CHAP 1: THE AMERICAN CHARACTER

 A Land of Diversity
- A great diversity in the ethnic makeup of America.
- A unit culture of self-reliance, independence, resourcefulness, pragmatism, and novelty.
- Diversity: the most imp. characteristic of the U.S great variety in geography & pop.
- fourth-largest nation(Russia,china,canada)
-275mil peo.: third-largest nation in pop(china,india) 82% white, 13% black, 4% Asian and
Pacific Islander, and 1% Native Am.,
- Hispanics: 12% of the entire Am. pop. & 2nd largest ethnic minority.
-90% peo living-> born there
-highlighted & celebrated at school & community festivals
- Racism & prejudice still serious problems but most Am. believe in the ideals of equality
and mutual respect.
-3 significant ppl trend: ppl,age,ethnic & racial majority groups
- Regional variations add diversity to Am. character: differences in lang., diet, recreation, and
even regional character.
+huge differ: diferent immigrant groups
+recreation vary many place: influened climate, geo & ethnic tradition(atitudes & behavior
+ New Englanders: serious & self-reliant
+ Southerners: gracious & leisurely
+ Westerners: casual & friendly
+ Californians eager to try new fads
+ Midwesterners: more conservative than Call, and less sophisticated than New Yorkers.
- modern communication and mass production tend to decrease regional and ethnic
differences.
-National ad. Creates national tastes in clothing styles and other consumer goods.
-National news media influence Americans' reactions to world events.
-TV, movies, and schools help to create a body of American values & traditions.
B. Democracy in Action.
- Am. Democracy: principle of majority rule
-In a democratic legislatve body, decision are
made by voting.
-.Voting is not just a tool for selecting political leaders & passing laws, it comes from deciding
by the business world, in social groups, in schools, and even in the family.
-American children are introduced to the ideas of majority rule and representative
government at a very early age.
-Many families hold weekly meetings to determine household rules and activities.
-American dream believe that anyone can achieve success through honesty and hard work.
-A democratic, representative government gives citizens an opportunity to encourage
positive social change.
+ Odinary citizens: improve conditions(common cause)
-“Grassroots”movements can bring about changes in laws & policies
-In the past half-century : forced change in local, state, & federal laws.
- All peo.-->treated equally bf. the law & given equal opportunities (equal chance for a good
ed. and a good job).
- The American dream: the belief that anyone can achieve success through honesty and hard
work.
-Social mobility  movenm fr 1 social class
D. Typical American Behavior and Values
-42M peo chane residences/yrs
-love science & technology
-embraced age of communication: enthusiasm
-learn use comp at sch,work,home
-always optimistic
- Hurry, Hurry, Hurry _ Americans: obsessed with promptness and efficiency → buying many
kinds of machines _ save time and do work more quickly.
- The Importance of Money _ Am.: accused of being materialistic, of valuing wealth and
possessions. Money: symbol of success and power.
- Say What You Mean, and Mean What You Say _ Am. : direct and assertive. Assertive
behavior seems improper and rude to foreigners, but it works well for Americans.
- The need to win _ Am.: extremely competitive nature.
- The practical outlook _ Am.: admire what is practical, fast, efficient, and new.
+ Americans: considered likable. Most are friendly, kind-hearted, and eager to help
visitors and immigrants.
CHAP 2: MARRIAGE: AMERICAN STYLE
A. Before the Wedding
- ‘Marriage halves our griefs, doubles our joys, and quadruples our expenses.' It also
decreases both freedom and loneliness.
- plan wed & rent or buy an apartment or house
- would like to receive: particular patterns dishes, silverware,& glassware,plus
cooking utensil,app;iances,& linens.
-Institution of ma. → popular in the U.S.
- 56% of Am. adults _ married & living with spouse & 77mil, unmarried adults -> marrying at
an older age.
-give his fiancee a gifta diamond engagement ring
- Am. _ practical in most matters, but when choosing a spouse, they base upon feelings of
love rather than practical considerations.
- A shower party: just for women
-groom,his close friends & relatives: celebrate at an all-male party= a bachelor or stag party.
B. The Big Day
- Traditional brides wear a long white gown & a veil(protect fr evil spirits; they symbol
innocence).
+obey well-known verse & wear 'sth, old, sth. new, sth. borrowed, and sth. blue'.
+ groom wear a tuxedo
+ not see until the ceremony
- Wedding cere. held in church, synagogue, home, hotel, or nice outdoor area.
- Bride and groom exchange identical wedding rings _ a circle with no beginning and no end,
symbolizing unending love and loyalty.
- music: Wagner’s opera Lohengrin & orchestral music: Mendelssohns’s A Midsummer
Night’s Dream.
- Who pays for the wedding? In the past, the bride's parents did. Today, the average wedding
costs $19,000 _ some large, lavish ones: $ 80,000 => expenses_shared by parents on both
sides.
C.The Contemporary American Marriage
- Most young women today _ not full-time homemakers => in cont. Am. ma. : Husband and
wife share both financial and domestic responsibilities & characterized by a relationship of
equality and shared decision making.
- When husband and wife share decision making and respect each other's viewpoints, their
ma._ closer than those of past generations.
- when they battle for dominance, they likely end up in divorce court.
D.Divorce and Alternative Lifestyles
- The U.S. rate is twice that of Europe and three times higher than Japan's.
- Am. expect a great deal fr. ma. : physical, emotional, and intellectual compatibility & deeply
loved and understood. If they cannot get what they expect, they may get divorced.
- Alimony: monthly sum of money paid to former wife (husband)
- Children of a divorcing couple, in most cases, live with the mother (determined by the
court)
_father pays child support & has visitation rights.
- Full custody or joint custody _ in the children's best interest.
- Remarriage & new blended families _ common in the U.S.
- 4 mil. _ the number of unmarried couples living together & gay population.
CHAP 4: AMERICAN ETIQUETTE
A. American Attitudes and Good Manners
- Americans are rather casual, still many social blunders will offend them.
- Good manners => showing respect and consideration for others.
- Polite but assertive manner _ socially acceptable & a 'white lie' and compliment _ a social
necessity & but most of the time _ speak your true feelings. To make friends in the US, you
should remember:
+ Don't be 'nosy': Am. enjoy talking about themselves _ personal interest → good
manners & asking for personal info. an insult.
+ Don't smoke without permission.
+ Don't get too close: when in the U.S., notice the distances b/w peo. in public
+ Don't touch: Am. don't usually touch peo. they don't know well.
+ Don't make ethnic slurs don't say anything negative about any ethnic group.
B. Introduction and Titles
C. Congratulations, Condolences, and Apologies
-RSVP
D. Dining Etiquette
- Arrive on time if invited for dinner. Phone the host if you are late.
- Bring a small gift, flowers or candy.
- Don't leave immediately after dinner, but don't overstay.
- Phone or send a thank-you note the next day.
- Make a reservation to avoid waiting for a table if dining out.
- Am. table manners _ easy to learn by observation: napkin _ placed across the lap & pieces
 of silverware farthest fr. the plate used first, then toward the plate.
E. Manners b/w Men & Women
F. Classroom Etiquette
G. Language Etiquette
CHAP 6: A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
-Reasons for immigration:
+ religious persecution
+ political oppression
+ economic hardship
-In the US, the word 'immigrant’ is often used with a positive meaning. People are proud of
their ancestors who came with very little and built a better life for themselves
A.Immigration before Independence
-French, spanish,portuguese,english New World
-1st permanent british colony jamestown
-2nd // plymouth

B. Immigration from 1790 to 1920

- 1790-1840: < 1million foreigners entered the country.
- 1841-1860: > 4mil. arrived.
+ potato crop failures in Ireland,
+ German escaping economic and political difficulties.
+ Scandinavians were attracted by good farmland (last half of 19th C).
- 1881-1920: 23.5 mil aliens admitted. (90% fr. Europe)
+1882: Asian imm. kept to a minimum _ Asian imm. _ take jobs & lower wages.
- 1881-1890: 80% immi. fr. northern and western Europe.
- 1911: 77% fr. southern, central, and eastern Europe _ Italy, Russia, Austria-Hungary,
Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland and Czechoslovakia. (many were Jews fleeing persecution fr.
Russia, Romania, and Poland).
C. Immigration since 1920
- 1920: Congress passed the 1st quota law, limiting the total number of imm, and the number
allowed fr. each country.
- After WW II, imm. rose sharply _ displaced persons, refugees, orphans, war brides
- Last half 20th C, the US lifted imm, restrictions.
+ the late 1950s: thousands of Hungarians were admitted.
+ early 1960s >150,000 Cubans entered.
+ several thousand nonquota Chinese permitted entry to relieve crowded cond. in Hong
Kong.
+1979: 20.000 Vietnamese refugees permitted.
+1970s-1980s: hundreds of thousands of Russians were allowed to enter

-Immigration restrictions _ necessary b/c of pop. explosion: higher birthrate, lower infant
mortality, longer life expectancy.
- Ten largest ancestry groups of today's Americans over 200 yrs. of imm.: German, Irish, Eng., African,
Italian, Mexican, French, Polish, Native Am., and Dutch.
D. Today's Foreign-Born Population (Textbook p. 63)
E. The Hispanic Population
- 32 mil. (12% pop.) belong to a Spanish-speaking group.
* July 2015 (56, 6 mil = 17.6%. total popu.
- Hispanics: 2nd-largest cultural minority in the US (largest: 33mil. non-Hispanic AfricanAmerican)
_ expected to be largest _ 2020.
- ¾ Hispanics live in 5 states: Call, Texas, NY, Illinois Mexicans, Puerto-Ricans,Cubans: 3 largest His.
groups.
- Mexicans important place in Am. history.
* Sep. 2018. (589 mil = 18.1%)
+ helped establish Los Angeles & many other major cities in the Southwest.
+ taught imp. methods of farming, mining, ranching to peo, in the West.
+ US won P.R. (along with Guam & the Philippine Islands) fr. Spain during the SpanishAm
war in 1848.
- Cuban imm. (1mil.): well-ed. with a background in professions or business → higher standard of
living.
- The influence of His. The culture _ felt and enjoyed by the rest of Am, society

-Nachos: popular hot dogs in American ballparks; Salsa: ketchup

-Hisp. Singer popular younger A.

F. Illegal Aliens
G. The Many Contributions of Immigrants
-Germans, Scand., and Poles _ turning wilderness into farmland.
-Scand and Canadians _ developing lumber industry.
-The Swedes: first log cabins & clock-making and cheese-making skills.
-The English: handling of horses, cattle, sheep
-The Greeks, Ita., Port., Spa. _ citrus fruits, grapes
-The Italian _ wine industry.
-The Chinese & Irish laborers _ built the first railroad that spanned the nation.
+ Besides skills, immigrants brought their political, social theories, religions, academic
traditions, holidays, festivals, sports, arts, hobbies, and foods.
-The Germans Christmas tree, kindergarten, symphony orchestra.
-The Dutch Ice-skating, bowling, golf, and the art of growing tulips.
-The French elegant European cooking and dancing.
-Italians painting, sculpture, and architecture.
-The Irish established the Catholic church as an Eng.-speaking institution introduced parochial
schools, and built Catholic colleges.
+ The American diet is also affected by various immigrant groups.
-The Dutch waffles, doughnuts.
-The Germans_ hamburgers, sausages.
-Italians pizza, spaghetti, minestrone, ravioli.
-Americans :

+also enjoy Swiss cheese, Irish stew, Chinese chow mein, Indian curries, Russian
caviar, Middle Eastern shish kebab, Danish pastry, French chocolate mousse, and Turkish
coffee,

+called “a melting pot” immigrants fr all

- The U.S.A:
 +is a strong and prosperous country b/c it is a nation of immigrants.

+ sense of hope & safety

CHAP 7: THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN

A.Slavery From Beginning to End
- 15 C Europeans imported slaves fr. African continent.
- Am. Civil War in 1860, 4.5 mil. blacks in U.S. _ slaves in cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane
fields in the South & forced to convert to Christianity.
- Slaves suffered greatly _ physically & emotionally.
- The Am. Civil War the War between the States _ against slavery.
- In 1863 Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the Confederate states & the
13th Amendment to the Constitution (1865) freed all slaves & 14th and 15th Amendments
gave the former slaves full civil rights, including the right to vote.
B. Freedom and Its Difficulties
-Black Am. => uned., unskilled, unprepared to provide for their basic needs.
-New problems _ legal, social, economic & many moved to the North: greater freedom but
conditions _ still difficult, opportunities _ limited & blacks in the south → suffered
segregation.
C. The Civil Rights Movement
-In Mid 1950s blacks demanding equal rights & taking steps to accomplish this goal.
+ boycotts & sitting groups & freedom rides & protest marches
+Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: the greatest black leader during the 1960s _ he formed an
organization to boycott his city's buses (50,000 blacks refused to ride city buses for more than a
year).
+Dr. King was organizing a poor people's march at the time of his assassination, April 4, 1968.

D. African-American Today
-Poverty _ a significant problem for blacks (26% of blacks _ poor / 11% of whites) → do not have the
skills needed for better-paying jobs.
-More ed. will help → blacks stay in school longer now - 60% of black high school graduates
enroll in college today. ( compared to 67% of whites).
-Improving financial position → going into professions & starting their own business > 600,000 black-
owned companies & numerous in professions _ as teachers, doctors, lawyers, judges, and ministers.
-In politics, African-Am. hold positions as mayors of big cities, and members of Congress but
still under-represented in government.
-Despite progress, discrimination _ still part of the African-American experience.
E. Contributions Past and Present
- Important influence of African-Am. culture _ nationally & internationally _ in the field of
music.
-In recent yrs., blacks becoming famous in a wide range of fields.
-African-Am. will continue to enrich American life.
CHAP 9: AMERICAN EDUCATION
I. THE FIRST 12 YEARS
A.The goals and purpose of public education
+ 72 mil. students enrolled in school. fr. kindergarten through high school.
+ Everyone: right & obli. → become educated, incl. children with physical & mental
disabilities.
+ Compulsory school attendance laws: sch. attendance required fr. ages 6 -16.
+ 83% of Am. adults are high school graduates.

B. Public and Private Schools

● Common characteristics of public schools:
- supported by state & local taxes & do not charge tuition.
- most are neighborhood sch, open to local ss
- coeducational _ helping to create self-sufficient Am. women.
- locally controlled (state _ responsible for ed.) _ required to follow state guidelines, eg. curriculum,
teacher qualifications.

-Decisions about sch. made by an elected board of ed.+administrators the board hires → strong ties
b/w district schools & local community.
- free fr. influence of any religion_ss. of diff. religions _ comfortable in public sch Secular public school
system -> helps share common cultural heritage.
● Private schools have two types:
a) parochial (supported by religious gr.)
b) independent
- charge tuition & not under direct public control
- apply & accepted
- parochial (mostly Catholic) schools make up the largest gr. of private schools.
C. Teaching Method and Approaches
- American ed. _ influenced by John Dewey, a famous 20th C philosopher.
+ worthwhile knowledge: information that could be used.
+ learn best by doing: experimentation _ science class & making music _ study of music &
student council _ practice of democratic principles & sch. project _ creativity, teamw.
- A lot of skills & information taught to ss.: driving, cooking, sewing, sex ed., the campaign
against smoking & use illegal drugs, conflict resolution.
D. Early Childhood Education
-Free public ed. _ kindergarten: half-day classes for 5 yr. olds
-Preschools _ a necessity (parents pay tuition)

+ day-care centers: under 3 yr. olds staying for the whole day.
+ nursery schools: 3-5 yr. olds _ half-day programs.
E. Elementary Education
-Formal academic work: 12 grades - school year: fr. late August or early Sept. to mid-June
-Primary grades: kinder. + 1st grade + 2nd grade
-Elementary sch. /grammar sch.: (starting at 6) 1st academic institution.
+ In some school systems: 8 grades.
+ In others: a 2nd division called "junior high sch.' or 'middle sch.", usu. gr .6-8, 5-8, 7-9.
-Typical schoolday: 6 hours long-3:00 p.m. Classes in session Mon. through Fri.
-Vacation: 2-week winter va., 1-week spring va., 2-month summer va., some 1-day holidays.
-Academic subjects: lang, arts (read., writ., spelling, penmanship), maths, science, physical ed. &
social studies (history, geo.), Music & art (budget allowed). Computer studies.
-Same tea. most subj. & specialists art., music, physical ed. Upper ele. gr.: different teacher each
major aca. subj.
F. High School (Secondary Education)
-American high schools offer:
+ general college preparatory program _ those interested in higher ed.
+ vocational training _ those planning to enter workforce after high sch. graduation.
-Subjects _ more specialized (textbook, para. 16, p.98)
-Students grouped accord, to aca, ability and motivation. Subj. diff. levels of difficulty.
-Schoolday busy and long: 5 or 6 major aca. Subjects

+ physical ed. & doing homework & researching library & participating in school activities
important => finding friends. developing talents, gaining self-confidence, discovering career
goals.
G. School Problems and Possible Solutions
-Quality of child's ed. depends on where he/she goes to school. Facilities & resources vary a
lot. Local property taxes = money to operate Am. schools => poorer community less money
spent on books, equipment, and teachers' salaries affect quality.
-A serious shortage of qualified teachers: teaching time-consuming, hard job but rewards not
deserving.
-Students not study enough & distracted by part-time jobs, school activities, TV, socializing.
-emotional problems, drinking, drugs taking, lack of motivation 11% drop out, aged b/w 16-18.
-Solutions : charter schools & home schooling. Improving school system nation' top priority &
improving assessment.
II. HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE U.S.
A. Why College?
The more you learn, the more you earn'
B. How to Find the Right College (page 108)
C. Undergraduate Education: Type of Schools
-Public institutions: supported by state in which they're located, lower tuition esp. for local resi.
-Private schools: do not receive state funding.
-Proprietary (for-profit) schools: teaching a particular workplace skill, some quite expensive.
-3 major groups of schools (accord, to types of programs & degrees offered)

-Community coll. (junior coll.): 1" two yrs. of undergrad. studies (# 5mil. ss/yr) public sch.,
supported by local and/or state funds. Serving 2types of ss.: those taking 12 yrs bf. transfering to 4-yr
sch. for 3, 4th yr. & those in 1- or 2-yr. job-training programs.
+ College 4 yrs. a few hundred ss. = undergrad. schools many are liberal arts sch.
+ Universities : > 100,000 ss & greater scope of programs: wider range of undergrad. programs
+ grad. studies responsibilities: doing research => advance human know.. Academic yr: 9
months long (Sept. - early June, late Aug. - May) Completing 4 a ca. yr.
+ acceptable grades earning a bachelor' degree & coll. grades:A,B,C, D and F (failing grade).
D. Graduate Education
-3 kinds of grad. degrees: master's degree, Ph.D degree, and professional degrees (in medicine, law,
or engineering). Degree programs extended greatly: master's degree 1,000 fields & Ph.D degree 100
fields
E. Life on an American Campus
F. Financing Higher Education
-Coll. costs vary, depending on the type of school exp. private sch. : $ 30,000/yr & public uni. : much
cheaper. Out-of-state ss. higher tuition permanent residents. Com. coll. : $ 1,500/yr. -3 main types of
financial aid : 1.scholarship (grants), 2. loans to ss./parents, 3. ss. employment (work/study) part-
time job given to ss. by sch. for aca. yr.
-Financial aid_need-based. Merit-based aid (fin. aid to excellent ss. not need mo.) limited.
-Funds fr. 3 main sources : federal gov., state gov., private contributors.

-G. Standardized Tests and Their Uses

GED (Test of Gen. Ed. Dev.): 5 exams_writ. skills, social studies, science, lit.
+ arts & maths. competitive coll., uni.

-ACTS & SATS: standardized tests for high sch seniors applying to CLEP (College Level
Exam. Program) & TOEFL

CHAP 13: THE CONSTITUTION & THE FEDERAL SYSTEM

A. The Constitution
-The Constitution of the US adopted June 21, 1788 oldest written constitution in use.
-Constitution _ basic law fr which the US government gets all its power & law protecting peo.
in the U.S. fr unreasonable actions by national gov. or state gov..
-The Constitution defines three branches of gov.
+the legislative branch enacts (makes) laws
+ the executive branch enforces those laws
+ the judicial branch interprets them (decides what they mean)
-The legislative branch Congress: 2 groups of legislators the Senate (member: Senator) & the House
of Representatives (member: Congressmen or Congresswomen)
+ The Senate: the upper house 100 members: 2 senators fr each state & representing the entire
state. Senators elected for 6 yr. term 1/3 reelected every 2 yrs. over 30, have been U.S. citizens at
least 9 yrs.
+ The House of Representative: the lower house 435 members, elected every 2 yrs... over 25, have
been U.S.citi. at least 7 yrs.
-Speaker of the House elected fr. the majority party to lead discussion.
-Number of representatives fr. each state determined by state's pop. 7 smallest states => 1
representative each & Cali., most populous, => 52 repre. in 106th Con. (1998-2000) State
divided into congressional districts to elect repre. & districts within a state in pop. & 1 repre. fr. each
district & duty protect the interests of peo. in that district.

-Congress to pass laws. To become a law, a bill approved by a majority of each house +
president. If president vetoes (disapproves of) a bill, if 2/3 of members of each house override the
veto by voting for it when it is voted on again => a bill still becomes law.
-The executive branch : The president + vice-president + government departments + agencies.
(employing 3 mil. peo. located all over the world).
+ the president: works in the White House (1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C.)
has powerful role approves or stops laws proposed by Congress & suggests laws to
Congress.appoints senior officials, eg. heads of government officials & federal judges
though appointments must be approved by the Senate.
-Commander-in-Chief of the military forces.
+ the vice-president: little power & president of the Senate & becoming pre. upon the death,
resignation, disability of the president.
+ 14 departments of government heads of these dep. => the Cabinet meeting regularly to
discuss current affairs & advise the president. Various agencies + independ. bodies ranging fr. the U.S
Postal Service to the CIA.
- The judicial branch: the federal courts incl. the Supreme Court, highest court in the U.S.
+ the Supreme Court: below 13 courts of appeal & below them many federal district courts &
special courts, eg. the Court of International Trade.
+has 9 members, called justices, appointed by president, often informally referred to as nine
old men, head of the court : Chief Justice.
+ has the power to influence the law through a process called judicial review if a law_ decided
unconstitutional=> must not be applied.
+ federal judges: appointed by president & keep jobs for the rest of their lives => ind. & not
afraid of losing job if the gov, does not like their decisions.
-Federal laws: controlled & affected by all 3 branches of gov. Congress make them, president
approves and enforces them, the courts determine what they mean & whether they are
constitutional => example of government's system of checks and balance each branch of
government prevents improper actions by the other branches.
B. The Amendments to the Constitution
-Amendments: first proposed by 2/3 vote of both houses & then approved by legislature of of
states.

- Bill of Rights, 1" ten amend. to the Cons. most significant portion of Cons. Assuring freedom of
religion, speech, and the press & the right to complain about the gov.(the first of these amend.)
-The 4th, 5th,6th, and 8th protect peo. suspected or accused of crimes + all U.S. residents.
-14th amend. protects former slaves fr. state laws that discriminated against them _ gives full
federal and state citizenship to all born in U.S. or naturalized there.
C. The Federal System.
- The United States is organized as a federal system => power divided b/w national (federal)
gov. and state gov.
-Laws passed by Congress (federal laws) authorized by U.S. Cons. U.S gets its power fr.Cons.
-National central gov. performs tasks that could not be performed efficiently by each state
individually, eg. dealing with foreign nations, establishing monetary system, regulating
commerce b/w states.
-Other gov. responsibilities left to states & subdivisions, eg. public school systems, local roads, police
+fire protection,...
-States pass any law not prohibited by the Constitution. State laws cannot conflict with federal laws.
-Most state gov. similar in structure to national gov. headed by an elected executive called
governor & legislative branch called state legislative or general assembly, functioning as
Congress does.
-State legislatures - 2 houses. State court systems follow three-level federal court plan: a trial court,
an appellate (appeals) court, and a supreme court.

-States divided into smaller gov. units : counties, cities, towns, villages can pass laws,
authorized by the state where they are located & responsible for making, enforcing these laws.
-The U.S.A. and its Constitution have withstood many crises and criticisms.
-The American government of the people, by the people, for the people' can function effectively for
the good of its citizens