英语国家社会与文化三版下册

UNIT31.whatisanAmerican?Commentontheanswertothequestionbycrevecoeur?(1)AmericaniseitheraEuropean,orthedescendantofaEuropean,hencethatstrangemixtureofblood,whichyouwillfindinnoothercountry.HeisanAmerican,wholeavingbehindhimallhisancientprejudicesandmanners,receivesnewonesfromthenewmodeoflifehehasembraced,thenewgovernmentheobeys,andthenewrankheholdsTheAmericanisanewman,whoactsuponnewprinciples.Hemustthereforeentertainnewideasandformnewopinions...thisisanAmerican.(2)AccordingtoCrevecoeur,TheAmericaninthosedayshadthemixedbloodofEuropeansortheirdescendantswithouttakingintoconsiderationothernationalitiessuchasAmericanIndiansansblacks.Buttoday,thepictureofanAmericanismorecomplex.4InwhatwaydidPuritanisminfluenceAmericanculture?ThePuritansbelievedthatgovernmentsshouldenforceGod'smorality.Theystrictlypunisheddrunks,adulterers,violatorsoftheSabbathandotherreligiousbelieversdifferentfromthemselves.RogerWilliams,oneofthePuritanswhoprotestedthatthestateshouldnotinterferewithreligion,wasdrivenoutofMassachusetts.In1635,hesetupRhodeIslandcolony,whichguaranteedreligiousfreedomandtheseparationofchurchandstate.ThePuritansalsohaveleftrichculturalheritagetofutureAmericans.TheAmericanvaluessuchasindividualism,hardwork,respectofeducationoweverymuchtothePuritanbeliefs.5.whatweresomecausesoftheAmericanRevolutionLong-termsocial,economic,andpoliticalchangesinthecoloniesbefore1750providedthebasisforanindependentnationwithrepresentativespoliticalinstitutions.Moreimmediately,theFrenchandIndianWar(1754-1763)changedtherelationshipbetweenthecoloniesandtheirmothercountry.Finally,adecadeofconflictsbetweentheBritishgovernmentandthecolonist,beginningwiththeStampActcrisisin1765,ledtotheoutbreakofwarin1775andtheDeclarationofIndependenceinUnit43.WhataresomeofthemajorpowersofeachofthethreebranchesoftheUSgovernment?Howarethethreebranchessupposedtocheckandbalanceeachother?Thelegislativebranchcanmakefederallaws,levyfederaltaxes,declarewarorputforeigntreatiesintoeffect.Thecentreoftheexecutivebranchisthepresident.ThepresidentcanproposelegislationtoCongress,canissueregulationsanddirectivesregardingtheworkofthefederalgovernment’smanydepartmentsandagencies,canvetobillspassedbyCongress,appointfederaljudges,theheadsandseniorofficialsoftheexecutivebranchagenciesaswellasambassadorsandotherofficials.Healsoiscommander-in-chiefofthearmedforces.Thejudicialbranchappliesandexplainsthelaws.FederalcourtshavejurisdictionovercasesarisingoutoftheConstitution,lawsandtreatiesoftheUS;maritimecase;issuesinvolvingforeigncitizensorgovernments;andcasesinwhichthefederalgovernmentitselfisaparty.TheSupremeCourtdetermineswhethercongressionallegislationorexecutiveactionviolatestheConstitution.SupremeCourtcandeclarealawpassedbytheCongressoranactionbythePresidenttobeunconstitutional.PresidentcanvetoalawpassedbyCongress.canpassalawoverridingthePresident'sveto.PresidentappointsSupremeCourtjustices.canrefusetoconfirmappointmentsandratifytreatiesmadebythePresident4.WhatistheBillofRights?DoyouthinkthatitwasnecessarytowritetheBillofRightsexplicitlyintotheU.S.Constitution?TheBillofRights:thefirst10amendments,collectivelyknownastheBillofRights,wereaddedwithintwoyearsoftheadoptionoftheU.S.Constitution.Theseamendmentsremainintacttoday,astheywerewrittentwocenturiesago.Thefirstguaranteesfreedomofworship,speechandpress,therightofpeacefulassembly,andtherighttopetitionthegovernmenttocorrectwrongs.TheBillofRightsandsubsequentconstitutionalamendmentsguaranteetheAmericanpeoplethefullestpossibleopportunitytoenjoyfundamentalhumanrights.legislationtoCongress,canissueregulationsanddirectivesregardingtheworkofthefederalgovernment’smanydepartmentsandagencies,canvetobillspassedbyCongress,appointfederaljudges,theheadsandseniorofficialsoftheexecutivebranchagenciesaswellasambassadorsandotherofficials.Healsoiscommander-in-chiefofthearmedforces.Thejudicialbranchappliesandexplainsthelaws.FederalcourtshavejurisdictionovercasesarisingoutoftheConstitution,lawsandtreatiesoftheUS;maritimecase;issuesinvolvingforeigncitizensorgovernments;andcasesinwhichthefederalgovernmentitselfisaparty.TheSupremeCourtdetermineswhethercongressionallegislationorexecutiveactionviolatestheConstitution.SupremeCourtcandeclarealawpassedbytheCongressoranactionbythePresidenttobeunconstitutional.PresidentcanvetoalawpassedbyCongress.canpassalawoverridingthePresident'sveto.PresidentappointsSupremeCourtjustices.canrefusetoconfirmappointmentsandratifytreatiesmadebythePresident5.Whatarethetwopoliticalpartiesintheunitedstates？Doyouthinktheyarefundamentallydifferent?TheDemocraticPartyandtheRepublicanParty.Theyaredifferentinsomespecificpolicies,butthey’renotfundamentallydifferent.(1)ItisgeneralconsideredthattheDemocraticPartyismoreliberalandmorecenter-left;TheRepublicanPartyismoreconservativeandcenter-right.Forexample:ineconomicpolicies,theDemocratsbelievethatthegovernmentshouldbeactiveinalleviatingpovertyandsocialinjustice,anditalsosupportsprogressivetaxationandsocialservice;theRepublicanPartyplacesmoreemphasisonprivateenterpriseandindividualinitiative,a