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Paul Sparks
- Online English Lesson Plans, Lesson Material and Ideas for "Culture of
English Speaking Countries Lessons" for Xiangtan Normal University...
WESTERN CULTURE AND SOCIETY: THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA (USA) -
Introduction to American Culture and Society
Geography:
-
Number of states:
50
-
Area (1990):
total: 3,717,796 sq mi (9,629,091 sq km)
-
Population density
(2000): 79.6 people per sq mi
-
Northernmost
point: Point Barrow, Alaska
-
Easternmost point:
West Quoddy Head, Maine
-
Southernmost
point: Ka Lae (South Cape), Hawaii
-
Westernmost point:
Cape Wrangell, Alaska
-
Highest point: Mt.
McKinley, Alaska (20,320 ft)
-
Lowest point:
Death Valley, Calif. (282 ft below sea level)
Population (Based on
Census 2000 data):
-
Total Resident
Population 281,421,906
-
Males: 138,053,563
(49.1% of pop.)
-
Females:
143,368,343 (50.9% of pop.)
-
White: 211,460,626
(75.1% of pop.)
-
Black: 34,658,190
(12.3% of pop.)
-
Asian: 10,242,998
(3.6% of pop.)
-
American Indian
and Alaska Native: 2,475,956 (0.9% of pop.)
-
Hispanic/Latino2:
35,305,818 (12.5% of pop.)
-
Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific Islander: 398,835 (0.1% of pop.)
American people are a
very mixed culture. The people originate from many places, including Europe
and Asia. Many Americans have links to the UK.
THE "STATES" OF THE UNITED STATES:
There are 50 states in America. Each state is similar to the Provinces in
China, except that each state is more like a separate country, with its own
laws and cultures.
The 50 states are as
follows:
Alabama, AL - (The
Cotton State), Capital: Montgomery, Other Cities: Anchorage
Alaska, AK - (Land of
the Midnight Sun), Capital: Junea
Arizona, AZ - (The
Grand Canyon), State Capital: Phoenix
Arkansas, AR - (The
Natural State), Capital: Little Rock
California, CA - (The
Golden State), Capital: Sacramento, Major Cities: Berkeley, Los Angeles,
San Diego, San Francisco
Colorado, CO - (The
Centennial State), Capital: Denver
Connecticut, CT - (The
Constitution State), Capital: Hartford
Delaware, DE - (The
Diamond State), Capital: Dover
Florida, FL - (The
Sunshine State), Capital: Tallahassee Other Cities: Miami, Orlando
Georgia, GA - (The
Peach State), Capital: Atlanta
Hawaii, HI - (The
Aloha State), Capital: Honolulu
Idaho, ID - (The Gem
State), Capital: Boise
Illinois, IL - (The
Prairie State), Capital: Springfield, Major City: Chicago
Indiana, IN - (The
Hoosier State), Capital: Indianapolis
Iowa, IA - (The
Hawkeye State), Capital: Des Moines
Kansas, KS - (The
Sunflower State), Capital: Topeka, Major City: Wichita
Kentucky, KY - (The
Bluegrass State), Capital: Frankfort
Louisiana, LA - (The
Pelican State), Capital: Baton Rouge
Maine, ME - (The Pine
Tree State), Capital: Augusta
Maryland, MD - (The
Old Line State), Capital: Annapolis, Major City: Baltimore
Massachusetts, MA -
(The Bay State), Capital: Boston
Michigan, MI - (The
Wolverine State), Capital: Lansing, Major City: Detroit
Minnesota, MN - (The
North Star State), Capital: St. Paul
Mississippi, MS - (The
Magnolia State), Capital: Jackson
Missouri, MO - (The
Show Me State), Capital: Jefferson City, Major Cities: Kansas City, St.
Louis
Montana, MT - (The
Treasure State), Capital: Helena
Nebraska, NE - (The
Cornhusker State), Capital: Lincoln
Nevada, NV - (The
Sagebrush State), Capital: Carson City, Major Cities: Las Vegas, Reno
New Hampshire, NH -
(The Granite State), Capital: Concord
New Jersey, NJ - (The
Garden State), Capital: Trenton, Major City: Atlantic City
New Mexico, NM - (The
Land of Enchantment), Capital: Sante Fe
New York, NY - (The
Empire State), Capital: Albany, Major City: New York City
North Carolina, NC -
(The Tar Heel State), Capital: Raleigh
North Dakota, ND -
(The Peace Garden State), Capital: Bismarck
Ohio, OH - (The
Buckeye State), Capital: Columbus, Major Cities: Cincinnati, Cleveland
Oklahoma, OK - (The
Sooner State), Capital: Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Oregon, OR - (The
Beaver State), Capital: Salem
Pennsylvania, PA -
(The Keystone State), Capital: Harrisburg, Major Cities: Philadlephia,
Pittsburgh
Rhode Island, RI -
(The Ocean State) Capital: Providence
South Carolina, SC -
(The Palmetto State), Capital: Columbia
South Dakota, SD -
(The Coyote State), Capital: Pierre
Tennessee, TN - (The
Volunteer State), Capital: Nashville, Other Cities: Memphis
Texas, TX - (The Lone
Star State), Capital: Austin, Major Cities: Dallas, Houston
Utah, UT - (The
Beehive State), Capital: Salt Lake City
Vermont, VT - (The
Green Mountain State), Capital: Montpelier
Virginia, VA - (The
Old Dominion State), Capital: Richmond
Washington, WA - (The
Evergreen State), Capital: Olympia, Major City: Seattle
West Virginia, WV -
(The Mountain State), Capital: Charleston
Wisconsin, WI - (The
Badger State), Capital: Madison, Major City: Milwaukee
Wyoming, WY - (The
Cowboy State), Capital: Cheyenne
The states all joined
the United States of America at different times, the list below shows the
dates each state joined:
1. Delaware Dec.
7, 1787
2. Pennsylvania
Dec. 12, 1787
3. New Jersey
Dec. 18, 1787
4. Georgia Jan.
2, 1788
5. Connecticut
Jan. 9, 1788
6. Massachusetts
Feb. 6, 1788
7. Maryland Apr.
28, 1788
8. South
Carolina May 23, 1788
9. New Hampshire
June 21, 1788
10. Virginia June 25,
1788
11. New York July 26,
1788
12. North Carolina
Nov. 21, 1789
13. Rhode Island May
29, 1790
14. Vermont Mar. 4,
1791
15. Kentucky June 1,
1792
16. Tennessee June 1,
1796
17. Ohio Mar. 1, 1803
18. Louisiana Apr. 30,
1812
19. Indiana Dec. 11,
1816
20. Mississippi Dec.
10, 1817
21. Illinois Dec. 3,
1818
22. Alabama Dec. 14,
1819
23. Maine Mar. 15,
1820
24. Missouri Aug. 10,
1821
25. Arkansas June 15,
1836
26. Michigan Jan. 26,
1837
27. Florida Mar. 3,
1845
28. Texas Dec. 29,
1845
29. Iowa Dec. 28, 1846
30. Wisconsin May 29,
1848
31. California Sept.
9, 1850
32. Minnesota May 11,
1858
33. Oregon Feb. 14,
1859
34. Kansas Jan. 29,
1861
35. West Virginia June
20, 1863
36. Nevada Oct. 31,
1864
37. Nebraska Mar. 1,
1867
38. Colorado Aug. 1,
1876
39. North Dakota Nov.
2, 1889
40. South Dakota Nov.
2, 1889
41. Montana Nov. 8,
1889
42. Washington Nov.
11, 1889
43. Idaho July 3, 1890
44. Wyoming July 10,
1890
45. Utah Jan. 4, 1896
46. Oklahoma Nov. 16,
1907
47. New Mexico Jan. 6,
1912
48. Arizona Feb. 14,
1912
49. Alaska Jan. 3,
1959
50. Hawaii Aug. 21,
1959
Other territory:
Philippines2
1898
Puerto Rico
1899
Guam 1899
American Samoa
1900
Canal Zone3
1904
Virgin Islands
of U.S. 1917
Trust Territory
of Pacific Islands4 1947
Northern
Mariana Islands 1986
The first official
national flag, also known as the Stars and Stripes, or Old Glory, was
approved by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. The blue canton
contained 13 stars, representing the original 13 colonies, but the layout
varied. Although nobody knows for sure who designed the flag, it may have
been Continental Congress member Francis Hopkinson.
After Vermont and
Kentucky were admitted to the Union in 1791 and 1792, respectively, two more
stars and two more stripes were added in 1795. This 15-star, 15-stripe flag
was the “star-spangled banner” that inspired lawyer Francis Scott Key to
write the poem that later became the U.S. national anthem.
In 1818, after five more
states had gained admittance, Congress passed legislation fixing the number
of stripes at 13 and requiring that the number of stars equal the number of
states. The last new star, bringing the total to 50, was added on July 4,
1960, after Hawaii became a state.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When
Christopher Columbus travelled to America in 1492 there was a population of
about 10-20 million, mainly from Asia, Europe and Africa, these people were
given the name American Indians. With the expansion of Europe in the 16th
century, more people migrated to the USA from European countries. When
Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain to America he actually landed on one
of the Bahama Islands in the Caribbean Sea. Because of the discovery Spain
laid claim to the land and established a large empire in America.
In 1497 an Italian
sailor, John Cabot, who was at the service of the English King, sailed to
the are now called Canada, the English King then claimed the North Americas,
were British settlements were established in the 17th century. There were 13
English colonies in what is now North America.
Over the next few
centuries many English settlements were established in America. After a war
between France and England in 1756 the land from Canada and North America
was given to Britain. In 1775 the American War of Independence began which
divided up the colonies into independent states. The War of Independence
ended in 1781 when Britain recognised the independence of the United States
and the Peace Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783.
THE 20th CENTURY: The beginning of the 20th
century saw many people becoming wealthy, they spent their money on many
things including cars. The most famous early 20th century car makers were
Henry Ford, David Buick and Walter Chrysler. In Chicago and New York large
skyscrapers were constructed. The Chrysler corporation built its new
headquarters, the now famous Chrysler building, soon after in 1929 work
began on the Empire State Building, the worlds tallest building for many
years. The next few decades were difficult with the Great Depression, as the
depression ended the US was taken into the Second World War. After the war
black Americans fought for equal rights.
Later in the 20th
Century America was opposing the USSR in the Cold War. US soldiers were
involved in restricting soviet influences in Korea and in 1962 the US had
soviet weapons removed from Cuba. America was also becoming involved in
Vietnam. In the 1960's laws were enforced to allow equal rights for people
of all ethnic minorities.
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA: American
trade with China increased in the 1890s. The United States had long demanded
an Open Door Policy for trading in China, which was weak, in order to
prevent other powers from carving up China among them. As its rivals made
gains, the United States feared it would be excluded from all trade in
China. In 1899 Secretary of State John Hay sent the European powers and
Japan a series of "Open Door Notes," requesting agreement on three
points. First, each power would respect the trading rights of the others
within each nation’s sphere of influence; second, Chinese officials would
collect import duties; and third, no nation would discriminate against the
others in matters of harbor duties or railroad rates within each sphere of
influence. Hay declared the principles accepted, inaccurately, since Russia
and later Japan disagreed.
Not all the Chinese
welcomed western penetration of their culture. In 1900 the Boxer Uprising
broke out in China. The Boxers—a sect of Chinese nationalists who opposed
foreign influence in China—rose up against foreign traders, officials, and
missionaries, and massacred many of them. The United States and the European
powers intervened with troops and put down the insurrection. The European
powers seemed eager to carve up China, but Hay persuaded them to accept
compensation to cover their losses. The United States returned part of its
compensation to China. The McKinley administration had stopped Europe from
carving up China.
The quest for an
overseas empire in the late 1890s thus led to substantial American gains.
The United States annexed Hawaii in 1898, conquered the Philippines and Guam
from Spain in 1899, turned Cuba in effect into an American protectorate in
1901, and kept China opened to American traders and missionaries.
Meanwhile, in September
1901, an anarchist shot President McKinley, and Vice President assumed
the presidency. The United States now entered the 20th century and an era of
reform.
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