美国历史与文化 笔记

美国历史与文化 笔记 Chapter 1 The Age of Exploration Focus questions: What civilizations existed in pre-Columbian America? What were the motivations of the European explorers? What were the consequences of the contact between the Old world and the New World? Content 1、The earliest inhabitants on American continents:who; where; how; when; why; ?Native Americans Aboriginals First Nations Amerigines American Indians Amerindians Amerinds Red Indians ?came from Asia through today’s Bering Strait ?traveled on foot, by horses, or using primitive boats ?ranges from 35,000 to 10,000 years ago ?followed herds of big animals to Americas 2、Development of their culture: Nomadic life (hunting; gathering) Permanent settlement (hunting; agriculture) Complex civilization (Agriculture; industry; commerce) Quiz: Which of the following is NOT a culture in Central and South America before European exploration? A、Maya Civilization B、The Aztec Empire C、The Mesopotamia Civilization D、The Inca Empire Notes: Mesopotamia (from the Ancient Greek: land between rivers)is a name for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, corresponding to modern-day Iraq. 美索不达米亚 Period Location 3、Three Pre-Columbian Civilizations in Middle and South America : ?Maya Civilization 200 A.D. - 900 A.D. (Greece in America) southern Mexico to western Honduras and El Salvador Maya civilization was the oldest among the three. The Mayas built dozens of pyramids, devised a complex writing system, and created a calendar more accurate than the one that Columbus used 500 years later. ?Aztec Empire 1325 - 1521 central Mexico It came into being in the 14th century and was destroyed by the Spanish invaders in 1521. The capital city of the empire developed into the capital city of Mexico. ?Inca Empire 11th - 1532 Peru and Bolivia in South America ,Rome in America, The power of the Inca empire reached its highest level in the 15th century. The word "inca" means the son of the sun in their language. The Inca empire was known as the Rome in American continent because it had developed a complete political system. Unfortunately, it didn’t escape the fate of being ruined by Spain in 1532. By the time Europeans arrived in America in 1492, perhaps 54 million people inhabited the two American continents. Over the centuries they split into countless tribes, evolved more than 2,000 separate languages, and developed many diverse religions, cultures, and ways of life. By the time Columbus happened upon the New World, the native peoples of North America had developed a diverse array of communities in which more than 400 languages were spoken.The native societies exerted great pressure on their environment and engaged in frequent warfare with one another. thth4、Europe in the 15 and 16 century: ? rise of capitalism Capitalism gradually replaced feudalism. ? the Reformation The religious reform set people free spiritually. ? the Renaissance The cultural movement emphasized the dignity and value o Quiz: Why did the Europeans want to explore overseas? Gold: A country’s greatness could be measured by the country’s amount of trade in gold and silver. God: Europeans wanted to spread Christianity across the globe. Glory: Explorers could gain glory for themselves and their country. In the 15th century, European countries believed in merchantilism. According to this theory, a country’s power could be measured by its storage of gold and silver. So they were eager to promote trade with other regions. God or religion was the second reason for the Europeans to explore overseas. After the Reformation, there was a competition between the old Catholic church and the new Protestant church. Both of them wanted to enlarge their membership and spread Christianity across the globe. At last, explorers could achieve great honor to themselves, their family and their country. 5、Navigators ? Christopher Columbus(1451-1506): An Italian navigator looking for a short sea route to Asia. Columbus believed that the earth was round and that Asia was only 3,000 miles to the west of Europe. Why did Columbus look for an ocean route to Asia, not other regions in the world? He was motivated by amazing stories told by one of his country fellow, another Italian traveler, Marco Polo. Actually, Columbus admired Marco Polo very much. Marco Polo traveled to Asia with his father when he was 17 years old. They arrived in India and China. After he returned back, he wrote a book about what he had seen. According to his story, Asia was abundant in gold, spices, silk, perfume, and other luxuries. Seeing is believing. So Columbus decided to go to Asia himself. Then How could he go to Asia? Columbus was right in his first argument. The globe was indeed round. It’s possible to arrive India if he sailed west from Europe. However, Columbus was terribly wrong in his second prediction. He largely underestimated the distance from Europe to Asia. The actual distance was 12,000 miles, three times farther than he thought. As early as in 1485, Columbus asked support from John, king of Portugal. John passed his plan to a committee. Portugal had the most advanced knowledge and best technique about navigation. After a thorough research, they concluded that the plan was impractical. The best sea route was not sail westward but eastward. It would be much shorter. So Columbus was rejected. Columbus then turned to the English king Henry the seventh. The king didn’t give him an immediate answer and hesitated for a long time. Columbus could not wait any longer. So in 1492, he had another try in Spain. The Spanish monarchs united the whole country and at that time wanted to find a new sea route to Asia very much. Why a sea route? There was a land route connecting Europe with Asia for several centuries. It started from Xi’an and ended in different cities in Europe. What do we call it? The Silk Road was blocked by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. Oct 12, 1492 – Columbus arrived on a small island in the Caribbean Sea. October 12 becomes national day in Spain and Columbus Day celebrated by the U.S., Brazil, Chili„ Numerous cities, towns, counties, and streets have been named after Columbus. Colombia: a country in South America. Capital city in USA: Washington D.C.=District of Columbia The capital cities of two American states are named Columbus, Ohio and South Carolina. Columbia University Columbus made four voyages to the Americas in his life. 1st voyage: 1492 2nd voyage: 1493-1494 3rd voyage: 1498 4th voyage: 1502-1504 Upon his death, Columbus was still disappointed. On one hand, he didn’t achieve his original goal—a new sea route to Asia. On the other, the new land he found was of little importance at that time. If he had lived one year more, Columbus would have been angry instead of disappointed. Who fulfilled Columbus dream to travel westward to Asia? It was a Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan(麦哲伦) and he was also supported by Spain. In 1519, he arrived in some islands and named them after the Spanish King Philips II, so now we called those islands Philippines. Magellan didn’t come back to Spain. He was killed by a poisonous arrow on the Philippine islands. His crew completed the circumnavigation. Significance:Nobody can deny that Columbus’ discovery was a significant event in the history of human beings. It connected four continents together. Europe was known as the Old World, and America the New World. ?In 1488, a Portuguese navigator Bartholmeu Dias sailed to the tip of Africa. Why a new sea route? In the 15th century, Spain and Portugal were the most powerful countries in Europe and they were also rivals in the competition of exploration. In 1488, a Portuguese captain sailed around the southern tip of Africa, Cape of Good Hope and thus opened a sea route to Asia. Spain also wanted to have a share in the lucrative trade between Asia and Europe. So the Spanish monarchs were happy to support Columbus. ?In 1498, Vasco da Gama sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and arrived India. ?In 1507, the newly-found land America was named in honor of the Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci. In 1507, a German mapmaker wanted to give a name to the new land. He made a huge mistake. He believed that Amerigo Vespucci discovered the new world first. So he named the new land America. Columbus may be forgotten by the German mapmaker, but he hasn’t been forgotten by history. The impact of the discovery: Exchange of plants, animals„(具体哪些谷物，见下图) Transformation of natural environment Introduction of diseases Introduction of slavery Creation of Land of Hope Bubonic plague: Black Death, a serious disease spread by rats It killed about one third of the population in Europe in the 14th century. It is safe to say that bacteria and virus killed more American Indians than guns and powder did. Quiz: Mark Twain once said: "it was wonderful to find America, but it would have been more wonderful to miss it." What’s your understanding about Mark Twain’s words? What historical lesson can we learn from the event? For Europeans, it was wonderful to find America. But for Native Americans, it would have been more wonderful to miss it. Why do we study history in general? To learn historical lessons and use history as a lamp to guide us in the future. Why do we study American history? To learn why the Americans are the way they are. The historical lesson we can learn from Columbian Exchange: 1. Relationship between nature and human beings: avoid destructive exploitation and predatory development; sustainable development and harmony between nature and human beings; 2. Relationship between races: equality among all races; respect for cultural heritage (destruction of Aztec Empire) Key Points: Time: Oct. 12, 1492 People: Christopher Columbus; Amerigo Vespucci Event: Columbian Exchange Lesson 2 The Colonial Period (1607-1776) Focus question: How were Jamestown and Plymouth established? What was the influence of the Puritans in New England? What were differences between New England colonies and southern ones? Contents: 1、各国建立殖民地情况 ? New Spain (1519-1821) Spain started a war of conquest and established an empire called New Spain. The territories it ruled included present-day California, Southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America (except Panama), Florida and the Caribbean. ? New France (1534-1763) the territory of New France extended from Newfoundland to the Rocky Mountains and from Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. ? English Exploration (By the end of the 16th century) During the early periods of Spanish exploration, England was still a backward country. It didn’t have the power to establish oversea colonies. In the second half of the 16th century, things changed. Who was the English monarch at that time? Elizabeth the first. Characters: Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596) was an English sea captain, privateer,navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. He also carried out the second circumnavigation of the world, from 1577 to 1580. He raided Spanish fleet and captured the treasure that Spain plundered from the New World. He was a hero to the English but a pirate to the Spaniards. Virginia Company of London In 1606, a group of merchants and landowners received a royal charter from the English king to establish colonies in North America. The chartered company was known as Virginia Company of London. The charter of the Virginia Company is a significant document in American history. It guaranteed to the overseas settlers the same rights of Englishmen that they would have enjoyed if they had stayed at home. This precious boon(福利) was gradually extended to subsequent English colonies, helping to reinforce the colonists’ sense that even on the far shores of the Atlantic, they remained comfortably within the embrace of traditional English institutions. But ironically, a century and a half later, their insistence on the "rights of Englishmen" fed the hot resentment of the colonists against an increasingly meddlesome mother country and nourished their appetite for independence. 2、the establishments of colonies 十三州: ?New England: Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut New Hampshire ?Middle: New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware ? Southern: Maryland Virginia (the earliest) North Carolina South Carolina Georgia 具体: ?Jamestown In 1607, the first permanent British colony was founded in Jamestown, Virginia. The river and town were named in honor of their king in England at that time, James the first. The colony was called Virginia to remember the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth the First. -Events: ?On July 30, 1619, the House of Burgesses(自由民) was the great beginning of self-government of Americans. On July 30, 1619, representatives elected by the colonists from various communities gathered as the House of Burgesses at Jamestown.They discussed laws of the colony with the governor and his council members who were appointed by the English officials. It showed that from the very beginning the colonists took part in local affairs and made important decisions for themselves. ?A ship brought over 20 black people from Africa, which was the beginning of slavery for the future United States. -Characters: ?In 1611, Captain John Smith passed a law, which required everyone to produce food. "He who shall not work shall not eat." ?John Rolfe improved the taste of American tobacco(“Virginia’s gold and silver”). He married the daughter of chief of the local Indian tribe. ?Plymouth,现在位于马赛诸塞州, In 1620, a group of Puritans known as Pilgrim Fathers took the ship Mayflower and left Holland for North America. -Why were they called Puritans? Why did they flee England and come to the New World? -To escape religious persecution and seek religious freedom. Before landing, the colonists signed the Mayflower Compact drafted by William Bradford. (It was the first attempt to establish written laws in American colonies, also the first attempt to establish democratic society in American colonies. In 1789, the US made the first written constitution in western countries. ) ?Rhode Island Roger Williams established Rhode Island colony. He believed that governments should have no connection to a church. ?Separation of church and state became one of the most important governing ideas in America. ?Pennsylvania William Penn :establish a colony for the Quakers.( Penn drafted a charter of liberties for the settlement creating a political utopia guaranteeing free and fair trial by jury, freedom of religion, freedom from unjust imprisonment and free elections. )?贵格会特征 -In 1681, the King gave him land named Pennsylvania, meaning Penn's woods. The land included present-day Pennsylvania and Delaware. -In 1704, the three southernmost counties of Pennsylvania were permitted to split off and become the new colony of Delaware. ?New York & New Jersey -The Dutch established New Netherland. In 1626, the Dutch bought two islands from the local Indians. In 1664, the English troops got control of New Netherland. -Immigrants from various countries built a town named New Amsterdam. King Charles II gave New Amsterdam to his brother James. It was known as New York. The King gave some of the land to two friends. They called it New Jersey. ?Maryland King Charles I gave the land to Lord Baltimore in 1632. Lord Baltimore wanted to start a colony in North America for Catholics. -Baltimore(巴尔的摩) is the largest city in Maryland. -Maryland was named after Queen Mary, the wife of Charles I. ?South Carolina & North Carolina -In 1663, Charles II gave to eight English lords the land known as Carolina. -In 1712, it was divided into South Carolina and North Carolina. ? Georgia Georgia was established in 1732 by James Edward Oglethorpe as an experiment to help debtors. The experiment failed and King George II took control of the colony in 1752. 3、Immigrants to the New World: Free settlers Indentured servants Convicts African slaves 4、Regional Difference in British Colonies New England Southern Colonies Economy A mixed economy A single economy Slavery Not important Very important Puritanism Religion Church of England (weak) (strong) Place to live Towns and villages Large plantations Community tight loose Relationship Strongly-emphasized; Education Not developed well-developed 5、the importance of colonies ?The colonists in Virginia had an elected government that worked with the King’s governor. ?The Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact that allowed every man equality. ?Rhode Island created the idea of separation of church and state. ?The middle colonies allowed friendly people of any religion or ethnicity to move to North America. Key Point: Time: 1607; 1620 Place: the thirteen British colonies Document: The Mayflower Compact <拓> 1. The First Thanksgiving In the autumn of 1621, the pilgrims invited Indians to celebrate their first harvest in the New World. Quiz: 1. Turkey and pumpkin pie were included in the menu of the first Thanksgiving in 1621. × 2. Thanksgiving was observed continuously since 1621. × 3. President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. × 4. All Thanksgiving days in American history were celebrated in November. × 2. Puritans 3. 英国王室 The House of Tudor (1485-1603) The House of Stuart (1603-1714) The House of Hanover (1714-1901) The House of Windsor (1901-now) Lesson 3 The American Revolution Focus questions: 1. What was the impact of the Seven Years’ War? 2. What were the causes leading to the American Revolution? 3. What’s the main idea and significance of Declaration of Independence? , Relationship Between Britain and its American Colonies -England got the wealth from the colonies & The American colonies got protection from Britain (because they were endangered by both France and the American Indians). -Before the Seven Years’ War, the British government had kept a policy of salutary neglect towards the colonies. ?Salutary neglect = As long as the colonies remained economically and politically subordinate to England, the British government left them alone. -Salutary neglect was a large contributing factor that led to the American Revolutionary War. Over a long period of time, colonies soon became accustomed to the idea of self-control and eventually resulted in the emergence of a collective identity that considered itself separate from Great Britain. , The Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) Cause: Land dispute in Ohio Valley between England and France Name: 1. Great War for Empire(UK): Britain fought for its colonies all over the world. 2. French and Indian War(Europe): The Indian tribes joined with the French to fight the British. 3. Seven Years’ War(USA): 1756-1763 Result: According to the Treaty of Paris signed in 1763, Britain got all of Canada and the whole area east of the Mississippi river from France. Impact: 1. France: lost all territory in North America; deep hatred to Britain 2. Colonies: a growing sense of importance; suspicion towards Britain 3. England: dominance in North America; a heavy war debt , Events Leading to the American Revolution ? British Change of Policy The British government had spent a lot of money to protect the colonies during the Seven Years’ War thus wanting the colonists to pay the debt by paying more taxes. ?Sugar Act (1764) 制糖法案 Put a tax on all sugar, wine, coffee, textiles imports. ?Stamp Act (1765) 印花税法案 Forced the colonists to pay for a stamp on all types of paper. ? Revolt of the colonists: ?The radical colonists organized Sons of Liberty, holding public demonstrations, attacking tax collectors and burning the stamps. ?“No Taxation Without Representation!” -This was the major cause of the American Revolution: The British government refused to allow the American colonists to participate in their own government. ?the refusal to purchase English goods (Response to the Stamp Act) ? Under great economic and political pressure, the British repealed the Stamp Act, but parliament still declared its legal authority over the colonies “in all cases whatsoever.” 回合斗 英国The Townshend Acts (1767) 汤森条例 -Put a tax on almost everything that the colonies imported including glass, paint, lead, paper, and tea. 殖民地回应——“Boston Massacre”波士顿惨案 -On March 5, 1770, British soldiers fired into an angry mob of protestors, killing 5 people. 英国回应——取消税收 -the British government repealed all of the taxes except one: the tax on tea. 殖民地回应——波士顿倾茶事件 -Anger over the tax on tea led to the Boston Tea Party on Dec. 16, 1773. A group of colonists dressed as American Indians threw three boatload of tea into the harbor. 英国回应——颁布四项“强制法令(Coercive Acts)”和《魁北克法》(The Quebec Act) The Boston Port Bill《波土顿港口法》规定封锁波士顿港，直到东印度公司被毁茶叶得到赔 偿。 The Quartering Act《驻营法》授权英军在波士顿市内驻扎。 The Massachusetts Government Act《马萨诸塞政府法》取消马萨诸萨塞的自治权，以任命 的参事会取代选举产生的参事会，以加强皇家总督的权力。 The Administration of Justice Act《司法法》又称为《谋杀者法》，规定英国官兵在殖民地犯 罪必须送往英国或其他殖民地审判，马萨诸塞司法当局无权过问。 The Quebec Act规定把密西西比河以西和俄亥俄河以北的土地并入加拿大，否定了其他殖 民地对这一地区的土地要求。 北美人民把这一法案看作限制东部居民向西迁徒的阴谋。《魁北克法》和四项强制法令被北 美人民统称为“不可容忍的法令(Intolerable Acts)”，激起了他们联合反抗，直接导致第一 届大陆会议(The First Continental Congress)的召开。 ? -The First Continental Congress September 5, 1774——55 delegates from 12 colonies met in Philadelphia and worked out the Declaration of Rights and Grievances(《权利和冤情声明》). ? The Battle of Lexington and Concord(第一枪?) <拓>Concord Hymn(英雄赞歌)by Ralph W. Emerson -The Second Continental Congress On May 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia. Delegates tried to avoid war by writing the Olive Branch Petition 《橄榄枝请愿》 to the British king and asking for peace. The British king did not even want to read it. -The Congress established a continental army and made George Washington the commander. -The Congress appointed a committee to write a declaration of independence. -其他文献——Common Sense(Thomas Paine) :criticized King George ?, questioned the idea of a hereditary ruler, and urged Americans to establish a republic. , The American Revolution and Declaration of Independence 1. The influence of Declaration of Independence French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen The Manifesto of the Province of Flanders(弗兰德斯) (1790) Venezuelan(委内瑞拉) Declaration of Independence (1811) The Liberian Declaration of Independence (1847) The Vietnam Declaration of Independence (1945) th2. The Independence Day (July 4 ) 1776 The day that the colonies broke away from England by signing the Declaration of Independence and establishing the United States of America. 3. Loyalist VS Patriots (详情请见) 4. The Battle of Saratoga(1777):the turning point in the War of Independence. 萨拉托加之役——独立战争的转折点 5. The Treaty of Alliance with France (1778) According to this treaty, the United States would provide for a defensive alliance to aid France against British attacks. Q: Which of the following countries was NOT an ally of the United States during the American War of Independence? A. Holland B. Spain C. Portugal D. France 6. The End of the War -October 1781, the British general Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington after the Battle of Yorktown, in Virginia. - Treaty of Paris(1783):formally granted independence to the United States of America. (The American Revolution started with the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783.) 7. The Significance of the War ?The American War of Independence encouraged many colonies to fight for their independence. 1804: Haiti 1810: Mexico 1816: Argentina 1821: Venezuela ?The American Revolution also encouraged the French Revolution in 1789. Key Points: Date: July 4th, 1776 Persons: George Washington Events: Seven Years’ War Boston Tea Party The Battle of Lexington and Concord The Second Continental Congress Documents: The Common Sense Declaration of Independence Lesson 4 Early Republic and the War of 1812 Outline: • The U.S. Constitution • George Washington’s Administration • John Adams’s Administration • Thomas Jefferson’s Administration • The War of 1812 一、宪法 1. What is a Republican form of Government(民主式政府) -Sovereignty belonged to the people in a republic. -The people elected government officials. -Government officials represented the people’s interests and protect the people’s rights. 2. State Constitution (州宪法) ?in Pennsylvania -It abolished all property qualifications and granted the vote to all white males in the state. -All power to make and administer law was concentrated in an elected assembly. ?in Maryland -It linked the ownership of property to voting and required greater wealth for those who wanted to become government officials. -There was a three-way division of power: a governor, an upper house and a lower house. ?in New Jersey -The constitution in 1776 gave the vote to “all free inhabitants” who met a property qualification. 3. National Government ?1776-1781: the Second Continental Congress ?1781-1789: the government created by the Articles of Confederation(1781) -The government consisted of an one-house legislature. -It had no power to tax and no authority to regulate trade or commerce. - Each state had one vote in the Congress, no matter it’s large or small. -The powers of the Congress can be changed only by the agreement of all the states. Challenges -postwar depression - a huge debt——valueless paper money& foreign debts -Shays’ Rebellion[Daniel Shays](In 1786, farmers in western Massachusetts closed down several courts and freed their fellow farmers from the debtors’ prison.) ?催生了 ?1789-present: the government created by the U.S. Constitution ?The Constitutional Convention(制宪会议) 时间地点:in Philadelphia, 1787 代:George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison(Father of the Constitution) 焦点: -representation in the Congress -how to elect the U.S. President -who were American population 妥协(the Great Compromise): -Proportional representation in the House of Representatives; Equal representation in the Senate. -The U.S. President should be elected by an electoral college; The members in the electoral college should be elected by all the voters. -Three-fifths of the slave population could be included in a state’s population. ( According to Amendment XIV ratified in 1868, African Americans enjoyed full citizenship.) ?The Constitutional Day: September 17, 1787,