Chapter 11 英美文化概况 美国 people

1、The PeopleChapter 11IV. Religion. The American Society. Languages. Population and SettlementI. The “Melting Pot”vSettlers are from Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia, Canada, etc.vDissipating their different ethnic cultures toward some standard by living and working together in the “melt

2、ing pot”. I. The Melting PotVideo: Melting PotnAmerican Indians300-plus tribes and a total of 8 million in 18th century Driven to barren desert regions, “Indian Reservations”Now 2.5 million, less than 0.9% of the population of US.v WASPWhite Anglo-Saxon Protestants from England, northern and western

3、 Europev Irish peasants, German political refugees, Italian tenant farmers, and Eastern European Jews were attracted by economic opportunities, religious and political freedom.v Peak of immigration: between 1880-1914 WASPs: the dominant ethnic group Black peopleDescended from Negro slaves from Afric

4、aSlave labor : 18th, the mode of production in the southern coloniesAbraham Lincoln: Emancipation Proclamation , 1863, the civil war34.658 million, 12.3% The second largest ethnic-racial minorityScatter around the 12 industrial centersNext to HispanicsII. Population and Settlement Settlement Hispani

5、cs: more than 35.305 8 million, 12.8%Surpassed the number of the Black AmericansMexico had owned the West and Southwest until 1840s-1850s.u Mexican-Americanu Cuban refuges(slums of the New York City), 2. Asian Americans Chinese: (overseas Chinese, 3.5%)Coolies were tricked and shipped to US in the 1

6、9th century to build railways Filipinos South Koreans Vietnamese Laotians1)Cambodian PopulationPopulation: 306,805,000 (Mid-2009) Density: 32 (population/sq. km.) The United States makes a complete census, or count, of its people every 10 years. Almost the whole eastern half of the country is thickl

7、y inhabited. Good climate and fertile soil in the Pacific Coast and the discovery of gold in California attracted pioneers moving westward.The largest state: CaliforniaThe 2nd largest state: New YorkIII. Languages Many languages:No official language National language: English Hispanics: Spanish Blac

8、k : Black English American Indians: not many preservedIV. Religionu Multinational country, have the right to choose and worshipu 333 000 local church groups, 253 religious sectsu 90% members of a churchIV. ReligionProtestants: 52%Lutherans, Anglicans, Calvinists, distinguished from Roman CatholicsRo

9、man Catholics: 24%Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%Eastern Orthodox ChurchBuddhistsSikhsHindusMoslemsSeparation of Church and StateThe US government gives no direct subsidies to any faith, but exempt them from paying taxes on income and property.V. The American SocietyClass is an objective reality in the America

10、n society. There is a strikingly wide gap between the wealthy and the poor.Super-rich: Like the monopolies such as the Rockefeller & the Morgan, the top 20% control 77% of private wealth, and form the apex of the class pyramid. The poor constitute 29% of the population and lack adequate nutritio

11、n, medical care, education, job training, etc.The Middle class is sandwiched between the rich and the poor. Many have their homes, cars, medical insurance and enough money to prepare their children for middle class jobs.ExercisesI. Choose the best answer1. The dominant ethnic group in the United Sta

12、tes today is_. a. the black people b. WASPs c. Asian Americans d. Hispanics2. The _constitute the largest ethnic-racial minority group in the United States. a. American Indians b. Hispanics c. Blacks d. Asian Americans3. Race is different from ethnicity because its basis is _. a. country of origin b

13、. religion c. language spoken d. skin color4. The _ are at the bottom of the society in the United States. a. Blacks b. Hispanics c. non WASPs d. Asians5. The state of _ is the largest in population today. a. New York b. Colorado c. Arizona d. California6. People in the US have kept moving westward

14、for reasons except _. a. religious freedom b. fertile soil in the West c. good climate in the west d. discovery of gold in the West7. Hispanics in the US speak _. a. English b. Spanish c. French d. their native languages8. Today about _% of Americans are church members in the United States. a. 50 b.

15、 60 c. 70 d. 909. _outnumber other religious groups in the United States. a. Methodists b. Congregationalists c. Quakers d. Protestants10. The solvency of the middle class in the US depends on _. a. personal income b. credit borrowing c. cash outlay d. the combination of personal income and credit b

16、orrowingII. Explain the following in English1. Melting potThe United States has long been known as a “melting pot”, because t is a country of many ethnic groups from different parts of the world who have been dissipating their different ethnic cultures by living and working together and gradually fo

17、rming a new nation.nSenatenSupreme Court nCIAn NASA2. WASPsThe first colonial people were White Anglo-Saxon protestants(WASPs) from England, Northern and Western Europe attracted by reports of great economic opportunities and religious and political freedom. 3. EthnicityIn contemporary American spee

18、ch the word ethnicity denotes a social group differentiated from others by country of origin, language or religion. 4. Population center of gravity Since 1790, the “population center of gravity” has been moving westward. Good climate and fertile soil in the Pacific Coast region and the discovery of gold in California in 1848 and later in