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1、The United StatesChapter 1 0 The Land.Location, Size ,and Administrative Areas9 166 601 square kilometers (4th largest country of world)50 states and a federal district (the District of Columbia) .Geographic FeaturesThe highlands in the east, the mountains in the west ,a vast plain region in between
2、1.The Eastern HighlandsAppalachian Range2.The Western MountainsCordillera RangeThe Coast Range The Sierra Nevada The Cascades The Rocky Mountains 3000 meters highGrand Canyon with a maximum depth of 1 800 meters3.The Central Plains The Central Lowland in the east (from five Great Lakes to central Te
3、xas)The Great Plains in the westThe eastern half of the Great Plains is the most important agricultural areasThe western half is the great prairies 4.Alaska and HawaiiAlaska was bought by the USA from Russia in 18673200 kilometers away from the mainland of the US.Mauna Loa is the worlds largest acti
4、ve volcano.RiversThe Mississippi River and the Missouri River and their branches from a 19 000-kilometer system of waterways that are connected to the Great Lakes in the north by a canal. The Mississippi is “father of water”, flows about 6 400 kilometers from the northern Rocky Mountains ,to the mou
5、th of Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico.Lakes.Climate.Natural Resources1.WaterThe USA is blessed with large supplies of fresh water except in the dry desert regions of the west.90% of fresh water used for generating electric power.2.Forests 1/3 of land area is covered by forests.Found in the eastern
6、 and western highlands of country.3.Minerals and Metals Important mining areas of the country are: the northern part of the Appalachian Highlands ,the five Great Lakes area ,and the Western mountainous regions.Principle CitiesWashington D.C. ,the capital of the US.The city is now the seat of the fed
7、eral government as well as a leading cultural center and a center of world affairs. Washington D.C.The largest city and chief port of the United States. The five boroughs (Manhattan ,Brooklyn, the Bronx ,Queens and Richmond) that comprise the city are separated by waterways lined by docks.New York C
8、ityWith its man-made harbor at San Pedro Bay ,Los Angeles serves as an important shipping ,industrial ,communications and aviation center.It leads the country in the manufacture of aircraft and parts.The city has also become an important electronic center and the film center of the United States.Los
9、 Angeles The advantageous location has made it the greatest transportation center in the country ever since the beginning of the settlement. As a chief railway center for the USA. Chicago Both May Day and International Working Womens Day were decided to support the workers and womens movements in Ch
10、icago in the late 19th century and early 20th century respectively.Chapter 11 People.The “Melting Pot” The United States -melting pot ,many ethnic groups from different parts of the world. They were dissipating their different ethnic cultures toward some “standard” by living and working together in
11、the “melting pot ”of the United States and gradually forming a new nation. Total population:301.4 million (2007)American Indians were divided into “Indian Reservation ”They representing less than 0.9% of the total population of country.WASPs from England ,Northern and Western EuropeImmigrants from o
12、ther countries reaching a peak in the year between 1880 and 1914.Today American European making up over 70.5% of the total population of country.Black people are descended from Negro slaves imported from Africa.Making up about 12.3% of the total population of country. Population and Settlement A lar
13、ge number of Chinese were tricked and shipped to America in the 19th century by slave traders as number of Chinese.3.5%Mexico had owned vast regions of the West and Southwest until the 1840s and 1850s ,Hispanics originally settled large areas of the US.Constitute the largest ethnic-minority 12.8%In
14、America individuals encounter not only class oppression but also discrimination based on ethnicity and race. Non-WASPWASPHispanicsBlackChineseWhite The principal reason for the population movement today is the growth of new industries ,especially in the West and South. Since 1790s ,the “population c
15、enter of gravity ”has been moving westward.Language The United States has no official language though English is the national language and is spoken by 82% of the population as the mother tongue.(Hispanics speak Spanish)Black English as a separate social dialect of English.Religion90% Americans are
16、members of a church or temple.52% of the total population are Protestants.The principal of “ separation of church and sate” ,the government of the country gives no direct subsidies to any faith, but exempts them from paying taxes on income and property. .The American SocietySuper-rich 20%Poor 29%Mid
17、dle-class 51%Chapter 12 American Economy.Corporate Capitalism (Imperialism)Three stages:Commercial capitalism 17th CIndustrial capitalism 18th 20th Corporate capitalism or imperialism 20th-Surpassed Britain in industrial production and become the most powerful nation in the world by the 1880s.Large
18、corporations have centralized capital and established ownership over the means of production.Factory systemAmerican systemBusiness organizationWater to steam power.Industry1.The Industrial Northeast With 95% of the nations iron and steel and machine-making industries.Other important industries inclu
19、de ship building ,coal mining ,textile and chemical industries.2. The south Cheap labor Textile plants 3. The West Mining area The main are electronic equipment ,aerospace ,aircraft and oil etc.Agricultureagribusiness.Transportation. Foreign TradeExport ImportThere has been an unfavorable balance of
20、 trade since the 1970s. American government began to pursue a protectionist policy in trade .Major partners: Canada, Mexico ,Japan ,the United Kingdom, China and Germany.Chapter 13 Government System.The Constitution The United States is a federal union of 50 states. -the Constitution of the United S
21、tates (1787)Two principle :The federal system-states have the right to self-government The separation of powers -balanceThe legislative (congress)The executive (president)The judicial (Supreme Court).PresidentBoth the head of state and the head of government The Constitution gives the executive powe
22、r to the President alone. All the government departments ,agencies and offices are led by the President and are responsible to him. The Cabinet only advises the President not make any decisions.1.Carry out the government programs enacted into law by Congress2.Veto power over bills passed by Congress
23、3.Power of appointing officers, with the consent of the Senate4.Conduct foreign affairs5.Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Executive Department and AgenciesThe Department of State Headed by the Secretary of StateAdvises the President on foreign relationsThe Treasury Department Manages governmen
24、t finances ,collects taxes ,and mints coins and prints paper money.The Department of Defense Responsible for nations security2.4 million armed forceThe Department of Justice Led by Attorney GeneralActs for the government in legal matters and moves against violators of federal laws.Department of the
25、Security of the National Territory and ResourcesEnhancing anti-terrorist activities ,and keeping security of national territory and resources.The power of President has kept enlarging There are numerous independent agencies charged with special functions. CIA(1947)Instances of subversion ,interferen
26、ce ,and attempting to control other countries.Organization ,budget and personnel are kept secret.CongressThe SenateEach of the 50 states elects two Senators.Six yearsOver 30 years old (been American citizen for at least nine years)One Representative for over 500 000 people Fixed at 435Two years Over
27、 25 years old (been American citizen for no less than 7 years)The House of Representatives1.Make any laws that are considered necessary and proper .2.Impose and collect taxes ,decide the expenditures of the government ,control trade with foreign nations and among the states ,establish and protect a
28、monetary system and borrow money on the credit of the United States.3.Raise and maintain an army and a navy and declare war upon other country4.Admit new states into the Union and propose Amendments to the ConstitutionBe proposed by the House but decided on by the Senate.ImpeachmentsSpecial committe
29、esStanding committees.The President and CongresscooperationindependentImpeachmentsBill of impeachment approved by 2/3 in House of RepresentativesA trial in the Senate.The Federal Court SystemFederal system-enforce federal lawsState system -enforce federal lawsSecond highest level of federal judiciar
30、y -11 courts of appeal District courts (trial courts)Supreme Court (Chief Justice and eight Justices)Chapter 14 Party PoliticsThe Federal Party Represented the interests of the commercial capitalists ,in favor of a strong central government ,the development of commerce and industry ,and of friendly
31、relations between the United States and England.Alexander Hamilton Represented the interests of the southern slave-owners and the middle classes in the North ,in favor of a weak central government ,the maintenance of state powers and the development of agriculture. friendly with France Thomas Jeffer
32、sonDemocratic Party (1828) wanted to keep the slave system The New Republican Party(1854)Try to abolish slave systemThe process of electing a President was set up in the United States Constitution. The Constitution requires a candidate for the presidency to be:At least 35 years old A natural born ci
33、tizen of the United States A resident of the United States for 14 years Step I: Primaries and CaucusesThere are many people who would like to become President. Each of these people have their own ideas about how our government should work. Some of these people can belong to the same political party.
34、 Thats where primaries and caucuses come in.In these elections, party members get to vote for the candidate that will represent their party in the upcoming general election.Step 2: National ConventionsAt the end of the primaries and caucuses, each party holds a national convention to finalize the se
35、lection of one Presidential nominee. During this time, each Presidential candidate chooses a running-mate (or Vice-Presidential candidate).Step 3: The General (or Popular) ElectionNow that each party is represented by one candidate, the general election process begins. Candidates campaign throughout
36、 the country in an attempt to win the support of voters. Finally in November, the people vote for one candidate.When a person casts a vote in the general election, they are not voting directly for an individual Presidential candidate. Instead, voters in each state actually cast their vote for a grou
37、p of people, known as electors. These electors are part of the Electoral College and are supposed to vote for their state抯 preferred candidate.Chapter 15-17The earliest inhabitants The earliest inhabitants in North and South America were the American Indians ,they had come over from Asia about 25 00
38、0 years ago when Asia and North America ,separated by the Bering Strait today ,were tied together by a land bridge and it was possible to walk from Asia to America because much ocean water was frozen in glaciers and the sea level was lower than today.The Discovery of the New WorldThe Indians and the
39、 people of the rest world knew little about each other until the New World was discovered in 1492.On August 3rd ,1492,Columbus started sailing from the harbor at Palos ,Spain ,with 87 sailors in three ships.At last on October 12th ,1492,a beautiful island stretched before them .Columbus stepped asho
40、re ,thanked God for their safe arrival and took possession of the land in the name of the King and Queen of Spain. What Columbus and those who followed him “discovered” and explored was a great and rich world .North and South Americas together made up an area almost as large as Africa and Europe com
41、bined .In America there were all those resources necessary for agricultural and industrial development :fertile land ,seas full of fish ,great forests ,all the essential metals and minerals ,huge coal and oil supplies ,and rivers rich in water-power. The Colonization in North AmericaIn 1620 the firs
42、t group of Puritans arrived from England .They were so called because they represented the rising bourgeoisie of time and wished to “purify” the Church of England ,the establish church ,with the King as its head .In order to escape from religious persecution as home , a group of Puritans set sail fo
43、r America on a ship called Mayflower. This group of “pilgrims ” ,as they called themselves ,went to the New World in search of religious freedom. Before they landed ,they signed an agreement called the mayflower compact ,in which they promised to obey the rules and laws of the colony.thirteen Britis
44、h coloniesAlong this stretch of coast were thirteen British colonies .Owing to geographical ,economic and social factors ,the thirteen colonies developed in different directions .First ,the New England Colonies (Massachusetts ,New Hampshire ,Connecticut and Rhode Island )become a center for lumberin
45、g ,shipping and fishing .Secondly , the Central Colonies (New York ,New Jersey, Pennsylvania ,Delaware and Maryland) become a region of small farms.Thirdly ,the Southern Colonies (Virginia ,North and South Carolinas and Georgia )developed a plantation system with the exploitations of slave labor.The
46、 French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1756-1763)Fought by the English against the French and their Indian allies.Desire of England to levy more taxes on the colonies and the desire of the colonies to have more right made the colonies and their mother country pull apart in different direc
47、tions.The Enlightenment Reason led Locke to condemn absolute government and led the bourgeoisie to advocate free trade ,free speech ,and free thought.John Locke ,an English materialist philosopher ,furnished the century with a theory about reason.The British Mercantilist Policy and the Colonies Resi
48、stanceThe British government practiced the policy of mercantilist in the colonies .The colonies existed to enrich the mother country by providing England with raw materials and buying back manufactured goods.The result of this policy was that the colonies usually wound up owing money to the mother c
49、ountry owing to an unfavorable balance of trade .Boston Tea PartyOn December 16th ,1773 ,a group of Boston citizens ,who disguised themselves as Indians, boarded three British ships in the harbor and tossed a cargo of tea worth 17 000 overboard .The first Continental Congress (1774)Drew up a petitio
50、n asking the King to grant self-government to the colonies .They agreed not to import any goods from England until England repealed all the unfair laws.In 1775, a group of minutemen met the British at Lexington ,where the first shots of the revolution were fired.Fight for Independence The second Con
51、tinental Congress (1775)Establish a regular army ,with George Washington as commander-in chief.The Declaration of Independence All men are created equal and have certain inalienable rights ,among which are life ,liberty ,and the pursuit of happiness; Government get their powers from the consent of t
52、hose they govern;A government that does not live up to the purposes for which it was created can be abolished by the people .Americans won a great victory at Saratoga in October 17th ,1777 ,which was a turning point of the war.A peace treaty was signed in Paris on September 3rd ,1783 .England acknow
53、ledged the independence of the former thirteen colonies.The Constitutional ConventionThe constitution was ratified in 1789.George Washington was elected the first President of United States and took office in 1789.He organized the first administration under the new Constitution.American Civil War Th
54、e antagonism of the two social-economic systems led to increased political conflict between the North and the South and finally to the outbreak of the Civil War.The swiftly growing industries in the North required the restriction of slavery as well as its expanding territory so as to provide capital
55、ist production with raw materials , markets and an abundant labor supply.The slave economy of the South was an obstacle to industrial growth and expansion.In election of 1860 ,the republican put up Abraham Lincoln ,a northerner ,for the presidency .Lincoln was thought to be an abolitionist .So the s
56、lave states almost immediately began to secede from Federal Union when Lincoln was elected President.The American Civil War broken out on April 12th ,1861 and ended on April 9th ,1865.Chapter 18 US Imperialism .The Formation of US Imperialism 1. Highly Developed IndustryThe end of the 19th century t
57、he Untied States had already become a highly developed capitalist country and reached the stage of imperialism.By 1894 ,America had become the world leading industrial country.2. The Rapid Concentration of Capital After civil war ,with many small and medium-sized enterprises being swallowed up by bi
58、gger ones in the process .Big monopolies first appeared in the heavy industry and the light industries and agriculture went though a similar process of concentration . 3. The Rise of the Working-class Movement 1880s and 1890s ,workers began for the first time to form unions on a large scale.In 1955,
59、 A.F. of L. and the CLO merged to form a single national union . 4.The Overseas Expansion It occupied the Samoan Islands in 1880, and convened the first “pan-American conference” in 1889 in an attempt to control Latin America. War with Spain in 1898 owned colonies Cuba ,Puerto Rico ,Guam and the Phi
60、lippines In Panama -control the Panama Canal In the Far East -China.America in World War I and the Post-War periodThe United States sought to remain neutral in the first few years of the War.In did not enter the war until April 1917 when it decided that the Germans were directly threatening American
61、 interests as the German submarines were used to sink American ships on the sea.The entry of the United States into the war quickened Germanys defeat.US imperialism reaped a huge fortune out of the war by selling arms to both sides of the war in the first phase of the war and by doing well in the po
62、st-war division of spoils among the victorious allies.The US flourished with great prosperity in the 1920s. .America in World War The Japanese attack on the American naval base of Pear Harbor in 1941 ,brought the US into the war.By 1944 ,American troops and air forces were hitting the Japanese hard
63、.The American navy smashed the Japanese fleet. The US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. America in the post-war Period .Sino-American RelationsProblems both at home and abroad resulted in President Nixons visit to the peoples Republic of China in 1972.Ambassadors of the two countries were exchanged in 1979.
