蒙大英语国家-美国概况教案03 American Economy

1、 Lecture Three American Economy ( by Kong Lingyu)The focus of teaching: the factors lead to Americas quick economic development Teaching aim: let the students know the general knowledge of American economic system Teaching style: instruction and group discussionTeaching procedure:1. warming-up exerc

2、isesGeneral introduction of American economy by PowerPoint;3. Discussion on the assignment;4. Assignment on information- gathering Warming-up exercises: discuss the following three questions:What are the important factors that lead to a nations quick economic development? Why do you think American e

3、conomy is so successful? What is the proper role of the government in a nations economic development? = 1 * ROMAN I. The Economic System of the United States The United States is the best example of a capitalist market economy. However, although there is a heavy reliance on the market mechanism to a

4、llocate resources, it can not be said that the Unites States conforms to the model of a pure free enterprise market economy. Many changes have occurred over time as government has sought to modify the working of the free market. Private Enterprise Private enterprise is one of the basic institutions

5、of the U.S. economy. There is very little government ownership of industry. Anyone with an idea and capital is free to start his or her own business. The United States consists of some very large corporations and hundreds of thousands of smaller ones. Large corporations Many industries were concentr

6、ated in the hands of a few firms in the U.S. The trend toward industrial concentration began in the 1920s. corporate largeness was stimulated by the changes that were occurred in the economy, in particular the mass production of automobiles. World war also contributed to the trend towards largeness.

7、 Large corporations produced the airplanes and tanks used by the United States and its allies in the war. During the 1960s and 1970s the tend increased, facilitated by a new type of merger called the conglomerate merger. Small Enterprises There are also thousands of small and medium-sized business f

8、irms. They provide employment for the majority of the U.S. workers as well as much of the innovation necessary for the international competitiveness. The number of small companies is increasing as a result of the downsizing of big corporations as well as the quick development of small family-owned c

9、ompanies by using new technologies. Government For many years, the idea persisted that the government of a capitalist system should not follow a policy of Laissez-faire. The idea was based on the concept of natural liberty. Each individual was assumed to be a more or less rational human being and be

10、tter judge of his or her won interest than any government could be. In the natural order of things ,peoples pursuits of their own interests would benefit others as well. Government has a limited role to play in the society. However, it has been realized that the institutions of capitalism are man-ma

11、de, not the product of some natural order. In the operation of a capitalist economy, economic and social problems can not be solved by individuals. U.S. government intervention in the economy increased the most during the Depression of the 1930s and World War = 2 * ROMAN II. Government undertook mas

12、sive public works programs and the complete overhaul and regulation of banking help to the economy to recover. In the postwar years government involvement was again emphasized when the U.S. adopted the Keynesian theory. However, by the end of the 1970s, economic growth had decreased. In the 1980s, u

13、nder the Regan Administration, the traditional Keynesian approached was replaced again by new monetarist polices, which sought to fight inflation by increasing supply and reducing demand. The appropriate role of government in the U.S. economy has become an important subject. = 2 * ROMAN II. Natural

14、Resources Fertile soil Fertile soil is one of the most important natural resources in the United States. The rich soils of the interior plains produces crops of wheat and corn. Forest American forest resources are among the worlds largest. Softwood forest including valuable white pines are found in

15、the east and tall and giant redwood trees and Dougalas firs are found in the east and tall and giant redwood trees and Douglass firs are found throughout the coast ranges of the Pacific. Forest account for 31% of the total land. Water Another natural resources that contribute to the welfare of the c

16、ountry is water. Agriculture can depend on natural rainfall westward to the 100th meridian and also in the Pacific Northwest. The Mississippi and other rivers provide excellent inland water resources. Today the rivers and streams of American furnish 63% of the water supply for cities, towns and inla

17、nds, 93% of the water used by industries and almost all of the water used to generate electricity. Minerals The United Stats is rich in most of the minerals needed to supply its basic industries. Mineral resources of the Unites States are well developed. Coal, iron ore, copper, oil, sulfur, lead, an

18、d zinc are found in large quantities. The United States is among the world leaders in the production of all these minerals. Other minerals, such as uranium, gold and silver, potash and building stone, are also found in large quantities in the United States. = 3 * ROMAN III. American Agriculture The

19、variety of climate and topography of the United States makes it possible for the people to grow many kinds of crops. The United States produces nearly 50% of the corn in the world. Corn is grown in every state. But the Corn Belt, where most corn is grown, is in the Midwest. The Corn Belt, where most

20、 corn is grown, is in the Midwest. The Corn Belt stretches from Ohio to eastern South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. It covers northern Missouri, southwestern Minnesota, and almost all of Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois. Wheat is Americas most important food crop. It is second only to corn in production

21、every year. The Wheat Belt is located near the Corn Belt in the Midwest. Two main types of wheat are grownspring wheat and winter wheat. Corn is a leading commercial crop in the South. The Cotton Belt follows the Coastal Plain from southern Virginia to Texas and parts of the southern Piedmont. Areas

22、 of heavy cotton production are found along the Mississippi Lowland and in eastern Texas. America is the worlds biggest producer and user of tobacco. It is grown mainly in the Piedmont, on the Coastal Plain between Virginia and Florida, and in the Kentucky and Tennessee west of the Appalachians. The

23、 Great Plains are a great animal farming area. Animal farming here is called ranching, the farmers here called ranchers, and the workers are called ranch hands. The ranchers are big. The smallest is about 6,000 hectares, and the biggest is about 50,000 hectares. Dairy farming can be found in New Eng

24、land, the Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest. The Dairy Belt in the Midwest covers almost all of Michigan and Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota and Iowa. Wisconsin is the nations leading dairy state. Milk is the Dairy Belts most important product. The South is one of Americas leading producers of cit

25、rus fruits. Oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and other kinds of citrus fruit are grown in the great Central Valley of California, and in the valleys of Washington and Oregon in the Northwest. American agriculture is highly mechanized. Machines are used to do almost all the farm work. With modern equipm

26、ent a farmer can manage 200 or more hectares without help. In the American South one mechanical cotton picker can do the work of forty men. It not surprising to that the United States grows nearly one fourth of the worlds grain and supplies a half of all the exports of grain in the world with the cu

27、ltivated land making up 21% of the total land and with people engaged in farming making up only 2.7% of the total population. = 4 * ROMAN IV. American Industry The United States ranks first, second, third or fourth in the world in the production of crude steel, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, c

28、hemicals, radio sets, television sets, and other manufacturing goods. The industrial regions of the United States can be found near important land or water routes, and rich mineral deposits. They are the Midwest round the Great Lakes, the Middles Atlantic states, the South, and the Pacific Coast. Th

29、e Midwest is the nations leading center of heavy industry. It is most important in the production of motor vehicles and other transportation equipment, nonelectrical machinery, and fabricated metals. The cities of the Midwest are next door to the plentiful coal deposits of the Appalachian Highlands.

30、 Iron ore deposits are found in the Mesabi Range in the northern Minnesota and in the nearby areas in northern Wisconsin and Michigan. With Lake superior only a short distance away, the cities of the Midwest have easy access to both coal and iron ore. The Middle Atlantic States are highly industrial

31、ized. Chemicals, machinery, electrical equipment, textiles, and metal goods of all kinds are only a few of the products manufactured in these six states. The success of this region can be attributed to the following reasons. First, the Middle Atlantic states have benefited from their location at or

32、near the Atlantic Ocean. Because they were settled and developed early, they were able to employ many of the skilled workers who went there from Europe during the last century. Besides, as the transportation and shipping facilities improved, the Middle Atlantic States found it easy to obtain raw mat

33、erials from almost every part of the country and world. Secondly, the coal and petroleum deposits of the Appalachian Highlands provide a cheap and convenient source of power. The American South is a newly developed industrial region. The Souths leading industries are those that make use of the abund

34、ant supply of natural resources and raw materials. Textile is quite developed in the south because of its cheap labor. Deposits of coal, limestone, and iron in Alabama have led to the growth of the Souths iron and steel industry. Oil refinery is an industry of great importance in Texas, Louisiana, a

35、nd Oklahoma. A great petrochemical industry has developed on the Gulf Coast between Houston and Beaumont. Houston is the center of petrochemical and synthetic rubber production as well as the home of the space center. The Pacific Coast has experienced rapid growth. The state of California now has pa

36、ssed New York as the most populous state. It is now first in manufacturing and ship-building as well as in food production. Los Angeles, the Pacific Coasts largest and busiest commercial city and the second largest city in population in the United States, is located in the heart of a rich agricultur

37、e and oil-producing region. San Francisco, the second larges city in California, is in an excellent position to trade with the Far East and the islands of Pacific. V. Foreign Trade The United States supplies a large share of the imports in the world. Currently U.S. exports about 15% of the worlds to

38、tal. The leading groups of products for exports are industrial, electrical, agricultural, and office machines; household appliances and other machinery; transportation and communication equipment; chemicals; textileschiefly those of man-made fivers and cotton; metal manufactures; petroleum products;

39、 paper and other products made from wood; tobacco manufactures; rubber products. The United States imports about 13% of all world imports. It is heavily dependent on foreign sources for a number of essential primary products, such as tin, manganese, crude petroleum, nickel and bauxite. Many of U.S. industries are built around a continuous supply of essential raw materials. = 6 * ROMAN VI. Factors That Contributed to the Fast Growth of American Economy First, the geographical location of the United States provi