美国学生历史 第48期:《独立宣言》和法国联盟(1)

 　　CHAPTER 15 第15章

　　THE GREAT DECLARATION AND THE FRENCH ALLIANCE 《独立宣言》和法国联盟

　　145.Growth of the Spirit of Independence. 145．独立精神的成长

　　The year 1776 is even more to be remembered for the doings of Congress than it is for the doings of the soldiers. 1776年更应该记住的不是士兵的事迹，而是大陆议会的事迹。

　　The colonists¹ loved England. They spoke² of it as home. 殖民地居民热爱英格兰，他们把英格兰当成自己的家园，

　　They were proud of the strength of the British empire, and glad to belong to it. 他们为不列颠帝国的强大而骄傲，并乐于服从它，

　　But their feelings rapidly changed when the British government declared them to be rebels, made war upon them, and hired foreign soldiers to kill them. 但是，在英国政府宣布他们为叛乱分子、向他们开战并雇佣外国士兵来杀戮他们时，他们迅速失去了这种感情，

　　They could no longer be subjects of George III. That was clear enough. 他们不可能再服从乔治三世，这一点毋庸置疑。

　　They determined³ to declare themselves to be independent. 他们决定宣布他们自己为独立的国家，

　　Virginia led in this movement, and the chairman of the Virginia delegation⁴ moved a resolution of independence. 弗吉尼亚殖民地居民首创这个壮举，弗吉尼亚代表团的主席提出一个独立方案，

　　A committee was appointed to draw up a declaration. 大陆议会任命一个委员会起草一份宣言。

　　146.The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. 146．《独立宣言》（1776年7月4日）

　　The most important members of this committee were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. 这个委员会当中最重要的成员是本杰明·富兰克林、约翰·亚当斯和托马斯·杰斐逊，

　　Of these Jefferson was the youngest, and the least known. 他们当中杰斐逊最为年轻，名气也最小，

　　But he had already drawn⁵ up a remarkable⁶ paper called A Summary View of the Rights of British America. 但他已经起草过一个著名的文件--《英属美洲权力综论》。

　　The others asked him to write out a declaration. 委员会请杰斐逊起草一个宣言。

　　He sat down without book or notes of any kind, and wrote out the Great Declaration in almost the same form in which it now stands. 杰斐逊坐下来，没有看任何书也没有使用任何形式的备忘，就写出了几乎与今天我们看到的《独立宣言》一样的一份宣言。

　　The other members of the committee proposed a few changes, and then reported the declaration to Congress. 委员会的其他成员提出几处要改动的地方，随之将这份宣言提交大陆议会。

　　There was a fierce debate in Congress over the adoption⁷ of the Virginia resolution for independence. 大陆议会就选择弗吉尼亚的独立方案进行了激烈的辩论，

　　But finally it was adopted. Congress then examined the Declaration of Independence as reported by the committee. 但最终还是选择了这个方案，然后代表们审查起草委员会提交的那份《独立宣言》，

　　It made a few changes in the words and struck out a clause condemning⁸ the slave-trade. 对它做出几处语词改动并突出谴责买卖奴隶的理由。

　　The first paragraph of the Declaration contains a short, clear statement of the basis of the American system of government. 《独立宣言》的第一段，简单、明了地陈述了构建美国各级政府的基础，

　　It should be learned by heart by every American boy and girl, and always kept in mind. 不论男女，所有美国孩子都应该背下这个宣言，并把它牢记在心。

　　The Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776. A few copies were printed on July 5, with the signatures of John Hancock and Charles Thompson, president and secretary of Congress. 《独立宣言》在1776年7月4日通过，在7月5日印刷了几个副本，上面有约翰·汉考克、查理斯·汤普森以及大陆议会秘书和主席的签名。

　　On August 2, 1776, the Declaration was signed by the members of Congress. 在1776年八月二号的时候，议会的其他成员签字。

　　147.The Loss of Philadelphia, 1777. 147．费城失守（1777年）

　　For some months after the battle of Princeton there was little fighting. 费城之战以后有几个月几乎没有发生战斗，

　　But in the summer of 1777, Howe set out to capture Philadelphia. 但1777年夏豪威动身攻打费城，

　　Instead of marching across New Jersey⁹, he placed his army on board ships, and sailed to Chesapeake Bay. 他没有派陆军越过新泽西远征费城，而是用船将陆军运到切萨皮克海湾。

　　As soon as Washington learned what Howe was about, he marched to Chad's Ford¹⁰, where the road from Chesapeake Bay to Philadelphia crossed Brandywine Creek¹¹. 知道豪威的大概位置后，华盛顿马上赶到乍得浅滩，这是从切萨皮克海湾越过布兰德文湾通往费城的必经之地。

　　Howe moved his men as if about to attempt to cross the ford. 豪威派兵假装要越过浅滩，

　　Meantime he sent Cornwallis with a strong force to cross the creek higher up. 实际则派康沃利斯带着一支劲旅从上游越过布兰德文湾。

　　Cornwallis surprised the right wing of the American army, drove it back, and Washington was compelled to retreat. 康沃利斯部队的到来让美国军队的右翼大吃一惊，康沃利斯驱散了这股部队，华盛顿被迫撤退。

　　Howe occupied Philadelphia and captured the forts below the city. 豪威占据费城并占据这个城市周边的堡垒。

　　Washington tried to surprise a part of the British army which was posted at Germantown. 华盛顿试图突袭驻扎在日耳曼的英军，

　　But accidents and mist interfered¹². 但由于意外事故和大雾而没能成功，

　　The Americans then retired¹³ to Valley Forge-a strong place in the hills not far from Philadelphia. 美军随之撤退到离费城不远丘陵上的福吉谷。

1 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》

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

6 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

7 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

8 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 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。

10 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

11 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

12 interfered   

v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉

参考例句：

• Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。