Contemporary American Contemporary American Culture and SocietyCulture and Society

Statue of Liberty

Mount Rushmore

GLOSSARYGLOSSARY1.1. anti-abortionist anti-abortionist someone who is against someone who is against

abortionabortion

2.2. arbitrary arbitrary decided or arranged without an decided or arranged without an plan or reasonplan or reason

3.3. from rags to richesfrom rags to riches from extreme poverty to from extreme poverty to great wealthgreat wealth

4.4. haveshaves the rich people in a country or society the rich people in a country or society

5.5. HispanicHispanic from or connected with a country from or connected with a country where Spanish or Portuguese is spokenwhere Spanish or Portuguese is spoken

6.6. megalopolismegalopolis an urban region, especially one an urban region, especially one consisting of several large cities and suburbs consisting of several large cities and suburbs that adjoin each otherthat adjoin each other

7.7. polarizedpolarized concentrated in one extreme concentrated in one extreme

8.8. rampantrampant something bad that is rampant, something bad that is rampant, such as crime or disease, is widespread and such as crime or disease, is widespread and difficult to controldifficult to control

9.9. stand on one’s own feetstand on one’s own feet to be able to earn to be able to earn what you need without help from otherswhat you need without help from others

10.10. SunbeltSunbelt ( (inf.inf.) the southern and ) the southern and southwestern regions of the U.S.southwestern regions of the U.S.

Chapter One IntroductionChapter One Introduction

Geography

The formation of the Union

Population trends

The concept of class

Important terms

Geographic Facts about the U.S.Geographic Facts about the U.S.

Largest state

(by population)

California

(33,145,000)

Smallest stateSmallest state

(by area)

Rhode Island

(1,212 sq. miles)

Mississippi

(2,348 miles) Mount McKinley

(20,320 feet)

Lowest point

Death Valley

(282 feet below sea level)

Highest Mountain (Alaska)

Longest River

Crater Lake

(1,932 feet)

Deepest Lake

Largest Lake

Lake Superior

(31,820sq. miles)

Top Ten Cities in Terms of PopulationTop Ten Cities in Terms of Population CityCity

PopulatioPopulationn

LocationLocation

11 New YorkNew York 19,69619,696

22 Los AngelesLos Angeles 15,30215,302

33 ChicagoChicago 8,5278,527

44 7,0517,051

55 6,5136,513 CaliforniaCalifornia

66 PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia 5,9595,959

77 5,4975,497 MassachusettsMassachusetts

88 DetroitDetroit 5,2565,256

99 Dallas-Fort worthDallas-Fort worth 4,3624,362

1010 4,0994,099 TexasTexas

San Francisco

Washington

Houston

Boston

New York

California

Pennsylvania

Illinois

MichiganTexas

Maryland-Virginia

Class SystemClass System

Class is based on economic status and is measured by such economic variables as occupation, income, and ownership of wealth.

Class is a social relationship.

Class system boundaries are fluid.

Class positions are in some part achieved.

What are the main contents of the Declaration of Independence ?

When was the period referred to as the Gilded Age?

What were the features of the 1920s?

What were the important events and movements in post-World War‖America?

American Dream

Social mobility

Material success

Perseverance

Luck

Through hard work

The Christian Biblical The Christian Biblical TraditionTradition

Stresses the obligation and dStresses the obligation and duties of the self to the comuties of the self to the community and families. “munity and families. “In GIn God We Trustod We Trust” appears on A” appears on American coins and banknotmerican coins and banknotes.es.

City upon a hillCity upon a hillIn route to New England in In route to New England in

1630, as the leader of 700 1630, as the leader of 700 immigrants of Massachusetts immigrants of Massachusetts Bay Company, Governor John Bay Company, Governor John Winthrop wrote a sermon Winthrop wrote a sermon called “ A Model of Christian called “ A Model of Christian Charity”, in which he called Charity”, in which he called upon his fellowmen to create upon his fellowmen to create a “City Upon a Hill,” a a “City Upon a Hill,” a Christian commonwealth Christian commonwealth that would offer a model for that would offer a model for the reformation of the world.the reformation of the world.Governor John

Winthrop

E Pluribus Unum

This phrase (Latin: “ one made out of many) was officially adopted as a national motto in 1782. Originally it denoted the manners in which thirteen separate sates joined to become one nation. Today it conveys the racial, social, and intellectual diversity of the American people.

Frontier

In American history frontier means areas of new settlement by Europeans and their decedents when they conquered land between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Westward migration, which continued through most of the 19th century, ended when the frontier was declared officially closed in 1890. Three years later the historian Frederick Jackson Turner published the thesis, “ The significance of the Frontier in American History,” declaring that the American national character of individualism, self-reliance , equality, and distrust of authority was shaped by its frontier experience.

Individualism

Utilitarian Expressive individualism

Self-fulfillment as a means of worldly

success

Self-expression, independence of any

economic or social goal

The Republican Tradition

A tradition of representative democracy. It values political activism and community participation as crucial to self-definition and the good of the community.

Extension Tasks ( Group Work)

--- Traditional American Values

• Individual freedom ---

the freedom of individuals to fulfill their own individual needs and do as they wish.

• Self-reliance ---

Being able to take care of themselves and not depend on others for support.

• Equality of opportunity ---

Having an equal chance to succeed, regardless of whether one is male or female or belongs to some racial or ethnic minority.

• Competition ---Having to compete with others for success, rather than expecting to be given something for free.

• Material wealth ---

Viewing possessions as the mark of having status in the society and as the natural reward for hard work.

• Hard work ---The belief that everyone should work hard, sometimes for very long hours, to be successful.

Focus Questions for American Education

1. Describe American educational philosophies.

2. Sum up the three problems that annoy the elementary and secondary educational system in the U.S.A.

3. What factors govern success when applying to a college?

4. What are the four types of higher education institutions.