2023年英美文化入门知识点

Chapter1.GreekMythologyGreekmythologyisthebodyofmythsandteachingsthatbelongtotheancientGreeks,concerningtheirgodsandheroes,thenatureoftheworld,andtheoriginsandsignificanceoftheirowncultandritualpractices.Greekmythologyconsistsoftwoparts.Onepartisaboutthegods’stories,suchaswherethegodscomefrom,thegods’dailyactivitiesandtheoriginofhumanbeings.Everythingintheworldcanbefoundwithabeautifulstory.Anotherpartisabouttheheroes’stories.

TheoldestknownGreekliterarysources,Homer'sepicpoemsIliadandOdyssey,focusontheTrojanWaranditsaftermath.

TheIliadisanancientGreekepicpoembyHomer.SetduringtheTrojanWar,theten-yearsiegeofthecityofTroybyacoalitionofGreekstates,ittellsofthebattlesandeventsduringtheweeksofaquarrelbetweenKingAgamemnonandthewarriorAchilles.TheepicpoemOdysseyfocusesontheGreekcharacterOdysseusandhisten-yearjourneyfromTroytoIthacaafterthefallofTroy(Trojanwar).TheGreekgodsresembledhumansinformandshowedhumanfeelings.

Theognoy,meaning"thegenealogyorbirthofthegods",isapoembyHesiod(8th–7thcenturyBC)describingtheoriginsandgenealogiesofGreekpolytheism.

Zeuswastheheadofthegods,andthespiritualfatherofgodsandpeople.HerawasthewifeofZeus,thequeenofheavenandtheguardianofmarriage.Athenawasthegoddessofwisdomandwar.Apollowasthegodoflight,poetry,andmusic.Areswasthegodofwar.Aphrodite,whoseRomannamewasVenus,wasthegoddessoflove.Dionysus,thegodofwineandpleasure,wasperhapsthemostpopulargodsinancientGreek.TheGreeksdevotedmanyfestivalstothisearthlygod,andinsomeregionshebecameasimportantasZeus.Prometheus:Prometheuswasatitan.Hestolefirefromheavenandsecretlybroughtitdowntomen.Flyingintoarage,ZeuslettheothergodschainPrometheustoarockonMountCaucasus,whereahungryeagleevertoreathisliverwhichevergrewagain.Hisperiodofpainwastobethirty-thousandyears.AtlastaherocalledHeracleskilledtheeagleandsetthefriendofmankindfree.

Pygmalion:Pygmalionwasasculptor,andhadmadewithwonderfulskillastatueofivory,sobeautifulthatnolivingwomancouldbecomparedtoitinbeauty.Hefellinlovewiththestatue,whoeventuallyturnedaliveandbecamehisownwife.:TheGreekSphinxwasafemalecreature,sometimesdepictedasawingedlionwithafemininehead,andsometimesasafemalewiththebreast,pawsandclawsofalion,asnaketailandbirdwings.ShesatonahighrocknearThebesandposedariddletoallwhopassed.Theriddlewas:“Whathasfourfeet,twofeetandthreefeet,butonevoice?”Thosewhocouldnotsolvetheriddlewerestrangledbyher.FinallyOedipuscamealongandsolvedtheriddle.Afterhearingthecorrectanswer,theSphinxthrewherselfheadlongdowntherock.

Oedipus:OedipuswasamythicalGreekkingofThebes.AtragicheroinGreekmythology,Oedipusaccidentallyfulfilledaprophecythathewouldendupkillinghisfatherandmarryinghismother,therebybringingdisastertohiscityandfamily.OedipustheKingwaswrittenbySophocles,oneofthreeancientGreektragedianswhoseplayshavesurvived.ManycommonexpressionscandemonstrateGreekmythology'simpactonmodernsocieties:

1)anAchillesheel(asinglefatalvulnerability);2)havingtheMidastouch(everythingturnstogold);3))lyinginthearmsofMorpheus(sleeping);4)openingPandora'sBox(unlockingaworldoftrouble);5)richasCroesus(Croesuswasknownforhiswealth);6)thefacethatlaunchedathousandships(awomanworthgoingtowarfor).Wordsandphrases(seePart3,Point4)Chapter2.BiblicalStoriesTheBibleisacollectionofbookssharedbyJewsandChristiansalikewhobelieveGodspeakstomenthroughHisactionsandwordswhicharerecordedintheBible.TheBibleiscomposedoftheOldTestamentandtheNewTestament.TheOldTestamentisnotonebookwrittenbyasingleauthor,butacollectionof39bookswritteninclassicalHebrewaboutthehistoryandreligionofthepeopleofIsraelbymanyauthors.TheNewTestamentisacollectionofJesus’miraclestoldbyhisdisciples.Genesis,thefirstsectionofLaw,means“origin”inGreek.Itisaboutthecreationofallthingsincludingtheearthandthesky,thelight,man,woman,animals,etc.Jobisthestoryofamanwho,thoughhavingsufferedmuch,keptunchangeablefaithinGod.TheNewTestament,unliketheOldTestamentspanninghundredsofyearsofhistory,coversonlyseveraldecades.Itisacollectionof27booksaboutthereligiousandmoralteachingsofChristianity,whichisdividedinto4mainsections:theGospels,History,Epistles,andRevelation.TheBibleisalsoviewedasaworkofliterature,becausethemoralandreligiousteachingsarewritteninstoriesandpoemswhichareclassifiedbyscholarsasepic,myth,andlegend.TheBiblehasshapedthewesternworld.Ithasframedreligiousview,politics,law,education,literature,culture,andalsoflavoredEnglishlanguagewithwordsandphrases.10-21.(PleasecheckonwordsandphrasesinCulturalPoint2,TaskAandTaskB)Chapter3.UKGeographyUKisshortfortheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland.UKliesinNorthernEuropeorWesternEurope.ThetwolargestislandsintheBritishIslesareIrelandandGreatBritain.Irelandhasonittwocountries:theRepublicofIrelandandNorthernIreland,whileGreatBritainmostlycontainsthree:England,ScotlandandWales.Theselastthree,together

withNorthernIreland,formtheUnitedKingdom.ThesecondbiggestislandintheBritishIslesisIreland.TheflagoftheUnitedKingdomispopularlyknownastheUnionJackorUnionFlag.ItcomprisestheflagsofSt.George(ofEngland),St.Andrew(ofScotland,alsoknownastheSaltire)andtheSt.Patrick'sCross(ofIreland)super-imposedoneachother.LondonisthecapitalofbothEnglandandtheUnitedKingdom,avastmetropolitanarea,andaglobalcapitaloffinance,fashionandculture.BelfastisthecapitalofNorthernIreland.Birmingham-theUK'ssecondlargestcity(bypopulation)isintheindustrialheartlandandmanyattractionsforthetravelers.Itisacultural,sporting,entertainment,shoppingandmediahub.CardiffisthecapitalofWales,hosttovariedculturaleventsandmanyothermodernandhistoricalattractions.EdinburghisthecapitalofScotland,hometothelargestartsfestivalintheworldandnumeroustouristattractionsaswellasbeingthesecondmostvisitedcityintheUK.GlasgowisScotland'slargestcity,newculturalhotspot,formerEuropeanCityofCulture.ManchesteristheUK'ssecondlargestcitybymetropolitanarea.ItisalsothethirdmostvisitedcityintheUKafterLondonandEdinburgh.TheLondonEyeistheworld'sthirdlargestobservationwheel,situatedontheSouthBankoftheThameswithmagnificentviewsoverLondon.BuckinghamPalaceistheofficialLondonresidenceoftheQueen.Theformercoloniesthatgainedtheirindependencethroughdiplomacyandcontinuetorecognizethe

authority

oftheCrownareknownasthe

Commonwealth

Realm.TheCommonwealthRealmincludeCanada,Australia,NewZealand,Jamaica,andmanyotherformercoloniesoftheBritishEmpire.AlltheCommonwealthcountriesareindependentnationsbuttheystillrecognizethemonarchastheheadofstate,eventhoughthelatterhaslittlerealpowerwithintheirborders.ThelocationofEngland,Scotland,Wales,RepublicofNorthernIreland,NorthernIrelandasonthemapbelow:19.StonehengeisinaWorldHeritageSiteofover2023hectaresthatisconsideredoneofthemostarchaeologicallyrichinEurope.ItishometosomeofthemostimportantNeolithicandBronzeAgefindsandstructuresintheUK,andcontainssome200scheduledmonuments.20.WestminsterAbbeyandThePalaceofWestminster(includingBigBenandtheHousesofParliament)inWestminster:theseatoftheUnitedKingdomparliamentandWorldHeritagesite,aswellassettingforroyalcoronationssince1066,mostrecentlythatofQueenElizabethIIin1953.Chapter4.HistoryinUK1.KingHaroldⅡistheSaxonKingwhowasdefeatedandkilledattheBattleofHastingsin1066,whentheFrench-speakingNormansunderWilliamtheConquerorinvadedEnglandfromFrance.2.AlfredtheGreatwasafineSaxonKingwhosuccessfullydefeatedtheinvadingDance.3.KingArthurwasthekingofEnglandinthesixthcentury.Littlewasknownabouthim,exceptthathewasassociatedwiththeCornwallandisthecentralfigureofmanylegendsabouthimandhisKnightsoftheRoundTable.4.TheCrusadeswereaseriesofwarsintheMiddleAgesinwhicharmiesfromalloverEuropetriedtosnatchthe“HolyLand”(namelyPalestine)fromtheInfidels,theMuslims.

5.IntheMiddleAges,thegreatrivalsoftheking’sauthoritywerethepowerfullocalchiefscalledbaronsandtheChurchheadedbythePopeinRomewhoinspiredthefearofeternaldamnationby“excommunicating”.6.RichardLion-HeartwasaNormankingintheMiddleAges.HewasalsothemostfamousoftheEnglishCrusadersatthattime.

7.MagnaCartawasadocumentsignedin1215byKingJohnundercompulsionbythepowerfulbarons.ItisperhapsthemostsignificantearlyinfluenceontheextensivehistoricalprocessthatledtotheruleofconstitutionallawtodayintheEnglishspeakingworld.Itinfluencedthedevelopmentofthecommonlawandmanyconstitutionaldocuments,includingtheUnitedStatesConstitution.

8.WhentheEnglishKingEdwardIII(1327-1377)claimedtheFrenchCrownbyrightofhismotherIsabella,theFrenchrefusedtorecognizetheclaim.So,in1337,Edwarddeclaredawarthatwastolastforahundredyears,knownastheHundredYears'War.9.JoanofArcwasaFrenchsaintandnationalheroine.DuringtheHundredYears’War,herbraveryandinspirationprovidedspiritandmoraleforFrencharmies.

10.AllkingsoftheMiddleAgesspokeFrenchastheirmothertongue.AftertheHundredYears’War,EnglandbecamecompletelyseveredfromFrance,andtheEnglishlanguagefinallytooktheplaceofFrenchinallclassesofsociety.11.“WarsoftheRoses”tookplacebetweentwoEnglishroyalfamilies,namelytheHouseofYorkandtheHouseofLancaster.SuchunrestdidnotcometoanenduntilHenryTudormarriedElizabethofYork(EdwardIV’sdaughter),thusunitingthetwoHousesandputtingthecountryundertheruleoftheTudors.12.TheCatholicChurchistheChristianchurchheadedbythePope.AllmembersofthechurchacceptthegospelofChristandtheteachingsoftheBible.AnyrevoltagainstthetraditionalChristianfaithwas“heresy”.IntheMiddleAges,thePopewasextremelypowerful.Inthe16thcentury,someofthebeliefsandpracticesoftheCatholicChurchwerequestionedbytheProtestantdoctrines.13.TheProtestantChurchreferstotheChristianchurchwhosefaithandpracticeoriginatedwiththeprinciplesofreformation.AsthePope’spoliticalpowerandreligiousauthoritydeclinedinthesixteenthcentury,ProtestantchurchessprangupinNorthernEuropeinoppositiontotheestablishedRomanCatholicChurch.14.BloodyMarywastheNicknamegiventoMaryI,HenryIII’selderdaughter,adevoutCatholicwhohadalotofProtestantsburnttodeath.ShewassucceededbyElizabethI.15.ProtestantismbecamethedominantfaithinBritaininthereignofElizabethI,whosemaininterestlayincreatingastrongunitedcountryinwhichthereshouldbenomorereligiouspersecution.16.TheElizabethagereferstotheperiodduringthereignofElizabethIinBritishhistory.Itwasanageofrealliteraryachievementandalsothatofgreatadventureonthesea.17.InthereignofJamesI,therewereanumberofCatholicconspiraciesinEnglishhistory,themostfamousbeingthe“GunpowderPlot”.ItwastheplottoblowuptheKingandParliament,inwhichamancalledGuyFawkeswascaughtinthecellarsoftheHouseofCommonsintheveryactofpreparingtheexplosives.“GuyFawkes’Night”isstillcelebratedonNovember5the

eachyear.18.TheEnglishCivilWar,oneofthemostimportanteventsinBritishhistory,isabitterpowerstrugglebetweenthemonarchyandParliament.ThevictoryoftheParliamentledtotheexecution(1649)ofCharlesIandthetemporaryoverthrowofthemonarchy,andthecountrybecameformorethantenyearsasortofrepublicfoundedbyOliverCromwell.IntheCivilWar,thosewhosupportthekingwerecalledthe“Cavaliers”andthosesupportingtheParliamentwerecalledthe“Roundheads”.19.OliverCromwellwastheRoundheadleaderduringtheEnglishCivilWar.HecreatedtheNewmodelarmy，defeatedKingCharlesI,overthrewthemonarchyandhehimselfbecameLordProtector.20.In1688,theCatholickingJamesIIwasforcedtofleewithhisbabysontoFrance.ThethronewasofferedtohisProtestantdaughterandherhusband,theDutchkingWilliam.TheBillofRightswaspassedbyParliamenttorestrictthepoweroftheMonarchy.ThiswasthebeginningoftheConstitutionalMonarchyinBritain.21.TheIndustrialRevolutionstartsfrom1750to1850.22.TheruleofQueenVictorianwasthelongestreigninBritishHistory,lastingfrom1837to1901.TheVictorianagewasanageofnationaldevelopmentandnationaloptimism.TheVictorianswereveryreligiousandconservativeinfamilylife.23.InBritisheconomy,thetwomostdisastrouseventsweretheGeneralStrikein1926andthegreatSlumpoftheearly1930s.

24.TheBlitzof1940referstothebombingofBritainbyGermanplanesin1940,whenHitlersenthisbombersdayafterdaytobombairfieldsandtownsinthesouth,andthennightafternight,tobombLondon.

Chapter5.AmericanGeographyTheUnitedStatesshareslandborderswithCanadatothenorthandMexicotothesouth,andterritorialwaterborderwithRussiainthenorthwest.Thecontiguousforty-eightystatesareotherwiseboundedbythePacificOceanonthewest,andtheAtlanticOceanontheeast,andtheGulfofMexicotothesoutheast.AlaskabordersthePacificOceantothesouth,theBeringStraittothewest,andtheArcticOceantothenorth,whileHawaiiliesfartothesouthwestofthemainlandinthePacificOcean.Itisafederalconstitutionalrepubliccomprisingforty-eightcontiguousstatesinNorthAmerican,Alaska,andalsoHawaii.Italsoadministersacollectionofnon-stateterritoriesaroundtheworld,includingPuertoRicoandotherislands.Thereare50statesandthefederaldistrictofColumbia.OfallstatesofAmerica,AlaskaisthelargestinareaandRhodeIslandisthesmallest.ButonthemainlandTexasisthelargeststateofthecountry.TheUScoverstheareaof9,372,641squarekilometers—thefourthlargestcountryintheworldinsizeafterRussia,CanadaandChina.TheUShasapopulationofPopulation:320,000,000(2023)—thethirdmostpopulouscountryintheworldafterChinaandIndia.Thereare2majormountainsintheUS:TheAppalachianMountainsandtheRockyMountains.TheAppalachianMountainsrunslightlyfromthenortheasttosouthwest.TheRockyMountainsrunslightlyfromthenorthwesttosoutheast.The

\o"GreatPlains"GreatPlains

liewestoftheMississippiRiverandeastoftheRockyMountains.Alargeportionofthecountry'sagriculturalproductsaregrownintheGreatPlains.TheGreatPlainscometoanabruptendatthe

\o"RockyMountains"RockyMountains.TheMississippianditstributariesdrainoneoftherichestfarmareasintheworld.Theyforma19,000-kilometresystemofwaterwaysandserveasimportantmeansoftransportation.TheMississippihasbeencalled“fatherofwaters”andthe“oldmanriver”.ThemostimportantlakesintheUnitedStatesaretheGreatLakes.TheyareSuperior,whichisthelargestfreshwaterlakeintheworld,LakeMichigan,theonlyentirelyintheUS.,LakeHuron,LakeErieandLakeOntario.TheyarealllocatedbetweenCanadaandtheUSexceptLakeMichigan.The

EastCoastoftheUnitedStates

isthe

\o"Coastline"coastline

alongwhichthe

\o"EasternUnitedStates"EasternUnitedStates

meetsthe

\o"NorthAtlanticOcean"NorthAtlanticOcean.Theoriginal

\o"Thirteencolonies"thirteencolonies

of

\o"KingdomofGreatBritain"GreatBritain

inNorthAmericaalllayalongtheEastCoast.ItisthemostpopulatedcoastalareaintheUnitedStates.ThemajorcitiesontheEastCoastare,fromnorthtosouth,Boston,NewYork,Philadelphia,Washington,D.C.,andMiami.TheWestCoastorPacificCoastisthecoastlinealongwhichthecontiguousWesternUnitedStatesmeetstheNorthPacificOcean.Asaregion,thistermmostoftenreferstothe

\o"Coastalstates"coastalstates

of

\o"California"California,

\o"Oregon"Oregon

and

\o"Washington(state)"Washington.ThemajorcitiesontheWestCoastare,fromnorthtosouth,Seattle,SanFrancisco,LasVegas,andLosAngeles.ThelargestcityonthewestcoastoftheUnitedStatesisLosAngeles.SincetheWestCoasthasbeenpopulatedbyimmigrantsmorerecentlythantheEastCoast,itscultureisconsiderablyyounger.TherearedifferenttypesofclimateintheUSowingtoitslargesizeandvariedlandforms.Theoverallclimateistemperate,withnotableexceptions.ThenationalflagoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Itconsistsofthirteenequalstripesandfiftysmall,white,five-pointedstars.The50starsontheflagrepresentof50statesoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,andthe13stripesrepresentthethirteenBritishcoloniesthatdeclaredindependencefromtheKingdomofGreatBritain,andbecamethefirststatesintheUS.NicknamesfortheflagincludetheStarsandStripes,OldGlory,andtheStar-SpangledBanner.TheUShasthenicknameof“meltingpot”.The“meltingpot”isametaphorforaplace(suchasacityorcountry)wheredifferenttypesofpeoplelivetogetherandgraduallycreateonecommunity.SincetheUSisacountryofimmigrants,differentculturesaremixedandbecominganewone.ThefivefamoussymbolsoftheUnitedStatesaretheStatueofliberty,Barbie,BuffaloNickel,UncleSamandAmericanGothic.

NewYorkCity,

NewYork,orsimply

TheCity,isthe

\o"ListofUnitedStatescitiesbypopulationdensity"mostdenselypopulated

majorcityintheUnitedStates.A

\o"Globalcity"globalpowercity,

NewYorkCityexertsasignificantimpactuponcommerce,finance,media,art,fashion,research,technology,education,andentertainment,and

hometothe\o"HeadquartersoftheUnitedNations"headquartersoftheUnitedNations.NewYorkhasalsobeendescribedastheculturalandfinancialcapitaloftheworld.Many

\o"ListsofNewYorkCityLandmarks"districtsandlandmarks

inNewYorkCityhavebecomewell-known:

\o"TimesSquare"TimesSquare,iconicastheworld'sCrossroads",the

\o"BroadwayTheaterDistrict"BroadwayTheaterDistrict,

BrooklynBridge,GrandCentralTerminal,EmpireStateBuilding,Central

\o"ListofNewYorkCityparks"Parks,theStatueofLiberty.Washington,D.C.isthecapitaloftheUnitedStates.The

\o"UnitedStatesConstitution"U.S.Constitution

providedfora

\o"Federaldistrict"federaldistrict

underthe

\o"DistrictofColumbiahomerule"exclusivejurisdiction

ofthe

\o"UnitedStatesCongress"Congress

andtheDistrictisthereforenotapartofanystate.Thecentersofallthreebranchesofthe

\o"FederalgovernmentoftheUnitedStates"federalgovernmentoftheUnitedStates

areintheDistrict,includingtheCongress,

\o"PresidentoftheUnitedStates"President,and

\o"SupremeCourtoftheUnitedStates"SupremeCourt.Itisalsohometomanynational\o"ListofmuseumsinWashington,D.C."monumentsandmuseums.LocationofthemajorAmericancities(Boston,NewYork,WashingtonD.C.,Detroit,Chicago,Miami,NewOrleans,Houston,Seattle,SanFrancisco,SanDiego,LosAngeles,LasVegas) Chapter6.AmericanHistoryThefirstEnglishcolonyinAmericawasfoundedatJamestown,Virginiain1607,knownasthemotherstate.In1620,210pilgrimssailedtotheNewWorldinashipcalledMayflower.TheyarrivedatPlymouthandbuiltthePlymouthcolony.TheysignedthefamousMayflowerCompactandhopedtobuilditinto“acityuponahill”.

Bythe1770s,

\o"ThirteenColonies"thirteenBritishcolonies

containedtwoandahalfmillionpeoplealongtheAtlanticcoasteastofthe

\o"AppalachianMountains"AppalachianMountains.Inthe1760s,theBritishgovernmentimposedaseriesofnewtaxeswhilerejectingtheAmericanargumentthatanynewtaxeshadtobeapprovedbythepeople.“Notaxationwithoutrepresentation”,whichmeans,theywouldnotpaytaxesiftheywerenotallowedtotakepartinthedecision-making.Taxresistance,especiallythe

\o"BostonTeaParty"BostonTeaParty

(1774),ledtopunitivelawsbyParliamentdesignedtoendself-governmentinMassachusetts.Armedconflictbeganin1775.In1776,Congressdeclaredthattherewasanew,independentnation,theUnitedStatesofAmerica,notjustacollectionofseparatecolonies.Withlarge-scalemilitaryandfinancialsupportfromFranceandmilitaryleadershipbyGeneral

\o"GeorgeWashington"GeorgeWashington,theAmericanPatriotswonthe

\o"AmericanRevolutionaryWar"RevolutionaryWar.InthesecondContinentalCongress,GeorgeWashingtonwasappointedasthecommanderandacommitteeheadedbyThomasJeffersonofVirginiawastodrafttheDeclarationofIndependence.InSeptember,1783,theTreatyofPariswassigned-----BritainrecognizedtheindependenceoftheUnitedStates.The

\o"TreatyofParis(1783)"peacetreatyof1783

gavethenewnationthelandeastoftheMississippiRiver(exceptFloridaandCanada).\o"GeorgeWashington"GeorgeWashington

–arenownedheroofthe

\o"AmericanRevolutionaryWar"AmericanRevolutionaryWar,commander-in-chiefofthe

\o"ContinentalArmy"ContinentalArmy,andpresidentofthe

\o"PhiladelphiaConvention"ConstitutionalConvention

–becamethefirstPresidentoftheUnitedStatesunderthenew

\o"UnitedStatesConstitution"Constitution

in1789.ThenationalcapitalmovedfromNewYorktoPhiladelphiaandfinallysettledinWashingtonDCin1800.TheLouisianaPurchasewastheacquisitionoftheLouisianaterritorybytheUnitedStatesfromFrancein1803.TheU.S.paidfiftymillionfrancsandacancellationofdebtswortheighteenmillionfrancsforatotalofsixty-eightmillionfrancs($15,000,000USD,oraroundaquarterofabillionin2023dollars).TheLouisianaterritoryincludedlandfromfifteenpresentU.S.statesandtwoCanadianprovinces.In1830,Congresspassedthe

\o"IndianRemovalAct"IndianRemovalAct,whichauthorizedthepresidenttonegotiatetreatiesthatexchangedNativeAmericantriballandsintheeasternstatesforlandswestoftheMississippiRiver.

ItsgoalwasprimarilytoremoveNativeAmericans.

ForthenativepopulationswhorefusedtoacknowledgestatelawstoreservationsintheWest,theforcibleremovalwasdemanded.TensofThousandsofdeathsresultedfromtherelocations.TheTrailofTearisanamegiventotheforcedrelocationandmovementof

\o"NativeAmericansintheUnitedStates"NativeAmerican

nationsfromsoutheasternpartsofthe

\o"UnitedStates"UnitedStates.Sevencotton-baseddeepSouthslavestatessecededandlaterfoundedthe

\o"ConfederateStatesofAmerica"Confederacy

monthsbefore

\o"FirstinaugurationofAbrahamLincoln"Lincoln'sinauguration.NonationeverrecognizedtheConfederacy,butitopened\o"AmericanCivilWar"AmericanCivilWar

(1861-1865).ItwasfoughtlargelyintheSouthastheoverwhelmingmaterialandmanpoweradvantagesoftheNorthproveddecisiveinalongwar.Thewar'sresultwasrestorationoftheUnion,theimpoverishmentoftheSouth,andtheabolitionofslavery.The

\o"EmancipationProclamation"EmancipationProclamation

wasanexecutiveorderissuedbyPresident

\o"AbrahamLincoln"AbrahamLincoln

onJanuary1,1863.Inasinglestrokeitchangedthelegalstatusof3millionslavesfrom"slave"to"free."IthadthepracticaleffectthatassoonasaslaveescapedthecontroloftheConfederategovernment,byrunningawayorthroughadvancesoffederaltroops,theslavebecamelegallyandactuallyfree.TheFourteenthAmendment(1868)providedformerslaveswithnationalcitizenship,andtheFifteenthAmendment(1870)grantedblackmentherighttovote.After

\o"RoaringTwenties"aprosperousdecade

inthe1920s,the

\o"WallStreetCrashof1929"WallStreetCrashof1929

markedtheonsetofthedecade-longworldwide

\o"GreatDepressionintheUnitedStates"GreatDepression.

\o"DemocraticParty(UnitedStates)"Democratic

President

\o"FranklinD.Roosevelt"FranklinD.Roosevelt

implementedhis

\o"NewDeal"NewDeal

programsforrelief,recovery,andreform.TheNewDeal,whichdefined

\o"ModernAmericanliberalism"modernAmericanliberalism,includedrelieffortheunemployed,supportforfarmers,

\o"SocialSecurity(UnitedStates)"SocialSecurity

anda

\o"Minimumwage"minimumwage.Afterthe

\o"AttackonPearlHarbor"JapaneseattackonPearlHarbor

onDecember7,1941,theUnitedStateslaterentered

\o"WorldWarII"WorldWarII

alongwith

\o"UnitedKingdom"Britain,the

\o"SovietUnion"SovietUnion,

\o"RepublicofChina(1912–49)"China.TheU.S.financedtheAlliedwareffortandhelpeddefeat

\o"NaziGermany"NaziGermany

inthe

\o"EuropeanTheatreofWorldWarII"Europeantheater

andusedthenewlyinvented

\o"Nuclearweapon"nuclearweapons

\o"AtomicbombingsofHiroshimaandNagasaki"onJapanesestrategiccities

thathelpeddefeat

\o"EmpireofJapan"ImperialJapan