The United States of America

About This Presentation

Title:

The United States of America

Description:

The United States of America What is an American? He is either a European, or the descendant of a European, hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:1158

Avg rating:3.0/5.0

Slides: 281

Provided by: 2098162

Category:

more less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: The United States of America

1
The United States of America
2
What is an American?

He is either a European, or the descendant of a
European, hence that strange mixture of blood,
which you will find in no other country.

He is an American, who leaving behind him all his
ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones
from the new mode of life he has embraced, the
new government he obeys, and the new rank he
holds

II. A new land and Europe in the 16th and 17th
centuries
1. The two long-continuing immigration movements

The first movement from Asia began probably
25,000 years ago when Siberian tribes crossed
over the Berling Straits to Alaska. By 1492, over
10-20 million people, mistakenly called Indians
by Cristopher Columbus, inhabited the Americas.

The second migration to the Americas began with
the expansion of europe at the start of the
modern period from the 16th century.

2. The forces which led to the modern development
of Europe and the discovery of America

The first force was the development of
capitalism, which produced two new classes ---
the bourgeois class and the working class.

The second force was the Renaissance, which was
marked by a changing outlook on life.The
God-centered world was challenged by the great
progress in natural and social science.

The third force was the Religious Reformation, a
religious reform movement that started from
Germany in 1517, the leading figures of which
were Martin Luther, a German and John Calvin, a
Frenchman.

3. The different beliefs of religious
denominations

1) Martin Luther believed that sinful men could
win salvation neither by good works nor through
the church or the Pope, but only by faith in
Jesus Christ and through a direct relationship to
God. And the only true guide to the will of God
was the Bible.

2) A group of puritans who followed the Doctrine
preached by John Calvin believed that God was
incomprehensible to man, and the power of God was
all-knowing

that evryone must work hard and live a moral
life, for ones success in his profession/calling
was the sign of being Gods elect

and that the Bible was the authority of their
doctrine, so every Puritan must read the Bible in
order to find Gods will and search for ones
individual contact with God. ( individualism
education)

3) Catholics believed that God could be reached
through his representative on the earth --- the
Pope that a person could confess his or her sin,
do good works and give money to the church and
buy back his or her soul.(indulgences remission)

III. Four patterns set by the early colonial
leaders
1. The settlement in Virginia

The first English settlement, Jamestown, was
founded in 1607 in Virginia, which was organized
by the London Company with a charter from the
English King James I.

On July 30, 1619, in the Jamestown church, the
delegates elected from various communities in
Virginia met as the House of Burgesses to discuss
the enactment of laws for the colony.

A month later, a Dutch ship brought in over 20
Negros to be held as servants for a term of
years. Thus a start had been made toward the
enslavement of Africans within what was to be the
American republic.

These two events combined constituted a unique
American phenomenon. On the one hand, the English
and other Europeans went to the New World to seek
freedom on the other hand, these very white
people deprived black Africans of freedom.

2. Puritan New England
1) The second enduring English settlement was
established in Massachusetts Bay in 1620, which
was founded by English puritans who separated
themselves from the Church of England.

2) New England today includes Massachusetts,
Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and
rhode Island in the Northeast of the US.

3) Puritans were cruelly persecuted in Britain.
Some of them, such as Oliver Cromwell, fought
back and started the English Revolution. Others
decided to separate themselves from the Church of
England. Holland ---America

4) In 1620, 35 Puritans and 67 non-Puritans took
the ship Mayflower and left London for North
America. One of the Pilgrim Fathers drew up an
agreement called the Mayflower Compact and signed
by 41 of the passengers.

5) Puritanism in New England changed gradually
due to the frontier environment and the mobility
of the population. Puritanism are no longer in
existence today, but their legacies are still
felt in American society and culture

6) The American values such as individualism,
hard work, respect of education owe very much to
the Puritan beliefs.

3. Catholic Maryland
1) The colony of Maryland was founded by the
Catholics, and its founder was the second Lord
Baltimore.

2) Lord Baltimore wished to introduce a feudal
system similar to the manor system in Europe to
his colony. His plan was that each gentleman who
brought 5 servants with him settled in his land
was allowed to establish a manor of 2000acres.

3) In order to develop his colony, Baltimore had
to attract as many settlers as possible to his
land. So he encouraged the immigration of
Protestants as well as Roman Cotholics.

4)Because the majority of Protestants were
capitalistic-minded and they refused to carry out
the feudal plan, and because the wilderness of
North America provided plenty of land while labor
was scarce, Lord Baltimores feudal plan was
dropped.

4. Quaker Pensylvania
1) The colony of Pennsylvinia was founded by
William Penn, an Englsih Quaker in 1681.

Quakers were protestants, they denied both the
church and the Bible as the highest authority.

Since everyone had a divine light in his heart,
all were born equal, and all were brothers and
sisters.They lived a simple life, with thrifty
and self-denial.

2) The first appeal of his plan was that all
those who settled in his land would enjoy
religious freedom. This was a great attraction to
people with different religious backgrounds in
Europe.

3) Penn carried out his Holy Experiment. From
his belief that man was not born sinful and
everyone was born equal, he encouraged the spirit
of liberty and equlity.

So many American historians believe that the idea
of the melting-pot was first practised here. (
The term came from a stage play in 1908)

4) Penn carried out the policy of separation of
state and church in his colony, since the Quakers
argued that religion was a persons private
business with God. Penns holy experiment had
great impact on American culture.

IV.The American Revolution
1. On the eve of the American Revolution, while
the 13 English colonies occupied the Atlantic
coast, from New Hampshire in the north to Georgia
in the south, the French controlled Canada and
Louisiana.

2. Between 1689 and 1815, France and Britain
fought several wars, and North America was drawn
into every one of them.

3. Britains victory led directly to a conflict
with its American colonies. The British
government began to charge new taxes, such as th
Stamp Act, the Quartering Act.

4.The colonial Americans insisted that they could
be taxed only by their own colonial assemblies.
No taxation without representation was their
rallying cry.

5. In 1773, the Boston Tea Party boarded the
British merchant ship and tossed 342 crates of
tea into Boston harbor.

6. In September 1774, the First Continental
Congress met in Philadelphia.
7. On April 19, 1775, the first shot was fired,
and the American War of Independence began.

8. In May 1775, a second Continental Congress met
in Philadelphia and began to assume the functions
of a national government.

9. On July 4, 1776, Declaration of Independence,
drafted by Thomas Jefferson, John Adoms and
Benjamin Franklin, was adopted by the Congress.

10.The War of Independence came to an end in 1781
with the victory of North Americans. The Treaty
of Paris was signed in 1783 and Britain had to
recognize the independence of the US.

48
Part Two The Political System in the US

I. Articles of Confederation
1. When the War of Independence was over, the US
was not a unified nation, for each state made its
own laws and handled its own internal affairs.

The 13 states need to work together to handle
such matters as establishing a money system and
dealing with foreign relations.

2. The Articles of Confederation failed because
the states did not cooperate with the Congress or
with each other.

II. Constitution
1. In the course of the Constitutional
Convention beginning in May of 1787, delegates
from 12 states (except Rhode Island) made a plan
for a new form of government.

2. The Constitution set up a federal system with
a strong central government, which means power is
shared between a central authority and its
constituent parts, with some rights reserved to
each.

3. The government consists of three branches the
executive, the legislative, and the judicial.
This is to guard against the possibility for any
person or group to become too powerful.

4. The Constitution specified exactly what power
the central government had and which power was
reserved for the states, for fear that the
central government might weaken or take away the
power of the state governments.

5. The Constitution did not have any words
guaranteeing the freedoms or the basic rights and
privileges of citizens, so a Bill of Rights
was added to the Constitution in 1791.

III. The three branches
1. Legislative branch
It can make federal laws, levy federal taxes,
declare war and put foreign treaties into effect.

It consists of a Congress that is divided into
two houses the House of representatives (435)
comprises lawmakers who serve two-year term, and
the Senate comprises lawmakers(two for each
state) who serve six-year term.

The main duty of the Congress is to make laws,
which begin as proposals called bills. A bill
is discussed and voted upon in one house if it
passes, it is sent to the other house where a
similar procedure occurs. When both houses pass a
bill, it is sent to the president for his
signature.

2. Executive branch
The chief executive of the US is the president,
who, with the vice president, is elected to a
four-year term.

The president proposes legislation to Congress
vetos any bill passed by Congress, but the veto
can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both
houses appoints federal judges (with the
confirmation by the Senate)

He acts as the commander in chief of the armed
forces appoints the heads and senior officials
of the executive branch agencies is responsible
for foreign relations with other nations.

3. Judicial branch
The Judicial branch is headed by the Supreme
Court, the only court specifically created by the
Constitution. There are 11 federal courts of
appeal, and below them, 91 federal district
courts.

The Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and
8 associate justices. Its most important function
consists of determining whether congressional
legislation or executive action violates the
Constitution.

Federal judges are appointed for life or
voluntary retirement, and can only be removed
from office through the process of impeachment
and trial in the Congress.

Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases
arising out of the Constitution laws and
treaties of the US maritime cases issues
involving foreign citizens or governments and
cases in which the federal government itself is a
party.

IV. The system of checks and balances it works
in many ways to keep serious mistakes from being
made by one branch or another.

67
V. Bill of Rights

1. Bill of Rights consists of 10 very short
paragraphs which guarantee freedom and individual
rights and forbid interference with lives of
individuals by the government. Each paragraph is
an Amendment to the original Constitution.

2. Americans have freedom of religion, of speech
and of the press. They have the right to assemble
in public places, to protest government actions
and to demand change. They have the right to own
weapons they have the right to a speedy trial if
accused of a crime.

VI. Political party system
1.The Democratic Party evolved out of Thomas
Jeffersons party, formed before 1800 (the
Democratic Republican Party). Its symbol is the
donkey.

2. The Democratic Party is regarded as the more
liberal party, because Democrats believe the
federal government and the state governments
should be active in providing social and economic
programs for those who need them ( Franklin
Roosevelts New Deal plan).

3. The Republican Party was formed in the 1850s,
by people in the states of the North and West.
Its smybol is the elephant.

4. Republicans believe that many social programs
are too costly to the tax-payers and that when
taxes are raised to pay for programs, everyone is
hurt. They place more emphasis on private
enterprise.

5. One concern many Americans have about their
political system is the high cost of campaigning
for public office.

6. Another concern is that much of the money to
fund political campaigns comes from organized
interest groups rather than individuals

75
Part Three American Economy

I. The changes the Industrial Revolution brought
to the US

1. The introduction of the factory system, which
gathered many workers together in one workplace
and produced goods for distribution over a wide
area.

1) The first factory in the US is dated to 1793,
a cotton textile mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

2) In 1793, an Englishman named Samuel Slater
came to the US to build a cotton cloth factory.
This turned the north-eastern region into an
important manufacturing center.

2. The American system of mass production which
originated in the firearms industry about 1800.

1) Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin.
2) In 1913, the automaker Henry Ford introduced
the moving assembly line

3.The concepts of scientific management form a
new breed of industrial managers who helped to
lower the costs of production still further.

3. The application of new technologies to
industrial tasks
4. The emergency of new forms of business
organization, notably the bank and the
corporarion, which falicitated the growth of
industry.

5. The construction of railroads beginning in the
1830s, marked the start of a new era for the US.

1) It increased business activities and the
spread of settlements.
2) It created a growing demand for coal, iron and
steel, helping to support the heavy industries.

3) The two world wars spared the US the
devastation suffered by Europe and Asia. In 1945,
the US had the greatest productive capacity of
all the worlds nations.

II. The roots of affluence
1. The geographical location and size of the
country
2. Bountiful resources

3. Mobility in the population (geographical,
social and economical)
4. religious, social and political traditions

5. The institutional structures of government and
business ( the reluctance of American political
leaders to intervene in economic activities)

6. The courage, hard work and determination of
entrepreneurs and workers (a useful flexibility
to business life entrepreneurial spirit).

90
III. Free enterprise

1. Most Americans believe that the rise of the US
as a leading producer could be attributed to the
economic freedom of capitalism, or free
enterprise.

2. The story of American economic growth is a
story of people inventing new devices and
processes, starting new businesses and launching
new ventures.

3. The selling of stock, or shares in a business
started in Europe long before the American
Revolution, but the stock trading practice was
greatly increased in the vigorous free-market
climate of the young United States.

4. Many problems accompanied the develoment of
modern American industrial capitalism during the
19th century exploitation of immigragrants
discrimination in hiring monopolies speculations

94
IV. American agriculture

1. From the earliest days up to now agriculture
provides the sustenance that meets peoples most
basic needs. Agriculture and its related
industries serve as the foundation of American
economic life.

2. Farmers have never truly been as sufficient
as myth suggests, dependent as they are on the
whims of weather and the marketplace and the
government policy.

3. American farmers have shown a spirit of
individualism and egalitarianism that the rest of
the society has widely admired.

4. The reasons for American agriculture to assume
such richness and variety
the vastness of the nation itself

the generosity of nature
the effective use of new technology, machines,
fertilizers and chemicals.

5. American agriculture is big business and
agribusiness includes farmer cooperatives, rural
banks, shippers of farm products, commodity
dealers, farm equipment producers,
food-processing industries, grocery chains and
many others.

100

6. The dark side of American agriculture
Farmers go through alternating periods of
prosperity and recession because of the change of
weather and government policy

101

The high productivity has kept food prices low
for consumers, but crop surpluss and low prices
have made it hard for farmers to make a profit.

102

Many small farms are disappearing, and many
owners of smaller farms do not work the farms
full-time. There are some 240000 tenant farmers,
known as migrant workers.

103

Both corporate and family farmers are accused of
damaging the envionment by using artificial
fertilizers and chemicals.

104
Part Four Religion in the US

Religious liberty
1. no state-supported religion, which hoped to
ensure that diversity of religious belief would
never become the source of social or political
injustice or disaffection.

105

2. American government would not meddle in
religious affairs or require any religious
beliefs of its citizens. In some ways, the
government supports all religion.

106

3. But the government does not pay ministers
salaries or require any belief as a condition of
holding public offices.

107

II. Protestants in the US
1. Over 60 of Americans are said to be
Protestant believers. The Baptists are the
largest Protestant group ( adult baptism by
immersion).

108

2. Next to the Baptists, the most numerous
Protestants are the Methodists (John Wesley), and
their form of service is based on that of the
Church of England.

109

3. There are more than 100 other Protestant
sects.
4. The Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians,
Episcopalians(???????) represent 31.9 of the
population.

110

III. Catholics
1. The largest single religious group is that
of Roman Catholics. More than one-quarter (26.2)
of all Americans are now of the Roman Catholic
faith.

111

2. The majority of the Catholics are descendants
of immigrants from Ireland, Italy and Poland, and
they mainly concentrate in New York and
Massachusetts.

112
IV. Three faiths

By the 1950s, a kind of three faiths model had
developed in the US. Americans were considered to
come in three basic varieties Protestant,
Catholic, and Jewish, but an increasing number of
Americans did not fit into any of these groups.

113
V. Religious diversity

1. The Amish, very strict Protestants who live in
rural areas and scorn modern life, came from
Germany in the 18th century. Such religious
groups regard the larger society as hopelessly
corrupt, and want to withdraw from society and
join a commune.

114

2. A Jehovahs Witness refused a blood
transfusion for himself or his child, because
such groups prefer faith healing to modern
medicine.

115

3. The Mormons, a large and prosperous Christian
sect which settled the state of Utah, could marry
more than one wife.

116

4. Over 2 million members of the Islamic religion
live in America.
5. Buddhism is a growing faith in Aemrica.
6. Several hundred thousand Hindus have also come
to America.

117

7. Individuals may believe anything they please
in America, but they may not do anything they
want, even if the action is based on a religious
belief.

118
VI. American character of religion

1. Americans with different religion live
together under the same law. The freedom of
religion and the separation of state and church
guaranteed in the Constitution is believed to be
the basic pribciples against religious
persecution.

119

2. The religious beliefs of Americans continue to
be strong with social progress.In America,
through all the social and economic changes
religion has remained a constant factor.

120

3. In the US every church is a completely
independent organization, and concerned with its
own finance and its own building.

121

4. The church is a place where people can meet
others with whom they would like to make friends,
to identify themselves with dominant values, and
to have a place in a community.

122
Part Five Education in the US

1. The goal of education is to achieve 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 general public.

123

2. Students from kindergarten to the 12th grade
attend classes for an average of 5 hours a day, 5
days a week.

124

3. About 90 of American students attend public
schools (supported by American taxpayers). The
other 10 attend private schools, for which their
families choose to pay special attendance fees.

125

4. Boards of education ( policy makers of
schools) at the state and / or district level
will guide the spending, the school curriculum,
teacher standards and certification, and the
overall measurement of student progress.

126

5. Each of the 50 states in the US has its own
laws regulating education (age limits to
attending schools the selection of learning
materials).

127

II. What an American student learns
1. Elementary school it means grades
kindergarten (K) through 8 (grammar school),

128

Every elementary school provides these subjects
maths language arts ( reading, grammar,
composition and literature) penmanship(??)scienc
e social studies (history, geography,
citizenship and economics) music art P.E.

129

2. Secondary school it means grades 9-12 (high
school), and most secondary schools offer the
same core of the required subjects English
mathematics science social studies and P.E.

130

3. Schools were asked not only to teach new
information and knowledge, but to help students
ask their own questions about it. The inquiry
method of learning, focusing on solving problems
rather than memorizing facts, became popular.

131
III.Education in a new nation

1. When Puritans founded the Massachusettes Bay
Colony in 1630, one of the things they believed
was that every person should be able to read the
Bible.

132

2. Throughout the colonies, young men and women
could receive an education in reading by becoming
an apprentice in a small business.

133

3. One of the reserved powers to the state
governements was the right of each state to
provide for the education of its people.
Education in the US was to remain in the hands of
state and local governments.

134
IV.Higher education

1. More and more Americans viewed the university
as the doorway to a medical or law degree, a
position in government, or a management position
in a major business office.

135

2. Each year one-third of high school graduates
will go on for higher education..

136

3. Applicants will be chosen by college on the
basis of 1) their high school records 2)
recommendations from their high school teachers
3) the impression they make during interviews at
the university

137

4) their scores on the Scholastic Apptitude Tests
(SATs, only in mathematics and English). In
recent years, other factors, such as the
applicants talents, voluntary activities and
life experience, will also be taken into account.

138

4. The system of higher education in the US
comprises 4 categories of institutions

139

the university, which may contain several
colleges for undergraduate students for a
bachelors degree (4 years) and one or more
graduate schools for a masters or a doctoral
degree.

140

The four-year undergraduate institution -- the
collegemost of which are not part of a
university.

141

The technical training institution, ranging in
time from 6 months to 4 years, and in skills from
hair-styling to business accounting.

142

The two-year, or community college, from which
students may enter many professions or may
transfer to four-year colleges or universities.

143

5. Factors that determine the prestige of an
institution
Quarlity of teaching faculty, and of research
facilities

144

Amount of funding available for libraries,
special programs, etc.
The competence and number of applicants for
admission.

145

6. How students select a college or university
learning about a schools entrance requirements
and its fees

146

What degrees does the school offer and how long
does it take to earn one?
What curriculua does a school offer, and what are
the requirements for earning a degree?

147

7. Both public and private colleges depend on
three sources of income student tuition,
emdowmens( gifts made by wealthy benefactors) and
government funding.

148
V. Education for all

1.The Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 it
was popularly called the GI Bill of Rights. It
promised financial aid, including aid for higher
education to members of the armed forces after
the end of WWII.

149

2.Affirmative Action Programs (???????,?????)were
first advocated by some colleges in the 1960s, to
equalize educational opportunities for all groups
and to make up for past inequality by giving
special preference to members of minorities
seeking jobs or admission to college

150

3. Non-traditional students students who have
worked for several years before starting college,
or students who go to school part-time while
holding doen a job.

151
Part Six Social Movements of the 1960s

What is a social movement?
It is a type of behavior in which a large
number of participants consciously attempt to
change existing institutions and establish a new
order of life.

152

2. Why did the social movements begin?
In the 1960s, many people, such Afro-Americans,
young people and women, were dissatified with
their lives.

153

II. The Civil Rights Movenment
1. The Civil Rights Movement began when black
people spontaneously protested segregation laws
and created organizations to make the protests
successful.

154

2. Organizations CORE (the Congress of Racial
Equality), SCLD (the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference), SNCC (the Student
Non-violent Coordinating Committee)

155

3. Direct action tactics sit-in, freedom
rides, voter registration their song We shall
overcome!

156

4. The Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress
and signe dinto law by Prsident Johnson in the
summer of 1964.

157

5. As racial violence continued, black people
beagn to question the nonviolence tactics used in
the South. Malcolm X, a black Moslem leader,
believed that blacks should arm themselvs and
fight the Ku Klux Klan and other white
terrorists.

158

6. Other black leaders spoke in favor of black
separatism and against nonviolence in fighting
discrimination and racism. They even shouted for
Black Power. Martin Luther King Jr. disagreed,
saying that black power should come through
programs, not slogans.

159

II. The Youth Movement/Anti-War Movement
1. After working in the South during Freedom
Summer 1964, many white students from the North
changed greatly, both in appearance and in their
attitudes and beliefs.

160

2. The young peoples Free Speech Movement
began, starting from an spontaneous, non-violent,
direct sit-in at the campus of the University of
california at Berkeley in October 1964.

161

3. As the youth movement spread outside the
campuses, some young people formed a
counterculture. They rejected capitalism and
other American principles. The Hippies were
representative of this counterculture.

162

4. The anti-war movement became more organized as
a loose coalition of many organizations.

163

IV. The Womens Movement
The womens movement in the 1960s was started by
three groups pf women and an accident.

164

1. The first was a group of professional women
who were appointed to a Commission on the Status
of Women by President Kennedy in 1961.

165

2. The second group were mostly white housewives
and mothers who read Betty Friedans book, The
Fiminine Mystique, published in 1963. The book
changed the way large numbers of women thought
about themselves and other women.

166

3. The third group were young activists in the
civil rights and anti-war movements. They became
known as the womens liberation group, or
womens lib. They used radical tactics and
received great deal of bad publicity.

167

4. The accident was a word in the Civil Rights
Act passed in 1964. This law made discrimination
in employment based on race or sex illegal,
adding women to those groups not to be
discriminated against.

168

5. Women worked for changes in economic
practices, in social practices and attitudes.
(Speak your heart without interruption.)

169
Part Seven Social Problems in the US

I. Racial problems
1. Though people all share a common American
culture, the nation contains many racial and
ethnic subcultures with their own distinctive
characteristics.

170

2. American society is a stratified one, in which
power, wealth, and prestige are unequally
distributed among the population. This inequality
is not simply a matter of distinctions between
social classes

171

3. Those whose ethnic or racial characteristics
differ most markedly from those of the dominant
groups have been excluded by formal and informal
barries from full participation in American life.

172

4. All racial groups are still suffering from
racial discrimination and injustice.

173

5. The Hispanics account for 12.3 of the
population, and the blacks take up 11.7 of the
population. Their history in the US has been one
of sustained oppression, discrimination, and
denial of basic civil rights and liberties.

174

6. The myth of their racial inferiority ---
irresponsibility, promiscuity (??), laziness and
lower intelligence --- was repeatedly propagated
as a justification for their long-lasting
subjugation.

175

7. The elimination of legal barriers to their
advancement has been a major gain, but
instituionalized discrimination is still rife.

176

8. As many as one-third of blacks have worked
their way into the middle class, but other blacks
have been left behind in the urban ghettos and
become the impoverished underclass

177

II. Poverty
1. In 2003, about 12.5 of Americans are
living at or below the official poverty line.
There are millions more, living slightly above
the poverty line, whose plight is not much better.

178

2. Because of social-class inequality, the
underclass continue to persist, and most of the
wealth has not been accumulated through hard work
or imaginative skills of those who now enjoy

179

3. The richest fifth of American families
receives over 40 of the national income, whereas
the poorest fifth receives only 5.2.

180

III. Drug abuse
1. Drug abuse in the US is a social problem
because it ahs a wide range of social costs, some
obvious and measurable, some hidden and difficult
to quantify.

181

2. There is a strong association between some
forms of drug use and crime. For example, the use
of alcohol, heroin addiction, and more recently,
the trade of cocaine.

182

3. Alcohol use is directly responsible for
countless highway accidents and injuries,
property damage, and medical expenses.

183

4. It causes huge economic losses medical
bills, lost production, indirect costs on
drug-depedent persons, increasing cost of social
welfare, cost on processing drug users through
the criminal justice system.

184

IV. Crime
1. Those arrested for crime are
disproportionately likely to be male, young, a
member of a racial minority, and a city resident.
Two resons for this

185

The sex role stereotyping encourages males to be
more aggressive and daring, while female are
encouraged to be more passive and conforming to
rules and norms.

186

The tendency of police officiers and the courts
to deal more leniently with female offenders.

187

2. Members of racial minority groups have a
disproportionately higher rate of arrests.

188

One rason is that a higher proportion of the
black population is poor or unemployed, and there
are high correlations between poverty/unemployment
and crime.

189

Another reason is racial prejudice. A number of
studies have shown that the probability of
arrest, prosecution, conviction, and
incarceration (??) for an offence decreases as
the social status of the offender increases.

190

3. The poor, the unfereducated, and minorities
have been the victims not only of selective law
enforcement, but also of misleading statistics on
crime.

191

the Serious crime Index of UCR focuses on crimes
which are more apt to be committed by persons of
lower social and economic status.

192

It does not contain the types of crimes
typically committed by higher income groups
fraud, false advertising, corporate price fixing,
bribery, embezzlement, industrial pollution, tax
evasion, and so on.

193

V. The abuse of power by government and
corporations
1. American lives are dominated by large public
and private organizations however, government
and corporations are widely distrusted in the US.

194

2. The public organizations, primarily government
agencies, affect almost every area of Americans
experience birth, education, social service,
marriage, employment, taxes, and death.

195

3. American lives and their entire complex
civilization are largely dependent on big
organizations, which are supposed to satisfy
needs and improve the quality of lives,

196

Being oppressive, unresponsive, impersonal,
inefficient, arrogant, and corrupt, they are
believed to be more concerned with their own
profits than with social responsibility.

197
Part Nine Post-WWII American Foreign Policy

I. American foreign policy between 1945 and 1991
--- to contain Soviet expansion and to finally
bring about change in Soviet political system

198

1. The beginning of the Cold War
Before WWII American foreign policy has been
swinging between isolationism and
internationalism (interventionism).

199

When the war ended, the US emerged unscathed, and
the strongest country in the world the sole
possessor of atomic bombs, with over 70 of the
world gold reserve, over 50 of the world
industrial production.

200

The US hoped to establish Pax Americana (American
peace), i.e. a world order dominated by the US, a
world market free and open to American goods and
services, and all countries modeling on American
institution and values.

201

The Soviet Union suffered great losses in the
war. It wanted to keep what it had got in the
war, a sphere of influence agreed on by the US
and Britain at Yalta in 1945. Gradually, the two
wartime allies fell apart and the Cold War began.

202

2. The Arms Race
In 1949, the SU detonated its first atomic device.

203

The US had its first test of the Hydrogen bomb in
1952, and the SU followed in 1953.

204

In 1957, the SU launched two sputniks (man-made
satellites), which caused fear and anxiety on the
part of the US.

205

Later, the SU achieved parity with the US in
nuclear force.
American strategy shifted to the balance of
terror --- mutual assured deterrence(??????).

206

Ronald Reagan initiated the Star Wars project in
order to drag the SU into another round of arms
race.

207

3. The containment policy
The Truman Doctrine in 1948 was the formal
announcement of the implementation of containment
policy.

208

In Asia, the US fought two wars --- the Korean
War (1950-53) and the Vietnam War ( 1954-1973).

209

The Nixon administration adopted a strategy of
contraction. Nixon visited China and tried to use
the China card to deal with the SU.

210

In Europe, the confrontations between NATO and
the Warsaw Pact took place in Berlin in 1958 and
1961. And in August 13, 1961, a concrete wall was
built, separating East and West Berlin. It became
the symbol of the Cold War.

211

The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 brought the US
and the SU on the brink of a nuclear war.

212

II. American foreign policy after 1991 --- to
maintain American domination in the world and to
remake the world in American image
1. Engagement (??) and Expansion

213

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the change
of color of the Eastern European countries, and
the disintegration of the SU at the end of 1991
radically changed the balance of power in the
world.

214

The removal of its chief rival, and the triumph
of the Desert Storm (the first Gulf War in 1991)
made the US the only super power of the world.
America once again brought up the idea of a Pax
Americana.

215

The US will not allow any world power or rgional
power to emerge to challenge American global
leadership or leadership in regions vital to
American national interests.

216

The Clinton Administration made national
security, economic prosperity, and promotion of
democracy the three pillars of American foreign
policy.
2. Unilateralism and faith in military strength

217

When George W. Bush became President in 2001, he
pursued a stratege of unilateralism and faith in
military strength, i.e. to review policies and
international agreements from the point of view
of American national interests.

218

Such unilateral actions drew strong criticism and
resentment from all over the world. The September
11 terrorist attack took place. The US adjusted
its policy and worked to form an anti-terrorism
coalition.

219

In October 2001, the US launched an all-round
attack on Afghanistan and won a decisive victory
in 2 months time, which greatly boosted American
arrogance.

220

President Bush put forward the strategy of
preemption in 2002 in an address delivered to the
West Point graduates. (the Bush Doctrine)

221

On March 20, 2003, the US launched large-scale
air attacks on Iraq without UN authorization,
which is believed by some people only a battle in
a wider and longer war to change the nature of
the governments in Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

222
Part Ten Sports and Scenic Spots in the US

I. Sports
1. Football (the American football)

223

American professional football is played during
the late summer (preseason???), the fall (regular
season????), and the winter until late in Jan.
(post-season, or play off time?????????). The
Super Bowl(????????).

224

2. Baseball
Baseball may still be the great American game,
even though it is very popular in many other
countries, such as Japan, Cuba, and the Dominican
Repoublic.

225

3. Basketball
Basketball was created in 1891 by a P.E. teacher,
Canadian-born James Naismith, to provide an
indoor sports activity during the snowy winter
months when outdoor playing fields could not be
used.

226

4. Why do a lot of Americans love sports?
One reason is that the game combines teamwork
with individual prowness in a rough, contact
competition.

227

Professional sports in America are entertainment,
esp. football. Spectators are interested in
eating and drinking and the sport itself. It is a
time to party, and a time to advertise products
for consumption. (consumerism)

228

Americans like to glorify individuals who succeed
in overcoming obstacles, natural ones as well as
those presented by others.

229

One way to preserve the notion of individual
triumph is to return to some mythical past like
woodsmen and cowboys who supposedly conquered
nature and wilderness. Sports heros could serve
to remind Americans that talented individuals can
succeed through hard work.

230

II. Scenic spots
1. The Grand Canyon National Park

231

It was established in 1908 by President Teddy
Roosevelt. Located in Arizona, it is Americas
most famous scenic wonder, and attracts millions
of visitors from all over the world each year.

232

2. Yellow Stone National Park
It was built in 1872, and is the oldest of the
national parks and one of the largest. It is
known for its geysers and hot springs among other
natural wonders.

233

3. Florida
The southernmost tip of the eastern United States
is the state of Florida. It is famous for its
mild climate and beautiful beaches.

234

4. Niagara Falls
It is a natual wonder in the western part of New
York State. It ia an awe inspiring, dynamic
display of a torrent of water freely falling over
a precipice(??) for a distance of 55m.

235

Canada

236
Part One The Country and its People

The Canadian Identity
1. With an area of nearly 10 million square
kilometers, Canada is the second largest country
in the world. It has a population of 31.9
million, and 10 provinces and 3 territories. It
was founded in 1867.

237

2. The first clue as to what makes Canada
special is the two official languages of English
and French.

238

3. Canada is a former colony that traces its
history to the Old Country --- Great Britain,
which gave Canada its political institutions, its
territory, its laws, and even its Royal family.

239

4. Now Canadas policy is to actively encourage
immigration and assist different cultures to
maintain their distinctive languages and
identities, which means that the forging of a
Canadian identity that applies to everyone
continues to be a major challenge.

240
II. The North region

1. Most of the inhabitants in the north are
aboriginal peoples.
2. The traditional economy in the north was based
on hunting and trapping animals for food and
pelts, but now oil and gas deposits are also
being developed.

241
III. Prairies

They are called the breadbasket of Canada
because the land is well-suited to farming, and
wheat is one of the biggest agricultural crops in
this area. The prairies are also rich in energy
resources.

242
IV. Central Canada

1. Central Canada, consisting of Ontario and
Quebec, are the parts of the country that were
first settled in the early 1600s.

243

2. They are the industial heartland of the
country and are also the most densely populated
provinces. They have the largest cities like
Toronto and Montreal.

244
Part Two The Government and Politics of Canada

Canadas political system reflects the two major
foreign influences on the historical development
of the country its legacy as a former colony of
Britain, and the powerful influence exerted by
the US.

245

Canadians chose to found a nation based on
peace, order and good government. In other
words, for Canadians, the well-being and liberty
of individuals must sometimes be sacrificed for
the greater good of the community.

246

Canadians have liked living in a society which
allows a high degree of tolerance of different
values and customs as long as the overall good of
the community is not disturbed by them.

247
Structures of government

Canadas system of government is based on the
British system of parliamentary democracy. Canada
is a monarchy. The officila head of state is the
Queen, but she is represented by a
Governor-General.

248

The Canadian parliament is divided into the House
of Commons and the Senate. The members of the
House of Commons (about 300 seats) are elected,
whereas the senators are appointed by the
Governor-General, who acts upon the
recommendation of the Prime minister.

249

The Party that wins the most seats in the House
of Commons forms the Government, and the party
leader becomes Prime Minister. The Cabinet,
chosen by the Prime Minister, is made up of
senior MPs from the governing party.

250
Part Three The Canadian Mosaic

1. Canada is a nation of immigrants. When Canada
is described as a mosaic, it means that the
immigrant groups do not have to throw off their
old customs, languages and traditions. There is
no particular concept of an overarching Canadian
identity.

251

2. Multiculturalism has caused something of a
problem in that Canadians often feel they lack a
national identity.

252

3. This patchwork quilt of different
nationalities and communities is central to what
Canada is a multicultural, bilingual country
where efforts are made to pretect, promote and
celebrate the ways of the different kinds of
people who live there.

253
The First Nations

1. The First Nations are the native tribes of
aboriginal people who lived in Canada before the
European explorers settled. They were officially
referred to as the First nations since 1980s
because they are the original inhabitants of the
country

254

2. The Inuit the Inuit used to be called the
Eskimo. They are a group of aboriginal people who
lived in fa north, in the harsh conditions of the
arctic climate by hunting seals, whales and other
polar animals.

255

3. The Metis they are another group of
aboriginal people who emerged when French fur
traders married Indian women. In appearance and
lifestyle, their children inherited
characteristics from both their European and
aboriginal backgrounds,

256

4. The aboriginal peoples are still, as a group,
Canadas poorest inhabitants, with low income,
short life expectancy, high infant mortality
rate, high vulnerability to diseases like TB,
highest suicide rate.

257
III. Immigration

1. Immigration meant importing labor, and even
today immigration policy is based on who the
country needs to help it prosper. Immigration
policy has traditionally followed the demand of
the changing Canadian labor market.

258

2. Another characteristic is that it accepts
more readily groups who will more easily fit into
the Canadian society. These make Canada look
hard-headed rather than humanitarian.

259

3. Immigration Act of 1976 it encouraged Asian
immigration, offering passports to those with
capital and/or entrepreneurial skills. Would-be
immigrants with more than 250000 (Cdn) to invest
in businesses that will create jobs and wealth
were welcomed to settle in Canada.

260
IV. French Cnadians in Quebec

In recent years, many French Canadians feel they
should separate from the rest of Canada and
become an independent state since they think that
their linguistic and cultural heritage is
threatened, and that they have been economically
dominated by English Canada.

261

Quebec is a mainly French-speaking province,
where French speakers comprise 83 of the
population.

262
Part Four The Canadian Economy

I. Three factors influencing Canadian economy
Canadas physical geograpgy rich natural
resources, the huge size and small population

263

The US has a much more powerful economy and a
larger market, so trade has naturally developed
across the Can-Am border

264

Canadian federal government has constantly
intervened in the development of the countrys
resources and infrastructure to try to manage it,
rather than allowing market force to play a role.

265
II. The division of Canadian industries

1. Natural resources (primary industries),
including agriculture, fishing, forestry and
mining, accounted for 10 of Canadas GDP (1990).

266

2. Manufacturing (secondary industries),
including manufacturing, construction, rtansport
and communications, made up 36 of GDP.

267

3. Service (tertiary) industries, including
trade, finance, services and public
administration, accounted for nearly 54 of GDP.

268
IV. Natural resources

Canada is rich in natural resources oil, gas,
coal, uranium for nuclear power, and water for
hydroelectricity.

269
V. Agriculture

1. 88 of the Canadian landmass is unsuitable
for farming, and throughout the country, soil is
poor, the growing season is short and the climate
is harsh. Despite these, agriculture remains
important to Canadian economy.

270

2. In recent years, Canadian agriculture has
been faced with challenges. Agricultural exports
have dropped sharply, and it has become cheaper
in many cases to import foodstuffs rather than to
produce such items domestically.

271
VI. Manufacturing industries

Canada is mainly an exporter of raw resources and
an importer of manufactured goods. But it does
have a variety of industries manufacturing
products such as paper, technological equipment,
automobiles, food, clothing and other goods.

272
Part Five Canadas International Relations

I. Political geography
Perhaps the major influence on Canadas
participation in the international system is its
geography the worlds longest coastline, vast
territory, small population.

273

Canada lies between two superpowers --- Russia
and the US. Because of its military
vulnerability, Canadian policy-makers have had a
great interest in promoting peacr and cooperation
among nations.

274
II. Canada-US relations

1. They are two of the most open and
interconnected socieites in the world. The
sovereignty of the two countries is less formal
and concrete.

275

2. They share a long, undefended border, and
they participated in the same military alliance,
most notably, the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization.

276

3. They also share long term interests in their
economy. And to facilitate economic integration,
the two countries established the North American
Free Trade Agreement

277
III. Overseas development programs

1. Canada was a colony, and therefore, it feels
that to some extent, it can empathize with the
problems countries face when they try to break
away from their imperial past and become
independent. ( much wealth was taken to Britain)

278

2. Canadas economy has been heavily based on the
export of raw materials like forestry products,
fish, oil and grain. This means that economic
well-being has been at the mercy of fluctuating
world commodity prices over which Canada has
little control.

279

3. Canada has been very dominated by the US
economy, so shares similar concerns with smaller
economies which run the risk of being swallowed
up by bigger ones.

280

4. Canadian policy-makers believe that the best
way to ensure its security is to promote peace
and security in the international system, so its
no surprise that it feels it has a special
commitment to helping the Third World.

Write a Comment

User Comments (0)