, detached from that British ancestry¹ and we became Americans right here in Williamsburg."

Three hundred fifty actors and re-enactors are creating the British military presence in town - setting up camp and harassing² the colonists³, to recreate the atmosphere of 200 years ago.

 

The annual event attracts thousands of tourists and history buffs every year. Carl Kavanagh and his family came from New Jersey⁴ for the celebrations.

"You're walking in the footsteps of George Washington here, you're seeing everything that they saw," said Carl Kavanagh. "You're experiencing the heat, the smells and the buildings. Everything about how it was two, three hundred years ago. It's a great opportunity to gather that information and enjoy it at the same time."

Colonial Williamsburg consists of 120 hectares of authentic⁵ and restored buildings and landmarks⁶ dating to the Revolutionary War and even back further - to the first British settlers who started a plantation⁷ and later built the colony. After the war, the town fell into disrepair but was rebuilt by billionaire John D. Rockefeller in the early 20th century, to preserve the atmosphere and ideals of 18th century America.  Clyde Haulman is the city's mayor:

"I think a lot of people think of Williamsburg and think it's a museum," said Clyde Haulman. "Well, it is but it's a living museum. You go down the street and you participate in the revolutionary city, that's the best that a museum does, then go to the farmer's market, you'll see small town America. You have all those things here."

The three million visitors who fill the streets of Williamsburg every year are immersed not only in early American life but in the struggle of a small, new country to find its own identity.

"I think it's awesome⁸ that a place like this exists, that the children and everybody in America and throughout the world can come and see where democracy began and where it developed over the course of history and the course of time," said Carl Kavanagh.

Besides being an historic site, Williamsburg is also the home of one of America's oldest universities, the College of William and Mary.  It is part of an historic triangle that includes the site of the 1607 Jamestown settlement and the Yorktown battlefield, where the Revolutionary War ended. Most importantly it's where early Americans decided⁹ to build a new society based on equality and liberty.
 

1 ancestry   

n.祖先，家世

参考例句：

• Their ancestry settled the land in 1856.他们的祖辈1856年在这块土地上定居下来。
• He is an American of French ancestry.他是法国血统的美国人。

2 harassing   

v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人）

参考例句：

• The court ordered him to stop harassing his ex-wife. 法庭命令他不得再骚扰前妻。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was too close to be merely harassing fire. 打得这么近，不能完全是扰乱射击。 来自辞典例句

3 colonists   

n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Colonists from Europe populated many parts of the Americas. 欧洲的殖民者移居到了美洲的许多地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some of the early colonists were cruel to the native population. 有些早期移居殖民地的人对当地居民很残忍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

5 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

6 landmarks   

n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）

参考例句：

• The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句

7 plantation   

n.种植园，大农场

参考例句：

• His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
• The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

8 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。