英美文化课件.doc

Welcome toThe Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking CountriesAn Introduction* I Every time, one Unit * II Note taking is required.* III Homework(1-2)* IV Exam: A exam paper(80%from the * exercises+20%from the text)* B homework+engagement(20%)* V Entertainment(movies about the culture) Unit 3American BeginningsThe StatesBackground to AmericaEngland and America are two countries separated by the same language. Images of the United States * Land of promise and opportunityLand of miracles and achievementsLand of paradox and contradictionLand of oddities and absurditiesLand of inequality and injusticeLook at the following pictures and try to identify the symbols of the U.S. The White House * official residence of the president of the U.SThe Statue of Liberty * The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island. Ellis Island was once the location where most immigrants entered the United States. The Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom for many, was one of the first sights to welcome immigrants arriving in the United States. * The Statue of Liberty is a monumental sculpture that symbolizes freedom throughout the world. Its formal name is Liberty Enlightening the World. The statue depicts a woman escaping the chains of tyranny. * Her right hand holds aloft a burning torch that represents liberty. Her left hand holds a tablet inscribed with the date “July 4, 1776”, the day the United States declared its independence. She is wearing flowing robes and the seven rays of her spiked crown symbolize the seven seas and continents.bald eagle* The bald eagle was designated as the national bird of the United States in 1782. Its name does not imply a lack of feathers, but instead is derived from the word piebald, meaning “marked with white.” The Star and Stripes The essential design of the American flag can be traced to a resolution passed by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. This resolution stated that the flag should represent the 13 original states with 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 stars on a blue field. The Congress assigned symbolic meanings to the colors: “White signifies Purity and Innocence; Red, Hardiness and Valor; and Blue, Vigilance, Perseverance, and Justice.”* From 1795 to 1818 additional stars and stripes were added to the flag to represent Vermont and Kentucky. In 1818 the U.S. Congress reduced the number of stripes to 13 and established the policy of adding an additional star for every new state. The design was not standardized until 1912, and many variations of the flag were common during the 19th century. The current flag dates from 1960, when a 50th star was added for Hawaii, the 50th state.Rose more than a symbol of love Barbie dollAmerican cowboy The mounted cowboy of the early American West tended stock for cattle owners. Because cowboys worked in largely unsettled and unpoliced territory, they became responsible for protecting the herds from cattle rustlers. This responsibility led to the romanticized notion of the courageous and chivalric cowboy, as portrayed in legends, books, and movies Uncle Sam* Uncle Sam, nickname and cartoon image used to personify the U.S. government. It is derived from the initials U.S. and was first popularized on supply containers during the War of 1812. The first visual representation or caricature of an Uncle Sam figure, attired in stars and stripes, appeared in political cartoons in 1832. * The character came to be seen as a shrewd Yankee, possibly after the character Brother Jonathan in the play The Contrast (1787) by Royall Tyler. In the 20th century Uncle Sam has usually been depicted with a short beard, high hat, and tailed coat. In 1961 the U.S. Congress adopted the figure as a national symbol.Empire State Building * Empire State Building, New York City, skyscraper located on 5th Avenue between 33rd and 34th streets, which, when it was completed in 1931, was the tallest building in the world. At 381 m (1250 ft) it no longer holds that distinction, having been surpassed in height by several structures both in the United States and in Asia. * Because of its elegant stepped design it is often still regarded as the ultimate American skyscraper.John F. Kennedy Center Golden Gate Bridge * The Golden Gate Bridge links the city of San Francisco with Marin County to the north. The suspension bridge was opened in 1937 and since then has been one of the principal landmarks of both San Francisco Overview* United States of America, popularly referred to as the United States or as America, a federal republic on the continent of North America, consisting of 48 contiguous states and the noncontiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii. * E Pluribus Unum is the United States motto, appearing on the nations coins and paper money, and on many of its public monuments. It means “From many, one.” * The United States began as an immigrant society, and it has continued to be a mingling of immigrants ever since. Even Native Americans, the first people to live in North America, descended from people who arrived from Asia many thousands of years ago. Three Geographical Divisions* The eastern part* The western part* The great central plain in between.The eastern part* It is made up of the highlands formed by the Appalachian Range. It holds one sixth of the national territory on the continent. These highlands are relatively low. The range begins from north Maine and reaches to central Alabama. Blue Ridge Mountains, North CarolinaThe western part* It consists of high plateaus and mountains formed by the Great Cordillera Range. The whole area of this part holds one third of the countrys territory on the continent. * The Rocky mountains* The Colorado Plateaus* The Columbia PlateauYellowstone National Park* The oldest park in the world and the largest wildlife preserve in the United States. It has thousands of hot springs and over 200 geysers. The Central Plain* Between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians lies the central plain which occupies one second of Americas landmass on the continent. The western part of the central plain is also called the Great Plains.The Three Major River Systems* The system of the Gulf* The system of the Atlantic* The system of the PacificThe Mississippi River* It is the longest and the most important river in the system of the Gulf. It flows from the Great lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. It has many tributaries. These rivers form an important inland navigation and irrigation system.The composition of the population* The population of the US is of a very complex composition. most of the inhabitants are of European origin, holding over eighty percent of the total. However, there are also many black people, Mexicans, Indians, Puerto Ricans, Chinese, Japanese, etc.The Distribution of Population* There is a rather uneven distribution of the population in the US.* There are four densely-populated areas in the country. The first is the area along the Atlantic seaboard. The second is the area around the five Great Lakes. The third is the area along the Pacific area. The last is the Gulf of Mexico.The Fifty States* The US is made up of fifty states. From a historical and geographical point of view, the fifty states may be grouped into eight regions.The New England Region* New England consists of six states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. All are located in the northeastern corner of the country. It is featured with mountains, valleys and rivers. It is not a farming area. The Middle Atlantic Region* It also contains six states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia. The region is marked by its industry, and it is often called the Industrial Northeast. May large factories are situated in this section. Many important cities are located in this section such as New York City, Philadelphia. The South Region* The south is a large section of the US, consisting of eleven states: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, etc. The South has a warm climate. People often call it the Sunny South. Over half of the people of the south live on farms or in small towns, making their living from the land. The Midwest Region* This region is composed of eight states, from east to west: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illionis, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota. It lies in the general area of the Great lakes, it is also called the middle west. The region of the Great Plains* It contains six states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. This region is marked by the smallest population in the country, few large cities, vastness of flat land, different climates from north to south. The West Region* It is a vast area including eleven states in three trips from east to west- the mountain states, the great plateau states, the Pacific coast states. The principal cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Denver.American BeginningsFocal Points* Discovery of America* Puritanism* The Pilgrim Fathers* The Influence of Puritanism on American culture* Causes and major leaders of the American Revolution* The Declaration of IndependenceEight parts in this unit* Introduction* A New Land* Europe in the 16th and 17th Centuries* The Settlement in Virginia* Puritan New England* Catholic Maryland* Quaker Pennsylvania* The American RevolutionIntroduction* What is an American?* This famous question was first asked by a Frenchman called J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur who settled in Pennsylvania in the 18th century* In 1782, this French farmer published a book in London entitled “Letter from an American Farmer” in which he posed the question and answered it himself: “What then is the American, this new man? 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.* I could point out to you a family whose grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of different nations. 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.* Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity (后代) will one day cause great changes in the world. the American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new opinions. This is an American.* The history of the United States is the story of a great nation that was carved out of a wilderness by a brave and freedom-loving people. The men and women who built the United States came from almost every part of the world. They represented many different nationalities, races and religions. * Through the years, the people and their descendants have learned to live and work together in a multi-ethnic society and take pride in being American. The history of the United States tells how a people survived numerous challenges and hardships, including dangers in the wilderness, wars, social turmoil and economic depressions.Introduction* To understand this American, the only way is to go back to American Past.Part OneA New LandA New Land * Discovery of America* American history is generally agreed to have begun in 1607 when the first group of the British colonists went to America and started to build their settlement there.Some Questions:* The first inhabitants of the American continent were(a) the Italians, (b) the Spanish, (c) the Indians. * The first English permanent settlement was founded in 1607 in which of the following places: * (a) New York, (b) San Francisco, (c) Virginia.* The historical document, adopted on July 4 by the Congress, 1776, which officially proclaimed the independence of 13 North American colonies was called* (a) the Emancipation Proclamation, (b) the Declaration of Independence, (c) the Paris Treaty. Discovery* The American continents were peopled as a result of two long-continuing immigration movements, the first from Asia, and the second from Europe and Africa. * The first movement began probably 25 000 years ago when Siberian tribes, in search of new hunting grounds or of refuge from pursuing enemies, crossed over the Bering Strait to Alaska. * By 1492, over 10-20 million people, mistakenly called Indians by Christopher 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. In 1492, Columbus persuaded the king and queen of Spain to finance his voyage. He believed that by sailing west from Europe, he could reach the Far East. * He never succeeded, but instead he landed on one of the Bahama Islands in the Caribbean Sea and discovered the New World. Based on Columbus discovery, the Spanish king could claim the territory in the Americas and later Spain conquered the new land and established a huge empire and grabbed enormous wealth from the Indians. Christopher Columbus (哥伦布 ) * Italian-born explorer Christopher Columbus broke with tradition in 1492, sailing west in an attempt to find a shorter route to India and China. Columbus based his calculations for the journey on Biblical scripture, specifically the books of Esdras in the Apocrypha. On August 3, 1492, Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, on the first of several voyages to what he later called the “New World.”Four Voyages of Columbus* Between 1492 and 1504, Christopher Columbus made four voyages from Spain to lands he later called the “New World.” On his first voyage, he explored parts of Cuba and Hispaniola in 1492 and 1493. From 1493 to 1496, he continued to explore those regions and also ventured to Puerto Rico and Jamaica. On his third voyage, from 1498 to 1500, he sailed along the northern coast of South America. On his final journey in 1502, Columbus explored the coast of Central America.* The discovery of the New World cause great excitement in Europe. To many Europeans, the New World offered opportunities for wealth, land, power and adventure. Soon after Columbus discovery, Europeans from several countries sailed across the Atlantic to explore America and to set up trading posts and colonies.The Europeans Colonization of the New World* After Columbus discovery, European countries established settlements in the New World to claim as much territory as possible.* Spanish priests wanted to convert the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas to Christianity.* European religious and political dissenters needed a refuge from persecution in their homelands.* Some individuals thirsted for adventure.* In 1497, another Italian sailor, John Cabot who was in the service of the English King, arrived in todays Canada and the English king claimed that the whole of the territory of North America belonged to England. Enforcing this claim, the Englishmen began to establish permanent settlements in North America by the beginning of the 17th century.* During the reign of King James I, the English-American colonies began to flourish. At the time, Great Britain was beset with religious disputes and economic problems. Many people who were forced to leave Great Britain immigrated to the thirteen English colonies, the beginning of the United State. Part TwoEurope in the 16th and 17th centuriesFocal Points * The Three new forces that brought the modern development of EuropeThe New Forces* The First new force was the development of capitalism.* The second major force was the Renaissance, which was marked by a changing outlook on life.* The third influential force was the Religious Reformation.* Read the three paragraphs and explicit the details. (P. 35)Part ThreeThe Settlement in VirginiaFocal Points * First British Settlement* During the reign of King James I, the English-American colonies began to flourish. At the time, Great Britain was beset with religious disputes and economic problems. Many people who were forced to leave Great Britain immigrated to the thirteen English colonies, the beginning of the United State. English Settlements* The first English permanent settlement was founded in 1607 in Virginia. This was organized by the London Company with a charter from the English king James I. The company sent three small ships with 144 English men to Virginia. * During the long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, 44 people died and 100 survivors landed by the side of a river, the James River, which they named after their king and began to build a town called Jamestown. * (P. 36) * (P. 37)In 1619, two events took place in Virginia, which would influence the shaping of American Culture a great deal.Part FourPuritan New EnglandFocal Points * Puritanism* The Pilgrim Fathers* The Influence of Puritanism on American culture* Many people leaving the Old World to the New want to seek freedom of religious beliefs and better living. * In the autumn of 1620, seventy-three men and twenty-nine women started for America in a ship named the Mayflower. They reached their destination in November 21st. Later they settled down at a place they called Plymouth. * In 1621, they gathered in a large crop and the settlers fixed a date to celebrate their harvest in order to express their thanks to God. This is the beginning of the holiday called Thanksgivin