AmericanCulture What is America.

1.Immigration forces.Immigration always takes place with pull force and push force interacting with each other.Push and pull forces are those factors which either forcefully push people into migration or attract them. A push force relates to the country from which a person migrates. It is generally some problem which results in people wanting to migrate. That is to say, it is an internal force that pushes a person to leave. A push force can be reasons such as unemployment, few opportunities, desertification, famine, drought, political persecution, death threats, slavery or discrimination that is happening in the country or area where a person currently lives.A push force is a flaw or distress that drives a person away from a certain place. A pull factor is something concerning the country to which a person migrates. It is generally a benefit that attracts people to a certain place. To simply put, a pull force is an external force that drives a person to leave. Reasons like better job opportunities, better living conditions, political freedom, family links, security or enjoyment in the country or area that a person is going to leave for.In general, both forces can be economically, politically, culturally, and environmentally based.To take the early Chinese immigrants to the United States as an example, the push force for them to leave the country is mainly that they were being exploited much more than before by the Qing dynasty government who, after the Opium War with the Great Britain, had been suffering huge financial deficits and consequently imposed much heavier taxes on its people. In addition, there was a widespread civil war called Taiping Rebellion against the government at that time which caused the deaths of millions of civilians. To escape from the poor living conditions and for fear of the war, many Chinese set foot on the journey to America.In late 1850s, the rumor that numerous gold mines had been found in west America, specifically California, spread to southern provinces like Fujian and Guangdong. This, serving as a pull force, stirred the aspiration for fortune of many Chinese who soon after hearing this formed or joined an army of gold rush.2.Immigrants’ ContributionsAmerica is indeed a nation of immigrants. Ever since its discovery by Christopher Columbus, many people from all over the world have been flocking into this country to pursue their American Dreams in this free land.Except for the Native Americans - the Indians, the most majority of its population is comprised by immigrants and their descendants. Despite the fact that it's a nation of only more than two hundred years, America has more than 100 ethnic groups which include European Americans, African American and Asian Americans etc. all of whom make America a country with a population of more than 200 million.As the richest and most developed country in the current world, America could not have achieved such enormous growth and development within such a short period without the contributions in terms of economy, politics, science and technology, culture, education, entertainment and so on from its immigrants. Here are some facts to support it:In the early period, the European immigrants brought to this continent a lot of new products such as cereal, different kinds of vegetables, critter and fowl. And the black people who were first sold to America as indentured servants were almost the only labor force for the plantation economy.In late 1860s, America finished building its first railway connecting the east and the west, which accelerated its industralization process. This railway was actually constructed by thousands of Irish and Chinese workers.Alexander Graham Bell who is credited with inventing the first telephone in the world was actually an immigrant to America, so was Marconi, the Italian immigrant who invented the wireless telegraph.More than one quarter of California's population is from other countries and about 22% of California's GDP should be ascribed to the immigrants. In this context, immigrants refer to those who have been living in America for a while but were not born there or have not acquired their citizenship yet.To sum up, the United States has always been energized by its immigrant populations and constantly drawn strength and spirit from wave after wave of immigrants.3.Black American Status:Black Americans are an ethnic group who has origins in any of the black population of Africa.The majority of African Americans descend from slaves most of whom were sold into slavery as prisoners of war by African states or kidnapped by African, European or American slave traders. Though they were treated as indentured servants and would be released after a number of years,they were gradually relegated into slavery afterwards by the European settlers for fear of lack of labor forces and resources.The year of 1863 was a big turn for the fate of Black Americans when Abraham Lincoln signed and issued the Emancipation Proclamation which freed them from the yoke of slavery, and some strides were made toward equal rights for African Americans. However, Black Americans were still discriminated in the society throughout until the Civil Rights Movement in 1960s.African Americans have improved their social and economic standing significantly since the Civil Rights Movement and recent decades have witnessed the expansion of a robust, African American middle class across the United States. Unprecedented access to higher education and employment in addition to representation in the highest levels of American government has been gained by African Americans in the post-civil rights era.Nevertheless, due in part to the legacy of slavery, racism and discrimination, African Americans as a group remain at a pronounced economic, educational and social disadvantage in many areas relative to European Americans. Persistent social, economic and political issues for many African Americans include inadequate health care access and delivery; institutional racism and discrimination in housing, education, policing, criminal justice and employment; crime, poverty and substance abuse.[citationneeded]One of the most serious and long standing issues within African American communities is poverty.In 2004, 24.7% of African American families lived below the poverty level.In 2007, the average African American income was $33,916, compared with $54,920 for whites.To acquire completely equal rights with whites, it seems African Americans still have a long way to go.4.Separation of PowersPower corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.This is why Separation of Powers is there.Separation of powers is a politicaldoctrine originating from the United States Constitution, according to which the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the United States government are kept distinct in order to prevent abuse of power. This U.S. form of separation of powers is associated with a system of checks and balances.Congressstands for the legislative power and has the sole power to write and enact laws for the United States.The President can stand for the executive power to enforce laws, while courts represent the judicial power to decide cases and controversies in compliance with the existent laws.For example, when the United States is on the verge of a war, the congress has the sole power to declare a war and the president, as the Commander in Chief of the Army, Air Force and Navy, wages the war at the direction of Congress. After the war, it is up to the judicial power to determine how a law acts to determine the disposition of prisoners.Another example is theLegislative Executive Judicial∙Writes andenacts laws∙Enacts taxes,authorizesborrowing, andsets the budget ∙Has sole power to declare war ∙May startinvestigations,especiallyagainst the ∙May veto laws∙May not refuse tospend moneyallocated forcertain purposes∙Wages war at thedirection ofCongress(Congress makesthe rules for themilitary)∙Makes decrees or∙Determines which lawsCongress intended toapply to any given case∙Determines whether a lawis unconstitutional∙Determines how Congressmeant the law to apply todisputes∙Determines how a law actsto determine thedisposition of prisoners∙Determines how a law actsexecutivebranch∙The Senateconsiderspresidentialappointmentsof judges andexecutivedepartmentheads∙The Senateratifies treaties ∙The House ofRepresentativesmay impeach,and the Senatemay remove,executive andjudicial officersdeclarations (forexample,declaring a stateof emergency)and promulgateslawful regulationsand executiveorders∙Appoints judgesand executivedepartmentheads∙Has power togrant pardons toconvictedpersons, exceptin cases ofimpeachmentto compel testimony andthe production of evidence∙Determines how lawsshould be interpreted toassure uniform policies ina top-down fashion via theappeals process, but givesdiscretion in individualcases to low-level judges.(The amount of discretiondepends upon thestandard of review,determined by the type ofcase in question.)∙Polices its own members∙Judges remain subject toimpeachment and removalby Congress5.Two major contemporary political parties – demos and republicans.Democrats are generally more liberal. They believe in a larger federal government, and often implement tax plans to try to help the less privileged. They tend to believe the government must look for the greater good above the individual person in terms of welfare and do what is necessary to make the populace more "equal". They assert that the values our country holds must evolve over time, and, therefore, tend to support such controversial choices as Pro Choice and gay marriage.Republicans are generally more conservative. They believe that the answers do not lay with the government generally, but rather with the people. They want less government interference and tend to believe more strongly in property rights and less strongly in well-fare rights, holding economic equity above equality. Many republicans are religious and tend to hold to the morals characterizing the Founding Fathers, which results in general disapproval of abortions and, for some, gay marriage.These are the two dominant parties in o u r political system. Generally, Republicans are more interested in regulating personal matters and in deregulation of business and economic matters. Democrats are generally more interested in deregulating personal matters and increasing regulation of economic/business matters. Democrats also believe in bigger government and more spending to expand government, while, unlike democrats, Republicans believe in less spending and a smaller government. Democrats believe in lowering the taxes on the poor, and increasing taxes on the rich, while Republicans want to lower taxes on everyone, not just poor people. Democrats are liberals while Republicans are conservatives.Gay marriage – for - againstDeath penalty- oppose - supportAbortion – yes - noMilitary issues: Decreased spending- Increased spendingDemo’s political support base:Professionals, Academia/intellectuals, Youth, Labor, African Americans and other ethnic minorities.Republican’s political support base:Business communityHigh income familyMilitaryOlder people6.ReligionReligion had a huge impact on the composition of America. Religion was an enormous part of the immigrant’s lives when they came to America. The majority of the immigrants coming to America were from many different religions in search of their religious freedom. The American Revolution had strong ties to religion. Since America was formed by people with such diverse religious backgrounds, our founding fathers didn’t want America to support just one religion like other countries. Our founding fathers were religious, and took great care in constructing our government to support America’s religious freedoms.Colonists came to America for many reasons in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Some of these motivations were wealth, land, and religion. Religion was the dominant factor in migrating, because many people were fleeing from religious persecution. They were not allowed to believe what they wanted to in their home countries. They were often forced to accept another religion. If they did not accept this religion they were banished, dismembered, or even put to death. They were seeking religious freedom and they saw this new land as their sanctuary. They "came as religious pilgrims and dissenters, seeking an unmolhad made it penal in parents to refuse to have their children baptized; had prohibited the unlawful assembling of Quakers; had made it penal for any master ofa vessel to bring a Quaker into the state; had ordered those already here, and suchas should come thereafter, to be imprisoned till they should abjure the country;provided a milder punishment for their first and second return, but death for their third; had inhibited all persons from suffering their meetings in or near their houses, entertaining them individually, or disposing of books which supported their tenets.(Jefferson 157)The first Continental Congress was overflowing with religious men. In fact, “At its initial meeting, in September 1774, Congress made it a first order of business to finda Gospel minister to open its sessions with prayer.” (Hutson and Pelikan 51) The firstact that the Congress passed was to have two days a year for “Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer.” (Hutson and Pelikan 51) Congress knew that the future of America was dependant on whether its people could alter its religious beliefs. They needed the people to not embrace, but accept one another’s religion. While at the First Continental Congress, Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams were trying to come up with the official seal of the United States. Jefferson recommended the "Children of Israel in the Wilderness, led by a Cloud by Day, and a Pillar of Fire by night, and on the other Side Hengist and Horsa, the Saxon Chiefs from whom We claim the Honour of being descended." (Hutson and Pelikan 50) Congress was worried about the militaries moral and put in the Articles of War that the soldiers had to attend church and if they did not they would meet punishment. They were particularly worried about the Navy, because of its long voyages at sea and its possible overseas involvement. Back on the mainland Congress was also implementing religion into various acts concerning education. In Article 3 of the Northwest Ordinance it states, “Religion, mora lity, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” (Angle 92)These examples illustrate what Thomas Jefferson was trying to convey to those whom would listen; that these early colonies were as intolerant as their homelands.Pennsylvania was the first colony to truly support religious freedom in their laws. In The Frame of the Government of the Province of Pennsilvania in America William Penn writes, "One Almighty and eternal God . . . shall in no ways be molested or prejudiced for their Religious Persuasion or Practice in matters of Faith and Worship, nor shall they be compelled at any time to frequent or maintain any Religious Worship, Place or Ministry whatever." (Soderlund 132) This was used as an example when forming other colonies, on how a government and its people cou7.American National CharacterThe national character of America is difficult to define as it is changing with thetimes. Americans tend to be independently-minded people, ever protective of their civil rights and freedoms. Because of massive immigration into the United States, the population is made up of people of such diverse cultures, religions, and ethnicities, that to define an American character is almost impossible. Though all these people come to America in search of freedom, and a chance at the good life, many stayembedded in their own cultures and traditions once they arrive here, rather than blending in with the rest of the population. Some of this is because of languagedifficulties, some of it is due to racial prejudices, but it keeps a lot of them apartfrom the average American and so distorts the definition of the American character.The American character is based on freedom: freedom of speech, freedom to pursue their own interests, freedom from persecution, freedom of religion, freedom ofmovement within the country, freedom to associate with whomever they please, and all that these freedoms entail (Bellah, Madsen, Sullivan, Swidler and Tipton 3-51).Immigrants have often fled repression of various sorts in their native lands, and seek to escape from oppressive governments. The American character embracesvolunteerism and getting involved, which is a driving force still, even though many community events and institutions are disappearing (Bellah, Madsen, Sullivan,Swidler andand get-togethers, and children in these families often belong to sports teams which have social functions. However, in two-income families, parents do not always have time to go to such events on a regular basis. Women are usually the main instigators of social involvement in a family, and with working mothers having so little time, this may account for some of the decline in social engagement. Men are less likelyinstigators of such engagement. Neighborhoods are not what they used to be 30 or40 years ago. Business has gone global, and large corporations run nearly everything.Large stores and supermarkets have replaced the corner grocery store and smallshops, so that interaction is less personal. No one knows their bank manager on a first-name basis anymore - or for that matter, the name of their bank, since mergers and takeovers are happening constantly. Lots of people now shop over the internet or through television home shopping networks, further reducing personalinteraction (Putnam 148-180). People pay bills on line, or by direct bank deductions;everyone carries a cell-phone so everyone knows where everyone else is and what they are doing all the time - there is no need to get together over coffee or at the cl 8.Melting potthe different elements "melting together" into a harmonious whole with a common culture. It is particularly used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to theUnited States;describe the fusion of different nationalities, ethnicities and cultures. It was used together with concepts of America as an ideal republic and a "city upon a hill" ornew promised land.。