美國概況 英文介紹課件

1、 A General Survey of USAPart 1 General Introduction of USNational FlagNational Flag:The number of the stars50 stars represent the 50 states of America.13 stripes represent the first 13 states that used to be the colonies.Important Facts About USAFull country name: The United States of America (USA)P

2、opulation: 275,000,000 Area: 3,618,000 sq miles (9,370,000 sq km). The 4th largest in the world.Capital city: Washington, DC (pop: 607,000) People: Caucasian（高加索人，白種人） (74%), African American (12%), Latino (9%), Asian (3%), Native American (0.8%)Languages: English (official language), plus many seco

3、ndary language, chiefly SpanishReligion: Protestant (56%), Roman Catholic (28%), Jewish (2%), Muslim (1%)Government: Federal republic of 50 statesPresident: Obama GDP: US$9 trillionGDP per head: US$25,850Annual growth: 4.1%Inflation: 2.6%Major industries: Oil, electronics, computers, automobile manu

4、facturing, aerospace industries, agriculture. Major trading partners: Canada, Japan, the EU The three most famous national parks are 1.The Rocky Mountain & Yellowstone National Park2.The Great Canyon of Colorado in Arizona3. Yosemite in the Sierra NevadaBostonthe State of MassachusettsIt is the earl

5、iest city established in the United States.It has many famous universities, such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Boston. It is full of European atmosphere.Philadelphiathe State of Pennsylvania Independence HallBetsy Ross HousePennsylvania Academy of the

6、 Fine ArtsFranklin InstituteChicagothe State of IllinoisThe third largest city in the U.S.It has a nickname“The Supermarket of America”Sears TowerLincoln ParkHoustonthe State of TexasNational Aeronautics and Space Administration Manned SpacecraftThere are many famous corporations around the city, su

7、ch as General Electric (GE) and International Business Machines (IBM).San Franciscothe State of CaliforniaIn the early days it was the place where Chinese people concentrated.Golden Gate BridgeThe largest Chinatown outside of AsiaLos Angeles (the Big Orange)the State of CaliforniaThe second largest

8、city in the U.S.HollywoodBeverly HillsDisneylandUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)Important MountainsThere are three major mountain ranges: the Appalachians in the east, the Rocky Mountains in the west, and the Sierra Nevada along the border of Nevada and California. Appalachian Mts阿巴拉契亞山脈

9、Rocky Mts落基山脈Sierra Nevada內(nèi)華達山脈Important Rivers(National Rivers)1* Hudson River2* Mississippi River3* Missouri River4* Ohio River(International Rivers)1* Colorado River2* Columbia River3* Rio Granda4* St. Lawrence RiverGeneral PrinciplesFederalismthe separation of powers respect for the Constitution

10、 & the rule of law.The Two GovernmentsThe state governmentThe Federal governmentSeparation of Powersexecutive (the President)legislature (Congress)judicialThe PresidentThe President is the effective head of the executive branch of government as well as head of state. With the President, a Vice-Presi

11、dent is elected, & if the President dies the Vice-President becomes President for the unexpired part of the 4 year. The Congressthe Senate (elected every 6 years) the House of Representatives (2 years)Famous Presidents: George Washington (1732-1799)Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during t

12、he American Revolution & 1st President of the U.S. 1789-1797)Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)3rd President of the U.S (1801-1809) & author of the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin (17061790), American statesman, diplomat, scientist and writer. He was born into a poor family

13、 in Massachusetts, and worked as printer apprentice in his youth. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)16th President of the U.S. (1861-1865)Famous and admired because of his leadership during the difficult period of the American Civil War and the liberation of Negroes from slavery.Part 3 American HistoryThe

14、Earliest Inhabitants20,000 years ago, American IndiansColumbus found the new continent10,000 years ago, the later Eskimosthe year 1000, the earliest EuropeansDiscoveryIn late 15th-century Europe, there was a great demand for spices, textiles and dyes from Asia. Christopher Columbus, a mariner from I

15、taly, mistakenly believed that he could reach the Far East by sailing 6,400 kilometers west from Europe.English SettlementsThe first successful English colony in America was founded at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. Of the first 105 colonists, 73 died of hunger and disease within seven months of their

16、 arrival.One group of English Puritans crossed the Atlantic in the ship Mayflower and settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. A much larger Puritan colony was established in the Boston area in 1630.Colonial EraBy 1733 English settlers had occupied 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast, namely, Co

17、nnecticut, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Rhode Island, and Maryland. War of IndependenceApril 19, 1775, the American War of Independence began.May 1775, a second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia.

18、 Thomas Jefferson drafted a Declaration of Independence, The Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783, in which Britain recognized the independence of the United States.The Declaration of IndependenceThe Constitution Civil WarTime: 1861-1865 Participants: the South (Democratic) and the North(Rep

19、ublican)Cause: Abraham Lincoln was elected as president The Preface: Lincoln was elected as President-1860年11月 South Carolina voted to leave the Union-the signal of the warThe eleven southern states form an independent nationthe Confederate States of America (beginning)The process of the Civil WarTh

20、e first stage(186i-1862夏) Failure after failure came to the North.(see the contrast)The second stage：（1862，91865，4） The Emancipation Proclamation- 1863,1,1 Homestead Bill1862,5 Battle of Gettysburg-1863,7.1, turning pointThe third stage: the victory. 1865,4,2 Richmond was abandon.The NorthThe SouthP

21、opulation2234萬910萬IndustryDeveloped Fewrailroads many Nearly zeroMilitaryNot well equipped Fully armedInfluence of the warTwo achievements:realize the unification of the American nationEnd the slavery systemWestern MovementTime : the years following the end of the civil war in 1965 People: miners Pu

22、rpose: seek for gold and silver Place:Rocky mountain region Famous figures: hired horsemen- cowboys Results: Indians are withdrew and buffalo were destroyed Progressive movementCause: economy booming + prosperity spreading but poverty coexist Measures: change policy before1900 : laissez-faire after1

23、900: progressivism Achievements: passing laws restricting child labor, protecting women workers, limiting work hours and providing worker men compensation let the sleeping dog lieNew DealEconomy circle: lowest pointrecovery-recessionprosperityrecession-lowest point 1929,10,24 Black Thursday, Great D

24、epression broke out. Hoover Franklin D.Rooselvelt New DealPart 4 American EducationStructure of American EducationEarly childhood educationGrammar school or elementary school (primary)High school (secondary)College and university (higher/tertiary education)Part 5 American HolidaysJanuary 1 New Years

25、 Day (新年）15 Martin Luther King Jr.s Birthday19 Martin Luther King Jr.s Birthday Observed February 12 Lincolns Birthday14 Valentines Day （情人節(jié)）16 Presidents Day22 Washingtons Birthday25 Ash WednesdayMarch 8 International Womens Day（國際婦女節(jié)）17 St. Patricks DayApril 1 April Fools Day （愚人節(jié)）5 Palm Sunday10

26、Good Friday Arbor Day （植樹節(jié)）11 Passover12 Easter （復(fù)活節(jié)）17 Orthodox Holy Friday19 Orthodox Easter22 Secretaries Day22 Earth DayMay 6 Nurses Day7 National Day of Prayer10 Mothers Day （母親節(jié)）16 Armed Forces Day25 Memorial Day Observed30 Memorial DayJune 14 Flag Day （美國國旗紀(jì)念日）21 Fathers DayJuly 4 Independenc

27、e Day （美國獨立日）August 2 Friendship DaySeptember 7 Labor Day Grandparents Day17 Citizenship Day21 Rosh Hashanah30 Yom KippurOctober 11 National Childrens Day12 Columbus Day16 National Boss Day17 Sweetest Day24 United Nations Day31 Halloween （萬圣節(jié)前夜）November 3 Election Day11 Veterans Day （退伍軍人節(jié)）26 ThanksgivingDecember 14 First Day of Hanukkah25 Christmas （圣誕節(jié)）26 First Day of KwanzaaPart 6 Questions in the Previous TEM-8 Test Papers20