美国社会与文化发展史英文+中文版.docx

美国社会与文化发展史英文+中文版.docx

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美国社会与文化发展史英文+中文版

国家概况1.From“aMeltingPot”to“aSaladBowl”Thoughthedaysofmassimmigrationareprobablyover,theinfluenceofthemovementwillneverbeerased.Americanshaveadoptedmanyofthecustomsandideasoftheimmigrantsastheirown;eachwaveofimmigrationleftitsimpactanddistinctivecontributiontothebuildingofthenationandtheevolutionofAmericanlife.Whileatthesametimeeachethicgroupkeepsitsownreligiousandculturalinstitutions;teachtheirownlanguage,customsaswellandobservetheirownfestivals.Theyhaveneverbeen“melted”intherealsensebuthavekeptthefeatureof“ASaladBowl”whichmeansmanydifferentelementsarecombinedintoawhole,meanwhileeachingredientretainsitsindividualidentity.

2.TheNewDealtheDefinition:

Between1933and1938,innovativemeasuresweretakenintheU.S.todealwiththeGreatDepression,toprotecttheAmericancapitalsystemandtosavetheUSdemocracy.TheeconomicandsocialpoliciesoftheRooseveltAdministrationwerecollectivelyknownas“theNewDeal”.TheDetailedContents（Justforreference）:

Onepartoftheprogramwastopromoterecoveryfromthedepression.Anotherwastosupplyrelieftotheneedy.Athirdpartwastostabilizethenationaleconomytopreventsevereeconomiccrisisinthefuture.TheSignificance:

OnlyaftertheoutbreakofWorldWarIIwastheeconomiccrisistotallysolvedforthewartriggeredthehugeneedsforindustrialandagriculturalproductivity.However,theNewDealhelpedtolimittheimpactoflaterrecessionsandtheUnitedStateshasexperiencednoreturntothenationalnightmareofGreatDepressionsincetheNewDeal.

3.TheWelfareStateInordertorelievepoverty,cutunemployment,andspeedeconomicrecoveryduringtheGreatDepression,Congressin1935enactedtheSocialSecurityAct,whichcontainedthreemajorprograms:

aretirementfund,unemploymentinsurance,andwelfaregrantsformothers,children,elders,andthedisabled.Rooseveltdeclaredthatthedayofgreatprivatefortuneswasended.Instead,wealthmustbebetterdistributed.Everycitizenmustbeguaranteed“apropersecurity,areasonableleisure,andadecentlivingthroughoutlife.”Theseprogramsbeganwhatisnowreferredtoasawelfarestate.

4.SeparationofpowersSeparationofpowersmeansconstitutionaldivisionalofpowersamongthelegislative,executive,andjudicialbranches.InAmerica,thismeansmorethanallocatinglegislativepowertoCongress,executivepowertoPresidentandjudicialpowertotheSuperCourt.Italsomeansgivingeachbranchconstitutionalandpoliticalindependenceandchecksandbalancesthatensureeachofthethreebranchesasufficientroleintheactionsoftheotherssothatnoonebranchmaydominatetheothers.Thebranchesmustworktogetherifgovernmentbusinessistobeperformed.

5.AmericaDream:

Thetermmeansdifferentthingtodifferentpeople.Itisusuallyassociatedwiththeaspirationofmostpeople:

peace,prosperity,personalownershipofproperty,personalliberty,andthebeliefthatindividualsarefreetoachieveanygoals,toaccumulatematerialwealth,toliveanylifestyle,centraltoAmericadreamisthenotionthatAmericaisthelandofopportunityfortheenterprising.Anycompetitive,practicalgo-gettercanmakeafortune,orbuildadreamhome.Itsfocusisprimarilyself-centered,materialistic,pragmatic,andindividualistic.

6.MayflowerCompactIn1620atinyshipcalledthe"Mayflower"sailedfromEnglandfortheNewWorld.AbouthalfofthemembersoftheshipwerePilgrimswhowerethefirstgroupofPuritanstosettleinNorthAmerica.Duringthetrip,theywerefarawayVirginiaandthePilgrimsdecidedtosetuptheirowngovernment.Theywroteanowfamousagreementcalledthe"MayflowerCompact".Inthiscompacttheyagreedtosticktogethertoabidebymajorityrule,andtohavearighttochoosetheirownleader.ThiswasthebeginningoftheUSdemocracy.

7.TheTeaActIn1773,inordertohelptheBritishEastIndiaCompanyoutofitsfinancialembarrassment,theTeaActbegan.ItrelievedthecompanyofthenecessaryofpayingdutiesonitsteaexportedtoAmerica,whichwasbelievedasamonopolybyAmericancolonists.TheythereforedecidedtotakeactionagainsttheAct.OntheeveningofDecember,inBoston,agroupofangrycolonists,knownastheBostonTeaParty,dressedthemselvesupasIndiansandboardedthethreecompanyshipsanddumpedalltheteaintotheharbor.TheBritishParliamenttookimmediateactiontopunishtheAmericancolonistswhowereunifiedtoresistthegovernment.ThatfinallytriggeredtheoutbreakofAmericanRevolution.

8.MonroeDoctrine.AfterJamesMonroewaselectedasthe5thUSpresidentin1816,heboughtFloridafromSpainin1819,peacefullyresolvedtheproblemoftheadmissionofMissouritotheUnionasaslavestate.Hispop