The United States of America

The United States of America

Chapter 1 American Beginnings I.

Introduction II. What is an American? III. Two immigration movements to the Americas IV. The forces that brought about the modern development of Europe V. Four colonial patterns VI. The American Revolution

I

Introduction

Geography: 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. Outlying areas include Puerto Rico(波 多黎各), American Samoa(萨摩亚群岛), Guam(关岛), and the Virgin Islands(维尔京 群岛) of the United States.

I

Introduction

The conterminous 48 states are bounded on the north by Canada, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The northern boundary is partly formed by the Great Lakes(北美洲五 大湖) and the Saint Lawrence River(圣劳 伦斯河 ); the southern boundary is partly formed by the Rí Grande(格兰德河). o

population The

population of the United States is highly mobile. In the 1980s and early 1990s redistribution from the North Central and Northeast states to the South and West continued to be a major trend, as the American population became increasingly diverse in ethnic composition, characteristics, language, and religion.

Another

trend evident during the 1980s was that although urban areas grew at a somewhat higher rate than rural areas, growth rates were low in some of the largest metropolitan(大城市) areas, and the population of a number of major cities —such as Chicago, Philadelphia, and Detroit — decreased substantially from 1980 to 1990.

Population ---

white ethnics (Mainstream Americans “WASP”— White AngloSaxon Protestants(新教徒), who are of German roots, English roots, Irish roots.) --- racial and ethnic minorities --- local Indians: local residents

racial and ethnic minorities1: Blacks: largest minority group, 31 million --- In 1619 first brought to US as slave, miserable life conditions, --- In 1863 Lincoln Emancipation Proclamation(《解放黑奴宣言》); --- In 1865 13th amendment to the Constitution, --- Blacks and whites are still separated in public places.

racial and ethnic minorities: 2:

Hispanics(西班牙和葡萄牙): 3 major Hispanic groups --- Mexican-Americans, or Chicanos(墨 西哥裔美国人); --- Puerto Ricans(波多黎各人); --- Cuban-Americans(古巴籍美国人)

racial and ethnic minorities: 3:

Asian Americans: fastest growing racial and ethnic group, first wave in the 1850-1880 as cheap labor --- Due to education, hard work and family, they lived a well-off life with higher level of education.

Local Indians:Local residents --- Due to t

he arrival of the Whites, warfare and diseases, they suffered greatly and hence, the number reduced greatly. --- Starting around the 1850s, they were forced to live on Reservations. --- fighting long and hard to preserve their distinctive culture, their language and their land

I

Introduction

--- Immigration accounts for a major source of population growth, mostly settle down in the western states. 80-90% immigration to the US is from Asian and Hispanic countries. --- immigration policy: open door policy before 1960; restrictions afterwards. --- population movements

population movementsfour great population movements: 1. end of civil war—1880, westward movement came to a halt 2. 1890—1920: rural to cities, industrialization realized 3. 1920—1960: black people moved out of the south to other areas. 4. 1960s—now: from Northeast and Central North to the West and the South, that is to the sunbelt areas.

II. What is an American?--- In 1782, the Frenchman J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur(赫克托· 圣约翰· 德克 雷夫科尔), who settled in Pennsylvania first asked the question and answered it in his book Letters from an American Farmer«美国农人书简»。 --- He believed that the American was a new man with the mixed blood of Europeans or their descendants.