山西师范大学外国语学院
教案
课程名称：
课程类型：
学
时：
授课教师：
授课班级：
英语国家概况(美国)
□ 理论课
34
□ 理论、实践课
学
分：
秦
杰
1001
□ 实践课
2
1002
授课学期：
2011 至 2012 学年第 1 学期
教材名称：
英语国家社会与文化入门
参考资料： 1． 英美概况(吉林科技出版社)
2． 英美文学教程(科学出版社)
3． 美国文学史及选读(外研社)
1
A Brief Survey of
American Society and Culture
Teaching Plan
Foreign Languages School of Shanxi Normal University
2
Chapter One General Introduction
I. Teaching objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students are expected to:
1. Be clear about the course objectives and requirements
2. Know about the geographical features of US
3. Know about symbolic highlights of US: flag, emblem, national bird, flowers
II. Highlights
1. The layout of the fifty states and the regions to which they belong
2. The symbolic entities and their meaning
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Discussion
2. Task-based approach
3. Communicative approach
Facilities: video clip; multi-media
IV. Background Information
General introduction of the course
Course arrangements and requirements;
Information of assessment
Course Description:
This is a lecture-and-reading-based course designed to learn about the American culture and society. Students
will be encouraged to contribute to the contents of the course, to participate in class discussion, and to research
into parts and parcels of the American culture.
In addition to required topics (coursebook) such as geography, history, literature and political structure,
lectures will also focus on American values, ethnic diversity and assimilation, and modern social problems of
American society. Students will have weekly reading assignment and are expected to discuss the planned topics in
class. The lectures will expand upon the reading material, and students are required to take notes during each
lecture; selected videos will help to illustrate relevant topics and concepts concerning contemporary American
life.
At the end of the term, students will be able to:
1) Describe the distinguishing features of American society and culture
2) Describe how geography and history have helped shape these features
3) Get the gist of American historical information, literary works, political practices and values
4) Know about the social problems facing the modern America
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
Questions:
What do you know about America and Americans?
How many states are there in the country?
3
What are their customs?
What do they value most in life?
What symbols make them Americans?
2. Specific Contents
1) Look at pictures about American to get the details about its symbols
2) View the maps of the US region by region to get information about the 50 states
3) The 50 stars on the flag represent the 50 U.S. states and the 13 stripes represent the original Thirteen
Colonies that rebelled against the British Crown and became the first states in the Union.
Nicknames for the flag include the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and the Star-Spangled Banner.
4) National anthem
oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
what so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
• whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
o'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
• and the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
o say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
on the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
• what is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
as it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
in full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
't is the star spangled banner: o, long may it wave
o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
• and where is that band who so vauntingly swore
that the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
a home and a country should leave us no more?
their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
• no refuge could save the hireling and slave
from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
and the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
• o, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
praise the pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us as a nation!
• then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
and this be our motto: "in god is our trust"
and the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
3. Task Design
4
Individual work: Look at the American map and find out the layout of American states and try to draw maps
of each section. Pay attention to the water systems, bordering countries, and mountains.
4. Practical Exercises
Questions for intercultural study and discussion
1) What effect does the geography of a country have on its people?
2) Do you think people all over the world are basically the same or basically very different? How are
Americans different form people in our country?
VI. Assignments
Pre-read the first part of the given materials, American Beginnings, get prepared for the next lesson.
VII．Reflection
5
Chapter Two History I
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know the general history of US
2. Get to know the specific and significant events of US history
3. Get to know the important historical figures
II. Highlights
1. Religious Reformation in the 16th and 17th century
2. Early settlements
3. The influence of Puritanism on American culture
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Pair/Group work
2. Discussion
3. Questions and answers
Facilities: media classroom;
IV. Background Information
The American Revolution
The American Revolution, also known as the revolutionary war, was one of the most significant events in
American history. Without it, the United States of America may not have come into existence. Read on and learn
why it happened, and learn about key events of the revolution. Also check out our links to other sites on the
American Revolution.
French
and
Indian
War
Quest for
Independe
nce
1756-63
1764-
Lack of
Government
Representati
on
The Stamp
Act
The
Townsend
Act
The Boston
Massacre
The Gaspee
Incident
The Tea
Act
The
Intolerabl
e Acts
1765
1767
1770
1772
1773
1774
Taxation
Years:
1775 to
1777
Battle of
Lexingto
n and
Concord
1775
Battle of
Bunker
Hill
British
Evacuation
of Boston
Townsend
Act is
repealed
Declaration
of
Independen
ce
1776
Washingto
n crossing
the
Delaware
Battle of
Princeton
The Boston Tea Party
First Continental
Congress
Battle of
Germanto
wn
Battle of
Bennington
Winter at
Valley
Forge
1777
6
Second
Continental
Congress,
Capture of
Fort
Ticonderog
a
Battle of
Quebec
Years:
1778 to
1789
France
enters
the war
Battle of
Savanna
h
1778
Battle of
Monmou
th
1779
Spain
Enters
the war
Battle of
Long Island,
Battle of
White
Plains
Battle of
Charlest
on
1780
Battle of
Camden
Battle
of Fort
Washington
Battle
of
King's
Mounta
in
Battle of
Cowpen
s
1781
Battle of
Guilford
Battle of
Trenton
Battle of
Eutaw
Springs
Battle of
Yorktown
Battle of
Brandy
wine
Articles
of
Confede
ration
1782
Treaty of
Paris
signed
Battle
of
Oriskany
Treaty of
Paris
ratified
ending
the war
1783
Battle of
Saratoga
(Surrender
of
Burgoyne
Constitut
ional
Conventi
on
1787
George
Washing
ton
elected
first
Presiden
t of
United
States
1789
The Star-Spangled Banner
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed by the twilight's last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming
And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
Questions:
Why study history?
Compared with Chinese history, what do you about American history?
2. Specific Contents
(1) Overview: A good knowledge of the past is essential to understanding the present as well as the future.
Students need to appreciate that the present comes from people and events from the past and that history is a
chronological record. To be responsible citizens in the world today and tomorrow, students need to comprehend
the historical concepts of time and chronology, cause and effect, continuity and change, major historical events
and periods, and the impact of religion, philosophy, and other major belief systems on history.
The purpose of this lesson is to review the important historical events and time periods of United States history
from discovery to the present. Through the use of art, crafts, drama, music, and dance, students can acquire a
7
better understanding of the important contributions of individuals as well as cultural groups, and their impact on
U.S. history. This lesson is used to culminate all the units studied during the semester.
(2) Teacher’s lecture
I. The Earliest Inhabitants
Around 20,000 years ago, a group of Asian people arrived in Central and South Americas by way of North
America. These people were the ancestors of American Indians.
Around 10,000 years ago, another group of Asian people came to the northern part of North America, and
they were the ancestors of the later Eskimos.
When Columbus found the new continent, there were about 20 million Indians living in Americas – Canada,
mid-northern and the southern parts of the U.S. , Mexico.
II. Discovery
In late 15th-century Europe, there was a great demand for spices, textiles and dyes from Asia.
Christopher Columbus, a mariner from Italy believed that he could reach the Far East by sailing from
Europe.
In 1492, Columbus persuaded the queen of Spain to finance his voyage to Asia, but he reached America at
last, and he called the native people “Indians.”
The Spanish established some settlements in today’s Florida, New Mexico and California.
The reasons of Europeans’ coming to America (3Gs): 1. The need for increased trade; 2. The zeal of
Spanish priests to convert the native Indians to Christianity; 3. The need of European religious and political
dissenters for refuge from persecution in their homelands; 4. The thirst for adventure.
III. English Settlements
The first successful English colony in America was founded at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. Of the first 105
colonists, 73 died of hunger and disease within seven months of their arrival.
One group of English Puritans crossed the Atlantic in the ship Mayflower and settled at Plymouth,
Massachusetts in 1620. A much larger Puritan colony was established in the Boston area in 1630.
The British colonies in North America were also occupied by many non-British national groups: Germans
settled in Pennsylvania, Swedes founded the colony of Delaware, and African slaves first arrived in Virginia in
1619.
In 1626 Dutch settlers purchased Manhattan Island from local Indians and built the town of New Amsterdam;
in 1664 the settlement was captured by the English and renamed New York.
IV. Colonial Era
The U.S. never had a feudal aristocracy. Land was plentiful and labor was scarce; every free man had an
opportunity to achieve economic independence. The English king appointed many of the colonial governors, but
they all had to rule in cooperation with an elected assembly. Voting was restricted to landowning white males.
By 1733 English settlers had occupied 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast: Connecticut, New Hampshire,
New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Rhode Island, and Maryland.
i. E.g.1 Catholic Maryland
The Third Colony in America
1. Founder of the Maryland: Maryland was founded by the Catholics: George Calvert, Lord
Baltimore.
2. The feudal system
3. Influence of the feudal system
Decrees in Maryland: Each gentleman brought 5 servants was allowed to establish a manor of 2000
acres. Each freeholder was given 100 acres of land plus another 100 acres for his wife, 100 acres for a
servant, and 50 acres for each of his children. But the freeholders could not enjoy the rights and
8
privileges as a gentleman.
Policies in Maryland: 1). In order to develop the colony, he had to attract as many settlers as
possible. 2). The protestant settlers soon far outnumbered the Catholics. 3). In 1648, he appointed a
Protestant governor, and the Maryland Toleration Act was passed and assured the freedom of worship to
all who believed in Jesus Christ.
ii. E.g.2 Quaker Pennsylvania
The fourth colonial pattern in America
1. Founder of the colony
2. Quakers: The term “Quaker” was coined by their enemies because the Quakers were so
faithful to God that when they spoke of God, they trembled. They are Protestants, but they hold different
religious beliefs from Catholics and Puritans and other Protestant sects. They denied both the church
and the Bible as the highest authority.
3. Quaker's Doctrine: 1. People could communicate with God directly because everyone had an
inner light and God was in everyone's soul.2. They believed in God through their faith, not the help of
church and priest. 3. Their religious place of worship could be anywhere. 4. All were born equal. All
were brothers and sisters. 5. People were not born sinful.
V. The American Revolution
1.The eve of the American Revolution
2. George Washington
3. Benjamin Franklin
4. War of Independence: The 13 American colonies revolted against their British rulers in 1775. The war
began on April 19, when British regulars fired on the Minutemen (militia) of Lexington, Mass. The fighting ended
with the surrender of the British at Yorktown on Oct. 19, 1781. Great Britain signed a formal treaty recognizing
the independence of the colonies. 3 wars were fought between the English and French colonies: King William's
War (1689–97), Queen Anne's War (1702–1713), King George's War (1744–48). 7 years' War: The French
and Indian War (1756-63) was a decisive war fought between the English on one side and the French and
American Indians on the other in the 1750s. As a result of the War, the French was completely defeated and lost
her land in America and were driven out of India. France ceded to England all her Canadian lands; France ceded
to England all her lands east of the Mississippi River.
The British Laws anger the Colonists: After the war with France, the British government took further actions
to systematize and fasten its control over the 13 American colonies. Under George Ⅲ the British parliament
passed more acts, which angered the colonists.
The Enlightenment:
Definition of the Enlightenment: In the 18th century, along with the development of science, people in
Europe began to believe that the universe created by God was guided by natural laws, which were left to be
discovered and enforced by man.
John Locke (1632 – 1704), English philosopher, is considered the first of the British Empiricists, equally
important to social contract theory. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers,
classical republicans, and contributors to liberal theory. Locke, rejecting innate knowledge, believed that man's
knowledge was acquired from the experience of five senses, from observation and experiment, and from the
reflection by the mind.
John Locke's Viewpoint: Civil government was instituted by mutual agreement for the purpose of enforcing
natural laws. The most important natural law was that no man should take away the life, liberty, or property of
another. The purpose to establish a government is to protect these natural laws.
Influence of the Enlightenment: The Enlightenment in Europe provided the colonists with a theoretical and
philosophical weapon against the British rule and marked the formation and maturity of the new nation, which
9
was bound to be independent of its mother country.
The British Mercantilist Policy and the Colonies Resistance: 1. The Colonists should provide England with
raw materials and buying back manufactured goods. 2. The British government enforced the Navigation Acts. 3.
New Measures: 1) the Sugar Act (1764), 2) Currency Act (1764), 3) the Quartering Act ( 1765), 4) the Stamp Act
( 1765).
The First Continental Congress: In Sept. 1774, 55 representatives from all the colonies except Georgia held a
meeting in Philadelphia .
The Second Continental Congress: 1. After the conflicts at Lexington, the Second Continental Congress was
called in May 1775. One of the first decisions it made was to establish a regular army, with George Washington as
commander-in-chief. 2. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of
Independence.
3. Task Design
Ask the students to sum up the test after reading
Ask some students to talk about the origin of Thanksgiving Day.
Ask the students to talk about their knowledge about Christopher Clumbers Ask the students list some important
events in American Revolution.
4. Practical Exercises
(1) Students will write and illustrate a time line depicting major time periods or interesting facts. They can work
in groups or independently to make single panels for a time line or use butcher paper to make longer ones.
(2) Students can pick an area of interest and write and/or act out a role-play(Abraham Lincoln) or read a speech.
The teacher can play them some records of famous speeches(Ex. Gettysburg Address).
(3) Listen to a song, identify and learn to sing it.
VI. Assignments
Make a detailed study on George Washington, Thomas Jefferson.
Make a survey on the Constitution of US, and the Declaration of Independence.
VII. Reflection
10
Chapter Three History II U.S.A. -American Beginnings
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know the general history of US
2. Get to know the specific and significant events of US history
3. Get to know the important historical figures
II. Highlights
1. The Constitutional Convention
2. Expansion of Territory and Westward Movement
3. The Civil War
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Task-based approach
2. Communicative approach
3. Questions and answers
Facilities: media classroom
IV. Background Information
1607 Jamestown; 1620 Plymouth; 1733 (13)
King William’s War (1689–97), Queen Anne’s War (1702–1713), King George’s War (1744–48 George II) ,
Seven Years’ War (1756-63)
British Mercantilist Policy, Quartering Act, Stamp Act, Currency Act
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
1). Declaration of Independence
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which
have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to
which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires
that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure
these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
— That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter
or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, …
2). George Washington: Known as the "Father of his country", George Washington (1732–1799) was military
and political leader of the United States of America from 1775 to 1797. He led the American victory over Britain
in the Revolutionary War as commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775–1783, and he presided over
11
the writing of the Constitution in 1787. As the unanimous choice to serve as the first President of the United
States (1789–1797), he developed the forms and rituals of government that have been used ever since, such as
using a cabinet system and delivering an inaugural address. He built a strong, well-financed national government
that avoided war, suppressed rebellion and won acceptance among Americans of all types.
3). Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–1809) and the principal
author of the Declaration of Independence (1776). Jefferson was one of the most influential Founding Fathers.
Jefferson envisioned America as the force behind a great "Empire of Liberty" that would counter the imperialism
of the British Empire.
2. Specific Contents
1. The Constitutional Convention
The American Revolution was bourgeois in character. It did not solve the problem of land demanded by the
laboring people. In addition, the heavy costs of the war were placed on their shoulders. There was great
dissatisfaction among people. When then war ended, a number of demonstrations and uprisings took place. In
May 1787, the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia, for the purpose of setting up a strong central
government. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin had found ways to meet the many difficult problems of
writing the Constitution. Another great leader, James Madison, did much work on the writing of the Constitution.
For this, he was known as the " Father of the Constitution".
James Madison (1751 – 1836) was an American politician and political philosopher who served as the
fourth President of the United States (1809–1817) and is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United
States. In 1788, Madison wrote over a third of the Federalist Papers, the most influential commentary on the
Constitution. He was a leader in the 1st United States Congress, drafting many basic laws, and was responsible for
the first ten amendments to the Constitution and is also known as the "Father of the Bill of Rights". As a political
theorist, Madison's most distinctive belief was that the new republic needed checks and balances to protect
individual rights from the tyranny of the majority.
In 1791, the Bill of Rights were added. Among the more important rights guaranteed to the US citizens are
freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition for
what a citizen may think is needed from the government.
2. Expansion of Territory and Westward Movement
1). Louisiana Purchase (1803): What was it? In 1803, the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from
France. James Madison, the U.S. Secretary of State, paid 15 million dollars for the land. The Louisiana Territory
included much of what is now central United States. It stretched from New Orleans in the south to the Canadian
border in the north. And it stretched from the Mississippi River on the east to the Rocky Mountains on the West.
2). The War of 1812: Why it Started? Both Britain and France were interfering with American trade and were
taking American ships. The United States believed that Britain still not treating it as an independent country, and
was actually providing Native Americans with guns to attack American settlers. The United States also wanted to
take Canada from Britain, and Florida from Spain. These ongoing disputes led to the War of 1812. The War The
United States attempted to invade Canada, but failed. The British captured and burned Washington, D.C.. The
British also attempted to invade the United States from Canada, but failed. This picture shows Captain Oliver
Perry's victory at the Battle of Lake Erie (Source: Library of Congress). Commander Andrew Jackson defeated the
British when they tried to invade New Orleans.
The End: A peace treaty was finally signed in December of 1814. The British agreed to recognize the United
States country boundaries. In addition, the United States had established itself as a powerful military force.
3). The Mexican War (1846-48): The United States and Mexico disagreed over the border between the countries.
Mexico never recognized Texas as a separate territory, and the United States wanted Texas as a U.S. territory. In
12
May, 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico. Through the Mexican War, the United States expanded its
territory to the south, and all the way to the west coast of California. The United States armies led by General
Zachary Taylor, General Winfield Scott and Captain Fremont eventually defeated the Mexican army led by
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The Result As a result of the war, Mexico agreed to the Rio Grande River as the
boundary between Texas and Mexico. Mexico also gave the United States the land consisting of California,
Nevada, Utah and part of Arizona.
4). Westward Movement
5). Monroe Doctrine: The Monroe Doctrine is a U.S. doctrine which, on December 2, 1823, stated that European
powers were no longer to colonize or interfere with the affairs of the newly independent states of the Americas.
The United States would not interfere with existing colonies or their dependencies in the Western Hemisphere.
However, any attempt by a European nation to oppress or control any nation in the western hemisphere would be
seen as an act of aggression and the United States would intervene.
6). The Civil War: At 4:30 AM on April 12, 1861; 4 years war; 23 northern and Western states that supported the
federal government ; 11 Southern states that formed an independent government called the Confederate States of
America.
i. Causes leading to War: The Basic Issue of States’ Rights; Black Slavery in America; Conflicts Rising
from Slavery; Lincoln’s Presidency
ii. Process of the War: 1. First two Years of the War 2. Emancipation Proclamation 3. Last Two Years of
War (1863-65)
The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders issued by United States President Abraham
Lincoln during the American Civil War. The first one, issued September 22, 1862, declared the freedom of all
slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863.
The second order, issued January 1, 1863, named the specific states where it applied. Following the Union victory
in 1865, three amendments to the U.S. Constitution ensured freedom for the nearly four million African
Americans who had been slaves, made them citizens, and gave them voting rights. The war and its resolution led
to a substantial increase in federal power.
iii. Final Victor and Its Effects:1. Lincoln’s re-election and Death 2. Effects of the Civil War
iv. Civil War Timeline
The following time line shows major events of the Civil War. Click on any of the events for more detail.
Slavery
Lincoln
The
Battle of The War Emancip Surrende Assassin Final
Elected
South
Bull Run Order
ation
r
ation of
surrende
Secedes
Proclam General
Presiden r of the
ation
Lee's
t Lincoln Confede
Confede
rate
rate
army
Troops
Pre-1861 Mar.
Jan.
July
Jan.
Jan.
April 9,
April 14, May 4,
1861
1861
1861
1862
1863
1865
1865
1865
3. The Rise of American Imperialism
1). Formation and Development of Monopoly Capitalism
2). Imperialist Foreign Policy
4. Events of the California Gold Rush
James
Gold Rush
California
Gold
Marshall
starts to attract becomes a state becomes
discovers
people from
more scarce
Population
of California
exceeds
Sacramento
becomes the
California
Discovery of
silver in
Nevada ends
13
gold at
Sutter's
sawmill
around the
world
1848
1849
1850
Development
of better
mining
techniques
1852
300,000
State Capital
the California
Gold Rush
1853
1855
1859
3. Task Design
The students are supposed to make a presentation with PPT on the subject of American Independence War.
Some students are supposed to discuss in group: What are the factors that may lead to a war?
4. Practical Exercises
(1)discuss some of the social, political, and personal issues that Americans confronted during the Civil War era.
(2)use the Internet to locate resources related to the Civil War and incorporate information from these resources
into their own writing.
(3)define historical fiction and identify some of the techniques writers use to create good historical fiction.
(4)discuss the central issues of the Civil War from a variety of different perspectives.
(5)share their personal reactions to what they have learned in both small-group and whole-class discussions
VI. Assignments
Review The Gettysburg Address
Make a detailed study on American Civil War
VII. Reflection
14
Chapter Four History of U.S.A. III
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know the general history of the US
2. Get to know the specific and significant events of US history
3. Get to know the important historical figures
II. Highlights
1.First World War
2.Great Depression
3.World War II
4.Cold War
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Discussion
2. Task-based approach
3. Questions and answers
Facilities: video clip; media classroom
IV. Background Information
Review The Gettysburg Address
Make a detailed study on American Civil War
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
Review The Gettysburg Address
2. Specific Contents
1). First World War
A major war centered on Europe that began in the summer of 1914. This conflict involved all of the world's
great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Allies (centered around the Triple Entente-France, Britain,
Russia) and the Central Powers-Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary.
The assassination on 28 June 1914 of Archduke
Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the heir to the throne of
Austria-Hungary, was the proximate trigger of the war.
Long-term causes, such as imperialistic foreign policies
of the great powers of Europe, such as the German
Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman
Empire, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, France,
and Italy, played a major role.
15
At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the United States remained neutral. Most Americans sympathized with
the British and French, although many opposed intervention. In 1917, the United States joined the Allies, turning
the tide against the Central Powers.
After the war, the Senate did not ratify the Treaty of Versailles, which established the League of Nations.
The country pursued a policy of unilateralism, verging on isolationism.
2). Great Depression
The prosperity of the Roaring Twenties ended with the Wall Street Crash of 1929 that triggered the Great
Depression. After his election as president in 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt responded with the New Deal, a range
of policies increasing government intervention in the economy.
3). World War II
A global military conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, which involved most of the world's nations, including all
of the great powers: eventually forming two opposing military alliances, the Allies and the Axis. The most
widespread war in history, with more than 100 million military personnel mobilized.
The United States, effectively neutral during World War II's early stages after Nazi Germany's invasion of
Poland in September 1939, began supplying materiel to the Allies in March 1941.On December 7, 1941, the
United States joined the Allies against the Axis powers after a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan.
As victory was won in Europe, a 1945 international conference held in San Francisco produced the United
Nations Charter, which became active after the war. The United States, used atomic bombs on the Japanese cities
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August. Japan surrendered on September 2, ending the war.
4). Cold War
The United States and Soviet Union jockeyed for power after World War II during the Cold War, dominating
the military affairs of Europe through NATO and the Warsaw Pact. The United States promoted liberal
democracy and capitalism, while the Soviet Union promoted communism and a centrally planned economy.
American troops fought Communist forces in the Korean War of 1950–53. Senator Joseph McCarthy became the
figurehead of anticommunist sentiment.
5). Protest politics
A growing civil rights movement, led by African Americans such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr.,
fought segregation and discrimination. Following Kennedy's assassination in 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1964
and Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson and his successor,
Richard Nixon, expanded a war in Southeast Asia into the unsuccessful Vietnam War. A widespread
countercultural movement grew, fueled by opposition to the war, black nationalism, and the sexual revolution.
As a result of the Watergate scandal, in 1974 Nixon became the first U.S. president to resign, he was succeeded
by Vice President Gerald Ford. The Jimmy Carter administration of the late 1970s was marked by stagflation.
The election of Ronald Reagan as president in 1980 heralded a significant rightward shift in American politics.
His second term in office brought significant diplomatic progress with the Soviet Union. The subsequent Soviet
collapse ended the Cold War.
6). Contemporary era
The leadership role taken by the United States and its allies in the UN–sanctioned Gulf War, under President
George H. W. Bush, and the Yugoslav wars, under President Bill Clinton, helped to preserve its position as a
superpower. A civil lawsuit and sexual scandal led to Clinton's impeachment in 1998, but he remained in office.
The 2000 presidential election, one of the closest in U.S. history, George W. Bush, son of George H. W. Bush,
became president. On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists struck the World Trade Center in New York City
and The Pentagon near Washington, D.C., killing nearly three thousand people. In late 2001, U.S. forces led an
invasion of Afghanistan, removing the Taliban government and al-Qaeda training camps. In 2002, the Bush
administration pressed for regime change in Iraq. Lacking the support of NATO or an explicit UN mandate for
military intervention, Bush organized a Coalition of the Willing and preemptively invaded Iraq in 2003. On
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November 4, 2008, amid a major economic crisis, the country elected Barack Obama as president. When he was
inaugurated on January 20, 2009, he had become the first African American to hold the office.
3. Task Design
The student are supposed to do survey about American contemporary situation.
The students should sum up the main points of the text.
4. Practical Exercises
Finish the exercises of the Textbook
VI. Assignments
Select one inaugural address given by American presidents and try to recite it.
Review Martin Luther King’s famous speech “I have a dream”.
VII. Reflection
17
Chapter Five Today’s US
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know about the US foreign relations
2. Get to know about the US military status quo
3. Get to know about the US economy
4. Get to know about the US language
II. Highlights
1.Foreign relations
2.Military Power
3.Economy
4.Science and technology
5.Transportation
6.Energy
7.Language
8.Sports
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
4. Discussion
5. Task-based approach
6. Questions and answers
Facilities: video clip; media classroom
IV. Background Information
1. Industrial Revolution in America
After independence, America was principally an agricultural country, which remained for another century.
But some early decisions by American social and political leaders planted the seeds of industrial growth.(*eg. the
first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, persuaded the Congress to establish a protective tariff, which
and other Hamiltonian measures encouraged business in general. )The Industrial Revolution in England during the
18th century brought many changes to American industry between 1776 and 1860. One key development was the
introduction of the factory system. A second development was the ―American systems of mass production,
which first was used in firearms industry. A third development was the application of new technologies to
industrial tasks. A fourth development was the emergence of new forms of business organization --- the bank and
the corporation. ---1. In 1793, Samuel Slater built the first factory in the U.S --- a cotton cloth factory in
Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He built the factory from memory, because it was a crime to carry factory plant out of
England. The success of his factory started a process of change that turned the northeastern region of the United
States into an important manufacturing center and helped the nation become a major cotton producer. ---2. Eli
Whitney is an American inventor who invented the cotton gin, which made removing the seeds from the bolls of
cotton much easier. He also began manufacturing rifles with machinery, using interchangeable part. This
contributed to the American system of mass production. ---3.the first American commercial bank appeared in the
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1780s. Not until 1863 did the US create a truly national banking system with a standard paper currency.
---4.corporation is a form of business organization. Compared with the sole proprietorship and the partnership, the
corporation may survive the death of its founder or founders. Because it could draw on a pool of investor, it is a
much more efficient tool for raising the large amounts of capital needed by expanding business. And it enjoys
limited liability, so inventors only risk the amount of their investment and not their entire assets. ---finally, the
construction of railroads beginning in the 1830s, marked the start of a new era for the United States.
2. Sports: Americans are active people, enjoying a variety of games played in the world. For a considerable
period of time. Americans have topped in most of international competitions. Whenever one opens newspapers or
turns on television in the United States, one is likely to be bombarded with extensive coverage of sports events
held either in the United States or overseas. This is particularly true on weekends when professional and
intercollegiate games are held nationwide. A great number of people, male and female, old and young- throng into
the stadium to watch these games, oftentimes in a group of family members or friends. Many more people stay at
home, watching the game live broadcast on television. Indeed, to many an American, sports have already become
part and parcel of their leisure life, and any weekend without some measure of participation, be it actual or
emotional, would be hard to imagine.
However, such a high degree of enthusiasm for sports does not happen overnight. Like anything else.
American sports have undergone tremendous changes over the past two centuries. These changes involve the
ways games were played, the attitudes towards different types of games, the industrialization and urbanization
process, and perhaps above all, the ever-expanding influence of mass media in ordinary people's life. One way of
generalizing about the transformation of American sports is to divide it into three eras or stages: the Age of Folk
Games, the Age of the Player, and the Age of the Spectator. Stated in the simplest terms, American sports have
passed from an era of folk games to a player-centered era, and finally to a spectator-oriented era. However, such a
simple division should not be viewed in hard and fast terms. Baseball, for instance, became a spectator-oriented
sport long before 1920 while tennis did not become a full-fledged spectator sport until the 1970s. Nevertheless,
the use of eras or stages permits us to understand more fully the principal transitions in American sport history
and offers more comprehensive explanations as to why sports changed over time.
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
The explosion of the Internet has prompted some to ask whether similar restrictions should be placed on this
medium. Should it be regulated? If so, how?
2. Specific Contents
1. Foreign relations
The United States exercises global economic, political, and military influence. It is a permanent member of the
UN Security Council and New York City hosts the United Nations Headquarters. Almost all countries have
embassies in Washington, D.C., and many host consulates around the country. Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Bhutan,
Sudan do not have formal diplomatic relations with the United States.
Closely related countries: The United States enjoys a special relationship with the United Kingdom and strong
ties with Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, and fellow NATO members. It also works closely with its
neighbors through the Organization of American States and free trade agreements such as the trilateral North
American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.
2. Military Power
The US Department of Defense administers the armed forces, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and
Air Force. The Coast Guard is run by the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime and the Department of
the Navy in time of war. Military service is voluntary, though conscription may occur in wartime. American
forces can be rapidly deployed globally. Outside of the US, the military is deployed to 770 bases and facilities, on
19
every continent except Antarctica. The extent of this global military presence has prompted scholars to describe
the US as maintaining an "empire of bases. "Total U.S. military spending is almost half of global military
spending.
3. Economy
The United States has a capitalist economy, fueled by abundant natural resources, a well-developed
infrastructure, and high productivity. Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany are its top trading partners.
Economic features: The private sector constitutes the bulk of the economy. The economy is postindustrial, with
the service sector contributing 67.8% of GDP. The United States remains an industrial power, with chemical
products the leading manufacturing field. It is the world's number one producer of electrical and nuclear energy.
While agriculture accounts for just under 1% of GDP, the United States is the world's top producer of corn and
soybeans. The New York Stock Exchange is the world's largest by dollar volume. Coca-Cola and McDonald's are
the two most recognized brands in the world.
Income gains since 1980 have been slower than in previous decades, less widely shared, and accompanied by
increased economic insecurity. Median household income has increased for all classes since 1980. Wealth is
highly concentrated: The richest 10% of the adult population possesses 69.8% of the country's wealth. The top 1%
possesses 33.4% of net wealth.
4. Science and technology
The United States has been a leader in scientific research and technological innovation since the late 19th
century. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first U.S. patent for the telephone. Thomas Edison's
lab developed the phonograph, the first long-lasting light bulb, and the first viable movie camera. In the early 20th
century, the automobile companies of Ransom E. Olds (General Motors) and Henry Ford pioneered the assembly
line. The Wright brothers, in 1903, made the first sustained and controlled heavier-than-air powered flight.
The rise of Nazism in the 1930s led many European scientists, including Albert Einstein, to immigrate to the
United States. During World War II, the Manhattan Project developed nuclear weapons, ushering in the Atomic
Age. The Space Race produced rapid advances in rocketry, materials science, and computers. The United States
largely developed the Internet. The United States leads the world in scientific research papers and impact factor.
Americans possess high levels of technological consumer goods. The country is the primary developer and grower
of genetically modified food; more than half of the world's land planted with biotech crops is in the United States.
5. Transportation
As of 2003, there were 759 automobiles per 1,000 Americans. The U.S. intercity passenger rail system is
relatively weak. Only 9% of total U.S. work trips use mass transit, compared to 38.8% in Europe. The civil airline
industry is entirely privatized, while most major airports are publicly owned. American Airlines is number one
airline in the world.
6. Energy
Energy consumption per capita is 7.8 tons of oil equivalent per year, compared to Germany's 4.2 tons. In 2005,
40% of this energy came from petroleum, 23% from coal, and 22% from natural gas. The remainder was supplied
by nuclear power and renewable energy sources. The United States is the world's largest consumer of petroleum.
7. Language
English is the de facto national language. There is no official language at the federal level. In 2005, about 216
million, or 81% of the population aged five years and older, spoke only English at home. Spanish, spoken by 12%
of the population at home, is the second most common language and the most widely taught foreign language.
Both Hawaiian and English are official languages in Hawaii by state law. New Mexico has both English and
Spanish, as Louisiana does for English and French. California mandates the publication of Spanish versions of
certain government documents. Several insular territories grant official recognition to their native languages,
along with English: Samoan and Chamorro are recognized by Samoa and Guam, respectively; Spanish is an
official language of Puerto Rico.
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8. Sports
Since the late 19th century, baseball has been regarded as the national sport; American football, basketball, and
ice hockey are the country's three other leading professional team sports. Boxing and horse racing were once the
most watched individual sports, but they have been eclipsed by golf and auto racing. Soccer is played widely at
the youth and amateur levels and is growing in popularity as a professional spectator sport. Tennis and many
outdoor sports are popular as well.
Basketball, volleyball, skateboarding, and snowboarding are American inventions. Lacrosse and surfing arose
from Native American and Native Hawaiian activities that predate Western contact. Eight Olympic Games have
taken place in the United States.
3. Task design
The students are supposed to do a presentation with the prepared PPT Ask the audience questions.
The other students pose questions and evaluate the presenter's work.
4. Practical Exercises
Finish the exercises of the textbook
VI. Assignments
1. Make a detailed study on the subprime mortgage crisis which caused the world economic recession in 2008.
2. Make a brief survey of the US-China relations.
VII. Reflection
21
Chapter Six American Politics I
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know the basic political system of America.
2. Get to know the general principles behind the system.
II. Highlights
1. General Principles
2. Three Branches
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
7. Discussion
8. Task-based approach
9. Questions and answers
Facilities: video clip; media classroom
IV. Background Information
Origins
After years of struggle and numerous battles in the late 1700s, the United States finally succeeded in
breaking from the British Empire and became the first colonial possession to achieve independence from the
mother country. Separation from England created an immediate problem to the newly born nation. Thai is, once
the break was made, what was to be the legal basis for government? To put it in another way, by what right would
government govern? We know that, before the American Revolution, the source of political authority had rested
in allegiance to the monarch in England. Now, with that allegiance no longer in existence, what source could the
new nation draw on for its legitimacy? This juridical dilemma was solved by fifty-five men. who, in the summer
of 1787, gathered in the city of Philadelphia to draw up the Constitution of the United States of America.
The document they created begins with a memorable phrase: "We, the people of the United States," thus
launching a nation rooted in the supreme authority of "the people". But, of course, the fifty-five delegates were
being somewhat presumptuous, because although they assumed the right to speak for the people, they, in fact,
were representatives of only a small elite group within the total population. They were, for example, male, white,
and from the upper-middle or upper class. Half of them were college graduates. Many, like Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin, were intellectuals. Could they really speak for black slaves, for women,
for the illiterate poor, and for the Native Americans, who, by all measures, had every right to affirm that they were
really ''the people"? However, despite the lack of prophetic power, those now-sanctified Founding Fathers of 1787
did draw up a constitution, under which a new nation was officially brought into existence on the face of earth.
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
What do you know about the Chinese democracy? Talk about the political system of China.
2. Specific Contents
22
Teacher’s Lecture
i. Overview: Organization
The United States is the world's oldest surviving federation. It is a constitutional republic.
The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the U.S. Constitution.
In the American federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government, federal, state, and
local.
General Principles: The form of government is based on 3 main principles: federalism, the separation of powers,
respect for the Constitution & the rule of law.
The Constitution: A federal union of 50 states. The Constitution follows two principles: Federal system and
Separation of powers.
Federal System: The 50 states have the right to self-government. A separation of powers between two levels of
government: the federal government and the state government.
Separation of power: Political power divided into 3 branches:
1). Legislative – exercised by the Congress
2). Executive – headed by the President
3). Judicial – executed by the Supreme Court
ii． the making of the U.S Constitution
The Articles of Confederation failed. The Congress decided to hold a constitutional convention to revise the
Articles of Confederation. The delegates from 12 states (Rhode Island refused to participated) gathered in
Philadelphia in 1787 and end up in writing a new constitution and set a federal system with a strong central
government. The Constitution provided that an election of the president would be called for, federal laws would
be made only by a Congress made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate and a Supreme Court would
be set up. This new Constitution was finally approved by the majority of the citizens in over 9 of the 13 states and
was officially put into effect in 1787 ) * A federal system is one in which power is shared between a central
authority and its constituent parts, with some rights reserved to each to protect citizens from tyranny, a Bill of
Rights was added to the Constitution in 1791.
iii．the 3 branches of the U.S federal government
Legislative: (The Senate and the House of Representatives) makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties,
has the power of the purse, and has the power of impeachment.
Executive: The president is the commander-in-chief of the military, can veto legislative bills before they
become law, and appoints the Cabinet and other officers.
Judicial: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts interpret laws, and can overturn laws they deem
unconstitutional.
The Governments: The state government has the primary functions of providing law and order, education,
public health and most of the things concerning day-to-day life. The Federal government at Washington is
concerned with foreign affairs & with matters of general concern to all the states including commerce between the
states. The Cabinet, made up of the heads of the government departments, only advise the President and does not
make any decisions. The President must carry out the government programs enacted into law by Congress.
President: The President has the power of appointing as many as thousands of officers. He has the power to
conduct foreign affairs. He has a veto power over bills passed by Congress. He can send out personal agents to
represent him without the approval of the Senate. The President can make treaties with foreign countries. The
President can make executive agreements with other countries. The President is the Commander-in-chief of the
armed force. The President can start and fight a war if he wants to in a limited period of time.
Many wars in the American history had been fought in this way, such as Spanish-American War of 1898, the
Korean War of 1950, the War in Vietnam in the 1960s and the Gulf War in the 1990s, and the War with Iraq.
Executive Departments and Agencies:
23
The Department of State
The Treasury Department
Department of Defence
Department of Justice
Department of the Interior
Department of Agriculture
Department of Labour
Department of Commerce
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Department of Education
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Transportation
Department of Energy
Congress (Legislative branch): the House of Representatives, the Senate and Power of the Congress. Senate: 2
senators for each state, 6 years, Over 30 years old, Citizenship for at least 9 years, Power of the Senate: Ratify
treaties, Approve the president’s nominees, Accusation of federal officials. The Senate is regarded as more
powerful of the two Houses.
House of Representatives: The number is fixed according to the size of the population of each state. Total
number: 435. Every 10 years the membership of the House is redistributed. Some states have the minimum of 1
representative, while California, the most populous state, has 53. 2 years (elected every second year), At least 25
years old and citizenship for 7 years, Power of the House of Representatives.
The President and Congress: Independent of each other. Close cooperation between them. Impeachment 1. In
1868, President Andrew Johnson. 2. In 1974, President Nixon.
Congress: To make laws, Impose and collect taxes, Decide expenditures of the government, Control trade,
Establish monetary system, Raise and maintain an army and a navy.
Judiciary body: The Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice of the United States, has nine members, who serve
for life. All laws and procedures of both state and federal governments are subject to review, and any law ruled in
violation of the Constitution by the judiciary is voided. The Constitution establishes the structure and
responsibilities of the federal government and its relationship with the individual states. Article One protects the
right to the "great writ" of habeas corpus (human rights protection). Article Three guarantees the right to a jury
trial in all criminal cases. Amendments to the Constitution require the approval of three-fourths of the states. The
Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times; the first ten amendments, which make up the Bill of Rights,
and the Fourteenth Amendment form the central basis of Americans' individual rights.
iv． the Bill of Rights (another basic foundation in the U.S Constitution )
--- consists of the first 10 amendments which were added to the Constitution in 1791. The Bill of Rights was
passed to guarantee freedom and individual rights such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble in public
places, the right to own weapons and so on. * There were 16 other amendments to the Constitution as of 1991. So,
there are 26 amendments to the U.S Constitution.
v． Two major Political Parties
--- the Democratic Party, which is thought to be more liberal and the symbol of which is the donkey (Under
President Franklin Roosevelt's ―New Deal, Democrats set up government programs that provided paid
employment for people building dams and roads and public buildings and Social Security社会保障制度, which
ensures that those who are retired or disabled receive monthly payments from the government ) --- the Republican
Party, which is believed to be more conservative and the symbol of which is the elephant.（Republicans place
more emphasis on private enterprise and often accuse the Democrats of making the government too expensive and
24
of creating too many laws that harm individual initiative.）
* Americans do not have to join a political party in order to vote or to be a candidate for public office. However,
running for office without the money and campaign workers a party can provide is difficult
3. Task Design
Ask the students to sum up the text main points after reading.
Ask the students to debate in a group of four people about the truth of American Democracy.
4. Practical Exercises
Oral Report: The U. S. Constitution begins with a memorable phrase: "We, the people of the United States/' thus
launching a nation "of the people, by the people, and for the people." On what grounds could the delegates to the
Constitutional Convention of 1787 make such a sweeping statement that they represented the people of the United
States of America?
VI. Assignments
1. Investigate the checks-and-balances system.
2. Investigate the American general election system.
3. Have a survey on the Healthcare Reform in US.
VII. Reflection
25
Chapter Seven American Politics II
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know the Presidential election system of the US.
2. Get to know the important presidents of the US.
II. Highlights
1. Party Politics
2. Presidents and their election
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1 Discussion
2 Task-based approach
3 Questions and answers
Facilities: video clip; media classroom
IV. Background Information
Two-party system: Since 1856, the major parties have been the Democratic Party, founded in 1824, and the
Republican Party, founded in 1854. Since the Civil War, only one third-party presidential candidate—former
president Theodore Roosevelt, ran as a Progressive in 1912. Simple-majority electoral system, like the American
one, tend to cause a nation’s politics to be dominated by competition between two parties.
History & Development of the 2 Parties: Before 1820, there was a "Republican" party in America.
From the 1820s, the Republican party was divided into two parties: the Whigs and the Democrats. The old
Democrats tended to support state autonomy against the central government. In 1854, a northern alliance of
people determined to abolish slavery founded a new party, which they called "Republican". It rapidly absorbed the
Whigs.
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
What do you know about the party system of China?
2. Specific Contents
Teacher’s Lecture
i. Two major Political Parties
The Democratic Party, which is thought to be more liberal and the symbol of which is the donkey (Under
President Franklin Roosevelt‘s ―New Deal, Democrats set up government programs that provided paid
employment for people building dams and roads and public buildings and Social Security, which ensures that
those who are retired or disabled receive monthly payments from the government ).
The Republican Party, which is believed to be more conservative and the symbol of which is the elephant.
（Republicans place more emphasis on private enterprise and often accuse the Democrats of making the
government too expensive and of creating too many laws that harm individual initiative.）
26
* Americans do not have to join a political party in order to vote or to be a candidate for public office. However,
running for office without the money and campaign workers a party can provide is difficult. The complexity of the
parties, has produced the rule: however great the local variations, only a person who seems to be moderate can
win the Presidency.
Parties, ideology, and politics: Within American political culture, the Republican Party is considered
"center-right" or conservative and the Democratic Party is considered "center-left" or liberal. The states of the
Northeast and West Coast and some of the Great Lakes states, known as "blue states", are relatively liberal. The
"red states" of the South and much of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains are relatively conservative.
ii. Presidents and their election
All presidents except Obama have been men of European descent. Barack Obama is the first president of
mixed European and African descent. Almost very member of the U.S. Congress is either a Democrat or a
Republican. An overwhelming majority of state and local officials are also Democrats or Republicans. The
president serves a four-year term and may be elected to the office no more than twice. The president is not elected
by direct vote, but by an indirect electoral college system. The President is not bound to be responsible to
Congress.
The Presidential system: The founders of the Constitution thought of the President as a replacement for the
English king. And the impeachment was available for Congress to remove a President by a special political trial.
If a Vice-President in office dies or resigns the Senate elects a new one.
The Presidency without general election: In 1973, while a Senate Committee was investigating President Nixon
which might lead to his possible impeachment or resignation, it was found that Vice-President Agnew was
involved in another scandal. Agnew resigned, but before he did so, Nixon had informally proposed that Gerald
Ford, the Republican leader in the House of Representative, should be the new Vice-President, and the Senate
elected Ford without a contest. Then in 1974, when Nixon resigned, Ford automatically became President.
Nominated by Ford and appointed by the Senate, Nelson Rockfeller became Vice-President. So from August 1974
to January 1977 both President & Vice-President held office without having been elected, but appointed through
consultation. In 1940 Franklin Roosevelt was elected for a third term, and in 1944 for a fourth, cut short by his
death. In 1951, a constitutional amendment set a limit of 2 terms, that is, 8 years.
The Presidential Election: In November each election year, a President is elected to serve for 4 years from a
fixed day in the following January. With the President, a Vice-President is elected. If the President dies, the
Vice-President becomes President for the unexpired part of the 4 year.
iii. Famous Presidents
1). George Washington (1732-1799): Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American
Revolution & 1st President of the U.S. 1789-1797)
2). Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826): 3rd President of the U.S (1801-1809) & author of the Declaration of
Independence. The son of a wealthy planter in Virginia, Jefferson was well educated & trained as a lawyer. A man
of many interests, he was also an architect, an inventor, a naturalist, a linguist, father of the University of Virginia,
& a patron of learning & the arts.
3). Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865): 16th President of the U.S. (1861-1865) ： Famous and admired
because of his leadership during the difficult period of the American Civil War
and the liberation of Negroes from slavery.
3. Task Design
Ask the students to sum up the text main points after reading.
4. Practical Exercises
27
Finish the exercises after class
VI. Assignments
Choose an American president and make a detailed study on him
VII. Reflection
28
Chapter Eight People and Cities in US
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know about the US population constituents
2. Get to know about the famous US cities
II. Highlights
1. Immigration
2. Important cities of US
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Pair/Group work
2. Discussion
3. Task-based approach
Facilities: media classroom
IV. Background Information
African Americans used to be the nation's largest racial minority.
Asian Americans are the country's second largest racial minority; the Asian Americans account for 5% of the
US population in 2010.
The U.S. population included an estimated 4.5 million people with some American Indian or Alaskan native
ancestry and over 1 million with some native Hawaiian or Pacific island ancestry.
Mexico has been the leading source of new residents for over two decades; since 1998, China, India, and the
Philippines have also been in the top sending countries every year.
American mosaic: People: Caucasian (64%), African American (12%), Latino (16%), Asian (5%), Native
American (0.8%). The longest river: Mississippi River, the longest in the world. The Great Lakes: (from west to
east) Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, & Lake Ontario. Lake Michigan belongs to USA.
The other 4 belong to both USA & Canada. The famous Niagara Falls
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
Show some data and pictures of American population and cities
2. Specific contents
1) Demographics
In 2010, the United States population is projected by the U.S. Census Bureau to be 308,700,000, including an
estimated 11.2 million illegal immigrants. The United States is the third most populous nation in the world, after
China and India. Its population growth rate is 0.97%, compared to the European Union's 0.16%.
The population growth in Southwest has been the highest. And the most populous states: California 37.30
million, Texas 25.10 million, New York 19.40 million.
White Americans are the largest racial group, with German Americans, Irish Americans, and English
Americans constituting three of the country's top ancestry groups. In 2010, the White population accounts for 64%
of the total, dropping from 69% in 2000. It is estimated in 1940s, the Whites will also become a Minority group.
(Renming Daily)
29
The population growth of Hispanic and Latino Americans (in 2010, reaching 50.50 million in total) is a major
demographic trend. Between 2000 and 2010, the country's Hispanic population increased 43%, compared with 1%
growth of the Whites.
In 2006, nine cities had more than 1 million residents, and four global cities had over 2 million (New York City,
Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston). There are fifty metropolitan areas with populations greater than 1 million.
Of the fifty fastest-growing metro areas, twenty-three are in the West and twenty-five in the South. The metro
areas of Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix all grew by more than three-quarters of a million people between 2000
and 2006.
2) Important cities of US
The Atlantic Coast is the most heavily populated area and retains strong traces of its European heritage. This
is where the oldest American cities like Boston, New York, Washington DC and Philadelphia are located, and
where most of the major events in early American history took place. The central north-east is marked by the
Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario). The rivers and canals linking the lakes to the Atlantic
Ocean made virtual seaports out of Midwestern cities like Chicago and Detroit.
Capital City: Washington D.C. Washington District of Columbia was named after George Washington, the first
President of the U.S.A., who decided upon its location. It was built in 1790 & was put to use in 1800. It is the
political & cultural center. The White House, the Capitol, Department of State & Department of Defense (the
Pentagon), the Washington Museum, the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial are all located here.
Washington is situated on the Potomac River in the District of Columbia. The district is a piece of land ten miles
square & it does not belong to any state but to all the states. The district is named in honor of Columbus, the
discoverer of America. Washington chose the place for the District and laid in 1790 the corner–stone of the
Capitol, where Congress sits. There are no skyscrapers in Washington because no other building should be taller
than the Capitol. All American presidents except George Washington have lived in the White House. It is a
2-storied white building constructed in 1799. In 1814, during the war with England, the White House was burnt
down. After the war the charred remains of the building were white-washed. Since that time, the residence of the
American presidents has always been painted white.
New York City: Largest city & port in America. One of the largest cities in the world. Manhattan: bought from
the Indians in 1626 by Peter Minute, a Dutch Colonial governor, he paid for this area of 31 square miles with
beads, cloth & trinkets worth only $24. Manhattan (Island) is one of the commercial, financial & cultural centers
of the world. It has many famous landmarks & tourist attractions. E.g.: Broadway, Chinatown, the Empire State
Building (102 stories, 390 meter high), “World Trade Center” (110 stories, higher), Times Square, the United
Nations Headquarters, Wall Street, etc. Most of New York’s municipal buildings stand on Manhattan Island.
Chicago: The second largest city in America; Center of railway and lake port; The biggest center of iron and
steel industry; On May 1 of 1886, Chicago workers went on strike, demanding the right to 8-hour work. Hence the
Labor Day every May 1.; On March 8 of 1909, women workers in Chicago went on strike, demanding equality of
women workers & hence the Women's Day every March 8.
Detroit: Capital of Michigan State; The biggest car-making center, also called the City of Cars; Many
car-making monopoly organizations are located here: Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Chrysler
Corporation.
Houston: The biggest city in southern America & an important port; Texas State; The largest center of oil
industry, also called the City of Oil in the world; Apollo Program: the center of American aerospace &
aeronautics, also called the City of Aerospace & aeronautics.
Los Angeles: An important port in the west coast. The third largest city secondary only to New York City &
Chicago. The industrial center of the western America, famous for airplane-making & oil industry. Hollywood:
center of film-making industry, also known as the City of Films. Disneyland: amusement park.
San Francisco: The second largest city in the west coast (secondary only to Los Angeles); An important port;
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China Town.
Boston: A famous city in Independence War (Lexington). A cultural center: famous universities such as
Harvard University (founded in 1636) & Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Philadelphia: An important port & a railway center. An old city with a long history. Built in 1701, it was the
largest American city in the mid 18th century. In 1776, the 13 states declared independence here. Historical
buildings: Independence Hall, the place where Continental Congress was held during the Independence War and
the Declaration of Independence was approved.
3. Task Design
The student are supposed to do survey about the famous cities in America.
The students should sum up the main points of the text.
4. Practical Exercises
Finish the exercises of the Textbook
VI. Assignments
Choose one American city and find out its attractions.
Investigate on the ABCs.
VII. Reflection
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Chapter Nine Culture of America
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know about the American Dream
2. Get to know about the US culture
II. Highlights
The American Dream
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Discussion
2. Task-based approach
3. Communicative approach
4. Questions and answers
Facilities: media classroom
IV. Background Information
The American Dream: In the United States there is a belief. It goes that people are rewarded for working,
producing, and achieving. Many people believe that there is equality of opportunity. It allows anyone to become
successful. This belief is illustrated by stories written by a 19th-century American novelist, Horatio Alger. He
wrote about the "American Dream". In his stories he described poor people who became rich because of hard
work, honesty & luck.
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
Introduce the move The Pursuit of Happiness to show something about the American value.
2. Specific Contents
American dreams embodied in education:
1). Public education should be free.
2). Schooling should be equal and open to all.
3). The public schools should be free of any creed or religion.
4). Public schools are controlled by the state and the local governments.
5). Attendance at school is compulsory.
6). Schooling should be enriched and not just confined to the fundamentals.
Crime and punishment:
Law enforcement in the US is primarily the responsibility of local police, with state police providing broader
services. Federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation has specialized duties. State courts conduct
most criminal trials; federal courts handle certain designated crimes as well as appeals from state systems. Among
developed nations, the US has above-average levels of violent crime and particularly high levels of gun violence
and homicide. Though it has been abolished in most Western nations, capital punishment is sanctioned in the
United States for certain federal and military crimes, and in thirty-seven states. In 2006, the country had the sixth
highest number of executions in the world, following China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, and Sudan. In December 2007,
New Jersey became the first state to abolish the death penalty since the 1976 Supreme Court decision.
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Culture:
The United States is a multicultural nation. There is no "American" ethnicity; aside from the Native American
and Hawaiian populations, nearly all Americans or their ancestors immigrated within the past five centuries. The
culture held in common by most Americans is referred to as mainstream American culture, largely derived from
the traditions of Western European migrants. German, Irish, and Scottish cultures have also been very influential.
Certain cultural attributes of slaves from West Africa were adopted by the American mainstream. Westward
expansion integrated the Creoles and the Hispanos of the Southwest and brought close contact with the culture of
Mexico.
Large-scale immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries from Southern and Eastern Europe
introduced many new cultural elements. More recent immigration from Asia and Latin America has had broad
impact. The resulting cultural mix may be described as a homogeneous melting pot, or as a pluralistic salad bowl
in which immigrants retain distinctive cultural characteristics. While the mainstream culture holds that the United
States is a classless society, scholars identify significant differences between the country's social classes, affecting
socialization, language, and values.
Americans' self-images, social viewpoints, and cultural expectations are associated with their occupations to an
unusually close degree. Though the perception that Americans enjoy high social mobility plays a key role in
attracting immigrants, some analysts find that the United States has less social mobility than Western Europe and
Canada. In 2005, 28% of households were married childless couples, the most common arrangement. The
extension of marital rights to homosexuals is contentious—several states permit civil unions in lieu of marriage.
Popular media:
The world's first commercial motion picture exhibition was given in New York City in 1894. Since the early
20th century, the U.S. film industry has largely been based in and around Hollywood, California. American screen
actors like Marilyn Monroe have become iconic figures. The major film studios of Hollywood have produced the
most commercially successful movies in history, such as Star Wars and Titanic, and the products of Hollywood
today dominate the global film industry. African American music deeply influenced American music,
distinguishing it from European traditions. Elements from folk idioms such as the blues were adopted and
transformed into popular genres. Jazz was developed by innovators such as Louis Armstrong early in the 20th
century. Country music, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll emerged between the 1920s and 1950s. More recent
American creations include hip hop and house music. American pop stars such as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson,
and Madonna have become global celebrities.
3. Task design
Discuss the following viewpoints:
A. Parents: "They are our kids. We know what is best for them. We should decide what they learn and how they
are taught."
B. Teachers: "What do parents know? We have been to college. We are the ones with the special training. We
should make the decisions."
C. Government officials: "We have the best view of the issues. We know the budget and we understand the laws
and how the apply. Only we can make the best decisions."
D. Religious authorities: "Schools that teach facts but no values weaken the moral strength of the country. We can
provide the wisdom and insight on which all teaching should be based."
33
E. University experts: "We have studied the problems and done the research. We should be consulted before any
decisions are made."
F. Children: "It is our lives and education that are at stake. No decisions should be made without our advice and
agreement."
4. Practical Exercises
Do some survey about American culture
VI. Assignments
Introduce an interesting American movie or song to the class.
VII. Reflection
34
Chapter Ten American Literature I
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know about the American literary history
2. Get to know about the famous authors and their masterpieces
II. Highlights
1. Power of imagination
2. Transcendentalism
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Pair/Group work
2. Discussion
3. Questions and answers
Facilities: media classroom
IV. Background Information
Some Literary Terms
1. Allegory:
An allegory is a story in verse or prose with a double meaning: a surface meaning and an implied meaning.
2. Free verse
Free verse in printed in short lines instead of with the continuity of prose, and it has a more controlled rhythm
than ordinary prose; but it lacks the regular stress pattern, organized into recurrent feet, of traditional versification.
Most free verse also has irregular line length and lacks rhyme.
New England Transcendentalism
It was started by a group of people who were members of an informal club, i.e. the Transcendental Club in
New England in the 1830s.
This Transcendentalist group includes two of the most significant writers America has produced so far,
Emerson and his young friend, David Thoreau.
The main issues involved in the debate were generally philosophical, concerning nature, man and the universe.
– Basically, Transcendentalism has been defined philosophically as the recognition in man of the capacity of
knowing truth intuitively, or of attaining knowledge transcending the reach of the senses.
– Other concepts that accompanied Transcendentalism include the idea that nature is ennobling and the idea that
the individual is divine and, therefore, self-reliant.
Overview
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Europeans came to the New World in search of gold, land, and religious
freedom.
In the 18th and early 19th centuries, American art and literature took most of its cues from Europe.
Writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, and Henry David Thoreau established a distinctive
American literary voice by the middle of the 19th century.
Mark Twain and poet Walt Whitman were major figures in the latter half of the 19th century; Emily Dickinson
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is now recognized as an essential American poet.
Herman Melville's Moby-Dick (1851), Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), and F. Scott
Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (1925) are the "Great American Novels."
Ernest Hemingway, the 1954 Nobel laureate, is often named as one of the most influential writers of the 20th
century.
The Beat Generation writers opened up new literary approaches, as have postmodernist authors such as John
Barth, Thomas Pynchon, and Don DeLillo.
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
American Puritanism The settlement of North American continent by the English began in the early part of the
seventeenth century. The first settlers who became the founding fathers of the American nation were quite of few
of them Puritans. Generally speaking, they were a group of serious, religious people, advancing highly religious
and moral principles. They carried with them to America a code of values, a philosophy of life, a point of view
which, in time, took root in the New World and became what is popular known as American Puritanism.
2. Specific Contents
a) Writers of the post-Revolutionary period (had been embarrassed that America did not have much of a
history)
---Washing Irving inventing a history. --History of New York«纽约外史» (1809), Rip Van Winkle, The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow, The Alhambra (accounts of history in 1832),Tour on Prairies (1835)
--- James Fenimore Cooper --The Spy (novel1821), Leatherstocking Tales including The Pioneers(1823),The
Last of Mohicans(1826), The Prairie (1827), The Pathfinder (1840) and The Deepslayer (1841) * In The Pioneers,
he introduced the fabulous woodsman, Natty Bumppo, who was the forerunner of all heroic forest scouts, bear
hunter, and cowboys of later American novels and films
b) Transcendentalists 超验主义者
---In his book Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)claimed that by studying and responding to nature
individuals could reach a higher spiritual state without formal religion. A circle of intellectuals who were
discontented with the New England establishment gathered around Emerson. They accepted Emerson‘s theories
about spiritual transcendence. They are known as Transcendentalists.
--- Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was Emerson‘s most gifted fellow-thinkers. He was passionate about
individual‘s learning to think for themselves and being independent. He carried out this ideal by going to live by
himself for two years in simple cabin beside a wooded pond named Walden. He spent the two years in labor and
solitary meditation. He wrote about this experience in his book Walden (1854) New England intellectuals
presented perspective of literature and life
c) Power of Imagination
Some writers concentrated upon human imagination and emotion rather than the intellect
---Edgar Allan Poe (1809--1849), a young Virginian, publishing poems of musical language and extravagant
imagery, which made him a worthy rival of the European Romantic poets. In 1835, he began writing bold, original
36
short stories, TheMasque of Red Death , The Fall of the House of Usher.
---Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), a young writer in New England published a volume of stories Twice-Told
Tales in 1837. His masterpiece was a novel The Scarlet Letter published in 1850. Set in the Puritan past, this
masterpiece is the stark drama of a woman harshly cast out from her community for committing the sin of
adultery. In this novel, Hawthorne explored certain moral themes such as guilt, pride and emotional repression.
---Herman Melville (1819-1891) published Moby Dick . Moby Dick is the name of a big white whale. In this book,
the author uses a story of a whaling voyage to explore profound themes such as fate, the nature of evil, and the
individual‘s struggle against the universe. This book is considered an American masterpiece. * The above 3
writers all struggled to find their individual voices, and through them American literature began to acquire its own
personality.
3. Task design
Focus on teacher‘s lecture Some students are supposed to talk about their knowledge about the writers concerned.
Some students are supposed to make a PPT presentation introducing the writer or work they like best.
4. Practical Exercises
Finish the exercises of the textbook
VI. Assignments
Find out some more materials about American Transcendentalism.
VII. Reflection
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Chapter Eleven American Literature II
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know about the American literary history
2. Get to know about the famous authors and their masterpieces
II. Highlights
1. Walt Whitman
2. the Lost Generation
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Discussion
2. Task-based approach
3. Questions and answers
Facilities: video clip; media classroom
IV. Background Information
1920s, Jazz Age, Historical Background
Politically, US entered WWI in 1917 for purity and democracy. The period of peace-making ended with general
disillusionment about the value of war: only a sense of the failure of political leaders and a belief in the futility of
hope. No abiding solutions to the world‘s problems was found. And the resurgence of nationalism and the rise of
new totalitarianism produce a second world war.
Economically, because of the war, American industry developed fast. The nation is full of bouncing ebullience,
fearful of nothing, confident smug isolationism.
Socially, decline of idealism. Patriotism became cynical disillusionment. Unity of family weakened. There
appeared the revolt of the Younger Generation. They escaped responsibility and assumed immorality.
After WWI, people found that the war which cost millions of lives failed to provide an abiding solutions to the
world‘s problems, that the war was just the traps of political leaders. Such a disillusionment about the value of
war, accompanied by the booming of American economy drove people to cynical hedonism. People experiment
with new amusements. They restlessly pursued stimulus and pleasures, wallow in heavy drinking, fast driving and
casual sex. By these, they hoped to seek relief from serious problems.
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
Show a part of the movie ― The Great Gatsby and introduce the Jazz Age
2. Specific Contents
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a)Walt Whitman (1818-1892)
--- assert a truly American voice and in 1855, published a ground-breaking book Leaves of Grass, which is a
collection of poems. Whitman used free-flowing structures and long irregular lines in his poetry. He ventured
beyond traditional forms to meet his need for more space to express the American spirit. In one of the
poems ―Song of Myself, he dwelt on himself because he saw himself as a prototype of ―The American.
b) Reform and Liberation: Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-96), Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Civil War
c) Regionalism
William Dean Howells (1837-1920), Editor of Atlantic magazine, and forerunner of the local voice and
regional color
Samuel Clemens/ Mark Twain (1835-1910): The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. William Faulkner called Twain "the father of
American literature”
Emily Dickinson (1830-1866): poems based on imagination and related to dying.
d) A new wave Naturalism
Following the American Civil War
Discontented with growing materialism
Concerned with the grim social reality
Taking a deterministic view of life
Theodore Dreiser ’s (1871-1945) Sister Carrier. A young country girl who moves to the big city where she
starts realizing her own American Dream by first becoming a mistress to men that she perceives as superior and
later as a famous actress. It has been called the "greatest of all American urban novels."
Jack London’s Call of the Wild. Primitive urges underlie all life, reducing humans to the level of animals.
Henry James’s The Wings of the Dove, The Ambassadors, The Golden Bowl. Focusing on psychological
(mental and emotional), not social issues.
Edith Wharton(1862-1937)’s The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence. Focusing on upper-class hypocritical
world
e) Rebellious Spirit
he urbanization in the early 20th century
Sherwood Anderson: narrow-minded town people
Sinclair Lewis (1st American winning Nobel Prize): crudeness and lack of culture of the town people
f) The Modernists
Imagism: Ezra Pound (1885-1972), focusing on objective, concrete, strong images
T.S. Eliot (1888-1965): fragmented, pessimistic images of the post-WWI society. The Waste Land: 434-line
Modernist poem published in 1922; "one of the most important poems of the 20th century." The poem has become
a familiar touchstone of modern literature. Among its famous phrases are "April is the cruelest month" (its first
line); "I will show you fear in a handful of dust"; and (its last line) the mantra in the Sanskrit language "Shantih
shantih shantih."
E. E. Cummings (1894-1962)
g) The “Lost Generation”
A literature of disillusionment
F.Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940): The Great Gatsby
Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961): The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls
William Faulkner (1897-1962): The Sound and the Fury
The novel takes place following the WWI. American society enjoyed prosperity during the "roaring" 1920s as
the economy soared. At the same time, Prohibition, the ban on the sale and manufacture of alcohol as mandated
by the Eighteenth Amendment, made millionaires out of bootleggers. The Great Gatsby has become a standard
39
text in high school and university courses on American literature in countries around the world.
h) New Drama
Eugene O’Neill: Desire under the Elms, Mourning becomes Electra, The iceman cometh, Long Day’s Journey
into Night.
i) Realism and Escapism
The Depression in the 1920s and 30s.
John Steinbeck (1902-68)
Margaret Mitchell
The Grapes of Wrath: a major statement of the Depression
j) Postwar Voices and the Beat Generation
Ralph Ellison: Invisible Man
Saul Bellow: Yiddish/Jewish writing
Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman
Toni Morrison: Song of Solomon
Amy Tan: The Joy Luck Club
3. Task Design
Mainly focus on teacher‘s lecture Ask the students to talk about their understandings of the poem. The students
are supposed to translate one of the poem talked about in the lecture.
4. Practical Exercises
Finish the exercises of the textbook
VI. Assignments
Write an introduction to a writer belonging to new American voices.
VII. Reflection
40
Chapter Twelve Religion and Education of US.
I. Teaching Objectives
On completion of this Chapter, students should be able to:
1. Get to know about the religions
2. Get to know about the US educational system
II. Highlights
1. Religion
2. Education
III. Teaching Approaches and Facilities
Approaches:
1. Task-based approach
2. Communicative approach
3. Questions and answers
Facilities: video clip; media classroom;
IV. Background Information
a) American history and religious liberty
---history ―WASP, which stands for ―White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, is believed to be the basis of the
mainstream culture of the United States. Although the Church of England was an established church in several
colonies, Protestants lived side by side in relative harmony. They had begun to influence each other. The Great
Awakening of the 1740s, a ―revival movement which sought to breathe new feeling and strength into religion,
cut across the lines of Protestant religious groups, or denominations.
--John Locke reasoned that the right to govern comes from an agreement or ―social contract voluntarily
entered into by free people. The Puritan experience in forming congregations(圣会) made this idea seem natural
to many Americans. -- Influenced by the new science and new ideas of the Enlightenment in Europe, a few
Americans became deist, believing that reason teaches that God exists but leaves man free to settle his own affairs.
-- Many traditional Protestants and deists could agree that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by
their creator with certain unalienable rights and that the laws of Nature and Nature‘s God entitled them to form a
nation. ---religious liberty – The Declaration of Independence guaranteed the basic right of religious freedom and
this right was a political necessity. The First Amendment to the U.S Constitution explicitly forbade the federal
government to give special favors to any religion or to hinder the free practice, or exercise, of religion. When
disputes about the relationship between government and religion arise, American courts must settle them. But
American institutions presuppose a Supreme being, therefore Christianity is often in practice, more favored than
other religions.
b) the Three Faiths in the U.S
1. Protestant (Over 60% of Americans are said to be Protestant believers.) The Baptists are the largest Protestant
group in America. They believe in adult baptism by immersion, symbolizing a mature and responsible conversion
experience. They are concentrated particularly in the Southern Bible Belt. White Baptists and black Baptists go
separately to their own churches. -- The Methodists are the second largest Protestant group in the U.S. The
Methodist Church has a form of service based on that of the Church of England.
2. The Catholics The Catholic Church is the largest single religious group in the U.S. More than 25% of all
Americans are now of the Roman Catholic faith. The majority of the Catholic are descendants of immigrants from
41
Ireland, Italy and Poland. They have the main strength in the east coast. In American history, the Catholics were
discriminated against. By 1960, J.F. Kennedy‘s presidential election victory put to rest the Catholic religion as an
issue in national politics. Today, the Catholics are active in running their own institutions, and have risen to
positions of leadership in business, politics and labor. * The Catholic Church continues to have an all-male clergy.
3. The Jewish More liberal Protestant and Jewish clergymen joined non-believers in maintaining that abortion is a
basic right for women. * By the 1950s, the above three faiths model of American religion had developed. The
order reflects the strength in numbers of each group. *It is unconstitutional in the U.S. that public money is
provided to support religious schools.
c). American Education System
The education system of the United States is large and complex. Here only a brief description is
attempted, showing the basic structure of U. S. education.
Structure of American Education: Early childhood education →Grammar school or elementary school
(primary)→High school (secondary)→College and university(higher/tertiary education).
V. Teaching Procedures and Contents
1. Lead-in
Ask the students to show their findings
2. Specific Contents
a) Religion
The United States is an officially secular nation; the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the
free exercise of religion and forbids the establishment of any religious governance. In a 2009 study, 56% of
Americans said that religion played a very important role in their lives. According to a 2007 survey, 78.4% of
adults identified themselves as Christian, down from 86.4% in 1990. Protestant denominations and Roman
Catholicism was the leading denominations. The total non-Christian religions in 2007 was 4.7%. The leading
non-Christian faiths were Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Unitarian Universalism. 16.1% in 2007
described themselves as agnostic, atheist, or simply having no religion, still significantly less than in other
postindustrial countries such as Britain (2005: 44%) and Sweden (2005: 85%).
b) Education
American public education is operated by state and local governments, regulated by the United States
Department of Education through restrictions on federal grants. Children are required in most states to attend
school from the age 6 or 7 (generally, kindergarten or first grade) until they turn 18, the end of high school.
Americans are proud of the fact that the window of knowledge is never slammed shut for any of the nation’s
citizens. All American children are offered 12 years of free public education & most good students can get
financial help to continue their studies for many more years. About 12% of children are enrolled in parochial or
nonsectarian private schools. Just over 2% of children are home-schooled.
The United States has many competitive private and public institutions of higher education, as well as local
community colleges with open admission policies. Of Americans twenty-five and older, 52.6% attended college,
27.2% earned a bachelor's degree, and 9.6% earned graduate degrees. The basic literacy rate is approximately
99%.
Kindergarten
Elementary school
Junior high school
Senior high school
Grade 0
Grade 1-6
Grade 7-8
Grade 9-12
Age 5
6-11
12-13
14-17
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College
(4 years for a B.A or B.S. degree)
University (2-3 years for M.A. or M.S; 2-8 years for a Ph.D)
In the United States, education is the responsibility of individual states, not of the federal government, so
requirements may vary from one state to another.
Structure of American Education: Early childhood education→Grammar school or elementary school
(primary)→High school (secondary)→College and university(higher/tertiary education).
Early Childhood Education: In most areas, free public school education begins with kindergarten classes for
4-year-olds.These are only half-day sessions & the child becomes accustomed to being separated from Mommy,
playing & sharing with other children & following the directions of a teacher.
What do children learn? They are introduced to skills & information that will help them later with academic
work. E.g. They learn the colors & alphabet, how to write their names, to count to ten, & to enjoy books.
Nursery Schools: Nursery schools accept children from 3 to 5 years old for half-day sessions ranging from
twice a week to 5 days a week. The typical nursery school classroom is equipped much like a kindergarten, with
dolls, toy furniture, building blocks, books, puzzles, & art supplies. Most nursery schools have an outdoor
playground. A youngster who has no playmates his age living nearby may benefit greatly from attending nursery
school. Nursery schools usually charge tuition, though some are subsidized & some offer scholarships.
Day Care Centers: Day care centers provide care for pre-school children of working mothers who need a place
to leave their children all day, 5 days a week. Some day care centers accept pre-schoolers from infancy on. The
children have lunch & snacks at the center & spend the entire day there.
Grammar School & High School: In the United States, classes of students are divided into 12 academic levels
called grades. Generally, one academic year (from September to June) is required to complete each grade.
Academic work---learning to read, write & do arithmetic---begins when the child enters first grade, at about age 6.
School systems: The first academic institution that a child attends is called grammar school or elementary
school.In some school systems, elementary school includes grades 1 through 8. The next 4 years are called high
school.In other school systems, there are 3 divisions: elementary school (grades 1 through 6), junior high school
(grades 7 through 9), & senior high school (grades 10 through 12).
What do Grammar Schools Teach? Grammar schools teach reading, arithmetic, & language arts such as
creative writing, spelling & handwriting. Social studies, science, music, art & P.E (athletics) are also part of the
program.
What do High Schools Teach? In high school, subject matter becomes more specialized.
English classes stress grammar & literature.Social studies is split into separate courses in American history,
American government, & European history. Algebra, geometry, & trigonometry are offered. High school students
usually take a one-year general science course, then more detailed courses in biology, chemistry, & physics. Most
high school students study a foreign language---usually Latin, French, Spanish, or German. Courses in music, art
& P.E are often required. Some high schools specialize in vocational education & train students for various
technical careers.
The SAT Reasoning Test (formerly Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized
test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College
Board, a not-for-profit organization in the United States. The current SAT Reasoning Test, introduced in 2005,
takes three hours and forty-five minutes, and costs $47 ($75 International), excluding late fees. Possible scores
range from 600 to 2400, combining test results from three 800-point sections (Mathematics, Critical Reading, and
Writing).
Colleges & Universities: When a student graduates from high school, he may attend college if his high school
record & test scores are good enough to gain him admittance. Subjects offered: College & university offer a vast
array of subjects. A student usually majors in one field during the last 2 years of college. If he wishes, he may
obtain professional training at the undergraduate level, for example, in accounting, teaching, journalism, or
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dramatics. Certain state colleges specialize in training agricultural experts & engineers. Grades & Degrees:
College grades, from highest to lowest, run ABCDF. An F is a failing grade. American universities offer 3 main
categories of graduate degrees: Bachelor's degree, Master's degree and a Ph. D degree.
Athletic campus life: Sports---particularly football, baseball, basketball, swimming, and track are pursued with
enthusiasm. Some schools have competitive tennis, skiing, sailing, wrestling, soccer & baseball.
Sources of Financial Help: Fortunately for students with limited funds, financial help is available from many
sources. Every year college students receive more than $300 million in monetary assistance, including
scholarships, loans & part-time jobs. More than 200,000 scholarships aA student may cut costs by living at home,
attending a state or community school, or combining part-time work with a part-time college program. Many
students use their summer earnings to help finance their education. Some pursue undergraduate or graduate
degrees in night school while working full time during the day. Some college courses are offered on TV, & are
inexpensive. reoffered by industries, alumni groups, individual donors, the federal government, & colleges &
universities.
GPA: Grade Point Average
Semester system: two semesters, tri-semester, quarter
3. Task Design
Ask the students who have religious beliefs to talk about their perception of religion.
Ask the students to cite examples about the influence American people get from their religion.
Ask the students to give a speech on topic ― American religion and its politics
Ask the students to name several famous American universities.
Ask the students to talk about the difference features of both Chinese and American way of education.
4. Practical Exercises
Finish the after-reading exercises.
VI. Assignments
Finish the after-reading exercises. Think about what we can learn from the merits of their educational system.
Prepare a presentation about your favorite American writer or literary classics.
VII. Reflection
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中国历史朝代公元对照简表
朝 代
起 讫
都 城
今 地
夏
约前 2070—前 1600
安邑
山西夏县
阳翟
河南禹县
商
前 1600—前 1046
亳
河南商丘
殷
河南安阳
镐京
陕西西安
洛邑
河南洛阳
前 221—前 206
咸阳
陕西咸阳
西汉②
前 206—公元 23
长安
陕西西安
东汉
25—220
洛阳
河南洛阳
魏
220-265
洛阳
河南洛阳
蜀
221-263
成都
四川成都
吴
222-280
建业
江苏南京
265-316
洛阳
河南洛阳
西周
前 1046—前 771
东周
前 770—前 256
春秋时代
前 770—前 476
战国时代①
前 475—前 221
周
秦
汉
三国
西晋
东晋
东晋
317-420
建康
江苏南京
十六国
十六国③
304-439
—
—
宋
420-479
建康
江苏南京
南
齐
479-502
建康
江苏南京
朝
梁
502-557
建康
江苏南京
陈
557-589
建康
江苏南京
北魏
386-534
平城
山西大同
洛阳
河南洛阳
北
东魏
534-550
邺
河北临漳
朝
北齐
550-577
邺
河北临漳
西魏
535-556
长安
陕西西安
北周
557-581
长安
陕西西安
隋
581-618
大兴
陕西西安
唐
618-907
长安
陕西西安
后梁
907-923
汴
河南开封
后唐
923-936
洛阳
河南洛阳
五代
后晋
936-946
汴
河南开封
十国
后汉
947-950
汴
河南开封
后周
951-960
汴
河南开封
十国④
902-979
—
—
北宋
960-1127
开封
河南开封
南宋
1127-1279
临安
浙江杭州
皇都
辽宁
南
北
朝
宋
辽
916-1125⑤
西夏
1038-1227
金
元
1115-1234
1271-1368⑥
(上京)
巴林右旗
兴庆府
宁夏银川
会宁
阿城(黑龙江)
中都
北京
开封
河南开封
大都
北京
45
明
1368-1644
北京
北京
清
1644-1911
北京
北京
中华民国
1912-1949
南京
江苏南京
中华人民共和国 1949 年 10 月 1 日成立，首都北京。
附注：
① 这时期，主要有秦、魏、韩、赵、楚、燕、齐等国。
② 包括王莽建立的“新”王朝(公元 8 年—23 年)。王莽时期，爆发大规模的农民起义，建立了农民政权。公元 23
年，新王莽政权灭亡。公元 25 年，东汉王朝建立。
③ 这时期，在我国北方和巴蜀，先后存在过一些封建割据政权，其中有：汉(前赵)、成(成汉)、前凉、后赵(魏)、
前燕、前秦、后燕、后秦、西秦、后凉、南凉、北凉、南燕、西凉、北燕、夏等国，历史上叫做“十六国”。
④ 这时期，除后梁、后唐、后晋、后汉、后周外，还先后存在过一些封建割据政权，其中有：吴、前蜀、吴越、
楚、闽、南汉、荆南(南平)、后蜀、南唐、北汉等国，历史上叫做“十国”。
⑤ 辽建国于公元 907 年，国号契丹，916 年始建年号，938 年（一说 947 年）改国号为辽，983 年复称契丹，
1066 年仍称辽。
⑥铁木真于公元 1206 年建国；公元 1271 年忽必烈定国号为元，1279 年灭南宋。
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