Professional Documents
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-Great Seal of the United States : ( Found on the back of the US one - dollar bill , specific documents ,
including foreign treaties and presidential proclamations )
-The flag of the United States features thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red ( top and bottom )
alternating with white ; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist side corner bearing 50 small , white ,
five - pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars ( top and bottom ) alternating with
rows of five stars ; the 50 stars represent the 50 states ; the 13 stripes the 13 original colonies .
-Why was the Bald Eager adopted as the National Emblem ?
Because it is a species unique to North America . It has become the living symbol of the USA's strength ,
freedom , spirit and pursuit of excellence . Its image and symbolism have played a significant role in
American architecture , art , folklore and music
-What monument is a symbol of American freedom known around the world ?
One of the most iconic and recognizable structures in the world , becoming a very literal representation
of the American ideals for immigrants coming to the U.S. throughout history
Give me your tired , your poor , Your huddied masses yearning to breathe free , The wretched refuse of
your teeming shore . Send these , the homeless . tempest - tossed to me , I lift my lamp beside the
golden door !
POLITICS
-a federal republic and a representative democracy .
-a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of
American States ( OAS ) , NATO , and other international organizations . It is a permanent member of the
United Nations Security Council .
ECONOMY
-A highly developed country , the United States is the world's largest economy by nominal GDP , the
second - largest by purchasing power parity , and accounts for approximately a quarter of global GDP . –
-The United States is the world's largest importer and the second - largest exporter of goods , by value .
-Although its population is 4 % of the world total , it holds 31 % of the total wealth in the world , the
largest share of global wealth concentrated in a single country
-It is the foremost military power in the world , making up a third of global military spending , and is a
leading political , cultural , and scientific force internationally .
Introduction
• The United States of America has been a democracy for more than 200 years .
• Issues that were important in its early years remain so today :
■ big government versus small government
■ individual rights versus group rights
■ free markets versus controlled trade and
■ connection with the world versus focusing on internal affairs .
Early America
-The most recent Ice Age was about 35,000 years ago . Much of the world's
water was frozen into big sheets of ice . A land bridge - as wide as 1,500
kilometers - joined Asia and North America . By 12,000 years ago , humans lived
throughout much of what now are the Americas .
-The first " Americans " crossed the land bridge from Asia . Historians believe
that they lived in what now is Alaska for thousands of years . They moved south
into today's mainland United States . They lived by the Pacific Ocean in the
Northwest , in the mountains and deserts of the Southwest , and along the
Mississippi River in the Midwest .
-By the time the first Europeans arrived , about two million native people lived in
what now is the United States .
Discovery of the Americas.
-August 3 , 1492 - Christopher Columbus set out on his first voyage with three
ships and a crew of 90 to find a westward route to the east .
-Most people who came to the British colonies in the 1600s were English .
Others came from The Netherlands , Sweden , Germany , France , Scotland , and
Northern Ireland . By 1790 , there were 2.5 million people .
-People came for different reasons . Some left their homes to escape war .
Others seek political or religious freedom . Some had to work as servants to pay
back the cost of their trip before gaining their freedom . Some , like black
Africans , arrived as slaves .
• The relationships between settlers and Native Americans ( also called Indians )
were good and bad . In some areas , the two groups traded and were friendly .
In most cases , as the settlements grew bigger , the settlers forced the Indians
to move .
• President Lincoln led the Northern states . He was determined to stop the rebellion and keep the
country united . May 6 , 1861 - President Abraham Lincoln declares a state of insurrection in the
southern states
• In 1865 the Confederacy surrendered , bringing an end to the Civil war . Slavery was abolished
throughout the US . More Americans died in the Civil War than in any other U.S. conflict .
• President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated less than a week after the South surrendered .
Growth and Transformation
• The United States changed after the Civil War . The frontier became less wild . Cities grew in size and
number . More factories , steel mills , and railroads were built .
• Immigrants arrived in the United States with dreams of better lives
• This was the age of inventions . Alexander Graham Bell developed the telephone . Thomas Edison
invented the light bulb . George Eastman made the moving picture , later called a movie .
• Railroad was built to help the expansion
• In 1914 , Germany , Austria - Hungary , and Turkey fought Britain , France , Italy , and Russia . Other
nations joined the conflict , and the war reached across the Atlantic Ocean to affect the United States .
• The British and German navies blocked American shipping . In 1915 , almost 130 Americans died
when a German submarine sank the British ocean liner Lusitania . President Woodrow Wilson
demanded an end to the German attacks . They stopped but started again in 1917 .
• The United States declared war . More than 1,750,000 U.S. soldiers helped to defeat Germany and
Austria Hungary . The war officially ended on November 11, 1918 , when a true was signed at Versailles
in France .
1920s Prosperity .
• After the war the United States enjoyed a period of prosperity . Many families purchased their first
automobile , radio , and refrigerator . They went to the movies .
• Women finally won the right to vote in 1920 .
After nearly 100 years of related , demonstrations , and sit - ins , women of the United States were
officially granted the right to vote after the 19th Amendment was ratified on August 26, 1920 .
Great depression 1929 - 1933
• The worst economic crisis to happen in the United States occurred when the stock market crashed in
October 1929 , resulting in the Great Depression .
The New Deal and World War II
• President Roosevelt believed that democracy had failed in other countries because of unemployment
and insecurity . In the early 1930s , he proposed a " New Deal " to end the Great Depression
• The New Deal included many programs . Bank accounts were insured . New rules applied to the stock
market . Workers could form unions to protect their rights . Farmers received financial aid for certain
crops . The government hired people to plant trees , clean up waterways , and fix national parks . Skilled
workers helped build damage and bridges . The government provided flood control and electric power
for poor areas . The Social Security system helped the poor , disabled , and elderly .
1947-1991 THE COLD WAR
a period of merit tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and their respective allies , the
Eastern Bloc and the Western Bloc after World War II . There was no large scale fighting directly
between the two superpowers , but they each supported major regional conflicts based around the
ideological and protesting for global influence by the two powers.
• The United States remains neutral while Germany , Italy , and Japan attack other countries .
• The United States refused to sell oil to Japan
• On December 7, 1941 , Japan attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . The United States
declared war on Japan . Because Germany and Italy were allies of Japan , they declared war on America.
• American industry focused on the war effort. Women built many of the 300,000 aircraft , 5,000 cargo
ships , and 86,000 tanks while the men became soldiers .
• President Harry S. Truman decided to use the atomic bomb on two Japanese cities- Hiroshima and
Nagasaki - to bring the war to an end without an invasion. World War II was finally over in August 1945 .
World War II
• World War II officially begins in September 1939 after Germany invades Poland . The United States
didn't enter the war until after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 .
• On August 6 and August 9, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, effectively ending World War II.
KOREA WAR & VIETNAM WAR
• After World War II , an agreement was reached to divide Korea Into two parts : a northern half to be
controlled by the Soviet Union and a southern half to be controlled by the United States .
• 1950-1953 us troops fought in the Korean War
• The Vietnam War was a nearly 20 - year battle ( November 1 , 1955 April 30 , 1975 ) . North Vietnam
won the war and Vietnam became a unified country .
The Cold War
• The competition to the moon
• Richard Nixon and the policy of Vietnamization
• Demonstrations protested American involvement on American college campuses
• In July of 1969 astronaut Nail Armoto stepped out of Apollo 11 and on to the moon surface
U.S. - CHINA TRADE WAR
• an ongoing economic conflict between China & the U.S.
• In July 2018 , US President Donald Trump followed through on months of threats to impose sweeping
tariffs on China for its unfair trade practices .
• back - and - forth negotiations , a tit - for - tat tariff war
Civil rights in the late 1950s
“If you can't fly , then run ,
if you can't run , then walk ,
if you can't walk , then crawl ,
but whatever you do ,
you have to keep moving forward .” -Martin Luther King Jr.
• Martin Luther King, Jr. , who had won the Nobel Peace Prize .
• From 1954-1968 , the African American Civil Rights movement took place , especially in the Southern
states . Fighting to put end to racial segregation and discrimination , the movement increased in the
1964 Civil Right Act.
America Cultural
Six Basic American Cultural Values
• One of the most interesting questions about the United States is what makes people " American " ?
With immigrants arriving from all over the world with vastly different cultural traditions , values , and
customs , what holds the country together ? And how did a nation of such diversity produce a
recognizable national identity ? " we all share a common set of values that make us American .... We are
by the rights we have .... Our rights are our history , why the first European settlers came here and why
millions more have come here since ."
• Historically , the United States has been viewed as " the land of opportunity , " a place where
immigrants could have individual freedom , an equal chance for success , and the ability to have a better
standard of living . In order to have these benefits , however , they had to take care of themselves ,
compete with others , and work hard to fashion a new life . In time , their experiences led to the
development of the core American cultural values that still shape America today .
• The value system that has allowed the United States to assimilate millions of people from diverse
cultures all over the world and create a unique , enduring American identity . There are three pairs of
paid values consisting of three reasons / benefits why immigrants have come ( and still do ) to the United
States and three prices that are for these benefits . big will
RELATIONSHIP : BENEFITS & PRICES
• Individual freedom and self - reliance
• Equality of opportunity and competition
• Material wealth ( American dream ) and hard work
Individual Freedom and the price for that is Self - Reliance . We cannot be truly free if we cannot take
care of ourselves and be independent . Equality of Opportunity , and the price for that is Competition .
If everyone has an equal chance for success , then we have to compete . The American Dream , the
opportunity for a better life and a higher standard of living . The price for the American Dream has been
Hard Work .
RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Americans believe that people have the right to individual freedom , equality of opportunity , and the
promise of material success, but these all require significant responsibility : self - , a willingness to
compete , and hard work.
The relationship among these values - the rights and the responsibilities - creates the fabric of the
American society . It is this fabric that defines the American Dream - the belief that if people take
responsibility for their lives and work hard , they will have the individual freedom to pursue their
personal goals and a good opportunity to compete for success .
It is important to note that these six values are cultural values and not moral values , or even personal
ones . They are the foundation of our democratic nation . Rooted in the beliefs and visions of our
Founding Fathers and reinforced by historical experience , these cultural values are what distinguishes
our country from all others . They are what make us " Americans . "
American Core Beliefs and Values
There are certain ideals and values , rooted in the country's history , which many Americans share .
The United States has a mixed economy with government playing an important role along with private
enterprise . That means it works as a free market economy in consumer goods and business services
and as a command economy in defense , retirement programs , some aspects of medical care , and other
areas . The U.S. Constitution created and now protects America's mixed economy .
Fast Facts About the U.S. Economy
There are a few key components of the U.S. economy . These different economic indicators help us
understand how the U.S. economy is doing .
• Gross domestic product ( GDP ) : $19.5 trillion ( annualized nominal rate for second quarter , or Q2 ,
2020 )
• GDP growth rate : -31.7 % ( annualized rate for Q2 2020 )
• Real GDP per capita : $52,387 ( Q2 2020 )
• Gross national income : $21.6 trillion PPP dollars ( 2019 )
• Unemployment rate : 8.4 % for August 2020
• Minimum wage : $7.25 per hour
• Currency : United States Dollar
• Euro - to - dollar conversion : $1.18 as of August 20207
• Core inflation rate : 1.7 % year - over - year core rate for August 2020
• The U.S. economy remains the largest and most important in the world . The American dollar is still
the top reserve currency , making up 61.82 % of the world's reserves .
• With a total market capitalization of $30.44T ( trillion ) , the U.S. stock market is many times more
valuable than that of any other country .
• Your individual experience of the American economy depends on where you live . Some states like
California have enormous and dynamic economies , but others like Arkansas and Mississippi are lagging
behind .
• There are significant problems looming on the horizon . The U.S. national debt is now over $22T , and
personal debt tops $70K in several states .
• The U.S. government collects $1.03T in taxes every year , but that's nowhere near enough money to
cover all of the government's expenditures .
education and training to develop workers with the kind of nimble minds and adaptable skills needed in
new industries such as computers and telecommunications .
Entrepreneurship .
• An ability some people have to accept risks and combine factors of production in order to produce
goods and services . Entrepreneurs organize the various components necessary to operate a business .
• Entrepreneurship involves not only merely the organization and management of a business , but also
an individual's willingness to accept risks in order to make a profit .
• CEO don't have final control over the company and they do not make decisions that involve risking the
company's resources
IMPORTANT TERMS / INDICATORS
The best way to estimate the size of the U.S. economy is with gross domestic product , or GDP . GDP
measures everything produced in the United States , regardless of whether it was made by U.S. citizens
and companies or by foreigners
There are four components of GDP . Consumer spending is about 70% of the total . Business investment
includes manufacturing , real estate construction , and intellectual properties . Government spending
includes federal , state , and local expenditures . The fourth component is net exports , which includes
exports that add to the nation's economy , and imports , which subtract from it .
The U.S. has a trade deficit , which means it imports more than it exports . Its biggest export is also its
most significant import , and that's oil .
U.S. budget deficit ?
-> The government spends more money than it takes in .
2. Does it matter ?
-> Debtor , inflation ...
-> Affects national saving ...
Inflation and Deflation
Short - term inflation happens when demand is greater than supply and prices go up . Once inflation
occurs , people begin to expect ever - higher prices . Consumers buy now before prices go up more in
the future . This increases demand and causes higher prices . Long term inflation generally happens
because of an increase in the money supply over time .
Deflation is the opposite of inflation . It occurs when prices fall , creating crashes in the stock or housing
markets , as well as other financial crises . It takes place during the contraction phase of the business
cycle .
Freedom of Enterprise
• The American economy , besides being termed capitalist , is also known as a free - enterprise system .
This term emphasizes that individuals are free to own and control the factors of production .
• The American free enterprise system emphasizes private ownership . Private businesses produce most
goods and services , and almost two - thirds of the nation's total economic output goes to individuals for
personal use ( the remaining one - third is bought by government and business ) . The consumer role is
so great , in fact , that the nation is sometimes used as having a " consumer economy ."
• The government places certain legal restrictions on freedom of enterprise . ( For instance , just because
you know how to fix cars does not mean that you can set up an automobile repair business in your backyard.
Zoning regulations , child labor laws , hazardous waste disposal rules , and other regulations Amit free enterprise to
protect you and your neighbors . )
• Federal agencies regulate the quality of various foods and drugs , watch over the nation's money and
banking system , inspect workplaces for hazardous conditions , and guard damage to the environment .
• The federal government also uses tax revenues to provide social programs such as Social Security and
Medicare . State and local governments have expanded their roles in such areas as education , job
training , recreation , and care for the elderly .
SHIFT ECONOMY
• The population and the labor force have significantly shifted away from farms to cities , from fields to
factories , and , above , to service industries . In today's economy , the providers of personal and public
services far outnumber producers of agricultural and manufactured goods . As the economy has grown
more complex , statistics also reveal over the last century a sharp long - term trend away from self -
employment towards working for others .
CEO's are not very popular - e.g. overpaid , self serving Many CEO's have abused the businesses they
managed , and their employees
Immigration
Introduction
The United States prides itself on being a nation of immigrants , and the nation has a long history of
successfully , absorbing people from across the globe . The successful integration of immigrants and
their children contributes to economic vitality and to a vibrant and ever - changing culture . have offered
opportunities to immigrants and their children to better themselves and to be Americans fully
incorporated into the U.S. society , and in exchange immigrants have become Americans -embracing an
American identity and citizenship , protecting the United States through service in its military , fostering
technological innovation , harvesting its crops , and enriching everything from the nation's cuisine to its
universities , music , and art .
Early days
• From its earliest days , America has been a nation of immigrants , starting with its original inhabitants ,
who crossed the land bridge connecting Asia and North America tens of thousands of years ago . They
were Native American ancestors.
• The United States experienced major waves of immigration during the colonial era , the first part of the
19th century and from the 1880s to 1920. Many immigrants came to America seeking greater economic
opportunity , while some , such as the Pilgrims in the early 1600s , arrived in search of religious freedom
, and immigrants who arrived against their will as enslaved people from West Africa .
• A larger share of immigrants came to America seeking economic opportunities . However , because
the price of passage was steep , an estimated one - half or more of the white Europeans who made the
voyage did so by becoming indentured servants . Although some people voluntarily indentured
themselves , others were kidnapped in European cities and forced into servitude in America .
Additional , thousands of English convicts were shipped across the Atlantic as indentured servants .
• Some of America's first settlers came in search of freedom to practice their faith . In 1620 , a group of
roughly 100 people later known as the Pilgrims fled religious persecution in Europe and arrived at
present - day Plymouth , Massachusetts , where they established a colony . They were soon followed by
a larger group seeking religious freedom , the Puritans , who established the Massachusetts Bay Colony .
By some estimates , 20,000 Puritans migrated to the region between 1630 and 1640 .
• In 1917 , Congress enacted legislation requiring immigrants over 16 to pass a literacy test , and in the
early 1920s immigration quotas were established .
• The Immigration Act of 1924 created a quota system that restricted entry to 2 percent of the total
number of people of each nationality in America as of the 1890 national census - a system that favored
immigrants from Western Europe - and prohibited immigrants from Asia .
Refugees
• Refugees compose about one - tenth of the total annual immigration to the United States , though
some large refugee populations are very prominent . Since World War II , more refugees have found
homes in the U.S. than any other nation , and more than two million refugees have arrived in the U.S.
since 1980 .
• Historically , the total number of refugees coming to the U.S. has fluctuated with global events and
U.S. priorities .
• Since 1980 , 55 % of refugees have come from Asia , a far higher share than from Europe ( 28 % ) ,
Africa ( 13 % ) or Latin America ( 4 % ) .
• Refugee admissions into the U.S. have significantly decreased during Donald Trump's presidency .
• Trump's Policy Could Alter the Face of the American Immigrant
• New legal residents carry their own weight , without prejudice or favor . Yet the new rule for weeding
out those who might be a drain on taxpayers will certainly hardly disadvantage people from Latin
America , Africa and parts of Asia .
• More green cards will go to immigrants with a good education and a measure of self - sufficiency ;
fewer will be granted simply because someone has a family member in the United States .
honoring different heritages , they have all strengthened our economy , enrich our culture, renew our
promise of freedom and opportunity for all... "
Bill Clinton
• “It says something about our country that people around the world are willing to leave their homes
and leave their families and risk everything to come to America. Their talent and hard work and love of
freedom have helped make America the leader of the world. And our generation will ensure that
America remains a beacon of liberty and the most hope fill society this world has ever known ."
George W. Bush
Form of government
• The US = representative democracy
▪ These features created by the Constitution to guard again tyranny :
- federal organization of government
- separation of power among different branches system of checks and balance to restrict the
power of each branch
CONGRESS
Congress is composed of two parts :
• Senate (Thượng Viện) - There are two Senators per state , totaling 100 Senators. A Senate term
is six years and there is no limit to the number of terms an individual can serve .
• House of Representatives (Hạ Viện) - There are 435 representatives , which are divided among
the 50 states in proportion to their total population. There are additional non voting delegates
who represent the District of Columbia and the territories. A Representative serves a two - year
term , and there is no limit to the number of terms an individual can serve.
Cabinet members are nominated by the president and must be approved by a simple majority of
the Senate - 51 votes if all 100 Senators vote .
• The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws , laws to individual cases , and determines
whether the president's laws of the Congress or actions of the violate the Constitution . It is
comprised of the Supreme Court and other federal courts .
Judicial branch
• Function : to determine whether laws of the Congress or actions of the president violate the
Constitution
• Structure :
- headed by the Supreme court
- under the Supreme court is state and federal courts
- Supreme court members : 9 members appointed by the president and serve for a life tim
• The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States . The Justices of the Supreme
Court are nominated by the president and must be approved by the Senate .
• Nine members make up the Supreme Court - a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices .
There must be a minimum or quorum of six Justices to decide a case .
• If there is an even number of Justices and a case results in a tie , the lower court's decision
stands .
• There is no fixed term for Justices . They serve until their death , retirement , or removal in
exceptional circumstances .
Minor parties
• Any party other than the two major parties can be called a third party
• No third party has ever achieved the control of the White House .
• In most cases , they have been assimilated or have just fade away
• Their most important role is to influence policy on one or more issues .
• Example : Socialist Labor party , American Independent party , Green parky ...
Election system
• “ Winner take all ” system : only one candidate - the one with more votes is election to a
given office in one district .
• Indirect election : - the electoral college : Representatives of the people in presidential
elections . 270/538 electoral votes guarantee the Presidency
Interest groups
• Are organized by people who want to influence public policy decision on special issues such
as the environment , social issues , peace ...
• Have the desire to sway public opinion and political policy through
- press , radio , and television
- letters , phone calls , hold public meetings and sponsorship of newspaper ads .
- Largest organization : Labor union , business group , farm group and professional group
lobbyists
• A lobbyist is a lawyer or a former legislator , who
- Specializes the interest he or she represents
- Possesses an insider's view of the lawmaking process 50
• A lobbyist works for interest groups
- By keeping them informed about proposed legislation
- By talking to decision makers about their group's concerns