一、概况
1.50 States
Its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific.
2.Races and Population
在东部时间2006年10月17日早晨7点46分,美国人口总数突破三亿大关,这是美国人口史上具有里程碑意义的一刻。3.06188亿(2009年,世界国家和地区第3名,次于中国、印度)
3.The Composition of American Population
1)The Majority:the descendants of immigrants from European countries, such
as France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Spain;“Pilgrim Fathers”;Potato
famine
2)The Minorities:The African Americans: black slaves from Africa;Indians: the
number of native Americans has been falling, no more than a million;The
Hispanics: immigrants or descendents of immigrants from Latin America,
such as Cuba and Mexico (Mexicans are the most numerous among
them);Asian-Americans, from China, Japan and Korea;More than a million
Chinese-Americans, most of whom live in Hawaii, on the West Coast and in
some big cities;5 million Jews in America, many of whom went there during
the Second World War and achieved great success in America.
3)“The Melting Pot”:It means immigrants from different nations all over the
world have mixed to make up the American nation.“old immigrants”: came
to America before 1860;“new immigrants”, after 1860.The Immigration
Quota Law was passed by the American government in 1924.
二、Early History
1.Columbus:1492 Christopher Columbus arrived at Salvador Island, thus
discovered the “New World”.(Amerigo V espucci: named “America”)
2.The first English permanent settlement:1607 The first group of English colonies
came to America and built their settlement of Charleston which later was expanded into the first English colony known as Virginia.
3.Pilgrim Fathers:1620 Some English immigrants (Puritans) sailed into Plymouth
on a ship called the “Mayflower”.102 Puritans, 60 days.Mayflower Compact, “one man one vote”, “one-man rule”
4.The values of Puritans:hard work; commercial success; the importance of
education
5.Thanksgiving:1621 Thanksgiving Day was first celebrated by the pilgrims of the
Plymouth Colony.
三、American Revolutionary
1.The 13 English colonies in America
1)The New England Colonies: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, and Connecticut.
2)The Middle Colonies: New Y ork, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland
3)The Southern Colonies: Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia 2.“Common Sense”
Thomas Paine: “Common Sense” .The pamphlet demanded complete independence from Great Britain and the establishment of a strong federal union.Within a few months reached a total of 120,000 copies.
3.The founding fathers of US
1)George Washington
“Father of the Country”.First, he was the commander of the Continental
Army that won American independence in the Revolutionary War.Second, he
served as president of the convention that wrote the United States
Constitution.Third, he was elected the first President of the United States.In
the European war, he declared that the United States would remain neutral.
2)John Adams(A federalist)
The Alien and Sedition Acts:made it a crime for anyone to publish “false,
scandalous, and malicious writing” about the government and its officials,
and gave the president to deport any foreigners considered dangerous to the
nation’s peace and safety.The real purpose: to silence the
Democratic-Republican and check their growing power.The Acts made the
Federalists very unpopular, who were defeated in the election of 1800 and
disappeared from political scene some 15 years later.
3)Benjamin Franklin
The most famous American of the 18th century and one of the most famous
and influential Americans who have ever lived.A greatest statesman, scientist, philosopher, diplomat.His services as a diplomat in France helped greatly in
winning the Revolutionary War.Franklin was the only person who signed all
the four of the most important documents in American history:The
Declaration of Independence;The Treaty of Alliance with France;The Treaty
of Peace with Great Britain;The Constitution of the United States.
4)Hamilton
Hamilton’s contribution:Established a governmental-supported national
bank;Created a new series of gold, silver, and copper coins;Raised money by
a tax on the manufacture of whiskey.
5)Jefferson
Jeffersonian Presidency:The first Democratic-Republican President,“a born
popular leader”.His inauguration marked the beginning of the peaceful
political transition from one political party to another in America.
Jeffersonian Democracy:Jefferson advocated a nation of small farmers.The
national government should be weak and be an advocate of individual
rights.A truly democratic statesmanHe favored: “absolute acquiescence in
the decisions of the majority” ;He opposed:“every f orm of tyranny over the
mind of man.
6)John Quincy Adams
the Monroe Doctrine's chief author;the sixth President of the United
States;the son of John Adams and Abigail Adams.As a diplomat, Adams was
involved in many international negotiations, and helped formulate the
Monroe Doctrine as Secretary of State. Historians agree he was one of the
greatest diplomats in American history. Encouraged industry.
7)“Virginia Dynasty”(Virginians, Democratic-Republicans)
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison: “the Father of Constitution”.
James Monroe (1817- 1825)
“The Era of Good Feeling”: its relative peace, unity, and optimism about the
future; nationalism.
The Monroe Doctrine:“America for Americans”;“the manifestation of an
unfriendly disposition toward the United States”.
James Monroe first stated the doctrine during his seventh annual State of the
Union Address to Congress. It stated that further efforts by European
countries to colonize land or interfere with states in the Americas would be
viewed by the United States of America as acts of aggression requiring US
intervention.
The Influences of Monroe Doctrine:It became a defining moment in the
foreign policy of the United States and one of its longest-standing tenets,
invoked by U.S. presidents, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, John F.
Kennedy, and others.
4.Independence War
1)The Causes of the War:The sharpening contradictions between Britain and
the colonies;The Unity of the colonies.
2)Before the Independence War:
1630 Boston was founded by a group of Puritans.
1636 Harvard was founded.
1682 Philadelphia was founded.
1701 Detroit was founded by French.Y ale was founded.
1733 Georgia, the last of thirteen English colonies, was founded.Spanish,
French, Dutch and English colonists,only the English established permanent
agricultural colonies(Religious reason;Economic reason).
1765 The Stamp Act was passed.
1766 The Stamp Act was repealed.
1770 The Boston Massacre took place.
1773 There appeared the event of the Boston Tea Party.
1774 The first Continental Congress was held.
3)Progress of the War(Time: 1775-1783):
1775 Minute Men of Lexington and Concord counterattacked the invading
English troops, marking the preclude of Independence War on April.The
second continental congress was called in May.The Battle of Bunker Hill
took place on June 17th(The bloodiest battle of the entire war;During the
second Continental Congress;More than 1000 British soldiers and about 400
Americans were killed or wounded).The delegates decided to resist, by force
if necessary; they asked King George III to prevent further hostile action by
Great Britain, to restore the peaceful relation.
1776 The Declaration of Independence was signed and issued.The Battle of
Trenton took place.
1777 The Battle of Saratoga took place, which marked the turning point of
the war.It stopped the British invasion from Canada, and saved the New
England colonies.It helped convince France that it could safely enter the war
on the American sideAfter the Americans’ victory at Saratoga, France agreed
to enter into an open alliance with the United States.Americans benefited
from the direct assistance of a number of foreign volunteers like the Marquis
de Lafayette.
1778 The Battle of Monmouth took place on June 28th, which was the last
large battle in the North.
1781 General Cornwallis and his 7000 men surrendered at Y orktown on Oct.
19th, which was the real end of the war.
1783 Paris Peace Treaty was signed between America and England on Sep.
3rd.The last of the British left America.
The War in the South:Victory at Y orktown in 1781: ended fighting in the
Revolution and virtually assured success to the American cause.
4)The Articles of Confederation《邦联条例》
Adopted by Congress in 1777, and taken into effect in 1781.The Articles
served as the new nation’s const itution until the first government under the
Constitution of the United States was formed in 1789.The Articles attempted
to balance the need for an effective national government with the traditional
independence of each state.
5)The Treaty of Paris
1782 Parliament voted to end hostilities and begin peace talks.1783 The
Americans and the British signed the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the
Revolutionary War.Britain recognized the independence of its former
colonies and accepted the new nation’s borders.
6)Postwar Problems
Not a truly unified country.According to the Article of the Confederation, the
first thirteen states were determined to have a weak national government.
The federal government
Unable to pay the high national debt
Lacked the means for raising money to provide for national defense
Had no power to regulate the nation’s trade
Revising the Article of the Confederation became an urgent issue.
5.Constitutional Convention 1787
1787 The Constitutional Convention was called.12 States, except for Rhode Island,
55 delegates, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.Washington, was chosen as
chairman.Benjamin Franklin helped ease some of the difficulties among the other delegates.
1)Debates in Constitutional Convention
Northern states:Strengthen the power of the federal government;Favored
protective tariffs and free labor.
Southern states:Protect the rights of states and demand a weak central
government;Preferred low tariffs and slavery
2)Controversy Over Representatives
Small states:demanded equal representation with large states
Large states:argued for proportional representation reflecting the population
of each state
3)Compromise
House of Representatives:in proportion to the population of the states
Senate:two representatives each from both the large and the small states
4)The new Constitution was born on September 17, 1787, after 16 weeks of
deliberation.
Basic Ideas of the Constitution:
Separation of powers
Checks-and-balances
Federalism
The Bill of Rights
To restrict the central government and assure individual rights, 10
Amendments were added to the document and became law in 1791.
These ten amendments guaranteed individual freedom of speech, religion, the
press, the right to trial by jury, the right to bear arms, the right to security
from unreasonable searches and seizures and the right to avoid
self-determination
四、American Politics
1. The election of American president
The President is elected by an Electoral College.In 1789, the Electoral College unanimously chose George Washington to be the first American president.
2. The First Political Parties
A political division: appeared between those who favored a strong federal
government and those who opposed it.
Federalist Party: Hamilton and his followers, chiefly Northerners
Democratic-Republican Party: Jefferson and his followers, chiefly Southerners 3. Federalists vs Anti-Federalists
Federalist Party:favored a strong federal government and the interests of commerce and manufacturing over agriculture, and the new government on a sound financial basis.The Federalist Party generally backed Britain in The conflicts between France and Britain.
Democratic-Republican Party:A weak central government;Sided with France; The present-day Democratic Party
4. The principles of government
The government derives its power from the consent of the governed.
The power of government must be limited by a fundamental law, the Constitution.
The government should be granted adequate power for achieving its appropriate purpose.
5. Federalism
Federalism in the United States is the evolving relationship between state governments and the federal government of the United States.
The federal government and the state governments are equal before the U.S.
Constitution.
Hamilton vs Jefferson
In 1790, the Federalist political party, lead by Alexander Hamilton, believed in a strong federal government, which is where the name came from.
The Democratic-Republicans, or the Republican political party today, lead by Thomas Jefferson, believed in a weak federal government
6. The power of federal government
The federal government is granted the power to deal with problems which no single state could deal with effectively.
To coin money
To tax imports
To raise an army for national defence
To manage foreign affairs
To take care of the general welfare of the American people
To deal with the problems concerning more than two states
7. Check-and-balance system
To prevent one branch from becoming supreme, and to induce the branches to cooperate, governance systems that employ a separation of powers need a way to balance each of the branches.
8. United States: Government Structure
1)Constitution:three branches of American government and the functions of
them
Executive Branch——President:Cabinet of Advisors;Heads of Major Government Agencies
The Executive(The federal government refers to the branches as "branches of government", while some systems use "government" to describe the executive.)
The President(The President is both the head of state and government, as well as the military commander-in-chief and chief diplomat. The President, according to the Constitution, must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed," and "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.")
The Vice President(Under the Constitution, the Vice President is President of the Senate.)
The Secretary of State(The Secretary of State is the Chief Executive Officer
of the United States Department of State, the most senior of all federal executive departments.The Secretary serves as the President's chief adviser on U.S. foreign policy.)
Legislative Branch——Congress:House of Representatives;Senate
Judicial Branch——Supreme Court:9members
2)State Governments:The United States was originally made up of 13
English-American colonies.All the 50 states, which each represented by a star on the national flag, are “united”under the Constitution.
The task of the state government
To look after the well-being of the residents and protect their natural rights.
State assembly
Governor
Its own system of law courts
3)Local governments:American local governments are not controlled by the
federal government, but by the state government.
五、Expansion and Progress
1. The Louisiana Purchase(One of Jefferson’s greatest achievements)
Background:
French control of Louisiana as a danger to the United States
For the benefit of American agriculture and commerce by developing the Louisiana Territory
The action doubled the size of the United States.
2. Lewis and Clark Expedition
Time: 1804
Target: the northern part of the Louisiana Purchase
Achievement:
provided valuable information about the Indians, flora and fauna, the geography in the Western territory;
gave the United States claim to the land to the Pacific Ocean.
3. The Unsuccessful Embargo
During Jefferson’s second term, problems from the war between Great Britain and France arose.Congress passed the Embargo Act of 1807, which made it illegal for American goods to be exported to foreign countries.The embargo failed to bring about any change in British or French policy and became a disaster for the American economy.On the other side, it aroused indignation among Americans.
4. The War of 1812(“Second War for Independence” )
The British which had a strong navy continued to interfere with U.S. ships, force American seamen into British service, and violate the nation’s n eutral rights and coastal waters.In 1812 President Madison asked congress to declare war against Britain.
the Treaty of Ghent:The war continued indecisively for nearly three years.Both sides agreed to the Treaty of Ghent (《根特和平条约》) on December 24, 1814, which brought peace and established a commission to settle boundary disputes.
The Effects of the War of 1812
Neither side won the War of 1812, but the war did have important effects on the United States:
it increased national patriotism and helped to unite the United States into one nation;
it practically ended Indian resistance in the Northwest and encouraged rapid settlement of the region.
5. The Westward Movement
1)Two frontiers
The west of early United States, the region between the Appalachian Mountains and Mississippi River. (Texas)
The Great West (Far West), stretching from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, can be subdivided into two sections: the territory between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains and the region between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific coast.(California)
2)Pioneers
Daniel Boone:the most famous pioneer
Wilderness Road: became a main route to the West for thousands of settlers
Pioneers included Easterners from both the North and South, and Europe.For seeking a better life, or in search of religious freedom
3)Indians(“Trail of Tears”)
As white people moved westward, native Americans east of the Mississippi River suffered a great deal.
4)The Age of Jackson
Andrew Jackson was a dominant figure of the early 19th century.He won fame as an Indian fighter and as a hero in the War of 1812.He was born into a poor family who lived in a log cabin.He gained support from Western farmers, frontiersmen, city laborers and craftmen.
“Jacksonian Democracy”
This term is used to describe the reforms and reform movements of the period from 1828 to 1850.He carried out the policy of equal political power for all, so by the end of the era, the United States was a more democratic nation than it had been before.
The Rise of “Common man”
President Jackson promised to end the “monopoly” of government by the rich and to protect the interests of the “common man”.In order to protect the interests of the “common man”, Jackson launched a major crusade against the Second National Bank of the United States.
The Rise of Middle Class
In Jacksonian era, the majority of common men found opportunities in the relatively fluid society to achieve material success, as in those that preceded and followed it, established “middle class”respectability.
The Start of Spoil System
When Jackson became President, many wealthy Easterners held federal
government offices. Jackson dismissed many of these people from office, replacing them with his supporters.The spoil system is a practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as
a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for
the party—as opposed to a system of awarding offices on the basis of some measure of merit independent of political activity.
Two New Parties :Two new parties took form during the age of Jackson.
Democratic Party: under the leadership of Jackson
National Republicans(the Whigs): those who supported John Qunicy Adams
Indian removal
The most controversial aspect of Jackson's presidency was his policy regarding American Indians, which involved the ethnic cleansing of several Indian tribes.Many tribes and portions of tribes had been removed to Arkansas Territory and further west of the Mississippi River without the suffering and tragedies of what later became known as the Trail of Tears.
六、The American Civil War
1.The North vs the South(Two-party system :Republican Party and Democratic
Party)
The political conflict between the North and the South
Republican Party Founded in northern states in 1854 by anti-slavery activists, modernizers, ex-Whigs and ex-Free Soilers, the Republican Party quickly became the principal opposition to the dominant Democratic Party.It first came to power in 1860 with the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency; it presided over the American Civil War and Reconstruction.
The North had more people, more raw materials for producing war supplies, and
a better railway system.
The South had more experienced military leaders and better knowledge of the battlefields because most of the war was fought in the South.
2.Major Events About the Civil War
1852 The novel entitled “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”was published.
1854 The Republican Party was founded.Douglas Bill was introduced.
1859 John Brown led the slaves’treason.
1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected president.(Abraham Lincoln:As one of the greatest man in world history, and the most respected presidents in American history.Lincoln helped keep the American Union together during the Civil War and abolished slavery in the United States.A perfect example of a self-made man: how an honest and hardworking man in America can rise from humble origin to the nation’s highest office.)
1861 The south Confederate Government was set up and the Civil War broke out.
1862 The Homestead Bill was issued in May.(Homestead Bill《宅地法》:The Homestead Act was one of several United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to up to 160 acres (1/4 section, 65 hectares) of
undeveloped federal land outside the original 13 colonies. The original Homestead Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862.)
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued up on Sep. 22nd.(The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. The first one, issued September 22, 1862, declared the freedom of all slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863. The second order, issued January 1, 1863, named ten specific states where it would apply.) 1863 The Battle of Gettysburg took place and it was the turning point of the Civil War.(Gettysburg Address:The speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and is one of the best-known speeches in United States history. It was delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.)
1865 The South surrendered and the Civil War ended.President Lincoln was assassinated.(On the evening of April 14, 1865, Lincoln attended a performance at Ford’s Theater in Washington. A Southern actor named John Wilkes Booth shot the President in the head from the rear of the presidential box.)
3.Negative Effects of the Civil War
1)The four years of bloody fighting between the North and South had
staggering effects on the nation.
2)About 360,000 Union troops and perhaps 260,000 Confederate troops died;
no other war in American history has taken so many American lives.
3)It caused enormous property damage, especially in the South where many
Southern cities, towns, plantations, factories and railroads lay in ruin.
4.人物
1)John Brown:an American abolitionist, who advocated and practiced armed
insurrection as a means to end all slavery. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre
in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas and made his name in the unsuccessful raid at
Harpers Ferry in 1859.Brown has been called "the most controversial of all
19th-century Americans." Brown's actions are often referred to as "patriotic
treason", depicting both sides of the argument
2)General Robert Edward Lee:among the most celebrated generals in
American history He is best known for commanding the Confederate Army
of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War.
3)General Ulysses Grant:the 18th President of the United States (1869–77) as
well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war
Reconstruction periods. Under the command of Grant, the Union Army
4)Andrew Johnson:President Lincoln had announced his plan that was mild and
generous to the South.When Johnson succeeded Lincoln and became
President, he tried to carry out Lincoln’s policy, but the radicals in Congress
rejected his Reconstruction programs.The House of Representatives
impeached Johnson, but the Senate was one vote short of the two-thirds
majority required to remove him from office.
5.Reconstruction(1865-1877)
The period in the United States history that followed the Civil WarThe process through which the South returned to the Union after their defeat.A time of bitter political quarrels and disappointed hopes
1)Economic and Political Reconstruction
Reconstruction failed to solve the economic problem of either the blacks or
the South as a whole.
Politically, Reconstruction made most Southerner whites firm supporters of
the Democratic Party.
No Racial Harmony:Reconstruction failed to bring racial harmony to the
South.White Southerners remained loyal to their old social order and
believed whites were superior to blacks, refused to share important political
power with blacks.
2)Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
Three distinct past and present right-wing US organizations. The current
manifestation is splintered into several chapters and is widely considered a
hate group. The first KKK flourished in the South in the 1860s, then died out
by the early 1870s. The second KKK flourished nationwide in the early and
mid 1920s, and adopted the costumes and paraphernalia of the first Klan. The
third Klan emerged after World War II. Their iconic white costumes
consisted of robes, masks, and conical hats.
3)“the Negro question”
As the North gradually lost interest in Reconstruction and “the Negro
question”, Southern whites regained control of their state governments and
took away many of the rights that blacks had won during Reconstruction.By
the early 20th century, every Southern state had passed laws limiting voting
rights. Such laws effectively prevented most blacks from voting.
4)Confederate States into Union
Congress insisted that the Confederate States agree to follow all federal laws
before being readmitted to the Union.Between 1860 and 1870, all the
Confederate States eventually met various requirements and all returned to
the Union by 1870.
5)Constitutional Amendments
The 13th Amendment (1865) to the Constitution outlawed slavery throughout
the United States.
The 14th Amendment (1868) confirmed the citizenship of blacks.
The 15th Amendment (1870) made it illegal to deny the right to vote on the
basis of race.
6)Public schools
Significant achievement of the Reconstruction government was the
establishment of the first public school systems in the most states of the
South.African Americans and white Republicans joined to build education at
the state level.But most schools attracted white students by educating blacks
and whites seperately.
七、America In the Twentieth Century
1.World War Ⅰ
WWⅠbegan in 1914. The two sides were called the Allies and the Central Powers.Soon after the war began, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States, declared that his country would be neutral.
U.S In WWI
On April 6, 1917, the United States declared war in Germany.The first American troops, in small numbers, went into action in the autumn of 1917 on the western front.On September 26, 1918 the Allied forces launched the last great offensive of WWⅠ.In January 1919, representatives of the victorious powers gathered in Paris to draw up the peace settlement. The meeting was called the Paris Peace Conference.
2.Great Depression
The period of high unemployment and low business activity during the 1930s ,began in October 1929, when stock prices in the United States began to fall sharply.
3.New Deal
From March 9 to June 16, 1933, Congress passed a series of important laws to provide relief for victims of the depression, to help economic recovery, to reform financial, business, agricultural, and industrial practices.
The Influences of New Deal
1)The New Deal relieved much economic hardship and gave Americans faith in
the democratic system at a time when the other nations hit by the depression
turned to dictators.
2)The adoption of new political philosophy, liberalism, to which many
Americans remained attached for decades to come.
3)The New Deal elevated the social status of minority groups.
4)Roosevelt’s government began to hire more blacks, Catholics, and American
of other ethnic and religious backgrounds.
5)The New Deal caused major political changes. The Democratic Party,
generally a minority party since the Civil War, became the largest political
party.
6)The New Deal created a welfare state, in which the government had a duty to
provide economic security for the people and the economic growth of the
nation.
4.U.S In World War Ⅱ
After World War Ⅱbegan in Europe in 1939, the United States had remained neutral. Y et most Americans hoped for an Allied victory.President Roosevelt persuaded Congress to provide the nations fighting the Axis powers with ships, tanks, planes, and other war materials.
1941-1945
On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked without warning United States
military bases at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
The United States, Canada, and Great Britain declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941.
On June 6, 1944 (known as D-Day), about 2,700 ships carried 176,000 Allied troops crossed the English Channel. They landed on the coast of Normandy in northern France.
On August 6, 1945, an American bomber dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion killed 70,000 people. 3 days later the United States dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki. It killed about 40,000 people.
5.Cold War
The Cold War period lasted from the mid-1940s until the end of the 1980s;the containment of Communism became the major goal of U.S. foreign policy. The new American policy became known as the Truman Doctrine.Aimed at Soviet expansion in Europe, the Truman Doctrine developed into the Containment Policy.
6.Black Civil Rights Movement
In the early 1960s, the black civil rights movement became the main domestic issue in the nation.Martin Luther King, Jr., an African-American Baptist minister, was the main leader of the civil rights movement.
Achievements of Civil Rights Movement
1)The movement won a major victory in 1964, when Congress passed the civil
rights bill that Kennedy and his successor, President Lyndon B. Johnson, had
proposed.
2)The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the strongest civil rights bill in the U.S.
3)Within a few months, Congress approved the V oting Rights Act of 1965. This
Act outlawed literacy tests in many Southern states.
八、American Education
1. Education in American Value
Education is indispensable to democracy and social progress
During the colonial time: the first college in America, Harvard Colle ge, was set up in Massachusetts in 1636.
Function of early schools: spread knowledge; train clergymen
2. Distinctions between America and Britain
American education attaches more importance to democracy than the British.
The proportion of private schools in America is far smaller than that in Britain, although America has more rich people than Britain.
3. The Features of American Education
American education emphasizes cultivating a student’s mind rather than requiring him to memorize mere facts.
Students are encouraged to learn by doing, by expressing themselves and by discussing.
Another feature of American education is that it pays much attention to
cultivating the spirit of self-reliance.
4. Education system
1)Public Education
Primary and secondary education was open to all American children free of
charge.Most schools in America are run on tax money levied by government
or the local community.The federal government does not provide a national
education system.
Elementary Education
Elementary/ primary education begins at the age of five or six, ending at the
age of 11 or 12.Curriculum mainly consists of the “basics”, such as reading,
writing, and arithmetic or mathematics.
The purpose: making children happy and interested instead of giving rigid
instructions.
Secondary Education
Secondary education: senior high schools; junior high school.“prep” schools:
expensive, private boarding schools provide the best of the elementary and
high schools.Schools run by the church
2) 4 kinds high schools
Comprehensive: give both academic and vocational education
Academic: pay more attention to academic study and aim at preparing
students for higher education
V ocational and technical high schools: teach the skills of a variety of
occupations
3)Higher education
Admission to Higher Education :Determined by each college or university;
no national standard.
General standards:
Successful completion of high school
High school grade point average (GPA)
Class rank
Results from standardized tests such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (S AT)
State universities: The University of California (LA, Berkeley)
Ivy League schools: high tuition fees ($30,000 one academic year), high
scores, high prestige, world-class professors, and extremely fine equipment
Liberal arts colleges: a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the
liberal arts
“Seven Sisters”
Undergraduate Curriculum
Three parts: the general education, the major, and the supporting courses.The
general education applies to all students regardless of their field of
specialization in their first year and second year.In the third year ad fourth
year, undergraduates specialize in major subjects.
Bachelor’s Degree
A bachelor’s degree requires about 36 courses. A student is given credits for
every course he has successfully completed.When his credits amount to the
required number, he is awarded the bachelor’s degree.
Review
Trust
The “Big Stick”policy
Thomas Edison
NA TO
Nixon’s visit to China
John F. Kennedy
Social movements in 1960s
Social class
Big Apple
英语国家概况美国部分精讲系列 Chapter: 13 geography 地理位置 1.Alaska and Hawaii are the two newest states in American.Alaska northwestern Can ada,and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific. 阿拉斯加和夏威夷是最近加入美国的两个新州.阿拉斯加在加拿大的西北部,夏威夷位邻中太平洋.(本细节还有考“一句话简答”的可能) 2.The U.S has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometres.It is the fourth largest co untry in the world in size after Russia,Canada and China. 就面积而言,美国是世界第四大国,就人口而言,美国是世界是第三大国. 3.Of all states of American,Alaska is the lagest in area and Rhode Island the smalles t.But on the mainland Texas is the largest sate of the country. 所有州中,阿拉斯加是面积最大的州,罗得岛最小,在美国大陆,最大的州是得克萨斯州. 4.The Rockies,the backbone of the North American Continent,is also known as the C ontinental Divide. 落基山脉是北美大陆的脊梁,也被成为大陆分水岭. 5.The two main mountain ranges in American are the Appalachian mountains and the Rocky mountains. The Appalachians run slightly from the northeast to southwest and the Rocky mountains run slightly from the northwest to southeast. 阿巴拉契亚山脉和落基山脉是美国的两座大山脉.(本细节有考“一句话简答题”的可能)
American History ?I. America in the colonial era ?II. The War of Independence ?III. The Civil War ?IV. America during the two World Wars I. America in the colonial era ?Who were the very first Americans? ?Who was the first one discovering the new continent? ?After whom was the new continent named? I. America in the colonial era ?1.The very first Americans were Indians. ●They created their civilization, known as Maya civilization, dominating Mexico and Central America from 4th to the 10th centuries. ●They were the descendants of the Mongoloid (蒙古人种的) people in Asia. ●About 20,000 years ago, they traveled to the North American continent across the Bering Strait (白令海峡). ?2. Christopher Columbus is believed to have discovered America. ●In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered America. However, he believed he had reached India and called the natives Indians. ?In 1500, Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian navigator, also under the Spanish flag, drew the conclusion that what he found was a new continent. 3. The establishment of colonies ?Since the America was found, the Spanish established many colonies: Florida, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. ?In 1588, the Spanish Armada was defeated by the English navy,which put England in a better position to provide support for its New World colonies. 3. The establishment of colonies ?Between 1607 and 1733 the British established 13 colonies along the east coast of North America. ?These 13 colonies were established in different patterns: ●crown colonies ( 直辖殖民地), ●proprietary colonies ( 业主殖民地), ●charter colonies ( 特许公司殖民地), ●self-governing or compact colonies ( 自治殖民地或契约殖民地). ?1) The first successful English colony in North America was founded at Jamestown, Virginia , in 1607. ?2) In 1620, a group of Pilgrims sailed to the New World in a ship called Mayflower. They arrived at Plymouth, and built the New Plymouth colony in New England. These Pilgrims drew up the epoch-making Mayflower Compact (五月花契约), which was signed by all adult males on the ship. 3. The establishment of colonies ?3) From 1630 to 1643, some 200 ships transported over 20,000 Englishmen to the Massachusetts Bay colony. ?Plymouth remained a separate colony until 1691 when it was combined with Massachusetts Bay colony. Puritans ?People who criticized or wished to "purify" the Church of England. ?"Puritan" refers to two distinct groups: ?"separating" Puritans, radical Protestants, such as the Plymouth colonists, the pilgrims, who believed that the Church of England was corrupt and that true Christians must separate themselves from it; and ?“non-separating” Puritans, such as the colonists who settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony, who believed in
America The Founding of Colonies殖民地的建立 First Inhabitants:American Indians Discovery of the New World: 1492 Christopher Columbus →the discoverer of America (Italian)Spanish Queen’ s support 1501-2 Amerigo Vespucci →the new land was name after him as America. reached the mouth of Amazon River America—the New World Europe—the Old World 13 colonies: New England Colonies: Mid Atlantic Colonies: Southern Colonies: Massachusetts →(2nd colony,1620)New York Maryland New Hampshire Pennsylvania Virginia →(1st colony,1607)Rhode Island Delaware North Carolina Connecticut South Carolina Georgia →(the last colony,1733)New England Region(6个): Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont 建立原因: Virginia, 1607 Virginia Company For foreign expansion as a way of easing religious dispute and economic distress in England 105 men (no women) Jamestown in honor of the king Massachusetts In 1620 102 Puritans (“Pilgrim Fathers”), in Mayflower, from Plymouth in England to America First in Plymouth (today’s Massachusetts); and then Boston Seek religious freedom Mayflower Compact <五月花号公约>:self-government Hardships when arrived the help of the Indians Thanksgiving Day to thank the Indians and the God for protection The next three colonies Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire Reasons: 1. religious disputes and struggles in Massachusetts intensified 2. more immigrants
一、概况 1.50 States Its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific. 2.Races and Population 在东部时间2006年10月17日早晨7点46分,美国人口总数突破三亿大关,这是美国人口史上具有里程碑意义的一刻。3.06188亿(2009年,世界国家和地区第3名,次于中国、印度) 3.The Composition of American Population 1)The Majority:the descendants of immigrants from European countries, such as France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, and Spain;“Pilgrim Fathers”;Potato famine 2)The Minorities:The African Americans: black slaves from Africa;Indians: the number of native Americans has been falling, no more than a million;The Hispanics: immigrants or descendents of immigrants from Latin America, such as Cuba and Mexico (Mexicans are the most numerous among them);Asian-Americans, from China, Japan and Korea;More than a million Chinese-Americans, most of whom live in Hawaii, on the West Coast and in some big cities;5 million Jews in America, many of whom went there during the Second World War and achieved great success in America. 3)“The Melting Pot”:It means immigrants from different nations all over the world have mixed to make up the American nation.“old immigrants”: came to America before 1860;“new immigrants”, after 1860.The Immigration Quota Law was passed by the American government in 1924. 二、Early History 1.Columbus:1492 Christopher Columbus arrived at Salvador Island, thus discovered the “New World”.(Amerigo V espucci: named “America”) 2.The first English permanent settlement:1607 The first group of English colonies came to America and built their settlement of Charleston which later was expanded into the first English colony known as Virginia. 3.Pilgrim Fathers:1620 Some English immigrants (Puritans) sailed into Plymouth on a ship called the “Mayflower”.102 Puritans, 60 days.Mayflower Compact, “one man one vote”, “one-man rule” 4.The values of Puritans:hard work; commercial success; the importance of education 5.Thanksgiving:1621 Thanksgiving Day was first celebrated by the pilgrims of the Plymouth Colony. 三、American Revolutionary
Melting Pot: Immigrants from different regions and cultures came to live in the United States, their old ways of life melt away and they became part of the American culture? WASPs: WASPS are the mainstream Americans, referring to the white Anglo-Saxon Protestants The Hispanics: The Hispanics are Spanish-speaking people from Latin America, which was once dominated by the Spanish Empire?American Indians: The Indian peoples are known as the first Americans. When Columbus landed in the New World in 1492, he thought he had reached India and called the natives Indians? Separation of powers: Under the federalist system, the federal and the state governments have separate and distinct powers laid down in the Constitutio n. ^Winner-take-air5principle: The party that wins most votes (simple majority) in a state wins all the electoral votes for the state and the defeated party gets none? Federalism: Federalism in the United States is the evolving relationship between U.S. state governments and the federal government of the United States? Since the founding of the country, and particularly with the end of the American Civil War, power shifted away from the states and towards the national government. Thanksgiving Day: It's on the fourth Thursday of Novembe匚It is a typical
1. The longest river in Britain is ____. A. Severn B. Tees C. Thames D. Clyde 2. The British Isles is made up of ____. A. Three large islands and hundreds of small ones B. Two large islands and hundreds of small ones C. Three large islands and dozens of small ones D. Two large islands and dozens of small ones 3. There are three political divisions ____ on the island of Great Britain. A. England, Scotland, and Ireland B. England, Scotland, and Wales C. England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland D. Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland 4. The Tower of London, located in the centre of London, was built by ____. A. King Harold B. William the Conqueror C. Robin Hood D. Oliver Cromwell 5. St. Paul’s Cathedral is in ____. A. Liverpool B. London C. Glasgow D. Birmingham 6. The largest lake in Britain is ___. A. Ullswater B. Loch Lomond C. Windermere D. The Lough Neagh 7. The Romans led by Julius Caesar launched their first invasion on Britain in ____. A. 200 B. C. B. 55 A. D. C. 55 B.C. D. 410 A.D. 8. The capital of Northern Ireland is ____. A. Belfast B. Birmingham C. Edinburgh D. Cardiff 9. Between 1337 and 1453 the ____ took place in Britain. A. Wars of Roses B. Black Death C. Hundred Year’s War D. Peasants Uprising 10. The first Civil War in Britain lasted from ____ to ____. A. 1600—1604 B. 1640—1644 C. 1642—1646 D. 1646—1650 11. James Watt created a ____ in 1769. A. Spinning Mule B. Steam Engine C. Power Loom D. Spinning Jenny 12. In English individualistic culture, one should not bother Englishmen without a good reason and making appointment beforehand seems to be important. It is best reflected by an English proverb____. A. as welcome as a storm B. an Englishman’s house is his castle C. do not wear out your welcome D. outstay one’s welcome 13. ____ is the first weekday after Christmas, a legal holiday in English, Wales, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. A. Thanksgiving Day B. Anzac Day C. St. Valentine’s Day D. Boxing Day 14. The Bible was originally written in ____. C A. Latin B. English C. Hebrew D. Arabic 15. Which of the following king was executed in the civil war? A. James I B. Charles I C. James II D. Charles II 16. From 1649 to 1658 English was called a Commonwealth. It was ruled first by Oliver Cromwell as ____ .
英美概况(美国篇1:地理位置) 1.Alaska and Hawaii are the two newest states in American.Alaska northwestern Canada,and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific. 阿拉斯加和夏威夷是最近加入美国的两个新州。阿拉斯加在加拿大的西北部,夏威夷位邻中太平洋。(本细节还有考"一句话简答"的可能) 2.The U.S has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometres.It is the fourth largest country in the world in size after Russia,Canada and China. 就面积而言,美国是世界第四大国,就人口而言,美国是世界是第三大国。 3.Of all states of American,Alaska is the lagest in area and Rhode Island the smallest.But on the mainland Texas is the largest sate of the country. 所有州中,阿拉斯加是面积最大的州,罗得岛最小,在美国大陆,最大的州是得克萨斯州。 4.The Rockies,the backbone of the North American Continent,is also known as the Continental Divide. 落基山脉是北美大陆的脊梁,也被成为大陆分水岭。 5.The two main mountain ranges in American are the Appalachian mountains and the Rocky mountains. The Appalachians run slightly from the northeast to southwest and the Rocky mountains run slightly from the northwest to southeast. 阿巴拉契亚山脉和落基山脉是美国的两座大山脉。(本细节有考"一句话简答题"的可能) 6.The Mississippi River is the largest river in American,over 6000 kilometers.The Mississippi has been called "father of waters"or "old man river" 密西西比河是美国最长河流,有被称作"众水之父"或"老人河"。 7.The Ohio river has been called the American Ruhr,As in Germany, the area along the river is rich in valuable deposits of high-grade coking coal and is well known for its steel industry.The river provides cheap water transportation for raw materials. 俄亥俄河被称作美国的鲁尔河,就像德国一样,沿河有丰富的高品千周的焦煤,并且因其钢铁而著名。另外,该河还为原材料提供了廉价的水路运输。 8.On the Pacific side there are two great rivers:the Colorado in the south and the Columbia ,which rises in Canada. 太平洋沿岸有两大河:科罗拉多河及哥伦比亚河。 9。The Rio Grande River forms a natural boundary between Mexico and the United States. 格兰德河是美国和墨西哥之间的开然界河(本细节考选择和简答可能性大)10.the most important lakes in the United States are the Great Lakes. They are Lake Superior,which is the largest fresh water lake in the world, Lake Michigan ,the only entirely in the U.S.,Lake Huron,Lake Eire and Lake Ontario.They are located between Canada and the United States except Lake Michigan.
Chapter 13 geography 地理位置 I. Location and size 1. The full name of the United States is the United States of America. The continental United States lies in central North America with Canada to its north, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to its south, the Atlantic Ocean to its east and the Pacific Ocean to its west. Alaska and Hawaii are the two newest states in America. Alaska borders on northwestern Canada and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific. 阿拉斯加和夏威夷是最近加入美国的两个新州。阿拉斯加在加拿大的西北部,夏威夷位邻中太平洋。 2. The U.S has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometers. It is the fourth largest country in the world in size after Russia, Canada and China.就面积而言,美国是世界第四大国,就人口而言,美国是世界是第三大国。 3. Of all states of American, Alaska is the largest in area and Rhode Island the smallest. But on the mainland Texas is the largest sate of the country. 所有州中,阿拉斯加是面积最大的州,罗得岛最小,在美国大陆,最大的州是得克萨斯州。 II.Topography 1. Mountains (1)The two main mountain ranges in American are the Appalachian mountains and the Rocky mountains. The Appalachians run slightly from the northeast to southwest and the Rocky mountains run slightly from the northwest to southeast. 阿巴拉契亚山脉和落基山脉是美国的两座大山脉。(本细节有考―一句话简答题‖的可能)
1.Alaska and Hawaii are the two newest states in American.Alaska northwestern Canada,and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific. 阿拉斯加和夏威夷是最近加入美国的两个新州。阿拉斯加在加拿大的西北部,夏威夷位邻中太平洋。(本细节还有考"一句话简答"的可能) 2.The U.S has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometres.It is the fourth largest country in the world in size after Russia,Canada and China. 就面积而言,美国是世界第四大国,就人口而言,美国是世界是第三大国。 3.Of all states of American,Alaska is the lagest in area and Rhode Island the smallest.But on the mainland Texas is the largest sate of the country. 所有州中,阿拉斯加是面积最大的州,罗得岛最小,在美国大陆,最大的州是得克萨斯州。 4.The Rockies,the backbone of the North American Continent,is also known as the Continental Divide. 落基山脉是北美大陆的脊梁,也被成为大陆分水岭。 5.The two main mountain ranges in American are the Appalachian mountains and the Rocky mountains. The Appalachians run slightly from the northeast to southwest and the Rocky mountains run slightly from the northwest to southeast. 阿巴拉契亚山脉和落基山脉是美国的两座大山脉。(本细节有考"一句话简答题"的可能) 6.The Mississippi River is the largest river in American,over 6000 kilometers.The Mississippi has been called "father of waters"or "old man river" 密西西比河是美国最长河流,有被称作"众水之父"或"老人河"。 7.The Ohio river has been called the American Ruhr,As in Germany, the area along the river is rich in valuable deposits of high-grade coking coal and is well known for its steel industry.The river provides cheap water transportation for raw materials. 俄亥俄河被称作美国的鲁尔河,就像德国一样,沿河有丰富的高品千周的焦煤,并且因其钢铁而著名。另外,该河还为原材料提供了廉价的水路运输。 8.On the Pacific side there are two great rivers:the Colorado in the south and the Columbia ,which rises in Canada. 太平洋沿岸有两大河:科罗拉多河及哥伦比亚河。 9。The Rio Grande River forms a natural boundary between Mexico and the United States. 格兰德河是美国和墨西哥之间的开然界河(本细节考选择和简答可能性大)10.the most important lakes in the United States are the Great Lakes. They are Lake Superior,which is the largest fresh water lake in the world, Lake Michigan ,the only entirely in the U.S.,Lake Huron,Lake Eire and Lake Ontario.They are located between Canada and the United States except Lake Michigan. 美国最重要的湖泊是五大湖:苏必利尔湖,密歇根湖,休伦湖,伊利湖和安大略湖,其中,苏必利尔湖为世界最大淡水湖,密歇根湖完全是美国境地内。
EDUCATION IN THE USA Going to School in America Today American education has the goal of achieving universal literacy and to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote both their own individual welfare as well as that of the society. About 90% of American students attend public schools and the other 10% attend private schools. Most private schools are run the churches, synagogues or other religious groups; these schools teach about their religion as well as the usual subjects such as mathematics, English, science, history and geography. The costs involved in providing education are very high and therefore it is constantly under review by governments and by citizens. The spending of money is guided by boards of education at the state and district level. The same is true for decisions about school curriculum, teacher standards and certification, and the measurement of student progress.
Lecture one: Geography and People Location : Situated in the central part of North America with Canada on the north ,Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico on the south ,the United States is on the east coast of Pacific and west coast of Atlantic. Territorial area: 9.5million square kilometers 50states and seat of government is Washington D.C Largest state---Alaska Largest on the continent---Texas Smallest-----Rhode Island(罗德岛州) Newest---Hawaii Three geographical divisions(三大地形区): Western ,central and eastern part . Land forms and region: Eastern part: Highlands formed by Appalachian range Western part: High plateaus and mountains(Rockies are called as the back bone of the continent). Great central plain: A large plain between the eastern Appalachian and western Rockies Main geographical regions: New England (6,northeast, longest history featured with mountains ,valleys and rivers ,and cities and towns with historic sites ,top-ranking universities ) The Mid-Atlantic States The West (11,a wealth of forests and stream notable cities, high-tech industry predominant agricultural yielding,14% of GDP ) The Mid-West The South (13,plenty of rainfall and mild climate are favorable for agriculture, fast growing industry and population recent years, great size with few large cities The Southwest Hawaii: Tourism is the largest source of income Tropical climate