American Studies

COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES VNU, HANOI
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND ANGLO- AMERICAN CULTURES

A
A
MERICAN
MERICAN

STUDIES
STUDIES
A COURSE BOOK FOR TERTIARY ENGLISH MAJORS
(FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY)
HANOI, 2005
AN INTRODUCTION TO
AN INTRODUCTION TO
A!"# #$% &!"'(%
A!"# #$% &!"'(%
It is impossible for anyone to claim that they are competent in a
language if they dont have a sufficient knowledge of the culture of
the people who speak the language, as well as of the country in
which the language is spoken. The significant role of country-
studies has long been recognized and acknowledged. Thus, it is
common practice for all language programs to allocate a
considerable portion of their curricula to country-studies.
British studies is a well-established subect of study at the !nglish
"epartment, #ollege of $oreign %anguages, &'(. It has been
taught successfully and has helped provide students with essential
knowledge of Britain, the British and their culture, and hence,
enhance students socio-cultural competence in particular, and
communicative competence in general. )owever, besides Britain,
there are several other !nglish-speaking countries, the most
important of which is the (*+. The (*+ deserves insightful study
as its language and culture as well as its economy has become
increasingly influential in the !nglish-speaking world. Therefore,
it is a wise decision to include +merican studies in the curriculum
of the !nglish training program.
,hen investigating a particular country such as the (*+, there is
an endless list of -uestions one wants to address, among which
might be.
What are the natural, historical, social and political conditions that
make the country and its people as they are nowadays?
What are the most outstanding characteristics of the people, their
economy and their political system, as well as their culture?
What are the principal differences between ones own culture and
the other culture that can impede cross-cultural communication?
)owever, because of the limited time of /0 class hours for the
subect, ust a few main themes are chosen for this course book.
General information concerning America,
2
The making of the nation,
The American peoples beliefs and values,
The economy and business in the !,
The ! political system,
The educational system in the !"
!ach of the themes is presented in a chapter in the book. There are
two te1ts in each chapter. the first one is the main te1t that
provides factual background information on the topic and the
second te1t can be used as supplementary reading on the same
theme but from a more culturally-oriented view. 2ost of the te1ts
are selected and adapted from two main sources. The American
Ways 3by 4oahn #randall, 2aryanne 5earny "atesman 6 !dward
'. 5earny, 7rentice )all 8egents, 9::;< and America in Close-up
3by !ckhard $iedler, 8eimer 4ansen 6 2il 'orman-8isch,
%ongman, 9::=<. +t the end of each chapter, there are -uestions to
provoke discussion and to help students both better understand
their own environment and better able to cope with socio-cultural
differences when encountered. The themes introduced in this
course book can also be considered as starting points for students
to embark on further in-depth studies into fields of their own
interests.
This is the first time a course of +merican *tudies has been
introduced into the curriculum of the !nglish "epartment.
Therefore, it is subect to revision and amendment. +ny critically
constructive ideas will be welcomed.
Hong Th Xun Hoa - Cao Th Tung Minh
Nguyn Th Minh - Nguyn Th Bch Tho Phng H
Thanh
)
*
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
C$+,#%'
-
Overviews #
Reading 1 An Expansive and Diverse Nation $
Reading 2 A Brief Histor of t!e "nited States %$
C$+,#%'
2
The Making of the Nation &'
Reading 1 A Nation of #$$igrants &(
Reading 2 T!e %a&ing of t!e Nation #)
C$+,#%'
)
American Traditional Beliefs
and Values
$(
Reading 1 A$eri'an #dea(s and )a(*es )*
Reading 2 Traditiona( A$eri'an )a(*es )'
C$+,#%'
*
The U.S. Econom (%
Reading 1 T!e "+S+ E'ono$ (+
Reading 2 T!e C!ara'teristi's of A$eri'an
B*siness
%*+
C$+,#%'
5
The !olitical Sstem %%(
Reading 1 T!e Po(iti'a( Sste$ ,1- %+%
Reading 2 T!e Po(iti'a( Sste$ ,2- %,,
C$+,#%'
.
Education in the United States %&&
Reading 1 Ed*'ation in t!e "nited States %&#
Reading 2 T!e Ed*'ation Sste$ %#%
F"'#$%'
R%+/012
"olidas in the U.S.A. %$(
Reading 1 #ntrod*'tion %)*
Reading 2 Dr+ %artin L*t!er .ing Da %),
Reading / A0ra!a$ Lin'o(n1s Birt!da %))
Reading 2 St+ )a(entine1s Da %',
Reading 3 %ot!er1s Da %'#
Reading 4 Fat!er1s Da %')
Reading 5 #ndependen'e Da %'(
5
C$+,#%' -
C$+,#%' -
OVERVIE
OVERVIE
3S
3S
>uick $acts
F*(( 'o*ntr na$e6 nited !tates of America -!A.
Area6 (,$+(,*&) s/ km
Pop*(ation6 +(*,,&+,##* -+**,.
Capita( Cit6 Washington 01
Peop(e6 1aucasian -)%2., African American -%+2., 3atino -%+2., Asian -&2., 4ative
American -*"(2.
Lang*age6 5nglish, !panish, 6rench, German, 7talian, 1hinese, and many others
Re(igion6 8rotestant -#$2., 9oman 1atholic -+)2., :ewish -+2., 4onreligious -'2. ;ther
-)2.7overn$ent6 constitution-based federal republic
Head of State6 8resident George W <ush
7DP6 !=%*"&# trillion -+**,.
7DP per 'apita6 !=,$,,** -+**,.
#nf(ation6 +"+2
%a8or #nd*stries6 ;il, electronics, computers, automobile manufacturing, aerospace
industries, agriculture, telecommunications, chemicals, mining, processing and packaging
%a8or Trading Partners6 1anada, :apan, >e?ico, the 5, etc"
.
An E#$ansive and %iverse Nation
READING -
444 GENERAL INFORMATION 4444444444
he nited !tates of America is a federal republic on the continent of
4orth America" 7t has an area of (,$+(,*&) s/ km -,,)%),)($ s/ mi. and
is the third largest country in the world after 9ussia and 1anada" The
estimated "!" population for the year +**, is +(*,,&+,##* third in the
world behind 1hina and 7ndia"
T
T
The nited !tates consists of &' contiguous states and the
noncontiguous states of Alaska and @awaii" 7n addition, the nited !tates
includes a number of outlying areas, such as the 1ommonwealth of 8uerto
9ico and the Airgin 7slands of the nited !tates, which are located on the
1aribbean !ea, and the islands of American !amoa and Guam, located in
the 8acific ;cean" The national capital is Washington, 0"1", located along
the banks of the 8otomac 9iver between the states of >aryland and
Airginia"
The #* "!" states vary widely in siBe and population" The largest states
in area are Alaska at %,#(,,&,' s/ km -$%#,+,* s/ mi., followed by Te?as,
and 1alifornia" The smallest state is 9hode 7sland, with an area of ,,%'' s/
km -%,+,% s/ mi." The state with the largest population is 1alifornia
-,,,')%,$&', +***., followed by Te?as, and 4ew Cork" ;nly &(,,)'+
people -+***. live on the plateaus and rugged mountains of Wyoming, the
least populous state" 5ach state is subdivided into counties, with the
e?ception of 3ouisiana, where comparable political units are called
parishes" Within these counties and parishes, there are communities that
range in siBe from small villages to towns to cities" 5?tensive areas of
National Flag
The essential design of the +merican flag can be traced to a resolution passed by the #ontinental
#ongress on 4une 9?, 9;;;. This resolution stated that the flag should represent the 9/ original states
with 9/ alternating red and white stripes and 9/ stars on a blue field. The #ongress assigned
symbolic meaning to the colors. @,hite signifies 7urity and Innocence, 8ed, )ardiness and &alor,
and Blue, &igilance, 7erseverance, and 4ustice.A $rom 9;:= to 9B9B additional stars and stripes
were added to the flag to represent &ermont and 5entucky. In 9B9B the (* #ongress reduced the
number of stripes to 9/ and established the policy of adding an additional star for every new state.
The design was not standardized until 9:9C, and many variations of the flag were common during the
9:th century. The current flag dates from 9:D0, when a =0th star was added for )awaii, the =0th
state.
A1 %5,+1(06% +1/ /06%'(%
1+#0!1
7
urban sprawl e?ist in larger metropolitan areas such as 3os Angeles,
1aliforniaD 1hicago, 7llinoisD and 4ew Cork 1ity"
444 G%!2'+,$0& D06%'(0#8
4444444444
uring the settlement of the nation, immigrants moved westward
across the nited !tates and found a rich and varied natural
environment" 6rom the original coastal colonies, settlers made their way
over the Appalachian >ountains beginning in the %)**s" <eyond the
mountains lay the vast rolling territory drained by the >ississippi 9iver
and the Great 3akes" There settlers encountered the rich farmlands of the
;hio Aalley, the >ississippi 0elta, and the Great 8lains" 6or
decades, the rugged peaks of the 9ocky >ountains and the arid
landscape of the !outhwest discouraged movement further west"
7n the mid-%'**s, however, spurred by the discovery of gold in
1alifornia, determined settlers followed trails through the
mountain passes to reach the West 1oast" 7n the valleys of
1alifornia and ;regon, they found productive agricultural land,
and they began harvesting the timber reserves from the
untouched forests of the 8acific 4orthwest" The purchase of
Alaska in %'$) added a mountainous northern territory rich in
natural resources" The anne?ation of @awaii in %'(' gave the
nited !tates what would be its only tropical state" The nited
!tates has been blessed with many natural advantages, such as
climates favorable for agriculture, e?tensive internal waterways,
and abundant natural resources"
0
0
All four of the worlds most productive agricultural climates
are found in the nited !tates" These climatic regions display a
favorable mi? of rain and sun as well as a long growing season,
and together, they cover more than a third of the country"
6avorable climates have allowed farmers to produce vast
/uantities of grain for human consumption and crops to feed animals"
These remarkable climatic areas make the nited !tates one of the
worlds leading agricultural countries"
Another maEor natural advantageFone that is taken for granted by
most AmericansFis that the maEor river systems -the >ississippi,
>issouri, ;hio, 1olorado, and 9Go Grande systems. flow south" 7f these
rivers flowed north, as rivers do in 9ussian !iberia, ice and froBen soil
The (nited
*tates has
been blessed
with many
natural
advantages,
such as
climates
favorable for
agriculture,
e1tensive
internal
waterways,
and abundant
natural
resources.
9
would block the melt water, causing floods that would saturate the land
and render it unusable for agriculture" 7nstead, when spring thaws arrive
in the interior mountains of the nited !tates, melt water flows
unimpeded through the river systems to the warm waters of the Gulf of
>e?ico or the Gulf of 1alifornia" This almost uninterrupted flow of
water provides ample supplies for drinking water and for crop irrigation
and industrial production"
The nited !tates has many other natural advantages" A wide array
of valuable mineral resources, such as oil, natural gas, iron ore, coal,
lead, Binc, phosphate, silver, and copper, benefits mining and industry"
The shallow waters along the coastline, known as the continental shelf,
serve as a rich breeding ground for marine life, which promotes
commercial and sport fishing" The comprehensive network of rivers also
provides transportation routes for bulk cargo and the potential for the
development of hydroelectricity"
444 C":#"'+: D06%'(0#8 4444444444
he nited !tates is certainly one of the most diverse countries of the
world, both from a cultural and an environmental perspective" The
land that is now the nited !tates was home to diverse cultures when the
first 5uropeans and Africans arrived" 7t was inhabited by a variety of
4ative American peoples who spoke more than ,** different languages"
T
T
;
The 5uropeans and Africans added their own varying cultures to this
diversity"
The %, colonies they founded along the eastern seaboard became the
nited !tates in the late %'th century" 0uring the following century, the
new nation added huge chunks of territory, and millions of immigrants
arrived, mainly from 5urope and especially during the years from %'$*
to %(%&" A second migration occurred in the !outhwest, where
@ispanics pushed northward from >e?ico, leaving an indelible imprint"
7n addition, slaves were brought from Africa to work on agricultural
estates in the !outh, where they formed a large percentage of the
population"
;f those who chose to come to the nited !tates, many saw it as a
land of plenty, and certainly that was true" @owever, many Americans
faced e?traordinary hardships as they adapted to a natural and cultural
environment that was sometimes harsh and demanding"
444 U10#8 +1/ D06%'(0#8
44444444444
s the +*th century came to a close, issues arose about whether group
identity challenged national identity" >any Americans wanted to
preserve a sense of national unity while respecting social diversity"
They debated the pros and cons of bilingual education, the impact of
multiculturalism, and the merits of affirmative action policies in
education and employment"
A
A
;rganiBations representing !panish-speaking Americans
began to demand bilingual education in the %($*s" >e?ican
Americans in particular urged the use of !panish in schools and
the teaching of >e?ican American culture" 7n %($' 1ongress
passed the <ilingual 5ducation Act, which enabled foreign
speakers to be educated in their own language" The Aoting
9ights Act of %()# enabled them to vote in their own language"
7n the %('*s opposition to bilingualism grewD opponents
sought to make 5nglish the official language of the nited !tates
and to restrict bilingual school programs" !upporters of bilingual
education replied that forcing students to give up their native
languages weakened their distinctive cultures" ;pponents
contended that bilingual education slowed the pace at which non-
5nglish-speaking students entered the mainstream of society" 7n
2ulticultural
ism is a
concept with
many
meanings,
but it often
refers to
acceptance of
immigrant
and minority
groups as
distinct
communities,
distinguishab
le from the
maority
-0
%((' 1alifornia voters passed 8roposition ++), which sought to replace
bilingual education that had been in place for three decades with a
program of nearly all-5nglish instruction" AriBona passed a similar law
in +***"
>ulticulturalism is a concept with many meanings, but it often
refers to acceptance of immigrant and minority groups as distinct
communities, distinguishable from the maEority population" 3ike
bilingualism, multiculturalism provokes debate" Advocates of
multiculturalism believe that members of minority groups should enEoy
e/ual rights in American society without giving up their diverse ethnic
cultures" >ulticultural education programs, for instance, strive to teach
the content of different cultures, to build tolerance of these cultures, and
to eliminate discrimination" The hope is to enable students to understand
how other cultures view the world" >ulticulturalists reEect the idea of a
melting pot and assimilationD they dismiss the idea that national identity
must be based on a common heritage and values"
1ritics argue that multicultural education creates conflict among
groups more than it fosters tolerance of one group for another" 1ultural
pluralism, critics contend, promotes rivalry and divisions" >oreover,
they assert, 5uropean traditions remain central to American culture and
institutions" !ome critics find multiculturalism a token gesture designed
to hide continuing domination of American culture by the maEority
group" ;thers argue that recognition of cultural differences and group
identities does not help address social and economic disadvantages"
The policy of affirmative action has probably evoked the most
widespread controversy" 8resident Hennedy first used the
term in %($% in an e?ecutive order re/uiring groups that did
business with the government to take affirmative action to
remedy past discrimination against African Americans"
8resident :ohnson reissued the policy in another e?ecutive
order in %($#" 0uring 4i?ons administration, the government
increased affirmative action regulations to include women and
other minorities" To supporters, affirmative action provides
opportunities for members of groups that suffered past
discrimination" To opponents, it is reverse discrimination"
;pponents especially obEect to the use of /uotasFthe setting
aside of a specific number of college admission places or Eob
slotsFfor members of minority groups"
The policy of
affirmative
action has
probably
evoked the
most
widespread
controversy.
--
The !upreme 1ourt dealt with this controversial issue in 8egents of
the (niversity of #alifornia v" Bakke -%()'." The 1ourt upheld the
claim of a white applicant that he had been unconstitutionally denied
admission to a state medical school solely on the basis of race"
@owever, :ustice 3ewis 8owell, :r", wrote in the maEority opinion that
racial preferences in determining admission are permissible if their
purpose is to improve racial diversity among students, and if they do not
stipulate fi?ed /uotas but take race into account as one factor among
many"
!oon affirmative action was e?tended to employment, and the policy
came before the courts in many subse/uent cases" The courts
consistently sustained affirmative action policies" <usinesses and
schools began to use such policies widely" <ut controversy persisted,
and affirmative action continued to be challenged at the polls and in the
courts"
7n %(($ 1alifornia voters approved 8roposition +*(, an initiative
that ended affirmative action throughout the state in public hiring,
purchasing, and other government business" The same year the 6ifth
"!" 1ircuit 1ourt barred the niversity of Te?as 3aw !chool from any
consideration of race or ethnicity in its admissions decisions" The
!upreme 1ourt chose not to review the case"
The debate over affirmative action is likely to continue, in public
and in the courts" Americans will have to balance individual rights
against group rights, to consider problems that involve national identity
versus group identity, to be both colorblind and race-conscious, and to
foster unity while appreciating diversity" ! pluribus unum -from many,
one. thus remains a vital concept" The e?perience of the last decades of
the century suggests that the pursuit of American idealsFof liberty,
e/uality, and democracyFis a process that rests on conflict as well as
consensus"
<UESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
%" 0escribe the geographic diversity of the !A?
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
! pluribus
unum 3from
many, one<
thus remains a
vital concept.
-2
+" What are the natural advantages and disadvantage of the !?
Advantages 0isadvantages
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
," 0iscuss the pros and cons of living in such a huge and diverse country
like the !"
8ros 1ons
&" What brought about the cultural diversity in the !?
#" 3ist and e?plain the positive and negative effects of multiculturalism"
8ositive 5ffects 5?planation
-)
-*
4egative 5ffects 5?planation
-5
$" 0o you know any other countries that have similar cultural diversity
as the !? 5?plain your answer"
)" 0o you think that the diversity in the !, both in terms of geographic
and culture, helps the country to be on top of the world? Why? J Why
not?
'" 1ompare the ! with one of these countries -1hina, :apan, 9ussia,
7ndia, Aietnam. in terms of geographic and cultural diversity and
e?plain the effects caused by diversity on the development of the
countries"
! IIIIIIIIII
-.
(" 7f you could choose where to live, would you like to settle down in a
country with as much diversity as the !? 5?plain your answer"
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
-7
-9
A Brief "istor of the United States
READING 2
The first 5uropeans to reach 4orth America were
7celandic Aikings, led by 3eif 5ricson, about the year %***"
Traces of their visit have been found in the 1anadian
province of 4ewfoundland, but the Aikings failed to
establish a permanent settlement and soon lost contact with
the new continent"
6ive centuries later, the demand for Asian spices, te?tiles,
and dyes spurred 5uropean navigators to dream of shorter
routes between 5ast and West" Acting on behalf of the
!panish crown, in %&(+ the 7talian navigator 1hristopher
1olumbus sailed west from 5urope and landed on one of the
<ahama 7slands in the 1aribbean !ea" Within &* years, !panish
adventurers had carved out a huge empire in 1entral and !outh America"
444 T$% C!:!10+: E'+ 4444444444
he first successful 5nglish colony was founded at :amestown,
Airginia, in %$*)" A few years later, 5nglish 8uritans came to
America to escape religious persecution for their opposition to the
1hurch of 5ngland" 7n %$+*, the 8uritans founded 8lymouth 1olony in
what later became >assachusetts" 8lymouth was the second permanent
<ritish settlement in 4orth America and the first in 4ew 5ngland"
T
T
7n 4ew 5ngland the 8uritans hoped to build a Kcity upon a hillK -- an
ideal community" 5ver since, Americans have viewed their country as a
great e?periment, a worthy model for other nations to follow" The
By 9;// !nglish
settlers had founded
9/ colonies
EEEEEEEEEE.
+. along the
7acific #oast
B. in the Freat
7lains
#. along the
+tlantic
#oast
A '0%= $0(#!'8 != #$% U10#%/
S#+#%(
-;
8uritans believed that government should enforce GodLs morality, and
they strictly punished heretics, adulterers, drunks, and violators of the
!abbath" 7n spite of their own /uest for religious freedom, the 8uritans
practiced a form of intolerant moralism" 7n %$,$ an 5nglish clergyman
named 9oger Williams left >assachusetts and founded the colony of
9hode 7sland, based on the principles of religious freedom and
separation of church and state, two ideals that were later adopted by
framers of the "!" 1onstitution"
1olonists arrived from other 5uropean countries, but the 5nglish
were far better established in America" <y %),, 5nglish settlers had
founded %, colonies along the Atlantic 1oast, from 4ew @ampshire in
the 4orth to Georgia in the !outh" 5lsewhere in 4orth America, the
6rench controlled 1anada and 3ouisiana, which included the vast
>ississippi 9iver watershed" 6rance and 5ngland fought several wars
during the %'th century, with 4orth America being drawn into every
one" The end of the !even CearsL War in %)$, left 5ngland in control of
1anada and all of 4orth America east of the >ississippi"
!oon afterwards 5ngland and its colonies were in conflict" The
mother country imposed new ta?es, in part to defray the cost of fighting
the !even CearsL War, and e?pected Americans to lodge <ritish soldiers
in their homes" The colonists resented the ta?es and resisted the
/uartering of soldiers" 7nsisting that they could be ta?ed only by their
own colonial assemblies, the colonists rallied behind the slogan Kno
ta?ation without representation"K
The picture
describes an
action taken on
"ecember 9D,
9;;/, by a group
of Boston citizens
to protest the
British ta1 on tea
imported to the
colonies. ,hat is
the popular name
for the actionG
EEEEEEEEEE
20
All the ta?es, e?cept one on tea, were removed, but in %)), a group
of patriots responded by staging the <oston Tea 8arty" 0isguised as
7ndians, they boarded <ritish merchant ships and dumped ,&+ crates of
tea into <oston harbor" This provoked a crackdown by the <ritish
8arliament, including the closing of
<oston harbor to shipping" 1olonial
leaders convened the 6irst 1ontinental
1ongress in %))& to discuss the coloniesL
opposition to <ritish rule" War broke out
on April %(, %))#, when <ritish soldiers
confronted colonial rebels in 3e?ington,
>assachusetts" ;n :uly &, %))$, the
1ontinental 1ongress adopted a
0eclaration of 7ndependence"
At first the 9evolutionary War went
badly for the Americans" With few
provisions and little training, American
troops generally fought well, but were
outnumbered and overpowered by the
<ritish" The turning point in the war came
in %))) when American soldiers defeated
the <ritish Army at !aratoga, 4ew Cork"
6rance had secretly been aiding the
Americans, but was reluctant to ally itself
openly until they had proved themselves
in battle" 6ollowing the AmericansL
victory at !aratoga, 6rance and America
signed treaties of alliance, and 6rance
provided the Americans with troops and
warships"
The last maEor battle of the American
9evolution took place at Corktown,
Airginia, in %)'%" A combined force of
American and 6rench troops surrounded
the <ritish and forced their surrender"
6ighting continued in some areas for two
more years, and the war officially ended
7ut the following events in their
correct chronological order
EEE The Boston Tea 7arty
EEE The Battle of Hork Town
EEE The Battle of *aratoga
EEE The "eclaration of
Independence
.
7eorge 9as!ington M%),+-%)((N,
the wars military hero and the first
"!" president
T!o$as :efferson M%)&,-%'+$N,
the principal author of the
0eclaration of 7ndependence and
the third "!" president
.e Fig*res
2-
with the Treaty of 8aris in %)',, by which 5ngland recogniBed
American independence"
444 A N%> N+#0!1 4444444444
n essence, the 1onstitution alleviated AmericansL fear of e?cessive
central power by dividing government into three branches -- legislative
-1ongress., e?ecutive -the president and the federal agencies., and
Eudicial -the federal courts. -- and by including %* amendments known
as the <ill of 9ights to safeguard individual liberties" 1ontinued
uneasiness about the accumulation of power manifested itself in the
differing political philosophies of two towering figures from the
9evolutionary period" George Washington, the warLs military hero and
the first "!" president, headed a party favoring a strong president and
central governmentD Thomas :efferson, the principal author of the
0eclaration of 7ndependence, headed a party preferring to allot more
power to the states, on the theory that they would be more accountable
to the people"
7
7
:efferson became the third president in %'*%" Although he
had intended to limit the presidentLs power, political realities
dictated otherwise" Among other forceful actions, in %'*, he
purchased the vast 3ouisiana Territory from 6rance, almost
doubling the siBe of the nited !tates" The 3ouisiana
8urchase added more than + million s/uare kilometers of
territory and e?tended the countryLs borders as far west as the
9ocky >ountains in 1olorado"
444 S:+6%'8 +1/ #$% C060: 3+'
4444444444
n the first /uarter of the %(th century, the frontier of
settlement moved west to the >ississippi 9iver and beyond"
7n %'+' Andrew :ackson became the first KoutsiderK elected
presidentO a man from the frontier state of Tennessee, born
into a poor family and outside the cultural traditions of the
Atlantic seaboard"
7
7
Although on the surface the :acksonian 5ra was one of
optimism and energy, the young nation was entangled in a
contradiction" The ringing words of the 0eclaration of
7ndependence, Kall men are created e/ual,K were meaningless
for %"# million slaves"
S(ave treat$ent
@Iverseer +rtayou #arrier
whipped me. I was two
months in bed sore from the
whipping. 2y master come
after I was whippedJ he
discharged the overseer.A
The very words of poor
8eter, taken as he sat for his
picture- <aton 9ouge, 3a",
April +, %'$,"
22
7n %'+* southern and northern politicians debated the /uestion of
whether slavery would be legal in the western territories" 1ongress
reached a compromiseO !lavery was permitted in the new state of
>issouri and the Arkansas Territory but barred everywhere west and
north of >issouri" The outcome of the >e?ican War of %'&$-&' brought
more territory into American hands -- and with it the issue of whether to
e?tend slavery" Another compromise, in %'#*, admitted 1alifornia as a
free state, with the citiBens of tah and 4ew >e?ico being allowed to
decide whether they wanted slavery within their borders or not -they did
not."
<ut the issue continued to rankle" After Abraham 3incoln, a foe of
slavery, was elected president in %'$*, %% states left the nion and
proclaimed themselves an independent nation, the 1onfederate !tates of
AmericaO !outh 1arolina, >ississippi, 6lorida, Alabama, Georgia,
.e Fig*re
$ellow citizens, we cannot escape history.
-- Abraham 3incoln,
Annual >essage to 1ongress, %'$+
A0ra!a$ Lin'o(n M%'*(-%'$#N, %$th president of the
nited !tates -%'$%-%'$#. and one of the great leaders
in American history" A humane, far-sighted statesman
in his lifetime, he became a legend and a folk hero after
his death"
Andre; :a'&son M%)$)-%'&#N, seventh president
of the nited !tates -%'+(-%',). and the first
Westerner to be elected president" @is election
marked the end of a political era dominated by the
planter aristocracy of Airginia and the commercial
aristocracy of 4ew 5ngland"
,ithout union our independence and liberty
would never have been achievedJ without union
they never can be maintained. ... The loss of
liberty, of all good government, of peace,
plenty, and happiness, must inevitably follow a
dissolution of the (nion.
-- Andrew :ackson, !econd 7naugural Address,
%',,
.e Fig*re
2)
3ouisiana, Te?as, Airginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and 4orth 1arolina"
The American 1ivil War had begun"
The 1onfederate Army did well in the early part of the war, and
some of its commanders, especially General 9obert 5" 3ee, were
brilliant tacticians" <ut the nion had superior manpower and resources
to draw upon" 7n the summer of %'$, 3ee took a gamble by marching
his troops north into 8ennsylvania" @e met a nion army at Gettysburg,
and the largest battle ever fought on American soil ensued" After three
days of desperate fighting, the 1onfederates were defeated" At the same
time, on the >ississippi 9iver, nion General lysses !" Grant captured
the city of Aicksburg, giving the 4orth control of the
entire >ississippi Aalley and splitting the
1onfederacy in two"
Two years later, after a long campaign involving
forces commanded by 3ee and Grant, the
1onfederates surrendered" The 1ivil War was the
most traumatic episode in American history" <ut it
resolved two matters that had ve?ed Americans
since %))$" 7t put an end to slavery, and it decided
that the country was not a collection of semi-
independent states but an indivisible whole"
44 T$% L+#% -;#$ C%1#"'8
4444444444
Which one was
- the beloved
general of the
!outh?
- the symbol of
nion victory? Ro0ert E+ Lee
M%'*)-%')*N
"(sses S+ 7rant
M%'++, %''#N
.e Fig*res
The war became a lost cause for
the *outh after the Battle of
EEEEEEEEEE.
2*
braham 3incoln was assassinated in %'$#, depriving America of a
leader uni/uely /ualified by background and temperament to heal the
wounds left by the 1ivil War" @is successor, Andrew :ohnson, was a
southerner who had remained loyal to the nion during the war"
4orthern members of :ohnsonLs own party -9epublican. set in motion a
process to remove him from office for allegedly acting too leniently
toward former 1onfederates" :ohnsonLs ac/uittal was an important
victory for the principle of separation of powersO A president should not
be removed from office because 1ongress disagrees with his policies,
but only if he has committed, in the words of the 1onstitution, Ktreason,
bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors"K
A
A
Within a few years after the end of the 1ivil War, the nited !tates
became a leading industrial power, and shrewd businessmen made great
fortunes" The first transcontinental railroad was completed in %'$(D by
%(** the nited !tates had more rail mileage than all of 5urope" The
petroleum industry prospered, and :ohn 0" 9ockefeller of the !tandard
;il 1ompany became one of the richest men in America" Andrew
1arnegie, who started out as a poor !cottish immigrant, built a vast
empire of steel mills" Te?tile mills multiplied in the !outh, and meat-
packing plants sprang up in 1hicago, 7llinois" An electrical industry
flourished as Americans made use of a series of inventionsO the
telephone, the light bulb, the phonograph, the alternating-current motor
and transformer, motion pictures" 7n 1hicago, architect 3ouis !ullivan
used steel-frame construction to fashion AmericaLs distinctive
contribution to the modern cityO the skyscraper"
.e Fig*re
Andre; :o!nson, M%'*'-%')#N, %)th president
of the nited !tates -%'$#-%'$(." Although an
honest and honorable man, Andrew :ohnson
was one of the most unfortunate of 8residents"
@e was the first "!" president to be
impeached" The @ouse of 9epresentatives
charged him with misbehavior in office, and he
escaped conviction in his !enate trial by only
one vote" :ohnson also had trouble cooperating
with other political leaders while proceeding to
accomplish his aims"
25
<ut unrestrained economic growth brought dangers" To limit
competition, railroads merged and set standardiBed shipping rates"
Trusts -- huge combinations of corporations -- tried to establish
monopoly control over some industries, notably oil" These giant
enterprises could produce goods efficiently and sell them cheaply, but
they could also fi? prices and destroy competitors" To counteract them,
the federal government took action" The 7nterstate 1ommerce
1ommission was created in %'') to control railroad rates" The !herman
Antitrust Act of %'(* banned trusts, mergers, and business agreements
Kin restraint of trade"K
7ndustrialiBation brought with it the rise of organiBed labor" The
American 6ederation of 3abor, founded in %''$, was a coalition of trade
unions for skilled laborers" The late %(th century was a period of heavy
immigration, and many of the workers in the new industries were
foreign-born" 6or American farmers, however, times were hard" 6ood
prices were falling, and farmers had to bear the costs of high shipping
rates, e?pensive mortgages, high ta?es, and tariffs on consumer goods"
With the e?ception of the purchase of Alaska from 9ussia in %'$),
American territory had remained fi?ed since %'&'" 7n the %'(*s a new
spirit of e?pansion took hold" The nited !tates followed the lead of
northern 5uropean nations in asserting a duty to KciviliBeK the peoples of
.e Fig*res
:o!n D+
Ro'&efe((er
M%',(-%(,)N,
American
industrialist" At
its peak,
9ockefellerLs
personal fortune
was estimated at
almost =% billion"
The total amount
of his
philanthropic
contributions was
about =##*
million"
Andre; Carnegie
M%',#-%(%(N,
American
industrialist and
philanthropist, who,
at the age of ,,,
when he had an
annual income of
=#*,***, said,
P<eyond this never
earn, make no effort
to increase fortune,
but spend the
surplus each year
for benevolent
purposes"Q
In the 9B:0s
a new spirit
of e1pansion
took hold.
The (nited
*tates
followed the
lead of
northern
!uropean
nations in
asserting a
duty to
KcivilizeK the
peoples of
+sia, +frica,
and %atin
2.
Asia, Africa, and 3atin America" After American newspapers published
lurid accounts of atrocities in the !panish colony of 1uba, the nited
!tates and !pain went to war in %'('" When the war was over, the
nited !tates had gained a number of possessions from !painO 1uba, the
8hilippines, 8uerto 9ico, and Guam" 7n an unrelated action, the nited
!tates also ac/uired the @awaiian 7slands"
Cet Americans, who had themselves thrown off the shackles of
empire, were not comfortable with administering one" 7n %(*+ American
troops left 1uba, although the new republic was re/uired to grant naval
bases to the nited !tates" The 8hilippines obtained limited self-
government in %(*) and complete independence in %(&$" 8uerto 9ico
became a self-governing commonwealth within the nited !tates, and
@awaii became a state in %(#( -as did Alaska."
444 T$% P'!2'%((06% M!6%?%1#
4444444444
hile Americans were venturing abroad, they were also taking a fresh
look at social problems at home" 0espite the signs of prosperity, up
to half of all industrial workers still lived in poverty" 4ew Cork, <oston,
1hicago, and !an 6rancisco could be proud of their museums,
universities, and public libraries -- and ashamed of their slums" The
prevailing economic dogma had been laisseB faireO let the government
interfere with commerce as little as possible" About %(** the
8rogressive >ovement arose to reform society and individuals through
government action" The movementLs supporters were primarily
economists, sociologists, technicians, and civil servants who sought
scientific, cost-effective solutions to political problems"
W
W
27
!ocial workers went into the slums to establish settlement houses,
which provided the poor with health services and recreation"
8rohibitionists demanded an end to the sale of li/uor, partly to prevent
the suffering that alcoholic husbands inflicted on their wives and
children" 7n the cities, reform politicians fought corruption, regulated
public transportation, and built municipally owned utilities" !tates
passed laws restricting child labor, limiting workdays, and providing
compensation for inEured workers"
!ome Americans favored more radical ideologies" The !ocialist
8arty, led by 5ugene A" 0ebs, advocated a peaceful, democratic
transition to a state-run economy" <ut socialism never found a solid
footing in the nited !tates -- the partyLs best showing in a presidential
race was $ percent of the vote in %(%+"
444 3+' +1/ P%+&% 4444444444
hen World War 7 erupted in 5urope in %(%&, 8resident Woodrow
Wilson urged a policy of strict American neutrality" GermanyLs
declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare against all ships bound for
W
W
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n

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s
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a
l
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29
Allied ports undermined that position" When 1ongress declared war on
Germany in %(%), the American army was a force of only +**,***
soldiers" >illions of men had to be drafted, trained, and shipped across
the submarine-infested Atlantic" A full year passed before the "!"
Army was ready to make a significant contribution to the war effort"
<y the fall of %(%', GermanyLs position had become hopeless" 7ts
armies were retreating in the face of a relentless American buildup" 7n
;ctober Germany asked for peace, and an armistice was declared on
4ovember %%" 7n %(%( Wilson himself went to Aersailles to help draft
the peace treaty" Although he was cheered by crowds in the Allied
capitals, at home his international outlook was less popular" @is idea of
a 3eague of 4ations was included in the Treaty of Aersailles, but the
"!" !enate did not ratify the treaty, and the nited !tates did not
participate in the league"
The maEority of Americans did not mourn the defeated treaty" They
turned inward, and the nited !tates withdrew from 5uropean affairs"
At the same time, Americans
were becoming hostile to
foreigners in their midst" 7n
%(%( a series of terrorist
bombings produced the
K9ed !care"K nder the
authority of Attorney
General A" >itchell 8almer,
political meetings were
raided and several hundred
foreign-born political
radicals were deported, even
.e Fig*re
The world must be made safe for democracy.
-- Woodrow Wilson
9oodro; 9i(son M%'#$-%(+&N, +'th president of
the nited !tates -%(%,-%(+%., enacted significant
reform legislation and led the nited !tates during
World War 7 -%(%&-%(%'." WilsonLs belief in
international cooperation through an association of
nations led to the creation of the 3eague of 4ations
and ultimately to the nited 4ations" 6or his efforts
in this direction, he was awarded the %(%( 4obel
8riBe for peace"
The 9:C0s
were an
e1traordinary
and confusing
time, when
hedonism
coe1isted with
puritanical
conservatism.
Hlan members at a rally during the %(+*Ls
2;
though most of them were innocent of any crime" 7n %(+% two 7talian-
born anarchists, 4icola !acco and <artolomeo AanBetti, were convicted
of murder on the basis of shaky evidence" 7ntellectuals protested, but in
%(+) the two men were electrocuted" 1ongress enacted immigration
limits in %(+% and tightened them further in %(+& and %(+(" These
restrictions favored immigrants from Anglo-!a?on and 4ordic
countries"
The %(+*s were an e?traordinary and confusing time, when
hedonism coe?isted with puritanical conservatism" 7t was the age of
8rohibitionO 7n %(+* a constitutional amendment outlawed the sale of
alcoholic beverages" Cet drinkers cheerfully evaded the law in
thousands of KspeakeasiesK -illegal bars., and gangsters made illicit
fortunes in li/uor" 7t was also the 9oaring Twenties, the age of EaBB and
spectacular silent movies and such fads as flagpole-sitting and goldfish-
swallowing" The Hu Hlu? Hlan, a racist organiBation born in the !outh
after the 1ivil War, attracted new followers and terroriBed blacks,
1atholics, :ews, and immigrants" At the same time, a 1atholic, 4ew
Cork Governor Alfred 5" !mith, was a 0emocratic candidate for
president"
)0
6or big business, the %(+*s were golden years" The nited !tates
was now a consumer society, with booming markets for radios, home
appliances, synthetic te?tiles, and plastics" ;ne of the most admired men
of the decade was @enry 6ord, who had introduced the assembly line
into automobile factories" 6ord could pay high wages and still earn
enormous profits by mass-producing the >odel T, a car that millions of
buyers could afford" 6or a moment, it seemed that Americans had the
>idas touch"
<ut the superficial prosperity masked deep problems" With profits
soaring and interest rates low, plenty of money was available for
investment" >uch of it, however, went into reckless speculation in the
stock market" 6rantic bidding pushed prices far above stock sharesL real
value" 7nvestors bought stocks Kon margin,K borrowing up to (* percent
of the purchase price" The bubble burst in %(+(" The stock market
crashed, triggering a worldwide depression"
444 T$% G'%+# D%,'%((0!1 4444444444
Henr Ford
M%'$,-%(&)N,
American
industrialist, best
known for his
pioneering
achievements in
the automobile
industry"
@enry 6ord with a >odel T in %(+%" About one
million >odel TLs were produced that year"
.e Fig*re
If you think you can do a thing or think you canLt do a thing, youLre right.
-- @enry 6ord
)-
y %(,+ thousands of American banks and over %**,*** businesses
had failed"
7ndustrial
production was
cut in half, wages
had decreased $*
percent, and one
out of every four
workers was
unemployed" That
year 6ranklin 0"
9oosevelt was
elected president
on the platform of
Ka 4ew 0eal for
the American
people"K
<
<
9ooseveltLs
Eaunty self-confidence galvaniBed the nation" KThe only thing we have to
fear is fear itself,K he said at his inauguration" @e followed up these
words with decisive action" Within three months -- the historic K@undred
0aysK -- 9oosevelt had rushed through 1ongress a great number of laws
to help the economy recover" !uch new agencies as the 1ivilian
1onservation 1orps and the Works 8rogress Administration created
millions of Eobs by undertaking the construction of roads, bridges,
airports, parks, and public buildings" 3ater the !ocial !ecurity Act set up
contributory old-age and survivorsL pensions"
;fficial violence against the unemployed during the Great 0epression"
)2
9ooseveltLs 4ew 0eal programs did not end the 0epression"
Although the economy improved, full recovery had to await the defense
buildup preceding AmericaLs entry into World War 77"
444 3!':/ 3+' II 4444444444
gain neutrality was the initial American response to the outbreak of
war in 5urope in %(,(" <ut the bombing of 8earl @arbor naval base
in @awaii by the :apanese in 0ecember %(&% brought the nited !tates
into the war, first against :apan and then against its allies, Germany and
7taly"
A
A
American, <ritish, and !oviet war planners agreed to concentrate on
defeating Germany first" <ritish and American forces landed in 4orth
Africa in 4ovember %(&+, proceeded to !icily and the 7talian mainland
in %(&,, and liberated 9ome on :une &, %(&&" Two days later -- 0-0ay --
Allied forces landed in 4ormandy" 8aris was liberated on August +&,
and by !eptember American units had crossed the German border" The
Germans finally surrendered on >ay #, %(&#"
The war against :apan came to a swift end in August
of %(&#, when 8resident @arry Truman ordered the use
of atomic bombs against the cities of @iroshima and
4agasaki" 4early +**,*** civilians were killed"
Although the matter can still provoke heated discussion,
the argument in favor of dropping the bombs was that
casualties on both sides would have been greater if the
Allies had been forced to invade :apan"
444 T$% C!:/ 3+' 4444444444
new international congress, the nited 4ations,
came into being after the war, and this time the
nited !tates Eoined" !oon tensions developed between
the nited !tates and its wartime ally the !oviet nion"
Although !oviet leader :oseph !talin had promised to
support free elections in all the liberated nations of
A
A
.e Fig*re
The only thing we have to fear is fear
itself.
--6ranklin 0" 9oosevelt
Fran&(in D+ Rooseve(t M%''+-%(&#N, ,+nd
president of the nited !tates -%(,,-%(&#."
9oosevelt served longer than any other
president" @is unprecedented election to
four terms in office will probably never be
repeated"
2ushroom cloud from the nuclear
e1plosion over 'agasaki rising 9B
km 3D0,000 ft< into the air.
))
5urope, !oviet forces imposed 1ommunist dictatorships in eastern
5urope" Germany became a divided country, with a western Bone under
Eoint <ritish, 6rench, and American occupation and an eastern Bone
under !oviet occupation" 7n the spring of %(&' the !oviets sealed off
West <erlin in an attempt to starve the isolated city into submission" The
western powers responded with a massive airlift of food and fuel until
the !oviets lifted the blockade in >ay %(&(" A month earlier the nited
!tates had allied with <elgium, 1anada, 0enmark, 6rance, 7celand,
7taly, 3u?embourg, the 4etherlands, 4orway, 8ortugal, and the nited
Hingdom to form the 4orth Atlantic Treaty ;rganiBation -4AT;."
;n :une +#, %(#*, armed with !oviet weapons and acting with
!talinLs approval, 4orth HoreaLs army invaded !outh Horea" Truman
immediately secured a commitment from the nited 4ations to defend
!outh Horea" The war lasted three years, and the final settlement left
Horea divided"
6rom %(&# until %()* the nited !tates enEoyed a long period of
economic growth, interrupted only by mild and brief recessions" 6or the
first time a maEority of Americans enEoyed a comfortable standard of
living" 7n %($*, ## percent of all households owned washing machines,
)) percent owned cars, (* percent had television sets, and nearly all had
refrigerators" At the same time, the nation was moving slowly to
establish racial Eustice"
7n %($* :ohn 6" Hennedy was elected president" Coung, energetic,
and handsome, he promised to Kget the country moving againK after the
eight-year presidency of 0wight 0" 5isenhower, the aging World War 77
general" 7n ;ctober %($+ Hennedy was faced with what turned out to be
the most drastic crisis of the 1old War" The !oviet nion had been
caught installing nuclear missiles in 1uba, close enough to reach
American cities in a matter of minutes" Hennedy imposed a naval
blockade on the island" !oviet 8remier 4ikita Hhrushschev ultimately
agreed to remove the missiles, in return for an American promise not to
invade 1uba"
7n April %($% the !oviets capped a series of triumphs in space by
sending the first man into orbit around the 5arth" 8resident Hennedy
responded with a promise that Americans would walk on the moon
before the decade was over" This promise was fulfilled in :uly of %($(,
when astronaut 4eil Armstrong stepped out of the Apollo %% spacecraft
and onto the moonLs surface"
)*
Hennedy did not live to see this culmination" @e had been
assassinated in %($," @e was not a universally popular president, but his
death was a terrible shock to the American people" @is successor,
3yndon <" :ohnson, managed to push through 1ongress a number of
new laws establishing social programs" :ohnsonLs KWar on 8overtyK
included preschool education for poor children, vocational training for
dropouts from school, and community service for slum youths"
0uring his si? years in office, :ohnson became preoccupied with the
Aietnam War" <y %($', #**,*** American troops were fighting in that
small country, previously little known to most of them" Although
politicians tended to view the war as part of a necessary effort to check
communism on all fronts, a growing number of Americans saw no vital
American interest in what happened to Aietnam" 0emonstrations
protesting American involvement broke out on college campuses, and
there were violent clashes between students and police" Antiwar
sentiment spilled over into a wide range of protests against inEustice and
discrimination"
.e Fig*re
ThatLs one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
IIIIIIIIII is the first human to set foot on the moon"
.e Fig*re
ThatLs one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
IIIIIIIIII is the first human to set foot on the moon"
)5
.e Fig*res
%at'! ea'! ite$ ;it! t!e president it
des'ri0es+
A" M%''&-%()+N, ,,rd president of the nited
!tates -%(&#-%(#,. IIIIII
<" M%(%)-%($,N, ,#th president of the nited
!tates -%($%-%($,. IIIIII
1" M%(*'-%(),N, ,$th president of the nited
!tates -%($,-%($(. IIIIII
0" M%(%,-%((&N, ,)th president of the nited
!tates -%($(-%()&. IIIIII
5" the president that initiated the foreign policy
of containing 1ommunism, a policy that was the
hallmark of the 1old War IIIIII
6" the only president to have resigned from
office IIIIII
G" the youngest person ever to be elected
president IIIIII
@" the president that sent combat troops to
!outh Aietnam in %($# and conducted a
growing military action against 1ommunist
forces there IIIIII
7" +nd so, my fellow +mericans, ask not what
your country can do for youJ ask what you
can do for your country. IIIIII
:" Im not a crook. IIIIII
H" I am going to build the kind of nation that
7resident 8oosevelt hoped for, 7resident
Truman worked for, and 7resident 5ennedy
died for. IIIIII
3" The buck stops here. IIIIII
->otto kept on his desk during his term as
president."
Ri'!ard Nixon
Lndon :o!nson
:o!n .enned
Harr Tr*$an
).

!tung by his increasing unpopularity, :ohnson decided not to run for
a second full term" 9ichard 4i?on was elected president in %($'" @e
pursued a policy of AietnamiBation, gradually replacing American
soldiers with Aietnamese" 7n %(), he signed a peace treaty with 4orth
Aietnam and brought American soldiers home" 4i?on achieved two
other diplomatic breakthroughsO re-establishing "!" relations with the
8eopleLs 9epublic of 1hina and negotiating the first !trategic Arms
3imitation Treaty with the !oviet nion" 7n %()+ he easily won re-
election"
0uring that presidential campaign, however, five men had been
arrested for breaking into 0emocratic 8arty
head/uarters at the Watergate office building
in Washington, 0"1" :ournalists investigating
the incident discovered that the burglars had
been employed by 4i?onLs re-election
committee" The White @ouse made matters
worse by trying to conceal its connection
with the break-in" 5ventually, tape
recordings made by the president himself
revealed that he had been involved in the
cover-up" <y the summer of %()&, it was
clear that 1ongress was about to impeach
and convict him" ;n August (, 9ichard
4i?on became the only "!" president to
resign from office"
Throughout the %('*s, the !oviet nion
fought an increasingly frustrating war in Afghanistan" At the same time,
the !oviet economy faced the continuously escalating costs of the arms
race" 0issent at home grew while the stagnant economy faltered under
the combined burden" Attempted reforms at home left the !oviet nion
unwilling to rebuff challenges to its control in 5astern 5urope" 0uring
%('( and %((*, the <erlin Wall came down, borders opened, and free
elections ousted 1ommunist regimes everywhere in eastern 5urope" 7n
late %((% the !oviet nion itself dissolved into its component republics"
With stunning speed, the 7ron 1urtain was lifted and the 1old War came
to an end"
444 D%&+/%( != C$+12% 4444444444
'ow we have a problem in
making our power credible,
and &ietnam is the place.
-- :ohn 6" Hennedy, %($%
)7
fter World War 77 the presidency had alternated between 0emocrats
and 9epublicans, but, for the most part, 0emocrats had held
maEorities in the 1ongress -- in both the @ouse of 9epresentatives and
the !enate" A string of +$ consecutive years of 0emocratic
control was broken in %('*, when the 9epublicans gained a
maEority in the !enateD at the same time, 9epublican 9onald
9eagan was elected president" This change marked the onset of
a volatility that has characteriBed American voting patterns ever
since"
A
A
Whatever their attitudes toward 9eaganLs policies, most
Americans credited him with a capacity for instilling pride in
their country and a sense of optimism about the future" 7f there
was a central theme to his domestic policies, it was that the
federal government had become too big and federal ta?es too
high"
0espite a growing federal budget deficit, in %(', the "!"
economy entered into one of the longest periods of sustained
growth since World War 77" The 9eagan administration
suffered a defeat in the %('$ elections, however, when
0emocrats regained control of the !enate" The most serious
issue of the day was the revelation that the nited !tates had
secretly sold arms to 7ran in an attempt to win freedom for
American hostages held in 3ebanon and to finance
antigovernment forces in 4icaragua at a time when 1ongress
had prohibited such aid" 0espite these revelations, 9eagan
continued to enEoy strong popularity throughout his second
term in office"
@is successor in %('', 9epublican George <ush, benefited
from 9eaganLs popularity and continued many of his policies"
When 7ra/ invaded oil-rich Huwait in %((*, <ush put together a
multinational coalition that liberated Huwait early in %((%"
<y %((+, however, the American electorate had become
restless again" Aoters elected <ill 1linton, a 0emocrat,
president, only to turn around two years later and give
9epublicans their first maEority in both the @ouse and !enate in
&* years" >eanwhile, several perennial debates had broken out
anew -- between advocates of a strong federal government and
believers in decentraliBation of power, between advocates of
.e Fig*re
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
)int 9. )e appeared
in =/ films.
)int C. +t the end of
his two terms in
office, he felt he had
fulfilled his campaign
pledge of 9:B0 to
restore Kthe great,
confident roar of
+merican progress
and growth and
optimism.K
.e Fig*re
Bill #linton, the
first (.*. president
to visit &ietnam
)9
prayer in public schools and defenders of separation of church and state,
between those who emphasiBe swift and sure punishment of criminals
and those who seek to address the underlying causes of crime"
1omplaints about the influence of money on political campaigns
inspired a movement to limit the number of terms elected officials could
serve" This and other discontents with the system led to the formation of
the strongest Third-8arty movement in generations, led by Te?as
businessman @" 9oss 8erot"
Although the economy was strong in the mid-%((*s, two phenomena
were troubling many Americans" 1orporations were resorting more and
more to a process known as downsiBingO trimming the work force to cut
costs despite the hardships this inflicted on workers" And in many
industries the gap between the annual compensations of corporate
e?ecutives and common laborers had become enormous" 5ven the
maEority of Americans who enEoy material comfort worry about a
perceived decline in the /uality of life, in the strength of the family, in
neighborliness and civility" Americans probably remain the most
optimistic people in the world, but with the century drawing to a close,
opinion polls showed that trait in shorter supply than usual"
444 BEGINNING OF THE 2-
(#
CENTURY
4444444444
.e Fig*re
'ame the president in the picture. ,hat war is he associated
withG
);
y the end of the +*th century the 1old War had ended, and the nited
!tates was riding a wave of unparalleled economic prosperity" <ut
Americans learned at the dawn of the +%st century that they were not
immune to the dangers posed by a volatile and turbulent world"
<
<
;n !eptember %%, +**%, terrorists carried out a devastating attack on
the World Trade 1enter in 4ew Cork 1ity and the 8entagon in
Washington, 0"1" 7t was the first enemy action on American soil since
the :apanese attacked 8earl @arbor in %(&%" The attack punctured
forever any national illusions that the nited !tates was invulnerable"
The country also faced an economic recession beginning in +**% in
which more than a million Eobs were lost" The recession reminded the
country that economic good times were not guaranteed to last forever"
While new realities spawned new fears, they also revealed reserves of
resilience and strength in the national character" 6aced with une?pected
challenges, a resourceful and increasingly diverse country showed the
world that it could not be easily demoraliBed"
A1 I1&'%+(012:8 D06%'(% P!,":+#0!1
The nited !tates had a larger, more diverse population than ever as
the +%st century began" According to the +*** census, the population
grew to more than +'% million people during the %((*s, an increase of
,+") million since the %((* census" @ispanic Americans fueled much of
the population increase" The fastest-growing minority group in the
nited !tates, the @ispanic population grew from ++"& million to ,#",
million, a #'-percent increase, between %((* and +***" The Asian
American population grew by &' percent in the %((*s" The census also
showed that, for the first time since the early %(,*s, one out of every ten
Americans was foreign-born" The country was getting older as well" The
median age in the nited !tates rose to ,#", years, higher than ever" The
fastest-growing age group was a segment of the so-called Pbaby-boomQ
generationFpeople between &# and #&"
>ost of the population growth took place in the West and !outh in
cities such as 0enver, 1olorado, and Atlanta, Georgia" <ig cities in the
4orth and 5ast such as 8hiladelphia, 8ennsylvania, and 0etroit,
>ichigan, lost population in the %((*s" The nations midsection also
emptied out" !i?ty percent of the counties in the Great 8lains states
-Te?as, ;klahoma, 7owa, 4ebraska, Hansas, >innesota, and 4orth and
!outh 0akota. lost people" 4early +,,**,*** s/ km -(**,*** s/ mi. in
The (nited
*tates had a
larger, more
diverse
population
than ever as
the C9st
century
began.
*0
this region met the definition of frontierO land populated by si? or less
people per s/uare mile -+", people per s/uare kilometer."
The American family also underwent dramatic changes" 1ensus data
revealed that for the first time, married couples with children
represented less than a /uarter of all "!" households -+,"# percent,
down from ,'"' percent in %()*." The number of single mothers, single
fathers, and unmarried couples grew sharply" @owever, the decline in
the number of so-called nuclear familiesFtwo adults and their children
Fdid not necessarily signal a breakdown in traditional families" >any
married couples were simply waiting longer to have children" And more
couples were living longer after their children left home" Two troubling
trends, divorce and out-of-wedlock births, slowed their growth in the
%((*s"
*-
T$% B"($ A/?010(#'+#0!1
s 8resident 1lintons second term came to an end, the country geared
up for the +*** presidential election" The main candidates were
1lintons vice president, Al Gore, and Te?as governor George W" <ush,
the son of former president George @erbert Walker <ush" A 0emocrat,
Gore stressed protecting the environment and improving education"
A
A
Co$pare t!e t;o fo((o;ing pop*(ation pra$ids
United States Population Pyramid for 200
Age and se? distribution for the year +**#O
United States Population Pyramid for !"0
Age and se? distribution for the year %(#*O
*2
<ush, the 9epublican candidate, campaigned as a Pcompassionate
conservative,Q advocating a ta? cut and conservative social policies"
The resulting vote was like no other in "!" history" 6or five weeks
after the election, the outcome of the race between <ush and Gore
remained undecided" The critical state was 6lorida, where <ush led by
Eust a few hundred votes" A bitter legal dispute arose over the recounting
of some ballots in that state" After a tangled series of court hearings and
recounts in some areas of the state, the "!" !upreme 1ourt ruled # to &
that the counting should end" The decision effectively awarded 6loridas
electoral votes and the election to <ush" Although Gore won the nations
overall popular vote by more than #**,*** votes out of %*# million cast,
<ush captured +)% electoral votes to Gores +$$, and thus the
presidency" The e?traordinary closeness of the election reflected, at least
to some e?tent, the publics doubts about whether either man was
prepared to be president" 7t also showed that the country remained
deeply divided over which political party was best able to address its
problems"
;nce in office <ush focused on ta? cuts, education reform, and an
e?panded role for church-based charities in running social programs" 7n
:une +**% 1ongress approved <ushs =%",# trillion dollar ta? cut, which
took effect over a ten-year period, lowered income ta? rates for all
ta?payers, and included a small refund to many ta?payers" 7n :anuary
+**+ <ush signed into law an education bill that established, among
other things, performance standards for public schools"
T%''!'0(# A##+&@( !1 #$% U10#%/ S#+#%(
3ook at the cartoon" What does it
illustrate?
*)
merican life changed forever on the morning of !eptember %%, +**%"
Terrorists hiEacked four commercial Eetliners, crashing two into the
World Trade 1enter towers in 4ew Cork 1ity, which collapsed into
smoldering rubble" Another hit the 8entagon in Arlington, Airginia,
while the fourth plane crashed in rural 8ennsylvania after what was
believed to be a passenger uprising against the hiEackers" >ore than
,,*** people died in the attacks"
A
A
America was suddenly at war" The government shut down all air
traffic for two days as fighter Eets patrolled the skies" 4ational Guard
troops were deployed on the streets in 4ew Cork 1ity and Washington,
0"1" The maEor stock e?changes were closed"
The event traumatiBed the nation" >ost Americans saw their country
as virtually unassailable as the +%st century began" With the 1old War
over, Americas status as the worlds lone superpower seemed secure"
<ut as millions watched the catastrophe unfold on television, it was
clear that the country was vulnerable in ways that most people had not
imagined"
"escribe the picture
**
After the initial shock, the country mobiliBed" Aolunteers flooded
blood banks and military recruiting stations" >illions of dollars were
raised for the families of victims" A new patriotic sentiment surfaced as
sales of American flags surged" >any people spoke of simplifying their
lives and of spending more time with family and friends"
The "!" government /uickly identified the hiEackers as members of
al-Raeda, an organiBation that, according to "!" officials, connected
and coordinated fundamentalist 7slamic terrorist groups around the
world" The government also believed that al-Raeda was responsible for
other attacks, including the bombings of "!" embassies in TanBania and
Henya in %((' and the attack on the 4avy ship "!"!" 1ole in Cemen in
+***" 7ts leader, a wealthy !audi businessman named ;sama bin 3aden,
had pledged Eihad, or holy war, against the nited !tates for its activities
in the >iddle 5ast" The group made their head/uarters in Afghanistan,
where it was supported by the countrys rulers, an 7slamic
fundamentalist movement known as the Taliban"
7nstead of launching an immediate
attack, <ush spent the first days following
the terrorist attacks consulting with
military leaders and assembling a
coalition of nations to fight terrorism" The
coalition included countries in the 4orth
Atlantic Treaty ;rganiBation -4AT;.
alliance such as <ritain and key neighbors
of Afghanistan such as 7ndia and
8akistan"
6ears rose again in early ;ctober
when a powdered form of the bacterium
known as anthra? began to appear in letters in some places around the
country" Anthra? lives in the soil and is most often found in grass-eating
animals such as cattle" 7t forms hard-to-kill spores that, when ingested,
can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections" ;ver the ne?t few
weeks, anthra? killed five people in 6lorida, 4ew Cork, 1onnecticut,
and Washington, 0"1" 7t also forced the temporary closure of two
congressional office buildings" At first some investigators thought that
the outbreak was another form of attack by al-Raeda" As the
investigation progressed, however, some came to believe that someone
inside the nited !tates was responsible"
*5
7n early ;ctober the nited !tates went to war, bombing al-Raeda
training camps and missile installations in Afghanistan" Within a few
weeks, "!" marines Eoined with Afghan opposition groups to topple the
Taliban" The "!" forces killed or captured many al-Raeda fighters, but
bin 3aden remained at large" There were rumors that he had died in the
fighting, and other stories that he escaped to 8akistan" Although the first
phase of military action in Afghanistan ended /uickly, 8resident <ush
warned Americans that the war against terrorism would likely be a long
one involving many other countries"
3+' >0#$ I'+A
After the nited !tates toppled the Taliban in Afghanistan, the <ush
administration turned its attention to 7ra/" Although a "!"-led coalition
had defeated 7ra/ in the 8ersian Gulf War in %((%, 7ra/s leader,
!addam @ussein, remained in power" After that war ended, the nited
4ations -4. ordered 7ra/ to destroy its biological and chemical
weapons" Weapons inspectors were sent to 7ra/ to monitor its
disarmament" @owever, in %((' 7ra/ announced that it would no longer
cooperate with the 4, and 4 weapons inspectors left the country"
7n +**+ the <ush administration put a renewed focus on 7ra/ as part
of its war on terrorism" 7t claimed that 7ra/ supported terrorist
organiBations and still had an arsenal of banned weapons" The nited
!tates pressed the 4 to force 7ra/ to allow weapons inspectors back
into the country" 7n ;ctober the "!" 1ongress passed a resolution
authoriBing the president to use military force against 7ra/ if 7ra/ did not
cooperate with the 4" The ne?t month the 4 passed a resolution
cosponsored by the nited !tates and <ritain ordering the immediate
return of weapons inspectors to 7ra/ and threatening Pserious
conse/uencesQ if 7ra/ did not disarm" 7ra/ agreed to comply with the
resolution, and inspectors began working in 7ra/ that same month"
*.
7n early +**, the nited !tates and <ritain claimed that 7ra/ was not
cooperating with 4 weapons inspectors, and they sought 4
authoriBation of force against 7ra/" @owever, some countries, including
6rance, Germany, 9ussia, and 1hina, wanted to give the inspections
more time to proceed and opposed military action" After weeks of
diplomatic wrangling, the nited !tates decided to forgo 4 approval
and pursue military action against 7ra/ with a coalition of willing
countries"
7n >arch +**, "!"-led forces invaded 7ra/" <y mid-April they had
captured the capital city of <aghdSd and other maEor populations centers
and overthrown the regime of !addam @ussein" The nited !tates and
its allies then began the process of rebuilding 7ra/ and establishing an
interim 7ra/i government"
T$% F+:#%'012 E&!1!?8
fter nearly a decade of unprecedented e?pansion during the %((*s,
the American economy began to show signs of a slump at the
beginning of the +%st century" 7n +*** the so-called dot-com bubbleF
the e?plosion of companies that sprouted up to take advantage of the
7nternetFburst" Analysts cited many reasons for the failure of these
companies" Among them was that investors overestimated the e?tent to
which consumers were willing to buy goods and services online" When
venture capitalistsFthe people and companies that provide money to
A
A
,hat points is the cartoon makingG
*7
start-up businessesFbecame reluctant to invest new funds, the collapse
began"
As many 7nternet companies went out of business, the stock prices of
once high-flying companies such as 1isco !ystems, 7nc", and 3ucent
Technologies began to plummet" ;ther large companies such as
>icrosoft 1orporation and A;3 Time Warner, 7nc", announced that
they would not meet proEected profits" And Eust as high-technology
stocks fueled the markets rise, they dragged the market down" <oth the
0ow :ones 7ndustrial Average and The 4asda/ !tock >arket ended
+*** with a loss"
!oon the rest of the economy started to weaken" The 4ational <ureau
of 5conomic 9esearch, a respected group of economists, estimated that
the "!" economy actually stopped growing in >arch +**%"
>anufacturing and employment began to decline" The big automobile
companies shut down plants and laid off thousands of workers" As
businesspeople traveled less, airlines began cutting back" <y the end of
+**%, corporate profits had suffered one of their steepest drops in
decades"
>any economists believe that the terrorist attacks of !eptember %%,
+**%, made the countrys slumping economy even worse" After
remaining closed for several days after the terrorist attacks, the stock
market suffered a record plunge when it reopened, with an?ious
investors selling off their holdings" 1ompanies continued to trim
workers, accelerating a downsiBing that would total more than % million
Eobs by the end of +**%" nemployment reached '", million in
0ecember +**%, the highest in seven years"
The federal government tried to cushion the economic blows" Within
two weeks of the terror attacks, 1ongress approved =%# billion in aid for
the devastated airline industry" <ut with billions of additional dollars
earmarked for defense spending and domestic security in the wake of
!eptember %%, the government only had a limited ability to cope with
the faltering economy"
@owever, there were some hopeful signs as +**+ began" The stock
market rebounded strongly, and the pace of corporate layoffs slowed"
7nterest rate cuts by the 6ederal 9eserve helped some sectors of the
economy" !tudies showed that even after the terrorist attacks, American
consumers continued to buy homes and cars in record numbers" <ut the
*9
nited !tates faced a long, steep, and uncertain climb back to the heady
economic days of the %((*"
C!?,'%$%1(0!1 <UESTIONS
8ut the each of the following events in its right place in the chart of !
historical dates"
A" The nited !tates fought in World War 7, confirming its status as a
world power"
<" The area of the nited !tates nearly doubled in siBe after 8resident
Thomas :efferson ac/uired the territory of 3ouisiana from 6rance in a
transaction known as the 3ouisiana 8urchase"
1" :apan attacked ! forces at 8earl @arbor, @awaii, pulling the nites
!tates into World War 77"
0" The 1ontinental 1ongress adopted the 0eclaration of 7ndependence at
8hiladelphia"
5" !everal !outhern slave states seceded in :anuary and formed the
1onfederate !tates of America" The American 1ivil War broke out in
April"
6" The first permanent <ritish settlement in America was established at
:amestown, Airginia"
G" The 1onfederacy surrendered, bringing an end to the 1ivil War"
!lavery was abolished throughout the nited !tates" 8residents
Abraham 3incoln was assassinated"
@" ! astronauts became the first people to land on the moon"
7" 6ranklin 9oosevelt became president and introduced a series of
economic and social reforms known as the 4ew 0eal" 8rohibition was
repeated"
:" ! troops fought in the Horean War"
H" ! forces fought in the Aietnam War, which sparked widespread
protests in the nited !tates"
*;
I?,!'#+1# D+#%(
!# !$ !pain founded the first permanent 5uropean settlement in
what is now the nited !tates at !aint Augustine, 6lorida,
@owever, 4ative Americans had lived on the continent for
thousands of years"
2# !$0% IIIII
&# !%$& Great <ritain gained control of eastern 4orth America at the
end of the !even Cears War, known in America as the
6rench and 7ndian War"
&" !%%0s <oston became a center of growing American discontent
with <ritish rule, and the American 9evolution began
nearby in %))#"
# !%%$ IIIII
$# !%'! American forces decisively defeated the <ritish at the !iege
of Corktown" Two years later, in the Treaty of 8aris, Great
<ritain recogniBed the independence of the former colonies
as the nited !tates of America"
%# !%'% The 1onstitutional 1ongress met in 8hiladelphia and wrote
the 1onstitution of the nited !tates" All %, states ratified
the 1onstitution by %)(*"
'# !'0& IIIII
(" !'!2-
!'!
The war of %'%+ between Great <ritain and the nited
!tates helped end <ritish interference in American affairs"
!0# !'2& 7n the >onroe 0octrine, 8resident :ames >onroe warned
5uropeans against interfering in the affairs of any country
in the Western @emisphere"
!!# !'(' The nited !tates gained large amounts of territory as a
result of winning the >e?ican War" The new land, coupled
with the ac/uisition of the ;regon country in %'&$,
e?tended the western border of the nited !tates to the
8acific ;cean"
!2# !'$! IIIII
!&# !'$ IIIII
!(# !'$% The nited !tates purchased Alaska from 9ussia"
!# !'%0-
!'"0
The last 4ative American tribes were defeated by the
government forces and pushed onto reservations"
50
!$# !''$ The American 6ederation of 3abor was formed to fight for
workers in an increasingly industrialiBed country"
!%# !'"' The nited !tates won the !panish-American War and
gained territories in the 1aribbean and the 8acific"
!'# !"!( The nited !tates completed construction of the 8anama
1anal, providing a link between the Atlantic and 8acific
oceans"
!"# !"!%-
!"!'
IIIII
20# !"20 Women gained the right to vote" The manufacture and sale
of alcohol was banned, ushering in the era of 8rohibition
2!# !"2" Wild speculation led to a stock market crash, triggering the
Great 0epression"
22# !"&& IIIII
2&# !"(! IIIII
2(# !"( The nited 4ations was established in 4ew Cork"
+#" !"(% The Truman 0octrine was established to help nations resist
!oviet influence" Anticommunist tensions escalated"
2$# !"0-
!"&
IIIII
2%# !"$2 The nited !tates and the nion of !oviet !ocialist
9epublics narrowly avoided war during the 1uban >issile
1risis"
2'# !"$&-
!"$(
7mportant civil rights reforms were passed by 1ongress"
2"# !"$-
!"%&
IIIII
&0# !"$" IIIII
&!# !"%( 7n the wake of the Watergate scandal, 9ichard >" 4i?on
became the first president to resign from office"
&2# !"'0s The ! economy emerged from a recession but was faced
with increasing federal and foreign trade deficits"
&&# !""0-
!"")
! forces led a multinational coalition against 7ra/ during
the 8ersian Gulf War
5-
&(# !""( The 9epublican 8arty swept the 4ovember elections and
won control of both houses of 1ongress for the first time
since %(#&"
&# !"" Terrorists detonated a bomb outside the Alfred 8" >urrah
6edei al <uilding in ;klahoma 1ity causing more than %)*
deaths and largely destroying the building"
&$# !""" <ill 1linton became the second "!" 8resident to be
impeached"
,)" 200! ;n :anuary +*th, George W" <ush was inaugurated the &,rd
president of the nited !tates"
7n early ;ctober the nited !tates went to wars, bombing
al-Raeda training and missile installations in Afghanistan"
,'" 200& "!"-led forces invaded 7ra/
<UESTIONS FOR ="'#$%' DISCUSSION
%" 1hoose three of the important dates listed in the chart that you think
the most significant in the ! history" What impact did they have on the
development of the country?
+" Are there other important events in the history of the ! that you
want to add to the list? What are they? What change-s. did they bring
about to the political, economic and social life of the country?
52
," 1hoose your favorite key figure of the American history" 0o you
think a single leader can shape history? Why or why not?
&" What do you think about the nited !tates use of atomic bombs
against the cities of @iroshima and 4agasaki that killed more than
+**,*** people there and left other heavy conse/uences?
5)
+ dead child after the bombing
#" What do you know about the role of the nited !tates in the cold
war? What do you think about Americas interference into other
countries affairs?
$" What do you think of the Twar against terrorism that the ! president
has launched?
)" What are some reasons for the weakening of the ! economy in the
early +%st century?
The cenotaph at the )iroshima
7eace 7ark is inscribed with a
subectless sentence. K8est in
peace, for 3...< will not repeat
the mistake.K This construction,
natural in the
4apanese language, was
intended to memorialize the
victims of )iroshima without
politicizing the issue.
5*
55
+merica is Fods #rucible, the great 2elting-7ot where all the races of
!urope are melting and reforming Fermans and $renchmen, Irishmen
and !nglishmen, 4ews and 8ussians- into the #rucible with you allM
Fod is making the +mericanM
7srael Uangwill -%(*'.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE on an +tlantic %iner
C$+,#%' 2
C$+,#%' 2
THE MAKING OF THE
THE MAKING OF THE
NATION
NATION
5.
57
The Making of the Nation
READING -
The nited !tates is a society of immigrants" !ince its early days, the
country has admitted more than #* million newcomers, a larger number
of immigrants than any country in history" >ost people came, and still
come today, for wealth, land, and freedom"
444 FIRST IMMIGRANTS 4444444444
tories of the 4ew Worlds
gold attracted the first !panish
e?plorers, who in the %#**s
established outposts in what is
now 6lorida" 8rospects of wealth
also motivated 6rench fur
traders, who set up trading posts
from the !t" 3awrence 9iver to
the Great 3akes and down the
>ississippi 9iver" The <ritish,
who were the first to coloniBe on
a large scale, came for profit and
also for religious freedom" The
first successful 5nglish colony
founded at :amestown, Airginia,
was financed by a 3ondon
company that e?pected to make
money from the settlement"
5nglish 8uritans, 8rotestants
who disagreed with the
teachings of the 1hurch of
5ngland, established settlements
in the northeastern region" 7n the
4ew World they could worship
as they pleased"
!
!
Throughout the %$**s and
%)**s permanent settlements
were rapidly established all
KFive me your tired, your poor,
Hour huddled masses yearning to breathe
free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
*end these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden doorMK
-- 5mma 3aBarus -inscribed on the !tatue of
3iberty.
A 1+#0!1 != 0??02'+1#(
59
along the east coast" >ost of the early settlers were <ritish" These early
immigrants were soon Eoined by people of other nationalities" German
farmers settled in 8ennsylvania, !wedes founded the colony of
0elaware, and the 0utch settled in 4ew Cork" Africans, Americas
unwilling immigrants, provided slave labor in the southern colonies"
7mmigrants also came from 6rance, !pain, and !witBerland"
When they settled in the 4ew World, many immigrants tried to
preserve the traditions, religion, and language of their particular culture"
The language and culture of the more numerous 5nglish colonists,
however, had the overriding influence" American society was
predominantly 5nglish - white Anglo-!a?on 8rotestant -WA!8." Those
immigrants who did not want to feel separate from the dominant WA!8
culture learned 5nglish and adopted 5nglish customs"
S(aves Pa'&ed on a S(ave S!ip
#rowded, unsanitary conditions were the rule for slaves bound for the
+mericas on slave ships. )uman cargo was often packed so tightly that
it was impossible to move. The slave trade proved a lucrative business
for more than C00 years. 2ore than 90 million +fricans were forcibly
transported to the +mericas before the importation of slaves was
abolished in the (nited *tates in 9B0B.
444 A?%'0&+1 INDIANS 4444444444
uropean settlement changed the face of Americas only non-
immigrants, the 4ative American 7ndians" 5uropeans arrived in great
numbers and needed land and game for their survival" They seiBed
7ndian lands through war, threats, and treaties, and they hunted game,
cut forests, and built big cities" To the 7ndians the white men were
5
5
5;
unwanted trespassers" They did not want the Pwhite mans civiliBation"Q
They had their own which had been successful for centuries" The clash
of cultures led to many battles, among them General 1usters famous
3ast !tand at 3ittle <ighorn in %')$" <y the end of the nineteenth
century disease and warfare had almost wiped out the 7ndian population"
Those that remained tried to resist the "!"
governments efforts to confine them to reservations"
The 8lains 7ndians final defeat in %'(* at the <attle of
Wounded Hnee symboliBed the end of the 7ndians
traditional way of life" 6rom the 7ndians perspective,
the story of 5uropean immigration is a story of struggle
and displacement"
Pontia'
7ontiac, the chief of the Ittawa, united indigenous
peoples in the Freat %akes region and in the Ihio and 2ississippi river
valleys in an effort to drive white settlers out of the area, and in so
doing, to restore their autonomy. In 9;D/ he began a two-year siege,
known as 7ontiacs ,ar, against British garrisons in the region, which
ended in his surrender in 9;D=.
444 OLD IMMIGRATION 4444444444
etween %'&* and %'$*, the nited !tates received the greatest influ?
of immigrants ever" 0uring this periods, %* million people
came to America" <y the middle of the century the nited !tates,
with over +, million inhabitants, had a larger population than any
single 5uropean country" The proportion of newcomers increased
rapidly so that by %'$* about %, of every %** persons in the "!"
were recent immigrants"
<
<
7n the mid-%'**s, thousands of 1hinese emigrated to
1alifornia, where most of them worked on the railroad" p until
%''*, the overwhelming maEority of immigrants, however, came
from northern or western 5urope" >any left 5urope to escape
poor harvests, famines or political unrest" <etween %'&# and
%'$*, a serious blight on the potato crop in 7reland sent hundreds
of thousands of 7rish people to the "!" to escape starvation" 7n
one year alone - %'&) - %%',%+* 7rish people settled in the "!"
German immigration was especially heavy" 0uring the peak years of
German immigration, from %'#+ to %'#&, over #**,*** Germans came
The northern
and western
!uropeans
who arrived
between 9B?0
and 9BB0 are
often referred
to as the @old
immigration.
A

.0
to live in the "!" The northern and western 5uropeans who arrived
between %'&* and %''* are often referred to as the Pold immigration"Q
444 SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN 4444444444
new wave of immigration began in the late %'**s" 4orthern and
western 5urope were no longer providing the maEority of the
immigrants" The new immigrants were 3atin, !lavic, and :ewish peoples
from southern and eastern 5urope" Among these new arrivals were
7talians, @ungarians, 8oles, 9ussians, 9umanians, and Greeks, all
people whose languages, customs, and appearance set them
apart conspicuously from the earlier immigrants of 1eltic or
Teutonic origin" This new wave of immigration was so great
that in the peak years of unlimited immigration between %(**
and %(+* the number of immigrants sometimes rose to as
many as a million a year"
A
A
The flood of immigration affected American cities"
7mmigrants were crowding into the largest cities, particularly
4ew Cork and 1hicago, often forming ethnic neighborhoods -
P3ittle 7talysQ or P1hinatownQ - where they preserved their
language and customs" These ethnic enclaves grew at an
astonishing rate" 7n %'(* 4ew Cork was a city of foreignersO
eight out of ten of its residents were foreign-born" 7n %'(,
1hicago had the largest 1Bech population in the world and
almost as many 8oles as Warsaw"
444 NATIVIST SENTIMENT 4444444444
he assimilation of these new southern and eastern peoples
was a source of conflict" >any Americans treated them
with preEudice and hostility, claiming racial superiority of the
4ordic peoples of the old immigration over the !lavic and 3atin peoples
of the new immigration" 9eligious preEudice against 1atholics and :ews
was another factor underlying much of the resentment towards
immigrants" >any old stock Americans observed with alarm that the
ethnic composition of the country was changing and feared that America
was losing its established character and identity" Growing
T
T
This new
wave of
immigration
was so great
that in the
peak years of
unlimited
immigration
between 9:00
and 9:C0 the
number of
immigrants
sometimes
rose to as
many as a
million a
.-
industrialiBation in the late nineteenth century led industries to favor an
Popen doorQ immigration policy to e?pand the labor force" >any
American workers resented new immigrant laborers who were willing to
work for lower wages" Americans feared the immigrants were taking
away their Eobs" The government responded to the preEudices of an older
wave of immigrants" 7n the %(+*s 1ongress pass /uota restrictions
which favored immigration from northern and western 5urope and
drastically limited the number of immigrants from southern and eastern
5urope" 1hinese immigration to the 8acific coast had already been
halted in %''+"
T!e %agi' 9as!er
In this soap advertisement from the late 9B00s (ncle *am, a symbol of
the (nited *tates government, kicks a #hinese immigrant. The bottom of
the poster says @The #hinese 2ust Fo,A referring to the #hinese
!1clusion +ct of 9BBC and the pervasive anti-#hinese preudice of the
time.
444 ASSIMILATION PROCESS 4444444444
he descendents of these turn-of-the-century arrivals were gradually
assimilated into American society" The first generation typically faced
obstacles to assimilation on both sidesO societys discrimination and their
own reluctance to give up their language and culture" Their children,
however, were better able to identify themselves as Americans" <y the
second generation, these families spoke mostly 5nglish and they
practiced fewer ethnic traditions" >embers of the third generation,
usually no longer able to speak the language of their grandparents, often
became nostalgic about family heritage, desiring to regain the ethnic
identity before it was lost" <y the fourth or fifth generation,
intermarriage between ethnic groups usually worked against any
yearnings towards reestablishing the ethnic identity"
T
T
444 RECENT IMMIGRATION
4444444444
lthough immigration dropped after the %(+*s, the
numbers have again risen dramatically, so that recent
statistics indicate an increase to perhaps $**,*** or
even )**,*** per year, when refugees are included"
America is again faced with an assimilation problem"
A
A
.2
The maEority of the newest immigrants come from >e?ico, 3atin
America, or Asia" Among these new comers, the Asians seem most
willing to assimilate" >any are 1ambodian and Aietnam refugees who
fled the destruction and upheaval of the Aietnam War" 1ambodians and
Aietnamese have usually shown a drive to succeed as Americans" They
encourage their children to speak accentless 5nglish and play American
games" 1ubans, many of whom were wealthy property owners before
1astros regime, often show a similar drive to fit in and become
prosperous" >e?ican-Americans, now comprising about one-fifth of
1alifornias total population, are not so easily assimilated" They
generally have a strong sense of their own culture and often marry
among themselves"
2aria 4acinto, with her husband, +risteo, and one of their five children,
speaks only *panish. K,hen my skin turns white and my hair turns
blonde, then ILll be an +merican,K she says. 3The ,ashington 7ost<
444 REFUGEES 4444444444
nder the %('* 9efugee Act the nited !tates has admitted some
#*,*** refugees per year who, as defined by this act, are fleeing their
country because of persecution on the basis of race, religion, nationality,
membership of a particular social group, or political opinion"
!ome Americans, most notably activists in the church
sanctuary movement, would like to broaden the concept
PrefugeeQ to include economic refugees, i"e" persons suffering
from severe poverty" American society, they point out, has
always given people the opportunity to help themselves" The
argument against recogniBing and admitting economic refugees
is that the nations resources could not accommodate a sudden
influ? of the worlds poor and provide them with Eobs and
assistance"
444 ILLEGAL ALIENS 4444444444

n the years between %('* and %('#, about $**,***
immigrants were legally admitted each year" 7n addition,
hundreds of thousands of persons entered the country illegally,
most of them fleeing poverty or war in >e?ico or 3atin
America" >any illegal aliens supply cheap labor as farm
workers at harvest time or work at menial tasks which
Americans shun" p to %('$ the law forbade illegal immigrants
to work in the nited !tates but did not penaliBe employers for
7
7
In the 9:B0s
immigration,
both legal
and illegal,
had a
substantial
impact on
(.*.
population
growth.
,hen both
legal and
illegal entries
were
counted,
close to one
half of all
.)
hiring them" These circumstances encouraged many people to risk
illegal employment in the "!" @owever, an immigration law passed on
;ctober %), %('$ attempted to stamp out the incentive for aliens to enter
the country illegally by imposing strict penalties on businesses hiring
illegal aliens" 7n addition, this law provided the opportunity for aliens
who had lived and worked in the "!" since %('% to apply for status as
permanent residents" As many as half the nations estimated , to #
million illegal immigrants became able to apply for legal status"
7n the %('*s immigration, both legal and illegal, had a substantial
impact on "!" population growth" When both legal and illegal entries
were counted, close to one half of all growth was attributable to
immigration" Americas future ethnic composition and population
growth will clearly be affected by the immigration and population
policies the government pursues"
444 IMMIGRATION RESTRICTION 4444444444
mericans continue to debate the issue of immigration" !ome groups in
favor of tightening immigration restrictions argue that overpopulation
is a threat" <ased on the current rates, "!" population could double in
only &* years" 9estricting immigration would curb the rate of growth"
;ther arguments for restricting immigration are rooted in the same fears
that aroused nativist sentiment at the turn of the
century" >any Americans fear that immigrants
may lower the /uality of life in America by
taking away Americans Eobs and by importing
the same social and economic ills that e?ist in
the countries they left" 6urthermore, they argue
that tightening restrictions is a necessary
measure to preserve Americas national
identity" ;n the other hand, many Americans
more optimistically emphasiBe the cultural
wealth and diversity which immigrants have
been bringing to the nation since its
conception"
A
A
444 IDENTITY CRISIS
4444444444
he debate over immigration comes at a time
when Americans are wrestling with the
T
T
The well-
known
picture of
+merica as a
melting pot
where all
groups come
together,
creating a
new, distinct
+merican
type, is not
an ade-uate
metaphor.
Do'*$ent for a Ne; Arriva(
This landing card from 9:C/ was
needed by anyone immigrating to the
(nited *tates. In 9:C? the (.*.
#ongress passed the 'ational Irigins
+ct, which limited immigration into the
country.
.*
problem of identity" 7n the past, the maEority of Americans considered
themselves WA!8s" >any groups, for e?ample blacks, whose ancestors
were brought over as slaves, were not regarded by the maEority as true
Americans" 4ewcomers were e?pected to assimilate and live on the
maEoritys terms" The mass migration at the turn of the century brought a
new heterogeneity to American society which challenged WA!8s to
acknowledge that Americans could be 1atholic or :ewish, almond-eyed
or olive-skinned" !till, in the early %(**s, Americas policy towards
AmericaniBing immigrants stressed assimilation into WA!8 culture,
and, still, the countrys leaders were old stock American 8rotestants"
<efore :ohn 6" Hennedy became the first 1atholic to be elected
8resident of the nited !tates in %($*, all other presidents were
8rotestant"
!ince the %($*s, as the ethnic composition changed even more, with
fewer and fewer people able to claim WA!8 status, Americans attitudes
towards ethnic and religious differences have altered" 8ressure on
immigrants to AmericaniBe and altogether forget their background has
rela?ed" @igh political offices are held by non-whites and non-
8rotestants"
Americans are aware that the national ethnic, religious identity V
WA!8 V which once unified the country under certain shared
assumptions and values, has disappeared" 7n a country where currently $
percent of the population is foreign-born, where more than %* percent
speaks a language other than 5nglish at home, and where newcomers are
crossing the borders daily in droves, diversity is a maEor characteristic"
The well-known picture of America as a melting pot where all groups
come together, creating a new, distinct American type, is not an
ade/uate metaphor" ;n the whole, a more accurate picture of American
society today, one that conveys its astonishing variety of cultures, each
preserving its own distinctiveness, is vegetable soup"
NOTES6
Puritan* a member of an 5nglish sect of 8rotestants, who, in the si?teenth
and seventeenth centuries, advocated simplification of the creeds and
ceremonies of the 1hurch of 5ngland and demanded strict religious
discipline"
WASP* W-hite. A-nglo.-!-a?on. 8-rotestant.D an American of <ritish or
northern 5uropean ancestry who is a member of the 8rotestant church"
.5
WA!8s are fre/uently considered to form the most privileged and
influential group which formerly dominated "!" society"
Custer+ ,eorge A#* -%',(-)$., "!" general who fought the 7ndians, and
was killed in the battle of the 3ittle <ighorn"
-ittle .ighorn* a river flowing northward from Wyoming to Eoin the
<ighorn in southern >ontana where 1uster and his men were massacred by
7ndians in %')$"
Plains /ndian* a member of the mostly nomadic tribes of 7ndians who once
inhabited the Great 8lains of the nited !tates and 1anada" They were also
called <uffalo 7ndians"
Wounded 0nee* the battle at Wounded Hnee 1reek in !outh 0akota on
0ecember +(, %'(*, marked the final act in the tragedy of the 7ndian wars"
!hortly after the famous 7ndian leader 1hief !itting <ull -%',&-(*. had
been killed, soldiers opened fire upon unarmed 7ndian men, women, and
children leaving more than +** dead"
1ailroad* the building of railroads played an important role in the opening
up of the American West" 8rivate companies supported by both state and
private funds competed in this enterprise and hired vast numbers of
laborers, especially during the great wave of railroad building in the %'#*s"
Castro+ Fidel* born %(+), 1uban revolutionary and prime minister since
%(#("
church sanctuary mo2ement* a movement of American churches helping
refugees and illegal immigrants by giving them shelter and protection from
eviction"
nati2ist* protecting the interests of natives against those of immigrants"
..
READING 2
444 LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES
4444444444
eople are naturally curious about each other, and when they meet
people from different countries, they want to know about themO
8
8
- What is life like in their country?
- What kind of houses do they live in?
- What kind of food do they eat?
- What are their customs?
7f we visit their country, we can observe the people and how they
live, and we can answer some of these /uestions" <ut the most
interesting /uestions are often the hardest to answerO
- What do the people believe in?
- What do they believe most in life?
- What motivates them?
- Why do they behave the way they do?
7n trying to answer these /uestions about Americans, we must
remember two thingsO -%. the immense siBe of the nited !tate, and -+.
its great ethnic diversity" 7t is difficult to comprehend the siBe of the
country until you have tried to travel from one city to another" 7f you got
in a car in 4ew Cork and drove to 3os Angeles, stopping only to get
gas, eat, and sleep, it would take you four or five days" 7t takes two full
days to drive from 4ew Cork to 6lorida" ;n a typical winter day, it
might be raining in Washington 0"1", and snowing in 4ew Cork and
1hicago, while it is warm enough to swim in 3os Angeles and >iami" 7t
is not difficult to imagine how different daily life might be in such
different climates, or how lifestyles could vary in cities and towns so far
apart"
The other significant factor influencing American life, ethnic
diversity, is probably even more important" Aside from the 4ative
T$% ?+@012 != #$% 1+#0!1
.7
Americans who were living on the 4orth American continent when the
first 5uropean settlers arrived, all Americans came from foreign
countries, or their ancestor did" -7ncidentally, some of the 4ative
Americans are themselves members of separate and distinct 7ndian
nations, each with its own language, culture, traditions, and even
government". 6rom the %$**s to the birth of the new nation in %))$,
most immigrants were from northern 5urope, and the maEority were
from 5ngland" 7t was these people who shaped the values and traditions
that became the dominant culture of the nited !tates"
444 A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS 4444444444
n %'%#, the population of the nited !tates was '"& million" ;ver the
ne?t %** years, the country took in about ,# million immigrants, with
the greatest numbers coming in the late %'**s and the early
%(**s" 7n %''+, &*,*** 1hinese arrived, and between %(** and
%(*), there were more than ,*,*** :apanese immigrants" <ut
by far the largest numbers of the Pnew immigrantsQ were from
central, eastern, and southern 5urope" The Pnew immigrantsQ
brought different languages and different cultures to the nited
!tates" Gradually most of them assimilated to the dominant
American culture they found here"
7
7
7n %(*', a year when a million new immigrants arrived in
the nited !tates, 7srael Uangwill wrote in a playO
+merica is Fods #rucible, the great 2elting-
7ot where all the races of !urope are melting and
re-forming N. Fermans and $renchmen, Irishmen
and !nglishmen, 4ews and 8ussians O into the #rucible with
you allM Fod is making the +mericanM
!ince Uangwill first used the term melting pot to describe the nited
!tates, the concept has been debated" Two things are certainO the
dominant American culture has survived and it has more or less
successfully absorbed vast numbers of immigrants at various points in
its history" !ome years during the first two decades of the +*
th
century,
there were as many as one million new immigrants per year, an
astonishing % percent of the total population of the nited !tates"
7n %(+%, however, the country began to limit immigration, and the
7mmigration Act of %(+& virtually closed the door" The total number of
immigrants admitted per year dropped from as many as a million to only
*ince
Pangwill first
used the term
melting pot to
describe the
(nited
*tates, the
concept has
been debated.
.9
%#*,***" A /uota system was established that specified the number of
immigrants that could come from each country" 7t heavily favored
immigrants from northern and western 5urope and severely limited
everyone else" This system remained in effect until %($#"
After World War 77, several e?ceptions were made to the /uota
system to allow groups of refugees into the nited !tatesO
%(&*s $**,*** Pdisplaced personsQ -refugees.
%(#*s &*,*** @ungarians
%($*s $)#,*** 1ubans
%()# %**,*** Aietnamese and 1ambodians
%('* %**,*** 1ubans
The immigration laws began to change in %($#, and the yearly totals
began to rise a gain V from about ,**,*** per year in the %($*s to over a
million per year in the %((*s" the nited states now admits more
immigrants than all the other industrialiBed countries combined"
1hanges in the laws that were intended to help family reunifications
have resulted in large numbers of non-5uropeans" 7n the late %((*s, (*
percent of the immigrants were coming from 3atin America, the
1aribbean, and Asia" 7n addition to the legal immigration, illegal
immigration was adding an additional estimated #**,*** per year"
.;
7mmigration in the %((*s is the largest in almost %** years and
accounts for one-third of the yearly growth in total population" The
present population is +# percent nonwhite -black, @ispanic and Asian.,
and if present trends in immigration patterns and birthrates continue,
these minority groups will take up &% percent of the population by +*&*"
Already there are areas of the country where the maEority of students in
the schools are from minority groups, many of whom are recent
immigrants who do not speak 5nglish well" 7n >iami, three-
fourths of the population speak a language other than 5nglish at
home and $) percent of these people say they do not speak
5nglish well" 1ontrast this, however, with a state like !outh
0akota, where only $"# percent of the people were born in
another country" Across the nited !tates, ( percent of the total
population is Pforeign-born,Q almost one in ten"
The vast maEority of new immigrants choose to live in seven
statesO 1alifornia, Te?as, 4ew Cork, 6lorida, 7llinois, 4ew
:ersey, and AriBona" !eventy nine percent of all new
immigrants settle in one of these states" The accompanying
#$$igration to t!e "nited States
The (nited *tates has become the home of immigrants from all over the world. *ome
immigrants ourney to the (nited *tates in search of a place to practice their religion
freely, while others seek asylum from political or economic persecution. *till others
arrive in hopes of building a better life for themselves and their families. This map
shows the numbers of people 3in thousands< who immigrated to the (nited *tates
between 9BC0 and 9::0.
In the (nited
*tates, people
have become
very sensitive
to the
language
used to
describe
these groups,
and they try
to be
@politically
70
chart shows the distribution" 4ote that 1alifornia alone takes &* percent
of the total number of legal immigrants coming to the nited !tates"
444 CULTURAL PLURALISM IN THE UNITED
STATES 4444444444
ne of the critical /uestions facing the nited !tates today is what role
the new immigrants will play in their new country" @ow much will
they choose to take on the traditional American values and culture? @ow
much will they try to maintain their own language and culture
traditions? Will they create an entirely new culture based on some
combination of their values and those of the traditional American
culture?
;
;
@istorically, although the children of immigrants may have grown up
bilingual and bicultural, many did not pass on much of their parents
language or culture to their own children" Thus, many grandchildren of
immigrants do not speak the language of the old country and are
PAmericanQ by nature" @owever, in some parts of the country with
established communities that share a common language or culture,
bilingualism and biculturalism continue" This is particularly true in
communities where new immigrants are still arriving" 7n general,
cultural pluralism is more accepted in the nited !tates today than it
was in the first half of the +*
th
century, and many of the school systems
have developed bilingual programs and multicultural curricula"
At the close of the +*
th
century, there seems to be a rise in the
consciousness of ethnic groups around the world, and a sense of pride in
what makes them uni/ue" This occurs in the nited !tates among many
different groups, and in some cases it has resulted in new names to
symboliBe each groups identity" 7n the nited !tates, people have
become very sensitive to the language used to describe these groups, and
they try to be Ppolitically correctQ -8"1"." 6or e?ample, many black
Americans, particularly young people, prefer the term +frican-+merican
instead of black, to identify with their African heritage" !ome !panish
speakers prefer to be called %atinos -referring to 3atin America. instead
of )ispanics, while others prefer to be identified by their countrys
origin -1uban-American or 1uban, #hicano, >e?ican-American or
>e?ican, and so on." >ost of the census data continues to use the terms
black and )ispanic, so we will generally use these terms, along with
+frican-+merican and %atino.
7-
7n spite of some very important differences, however, there is still a
tie that binds Americans together" That tie is a sense of national identity
V of Pbeing an AmericanQ" 7ncidentally, when citiBens
of the nited !tates refer to themselves as +mericans,
they have no intention of e?cluding people from 3atin
American countries" There is no word such as (nited
*tatesians in the 5nglish language, so people call
themselves +mericans. Thus, what is really a language problem has
sometimes caused misunderstandings" Although
citiBens of 3atin American countries may call the
people in the nited !tates 'orth +merican, to most
people in the nited !tates this makes no sense either,
because the term 'orth +merican refers to 1anadians
and >e?icans as well as citiBens of the nited !tates"
-4A6TA, the 4orth America 6ree Trade Agreement,
for e?ample, is a trade agreement among 1anada, the
nited !tates, and >e?ico". The word +merican, then,
will be used in this te?t as the adEective and
nationality for the people who live in the nited !tates
of America"
444 MAKING GENERALIBATIONS
ABOUT AMERICAN BELIEFS IIIIIIIIIII
hat, then, can we say about these Americans? What holds them
together and makes them feel American? 7s it possible to make
generaliBations about what they believe? 7t is, but we must be cautious
about generaliBations" As we talk about basic American beliefs, we must
remember that not all Americans hold these beliefs, nor do all
Americans believe these things to the same degree" The way in which
some Americans practice their beliefs may also differ, resulting in a
great variety of lifestyles" What we will attempt to do here is to define
and e?plain the traditional, dominant cultural values that have for so
many years attracted immigrants to the nited !tates"
W
W
Throughout this book we will be drawing on the wisdom of a famous
observer of the American scene, Ale?is de Toc/ueville" 0e Toc/ueville
came to the nited !tates as a young 6renchman in %',% to study the
American form of democracy and what it might mean to the rest of the
world" After a visit of only nine months, he wrote a remarkable book
called "emocracy in +merica, which is a Pclassic study of the American
K!verywhere immigrants have
enriched and strengthened the
fabric of +merican life. K
-- :ohn 6" Hennedy
72
way of life"Q 0e Toc/ueville had unusual powers of observation" @e
described not only the democratic system of the government and how it
operated but also its effect on how Americans think, feel, and act" >any
scholars believe that he had a deeper understanding of traditional
American beliefs and values than anyone else who has written about the
nited !tates" What is so remarkable is that many of these traits of the
American character, which he observed nearly +** years ago, are still
visible and meaningful today"
C!?,'%$%1(0!1 <UESTIONS
%" Whats the general idea about the formation of America?
+" When did the coloniBation of 4orthern America begin? What were
the first settlements?
," Where did the first immigrants come from? and on what purposes?
&" Who are the 4ative Americans? What is their fate like?
#" Who arrived in America during the period of ;ld 7mmigration -%'&*-
%'$*.? What are the features of this period?
7)
$" What are the peculiarities of the new wave of immigration that took
place in the late %'**s?
)" Whose was this Tnativist sentiment? What are the real reasons of this
feeling?
'" What was the ! Governments reaction?
(" @ow does the process of assimilation of the immigrants differ from
generation to generation?
%*" What are the features of recent immigration that took place after
%(+*s?
%%" What is the new kind of immigrants?
%+" What problems has it caused? :ob provision? 7dentity crisis?
7*
<UESTIONS =!' ="'#$%' /0(&"((0!1
%" 7n what sense is the nited !tates considered a society of immigrants?
se your knowledge of the ! population and the formation of the
country to make clear the point"
+" While 5uropeans claimed that they came to civiliBe the continent of
America, 4ative Americans regarded 5uropeans as invaders" What do
you think of the statement? se the information from the chapter and
your e?isting knowledge to support your arguments"
," 3ist the & great waves of immigration to AmericaO
name given to each wave
period of time
the composition of immigrants
the reasons of immigration for each wave"
75
&" 8eople in the ! have different attitudes towards immigration and
immigrants" 8resent those opinions towards the issue"
#" 0iscuss the ! government policies of immigration and refugee" Are
they always consistent? Are these policies bias in favor of any groups of
immigrants? Why so? Are there any changes to these policies? 7f there
are, what are they and what are the causes of change?
$" 0escribe the assimilation process of immigrants in the !? What
obstacles do these immigrants faced in order to integrate into the !
society?
7.
)" America was once described as a melting pot" 4ow, this metaphor has
been replaced by new ones, such as salad bowl or vegetable soup" @ow
would you understand those metaphors in reflection of the American
identity crisis?
'" What do you think of the issue of immigration in the present
globaliBation conte?t? Will it bring positive or negative effects to the
involving countries and to the world
77
79
,hich one is from
the (nited *tatesG
A
B
C
D
E
7;
(" What different ethnic groups are there in our country? Where do they
live? @ow are they different from the maEority of people in your
countryO language? 1lothing? 6ood? >usic? 1ustoms? What effects do
different ethnic groups have on a country?
%*" Are there Pguest workersQ -people who work their temporarily. in
our country? @ow do people in our country feel about foreigners?
90
C$+,#%' )
C$+,#%' )

AMERICAN
AMERICAN
TRADITIONAL
TRADITIONAL
BELIEFS AND VALUES
BELIEFS AND VALUES
,e hold the truth to be self-evident, that all men are created e-ual, that
they are endowed by their #reator with certain inalienable rights, that
among these are %ife, %iberty and the pursuit of )appiness.
-- The 0eclaration of 7ndependence
,hat we will attempt to do here is to
define and e1plain the traditional,
dominant cultural values that have
for so many years attracted
immigrants to the (nited *tates.
9-
American Traditional Beliefs and Values
READING -
What among all of its regional and cultural diversity gives America its
national character and enables its citiBens to affirm their common
identity as Americans" 1learly, having a particular race or creed
or lifestyle does not identify one as American" @owever, there
are certain ideals and values, rooted in the countrys history,
which many Americans share"
444 FREEDOM 4444444444
t the center of all that Americans value is freedom"
Americans commonly regard their society as the freest and
best in the world" They like to think of their country as a
welcoming haven for those longing for freedom and
opportunity" They are proud to point out that even today
Americas immigration offices are flooded with hopeful
applicants who e?pect the chance for a better life" The news of
a !oviet ballet dancers or 8olish artists defection to the nited
!tates arouses a rush of national pride, for such events give
substance to the ideal of freedom that America represents to its
people and to the world" >oreover, such news events provide
continuity to Americans perception of their history as being
that of a nation populated by immigrants who e?ercised free
choice in coming to the 4ew World for a better life"
A
A
Americans understanding of freedom is shaped by the 6ounding
6athers belief that all people are e/ual and that the role of government
is to protect each persons basic PinalienableQ rights" The "!"
1onstitutions <ill of 9ights, ratified in %)(%, assures individual rights,
including provisions for freedom of speech, press, and religion"
The notion that America offers freedom for all is an ideal that unifies
Americans and links present to past" Cet this ideal has not always
corresponded to reality" The inconsistency of black slavery in a society
supposedly dedicated to freedom and e/uality plagued the nation from
the very beginning and was not resolved until the 1ivil War" 9eality
continues to demonstrate that some social groups and individuals are not
A?%'0&+1 IDEALS AND VALUES
The notion
that +merica
offers
freedom for
all is an ideal
that unifies
+mericans
and links
present to
past. Het this
ideal has not
always
corresponded
to reality.

92
as free as others" <ecause of religious, racial, se?, or age discrimination
some Americans have not enEoyed the same rights and opportunities as
others" 7n a real sense, American history is the history of groups and
individuals struggling to attain the freedoms the 6ounding 6athers
promised"
444 INDIVIDUALISM 4444444444
mericans notion of freedom focuses on the individual, and
individualism has strong philosophical roots in America" Thomas
:efferson, philosopher, third president of the nation and author of the
0eclaration of 7ndependence, believed that a free individuals identity
should be held sacred and that his or her dignity and integrity should not
be violated" Americas nineteenth-century Transcendentalist
philosophers, including 9alph Waldo 5merson, @enry 0avid Thoreau,
and >argaret 6uller, argued for more individual self-reliance"
Transcendentalists encouraged individuals to trust in themselves and
their own consciences and to revolt against routine and habitual paths of
conduct" The nineteenth-century poet Walt Whitman celebrated the
individual in his poetry" 7n By Blue Intarios *hore Whitman writes,
A
A
I swear nothing is good to me now that ignores individuals,
The +merican compact is altogether with individuals"
5arly twentieth-century 8ragmatists such as William :ames and :ohn
0ewey insisted upon the individuals ability to control his or her fate"
7ndividualism, understood not only as self-reliance but also as
economic self-sufficiency, has been a central theme in American history"
7n the early days, most Americans were farmers whose success
depended not on cooperation with others but on their ability to confront
the hardships of land and climate on their own" <oth success and virtue
were measured by individual resourcefulness" 7n American history, the
concept of Prugged individualismQ is commonly identified with frontier
heroes such as 0aniel <oone and 0avy 1rockett, men who braved the
wilderness alone" The idealiBation of the self-reliant individual
translated itself in the industrial age into the celebration of the small
businessman who became a financial success on his own"
5ven in todays society, where most Americans work for large,
comple? organiBations and few people can claim economic self-
sufficiency, individualism persists" 7ndividual proprietorship in business
is still e?tolled as the ideal" Government regulation is often resisted in
Individualism
, understood
not only as
self-reliance
but also as
economic
self-
sufficiency,
has been a
central theme
in +merican
history.
9)
the spirit of individualism" P9ight to workQ laws, which discourage
union activity, are defended on the grounds that they protect the
independence of the individual worker"
9*
444 IDEALIBING 3HAT IS PRACTICAL 4444444444
any historians believe that most of the beliefs and values
which are characteristically American emerged within the
conte?t of the frontier e?perience" !urvival in the wilderness was
best achieved by robust individualists" !urvival e?periences also
e?plain the American tendency to idealiBe whatever is practical"
7n America, what works is what counts" >ost pioneers who went
west had not trained themselves in prairie farming or sod house
construction, but they trusted they would be able to devise
workable solutions to the daily problems and dangers they faced"
7nventiveness was necessary for survival"
>
>
This Pcan-doQ spirit is something Americans are proud of
today" They like to think they are natural-born do-it-yourselfers"
7n which country does one find such a variety of Phow-toQ books
and self-service opportunities? There are do-it-yourself books on
everything from how to build and repair your own engine to how
to be your own best friend" !elf-service arrangements include
time-saving clerkless airline ticket counters and do-it-yourself telephone
installment kits" These kinds of solutions appeal to Americans
preference for whatever is /uick and practical"
444 VOLUNTEERISM 4444444444
he do-it-your self spirit is known as volunteerism in American
community and political life" Aolunteerism means people helping
people through privately initiated, rather than government-sponsored,
agencies" Aolunteers, usually unpaid, are highly motivated workers who
organiBe themselves and others to solve a particular community problem
or meet an immediate social need, rather than waiting for someone else -
usually the government - to do it" Aolunteerism is pervasive, arising
wherever social services do not cover community needs" When a high
school football team re/uires money for uniforms, parents and students
T
T
This @can-
doA spirit is
something
+mericans
are proud of
today. They
like to think
they are
natural-born
do-it-
yourselfers.

95
form an athletic association which organiBes car washes and bake sales
to raise money for uniforms" Aolunteer fund-raising groups step in to
help the needy in all spheresO there are groups that hold clothing drives
for the poor and homeless as well as groups that organiBe e?pensive
money-raising dinners to save a symphony orchestra, for e?ample"
Where there are gaps in federal social programs, volunteers provide
services such as adult education, psychological counseling, and legal
aid" The willingness to participate in such groups is so widespread that
si? out of ten Americans are members of a volunteer organiBation"
Aolunteerism reflects Americans optimistic pride in their ability to
work out practical solutions themselves"
444 PSYCHOLOGY OF ABUNDANCE 4444444444
t is easy to be an optimistic do-it-yourselfer in so many spheres when
one takes for granted an abundance of resources" @istorically,
Americans have regarded their country as a land of limitless wealth" The
first colonists of the 4ew World wrote letters back home, contrasting the
riches of America with the scarcity of the lands from which they
came" !ir Thomas 0ale, governor of Airginia in %$%%, said of his
colonyO PTake four of the best kingdoms in 1hristendom and put
them all together, they may in no way compare with this country
either for commodities or goodness of soil"Q 6ertile land was cheap
and available to anyone who wanted to farm" A country where
everyone could take what he wanted was indeed alluring" Cet as
settlements on the east coast increased, resources were gradually
depleted" !ome tobacco lands began to be e?hausted and
abandoned before the end of the eighteenth century, and cotton
lands were also abandoned when their fertility was used up" 0id it
matter? 4o" There were still ine?haustible acres in the limitless
West"
7
7
The words of a popular pioneer song capture the attitude that
prevailedO
#ome along, come along, make no delay,
#ome from every nation, come from every way,
Iur lands are broad enough, dont be alarmed,
$or (ncle *am is rich enough to give us all a farm.
The abundance of untapped natural resources on the American
frontier attracted non only farmers, but also game hunters, fur trappers,
)istorically,
+mericans
have
regarded
their country
as a land of
limitless
wealth.

9.
gold and silver miners, lumberEacks, and cattle ranchers" Those who
e?ploited the land e?ercised little restraint and opposed government
regulation of their activities" The buffalo was hunted to near e?tinction,
millions of acres of forested land were cut and burned, and rivers were
polluted from mining"
!till America is rich in natural resources" <ut attitudes toward
wastefulness are changing" While some Americans still believe in the
ine?haustibility of the nations resources, others reluctantly recogniBe
that the era of cheap and plentiful resources is over" They realiBe that
America must adopt new values to cope with a shrinking world" Today,
Americas >ountain West, the least populated region of the country
where resources seem barely tapped, is suffering from a severe water
shortage" Westerners are faced with the need to restrict population
growth and reconsider uses for water" 3imits such as these are difficult
to acknowledge because they contradict the psychology of abundance
which has become so much a part of the American way of life"
444 MOBILITY 4444444444
he pragmatism of Americans and their trust in an abundance of
resources relates to the American habit of mobility" As a nation of
immigrants, Americans have from the beginning shared the assumption
that the practical solution to a problem is to move elsewhere and make a
fresh start" After all, this is the attitude that settled the West" >obility in
America is not a sign of aimlessness but optimism" 8ioneers made the
arduous Eourney westward because they believed they could establish a
better life for themselves and their children" 4ow, Americans move
from place to place with the same sense of optimism, hoping to secure a
better Eob or enEoy a warmer climate"
T
T
>oving about from place to place is such a common and accepted
practice that most Americans take it for granted that they may live in
four or five cities during their lifetime, perhaps buying a house and then
reselling it each time they move" 1onse/uently, when Americans go
house-hunting, their foremost concern is usually how profitably they
will be able to resell the house" A comfortable, well-designed house is
not necessarily desirable unless it has a good resale value" Americans
hate to feel that buying a house might immobiliBe them forever, thereby
inhibiting their chances of bettering their lives"
The American habit of mobility has been important in contributing a
degree of homogeneity to a society of such e?treme cultural diversity
97
and spaciousness" 1ultural differences still e?ist from region to region,
but they are becoming increasingly less distinct as mutual e?change
occurs"
444 PATRIOTISM 4444444444
further conse/uence of Americans mobility is that they develop
relatively little attachment to place" 7n this century, national pride has
become generally stronger than regional pride" 6oreign visitors to
America are /uick to observe the prevalence of patriotic symbolsO flags
fly in suburban neighborhoods, bumper stickers announce P7m proud to
be American,Q the national anthem is played at every sporting event"
4ational holidays such as Thanksgiving and 7ndependence 0ay intensify
the sense of national identity" Cet patriotism in America is in some ways
distinct from patriotism in other countries" 7n many nations, patriotism is
essentially the love of the land" !ongs celebrate the scenery of certain
rivers, valleys, and forests" 7n America, however, this specific sense of
place, this identification with a particular geographical region as the
homeland, is generally not developed to this e?tent" American patriotism
is concentrated instead upon the particular historic event of the nations
creation as a new start and upon the idea of freedom which inspired the
nations beginnings"
A
A
(.*. students show their red- white- blue spirit.
444 PROGRESS 4444444444
irectly associated with the value of freedom is the ideal of progress"
The nations progress has been measured by the taming of the
frontier and industrial e?pansion" The desire to progress by making use
of opportunities is important to Americans" 7n this immigrant society,
progress is personally measured as family progress over generations"
0
0
99
>any Americans can boast that with each succeeding generation since
their first ancestors arrived, the familys status has improved" The
classic American family saga is all about progress" The great-
grandparents, arriving from the ;ld World with nothing but the clothes
on their backs, work hard and suffer poverty and alienation so that they
can provide a good education for their children" The second generation,
motivated by the same vision of the future and willingness to work hard
and make sacrifices, pass these values to their children" The attainment
of the vision of ones grandparents is part of the American 0ream"
9;
444 AMERICAN DREAM 4444444444
he term +merican "ream, used in widely different conte?ts from
political speeches to <roadway musicals, eludes precise definition" :"
T" Adams in the The !pic of +merica -%(,%. e?pressed it as Pthe dream
of land in which life should be better, richer, and fuller for every man
with opportunities for each according to his abilities and achievement"Q
The American 0ream is populariBed in countless rags-to-riches stories
and in the portrayal of the good life in advertising and on TA shows" 7t
teaches Americans to believe that contentment can be reached through
the virtues of thrift, hard work, family loyalty, and faith in the free
enterprise system"
T
T
@owever, throughout Americas history, reality has also taught her
citiBens, particularly minorities, that the American 0ream is not open to
all" !egregation and discrimination are effective tools which have barred
minorities from e/ual opportunities in all spheres"
4
44 <UESTIONING OF VALUES 4444444444
vents in the late %($*s and early %()*s, most obviously the Aietnam
War and the Watergate scandal, Eolted the country with doubts and
insecurities and created fundamental divisions among Americans about
their countrys goals" The mainstream 8rotestant values which had held
5
5
;0
society together seemed to be collapsing, and no coherent, unifying
system of belief emerged as an alternative" The %('*s saw a return to
conservative family values and morals, as well as a renewal of national
pride" The ultimate significance, however, of this conservative revival is
uncertain" !ome critics observe that with the breakdown of consensus on
beliefs and values which began around %()*, there has been increasing
disparity of opinion about Americans values and national goals"
NOTES6
Founding Fathers* members of the 1onstitutional 1onvention of %)')
which drafted the fundamental law of the "!"
.ill of 1ights* the first ten amendments to the 1onstitution of the nited
!tates"
Frontier* in American history the frontier was the edge of the settled
country where unlimited cheap land was available attracting pioneers who
were willing to live the hard but independent life in the West
Than3sgi2ing 4ay* a national holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of
4ovember to give thanks to God for the harvest, remembering particularly
the first successful harvest of the early settlers who had suffered a terrible
winter when they arrived"
/ndependence 4ay* :uly &, a national holiday celebrating the anniversary
of the adoption of the 0eclaration of 7ndependence in %))$"
Watergate scandal* an illegal break-in at the 0emocratic 8arty
head/uarters in Washington, 0"1" in %()+, involving 9epublican
presidential campaign employees" 8resident 4i?ons cover-up led to his
resignation in %()&"
;-
READING 2
444 THE CONTECT OF TRADITIONAL AMERICAN
VALUESD RACIAL, ETHNIC, RELIGIOUS,
AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY 444
As the +%
st
century begins, the nited !tates probably has a
greater diversity of racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious groups
than any other nation on earth" 6rom the beginning of the
history of the nited !tates, there has been diversity - 4ative
Americans throughout the 4orth American continent, !panish
settlers in the !outhwest and in 6lorida, 6rench missionaries
and fur traders along the >ississippi 9iver, black slaves
brought from African countries, 0utch settlers in 4ew Cork,
Germans in 8ennsylvania, and, of course, the <ritish colonists,
whose culture eventually provided the language and the
foundation for the political and economic systems that
developed in the nited !tates"
>ost early Americans recogniBed this diversity, or
pluralism, as a fact of life" The large variety of ethnic, cultural,
and religious groups meant that accepting diversity was the
only practical choice, even if some people were not enthusiastic
about it" @owever, in time, many Americans came to see
strength in their countrys diversity" Today, there is more
recognition of the value of cultural pluralism than at any other
time in the history of the nited !tates"
When we e?amine the system of basic values that emerged
in the late %)**s and began to define the American character,
we must remember this conte?t of cultural pluralism" @ow
could a national of such enormous diversity produce a
recogniBable national identity?
@istorically, the nited !tates has been viewed as Pthe land
of opportunity,Q attracting immigrants from all over the world" The
opportunities they believed they would find in America and the
e?periences they actually had when they arrived nurtured this set of
T'+/0#0!1+: A?%'0&+1 VALUES T'+/0#0!1+: A?%'0&+1 VALUES
,hen we
e1amine the
system of
basic values
that emerged
in the late
9;00s and
began to
define the
+merican
character, we
must
remember
this conte1t
of cultural
pluralism.
)ow could a
national of
such
enormous
diversity
produce a
recognizable
;2
values" 7n this chapter, we will e?amine si? basic values that become
PtraditionalQ American values" Three represent traditional reasons why
immigrants have been drawn to AmericaO the chance for individual
freedom, e/uality of opportunity, and material wealth" 7n order to
achieve these benefits, however, there were prices to be paidO self-
reliance, competition, and hard work" 7n time, these prices themselves
became a part of the traditional value system"
444 INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM AND SELF-
RELIANCE 444444444
he earliest settlers came to the 4orth American continent to establish
colonies that were free from the controls that e?isted in
5uropean societies" They wanted to escape the controls placed on
their lives by kings and governments, priests and churches,
noblemen and aristocrats" To a great e?tent, they succeeded" 7n
%))$, the <ritish colonial settlers declared their independence
from 5ngland and established a new nation, the nited !tates of
America" 7n so doing, they overthrew the king of 5ngland and
declared that the power to govern would lie in the hands of the
people" They were now free from the power of the kings" 7n %)'(,
when they wrote the 1onstitution for their new nation, they
separated church and state so that there would never be a
government-supported church" This greatly limited the power of
the church" Also, in writing the 1onstitution, they e?pressly
forbade titles of nobility to ensure that an aristocratic society
would not develop" There would be no ruling class of nobility in
the new nation"
T
T
The historic decisions made by those first settles have had a
profound effect on the shaping of the American character" <y
limiting the power of the government and the churches and
eliminating a formal aristocracy, they created a climate of
freedom where the emphasis was on the individual" The nited
!tates came to be associated in their minds with the concept of
individual freedom. This is probably the most basic of all the
American values" !cholars and outside observers often call this
value individualism, but many Americans use the word freedom"
8erhaps the word freedom is one of the most respected popular
words in the nited !tates to day"
By freedom,
+mericans
mean the
desire and
the ability of
all
individuals to
control their
own destiny
without
outside
interference
from the
government,
a ruling
noble class,
the church,
or any other
organized
authority.

;)
<y freedom, Americans mean the desire and the ability of all
individuals to control their own destiny without outside interference
from the government, a ruling noble class, the church, or any other
organiBed authority" The desire to be continued to free of controls was a
basic value of the new nation in %))$, and it has continued to attract
immigrants to this country"
There is, however, a price to be paid for this individual freedomO
self-reliance" 7ndividuals must learn to rely on themselves or risk losing
freedom" This means achieving both financial and emotional
independence from their parents as early as possible, usually by age %'
or +%" 7t mean that Americans believe they should take of themselves,
solve their own problems, and Pstand on their own feet"Q 0e Toc/ueville
observed the Americans belief in self-reliance nearly +** years ago in
the %(,*sO
They owe nothing to any man, they e1pect nothing from
any manJ they ac-uire the habit of always considering
themselves as standing alone, and they are apt to imagine
that their whole destiny is in their own hands"
This strong belief in self-reliance continues today as a traditional
basic American value" 7t is perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of
the American character to understand, but it is profoundly
important" >ost Americans believe that they must be self-
reliant in order to keep their freedom" 7f they rely too much on
the support of their families or the government or any
organiBation, they may lose some of their freedom to do what
they want"
7f people are dependent, they risk losing freedom as well as
the respect of their peers" 5ven if they are not truly self-reliant,
most Americans believe they must at least appear to be so" 7n
order to be in the mainstream of American life-to have power
andJor respect-individuals must be seen as self-reliant"
Although receiving financial support from charity, family, or
the government is allowed, it is never admired" >any people
believe that such individuals are setting a bad e?ample, which
may weaken the American character as a whole"
The sight of beggars on city streets and the plight of the homeless
may inspire sympathy but also concern" Although Americans provide a
lot of financial support to people in need through charities or
In order to be
in the
mainstream
of +merican
life-to have
power andQor
respect-
individuals
must be seen
as self-
reliant.
;*
government programs, they e?pect that help to be short-lived"
5ventually, people should take care of themselves"
444 E<UALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND
COMPETITION 444
The second important reason why immigrants have traditionally been
drawn to the nited !tates is the belief that everyone has a chance to
succeed here" Generations of immigrants, from the earliest settlers to the
present day, have come to the nited !tates with this e?pectation" They
have felt that because individuals are free from e?cessive political,
religious, and social controls, they have a better chance for personal
success" ;f particular importance is the lack of a hereditary aristocracy"
<ecause titles of nobility were forbidden in the 1onstitution, no
formal class system developed in the nited !tates" 7n the early years of
American history, many immigrants chose to leave the older 5uropean
societies because they believed that they had a better chance to succeed
in America" 7n Pthe old country,Q their place in life was determined
largely by the social class into which noble families who possessed
great power and wealth inherited and accumulated over hundreds of
years"
The hopes and dreams of many of these early immigrants were
fulfilled in their new country" The lower social class into which many
were born did not prevent them from trying to rise to a higher social
position" >any found that they did indeed have a better chance to
9o$en1s Rig!ts
%ove$ent
"uring the late
9:D0s and early
9:;0s, women began
to work for e-ual
rights. They wanted
to end discrimination
against women at
home and work. To
accomplish this,
women began taking
part in marches,
working for the
passage of the !-ual
8ights +mendment
3!8+<, and generally
speaking out against
ine-uality.
;5
succeed in the nited !tates than in the old country" <ecause million of
these immigrants succeeded, Americans came to believe in e/uality of
opportunity" When de Toc/ueville visited the nited !tates in the %',*s,
he was impressed by the great uniformity of conditions of life in the new
nation" @e wroteO
The more I advanced in the study of +merican society, the
more I perceived thatNe-uality of condition is the fundamental
fact from which all others seem to be derived.
7t is important to understand what most Americans mean when they
say they believe in e/uality of opportunity" They do not mean that
everyone is-or should be-e/ual" @owever, they do mean that each
individual should have an e/ual chance for success" Americans see
much of life as a race for success" 6or them, e/uality means that
everyone should have an e/ual chance to enter the race and win" 7n other
words, e/uality of opportunity may be thought of as an ethical rule" 7t
helps ensure that the race for success is a fair one and that a person does
not win Eust because he or she was born into a wealthy family,
or lose because of race or religion" This American concept of
Pfair playQ is an important aspect of the belief in e/uality of
opportunity" 8resident Abraham 3incoln e?pressed this belief
in the %'$*s when he saidO
,eNwish to allow the humblest man an e-ual
chance to get rich with everybody else. ,hen one
start poor, as most do in the race of life, free society
is such that he knows he can better his conditionJ he
knows that there is no fi1ed condition of labor for
his whole life"
There is, however, a price to be paid for this e/uality of
opportunityO competition" 7t much of life is seen as a race, then
a person must run the race in order to succeedD a person must
compete with others" 7f every person has an e/ual chance to
succeed in the nited !tates, then it is every persons duty to
try Americans match their energy and intelligence against that
of others in a competitive contest for success" 8eople who like
to compete and are more successful than others are honored by
being called winners" ;n the other hand, those who do not like
to compete and are not successful when they try are often
It is
important to
understand
what most
+mericans
mean when
they say they
believe in
e-uality of
opportunity.
They do not
mean that
everyone is-
or should be-
e-ual.
)owever,
they do mean
that each
individual
should have
;.
dishonored by being called losers" This is especially true for American
men, and it is becoming truer and truer for women"
The pressures of competition in the life of an American begin in
childhood and continue until retirement from work" 3earning to compete
successfully is part of growing up in the nited !tates, and competition
is encouraged by strong programs of competitive sports provided by the
public schools and community groups"
The pressure to compete causes Americans to be energetic, but it also
places a constant emotional strain on them" When they retire
-traditionally at age $#., they are at last free from the pressures of
competition" <ut then a new problem arises" They may feel useless and
unwanted in a society that gives so much prestige to those who compete
well" This is one reason why older people in the nited !tates do not
have as much honor and respect as they have in other, less competitive
societies" 7n fact, any group of people who do not compete successfully-
for whatever reason-do not fit into the mainstream of American life as
well as those who do compete"
444 MATERIAL 3EALTH AND HARD 3ORK 444
he third reason why immigrants have traditionally come to the nited
!tates is to have a better life-that is, to raise their standard of living"
6or the vast maEority of the immigrants who came here, it was probably
the most compelling resources, the nited !tates appeared to be a Pland
of plentyQ where millions could come to seek their fortunes" ;f course,
most immigrants did not Pget rich overnight, Pand many of them
suffered terribly, but the maEority of them were eventually able to
improve upon their former standard of living" 5ven if they were not able
to achieve the economic success they wanted, they could be fairly
certain that their children would have opportunity for a better life" The
phrase Pgoing from rags to richesQ became a slogan for the great
American 0ream" <ecause of the vast riches of the 4orth American
continent, the dream came true for many of the immigrants" They
achieved material successD they became very attached to material things"
2aterial wealth became a value to the American people"
T
T
8lacing a high value on material possessions is called materialism,
but this is a word that most American find offensive" To say that a
person is materialistic is an insult" To an American, this means that this
person values material possessions above all else" Americans do not like
to be called materialistic because they feel that this unfairly accuses
The phrase
@going from
rags to
richesA
became a
slogan for the
great
+merican
"ream.
;7
them of loving only material things and of having no religious values" 7n
fact, most Americans do have other values and ideals" 4evertheless,
ac/uiring and maintaining a large number of material possession is of
great importance to most Americans" Why is this so?
8robably the main reason is that material wealth has traditionally
been a widely accepted measure of social status in the nited !tates"
<ecause Americans reEected the 5uropean system of hereditary
aristocracy and titles of nobility, they had to find a substitute for Eudging
social status" The /uality and /uantity of an individuals material
possessions became an accepted measure of success and social status"
>oreover, as we shall see in later chapters, the 8uritan work ethic
associated material success with godliness"
Americans have paid a price, however, for their material wealthO
hard work" The 4orth American continent was rich in natural resources
when the first settlers arrived, but all these resources were undeveloped"
;nly by hard work could these natural resources be converted into
material possessions, allowing a more comfortable standard of living"
@ard work has been both necessary and rewarding for most Americans
throughout their history" <ecause of this, they came to see material
possessions were seen not only as tangible evidence of peoples work
but also of their abilities" 7n the late %)**s, :ame >adison, the father of
the American 1onstitution, stated that the difference in material
possessions reflected a difference in personal abilities"
As the nited !tates has shifted from an industry-based economy to
one that is service or information-based, there has been a
decline in high-paying Eobs for factory workers" 7t is now much
more difficult for the average worker to go Pfrom rags to
richesQ in the nited !tates, and many wonder what has
happened to the traditional PAmerican 0ream"Q As the nited
!tates competes in a global economy, many workers are losing
their old Eobs and finding that they and their family members
must now work longer hours for less money and fewer benefits"
6aced with a decline in their standard of living, these people no
longer believe that hard work necessarily brings great material
rewards"
>ost Americans, however, still believe in the value of hard
work" They believe that people should hold Eobs and not live
off welfare payments from the government" 7n the %((*s, the
In
understandin
g the
relationship
between what
+mericans
believe and
how they live,
it is
important to
distinguish
between
idealism and
;9
welfare system came under attack" 7n a time when many people were
working harder than ever Pto make ends meet,Q there was enormous
resentment against groups such as Pwelfare mothers,Q young women
who do not marry or hold a Eob but have children and are supported by
payments from the government"
7n understanding the relationship between what Americans believe
and how they live, it is important to distinguish between idealism and
reality" American values such as e/uality of opportunity and self-
reliance are ideals that may not necessarily describe the reality of
American life" 5/uality of opportunity, for e?ample, is an ideal that is
not always put into practice" 7n reality, some people have a better chance
for success than others" Those who are born into rich families have more
opportunities than those who are born into poorer families" 7nheriting
money does give a person a decided advantage" >any black Americans
have fewer opportunities than men, in spite of laws designed to promote
e/uality of opportunities for all individuals" And many immigrants today
have fewer opportunities than those who came before them, when there
were more high-paying factory Eobs, and the economy was growing
more rapidly"
The fact that American ideals are only partly carried out in real life
does not diminish their importance" >any Americans still believe in
them and are strongly affected by them in their everyday lives" 7t is
easier to understand what Americans are thinking and felling if we can
understand what these basic traditional American values are and how
they have influenced almost every facet of life in the nited !tates"
The si? basic values presented in this chapter-individual freedom,
self-reliance, e/uality of opportunity, competition, material wealth, and
hard work-do not tell the whole story of the American characterO 9ather,
they should be thought of as themes that will be developed in our
discussions on religion, family life, education, business, and politics"
These themes will appear throughout the book as we continue to e?plore
more facets of the American character and how it affects life in the
nited !tates"
;;
%" What ideals and values do most Americans share?
+" What is the most important value to Americans? This value is not
always reflected in everyday reality" Why not?
," @ow do Americans understand Tindividualism? 7n the past? 7n
todays society?
&" What does the American practical approach of life -Wpragmatism.
originate from? Where is it obvious today?
#" The Americans practical common sense is also reflected in
Tvolunteerism? What is it? Where do we find it?
C!?,'%$%1(0!1 <UESTIONS
-00
$" What state of mind is meant the psychology of abundance? @ow are
attitudes changing nowadays?
)" 7n what other habitual behavior do we discover the pragmatic sense of
Americans?
'" @ow does the Americans mobility contribute to the homogeneity of
the American society?
(" 7n what way is American Tpatriotism different from patriotism in
other countries?
%*" @ow do Americans measure their progress?
%%" Whats the PAmerican 0reamQ? 7s it open to all ?
%+" The break down of consensus on beliefs and values" When? Why?
1onse/uences? !ituation today?
-0-
-02
%" 0o you think that American traditional beliefs and values have made
contribution to the success of this nation? Why or why not?
+" Which among the American beliefs and values do you find most
impressive? Why?
," Americans are proud of TAmerican 0ream" @owever, its believed
that theres always a gap between idealism and reality" To what e?tent
do you agree with the idea regarding American beliefs and values? 7f
theres really a gap, what do you think may narrow it?
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
<UESTIONS =!' ="'#$%' /0(&"((0!1
-0)
&" Americans on one hand highly value individual freedom, but also are
community-minded" 0o they contradict to each other or are these two
values harmoniBed and synchroniBed? Why so?
#" Americans are said to have a practical approach to life -pragmatism."
@ow is it reflected in their daily life? 6ind some stories -Eokes,
anecdotes, etc". to illustrate the approach? Which Americans beliefs
and values point toward pragmatism?
$" Things change over time" 0o you think that many American
traditional beliefs and values still hold true? se the current events and
conte?t to e?plain and elaborate your answer -terrorism, globaliBation,
competitionX."
-0*
)" What are the beliefs and values of our culture? 0o we share any
beliefs and values with Americans? What is the historical and cultural
background for our beliefs and value?
'" 7s it healthy for a young person to want to compete? !hould everyone
in a country have an e/ual chance to succeed, or are there other factors
that are more important? Which is more important, competing or
cooperating? Which does our culture value more? Why?
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII(" Americans
-05
believe strongly in self-reliance and the freedom and independence of
the individual" At what age do young people become financially and
emotionally independent from their parents in our country? At what age
do they leave home?
%*" 1an most people stand alone and solve their own problem? !hould
they? @ow much should people depend on their families? Which is more
important to you, pleasing your family or having the freedom to do what
you want? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being very
independent?
%%" 0o you agree or disagree with the following statementO P8eople
should place more emphasis on working hard and doing a good Eob and
amassing much wealth than on what give them personal satisfactionQ?
%+" !ome people say that people get ahead by their own hard workD
others say that lucky breaks and help from others are more important"
Which side do you agree with?
-0.
-07
"escribe the picture. "o you know where the people are and what they are doingG
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
EEEE
The business of +merica is business.
-- 8resident 1alvin 1oolidge
C$+,#%' *
C$+,#%' *
THE UESE
THE UESE
ECONOMY
ECONOMY
-09
The U.S. Econom
R%+/012 -
444 FREE ENTERPRISED THEORETICAL AND
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 4444444444
he American economy is described as a free enterprise system, which
allows private business the freedom to operate for profit with
minimum government interference and regulation" The theoretical
foundation of the American economic system was
provided by Adam !mith, the eighteenth-century
!cottish philosopher whose economic ideas of
PlaisseB faireQ -leave it alone. had a strong
influence on the development of capitalism" !mith
argued that when individuals, motivated by self-
interest, are allowed to pursue profit freely, the
result is good for all of society" The more people
manufacture and trade, the greater the competition"
1ompetition benefits society by allowing the con-
sumer to seek the best product at the lowest price"
Thus, market forces, which !mith termed Pthe invisible hand,Q control
the efficient allocation of goods while each participant in the market is
seeking his or her own self-interest"
T
T
These ideas were compatible with the high value Americas
6ounding 6athers placed on individual liberty" 6reedom from economic
control seemed an e?tension of freedom from control of religion,
speech, and the press"
444 ROLE OF GOVERNMENT 4444444444
hroughout the nineteenth century, market forces in America operated
with a minimum of government intervention" !ince the %(,*s,
American capitalism has undergone substantial change" Although
private enterprise still flourishes, government regulation now e?ists in
many areas of business ranging from product safety to labor conditions"
T
T
8olitical conservatives fre/uently complain of too much government
regulation" 3iberals, on the other hand, are generally more willing to
accept governments role in business and the economy"
#$% "E(E %&!1!?8 #$% "E(E %&!1!?8
+dam *mith M%)+,-%)(*N
-0;
The U.S. Econom
Americans on both sides of the political spectrum generally support
PfreeQ private enterprise, and there is no serious political debate focusing
on alternate economic systems"
The countrys reliance on private initiative and enterprise has
produced impressive growth" The nited !tates today is a leading
economic power, with a high standard of living and enormous
productivity in industry and agriculture"
444 HIGH LIVING STANDARD 4444444444
he nited !tates is
one of the most
affluent nations in the
world" The average
annual income for
American families in
%('# was =+),)**,
and $* percent of all
families and
individuals are in the
middle-income or
high-income ranks"
Although the
generaliBation can be
made that America is
an affluent society, in
%('# about %&
percent of the
population -%%"&
percent White, ,%",
percent <lack, and +(
percent @ispanic.
lived below the
official poverty level, which was then ,%*,('( for a family of four"
T
T
444 3ORLDFS LEADING PRODUCER 444444444
he "!" remains the worlds leading producer of goods and services,
although its margin of superiority is diminishing as other countries
become more competitive in the world market" 7ndustrial and
technological production is high" The nited !tates is the worlds
leading producer of electrical energy, aluminum, copper, sulphur, and
T
T
Distri0*tion of Fa$i( #n'o$e
This table shows how income in the (nited *tates is divided
among families in different economic classes. The
percentage figures represent the portion of total income in
the (nited *tates earned by families in each category.
Cear 3owest
-2.
3ower
>iddle
-2.
>iddle
-2.
pper
>iddle
-2.
@ighest
-2.
%(&' &"( %+"% %)", +,"+ &+"&
%(#' #"* %+"# %'"* +,"( &*"$
%($' #"$ %+"& %)") +,") &*"#
%()' #"& %%") %)"$ +&"+ &%"%
%('' &"$ %*") %$") +&"* &&"*
%((' &"+ ("( %#") +,"* &)",
R>uintiles divide the population into five groups
containing an e-ual number of people. $amilies in
the lowest -uintile include the fifth of the
population receiving the lowest income. $amilies
in the highest -uintile constitute the fifth of the
population with the highest income.
*ource. (.*. Bureau of the #ensus
--0
The U.S. Econom
paper, and one of the top producers of natural gas and automobiles" 4o
other nation e?ports as much high technology as the nited !tates"
Technological advancement has accelerated changes in American
agriculture" 6arming is highly mechaniBed and commercialiBed" 7n
productive terms, the achievements of this sector of the economy are
e?traordinary" "!" farmers produce enough food for domestic
consumption and still supply %# percent of the worlds food needs"
444 FOREIGN TRADE 4444444444
esides agricultural products, principal goods in Americas e?port
trade are machinery, automotive products, aircraft, and chemicals"
The leading "!" imports are petroleum products, foods and beverages,
machinery, and iron and steel products" The nited !tates is the worlds
largest importer and e?porter" 0espite its huge domestic production, the
"!" economy depends heavily on foreign imports" ntil recently, the
nited !tates consistently e?ported more goods than it imported"
@owever, since %()%, the "!" has been operating under a trade
imbalance, importing more goods than it e?ports"
<
<
444 DECLINING GRO3TH RATES 4444444444
hile the profile of the modern "!" economy shows the "!" to
be a formidable economic power, the strength of the "!"
economy in the last %# to +* years has waned" Within the past two
decades, the "!" has slipped from a better than , percent per year
increase in productivity to an annual increase of below + percent"
0eclining growth rates are a maEor concern"
W
444 FOREIGN MARKETS 4444444444
onfidence has also been shaken by the declining competitiveness of
"!" goods abroad, indicated by the increasing trade deficit" 6oreign
manufacturers are now selling roughly #* percent more in this country
than Americans are e?porting abroad" >ost of Americas television sets,
cameras and typewriters are made by foreign companies"
1
1
@igh productivity of :apanese industries has increased the appeal of
lower-priced :apanese goods" 7n %('*, for the first year ever, the
:apanese manufactured more automobiles than the nited !tates" !teel
production in :apan is now higher as well" !tiff foreign competition
challenges "!" manufacturers to step-up productivity levels, moderniBe
their factories, and provide better worker training"
---
The U.S. Econom
0espite high productivity in farming, agricultural e?ports began to
decline in the early %('*s" American farmers had difficulty e?porting
their goods because of import restrictions imposed by foreign countries
and because of the high value of the American dollar in the early %('*s"
1urrent international trade developments in areas such as foreign
competitiveness, importJe?port policies, and currency e?change rates
have posed tough problems for the nited !tates economy" 5conomic
developments on the domestic front such as the shift in production from
manufacturing to service industries and the federal budget deficit also
create challenges for "!" business and industry"
444 CHANGES OF A MATURE ECONOMY
44444444444
n recent decades, the rapid maturity of the
nited !tates capitalist economy has
prompted some economists to contend that the
countrys industrial policy is not prepared for
the future in what is being termed the Ppost-
industrial age" ;ne of the most significant
structural changes has been a shift in
production of goods to the delivery of services
as the dominant feature of the American
economy" !ervice industries include banking,
hotels and restaurants, and communications, as
well as many other areas" This sector of the
economy now contributes the greatest share of
the nations gross national product"
7
7
<usinesses that manufacture high-
technology computer, aerospace, and bio-
chemical products and services are also on the
rise"
>any economists feel that the "!" has the
potential to increase its overall economic
productivity by making heavier investment in
the new service and high-tech industries
instead of subsidiBing competitive
manufacturing industries" These observers
believe that the "!" economy, still organiBed
for basic production, is unprepared for the
"+S+ E'ono$i' O*tp*t 0 Se'tor
These three pie charts show how the
gross domestic product 3F"7< of the
(nited *tates was split among the three
maor economic sectors. servicesJ
industryJ and agriculture, forestry, and
fishing in the years 9:D0, 9:B0, and
C000. "uring this time, the service
sectorLs share of F"7 increased
significantly.
--2
The U.S. Econom
future" They believe the government should play a more active role in
developing a long-term industrial policy that directs capital investment
and training ill the new service and high-tech industries" 3eaders of
labor and industry, however, resist these proposals"
--)
The U.S. Econom
444 BUDGET DEFICIT 4444444444
ne serious problem that hampers economic growth domestically and
affects the nited !lates ability to sell products overseas is the
enormous federal budget deficit" Almost every year since %(,*, the
government has been spending more money than it has taken in" 0eficit
spending in the 9eagan administration e?ceeded =+** billion a year -
nearly three times greater than that of any previous administration" !uch
huge deficits can cripple the economy because they lead to inflation,
high interest rates, and unemployment" ;ne of the reasons for the high
value of the American dollar abroad which hurt the sale of "!" products
was these deficits" 8ressures to decrease the budget are strong" ;ne
important measure to control the budget deficit was the Gramm 9udman
deficit reduction plan, adopted in 0ecember %('#" This act calls for
yearly spending cuts of =,$ billion until a balanced budget is reached in
%((%" >ost Americans are doubtful these targets will be met" Whether
the deficit will be reduced depends on the ability of the president and
1ongress to agree on areas for spending cuts andJor ta? increases"
;
;
>any e?perts blame the budget deficit for the sudden stock market
crash in ;ctober, %('), which caused a drop in markets all over the
world" The dramatic downturn of the "!" stock market has intensified
Americans fears of an imminent recession" A falling market can
"+S+ E$p(o$ent 0 Se'tor

+t the beginning of the
C0th century the (nited *tates
was a largely agricultural
nation with the maority of
+mericans working on farms.
Iver the course of the
century, the bulk of workers
relocated to obs in other
sectors, first in manufacturing
and later in service industries.
This chart shows how the
percentage of the labor force
employed in each economic
sector changed between 9:00
and C000.
--*
The U.S. Econom
contribute to a decline in spending which could severely weaken the
"!" economy and create economic distress all over the world"
444 AGRICULTURE 4444444444
merican agriculture is a highly productive sector of the "!" economy
facing tough challenges" 6arming nowadays has become an
e?tremely efficient, highly mechaniBed industry re/uiring huge
investments" 7n the past thirty years, agricultural land has been
concentrated into fewer and fewer hands as large-scale specialiBed farms
replace small family farms"
A
A
The high efficiency and productivity of American agriculture has its
negative side" 6arming has become too productive to be profitable to
many American farmers" 3ow crop prices, which have resulted from
Far$ing in %ontana
"SA
)eirs to pioneer farmers
from !urope, farmers
have efficiently adapted
to their environment,
establishing for each type
of farming the optimum
output of the various
agro-climatic regions.
7rosperous agricultural
estates have been set up,
thanks in large part to
the high mechanization of
production tools. Thus on
a broad scale, a rational
division of land use has
taken place with
vegetable farming in
#alifornia and $lorida,
corn in the 2idwest
where summers are hot
and humid and wheat
further ,est.
--5
The U.S. Econom
overproduction, often do not bring farmers enough income to live on"
Another difficulty the American farmer faces is the decline of
agricultural e?ports" 6armers depend heavily on e?portsD one third
of the crop land in the nited !tates is planted in crops destined for
e?port" <ut the market for these e?port crops is shrinking as the
markets of the 5uropean community e?pand"
444 CRISIS OF THE SMALL FARM
44444444444
ncreased mechaniBation of American farming is threatening the
e?istence of the small farmer" 6armers have had to increase their
debts to afford e?pensive farm e/uipment, and high interest rates
make it difficult for many farmers to keep up payments on loans
and mortgages" !mall farmers are unable to compete with large
agribusiness firms that usually have the capital needed to sustain
themselves through periods marked by low crop prices and high
interest rates" With as many as +** farmers having to declare
bankruptcy every day, many farmers insist on emergency aid from
the government" A variety of governmental and private programs,
including crop insurance, loan guarantees, and price supports, have
been set up to assist farmers" The problems of the American farm
economy are not uni/ue" 6armers in the 5uropean 5conomic
1ommunity are facing many of the same problems"
7
7
444 CORPORATIONS 4444444444
he trend in modern agriculture towards large-scale enterprise
conforms to the overall pattern in American business" Giant
corporations dominate" !mall corporations are being consumed by larger
ones and large corporations become even larger through mergers"
T
T
3arge corporations were once run by individuals with high public
profiles" @enry 6ord of the automobile industry and Andrew 1arnegie of
the steel industry are well-known magnates of the early part of this
century" >odern corporations, on the other hand, are often run by nearly
anonymous career e?ecutives who rarely own more than a fraction of
one percent of the corporations stock"
444 ENTREPRENEURS 4444444444
hile giant corporations determine much of the nations economic
behavior, entrepreneurs also have a significant impact on the
American economy" 7n %('&, )**,*** small businesses were started in
W
W
--.
The U.S. Econom
the nited !tates" !ince the %()*s such businesses started by
entrepreneurs have provided more new employment than larger
corporations"
The high-tech era has produced a new generation of entrepreneurs"
;ne e?ample from the %()*s is that of two young men who worked
together to design a new and better computer" They gathered money
needed to pay for large-scale production, and in %()) Apple 1omputer
1orporation was started" <y the end of %('&, that company, started by
two business-minded entrepreneurs, was one of the largest computer
makers in the nited !tates"
444 SUCCESS 444444444
his success story is similar to others in American history" The 1oca-
1ola company began when an American pharmacist mi?ed together
the first 1oca-1ola drink and began selling it in Atlanta, Georgia, in the
%'(*s" The famous @einB food company, which specialiBes in mustard,
pickles, and ketchupD began when a teenager started to sell various food
items on the street" While most people who start businesses do not
become millionaires, Americans do believe in the potential for
individual success that e?ists within their free enterprise system"
T
T
444 YUPPIES 4444444444
mericans are known for being highly success-oriented and dedicated
to hard work" Todays baby boom generation has ac/uired a
reputation for its relentless drive for material success" The term
Pyuppie,Q meaning young upwardly-mobile professional, has been
coined to describe those people between the ages of +# and &# who,
according to the stereotype, devote themselves to careers and status"
A
A
444 LABOR UNION 4444444444
hereas the drive for success is firmly entrenched in American
ideology, what is curiously absent is focused ideological support for
Americas labor unions" Although a legal framework for worker
representation and collective bargaining was established by legislation
in the %(,*s, labor unions in America do not have the power or political
direction of their counterparts in 5urope"
W
W
Achievements of 5uropean labor, such as worker participation in
corporate strategy in West Germany and nationaliBation of industries in
Great <ritain seem radical compared with the achievements of American
--7
The U.S. Econom
workers" !ome significant gains American labor unions have won for
their members include benefits such as increases in overtime pay, paid
vacations, premium pay for night work, and employer subsidiBed health
insurance plans" Although American workers are now beginning to
focus their demands more on Eob security than benefits, few employees
can aspire to the Eob security won by unions in continental 5urope" 7n
America, lay-offs of blue-collar workers in industries such as
automobiles, aerospace, and shipbuilding are routine" 7n 5urope,
corporations are deterred from laying off workers" 3aws re/uire
companies to make costly redundancy payment to workers who are
dismissed"
;ne e?planation for this difference between labor unions in 5urope
and America is that American workers have traditionally valued self-
reliance and individualism" 6urthermore, the lack of rigid class
distinctions has given many workers the feeling that they are not
permanently destined to a working-class e?istence" The lack of class
consciousness and the belief that one can rise to a higher station in life
through individual effort help e?plain why socialism has not gained
mass appeal as a unifying ideology among American workers"
444 AFL-CIO 4444444444
oday the largest American labor union is the Eoint A63-17;, the
American 6ederation of 3abor and 1ongress of 7ndustrial
;rganiBations" The A63-17; is active in the world labor movement" 7t
is an affiliate of the 7nternational confederation of 6ree Trade nions
-716T. which has members in (# countries and territories"
T
T
--9
The U.S. Econom
444 DECLINING MEMBERSHIP 4444444444
merican labor unions today are losing members and influence" 7n
%(#*, as many as % in , wage earners were union members" 4ow that
percentage has dropped to %' percent and shows signs of shrinking
further" The A63-17; has also been troubled by a sharp decline in
membership" <etween %()# and %('#, membership dropped from %&
million to %% million workers"
A
A
The decline in labor membership is related to the changing trends in
the economy as a whole" 6oreign competition has depressed many "!"
industries and left many workers unemployed" The decline in
manufacturing industries, once a stronghold of unionism, and the rise in
service and high-tech industries, which employ fewer blue-collar
workers, has contributed to the decline of Americas labor unions"
Another e?planation for the unions loss of membership is the
movement of many industries to the !outh, where right-to-work laws
hinder union organiBers"
Automation and other technological innovations in industrial
production have displaced many blue-collar workers" The transition to a
post-industrial economy presents challenges not only to labor unions,
but to all sectors of the "!" economy"

A*to$ation
8obots weld parts of an automobile together on an automated
--;
The U.S. Econom
production line in $enton, 2issouri. 8obots are faster and less prone to
errors than human workersJ as computer and robot technology has
become more advanced, robots are increasingly able to perform more
complicated tasks.
-20
The U.S. Econom
R%+/012 2
7t is essential to become familiar with two words in order to
understand the meaning of business to AmericansD they are private and
profit. <usinesses are directly or indirectly owned and operated by
private individuals -or groups of individuals. in order to make a
profit" 7n contrast to these privately owned, for-profit
businesses, there are public government-owned and operated
institutions as well as nonprofit institutions such as churches
and nonprofit charitable organiBations" These organiBations and
institutions are not to be confused with businesses"
444 T$% P'%(#02% != B"(01%(( +1/
#$% I/%+: != C!?,%#0#0!1
4444444444
he statement by 8resident 1oolidge %(+*sF PThe business
of America is businessQFstill points to an important truth
todayO <usiness institutions have more prestige in American
society than any other kind of organiBation, including the
government" >ost Americans believe, for e?ample, that
businesses are more efficient and better-run than the federal
government" Why do business institutions possess this great
prestige?
T
T
;ne reason is that Americans view business as being more firmly
based on the ideal of competition than other institutions in society" !ince
competition is seen as the maEor source of progress and prosperity by
most Americans, competitive business institutions are respected"
1ompetition is not only good in itselfD it is the means by which other
basic American values such as individual freedom, e/uality of
opportunity, and hard work are protected"
1ompetition protects the freedom of the individual by ensuring that
there is no monopoly of power" 7n contrast to one, all-powerful
government, many businesses compete against each other for profits"
Theoretically, if one business tries to take unfair advantage of its
customers, it will lose to a competing business that treats its customers
T$% C$+'+&#%'0(#0&( != T$% C$+'+&#%'0(#0&( !=
A?%'0&+1 "(01%(( A?%'0&+1 "(01%((
+mericans
view business
as being
more firmly
based on the
ideal of
competition
than other
institutions in
society.

-2-
The U.S. Econom
more fairly" Where many businesses compete for the customers dollar,
they cannot afford to give them inferior products or poor service"
A contrast is often made between business, which is competitive, and
government, which is a monopoly" <ecause business is competitive,
many Americans believe that it is more supportive of freedom than
government, even though government leaders are elected by the people
and business leaders are not" >any Americans, believe, then, that
competition is as important, or even more important, than democracy in
preserving freedom" !o closely is competitive business associated with
freedom in the minds of most Americans that the term free enterprise
rather than the term capitalism is most often used to describe the
American business system"
1ompetition in business is also believed to strengthen the ideal of
e/uality of opportunity Americans compare business competition to a
race open to all, where success and status go to the swiftest person,
regardless of social class background" Gaining success and status
through competition is often seen as the American alternative to systems
where social rank is based on family background" <usiness is therefore
viewed as an e?pression of the idea of e/uality of opportunity rather
than the aristocratic idea of inherited privilege"
<usiness competition is also seen by most Americans as encouraging
hard work" 7f two business people are competing against each other, the
one who works harder is likely to win" The one who spends less time
and effort is likely to lose" <ecause business people must continually
compete against each other, they must develop the habit of hard work in
order not to fail"
Americans are aware that business institutions often do not live up to
the ideals of competition and the support of freedom, e/uality of
opportunity, and hard work" Americans sometimes distrust the motives
of business people, believing that they are capable of putting profit
before product safety or a cleaner environment" Therefore, most
Americans believe businesses need some government regulation,
although they may disagree on how much" 5ven with these flaws,
however, most Americans believe that business comes closer than other
institutions to carrying out competition and other basic values in daily
practice"
#ompetition
in business is
also believed
to strengthen
the ideal of
e-uality of
opportunity
+mericans
compare
business
competition
to a race
open to all,
where
success and
status go to
the swiftest
person,
regardless of
-22
The U.S. Econom
444 #$% P'%(#02% != B"(01%(( +1/ #$%
D'%+? != G%##012 R0&$
444444444444
here is a second reason why business institutions receive respect in
the nited !tates" ;ne aspect of the great American 0ream is to rise
from poverty or modest wealth to great wealth" 7n the nited !tates, this
has usually been accomplished through successful business careers" All
of the great private fortunes in the nation were built by people who were
successful in business, many of whom started life with very little"
1areers in business still offer the best opportunity for the
ambitious individual to become wealthy
T
T
Ale?is de Toc/ueville observed the great attractiveness of
business careers for Americans as early as the %',*s" @e wrote
that Americans strongly preferred business to farming because
business offered the opportunity to get rich more /uickly" 5ven
those who were farmers were possessed with a strong business
spirit" They often ran small businesses to add to the money they
made from farming" 0e Toc/ueville also noticed that American
farmers were often more interested in buying and selling land
for a profit than in farming it" Thus, even in de Toc/uevilles
day, when most Americans were still farmers, the seeds of a
business civiliBation had already been planted"
4ot only is business seen as the best way for individuals to
become rich, it is also seen as benefiting the entire nation"
Through competition, more people gain wealth" <y contrast, a
socialistic system of production and distribution of goods -one
that is owned and operated by the government. is seen as
greatly inferior" A socialistic system is distrusted because of the
monopoly of power held by the government that eliminates competition"
There are few countries, if any, in the world where business institutions
are so strongly preferred over government institutions as agencies for
producing and distributing goods and for providing services" 6or
e?ample, the nited !tates is one of the few industrialiBed countries in
the world that does not have universal health care guaranteed and
managed in some way by the government" Americans have traditionally
preferred to have a system where health care providers compete with
each other in a free market and individuals are free to choose their own
doctors and hospitals, even if that means that some people go without
'ot only is
business seen
as the best
way for
individuals to
become rich,
it is also seen
as benefiting
the entire
nation.

-2)
The U.S. Econom
health insurance"
444 T>! K01/( != A?%'0&+1 B"(01%((
H%'!%( 44444444
ecause of the many beliefs that connect business to the wealth and the
traditional values of the nited !tates, people who are successful in
business have sometimes become heroes to the American people" Two
kinds of business heroes have gained widespread respectO Pthe
entrepreneurQ and the PorganiBation man or woman"Q 5ntrepreneurs
provide e?amples of traditional American values in their purest form,
and these people are most likely to be idealiBed by the American public"
The second kind of hero, Pthe organiBation manJwoman,Q is seen as a
less perfect e?ample of basic American values, but he or she still
commands great respect"
<
<
T$% E1#'%,'%1%"' +( H%'!
5ntrepreneurs are the purest kind of business heroes for a number of
reasons" The first reason is that they succeed in building something great
out of nothing" The people who, more than %** years ago, built up the
nations great industries, such as steel, railroads, and oil refining, were
usually entrepreneurs" They started with very little money or power and
ended up as the heads of huge companies that earned enormous fortunes"
The fact that these early entrepreneurs built great industries out of
very little made them seem to millions of Americans like the heroes of
the early frontier days, who went into the vast wilderness of the nited
!tates and turned forests into farms, villages, and small cities" The
entrepreneur, like the earlier hero of the frontier, was seen as a rugged
individualist"
5ntrepreneurs made so much out of so little that they became heroes
to the common people in America" 5ntrepreneurs often began as
common people themselvesD without the aid of inherited social title or
inherited money, they became Pself-madeQ millionaires" They were thus
perfect e?amples of the American idea of e/uality of opportunity in
action"
The strong influence of the success stories of the early entrepreneurs
can be found in the great popularity of the novels of @oratio Alger,
which were published in late %(th- and early +*th-century America"
About %) million copies of these books were sold to the American
public" The central theme of Algers novels is that in the nited !tates a
!ntrepreneur
s made so
much out of
so little that
they became
heroes to the
common
people in
+merica.

-2*
The U.S. Econom
poor city boy or a poor farm boy can become a wealthy and successful
businessman if he works hard and relies on himself rather than
depending on others" This is because the nited !tates is a land of
e/uality of opportunity where everyone has a chance to succeed"
7n Algers first published novel, 8agged "ick, a poor city boy who
shines shoes for a living becomes 9ichard @unter, a successful and
wealthy businessman" The hero rises Pfrom rags to richesQ and fulfills
the American 0ream" 0ick succeeds only partly because he lives in a
land of e/uality of opportunity @is success is also due to the fact that he
practices the American virtues of self-reliance and hard work"
According to Alger, 0ick Pknew that he had only himself to depend
upon, and he determined to make the most of himself""" which is the
secret of success in nine cases out of ten"Q 0ick was also a hard-working
shoe shine boy, Penergetic and on the alert for business"Q This /uality
marked him for success, e?plained Alger, because in all professions,
Penergy and industry are rewarded"Q
Although few Americans today read @oratio Algers stories, they
continue to be inspired by the idea of earning wealth and success as
8oss 7erot
*teve $orbes
-25
The U.S. Econom
entrepreneurs who Pmake it on their own"Q A final characteristic of
entrepreneurs that appeals to most Americans is their strong dislike of
submitting to higher authority" Throughout their history, Americans
have admired entrepreneurs who conduct their business and their lives
without taking orders from any one above them" Americans have great
respect for those who can say P7 am my own boss"Q
Today, many Americans are willing to take the big financial risk
that is necessary to start their own small business" Although one out of
every four new businesses fail within the first two years -and half of
them within the first four years., small businesses account for three out
of four of the new Eobs created in the % ((*s" The overwhelming
maEority of these Eobs employ one to four people" 7nspired by
entrepreneur heroes like !teven :obs, who started Apple 1omputer in his
garage, <ill Gates, who developed >icrosoft into a global giant, and
9oss 8erot, a self-made billionaire who ran for 8resident, risk-taking
entrepreneurs still launch their businesses with high hopes of Pmaking it
big"Q
9oss 8erots popularity provides an interesting illustration of the fact
that Americans tend to have more respect for individuals who build a
business from the beginning than they do for those who inherit a family
business and manage it well" 7n the %(($ presidential campaign, another
billionaire, !teve 6orbes, tried unsuccessfully to get the 9epublican
nomination" 7n contrast to the wealthy entrepreneur 9oss 8erot, 6orbes
inherited his fortune
from his father,
>alcolm 6orbes"
Although both men
were e?tremely wealthy,
Americans seemed to
respect the self-made
8erot more than the
privileged 6orbes"
7ndeed, many
presidential candidates
proudly state that they
have come from poor or
working-classQ families"
They do not want to be known as PrichQ or wealthy"
*teve 4obs, who started +pple #omputer in his garage.
-2.
The U.S. Econom
T$% O'2+10G+#0!1
M+1H3!?+1 +( H%'!
The great entrepreneurs of the late %(th century built huge business
organiBations that needed a new generation of business leaders to run
them" These leaders have often been called organization menQwomen"
They are also heroes to Americans in the sense that they are role models
of success in American society" They ac/uire power and wealth, but
they do not have as strong a hero image as entrepreneurs because they
are managing businesses that someone else started"
3ee 7acocca is an e?ample of an PorganiBation manQ admired by
Americans" 7acocca took over 1hrysler 1orporation when it was on the
verge of bankruptcy in %()(" With the help of a government loan, he
turned the company around and made it profitable, restoring American
faith in the ability of the nited !tates to compete in the global market"
!ome Americans urged 7acocca to run for president, although he, like
9oss 8erot, had never run for elected office"
7t is interesting to note that as the nited !tates came out of the
%('*sFa decade of greed, e?cess, and in many cases dishonest business
practicesF Americans took a second look at their view of the business
world" Although most Americans admire the earning power of
entrepreneurs and would probably not want to put a limit on their
income, they are less generous in their view of the organiBation
9i((ia$ ,Bi((- H+ 7ates Mborn on ;ct" +', %(##N is the
chairman and chief software architect of >icrosoft
1orporation, the worldwide leader in software, services and
solutions that help people and businesses realiBe their full
potential" >icrosoft had revenues of !=,$"'& billion for
the fiscal year ending :une +**&, and employs more than
##,*** people in '# countries and regions"
<*otes fro$ 9i((ia$ H+ 7ates
Information technology and business are becoming
ine1tricably interwoven. I donLt think anybody can talk
meaningfully about one without the talking about the
other.
%ike almost everyone who uses e-mail, I receive a ton
of spam every day. 2uch of it offers to help me get out
of debt or get rich -uick. It would be funny if it werenLt
so e1citing.
.e Fig*re
-27
The U.S. Econom
manJwoman"Q 7n the early %((*s, highly paid corporate e?ecutives
started to come under severe attack for their multi-million-dollar-a-year
salaries" ;n the other hand, most Americans would probably say that
self-made millionaires have the right to as much money as they can get"
444 A?%'0&+1 B"(01%(( 01 #$% G:!+:
M+'@%#,:+&% 444
ifty years ago, the operation of American business took place almost
entirely in the nited !tates" 7n the %((*s, this is no longer true"
American business has become a part of a much larger global economy"
7n the %(#*s, someone who bought a car from General >otors
1orporation knew that the entire car was built in the nited !tates" 7n
the %((*s, however, if a person spent =+*,*** for a General >otors car,
=$,*** might go to !outh Horea for labor, =,,#** to :apan for advanced
parts, =%,#** to Germany for design and styling, ='** to Taiwan,
!ingapore, and :apan for small parts, =#** to <ritain for advertising, and
=%** to 7reland and <arbados for data processing"
6
6
The nited !tates is the single largest market in the worldO a
consumer society looking for goods from all over the world" 7t is also a
country with products to sell, and much attention is being given to
competing successfully in the global market of the +%st century" The
nited !tates cannot compete with the abundant supply of cheap labor
that e?ists in the countries of the 8acific 9im and 3atin AmericaD
therefore, many "!" companies are moving their manufacturing
operations to Asia or 3atin America" 7n the %((*s, the 4A6TA -4orth
American 6ree Trade Agreement. treaty Eoined 1anada, the nited
!tates, and >e?ico as trading partners and created new opportunities
and new markets" ;ld giant corporations such as 7<> and ATYT laid
off thousands of workers, downsiBing to become more efficient and
competitive" The auto industry that many were ready to pronounce dead
has revived and is flourishing" American business now understands that
it must be highly efficient if it is to compete successfully in the global
marketplace"
444 #$% C$+12012 A?%'0&+1 3!'@=!'&%
4444444444
raditionally, white males have dominated American businessF
earning the highest salaries, achieving the greatest successes, and
certainly wielding most of the power" They have been the Pbosses,Q
T
T
-29
The U.S. Econom
setting the standards and the working conditions for the rest of the
working population"
The percentage of women entering the workforce rose steadily from
the %($*s through the %('*s, leveling off in the %((*s" !ome women
have reached middle-management positions, but very few -only about #
percent. are the chief e?ecutives of large corporations" Women are
prevented from moving all the way to the top by what some call the glass
ceiling, a subtle form of discrimination" The men above them often do
not offer women the opportunities they need to advance in the company
!ometimes this happens because of a belief that a woman is not capable,
but her boss may assume that she would not want the Eob because it
might interfere with her family 7n order to advance her career, for
e?ample, she might have to transfer to another city or take a Eob that has
more responsibility and re/uires longer working hours" 7nterestingly,
currently twice as many new businesses in the nited !tates are started
by women as by men" !ome women believe that it is easier for them to
be successful as entrepreneurs than as PorganiBation womenQ in male-
dominated corporations"
>any Eobs in corporate America are fast track, re/uiring that both
women and men put their Eob first and their family second" !tudies show
that an employee perceived to be on the Pmommy trackQ or the Pdaddy
trackQ will not earn as much money or be given as much responsibility
White
Bac! an" othe#
Mae
$e%ae
Sex and Ra'e in t!e La0or For'e
,omen and minorities increased their presence in the work place during the
last half of the C0th century. These two charts show changes in the
composition of the labor force by race and gender between 9:D0 and C000.
-2;
The U.S. Econom
as the one willing to sacrifice time at home for time at the office" !ome
families are now beginning to /uestion whether success is really worth
the price" !ome businesses provide fle?ible working hours and day-care
centers in the building, but most do not" A number of women are
choosing to drop out of the workforce and stay home with their children,
or to find work they can do at homeFworking on a computer linked to
their office, for e?ample" About three million women a year now try
their hands at starting their own small businesses, following the dream
of the entrepreneur"
;ne of the worst problems facing American women is Tthat overall
they earn about )# cents for every dollar earned by American men" 7n
spite of the ideal of e/uality of opportunity, women generally earn less
money than men for doing the same work" >inorities often face similar
discrimination in the workplace, earning less money than white workers
with similar Eobs"
7n the future, the white American male may no longer have
advantages over other workers" The recent arrival of millions of new
immigrants is changing the makeup of the American workforce" A study
done in %(') called ,ork force C000 provided the first predictions that
more women and members of minority groups would be entering the
workforce than white males" The study predicted that five-si?ths of the
net additions to the workforce by the year +*** would be nonwhites,
women, and immigrantsD only %# percent would be white males"
!tudies show that within %* or +* years of their arrival, immigrants
-or their children. will earn as much or more money than people born in
the nited !tates who have similar characteristics such as age, skills,
and education" !ome businesses now provide 5nglish as a !econd
3anguage courses at the workplace, and others conduct Pdiversity
trainingQ to promote understanding among the different racial and ethnic
groups that now work together" >any believe that this multi-cultural
workforce will ultimately help the nited !tates compete in the global
marketplace, since American workers will represent a microcosm of the
world"
Although the institution of American business has undergone
enormous changes in recent decades, it has remained the most
prestigious institution in the nited !tates" The business of America is
still business"
-)0
The U.S. Econom
-)-
The U.S. Econom
%" What is the pattern of the "!" economy?
+" What is the theoretical foundation of "!" economy?
," What role does the Government play? 7n the past? At present?
&" What is the key to the impressive growth of the "!" 5conomy?
#" 7s it true that in America, one of the most affluent countries in the
world, everybody enEoys high standards of living? Why? Why not?
$" What are the leading industries in the "!"?
)" What are the main features of "!"
foreign trade? What changes are taking
place in modern time?
C!?,'%$%1(0!1 <UESTIONS
-)2
The U.S. Econom
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
-))
The U.S. Econom
'" @ow do foreign markets influence "!" economy? What factors of the
current international developments have caused the changes in recent
decades?
(" What conse/uences have been caused by the %('# budget deficit? 0o
they reflect the real situation of the ! 5conomy? Why? Why not?
%*" What challenges is the ! Agriculture facing now?
%%" Why is it said that high efficiency and productivity have made
farming no longer profitable for many American farmers?
%+" What are the patterns of American modern agriculture? What causes
crisis to small farmers?
%," What kinds of emergency aids does the Government provide?
%&" What is the success story in American society? @ow is it reflected in
the Americans working attitude?
-)*
The U.S. Econom
%#" 0o 3abor nions in the ! work as effectively as 3abor nions in
other 5uropean countries? What causes this difference?
%$" Why does business gain so much prestige in American society?
%)" What changes have taken place to the ! labor force?
Are they positive or negative? Why? What have led to these
changes?
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
%" What are the economic achievements that the "!" has reached so far
and what are the challenges it is now facing?
<"%(#0!1( =!' F"'#$%' /0(&"((0!1
-)5
The U.S. Econom
+chievements
-).
The U.S. Econom
#hallenges
+" Why is ! called a land of opportunities?
," @ow are the American traditional beliefs and values mirrored in the
! economic system and how much do they make contribution to the
American economic growth?
-)7
The U.S. Econom
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
&" America is said to be the most affluent countries in the world and
everybody enEoys high standard of living" 0oes this still hold true? Will
it be true in the ne?t few decades? What you predict would be the future
of the ! economy in the ne?t few decades? Why?
#" 0iscuss !s role in this globaliBation conte?t"
-)9
The U.S. Econom
$" What /ualities should a good business person have in order to be
successful? Are these the same personal /ualities that you would like
your own boss to have? @ow would you feel about having a woman as
your boss? Are there many women managers and e?ecutives in your
country? Are there certain Eobs that women traditionally do or do not
do? Are many women with small children employed?
)" 7f you are looking for a Eob in Aietnam, what do you have to do? @ow
do you find out about Eob openings? @ow important are family
reputation and connections? @ow is the Eob market in Aietnam now?
What Eobs are easyJhard to get?
-);
The U.S. Econom
'" What is the best way to get rich in our country? 7s it through a
business or a professional career? What kinds of business career
opportunities promise the most money? Are there high-paying factory
Eobs in Aietnam?
(" Who do you admire moreO a person who inherits wealth or a self-
made millionaire? an entrepreneur or an PorganiBation manJwomanQ?
Which would you rather be? Why? 7f you started your own small
business, what would it be? 7s there some virtue to having to struggle to
succeed in life?
-*0
The U.S. Econom
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
-*-
The U.S. Econom
%*" What are the fast-track Eobs in our country? What price does a
person pay to be on the fast track? What sacrifices do they make? 0o
you want a fast track Eob? Are there any sacrifices that you would be
unwilling to make to have a successful career?
:o0 Se'tors
+ labor market is made up of ob sectors, groups of obs related by level
and type of skills used, education or training needed, and pay. This
group of photographs depicts people working in si1 different ob
sectors. clockwise from top left, a medical professional, a construction
worker, an e1ecutive, a salesperson, a laborer, and a farmer.
.
-*2
The U.S. Econom
'ame the following public buildings
+ wise and frugal Fovernment shall restrain men from inuring one
another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits
of industry and improvements.
-- Thomas :efferson
C$+,#%' 5
C$+,#%' 5
THE POLITICAL
THE POLITICAL
SYSTEM
SYSTEM
-*)
The U.S. Econom
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
-**
The !olitical Sstem
The !olitical Sstem
The !olitical Sstem
R%+/012 -
444 F!'? != 2!6%'1?%1# 4444444444
he nited !tates is a representative democracy" All government power rests
ultimately with the people, who direct policies by voting for government
representatives" The nations constitution defines
the powers of national and state governments, the
functions and framework of each branch of
governments and the rights of individual citiBens"
All public officials of the national as well as state
governments must swear to abide by the
1onstitution, which was created to protect the
democratic interests of the people and
government"
T
T
444 LIMITED GOVERNMENT
4444444444
he principle of limited government is basic to
the 1onstitution" When the 1onstitution was
first written about two hundred years ago, many
Americans feared that government power could
become concentrated in the hands of a few"
!everal features were created to guard against this
possibilityO %. the federal organiBation of
governmentD +. the separation of powers among
different branches of governmentD and ,. a system
of checks and balances to restrict the powers of
each branch"
T
T
F%/%'+:0(?
nder federalism, the principle of limited
government was achieved by dividing authority
between the central government and the
individual states" The federal -national.
government has powers over areas of wide
concern" 6or e?ample, it has the power to control communications among
states, borrow money, provide for the national defense, and declare war"
#$% ,!:0#0&+: (8(#%? #$% ,!:0#0&+: (8(#%?
.e Fig*re
:a$es %adison
:ames >adison was the fourth "!"
president" <ecause of his central
role in the 1onstitutional
1onvention, he became known as
the P6ather of the 1onstitution"Q As
a congressman from Airginia, he
sponsored the first ten
Amendments known as the <ill of
9ights" >adison, a strong
supporter of human rights, was by
nature a mediator" @e kept the
nited !tates out of war with
4apoleon, but reluctantly led the
country into another war with
<ritain in %'%+" 0uring his second
term, he encouraged national
growth"
The !olitical Sstem
The states possess those powers which are not given to the national
government" 6or e?ample, each state establishes its own criminal Eustice
system, public schools, and marriage and divorce laws"
There are certain powers, called concurrent powers which both the federal
and state government share" 5?amples include the power to ta?, set up courts,
and charter banks"
S%,+'+#0!1 != P!>%'(
<esides the division of power between state and national governments,
power is also limited by the separation of power among three branches -
legislative, e?ecutive, and Eudicial" 7n the nited !tates, each branch has a
separate function"
=== Legis(ative Bran'!
===================================
The function of the legislative branch is to make laws" The legislative
branch is made up of representatives elected to 1ongress" 1ongress is
comprised of two groups, called housesO the @ouse of 9epresentatives -the
@ouse. and the !enate"
3awmakers from all of the states are elected to serve in the @ouse of
9epresentatives" The number of representatives each state sends to the @ouse
depends upon the number of districts in each state" 5ach district chooses one
representative" The number of districts in each state is determined by
population" The most heavily populated states have more districts and,
therefore, more representatives than the sparsely populated states" There are
currently &,# representatives in the @ouse" 5ach representative is elected to a
two-year term"
The !enate is the smaller of the two bodies" 5ach state, regardless of
population has two senators" The senatorial term is si? years" 5very two years,
one third of the !enate stands for election"
=== Ho; a Bi(( Be'o$es a La; ===========================
5ach house of 1ongress is engaged in making laws, and each may initiate
legislation" A law first begins as a Pbill"Q ;nce a bill is introduced, it is sent to
the appropriate committee" 5ach house of 1ongress has committees which
specialiBe in a particular area of legislation, such as foreign affairs, defense,
banking, and agriculture" When a bill is in committee, members study it and
then send it to the !enate or @ouse chamber where it was first introduced"
After a debate, the bill is voted on" 7f it passes, it is sent to the other house
where it goes through a similar process"
The !enate may reEect a bill proposed in the @ouse of 9epresentatives or
add amendments" 7f that happens, a Pconference committeeQ made up of
The !olitical Sstem
members from both houses tries to work out a compromise" 7f both sides agree
on the new version, the bill is sent to the president for his signature" At this
point, the bill becomes a law"
D#)#S#ON OF PO9ERS
PO9ERS OF THE
NAT#ONAL
7O)ERN%ENT&
CONC"RRENT
PO9ERS
PO9ERS RESER)ED TO
STATE 7O)ERN%ENTS
To regulate foreign trade
and commerce between
states
To conduct foreign
relations with other
nations
To establish post offices
and roads
To raise and support
armed forces
To declare war and
make peace
To govern territories and
admit new states
To pass naturaliBation
laws and regulate
immigration
To make all laws
Pnecessary and properQ
to carry out its power
To collect ta?es
To borrow money
To establish and
maintain courts
To make and enforce
laws
To provide for the health
and welfare of the
people
To regulate trade within
the state
to establish local
governments
To conduct elections
To determine voter
/ualifications
To establish and support
public schools
To incorporate business
firms
To license professional
workers
To ratify amendments
To keep all the Preserved
powersQ not granted to
the national government
nor prohibited to the
states
PO9ERS DEN#ED TO
THE NAT#ONAL
7O)ERN%ENT
PO9ERS DEN#ED TO
BOTH NAT#ONAL AND
STATE 7O)ERN%ENT
PO9ERS DEN#ED TO
STATE 7O)ERN%ENTS
To ta? e?ports
To suspend writ of
habeas corpus
To change state
boundaries without
consent of states
involved
To abridge the <ill of'
9ights
To pass e? post facto
laws
To pass bills of attainder
To deny due process of
law
To grant titles of
nobility
To coin money
To enter into treaties
to ta? agencies of federal
government
To ta? imports or
e?ports
The !olitical Sstem
=== Exe'*tive Bran'! ===================================
The e?ecutive branch of government is responsible for administering the
laws passed by 1ongress" The president of the nited !tates presides over the
e?ecutive branch" @e is elected to a four-year term and can be re-elected to a
second term" The vice-president, who is elected with the president, is assigned
only two constitutional duties" The first is to preside over the !enate"
@owever, the vice-president may vote only in the event of a tie" The second
duty is to assume the presidency if the president dies, becomes disabled, or is
removed from office"
Separation of Po;ers and C!e'&s and Ba(an'es
The !olitical Sstem
The 7residents oval office at the ,hite )ouse
=== Po;ers of t!e President ==============================
The 1onstitution gives the president many important powers" As chief
e?ecutive, the president appoints secretaries of the maEor departments that
make up the presidents cabinet" Today there are %, maEor departments in the
e?ecutive branchO the 0epartments of !tate, Treasury, 0efense, :ustice,
7nterior, Agriculture, 1ommerce, 3abor, @ealth and @uman !ervices, @ousing
and rban 0evelopment, Transportation, 5nergy, and 5ducation" As chief
e?ecutive, the president also appoints senior officials of the many agencies in
the e?pansive bureaucracy"
As head of state, the president represents the country abroad, entertains
foreign leaders, and addresses the public" As director of foreign policy, he
appoints foreign ambassadors and makes treaties with other nations" The
president also serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and as head
of his political party"
7n the nited !tates, the president and legislature are elected separately,
housed separately, and they operate separately" This division is a uni/ue
feature of the American system" 7nk the parliamentary systems that operate in
most western democracies, the national leader, or prime minister, is chosen by
the parliament"
=== :*di'ia( Bran'!
=====================================
The third branch of government is the Eudicial branch, which is headed by
the !upreme 1ourt" nder the !upreme 1ourt, there are many state and federal
courts" An important function of the Eudicial branch is to determine whether
laws of 1ongress or actions of the president violate the 1onstitution"
C$%&@( +1/ B+:+1&%(
The !olitical Sstem
The division of government power among three separate but e/ual
branches provides for a system of checks and balances" 5ach branch checks or
limits the power of the other branches" 6or e?ample, although 1ongress makes
laws, the president can veto them" 5ven if the president vetoes a law, 1ongress
may check the president by overriding his veto with a two-thirds vote"
The !upreme 1ourt can overturn laws passed by 1ongress and signed by
the president" The selection of federal and !upreme 1ourt Eudges is made by
the other two branches" The president appoints Eudges, but the !enate reviews
his candidates and has the power to reEect his choices" With this system of
checks and balances, no branch of government has superior power"
<y dividing power among the three branches of government, the 1onstitu-
tion effectively ensures that government power will not be usurped by a small
powerful group or a few leaders"
The basic framework of American government is described in the
1onstitution" @owever, there are other features of the political system, not
mentioned in the 1onstitution, which directly and indirectly influence
American politics"
444 POLITICAL PARTICIPATION 4444444444
roups and individuals have a variety of ways they can e?ert pressure and try
to influence government policy" >any people write letters to elected
officials e?pressing their approval or disapproval of a political decision"
8eople sometimes circulate petitions or write letters to editors of newspapers
and magaBines to try to influence politicians" ;rganiBed interest groups,
however, can generally e?ert influence much more effectively than can
isolated individuals"
G
G
I1#%'%(# 2'!",(
7nterest groups are organiBed by people who want to influence public
policy decisions on special issues" There are many different types of interest
groups in the nited !tates" The largest organiBations are labor unions, such as
the A63-17;D business groups, such as the nited !tates 1hamber of
1ommerceD farm groups, such as the 4ational 6armers nionD and
professional groups, such as the American >edical Association" There are
many issue-oriented groups with broad concerns such as the environment, civil
rights, and peace" !ome interest groups focus on narrow issues such as the
preservation of historic buildings or the control of neighborhood crime"
What all the various interest groups have in common is the desire to sway
public opinion and political policy" The press, radio, and television are the
most obvious media through which interest groups may influence voters and
politicians" >embers of interest groups also write letters to government
officials, make telephone calls, hold public meetings, and sponsor newspaper
The !olitical Sstem
advertisements"
L!80(#(
To e?ert direct pressure on legislators in Washington or in state capitals, a
maEor interest group may employ a professional lobbyist" A lobbyist, generally
a lawyer or former legislator, is someone who not only specialiBes in the
interest he or she represents, Tbut also possesses an insiders view of the
lawmaking process" 3obbyists work for interest groups by keeping them in-
formed about proposed legislation and by talking to decision-makers about
their groups concerns"
The term lobbyist often has a negative connotation" 8ublic officials and
others sometimes resent lobbyists interference" Cet lobbyists fulfill vital func-
tions" <esides voicing the concerns of a special group in society, they fulfill
important needs of decision-makers" 3egislators and their staff fre/uently turn
to lobbyists for valuable data they would otherwise have to gather themselves"
0uring the committee stage in the legislative process, for instance, lobbyists
are invited to appear before congressional committees to provide advice and
information, albeit one-sided, which will help the committee make a decision"
While they are not mentioned in the 1onstitution, organiBed interest
groups and their lobbyists play a significant role in American democracy" The
political party system is another important part of the political scene which is
not described in the 1onstitution"
444 POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEM 4444444444
istorically, three features have characteriBed the party system in the nited
!tatesO %. two maEor parties alternating in powerD +. lack of ideologyD and
,. lack of unity and party discipline"
@
@
T>!-,+'#8 S8(#%?
The nited !tates has had only two maEor parties throughout its history"
When the nation was founded, two political groupings emergedFthe 6ederal-
ists and Anti-6ederalists" !ince then, two maEor parties have alternated in
power"
The two main political parties, the
EEEEEEEEEE and the EEEEEEEEEE, are
respectively represented by an elephant and a
donkey. The elephant represents power and
strengthJ the donkey humility and patient hard
work.
The !olitical Sstem
6or over one hundred years, Americas two-party system has been
dominated by the 0emocratic and 9epublican 8arties" 4either party, however,
has ever completely dominated American politics" ;n the national level, the
maEority party in 1ongress has not always been the same as the party of the
president"
5ven in years when one party dominated national politics, the other party
retained much support at state or local levels" Thus, the balance between the
0emocrats and 9epublicans has shifted back and forth"
M01!' P+'#0%(
While minor parties, also called Pthird parties,Q have appeared from time
to time, and continue to appear, they have been conspicuous in their inability
to attract enough voters to enable them to assume power" ;ccasionally, a third
party candidate will win a seat in 1ongress or in a state legislature" !eldom,
however, have minor parties been successful for more than a short period of
time" 7n most cases, minor parties have been assimilated by the larger two or
have Eust faded away"
!ome current third parties in the nited !tates are the !ocialist 3abor
8arty, the American 7ndependent 8arty, the 3ibertarian 8arty, and the 8eace
and 6reedom 8arty"
E:%&#0!1 S8(#%?
The way candidates are elected e?plains why two maEor parties have come
to dominate the American political scene" 5lections are held according to the
single-member district system, based on the principle of Pwinner take all"Q
nder this system, only one candidate - the one with the most votes - is
elected to a given office from any one district" >any people will not vote for a
minor party candidateD they feel they are throwing away a vote since only one
person wins"
D%?!&'+#( +1/ R%,":0&+1(
The 0emocratic and 9epublican 8arties have supporters among a wide
variety of Americans and embrace a wide range of political views" The parties
tend to be similar" 0emocrats and 9epublicans support the same overall
political and economic goals" 4either party seeks to shake the foundation of
Americas economy or social structure" 0emocrats and 9epublicans, however,
often propose different means of achieving their similar goals" 0emocrats
generally believe that the federal government and state governments should
provide social and economic programs for those who need them" While
9epublicans do not necessarily oppose social programs, they believe that
many social programs are too costly for ta?payers" They tend to favor big
business and private enterprise and want to limit the role of government"
The !olitical Sstem
A poll taken
in %('$ by 3ouis
@arris and
Associates
reveals how
Americans
perceive the
stance of each
party on certain
key issues"
<ecause of these
differences,
Americans tend
to think of the
0emocratic
8arty as liberal
and the
9epublican 8arty
as conservative"
LACK OF
IDEOLOGY
American
party politics has
been largely
devoid of
ideology"
!everal attempts
at developing an ideological party were unsuccessful" The 8opulist 8arty of
the %'(*s and the 8rogressive 8arty of the early twentieth century gained only
temporary support" !enator <arry Goldwater, the 9epublican candidate in the
%($& election, tried to imbue his party with the spirit and force of a conserva-
tive ideology" Cet the election resulted in a landslide victory for 0emocratic
candidate 3yndon :ohnson" These e?amples suggest that Americans tend to
prefer somewhat vague party programs to the rigors of political ideology"
LACK OF PARTY UNITY
A third characteristic of the American party system, which sometimes con-
founds foreign observers, is the lack of unity and discipline within each party"
0isagreement among members of the same party is common"
The voting records of 1ongressmen and !enators demonstrate a baffling
lack of party unity" 7t is not uncommon for either a 0emocrat or a 9epublican
to vote against the party line" There are conservative 0emocrats who agree
B*i(ds *p defenses

C*ts federa( spending

.eeps e'ono$ prospero*s

Hand(es federa( defi'it

Contro(s ar$s ra'e

C*ts *ne$p(o$ent

9or&s for pea'e

Contro(s defense 0*dget

7ives ;o$en a 0rea&

Prote'ts environ$ent

He(p e(der( and poor
9!i'! part fares 0etter on t!e
iss*es>
The !olitical Sstem
with 9epublican ideas and liberal 9epublicans who agree with 0emocratic
ideas" 8ersonal views and the views of constituents often have priority over
party views"
PARTY ORGANIBATION
The loose organiBation of Americas political parties helps e?plain this
lack of unity within American parties, which contrasts sharply with more
tightly-organiBed, ideologically-oriented western 5uropean parties"
7n the nited !tates, parties are decentraliBed, with relatively few
members" 8arties are organiBed as loose confederations of state parties, which,
in turn, are decentraliBed down to the local level" 3ocal party committees,
which are numerous, are relatively independent of each other" ;nly during
national elections do party committees Eoin together to clarify issues" 8arty
leadership, insofar as it can be located, is in the hands of a few officials and
other notables"
The absence of an organiBed party structure and established hierarchy of
leaders contributes to party disunity" 6urthermore, candidates and elected
officials are not held accountable for following the party line" 5ven at national
party conventions, no formally binding party platform is drawn up"
PARTY MEMBERSHIP
8arty membership is e/ually undemanding" 9epublicans and 0emocrats
undergo no official initiation, pay no membership dues, and have no obligation
to attend meetings or even vote for the party" 7dentification with a particular
political party has less significance in the nited !tates than in most other
western democracies"
8olitical parties, interest groups, and elections are opportunities for citiBens
to participate in the democratic process" >any Americans, however, are poli-
tically uninvolved"
LO3 VOTER TURNOUT
Although every citiBen has the right to vote, the percentage of the voting
age population that participates in elections is /uite low" Aoter turnout for
presidential elections is usually tinder $* percent, and the percentage is even
lower for state and local elections"
!everal factors may contribute to the low voter participationO
- nlike most of the 5uropean nations, the nited !tates re/uires early
voter registration"
- 5lection campaigns tend to be much longer in the nited !tates than in
many other nations" After following campaigns that sometimes begin a year or
more before the election, many Americans lose interest and do not vote"
The !olitical Sstem
- American elections are always held on Tuesdays, a normal working day,
whereas elections in many other nations are held on weekends"
- The American two-party system may contribute to low voter turnout
because voters choice is limited"
- The other democratic nations have parliamentary systems, in which the
outcome of the election determines both the e?ecutives and legislative
branches of government" Aoters in these countries may feel that their vote
carries more weight"
The nited !tates 1onstitution established a system in which the people
have the right, whether they e?ercise it or not, to influence the direction of
government"
The !olitical Sstem
;dd-;ne- ;ut
,hat points are
the cartoons makingG
The !olitical Sstem
R%+/012 2
444 A S"(,0&0!1 != S#'!12
G!6%'1?%1#4444444444
he ideal of the free individual has had a profound effect on the way
Americans view their government" Traditionally, there has been a deep
suspicion that government is the natural enemy of freedom, even if it is elected
by the people" The bigger and stronger the government becomes, the more
dangerous most Americans believe it is to their individual freedom"
T
T
This suspicion of strong government goes back to the men who led the
American 9evolution in %))$" These men believed that the government
of Great <ritain was determined to discourage the freedom and
economic opportunities of the American colonists by e?cessive ta?es
and other measures that would ultimately benefit the <ritish aristocracy
and monarchy" Thomas 8aine, the famous revolutionary writer,
e?pressed the view of other American revolutionists when he said,
PGovernment even in its best state is but a necessary evilD in its worst
state, an intolerable oneQ"
444 T$% O'2+10G+#0!1 != #$%
A?%'0&+1 G!6%'1?%1# 444
he way in which the national government is organiBed in the nited
!tates 1onstitution provides an e?cellent illustration of the
American suspicion of governmental power" The provisions of the
1onstitution are more concerned with keeping the government from
doing evil than with enabling it to do good" The national government,
for e?ample, is divided into three separate branches" This division of
governmental power is based on the belief that if any one part or branch of
government has all, or even most of the power, it will become a threat to the
freedom of individual citiBens"
T
T
The legislative or lawmaking branch of the government is called the
#ongress. 1ongress has two housesFthe *enate, with two !enators from each
state regardless of its siBe, and the )ouse of 8epresentatives, consisting of a
total of &,# 9epresentatives divided among the #* states by population" -7n the
@ouse, states with large populations have more representatives than states with
small populations, while in the !enate, each state has e/ual representation".
The president, or chief e?ecutive, heads the e?ecutive branch, which has
T$% ,!:0#0&+: (8(#%? T$% ,!:0#0&+: (8(#%?
The
provisions of
the
#onstitution
are more
concerned
with keeping
the
government
from doing
evil than with
The !olitical Sstem
responsibility to carry out the laws" The *upreme #ourt and lower national
courts make up the Eudicial branch" The Eudicial branch settles disputes about
the e?act meaning of the law through court cases"
7f any one of the three branches starts to abuse its power, the other two
may Eoin together to stop it, through a system of checks and balances. The
1onstitution is most careful in balancing the powers of the legislative and
e?ecutive branches of the government because these two -1ongress and the
president. are the most powerful of the three branches" 7n almost every
important area of governmental activity, such as the power to make laws, to
declare war, or to conclude treaties with foreign countries, the 1onstitution
gives each of these two branches enough power to prevent the other
from acting on its own"
The president and both houses of 1ongress have almost complete
political independence from each other because they are all chosen
in separate elections" 6or e?ample, the election of the 1ongress does
not determine who will be elected president, and the presidential
election does not determine who will be elected to either house of
1ongress" 7t is /uite possible in the American system to have the
leader of one political party win the presidency while the other maEor
political party wins most of the seats in 1ongress" 7n fact, during the
%()*s and %('*s, four of the five presidents were 9epublicans, while
the 0emocrats typically controlled one or both houses of 1ongress"
7n the 1ongressional elections of %((&, however, the reverse
situation occurred" While <ill 1linton, a 0emocrat, was president,
the 9epublicans won control of both the @ouse of 9epresentatives
and the !enate" 7t is important to note that the elections of the
members of the two houses of 1ongress are separate from each
other"-Z>embers of the @ouse of 9epresentatives are elected for two-year
terms, while !enators serve si?-year terms" The terms are staggered so that
only one-third of the !enators run for re-election each time the @ouse
elections are held". Thus, the 9epublicans may control one house, while the
0emocrats may control the other" <oth the @ouse of 9epresentatives and the
!enate must agree on all legislation, however, before it becomes law"
;bservers from other countries are often confused by the American
system" The national government often seems to speak with two conflicting
voices, that of the president and that of 1ongress" 7t is necessary for the
president to sign bills passed by 1ongress in order for them to become law" 7f
the president vetoes a legislative bill passed by 1ongressFthat is, if he refuses
to sign itFthe bill dies unless two-thirds of both the @ouse and !enate vote to
override the veto" This rarely happens" ;n the other hand, a treaty with a
foreign government signed by the president dies if the !enate refuses to ratify
itFthat is, votes to accept it"
If any one of
the three
branches
starts to
abuse its
power, the
other two
may oin
together to
stop it,
through a
system of
The !olitical Sstem
Although the American system of divided governmental power strikes
many observers as inefficient and even disorganiBed, most Americans still
strongly believe in it for two reasons" 7t has been able to meet the challenges
of the past, and it gives strong protection to individual freedoms"
7n addition to dividing government powers into three branches, the
1onstitution includes a Bill of 8ights, which is designed to protect specific
individual rights and freedoms from government interference" !ome of the
guarantees in the <ill of 9ights concern the freedom of e?pression" The
government may not interfere with an individuals freedom of speech or
freedom of religious worship" The <ill of 9ights also guarantees the right of a
fair criminal procedure for those accused of breaking laws" Thus, the <ill of
9ights is another statement of the American belief in the importance of
individual freedom"
444 T$% I/%+: != #$% F'%% I1/060/"+:
4444444444
n the late %)**s, most Americans e?pected the new national government
created by the 1onstitution to leave them alone to pursue their
individual goals" They believed that the central purpose of government
was to create the conditions most favorable to the development of the
free individual"
7
7
<efore the 1ivil War of the %'$*s, the American ideal of the free
individual was the frontier settler and the small fanner" 8resident Thomas
:efferson e?pressed this ideal when he saidO PThose who labor in the
earth are the chosen people of God, if ever he had a chosen people""""Q
:efferson glorified farmers for being free individuals who relied on no
one but themselves for their daily needs" @e believed that farmers, being
dependent on none but themselves, were the most honest of citiBens"
Throughout his life, :efferson favored a small, weak form of government,
which he believed would encourage the development of a nation of free,
self-reliant fanner citiBens"
6rom the end of the 1ivil War until the Great 0epression of the
%(,*s, the successful business person replaced the fanner and the frontier
settler as the ideal e?pression of the free individual" The prevailing view
of Americans during this time was that government should not interfere
in the activities of business" 7f it were to do so, it would threaten the
development of free individuals whose competitive spirit, self-reliance, and hard
work were developing the nited !tates into a land of greater and greater material
prosperity"
Government, therefore, remained small and inactive in relation to the great
siBe of the nation and the amount of power of business corporations" There
In addition to
dividing
government
powers into
three
branches, the
#onstitution
includes a
Bill of 8ights,
which is
designed to
protect
specific
individual
rights and
freedoms
The !olitical Sstem
were some government regulations over business during this period, but these
had only a small impact on business practices" 6rom the %')*s until the %(,*s,
business organiBations and ideas dominated American government and
politics" The 9epublican party, one of the nations two maEor political parties,
provided the means for maintaining this dominance" The 9epublicans were
more successful than their rivals, the 0emocrats, in electing presidents and
congressmen during this period, and the 9epublicans strongly supported
government policies favorable to business"
T$% D%6%:!,?%1# != B02 G!6%'1?%1#D T$%
3%:=+'% S#+#%
raditionally, 9epublicans have favored letting businesses compete with little
or no government regulationO 3et the free enterprise system regulate itself in
the marketplace" ;n the other hand, 0emocrats have traditionally favored
using government to regulate businesses and protect consumers and also to
solve social problems" 4ot surprisingly, it was a 0emocratic president who
presided over the creation of TTbig governmentQ"
T
T
The Great 0epression of the %(,*s greatly weakened the businesspersons
position as the American ideal of the free individual, and Pbig businessQ lost
respect" The 0epression also created the need for emergency government
action to help the needy on a scale never before seen in peacetime"
As a result, the idea that government should be small and inactive
was largely abandoned" >oreover, the ideal of the free individual
underwent some very important changes"
The widespread unemployment and other economic hardships of
the 0epression gave rise to the new assumption that individuals
could not be e?pected to rely solely on themselves in providing for
their economic security" This new assumption, in turn, led to a large
and active role for the national government in helping individuals
meet their daily needs" The 0emocratic 8arty, led by 8resident
6ranklin 9oosevelt, brought about a number of changes in the %(,*s,
which he referred to as a 'ew "eal for Americans"
5ven with the return of prosperity after the 0epression and
World War 77 -%(&% - %(&#., the growth of governments role in
helping to provide economic security for individuals did not end" 7t
continued in the prosperous postwar years, and it was greatly
e?panded during the presidency of another 0emocrat, 3yndon
:ohnson, in the %($*s" 9oosevelts 4ew 0eal grew into what became
a permanent welfare stateQ that provided payments for retired
persons, government checks for the unemployed, support for
families with dependent children and no father to provide income,
health care for the poor and the elderly, and other benefits for needy
The
widespread
unemploymen
t and other
economic
hardships of
the
"epression
gave rise to
the new
assumption
that
individuals
could not be
e1pected to
rely solely on
themselves in
providing for
The !olitical Sstem
persons"
Although the welfare state has continued to grow, it has never been fully
accepted by many Americans" They fear that economic security provided by
the government will weaken self-reliance, an ideal that is closely associated in
the minds of Americans with individual freedom"
>any Americans believe that although the welfare state began with good
intentions, it is now at best a necessary evil" At worst, it presents a danger to
individual freedom by making an increasing number of Americans dependent
on the government instead of on themselves" 7n this way, the strong traditions
of individualism and self-reliance have made Americans less accepting of
welfare programs than the citiBens of other democracies such as those in
Western 5urope, which have more e?tensive welfare programs than those of
the nited !tates"<ecause welfare programs go against the basic value of self-
reliance, many Americans believe that having to Pgo on welfareQ to meet daily
needs is a personal embarrassment and a mark of failure" 5ven people who
have been supported by welfare payments for much of their lives complain
that the system is degrading and causes them to lose self-respect" 9eforming
the welfare system has become an important political issue for both the
9epublicans and the 0emocrats" 7n %(($, a welfare reform bill was passed" 7t
placed limits on the number of years people can receive welfare payments and
gave states much more responsibility for deciding who is eligible for support"
The welfare system in the nited !tates has also been troubled by racial
problems that began with black slavery before the 1ivil War of the %'$*s and
continued with racial segregation in the !outh until the % ($*s" Although
American blacks have made significant gains in the last thirty years, many are
still unable to escape from poverty and unemployment" 6or this reason, a large
number of people who receive welfare benefits are black Americans" !adly,
some of the old racial preEudices against black Americans have been
transferred to welfare programs" 7n reality, there are four or five times as many
white people on welfare as there are African-Americans or members of other
minorities"
444 T$% R!:% != S,%&0+: I1#%'%(# G'!",(
4444444444
he great e?pansion of government programs since the %(,*s is only partly
due to the growth of welfare programs that help the poor and the needy"
8ractically all social and economic classes of Americans have seen the need to
take advantage of, or to protect themselves from, the actions of government,
especially the national government" To accomplish this, Americans with
similar interests have formed special interest groups to more effectively
influence the actions of government" These special interest groups are often
called lobbying groups or pressure groups" Although lobbying groups have
T
T
By
organizing
into groups
that put
pressure on
government
officials,
people can
gain more
rewards and
avoid more
government
restrictions
than if they
tried to do it
as
The !olitical Sstem
e?isted throughout the nations history, they have grown significantly in both
numbers and power in recent years"
The 4ational 9ifle Association is an e?ample of a powerful and effective
lobby" 7ts members are mostly people who own guns for hunting, target
practice, and personal protection" Cet the 49A receives a great deal of money
from business corporations that manufacture guns" <ecause of the attitudes
and interests of its members, the 49A strongly opposes almost all government
restrictions on the sale of both handguns and rifles" 5ven though most of the
general public favors gun controls, until recently, the 49A has been able to
block the passage of most gun control legislation"
Although few interest groups have been as successful as the 49A, most
well-organiBed interest groups have achieved a large measure of success" <y
organiBing into groups that put pressure on government officials, people can
gain more rewards and avoid more government restrictions than if they tried to
do it as individuals"
With this principle in mind, business interest groups have multiplied in
recent decades so that almost every maEor trade or business has its lobbyists in
Washington" 3abor unions, which were made strong during the 4ew 0eal
years, have their influential lobbyists" !o do farm groups" 7nterest groups
representing ethnic groups such as African-Americans, 4ative Americans,
>e?ican-Americans, and :ewish Americans have also e?panded" There are
interest groups representing a variety of ideals or causes which want
government support" These include e/ual rights for women, a clean
environment, and greater protection for consumers" 5ven the people who
receive welfare payments have a lobbying group called the Welfare 9ights
;rganiBation" As one 1ongressman e?claimed, P5verybody in
America has a lobby[Q
The political tendency of recent decades is for the siBe of the
government to bring about an increase in the number and siBe of
interest groups, and for the greater demands made on the
government by interest groups to increase the siBe of the
government" Groups such as the AA98 -American Association of
9etired 8ersons. not only demand new government programs,
regulations, and benefits for their members, they also strongly resist
any attempts to reduce e?isting programs that they believe protect
their interests" The result of this continuing cycle can be referred to
as Pinterest group government"Q 4o single interest dominates
government and politics as business groups did before the Great
0epression" 7nstead, government and politics are based on reaching
compromises with a large number of groups and pleasing as many as
possible"
The
"emocratic
party
emerged
from the 'ew
"eal as the
supporter of
the idea that
government
should do
more for all
classes and
all kinds of
+mericans.
The !olitical Sstem
444 T$% N%> I1/060/"+:0(? V%'("( #$%
O:/ I1/060/"+:0(?
nterest group government can be seen as e?pressing a new form of American
individualism" nlike frontier individualism or business individualism,
individuals do not claim to succeed on their own but rather by forming groups
to influence the government" !till, it is individuals, their rights, their interests,
and their ambitions, not those of the group, that are the focus of attention" The
interest group is no more than a tool to achieve the goals of the individual by
influencing the government"
7
7
Although most Americans have benefited in some way from government
sponsored programs, many e?perts believe that interest group government is
harmful to the nited !tates" They believe it places emphasis on peoples
ability to influence the government rather than their ability to produce goods
and services that enrich the society" >oreover, powerful interest groups
pressure government leaders to give more benefits to Americans than the
government can really afford" 7n this way, these groups have contributed
greatly to the national debt, which has been a very serious problem since the
%('*s"
The 0emocratic party emerged from the 4ew 0eal as the supporter of the
idea that government should do more for all classes and all kinds of
Americans" 6or this reason, poorer and less-privileged Americans tended to
support the 0emocratic party" <lacks and other nonwhite minorities -such as
@ispanics. are often underprivileged and have tended to vote for 0emocrats"
Therefore, the 0emocratic party has traditionally been more racially and
ethnically diverse than its political rival, the 9epublicans" The diversity of the
0emocratic party has been further broadened by the support it has received
from most womens rights groups"
This diversity was reflected when 0emocrat <ill 1linton was elected
president in %((+ after twelve years of 9epublican presidents" 7n naming his
1abinet, the top leaders of the government bureaucracy, 8resident 1linton said
that he wanted it to reflect the diversity of America" @e then appointed si?
women, four blacks, and two @ispanics to his 1abinet"
The 9epublican party was not changed by the 4ew 0eal as much as the
0emocrats were" The 9epublicans continued to stress anti-government and
pro-business ideas much as they had before the Great 0epression" While
0emocrats tended to see government action as part of the solution to many
problems, 9epublicans tended to see government action as adding to
Americas problems" The best hope for America, 9epublicans argued, was to
reduce the number of things government does, and to give American business
more freedom from government ta?es, rules, and re/uirements" 9epublicans
gained most of their political strength from business groups and from the
,hile
"emocrats
tended to see
government
action as part
of the
solution to
many
problems,
8epublicans
tended to see
government
action as
adding to
+mericas
problems.
The !olitical Sstem
strong anti-government attitudes of millions of Americans" >oreoverD
9epublicans argued that 0emocrats gave too much attention to the complaints
of womens rights groups and racial and ethnic minority groups" <ecause of
this, they said, 0emocrats had forgotten about the average citiBens who see
themselves as Americans first rather than as members of a particular group"
>any observers have /uestioned whether the traditional stances of either
party truly serve the needs of the country" 7t may be that neither the
9epublican idea of national prosperity through the dominance of business
groups, nor the 0emocratic idea of prosperity through government action to
help the many diverse groups of Americans, is ade/uate to meet the common
problems facing Americans at the dawn of the +%st century"
The !olitical Sstem
C!?,'%$%1(0!1 <UESTIONS
1. What is the form of ! Government?
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
+" What is a limited government? 7n what way does the 1onstitution balance
government power? -5?plain Tseparation of power and Tcheck and balance.
," Whats the function of the 5?ecutive branch? WhatJwho does it consist of?
Whats the power of the president?
&" Whats the 1ongress? Whats its main function? What does it consist of?
@ow does a bill become a law?
#" What does the :udicial branch consist of?
$" @ow does the checks and balances system work to assure no concentration
of power in the hand of any individuals or groups of individuals in the "!"?
)" @ow do Americans participate in politics? 7n what ways can they influence
the government policy? What is a lobby group? What kind of special interest
groups are there in the nited !tates?
The !olitical Sstem
'" What features characteriBe the party system in the !? What are the main
parties?
(" @ow does the election system reflect Ttwo-party system in the !?
%*" 7n what aspects are the two parties, 0emocrats and 9epublicans, similar
and at the same time different?
%%" What are the peculiarities of party organiBation in the !?
%+" @ow do people e?ercise their party membership?
%," What factors contribute to the differences in voter participation between
the ! and other countries?
The !olitical Sstem
<UESTIONS =!' ="'#$%' /0(&"((0!1
%" The "!" is said to have a bicameral legislation? What does this mean?
+" What does the principle Twinner gets all mean?
," 7s it true to say that American do not directly elect their president? @ow
does the "!" president get elected? Are there any other countries that share a
similar way of electing their leaders?
&" What are the advantage and disadvantage of the "! election system?
#" What are the /ualifications for someone to run for president in the !?
$" @ow are American beliefs and values realiBed in the "!" political system?
)" 1ompare the ! governing system with that of one of the countriesO 1hina,
:apan, 5ngland, and Aietnam" Which one do you think is the most efficient?
Why?
The !olitical Sstem
'" @ow is the government of our country organiBed? @ow are the leaders of
our country chosen?
!stablished by the 2assachusetts Bay #olony in 9D/D, EEEEEEEEEE is the oldest and
one of the most esteemed institutions of higher learning in the (nited *tates.
+mericans regard education as the means by which the ine-ualities
among individuals are to be erased and by which every desirable end is
to be achieved.
-- George !"1ounts
C$+,#%' .
C$+,#%' .
EDUCATION IN THE
EDUCATION IN THE
UNITED STATES
UNITED STATES
Education in the United States
READING -
444 S&$!!: A##%1/+1&% 4444444444
very American is entitled to an education" !chool attendance is compulsory
for all children" !tudents attend school from five to seven hours a day, five
days a week for nine months each year, from !eptember to :une" 8ublic
education from kindergarten through grade %+ is ta?-supportedD no tuition is
re/uired"
5
5
About '# percent of American children attend public schools" The other %#
percent choose to pay tuition to attend private schools" >ost private schools
are run by religious organiBation and generally include religious instruction"
!ince %(&*, the education system in the nited !tates has made significant
advances in educating an ever greater proportion of the population" A %('#
1ensus <ureau study reported that in %(&* only ,' percent of those between
the ages of +# and +( had received a high school diploma and only $ percent
EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES
The system of !ducation in the
(.*.+
Undergraduate
Studies
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
H#7HER
ED"CAT#ON
SECONDAR?
ED"CAT#ON
ELE%ENTAR?
ED"CAT#ON
AGE
Nursery School
Kindergarten
Elementary School
4-year
High School
Senior High School
Junior High School
Technical
Institute
Priate
!areer
School
Junior
!ollege
Graduate
Studies
Postgraduate
Studies
"octor#s "egree
$e%g% Ph%"%&
'aster#s "egree
$e%g% '%A%( '%S%&
)achelor#s "egree
$e%g% )%A%( )%S%&
High School
"i*loma
Grade
$+School ,ear&
5
4
3
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
had college degrees" 7n %('#, '$ percent of those surveyed said they had high
school diplomas and ++ percent said they had college degrees" A %('% survey
showed that almost ,+ percent of Americans +# years or older had at least
some college education" This contrasts with %)", percent of 5ast Germans,
%)"+ percent of 1anadians, %#"# percent of !wedes, and %&"# percent of
:apanese"
444 V+'0%/ O,,!'#"10#0%( 4444444444
ducation opportunities in the nited !tates are highly varied" @igh school
students at the same grade level do not take the same courses" !tudents who
do not plan to go to college may be enrolled in classes such as basic
accounting, typing, or agricultural science, along with PcoreQ curriculum
courses such as mathematics, social studies, science, and 5nglish" 1ollege-
bound students may be enrolled in college-preparatory courses such as
chemistry, political science, or advanced writing"
5
5
Which courses a student takes depends on his or her
abilities and future goals, but also on the particular course
offerings of the school" !ome elementary schools offer
computer and foreign language courses" 1ourses in scuba
diving or 9ussian are available at some high schools"
7n higher education, the wide variety of degree
programs is remarkable" <esides colleges and universities
Which offer degrees in traditional fields of scholarship,
there are also small arts colleges which grant degrees to
students who concentrate in specialiBed fields such as
ballet, film-making, and even circus performing"
<esides the diversified course offerings at all levels,
variety also e?ists in schools academic standards and
reputations" The standards students must meet to attain a
high school diploma are rigorous in some schools and la?
in others" The same is true for college admission standards"
@ighly reputable colleges such as @arvard and Cale accept
only students of e?ceptional ability" At the other end of the
spectrum are less desirable institutions, sometimes
negatively referred to as Pdegree factories, which accept
practically any high school graduateQ"
Co$p*ters in
E(e$entar S'!oo(s
!lementary school
students work on an
assignment in their
schools computer lab.
*ome studies show that
when used selectively by
trained teachers,
computers can enhance
students academic
performance.
444 D%&%1#'+:0G%/ F"1/012 A1/
A/?010(#'+#0!1 44444
he main reason for such diversity in course offerings and standards is that
there is no national education system in the nited !tates" 7n public schools,
decisions about school curriculum, teacher certification, and student
achievement standards are made by boards of education at the state andJor
district level" !pending for public education is also determined by state and
local education leaders"
T
T
Accordingly, education standards and re/uirements differ from
state to state" 6or e?ample, 4ew Cork administers standardiBed
competency tests to students" 7n some states, the selection of te?tbooks
is decided by local officials, whereas in other states, te?tbook selection
is made state education officials" !ome school systems re/uire that a
high school student complete three years of mathematics before
graduation" The national average, however, is lower"
444 C"''0&":"? 4444444444
lthough there is no national curriculum, certain subEects are
generally taught in all public school systems across the country"
Almost every elementary school instructs children in penmanship,
science, mathematics, music, art, physical education, language arts
-which includes reading, writing, and grammar., and social studies
-which includes geography, history, and citiBen-ship."
A
A
>ost secondary schools re/uire students to take 5nglish,
mathematics, science, social studies, and physical education" 7n
addition to this PcoreQ curriculum, students choose PelectiveQ courses
in their areas of interest"
444 D%?!&'+#0& I/%+: 4444444444
raditionally, the American educational ideal has been to offer e/ual
opportunity for education to all citiBens" The education system can
boast that now more than (# percent of all fourteen-to seventeen-year-
olds attend high school compared with only #* percent in %(,*, and
that America produces proportionately more college graduates than any
industrial nation" Cet the education that each student receives is by no
means e/ual"
T
T
The fact that public schools receive the bulk of their funds from local
property ta?es creates ine/ualities" 9ural farming communities and poor inner-
city districts have les money available for school buildings, learning materials,
and teacher salaries" >ore money is spent for the education or a child living in
The
education
system can
boast that
now more
than :=
percent of all
fourteen-to
seventeen-
year-olds
attend high
school
compared
with only =0
percent in
9:/0, and
that +merica
produces
proportionate
ly more
a wealthy district than a child living in a poor community" The democratic
ideal of providing e/ual education for all citiBens had been hard to satisfy"
To eliminate ine/ualities, the federal government has increased its share of
school financing and now contributes between %* and %# percent" 0espite this
inEection of federal money, spending per pupil varies considerably, from
=%,,** a year in >ississippi to =+,&** a year in >assachusetts"
444 P'%(0/%1# J!$1(!1F( G'%+# S!&0%#8
4444444444
he first maEor contribution of federal aid for education was in %($# when
8resident 3yndon <" :ohnson proposed new programs as his instrument for
realiBing liberal hope for a KGreat !ocietyK of greater e/uality and less
poverty" @is new federal programs, backed by %", billion dollars, were
initiated to provide remedial schooling for children from poor families" ;ne
plan that was established in the spirit of e/uality was the 5conomic
;pportunity Act, which provides money for adult literacy programs and pre-
school education for poor
children" Another was
the @igher 5ducation
Act, which offers
government scholarships
to needy college
students"
T
T
444
D%(%2'%2+#0!1 4444444444
he discrimination against blacks which prohibited black children from
attending white schools was finally declared unconstitutional by the
!upreme 1ourt in the %(#& landmark case, Brown v. the Board of !ducation
pf Topeka. !ubse/uent court decisions ordered schools to begin desegregation
immediately" 0uring the %($*s, 1ongress passed laws denying federal aid to
school districts that failed to comply with the ruling"
T
T
Another measure introduced to speed up to integration was the compulsory
KbussingK
%
of black children to schools in white areas and white children to
schools in black neighborhoods" <efore the Brown case, schools for blacks
were not only separate but une/ual, Three times as much money was spent per
pupil in white schools as in black schools" 7n the deep !outh, it was five times
as much"
%
<ussingO carrying students by bus to a school in a different area where the pupils are
or a different race, especially as a compulsory integration measure"
Hour imagination, your initiative and your
indignation will determine whether we build a
society where progress is the servant of our needs,
or a society where old values and new visions are
buried under unbridled growth.
-- 6rom 3yndon <" :ohnsonLs Great !ociety !peech
The attempts of the last ,* years to achieve fully integrated schools have
resulted in successes and failures" 7n some cities, compulsory bussing has
worked" Cet in many areas, people reacted strongly against it" When bussing
was first introduced as a way to achieve integrated schools, whites began
sending their children to private schools or moved to the suburbs"
Although progress has been slow, integration has succeeded in narrowing
the education gap between blacks and whites" The dropout rate among black
high school students has declined significantly" " !" 1ensus <ureau statistics
show that the dropout rate among blacks declined from over ++ percent in
%()* to %$ percent in %('* and to %+"$ percent in %('#"
444 P'!#%&#012 T$% H+1/0&+,,%/
44444444
n the %()*s, measures to protect minorities from discrimination
were e?-tended to handicapped children" <ecause public schools
were ill-e/uipped to handle their special needs, handicapped
children used to have to attend e?pensive private schools" 7n %()%,
federal courts ruled that public schools should take measures to
accommodate handicapped children"
7
7
444 N%%/ =!' <"+:0#8 E/"&+#0!1
44444444
side from the schools task of socialiBing and e/ualiBing
youngsters of different social, cultural, and economic
backgrounds, schools have the obvious task of providing /uality
instruction" The publics concern for better schools and more
learning is increasing as results of standardiBed tests show a
continual decline in students academic achievement"
A
A
444 A N+#0!1 A# R0(@ 44444444
he %(', report, + 'ation at 8isk, by the 4ational 1ommission
on 5?cellence in 5ducation assertedO PThe education
foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising
tide of mediocrity"Q The following statistics of the report bear out
this claimO
T
T
%, percent of all seventeen-year-olds in the nited !tates are functionally
illiterateD
Among minority teenagers, the figure may be as high as &* percentD
average achievement of high school students on most standardiBed tests is
lower than in the mid-%(#*sD
9+ E+ B+ D* Bois
In 9B:= +merican writer ,.
!. B. "u Bois became the
first black to be awarded a
doctoral degree from
)arvard (niversity in
#ambridge, 2assachusetts.
"u Bois came to prominence
as an advocate of racial
e-uality. )e argued against
famed black educator Booker
T. ,ashingtons theory that
blacks should accept their
inferior social status and
work to improve their lives
through economic means.
reading, writing, and math skills are so poor among young people that
employers have spent millions of dollars on remedial education and
training programs for their employees"
The commissions recommendations for improving student achievement,
widely supported by the public, include the following pointsO %" stronger
academic curricula, with a back-to-basics emphasis on reading, writing, math,
and scienceD +" stricter standards for students, including a heavier homework
load and higher grading standardsD ," higher salaries to attract and keep
talented, well-/ualified teachers"
<y its democratic standard, America has succeeded in educating the many
and has made gains in evening out ine/ualities" The challenge for American
education today is to improve the /uality of learning without sacrificing these
gains"
,hat points is each cartoon makingG
READING 2
444 T$% E(#+:0($?%1# != P":0& S&$!!:(
01 A?%'0&+D D% T!&A"%60::%I(
O(%'6+#0!1( 444444444
s might be e?pected, educational institutions in the nited !tates reflect the
nationLs basic values, especially the ideal of e/uality of opportunity" 6rom
elementary school through college, Americans believe that everyone deserves
an e/ual opportunity to get a good education"
A
A
6rom the beginning, when Americans established their basic system of
public schools in %'+#, they reaffirmed the principle of e/uality by -%. making
schools open to all classes of Americans, and -+. financing the schools with
ta? money collected from all citiBens" Those who favored these public schools
believed that these institutions would help reduce social class distinctions in
the nited !tates by education children of all social classes in the same
Kcommon schools,K as they were known at the time"
When Ale?is de Toc/ueville arrived in the nited !tates in %',%, @e
found a great deal of enthusiasm about the new and growing public elementary
schools" The mayor of 4ew Cork 1ity gave a special dinner for de
Toc/ueville, during which a Toast was offered in honor of K5ducation -the
e?tension of out public schools- a national blessing"K
<ecause he was a 6rench aristocrat, de Toc/ueville at first shared the fears
of some wealthy Americans who believed that universal education would be a
danger rather than a national blessing" @e eventually decided, however, that
the tendency of public education to encourage people to seek a higher status in
life was in harmony with, not in conflict with, the customs of American
society" The ideal of e/ual opportunity for all regardless of family background
was much stronger in the nited !tates than in 6rance"
0e Toc/ueville also noted that American public education hat strong
practical content that included the teaching of vocational skills and the duties
of citiBenship" Thus, public education not only gave Americans the desire to
better themselves, but it also gave them the practical tools to do so" >oreover,
the material abundance of the nited !tates provided material rewards for
those who took full advantage of the opportunity for a public education"
THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
0uring the ne?t century and a half, public schools in the nited
!tates were e?panded to include secondary or high schools -grades
(-%+. and colleges and universities, with both undergraduate and
graduate studies"
444 T$% E/"&+#0!1+: L+//%'
4444444444
mericans view their public school system as an educational
ladder, rising from elementary schools to high school and finally
college undergraduate and graduate programs" >ost children start
school at age give, by attending kindergarten, or even at age three of
four by attending pre-school program"
A
A
Then there are si? years of elementary school and usually two
years of middle school -or Eunior high school., and four years of high
school" 4ot all school systems have kindergarten, but all do have
twelve years of elementary, middle school, and senior high school"
!chool systems may divide the twelve years up differently-grouping
si?th, seventh, and eighth graders into middle school, for e?ample"
After high school, the maEority of students go on to college"
ndergraduate studies lead to a bachelors degree, which is
generally what Americans mean when they speak of a Pcollege

diploma"Q The bachelors degree can be followed by professional studies,
which lead to degrees in such professions as law and medicine, and graduate
studies, which lead to masters and doctoral degrees" American public schools
are free and open to all at the elementary and secondary level -high school.,
but public universities charge tuition and have competitive entrance
re/uirements"
The education ladder concept is an almost perfect reflection of American
idea of individual success based on e/uality of opportunity and on Pworking
your way to the top"Q 7n the nited !tates there are no separate educational
systems with a higher level of education for the wealthy and a lower level of
education for the masses" 9ather, there is one system that is open to all"
7ndividuals may climbs as high on the ladder as they can" The abilities of the
individuals, rather than their social class background, are e?pected to
determine how high each person will go"
\
The word college is used in several different ways, it is generally used instead of university to
refer to the education after high school, as in the e?pressions Pgo to collegeQ, and Pget a
college education"Q 7t is also used to refer to the school, as in PWhere do you go to college?Q
;ften people use the word college to refer to a small school that does not offer graduate
degrees, and university for large schools that offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees"
niversities, often call the division within them colleges, as in Pthe 1ollege of Arts and
!ciencesQ of Georgetown niversity"
The
education
ladder
concept is an
almost
perfect
reflection of
+merican
idea of
individual
success
based on
e-uality of
opportunity
and on
@working
Although the great maEority of children attend the free public elementary
and high schools, some choose to attend private schools" There are a number
of private religious schools, for e?ample, that are associated with particular
churches and receive financial support from them, though parents must also
pay instruction to children, which cannot be done in public schools" The most
numerous of these, the 1atholic schools, have students whose social class
backgrounds are similar to the maEority of students in public schools"
There are also some elite private schools, which serve mainly upper-class
children" !tudents must pay such high tuition costs that only wealthier families
can afford them" 8arents often send their children to these schools so that they
will associate with other upper-class children and maintain the upper-class
position held by their parents, in addition to getting a good education"
nlike private religious schools, elitist private schools do conflict with the
American ideal of e/uality of opportunity" These schools often give an e?tra
educational and social advantage to the young people whose families have the
money to allow them to attend" @owever, because these schools are relatively
few in number, they do not displace the public school as the central
educational institution in the nited !tates" 4or does the best private school
education protect young people from competition with public school graduates
for admission to the best universities in the nation"
There is another area of ine/uality in the American education system"
<ecause of the way that schools are funded, the /uality of education that
American students receive in public schools varies" >ore than (* percent of
the money for schools comes from the local level -cities and counties.,
primarily from property ta?es" !chool districts that have middle class or
wealthy families have more ta? money to spend on education" Therefore,
wealthier school districts have beautiful school buildings with less modern
e/uipment" The amount of money spent on education may vary from =),***
per child in a wealthy suburb to only =%,+** per child attending an inner-city
school, or one in a poor rural area" Although the amount of money spent per
child is not always the best indicator of the /uality of education the child
receives, it certainly is an important factor"
444 A##%1/012 +1 A?%'0&+1 U106%'(0#8
4444444444
>oney is also increasingly a factor in a college education" All university
students must pay tuition e?penses in the nited !tates" <ecause tuition is
much lower at public universities than at private ones, wealthy students have
more choices" There are a number of financial aid programs in the form of
loans and scholarships available at both public and private schools" @owever,
the e?penses of buying books and living away from home make it increasingly
difficult for many students to attend even the less e?pensive public
universities"
7ronically, it may be the middle-class family that suffers the most from the
rising tuition costs" The family income may be too high to /ualify for
financial, aid, but not high enough to afford the =%#,*** to =,#, *** per year
-of more. needed for a private college education" At present, '* percent of all
college students attend public universities, where e?penses are usually closer
to =%*"*** a year" >any students must work during their college years to help
meet even these costs" A number of students who cannot afford to go away to
college attend community college programs for two years in their hometowns"
These two-year programs often feed into the state university systems and offer
educational opportunities to large numbers of students who ordinarily would
not be able to attend a university"
0espite its costs, the percentage of American seeking a college education
continues to grow" 7n %(**, less than %*
percent of college-age Americans entered
college" Today, over $* percent of
Americans ages +# to ,( have taken some
college courses, and over +* percent of all
Americans have attended four years of
more" There are about %# million students
attending college now, about si? times
more than #* years ago, and there are
roughly ,"*** different colleges and
universities to choose from" Today, many
parents who were not able to attend college
when they were young have the
satisfaction of seeing their sons and
daughters attend"
5ven the formerly elitist private
universities have yielded a great deal to
public pressure for greater e/uality of
opportunity in education" @arvard, a
private university considered by many to
be one of the nations most prestigious,
provides a good e?ample" <efore World
War 77, the maEority of @arvard students
came from elite private preparatory
schools" 4ow, the maEority of them come
from public high schools" As e/uality of
opportunity came to @arvard, the
competition that accompanies it also
9or&ing on Ca$p*s
2ost college students work part-time obs
to help offset the cost of attending
college. InOcampus workOstudy
programs can offer students opportunities
to gain work e1perience in a variety of
professional fields. This student works at
the circulation desk of her college
library.
increased dramatically" <efore World War 77, @arvard admitted about (*
percent of those who applied" 4ow, @arvard admits only about %$ or %)
percent of its applicants"
444 T$% M!1%8 V+:"% != E/"&+#0!1
444444444
s we have seen in earlier chapters, the American definition of success is
largely one of ac/uiring wealth and a high material standard of living" 7t is
not surprising, therefore, that Americans value education for its monetary
value" The belief is widespread in the nited !tates that the more schooling
people have, the more money they will earn when they leave school" The
belief is strongest regarding the desirability of an undergraduate university
degree, or a professional degree such as medicine or law, following the
undergraduate degree" The money value of graduate degrees in Pnon-
professionalQ fields such as art, history, or philosophy is not as great"
A
A
7n recent years, there has been a change in the Eob market in the nited
!tates" 7n the past, it was possible to get a high-paying factory Eob without a
college education" Workers with skills learned in vocational schools or on the
Eob could do work that did not re/uire a college education" These were among
the Eobs that new immigrants were often able to obtain" 7ncreasingly, however,
the advent of new technologies has meant that more and more education is
re/uired to do the work" >any of the new Eobs in the nited !tates either
re/uire a college education, even a graduate degree, or they are low- paying
Eobs in the service sector of the economy, such as fast-food restaurants, small
stores, and hotels"
444 E/"&+#012 #$% I1/060/"+: 4444444444
merican schools tend to put more emphasis on developing critical thinking
skills than they do on ac/uiring /uantities of facts" American students are
encouraged to e?press their own opinions in class and think for themselves, a
reflection of the American values of individual freedom and self-reliance" The
goal of the American education system is to teach children how to learn and to
help them reach their ma?imum potential"
A
A
The development of social and interpersonal skills may be considered as
important as the development of intellectual skills" To help students develop
these other important skills, schools have added a large number of
e?tracurricular activities -activities outside classroom studies. to daily life at
school" These activities are almost as important as the students class work"
6or e?ample, in making their decisions about which students to admit, colleges
look for students who are Pwell-rounded"Q Grades on high school courses and
scores on tests like the !AT -!cholastic Aptitude Test. are very important, but
so are the e?tracurricular activities" 7t is by participating in these activities that
students demonstrate their special talents, their level of maturity and
responsibility, their leadership /ualities, and their ability to get along with
others"
!ome Americans consider athletics, fre/uently called competitive sport,
the most important of all e?tracurricular activities" This is because many
people believe it is important for young people, particularly young men, to
learn how to compete successfully" Team sports such as football, basketball,
and baseball are important because they teach students the Pwinning spiritQ" At
time, this athletic competition may be carried to such an e?treme that some
students and their parents may place more importance on the high schools
sports program than its academic offerings"
!tudent government is another e?tracurricular activity designed to develop
competitive, political, and social skills in students" The students choose a
number of student government officers, who compete for the votes of their
fellow students in school elections" Although these officers have little power
over the central decisions of the school, the process of running for office and
then taking responsibility for a number of student activities if elected is seen as
good e?perience in developing their leadership and competitive skills, and
helping them to be responsible citiBens"
Athletics and student government are only two of a variety of
e?tracurricular activities found in American schools" There are clubs and
activities for almost every student interest-art, music, drama, debate, foreign
languages, photography, volunteer work-all aimed at helping the student to
become more successful in later life" >any parents watch their childrens
e?tracurricular activities with as much interest and concern as they do their
childrens intellectual achievements in the classroom"
444 R+&0+: EA"+:0#8 +1/ E/"&+#0!1
4444444444
he most significant departure from the ideal of e/uality of opportunity in
education has occurred in the education of African-Americans" As we saw
in the previous chapter, after the 1ivil War in the %'$*s, the southern states
developed asocial and legal system that segregated the former black slaves
from the white population in all public facilities, including schools" <lack
people in the southern states were prohibited by law from attending schools
with whites" <lacks had separate schools, that were inferior to the white
schools by almost any measure"
T
T
7n a test case in %'($, the !upreme 1ourt of the nited !tates stated that
racial segregation in public schools and other public facilities in the southern
states did not violate the 1onstitution" 5/uality of opportunities was such an
important American value that the !upreme 1ourt had to pretend that the
separate black schools and other facilities were e/ual to those of whites, when
everyone knew that they were not" The !upreme 1ourt invented what is called
the separate but e-ual doctrine to Eustify racial segregation in public schools
and other public facilities in the southern states" ;ne !upreme 1ourt :ustice
strongly disagreed" :ustice :ohn >arshall @arlan believed that the decision
violated the nations highest law and its basic values" P;ur 1onstitution is
color-blindQ, he said, Pand neither knows nor tolerates classes among its
citiBens"Q
6ifty-eight years later a more modern !upreme 1ourt agreed with :ustice
@arlan" 7n a historic decision in %(#&, it held that laws that forced black
students to go to racially segregated schools violates the ! 1onstitution
because such schools could never be e/ual" The opinion of the 1ourt was that
Pto separate -black school children. from othersX solely because of their race
generates a feeling of inferiorityX that may affect their hearts and minds in a
way unlikely ever to be undone"Q
Although segregated schools were not legal after %(#&, they continued to
e?ist in the !outh until the passage of the 1ivil Tights bills of the mid-%($*s"
7n the late %($*s and %()*s, a series of court decisions forced the nation to
take measures to integrate all of its schools, both 4orth and !outh" 7n the
4orth, there had been no legal segregation of schools" @owever, in both the
!outh and the 4orth, the neighborhood schools reflected the makeup of the
races who lived in the neighborhood" Thus, the residential patterns were often
the source of the problem, particularly in urban areas" The public schools in
the inner city were composed predominantly of African-American students
and often shared the neighborhood problems of high crime rates and other
forms of social disorder" These schools were clearly une/ual to those in the
predominantly white, middle-class neighborhoods in the suburbs"
6or the ne?t +* years, Americans tried various methods to achieve racial
balance in the public schools" The most controversial method used to deal with
une/ual neighborhood schools was the busing of school children from their
home neighborhoods to schools in more distant neighborhoods in order to
achieve a greater mi?ture of black white children in all schools" <lack children
from the inner city were bused to schools in predominantly white middle-class
neighborhoods, and students living in the middle-class neighborhoods were
bused into the poorer black neighborhood schools" As a result, some children
had to ride the bus for an hour each way, going to and from school" >ost
students did not like it, and neither did their parents" >any schools districts
have now abandoned mandatory busing, and they allow children to attend the
school in their own neighborhood, even of it is predominantly back or white"
!ome school districts have established PmagnetQ schools in black
neighborhoods to attract white children who want to participate in special
programs offered only at the magnet school"
Three out of five American schools are still (* percent white" 7n schools
where African-American and other minorities are the maEority, more than half
the students come from low-income homes, in contrast to one in +# of the
maEority white schools" There is no clear agreement among Americans as to
whether or not busing has succeeded in increasing e/ual opportunity in the
field of public education, although most would agree that e/uality is certainly
a goal that should be pursued" 7t is doubtful that American parents would have
tolerated the amount of busing that has taken place if the ideal of e/uality of
opportunity were not so strong in the American culture"
A new /uestion dealing with racial and ethnic e/uality in education was
brought to the !upreme 1ourt in the late %()*s" The /uestion dealt with the
admissions policies of professional schools, such as medical and law schools,
which are attached to many of the nations universities" !ome of these schools
have attempted to do more than treat all applicants e/ually" >any have tried in
recent years to make up for past discrimination against blacks and other
minorities by setting aside a certain number of places specifically for
applicants from these groups, taking affirmative action. !chools set /uotas for
minimum numbers of minority students that must be admitted to their
programs, even if that meant lowering somewhat the academic standards for
admission of these students"
This could be seen as special treatment rather than e/ual opportunity"
@owever, many professional school administrators believed that because of
discrimination against these groups in the past, e/uality now demanded that
certain limited numbers of minority students be given some e?tra advantage in
the selection of new professional students"
These minority /uotas were challenged by a white student, Allen <akke,
who was denied admission to the medical school at the niversity of
1alifornia at 0avis, 1alifornia" @e claimed that the medical school had
admitted some non-white minority students less /ualified than he" The "!"
!upreme 1ourt in the famous Bakke #ase of %()' agreed that he had been
denied an e/ual opportunity for admission" 7n a rather complicated decision,
the 1ourt held that a professional school could not set aside a certain number
of places to be filled only by minority students" !uch /uotas were a denial of
e/ual educational opportunity" 8rofessional schools, however, could give some
e?tra consideration to non-white minority applicants, but the 1ourt was
forbidding them to carry this practice too far"
444 T$% I1&'%+(012 R%(,!1(00:0#0%( !=
P":0& (&$!!:( 4444444444
mericans place the weight of many of their ideals, hopes, and problems on
the nations public school system" !ome observers believe they have placed
more responsibilities on the public schools than the schools can possibly
A
A
handle" 6or e?ample, public schools are often e?pected to solve student
problems that result from the weakening of family ties in the nited !tates"
9ising divorce rates have resulted in an increasing number of children in the
public schools who are raised by only one parent" !tudies have shown that
these children are more likely to have problems at school than are children
raised in families with two parents"
>inority enrolments levels range from )* percent to ($ percent in the
nations %# largest school systems
;ne of four children live below the poverty level as childhood poverty has
reached its highest level since the %($*s"
6ifteen percent are physically or mentally handicapped"
6ourteen percent are children of teenage mothers"
6ourteen percent are children of unmarried parents"
Ten percent have poorly educated, sometimes illiterate, parents"
<etween one-/uarter and one-third have no one at home after school"
6orty percent will live in broken homes -parents divorced. by the time
they are %( years old"
Twenty-five percent or more will not finish school"
The education of new immigrant children provides the public school
system with some of its greatest challenges" >any of the children come from
countries where they have not had strong educational preparation, and their
academic skills are below grade level" ;thers have come from school systems
with standards similar to or more advanced than the American schools, and
their academic adEustment is much easier" @owever, all these children must
learn 5nglish" This means that they are trying to learn new concepts at the
same time that they are struggling to learn a new language" !tudies show that
it takes five to seven years in order for them to be able to compete with
5nglish-speaking American children on an e/ual basic in classes where
5nglish is the language of instruction" There are some bilingual programs in
areas where there is a large concentration of one language group, particularly
!panish speakers" @owever, in some school districts, there are children
speaking anywhere from #* to %%# different languages" 7t is not uncommon for
a teacher to have children speaking five or si? different native languages in
one classroom"
At a time when enormous new burdens are being placed on the public
schools, the nation finds itself faced with new limits on its material abundance"
These limits have steadily reduced the amount of money available to the
public schools as they try to deal with their rapidly growing problems"
444 T$% S#+1/+'/( M!6%?%1# 4444444444
ecently, international comparisons of education have revealed that, in
general, American students do not perform as well in math, science, and
other subEects as students from many other developed countries" !ome believe
this is because American standards for education may not be high enough"
Traditionally, local community school districts have had responsibility for
determining school curricula and selecting te?tbooks, with only limited state
or national supervision" @owever, in the %((*s, both the states and the federal
government have become more involved in determining school standards" The
federal government has set national goals for education that include standards
for early childhood, elementary, secondary, and adult education" >ost maEor
educational associations, such as national associations of teachers or science,
or math, or language arts are also evaluating the current curricula and criteria
for certification and developing new standards" To ensure that standards are
met, many states now re/uire students to pass a series of e?aminations in such
subEects as reading, writing, mathematics, and civics before they can graduate
from high school" There is also some discussion of national e?aminations,
though that could be difficult to achieve, since Americans still believe in local
control -and funding. of schools"
9
9
444 M":#0&":#"'+: E/"&+#0!1 4444444444
he changing populations of students in American schools as brought some
changes in what is taught in the schools as well" 5thnic and racial minorities
have criticiBed schools and te?tbooks for focusing too much on the literature
and historical events of Anglo-5uropeans or white males" They believe that
schools have almost ignored the contributions of African-Americans, 3atinos,
and 4ative Americans" >ore seriously, some have charged that American
history has been told from the perspective of Anglo-5uropeans rather than
e?ploring historical events from the various perspectives of those involved"
6or e?ample, the frontier movement west has been presented more from the
perspective of descendants of white settlers than from the perspectives of the
descendants of the 4ative Americans who were moved in the process"
T
T
0uring the %((*s, schools began to e?amine seriously their curricula and
to try to incorporate more varied cultural information and perspectives into
education" These attempts to provide multicultural education have ranged from
simply adding information and literature to the current te?tbooks and curricula
to more sweeping attempts to transform the basic curriculum into one that is
more reflective of the diversity of the students who will study it" At the most
basic level, many schools celebrate African-American @istory >onth or
@ispanic @eritage >onth, or they have international festivals that include
dancing, singing, and foods from the nations from which the students have
come" >any schools have adopted -%. history or social studies te?tbooks that
include more information about African-Americans, @ispanic-Americans, and
other minorities, and -+. American literature te?ts that in include poetry and
fiction written by Americans of all ethnic backgrounds" 7n some colleges, the
traditional set of Western great books, sometimes called the canon, has been
replaced by a much broader set of literary tests, reflecting the e?periences and
backgrounds of the students who will be reading them"
4ot all Americans support multicultural education, however" !ome fear
that replacing the Western civiliBation and literary traditions, which have been
the basic of American education, with a much broader historical and literary
discussion will result tin fragmentation of American society" !chools have
traditionally been the place where students of all ethnic, religious, and racial
backgrounds have learned PAmericanQ history, literature, and values" With so
many competing views of history or values in the school, some fear that it will
be difficult for the country to remain PAmerican"Q 7t is a serious /uestionO 1an
a country as diverse as the nited !tates have schools that reflect that diversity
and still retain a core national identity and culture?
C!?,'%$%1(0!1 <UESTIONS
%" 7s school attendance in the ! the same or different from that in other
5uropean countries?
+" What stages of education are available in the !?
," 7n what ways do opportunities of education vary in the !?
&" What is the decentraliBation of education system in the !? 4ame some
main reasons"
#" @ow are ine/ualities in education reflected in American reality?
$" @ow does the Government e?ercise protection of handicapped?
)" What is the critical issue of the ! education?
<UESTIONS =!' ="'#$%' /0(&"((0!1
%" What are the main features of the ! education system? Which features of
the system do you find most impressive and effective in providing education
to its citiBens?
+" What roles does government play in the field of education in the !?
," The ! education system is decentraliBed" What does this mean? @ow does
such a system work? What are the pros and cons of this type of system?
&" What achievements has the ! education reached?
#" What problems and challenges is the ! education facing? What are the
possible solutions?
$" 3ist and e?plain the similarities and differences between our education
system and the !s"
)" 7s it a good idea to provide students with a wide variety of courses and
varied criteria of assessment? !hould students be forced to do certain
prescribed courses or be allowed to choose courses in their areas of interest
and not beyond their capacity?
'" 0oes any form of discrimination e?ist in our education system? Why?
(" What are our achievements in education?
%*" What are the critical challenges that were still facing? @ow would we fi?
them?
%%" !hould we let public and private education coe?ist?
%+" What are the roles of private educational institutions in the ! and in
Aietnam?
%," @ow significant is higher education to AmericanJAietnamese youth?
%&" What are the matriculate re/uirements of ! universities and colleges?
What about ours?
%#" T<rain drain is a popular phenomenon we have nowadays" What are the
causes and effects?
%$" Why do a lot of foreign students, not Eust Aietnamese, want to get
education in the !? What do you think are the most attractive elements of the
! education?
%)" Theres a peculiarity that while Aietnamese spend more time and effort on
studying, but they come out to be less effective than American students on
average" What do you think are the reasons for this peculiarity? Try to answer
by comparing what students get out of their education in each system"
%'" 3ooking at the current education system in Aietnam, what do you see as
positive changes being made for the last %* years?
%(" A large number of richest men in America, such as <ill Gates ->icrosoft.,
>ichael 0ell -0ell 1omputer. are college drops-out" They even suggest
students to drop out of college to pursue their own dreams in order to succeed"
Why do you think they say so? What does that reflect on the educational
system and the lifestyle in America?
="'#$%'
="'#$%'
'%+/012
'%+/012

HOLIDAYS IN THE
HOLIDAYS IN THE

"olidas in the USA
READING -
eople in every culture celebrate holidays" Although the word KholidayK
literally means Kholy day,K most American holidays are not religious, but
commemorative in nature and origin" <ecause the nation is blessed with rich
ethnic heritage it is possible to trace some of the American holidays to diverse
cultural sources and traditions, but all holidays have taken on a distinctively
American flavor" 7n the nited !tates, the word KholidayK is synonymous with
Kcelebration[K 7n the strict sense, there are no federal -national. holidays in the
nited !tates" 5ach of the #* states has Eurisdiction over its holidays" 7n
practice, however, most states observe the federal -Klegal or publicK. holidays,
even though the 8resident and 1ongress can legally designate holidays only
for federal government employees"
8
8
Ten holidays per year are proclaimed by the federal government" They are
as followsO
4ew CearLs 0ay -:anuary % .
>artin 3uther Hing 0ay -traditional - :anuary %#D official - third >onday
in :anuary.
8residentsL 0ay -traditional - 6ebruary %+ Y 6ebruary ++D official - third
>onday in 6ebruary.
>emorial 0ay -traditional - >ay ,*D official - last >onday in >ay.
7ndependence 0ay -:uly &.
3abor 0ay -first >onday in !eptember.
1olumbus 0ay -traditional - ;ctober %+D official - second >onday in
;ctober.
AeteransL 0ay -traditional - 4ovember %%D official - second >onday in
4ovember.
Thanksgiving 0ay -fourth Thursday in 4ovember.
1hristmas 0ay -0ecember +#.
7n %()%, the dates of many federal holidays were officially moved to the
nearest >onday by then-8resident 9ichard 4i?on" There are four holidays
which are not necessarily celebrated on >ondaysO Thanksgiving 0ay, 4ew
CearLs 0ay, 7ndependence 0ay and 1hristmas 0ay" When 4ew CearLs 0ay,
7ndependence 0ay, or 1hristmas 0ay falls on a !unday, the ne?t day is also a
holiday" When one of these holidays falls on a !aturday, the previous day is
also a holiday" 6ederal government offices, including the post office, are
INTRODUCTION
"olidas in the USA
always closed on all federal holidays" !chools and businesses close on maEor
holidays like 7ndependence 0ay and 1hristmas 0ay but may not always be
closed, for e?ample, on 8residentsL 0ay or AeteransL 0ay" 6ederal holidays are
observed according to the legislation of individual states" The dates of these
holidays, and others, are decided upon by each state government, not by the
federal -national. government" 5ach state can agree on the same date that the
8resident has proclaimed, such as Thanksgiving 0ay" !tate legislation can also
change the date of a holiday for its own special commemoration" Waterloo,
4ew Cork, for instance, always observes >emorial 0ay on >ay ,* rather
than on the last >onday in >ay, as this was the original date on which
Waterloo founded the commemoration" 1ities and towns can decide not to
celebrate a federal legal holiday at all" @owever, the maEority of the states -and
the cities and towns within them. usually choose the date or day celebrated by
the rest of the nation" There are other KlegalK or KpublicK holidays which are
observed at the state or local level" The closing of local government offices
and businesses will vary" Whether citiBens have the day off from work or not
depends on local decisions" !ome KlegalK or KpublicK holidays are specific only
to an individual state" 6or e?ample, 4ebraska always celebrates Arbor 0ay on
April ++, the birthday of the originator of the holiday" !ince Arbor 0ay
originated as a tree planting day, different states change the date depending on
the best season for planting trees in their regionO @awaiians plant trees on the
first 6riday in 4ovember" Cou can thumb through an ordinary calendar and
discover many special days i"e" Kminor holidaysK which are observed by a
relatively small number of people or by a particular interest group" 6or
e?ample, KGirl !coutsL <irthdayK ->arch %+., K1itiBenship 0ayK -!eptember
%)., Knited 4ations 0ayK -;ctober +&. would have limited observance" K@og
1allersL 0ayK would have even less" 5vents involving famous Americans,
living or dead, have a wider appeal" >any Americans may have forgotten the
e?act date when 8resident :ohn 6" Hennedy was assassinated -4ovember ++,
%($,., but they remember e?actly where they were and what they were doing
when they first learned about his tragic death" ;ther days commemorate
events which may be personally significant for one generation but have less
relevance for another" 6or e?ample, 8earl @arbor 0ay -0ecember ). marks the
day when :apanese 7mperial 6orces attacked @awaii in %(&% and brought the
! into World War 77" 8resident 6ranklin 0" 9oosevelt in his address to the
nation referred to the attack as Ka day that will live in infamyK" Adults and
children of the time have a personal recollection of the day" The younger
generations of today may know of the event from their history books only"
;ther holidays such as KGroundhog 0ayK -6ebruary +. are whimsically
observed, at least in the media" The day is associated with folklore which has
grown up in rural America" 7t is believed, by some, if the groundhog, or
woodchuck comes out of its hole in the ground and sees its shadow on that day
it will become frightened and Eump back in" This means there will be at least
"olidas in the USA
si? more weeks of winter" 7f it doesnLt see its shadow, it will not be afraid and
spring will begin shortly"
1ritics of the proliferation of holidays point an accusing finger at greeting
card manufacturers and other entrepreneurs" The critics say that K@oliday ]K is
simply promoted to get people to buy their wares" K!ecretaryLs 0ayQ or
KGrandparents 0ayK might fall into this category" ;bviously, no effort has
been made to be comprehensive in treating all holidays that Americans would
possibly celebrate" ;nly KmaEorK holidays, recogniBed if not celebrated by
Americans in general, have been included here" 5ach unit is introduced by a
reading the passage about the background of the American holiday or
celebration" When relevant, a speech, song, or poem pertaining to the holiday
follows" There might be a special feature about the holiday, such as regional or
religious factors which make the celebration different"
"olidas in the USA
READING 2
3Third 2onday in 4anuary<
K,e will not resort to violence.
,e will not degrade ourselves with hatred.
%ove will not be returned with hate.K
t was 0ecember, %(##, and >artin 3uther Hing, :r" had Eust received his
doctorate degree in theology" @e had moved to >ontgomery, Alabama to
preach at a <aptist church" @e saw there, as in many other southern states, that
African-Americans had to ride in the back of public buses" 0r" Hing knew that
this law violated the rights of every African-American" @e organiBed and led a
boycott of the public buses in the city of >ontgomery" Any person, black or
white, who was against segregation refused to use public transportation" Those
people who boycotted were threatened or attacked by other people, or even
arrested or Eailed by the police" After ,'+ 0ays of boycotting the bus system,
the !upreme 1ourt declared that the Alabama state segregation law was
unconstitutional" African-Americans were not only segregated on buses
throughout the south" 5/ual housing was denied to them, and seating in many
hotels and restaurants was refused"
7
7
7n %(#), 0r" Hing founded the !outhern 1hristian 3eadership 1onference
and moved back to his home town of Atlanta, Georgia" This was the beginning
of the 1ivil 9ights >ovement" 7n the years following, he continued to
organiBe non-violent protests against une/ual treatment of African-American
people" @is philosophy remained peaceful, and he constantly reminded his
followers that their fight would be victorious if they did not resort to
bloodshed" 4onetheless, he and his demonstrators were often threatened and
DRE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
"olidas in the USA
attacked" 0emonstrations which began peacefully often ended up in violence,
and he and many others were often arrested"
;n August +,, %($,, a crowd of more than +#*,*** people gathered in
Washington, 0"1" and marched to the 1apitol <uilding to support the passing
of laws that guaranteed every American e/ual civil rights" 0r" >artin 3uther
Hing, :r" was at the front of the K>arch on Washington"K ;n the steps of the
3incoln >emorial that day, 0r" Hing delivered a speech that was later entitled
K7 @ave a 0ream"K The >arch was one of the largest gatherings of black and
white people that the nationLs capital had ever seen""" and no violence occurred"
;ne year later, the 1ivil 9ights Act of %($& was passed" 7t was not the first
law of civil rights for Americans, but it was the most thorough and effective"
The act guaranteed e/ual rights in housing, public facilities, voting and public
schools" 5veryone would have impartial hearings and Eury trials" A civil rights
commission would ensure that these laws were enforced" 0r" >artin 3uther
Hing, :r" and thousands of others now knew that they had not struggled in
vain" 7n the same year 0r" Hing won the
4obel 8eace 8riBe for leading non-
violent demonstrations"
7n %($', 0r" >artin 3uther Hing, :r"
was assassinated while he was leading a
workersL strike in >emphis, Tennessee"
White people and black people who had
worked so hard for peace and civil rights
were shocked and angry" The world
grieved the loss of this man of peace"
The following is an e?cerpt from the
speech entitled K7 @ave a 0ream,K
delivered by 0r" >artin 3uther Hing, :r" on the steps of the 3incoln >emorial
on August +,, %($,"
JI H+6% + D'%+?,J
I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties
and frustrations of the moment I still have a dream. It is a dream
deeply rooted in the
+merican dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out
the true meaning of its creed. K,e hold these truths to be self-
evidentJ that all men are created e-ual.K
"olidas in the USA
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Feorgia the sons
of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able
to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of 2ississippi, a
desert state sweltering with the heat of inustice and oppression,
will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and ustice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a
nation where they will not be udged by the color of their skin but
by the content of their character...
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day the state of +labama will be
transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls
will be able to oin hands with little white boys and white girls and
walk together as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be e1alted, every
hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be
made plains, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the
glory of the %ord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it
together.
This will be the day when all of FodLs children will be able to
sing with new meaning K2y
country Ltis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. %and
where my fathers died, land of the pilgrimLs pride, from every
mountainside, let freedom ring.K
+nd if +merica is to be a great nation this must become true.
*o let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of 'ew
)ampshire.
%et freedom ring from the mighty mountains of 'ew Hork.
%et freedom ring from the heightening +lleghenies of
7ennsylvaniaM
%et freedom ring from the snowcapped 8ockies of #oloradoM
%et freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of #aliforniaM
But not only thatJ let freedom ring from *tone 2ountain of
FeorgiaM
"olidas in the USA
%et freedom ring from %ookout 2ountain of TennesseeM
%et freedom ring from every hill and mole hill of 2ississippi.
$rom every mountainside, let freedom ring.
,hen we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and
every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to
speed up that day when all of FodL children, black men and white
men, 4ews and Fentiles, 7rotestants and #atholics, will be able to
oin hands and sing in the words of that old 'egro spiritual, K$ree
at
lastM $ree at lastM Thank Fod almighty, we are free at lastMK
0r" >artin 3uther Hing, :r"Ls death did not slow the 1ivil 9ights
>ovement" <lack and white people continued to fight for freedom and
e/uality" 1oretta !cott Hing is the widow of the civil rights leader" 7n %()*,
she established the >artin 3uther Hing :r" >emorial 1enter in Atlanta,
Georgia" This Kliving memorialK consists of his boyhood home and the
5beneBer <aptist 1hurch, where Hing is buried"
;n >onday, :anuary +*, %('$, in cities and towns across the country
people celebrated the first official >artin 3uther Hing 0ay, the only federal
holiday commemorating an African-American" A ceremony which took place
at an old railroad depot in Atlanta Georgia was especially emotional"
@undreds had gathered to sing and to march" >any were the same people who,
in %($#, had marched for fifty miles between two cities in the state of
Alabama to protest segregation and discrimination of black Americans"
All through the %('*Ls, controversy surrounded the idea of a >artin 3uther
Hing 0ay" 1ongressmen and citiBens had petitioned the 8resident to make
:anuary %#, 0r" >artin 3uther Hing, :r"Ls birthday, a federal holiday" ;thers
wanted to make the holiday on the day he died, while some people did not
want to have any holiday at all" :anuary %# had been observed as a public
holiday for many years in +) states and Washington, 0"1" 6inally, in %('$,
8resident 9onald 9eagan declared the third >onday in :anuary a federal legal
holiday commemorating 0r" >artin 3uther HingLs birthday"
!chools, offices and federal agencies are closed for the holiday" ;n
>onday there are /uiet memorial services as well as elaborate ceremonies in
honor of 0r" Hing" ;n the preceding !unday, ministers of all religions give
special sermons reminding everyone of 0r" HingLs lifelong work for peace" All
weekend, popular radio stations play songs and speeches that tell the history of
the 1ivil 9ights >ovement" Television channels broadcast special programs
with filmed highlights of 0r" HingLs life and times"
"olidas in the USA
"olidas in the USA
READING )
3$ebruary 9C<
ntil %()%, both 6ebruary %+ and 6ebruary ++ were observed as federal
public holidays to honor the birthdays of Abraham 3incoln -6ebruary %+.
and George Washington -6ebruary ++." 7n %()% 8resident 9ichard
4i?on proclaimed one single federal public holiday, the 8residentsL
0ay, to be observed on the third >onday of 6ebruary, honoring all
past president of the nited !tates of America"
;f all the presidents in the history of the nited !tate, Abraham

3incoln is probably the one that Americans remember the best and
with deepest affection" @is childhood in the frontier of 7ndiana set
the course for his character and motivation later in life" @e brought a
new honesty and integrity to the White @ouse" @e would always be
remembered as Khonest Abe"K >ost of all, he is associated with the
final abolition of slavery" 3incoln became a virtual symbol of the
American dream whereby an ordinary person from humble
beginnings could reach the pinnacle of society as president of the
country"
Abraham 3incoln was born on 6ebruary %+, %'*(, in Hentucky,
and spent the first seven years of his life there" They were difficult
years in which Thomas 3incoln, AbeLs father tried to make a living
as a carpenter and farmer" The 3incolns moved from farm to farm
around Hentucky, until %'%$, when the family left to settle in
7ndiana" The nited !tates was still young, and the >idwest was a
wild, unsettled frontier" They stopped in the middle of a forest in !pencer
1ounty, 7ndiana" 4eighbors were few and far away, and the family lived in a
three-sided shelter until AbeLs father cleared enough land and built a log cabin"
Abe and his sister helped with the heavy daily tasks that came with farming"
@e cleared the woods for farmland with his father, and became so skilled at
splitting logs that neighbors settling into the 7ndiana territory paid him to split
logs" At the time, he confessed that he did not really like manual labor" @e
wrote later that although he was very young, an a?e was put into his hand, and
he Kwas almost constantly handling that most useful instrument"K
7n his entire life, Abe was only able to go to school for a total of one year"
This lack of education only made him hungry for more knowledge" @is
mother, 4ancy @anks 3incoln, influenced him in his /uest for learning"
ABRAHAM LINCOLN#S BIRTHDAY
If all the
presidents in
the history of
the (nited
*tate,
+braham
%incoln is
probably the
one that
+mericans
remember the
best and with
deepest
affection.
"olidas in the USA
Although she was completely uneducated and could not read or write, she
encouraged her children to study by themselves" @is beloved mother died
when he was nine years old" The family was greatly saddened, and for a while
lived almost in s/ualor" Two years later, however, Thomas 3incoln remarried"
AbeLs stepmother was also instrumental in encouraging him to read" @e even
traveled to neighboring farms and counties to borrow books" @e was often
found reading ne?t to a pile of logs that he should have been splitting" When
he was older, Abe noticed that people loved to listen to stories" @e began
telling tall tales in the general store where he worked" 1ustomers came and
stayed when they knew he was there, Eust to hear him talk" The family moved
once again, this time to 7llinois" @e began working in a store in the new capital
of !pringfield" @is powers of speech soon helped him enter a new arena, that
of politics and law" 7n %',& he was elected into the @ouse of 9epresentatives
and began studying to become a lawyer" 7n %',(, he met his future wife >ary
Todd" 1oincidentally, she had been born in Hentucky, and her family had
recently moved to 7llinois" They had a long and unstable courtship, because
Abe was indecisive about marrying" They finally e?changed their vows in
>aryLs home in 4ovember %'&+" Abraham 3incoln began a long road to
become the si?teenth president of the nited !tates" @e practiced law all
across the state for the ne?t few years, traveling far on horseback to different
counties" 7 n %'&) he was elected into 1ongress, but his opinions did not
ensure him a long stay there" @e was vehemently against slavery and took
stands on other controversial issues" @e was not elected for a second term, so
he returned to his law practice" A few years later, slavery became a stronger
issue, and more people were willing to abolish it" 3incoln Eoined the
9epublicans, a new political party that was opposed to slavery" The
9epublicans nominated him for the "!" !enate in %'#', and in his acceptance
speech, he statedO
K+ house divided against itself cannot stand... This government
cannot endure, permanently half-slave and half-free... I do not
e1pect the (nion to be dissolved. I do not e1pect the house to fall
but I do e1pect it will cease to be divided. K
Abraham 3incolnLs oratorical powers brought him to the attention of the
nation" @e challenged the 0emocratic nominee to the !enate to a series of
debates" sing the simple language that he used to communicate with people
all his life, he defeated 0ouglas in the debates but lost to him in the election"
4ominated by the 9epublican 8arty in %'$* as its candidate for the 8residency
of the nited !tates, 3incoln won by a small margin" <ut with his election, the
country began the process of Kdividing against itself"K
"olidas in the USA
+ campaign banner for the 8epublican ticket 39BD0<
!outh 1arolina had seceded from the nion before he was even inaugurated"
;ther states followed to form the 1onfederate !tates of America" The 4orth
and !outh were divided, and the 1ivil War began" The war was not only over
the abolition of slavery, but also the rights of individual states to make their
own choices on other issues" The bloody <attle of Gettysburg in 8ennsylvania
was the largest battle ever fought on American soil" ;n 4ovember %(, %'$,, at
a ceremony to establish Gettysburg as a national monument, 3incoln delivered
what was to become one of the finest orations in American history, the
Gettysburg Address" Cet Eust after he delivered it, there was polite applause,
and reactions varied from indifference to disappointment" 5dward 5verett, e?-
governor of >assachusetts, was the main speaker, and his speech had lasted
for almost two hours" ;n his trip back to Washington, 3incoln himself said of
his speechO K7t was a flat failure" 7 am distressed about it" 7 ought to have
prepared it with more care"K <ut 5dward 5verett assured 3incoln sayingO K7
would be glad if 7 could flatter myself that 7 came near to the central idea of
the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes"K
"olidas in the USA
T$% G%##8("'2 A//'%((
'ovember 9:, 9BD/
$our score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on
this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to
the proposition that all men are created e-ual.
'ow we are engaged in a great civil war testing whether that
nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long
endure. ,e are met on a great battlefield of that war. ,e have
come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for
those who here gave their lives that that nation may live. It is
altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not
consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men living
and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our
poor power to add or detract.
The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here
but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the
unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly
advanced.
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task
remaining before us that from these honored dead we take
increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead
shall not have died in vain, that this nation under Fod shall have a
new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the
people for the people shall not perish from the earth.
3incoln was elected to a second term in %'$&" The !outh surrendered, and
the 1ivil War ended on April (, %'$#" The difficult task of national
reconstruction and reconciliation lay ahead, but 3incoln would not be the
person to lead the country through this difficult period" ;n April %&, >r" and
>rs" 3incoln attended a play at the 6ordLs Theater in Washington, 0"1" A few
minutes past ten oLclock, an actor who disagreed with 3incolnLs political
opinions stepped into the 8residential bo? and shot the 8resident" @e died the
following morning" American poet Walt Whitman, along with the rest of the
"olidas in the USA
country, mourned the death of Abraham 3incoln" @e wrote this poem in his
honor"
"olidas in the USA
C+,#+01K ?8 C+,#+01K
I #aptainM my #aptainM our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weatherLd every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all e1ulting,
,hile follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daringJ
But I heartM heartM heartM
I the bleeding drops of red,
,here on the deck my #aptain lies,
$allen cold and dead.
I #aptainM my #aptainM rise up and hear the bellsJ
8ise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills,
$or you bou-uets and ribbons wreaths--for you the shores a-
crowding,
$or you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turningJ
)ere #aptainM dear fatherM
This arm beneath your headM
It is some dream that on the deck, HouLve fallen cold and dead.
2y #aptain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
2y father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchors safe and sound, its voyage closed and
done,
$rom fearful trip the victor ship comes in with obect wonJ
!1ult I shores, and ring I bellsM
But I with mournful tread, ,alk the deck my #aptain lies,
$allen cold and dead.
<*otations fro$ Lin'o(n
"olidas in the USA
...+s I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This
e1presses my idea of democracy. ,hatever differs from this, to the
e1tent of the difference, is no democracy
-- 3etter, August %'#'
If we do not make common cause to save the good old ship of
the (nion on this voyage, nobody will have a chance to pilot her
on another voyage.
--!peech, 1leveland, ;hio, 6ebruary %#, %'$%
"olidas in the USA
)
ow do you understand the cartoonG
"olidas in the USA
READING *
3$ebruary 9?<
t" AalentineLs 0ay has roots in several different legends that have found their
way to us through the ages" ;ne of the earliest popular symbols of the day is
1upid, the 9oman god of love, who is represented by the image of a young
boy with bow and arrow" Three hundred years after the death of :esus 1hrist,
the 9oman emperors still demanded that everyone believe in the 9oman gods"
Aalentine, a 1hristian priest, had been thrown in prison for his teachings" ;n
6ebruary %&, Aalentine was beheaded, not only because he was a 1hristian,
but also because he had performed a miracle" @e supposedly cured the EailerLs
daughter of her blindness" The night before he was e?ecuted, he wrote the
EailerLs daughter a farewell letter, signing it K6rom Cour Aalentine"K
!
!
Another legend tells us that this same Aalentine, well-loved by all,
received notes to his Eail cell from children and friends who missed him"
Another Aalentine was an 7talian bishop who lived at about the same time, A0
+**" @e was imprisoned because he secretly married couples, contrary to the
laws of the 9oman emperor" !ome legends say he was burned at the stake"
6ebruary %& was also a 9oman holiday, held in honor of a goddess" Coung
men randomly chose the name of a young girl to escort to the festivities" The
custom of choosing a sweetheart on this date spread through 5urope in the
>iddle Ages, and then to the early American colonies" Throughout the ages,
people also believed that birds picked their mates on 6ebruary %&[
7n A0 &($ !aint 8ope Gelasius 7 named 6ebruary %& as KAalentineLs 0ayK"
Although itLs not an official holiday, most Americans observe this day"
Whatever the odd mi?ture of origins, !t" AalentineLs 0ay is now a day for
sweethearts" 7t is the day that you show your friend or loved one that you care"
Cou can send candy to someone you think is special" ;r you can send roses,
the flower of love" >ost people send Kvalentines,K a greeting card named after
the notes that !t" Aalentine received in Eail" Aalentines can be sentimental,
romantic and heartfelt" They can be funny and friendly" 7f the sender is shy,
STE VALENTINE#S DAY
"olidas in the USA
valentines can be anonymous" Americans of all ages love to send and receive
valentines" @andmade valentines created by cutting hearts out of colored
paper, show that a lot of thought was put into making them personal"
Aalentines can be heart-shaped, or have hearts, the symbol of love, on them" 7n
elementary schools children make valentines for their classmates and put them
in a large decorated bo?, similar to a mailbo?" ;n 6ebruary %&, the teacher
opens the bo? and distributes the valentines to each student" After the students
read their valentines they have a small party with refreshments"
6or teenagers and adults, maEor newspapers throughout the country have a
AalentineLs 0ay offer" Anyone can send in a message, for a small fee of
course, destined for a would-be sweetheart, a good friend, an ac/uaintance or
even a spouse of fifty years" The message is printed in a special section of the
newspaper on 6ebruary %&"
"olidas in the USA
K%K is for the million things she gave me,
KOK means only that sheLs growing old,
KTK is for the tears she shed to save me,
KHK is for her heart of purest goldD
KEK is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
KRK means right, and right sheLll always be,
8ut them all together, they spell
K%OTHER,K
-- @oward :ohnson
"olidas in the USA
READING 5
3*econd *unday in 2ay<
n the second !unday in >ay, American children of all ages treat their
mothers to something special" 7t is the one day out of the year when
children, young and old, try to show in a tangible way how much they
appreciate their mothers"
;
;
5ngland was one of the first countries to set aside a day to recogniBe
mothers" 7n the eighteenth century when many people worked as household
servants for the rich, K>othering !undayK was reserved for them to return
home to be with their mothers" Though this custom stopped when the
7ndustrial 9evolution altered the working and living patterns of the people,
one !unday for >others was established as a holiday in the twentieth century"
7n the nited !tates, >otherLs 0ay did not become an official holiday until
%(%#" 7ts establishment was due largely to the perseverance and love of one
daughter, Anna :arvis" AnnaLs mother had provided strength and support as the
family made their home in West Airginia and 8hiladelphia, 8ennsylvania
where her father served as a minister" As a girl, Anna had helped her mother
take care of her garden, mostly filled with white carnations, her motherLs
favorite flower" When >rs" :arvis died on >ay #, %(*#, Anna was determined
to honor her" !he asked the minister at her church in West Airginia to give a
sermon in her motherLs memory" ;n the same !unday in 8hiladelphia, their
minister honored >rs" :arvis and all mothers with a special >otherLs 0ay
service" Anna :arvis began writing to congressmen, asking them to set aside a
day to honor mothers" 7n %(%*, the governor of West Airginia proclaimed the
second !unday in >ay as >otherLs 0ay and a year later every state celebrated
it"
;n >otherLs 0ay morning some American children follow the tradition of
serving their mothers breakfast in bed" ;ther children will give their mothers
gifts which they have made themselves or bought in stores" Adults give their
mothers red carnations, the official >otherLs 0ay flower" 7f their mothers are
deceased they may bring white carnations to their grave sites" This is the
busiest day of the year for American restaurants" ;n her special day, family
members do not want >om to cook dinner[
MOTHER#S DAY
"olidas in the USA
B%+?012
byO 8oppy
e walks into the room and everybody looks his way,
)e is a handsome older man, with ust a touch of gray.
)e carries himself perfect, with an air of elegance,
'ot proud or arrogant like some, that makes the difference.
)
)
The restaurant we are meeting at, is lit so very dim,
But I can see the other ladies, staring straight at him.
)e is so neat and well dressed, looking like a movie star,
+nd all the ladies watch him as he stops there by the bar.
I see the other ladies watching as he stops to linger,
+nd watch them poke their lady friends, and gesture with their
finger.
I am so proud as I sit here, and watch their little show,
ILm the one heLs asking for, but right now they donLt know.
I know heLll make me feel so proud, when they know heLs with me,
,hat they donLt know, is heLs much more than ust what they can
see.
Ih, yes he is a handsome man, as all the ladies know,
But, he is so much more to me, than what appearance shows.
)e is the greatest man ILve known, and treats me tenderly,
But sometimes in the past he felt he had to punish me.
I understand his methods now, and all has turned out well,
These ladies, who are watching him, should hear what I could tell.
+nd now heLs meeting me today and it will be my treat,
The ladies are still whispering and wonder whom youLll meet.
Hou start walking to the table as you wave at me,
+nd as I smile, I also feel their eyes full of envy.
The whispers increase now as toward me you begin to walk,
I smile because youLre twice my age, and now I know theyLll talk.
*he is so lucky they will say, ILve heard it all before,
But what they donLt know is this handsome man is so much more.
)eLs everything a man could be and he is my hero,
+nd as you reach the table I let everybody know.
)ow proud I am that youLre with me and youLre a total winner,
I proudly say, KItLs $atherLs "ay, )i "ad, ILm buying dinnerMK
"olidas in the USA
!ee 4e?t 8age
"olidas in the USA
READING .
3Third *unday in 4une<
he nited !tates is one of the few countries in the world that has an official
day on which fathers are honored by their children" ;n the third !unday in
:une, fathers all across the nited !tates are given presents, treated to dinner
or otherwise made to feel special"
T
T
The origin of 6atherLs 0ay is not clear" !ome say that it began with a
church service in West Airginia in %(*'" ;thers say the first 6atherLs 0ay
ceremony was held in Aancouver, Washington" The president of the 1hicago
branch of the 3ionsL 1lub, @arry >eek, is said to have celebrated the first
6atherLs 0ay with his organiBation in %(%#D and the day that they chose was
the third !unday in :une, the closest date to >eekLs own birthday[ 9egardless
of when the first true 6atherLs 0ay occurred, the strongest promoter of the
holiday was >rs" <ruce :ohn 0odd of !pokane, Washington" >rs" 0odd felt
that she had an outstanding father" @e was a veteran of the 1ivil War" @is wife
had died young, and he had raised si? children without their mother" 7n %(*(,
>rs" 0odd approached her own minister and others in !pokane about having a
church service dedicated to fathers on :une #, her fatherLs birthday" That date
was too soon for her minister to prepare the service, so he spoke a few weeks
later on :une %(th" 6rom then on, the state of Washington celebrated the third
!unday in :une as 6atherLs 0ay" 1hildren made special desserts, or visited
their fathers if they lived apart" !tates and organiBations began lobbying
1ongress to declare an annual 6atherLs 0ay" 7n %(%$, 8resident Woodrow
Wilson approved of this idea, but it was not until %(+& when 8resident 1alvin
1oolidge made it a national event to Kestablish more intimate relations
between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure
of their obligations"K !ince then, fathers had been honored and recogniBed by
their families throughout the country on the third !unday in :une" When
children canLt visit their fathers or take them out to dinner, they send a greeting
FATHER#S DAY
"olidas in the USA
card" Traditionally, fathers prefer greeting cards that are not too sentimental"
>ost greeting cards are whimsical so fathers laugh when they open them"
!ome give heartfelt thanks for being there whenever the child needed 0ad"
"olidas in the USA
READING 7
7roclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants
thereof.
-- Words written on the 3iberty <ell
y the middle of the %)**s, the %, colonies that made up part of 5nglandLs
empire in the 4ew World were finding it difficult to be ruled by a king
,,*** miles across the Atlantic ;cean" They were tired of the ta?es imposed
upon them" <ut independence was a gradual and painful process" The colonists
could not forget that they were <ritish citiBens and that they owed allegiance
to Hing George 777" A Ktea partyK and a >assacreK were two events that
hurried destiny" Along with general unrest these events united the colonists" 7n
%)$) a tea company in 7ndia, owned by 5ngland, was losing money" To save
the company, 5ngland levied a ta? on tea sold in the colonies in %))," 8artly
as a Eoke, !amuel Adams and other <ostonians dressed up as 7ndians and
dumped a cargo of the 7ndia 1ompany Tea into the >assachusetts <ay" Hing
George 777 did not think it was funny, nor did he lift the ta? on tea" 7n the
<oston harbor, <ritish soldiers were Eeered and stoned by colonists who
thought the soldiers had been sent to watch them" The soldiers fired into the
crowd and killed a few citiBens" The colonists e?aggerated the number killed
and called it a massacre" Airginia took the first step toward independence by
voting to set up a committee to represent the colonies" This 6irst 1ontinental
1ongress met in !eptember of %))&" They drew up a list of grievances against
the crown which became the first draft of a document that would formally
separate the colonies from 5ngland" George Washington took command of the
1ontinental Army and began fighting the <ritish in >assachusetts" 6or the
ne?t eight years, colonists fought fervently in the 9evolutionary War" 7n the
meantime, a war of words was being waged in 8hiladelphia, 8ennsylvania" ;n
:uly +, %))$, the !econd 1ontinental 1ongress presented Y debated a second
draft of the list of grievances, and :ohn @ancock, the president of the !econd
1ontinental 1ongress, was the first to sign" The document, called the
0eclaration of 7ndependence, was treasonous against the crown and the fifty-
si? men who signed it were in danger of being e?ecuted"
<
<
INDEPENDENCE DAY
"olidas in the USA
The signing of the "eclaration of Independence
7ndependence 0ay is celebrated on :uly & because that is the day when the
1ontinental 1ongress adopted the final draft of the 0eclaration of
7ndependence
+
" 6rom :uly ', %))$, until the ne?t month, the document was
read publicly and people celebrated whenever they heard it" The ne?t year, in
8hiladelphia, bells rang and ships fired guns, candles and firecrackers were
lighted" <ut the War of 7ndependence dragged on until %)',, and in that year,
7ndependence 0ay was made an official holiday" %(&% 1ongress declared &th
of :uly a federal holiday"
:ohn Adams, a lawyer, the first Aice
8resident and the !econd 8resident of the
nited !tates, was one of the members of
the !econd 1ontinental 1ongress who
signed the 0eclaration of 7ndependence"
@e wrote to his wife, K7 believe that it will
be celebrated by succeeding generations as
the great anniversary festival""" it ought to
be celebrated by pomp and parade, with
shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires
and illuminations from one end of this
continent to the other"""K
:ohn Adams may have predicted the
later 7ndependence 0ay celebrations or
perhaps he started traditions with his
+
5?cept for the "!" Airgin 7slands where celebrations are held a week prior to the
clima? on &th of :uly"
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"olidas in the USA
words" 5very :uly fourth, Americans have a holiday from work" 1ommunities
have day-long picnics with favorite foods like hot dogs, hamburgers, potato
salad, baked beans and all the fi?ings" The afternoon activities would not be
complete without lively music, a friendly baseball game, three-legged races
and a pie-eating or watermelon-eating contests" !ome cities have parades with
people dressed as the original founding fathers who march in parades to the
music of high school bands" At dusk, people in towns and cities gather to
watch the fireworks display" Wherever Americans are around the globe, they
will get together for a traditional &th of :uly celebration[ The 0eclaration of
7ndependence was first read in 8hiladelphia, 8ennsylvania" Today, at the
6reedom 6estival at 7ndependence @all, costumed Americans re-enact
historical scenes and read the 0eclaration of 7ndependence for the crowd" 7n
6lagstaff, AriBona, American 7ndians hold a three-day pow-wow around the
6ourth of :uly, with a rodeo and dancing" 7n 3ititB, 8ennsylvania, hundreds of
candles that were made during the year are lighted in the park at night and
floated in the water while a KRueen of 1andlesK is chosen" The ship "!"!"
:ohn 6" Hennedy comes in full sail to <oston @arbor in >assachusetts on the
6ourth of :uly, and the <oston 8ops ;rchestra plays a
musical concert of patriotic songs as more than %#*,***
people watch fireworks burst over the water"
T$% F0'%>!'@( F+?0:8
4ew 1astle, 8ennsylvania, is home to the Aitale
6ireworks 0isplay 1ompany, responsible for more than
one thousand fireworks shows every year" 7n %(++
1onstantino Aitale brought his e?pertise at making
fireworks from 7taly to the nited !tates" @e passed his secrets on to his four
sons, and since then the company has been making Americans e?claim
KooohhhK and KaaahhhhK at the lighted colors in the sky on :uly & and other
occasions" K7tLs like putting on a ballet show e?cept that the dancers were
above, painting the sky,K says AitaleLs granddaughter" K!eeing that spectacular
display in the sky made me really love the country"K
The sight and sound of a ringing bell represents freedom to most
Americans because of the 3iberty <ell that rang in 8hiladelphia when the new
country was born" 7n %)#+ the new bell arrived safely from 5ngland, but at the
first blow from a hammer to test it, it cracked" 4ot wanting to delay by
returning the bell to 5ngland, the officials ordered bell founders in
8hiladelphia to remedy the fault" Two times it was recast before it was finally
ready" ;n :uly ', %))$, the bell rang to mark the occasion of the adoption of
the 0eclaration of 7ndependence" ;n April %$, %)', it proudly announced the
proclamation of peace and the newly won independence of the nited !tates
of America" At every event of national importance, the 3iberty <ell Eoined its
harmonious tones to the general acclaimO in %)'(, the election of George
"olidas in the USA
WashingtonD in %)(), the election of :ohn AdamsD in %)((, the death of
WashingtonD and in %'*%, the election of Thomas :efferson" ;n :uly &, %'+$,
the bell was nearly three /uarters of a century old, and the nation whose birth
it had helped to announce was now a lusty youngster of #*" :oyous indeed was
the bellLs sound on that occasion" Then, on :uly ', %',#, while tolling for the
funeral procession of :ohn >arshall, 1hief :ustice of the !upreme 1ourt and
one of the signers of the 0eclaration of 7ndependence, the great bell cracked"
6earing that the crack would eventually destroy the historic bell, officials
ordered it taken down from the tower" 7t was after this that the 3iberty <ell
received its name" !ince then, the bell has been on display but has never rung"
7n fact, no one living knows the voice of the 3iberty <ell, for it has never
spoken since %',#" The crack which appeared on that occasion is prevented
from widening by a mechanical device, called a spider, installed inside the
bell"
A few years ago the bell foundry in 3ondon that originally cast the great
bell made a friendly proposal - to ship the bell back to 5ngland, melt it, and
recast it at no cost to the nited !tates" The keepers of the bell considered the
offer very seriously before giving an answer" Then they decided that the
cracked liberty bell is a cherished symbol of AmericaLs struggle for freedom"
:ust as a manLs facial lines and creases are a visible sign of the stress and strain
he has survived, so the crack in the 3iberty <ell serves to remind Americans
that their forefathers did not win liberty for their country and its people
without strain and stress - and even e?tensive fractures" Therefore, on behalf
of the American people, the officials thanked the 3ondon foundry for its
generous offer, but refused, addingO KWe like the bell as it is, crack and all" 7t
is an important part of our heritage"K
YANKEE DOODLE
!trangely, this patriotic song has derogatory origins" The music and words
go back to %#th century @olland, as a harvesting song that began, KCanker
dudel doodle down"K 7n 5ngland, the tune was used for a nursery rhyme, and
later a song making fun of 8uritan church leader ;liver 1romwell, because
KCankeeK might be a mispronunciation of the word K5nglish,K and KdoodleK
refers to a dumb person" <ut it was a <ritish surgeon, 9ichard !chuckburgh,
who wrote the words which ridiculed the ragtag colonists fighting in the
6rench and 7ndian War" !oon after, the <ritish troops used the song to make
fun of the colonists in the 9evolutionary War" Cet it became the colonistsL
rallying anthem for that war"
"olidas in the USA
AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL
5very so often a movement is started to make KAmerica
the <eautifulK the national anthem instead of KThe !tar-
!pangled <anner,K largely because it was not written as a
result of a war" The tune is easier to sing and the whole
country is praised, not only the flag" Hatherine 3ee <ates,
an 5nglish professor at Wellesley 1ollege, rode in a horse-
drawn wagon up 8ikeLs 8eak, a mountaintop-in 1olorado in
%'(," !he saw a view of the mountains that few people saw
in those days and was inspired by her glimpse the Kspacious
skiesK and Kpurple mountainsK to write a poem, which
became the first verse of the song" The public loved the
poem, and >iss <ates was encouraged to set it to music" !he chose the music
of a hymn by !amuel Ward" The words and music traveled around the world,
and today >e?ico, 1anada and Australia sing it with their own countriesL
names instead of KAmerica"K

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COLLEGE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES VNU, HANOI

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND ANGLO- AMERICAN CULTURES

444 ILLEGAL ALIENS 4444444444

;f all the presidents in the history of the nited !tate, Abraham

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