Chapter2 The United States of America Learning Objectives . Master the key facts of America. . To have ideas of vocational education and tourism in America . To find out interesting food habits of Americans . Make an oral report about the characteristics of America
The United States of America • Master the key facts of America. • To have ideas of vocational education and tourism in America. • To find out interesting food habits of Americans. • Make an oral report about the characteristics of America. Learning Objectives
Section A Exploring the World
Section A Exploring the World
Leading In 1.What do you know about the following pictures? t年9
Leading In 1. What do you know about the following pictures?
Text A Brief Introduction to the USA Geography and Environment The United States of America(commonly referred to as the United States,the U.S.,the USA,or America)is a federal constitutional republic[1]comprising fifty states and a federal district and some overseas territories.The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C.,the capital district,lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans,bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south.The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent,with Canada to its east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait.The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific.The country also possesses several territories,or insular areas,in the Caribbean and Pacific
A Brief Introduction to the USA Geography and Environment The United States of America (commonly referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic[1] comprising fifty states and a federal district and some overseas territories. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to its east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories, or insular areas, in the Caribbean and Pacific
The coastal plain of the Atlantic seaboard gives way further inland to deciduous forests and the rolling hills of the Piedmont.The Appalachian Mountains divide the eastern seaboard from the Great Lakes and the grasslands of the Midwest.The Mississippi-Missouri River,the world's fourth longest river system,runs mainly north- south through the heart of the country.The flat,fertile prairie of the Great Plains[2], stretches to the west,interrupted by a highland region in the southeast.The Rocky Mountains,at the western edge of the Great Plains,span more than 4,800 kilometers extending north to south in North America.Farther west is the rocky Great Basin and deserts such as the Mojave.Alaska's Mount McKinley is the country's tallest peak. Active volcanoes are common throughout Alaska's Alexander and Aleutian Islands, and Hawaii consists of volcanic islands.The supervolcano underlying Yellowstone National Park in the Rockies is the continent'slargest volcanic feature
The coastal plain of the Atlantic seaboard gives way further inland to deciduous forests and the rolling hills of the Piedmont. The Appalachian Mountains divide the eastern seaboard from the Great Lakes and the grasslands of the Midwest. The Mississippi-Missouri River, the world’s fourth longest river system, runs mainly northsouth through the heart of the country. The flat, fertile prairie of the Great Plains[2], stretches to the west, interrupted by a highland region in the southeast. The Rocky Mountains, at the western edge of the Great Plains, span more than 4,800 kilometers extending north to south in North America. Farther west is the rocky Great Basin and deserts such as the Mojave. Alaska’s Mount McKinley is the country’s tallest peak. Active volcanoes are common throughout Alaska’s Alexander and Aleutian Islands, and Hawaii consists of volcanic islands. The supervolcano underlying Yellowstone National Park in the Rockies is the continent’slargest volcanic feature
History The first known inhabitants of modern-day United States territory are believed to have arrived over a period of several thousand years beginning sometime prior to 15,000 ~50,000 years ago by crossing Beringia[3]into Alaska.Solid evidence of these cultures settling in what would become the U.S.is dated to around 14,000 years ago. Columbus'men were the first who documented Old Worlders[4]to land in the territory of what is now the United States when they arrived in Puerto Rico during their second voyage in 1493.Juan Ponce de Leon,who arrived in Florida in 1513,is credited as being the first European to land in what is now the continental United States,although some evidence suggests that John Cabot might have reached what is presently New England in 1498
History The first known inhabitants of modern-day United States territory are believed to have arrived over a period of several thousand years beginning sometime prior to 15,000 ~ 50,000 years ago by crossing Beringia[3] into Alaska. Solid evidence of these cultures settling in what would become the U.S. is dated to around 14,000 years ago. Columbus’men were the first who documented Old Worlders[4] to land in the territory of what is now the United States when they arrived in Puerto Rico during their second voyage in 1493. Juan Ponce de León, who arrived in Florida in 1513, is credited as being the first European to land in what is now the continental United States, although some evidence suggests that John Cabot might have reached what is presently New England in 1498
In its beginnings,the United States of America consisted only of the Thirteen Colonies,which consisted of states occupying the same lands as when they were British colonies.American colonists fought off the British army in the American Revolutionary War[5]of the 1775s and issued the Declaration of Independence in 1776.Seven years later,the signing of the Treaty of Paris officially recognized independence from Britain.In the nineteenth century,westward expansion of the United States territory began,in which the United States would occupy all the North American land east to west,from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.By 1912,with the admission of Arizona to the Union,the U.S.reached that goal.The outlying states of Alaska and Hawaii were both admitted in 1959
In its beginnings, the United States of America consisted only of the Thirteen Colonies, which consisted of states occupying the same lands as when they were British colonies. American colonists fought off the British army in the American Revolutionary War[5] of the 1775s and issued the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Seven years later, the signing of the Treaty of Paris officially recognized independence from Britain. In the nineteenth century, westward expansion of the United States territory began, in which the United States would occupy all the North American land east to west, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. By 1912, with the admission of Arizona to the Union, the U.S. reached that goal. The outlying states of Alaska and Hawaii were both admitted in 1959
Ratified in 1788,the Constitution serves as the supreme American law in organizing the government;the Supreme Court[6]is responsible for upholding constitutional law.Many forms of social progress started in the nineteenth century; those advancements have been widely reflected in the Constitution.Slavery was abolished in 1865 by The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution[7]; the following Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments respectively guaranteed citizenship for all the persons naturalized within U.S.territory and voting for people of all races.In later years,civil rights were extended to women and black Americans, following effective lobbying from social activists.The Nineteenth Amendment prohibited gender discrimination in voting rights;later,the Civil Rights Act[8]of 1964 outlawed racial gregation in public places
Ratified in 1788, the Constitution serves as the supreme American law in organizing the government; the Supreme Court[6] is responsible for upholding constitutional law. Many forms of social progress started in the nineteenth century; those advancements have been widely reflected in the Constitution. Slavery was abolished in 1865 by The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution[7]; the following Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments respectively guaranteed citizenship for all the persons naturalized within U.S. territory and voting for people of all races. In later years, civil rights were extended to women and black Americans, following effective lobbying from social activists. The Nineteenth Amendment prohibited gender discrimination in voting rights; later, the Civil Rights Act[8] of 1964 outlawed racial gregation in public places
The Progressive Era marked a time of economic growth for the United States, advancing to the Roaring Twenties.However,the Wall Street Crash of 1929 led to the Great Depression[9],a time of economic downturn and mass unemployment. Consequently,the U.S.government established the New Deal,a series of reform programs that intended to assist those affected by the Depression.The New Deal had varied success.However,once the U.S.entered World War II in December 1941,the economy quickly recovered,so much that the U.S.became a world superpower by the dawn of the Cold War.During the Cold War,the U.S.and the Soviet Union were the world's two superpowers,but with the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union,the United States became the world'sonly superpower
The Progressive Era marked a time of economic growth for the United States, advancing to the Roaring Twenties. However, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 led to the Great Depression[9], a time of economic downturn and mass unemployment. Consequently, the U.S. government established the New Deal, a series of reform programs that intended to assist those affected by the Depression. The New Deal had varied success. However, once the U.S. entered World War Ⅱ in December 1941, the economy quickly recovered, so much that the U.S. became a world superpower by the dawn of the Cold War. During the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union were the world’s two superpowers, but with the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States became the world’sonly superpower
