James Wolfe's victory

James Wolfe was an experienced general. His father, who had been a British general too, bought him an officer's commission at the age of fourteen. For next eighteen years James Wolfe was seldom away from action.

In 1759 General Wolfe took his expedition up the St. Lawrence River to destroy Quebec. But Quebec was well defended by the French. The British had been besieging Quebec for three months before General Wolfe found a way to attack it.

In the middle of the night Wolfe's troops landed above the city and climbed up steep cliffs known as the Heights of Abraham. In the morning the French were astonished to see 4,500 redcoats on the Plains of Abraham above the city, cutting them off from their supplies. The fierce battle was won by the British. The French were defeated, and Quebec surrendered. General Wolfe fell mortally wounded and died on the field. He had already known his soldiers had won a decisive victory.

A year later, in 1760, Montreal fell. During the next three years French power was thrown off the continent of the North America. In 1763 all French Canada and the land east to the Mississippi River were given to Britain. France was allowed to retain only a small group of tiny islands in the West Indies to grow sugar, and two islets in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

After that the French ceded all trans-Mississippi Louisiana and New Orleans to Spain. For its part, Spain gave Florida to Britain in exchange for Cuba, where Havana had fallen to the British.

The victory in the French and Indian War made Britain the dominant power in North America.

Notes:

James Wolfe - Джеймс Вулф (1727-1759)

officer's commission — патент на офицерское звание

was seldom away from action — редко оказывался не у дел

The British had been besieging Quebec for three months before General Wolfe found a way to attack it. — Британцыдержали Квебек в осаде три месяца, прежде чем генерал Вулфпридумал, как взять его штурмом

climbed up steep cliffs — вскарабкались на крутые скалы

redcoats — буквально — красные мундиры, прозвище британских солдат

France was allowed to retain only a small group of tiny islands — Франции было позволено сохранить за собой лишь маленькую группу крохотных островов

where Havana had fallen to the British — где Гавана пе­решла к британцам

EXERCISES

1. Переведите на русский язык:

An experienced general, his expedition up the St. Lawrence River, to destroy Quebec, Wolfe's troops landed above the city and climbed up steep cliffs, a small group of tiny islands, an officer's commission at the age of fourteen.

2. Выпишите из текста предложения, содержащие следующие словосочетания и переведите их на русский язык:

In 1759 General Wolfe, in the middle of the night, in the morning the French, the fierce battle, during the next three years, all trans-Mississippi Louisiana, in the French and Indian War.

3. Составьте предложения со следующими словами и словосочетаниями:

For three months, officer's commission, climbed up steep cliffs,his soldiers, the fierce battle, the dominant power.

4. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. Was James Wolfe an experienced general?

2. Did Wolfe find a way to attack Quebec at once?

3. In what way did the British attack Quebec?

4. How did Wolfe die?

5. When did Montreal fall?

6. What happened in 1763?

7. How did Britain get Florida?

8. Why was the victory in the French and Indian war so important to the British?