【原】The Peace Bridge （August 4：美国历史上的今天）

内容提要：横跨美国与加拿大，象征着美加和平友好的和平之桥的建成原因以及它的历史。

The United States and Canada were not always peaceful neighbors. Canada belonged to England. Conflicts冲突 between England and the United States continued long after the U.S. had gained freedom from English rule. When English ships constantly attacked U.S. merchant商业的 ships in the early 1800's, the United States finally declared宣布 war in 1812 against England. This also meant war against Canada. After two years, both sides agreed to end the war. Neither side won nor lost. They simply stopped fighting. It was the last time soldiers from the U.S. and Canada went to war against each other. 

In the early 1900's, a man named Alonzo Mather came up with the idea of building a bridge across the Niagara River to link the United States and Canada. It was to be a symbol象征 of peace that had lasted for a century between the two countries. The bridge would be built between Buffalo, New York, and Fort Erie in Ontario, Canada. 

It took several years for both countries to draw up the plan for the bridge and raise money for its construction建造 . On August 4, 1997 Mather's vision came true. The Peace Bridge opened with a great celebration. It was dedicated to 100 years of friendship between the United States and Canada. It was the longest standing friendship at that time between two countries with a shared border. 

Ever since its opening, the Peace Bridge has been an important passage通路 for both countries. Today, more than 6.5 million passenger cars and 1.5 million commercial商业的 trucks cross the bridge each year.

本文内容选自上海外语教育出版社引进出版的《听读美国小故事》第7册（7月）。如需购买，可到当当、亚马逊、京东等网上书城去看看。