Chapter-1-American-Geography分析

1、 Objectives of the course 1) Help learners grasp the basic knowledge of American culture 2) Improve learners English level by learning American cultural knowledgeAmerican GeographyAmerican HistoryThe forms of GovernmentAmerican LiteratureThe American CharacterAmerican EducationAmerican Family lifeRa

2、ce and Ethnic Relations The National Anthem and the National Flag Geography The Star - Spangled Banner 星條旗永不落于1814年由Francis Scott Key作曲，Woodrow Wilson總統(tǒng)于1916年下令于軍中場(chǎng)合演奏，于1931年由國(guó)會(huì)立法通過(guò)成為國(guó)歌。 國(guó)歌共包括四節(jié)，絕大多數(shù)場(chǎng)合只唱第一節(jié)，尤其是第三節(jié)帶有反英情緒。 1Oh, say can you see? by the dawns early light,What so proudly we hailed at the

3、 twilights last gleaming?Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,Oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof thru the night that our flag was still there.Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet waveOe

4、r the land of the free and the home of the brave ??！在晨曦初現(xiàn)時(shí)，你可看見(jiàn) 是什么讓我們?nèi)绱蓑湴粒?在黎明的最后一道曙光中歡呼， 是誰(shuí)的旗幟在激戰(zhàn)中始終高揚(yáng)！ 烈火熊熊，炮聲隆隆， 我們看到要塞上那面英勇的旗幟 在黑暗過(guò)后依然聳立！ ?。∧阏f(shuō)那星條旗是否會(huì)靜止， 在自由的土地上飄舞， 在勇者的家園上飛揚(yáng)？The American National Flag is the Star-Spangled Banner. In the top left corner there is the blue star area, it dots 50 sta

5、rs within this area distributing in nine lines and in each line 5 stars and 6 stars interleaving. Outside the star area is the stripe area where 13 stripes lie in this area. The fifty stars represents the 50 states, the thirteen stripes stands for the original 13 colonies. Its generally accepted, th

6、e red symbolizes courage, the white represents freedom, and the blue color stands for loyalty and justice. Location and size Geographical features 1) the names of the US 2) the location 3) the total land area Official name: the United States of America，Often called as the United States, the U.S., th

7、e US, the USA, or simply America, or the States in American spoken English Its nickname Yankee-land（新英格蘭） The United States is situated in the central part of North America with its two youngest states Alaska in the northwestern part of North America and Hawaii in the central Pacific. The country is

8、 bounded by Canada on the north and by Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico on the south with the Atlantic Ocean on the east and Pacific Ocean on the west. The total area of the country is more than 9.3 million square kilometers, the fourth largest country in the world, smaller than Russia, Canada and Chin

9、a and the total population is more than 300 million now . The whole country includes 50 states and a federal district-Washington.D.C ）（華盛頓哥倫比亞特區(qū))（D.C means District of Columbia), which is the seat of the Federal Government. states capitals亞拉巴馬 Alabama - AL蒙哥馬利 Montgomery 阿拉斯加 Alaska - AK朱諾 Juneau 亞利

10、桑那 Arizona -AZ菲尼克斯 Phoenix 阿肯色 Arkansas - AR小石城 Little rock 加利福尼亞California - CA 薩克拉門(mén)托Sacramento 科羅拉多 Colorado - CO丹佛Denver 康涅狄格 Connecticut - CT哈特福德Hartford 特拉華 Delaware - DE多佛Dover 佛羅里達(dá) Florida - FL 塔拉哈西Tallahassee 佐治亞 Georgia - GA亞特蘭大Atlanta 夏威夷 Hawaii - HI檀香山Honolulu 愛(ài)達(dá)荷 Idaho - ID博伊西Boise 伊利諾伊

11、Illinois - IL斯普林菲爾德Springfield 印第安納 Indiana- IN印第安納波利斯Indianapolis 艾奧瓦 Iowa -IA得梅因Des Moines 堪薩斯 Kansas - KS托皮卡Topeka 肯塔基 Kentucky - KY法蘭克福Frankfort 路易斯安那 Louisiana - LA巴吞魯日Baton Rouge 緬因 Maine - ME奧古斯塔 Augusta 馬里蘭 Maryland - MD安納波利斯 Annapolis 馬薩諸塞 Massachusetts - MA波士頓Boston 密歇根 Michigan - MI蘭辛Lans

12、ing 明尼蘇達(dá) Minnesota - MN圣保羅St. Paul 密西西比 Mississippi - MS杰克遜Jackson 密蘇里 Missouri - MO杰斐遜城Jefferson City 蒙大拿 Montana - MT海倫娜Helena 內(nèi)布拉斯加 Nebraska - NE林肯Lincoln 內(nèi)華達(dá) Nevada - NV 卡森城Carson City 新罕布什爾 New hampshire - NH康科德Concord 新澤西 New jersey - NJ特倫頓Trenton 新墨西哥 New mexico - NM 圣菲Santa Fe 紐約 New york -

13、NY奧爾巴尼Albany (New York ,the largest city in USA, is located )北卡羅來(lái) North carolina - NC納羅利Raleigh 北達(dá)科他 North dakota - ND俾斯麥Bismarck 俄亥俄 Ohio - OH哥倫布Columbus 俄克拉何馬 Oklahoma - OK 俄克拉何馬城Oklahoma City 俄勒岡 Oregon - OR塞勒姆Salem 賓夕法尼亞 Pennsylvania - PA 哈里斯堡Harrisburg 羅得島 Rhode island - RL普羅維登斯Providence 南卡羅來(lái)納

14、 South carolina - SC哥倫比亞Columbia 南達(dá)科他 South dakota - SD 皮爾Pierre 田納西 Tennessee - TN納什維爾Nashville 得克薩斯 Texas - TX奧斯汀 Austin 猶他 Utah - UT鹽湖城Salt Lake City 佛蒙特 Vermont - VT 蒙彼利埃Montpelier 弗吉尼亞 Virginia - VA里士滿Richmond 華盛頓 Washington - WA奧林匹亞Olympia 西弗吉尼亞 West virginia - WV查爾斯頓Charleston 威斯康星 Wisconsin

15、- WI麥迪遜Madison 懷俄明 Wyoming - WY夏延Cheyenne2 In 1959 Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and the 50th Alaska, the largest in area and Rhode Island(羅得島州), the smallest; on the mainland, Texas is the largest. 1) three geographical divisions 2) three major river systems 3) climate 4) territory Three Geogra

16、phical Divisions the eastern part the western part the great central plain in between l The eastern part is made up of the highlands formed by the Appalachian Range(阿巴拉契亞山阿巴拉契亞山脈）脈）. It holds one sixth of the national territory on the continent. These highlands are relatively low. The average altitu

17、de is only 800 meters above sea level.l The Western part consists of high plateaus and mountains formed by the Great Cordillera Range（大科迪勒拉大科迪勒拉山系）山系）.From west to east, this mountain system is composed of the Coast Range（沿岸山脈）沿岸山脈）, the Cascades（喀斯喀特山脈）喀斯喀特山脈） and the Rocky Mountains（落基山脈）落基山脈）. Th

18、e whole area of this part holds one third of the countrys territory on the continent.l Between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians lies the central plain which occupies one second of Americas landmass on the continent. It stretches from the Great Lakes in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the

19、South. Drained by the Mississippi and its tributaries, the eastern part of the central plain is the most important agricultural area in the US.1) The Mississippi River is the longest and the most important river in the system of the Gulf.2) There are no long rivers in the system of the Atlantic（大西洋水

20、系）. Some important rivers are Hudson River (New York is on this river), Potomac River (Washington is on this river), and the St. Lawrence River.3) In the system of Pacific, there are two major rivers: the Columbia River and the Colorado River. The five Great Lakes lying between the boundary of Canad

21、a and the United States are: Lake Michigan (wholly within the United States), Lake Superior, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Ontario (Niagara Falls) In northern Utah, there is a lake called the Great Salt Lake. It is the largest inland salt lake in north America. The nation is situated between two gr

22、eat oceans: the Atlantic and the Pacific. From the east to the west coast is a distance of about 4,500 kilometers and about 2,575 kilometers from the northern to the southern borderlines. Of the total land area, about 29% is forested, 26.4% is grassland, and 17% is used for crops. It also has many n

23、atural resources such as coal, iron, petroleum, lead, copper（銅） and other useful metals. Most of the oil reserve is found along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, in the northern part of Texas, the northwestern part of Louisiana, Kansas, Okalahoma and the southern part of Arkansas. It also has a large

24、 deposit of iron ore, is mainly mined in the Appalachians and the Great Lakes region of Minnesota and Michigan. It also has a rich water power resources, coming mainly from the rivers and lakes talked above. The country is mainly situated in the northern temperate zone. But owing to its large size a

25、nd varied landforms, the climate in the US varies from warm wet conditions of the Appalachian Mountains to the warm, dry conditions of some of the western states; it ranges from almost winterless climates in Southern Arizona and Southern Florida to long, very cold winters in Alaska. A humid continen

26、tal climate is found in the north-eastern part of the country (New England). The weather is hot in summer and cold in winter in that region with plenty of rainfall and snow. The south-eastern United States enjoys a humid subtropical climate. The summers are usually hot and winters mild. The southern

27、 part of the Florida peninsular(半島) is favored with tropical humid weather. There is no winter here and Miami Beach attracts many tourists every year. Semi-arid (dry) and arid conditions prevail in the inland plateaus including much of the area between the Cascade-Sierra Nevada（內(nèi)華達(dá)） ranges, the Rock

28、ies, and parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, southeastern California and southwestern Texas. The United States today is the fourth largest country in size in the world. When the colonies gained their independence and set up the new country 200 years ago, there were, however, only 13 states,

29、located along the Atlantic in a narrow strip. Along with the rapid growth of the country, the external expansion and aggression proceeded on for more than a century, resulting in the United States. Besides the original 13 colonies, the area east to the Mississippi River became part of America in the

30、 Treaty of Paris between Britain and the U.S. in 1783. In 1803, the United States took advantage of the European War and purchased the vast area of Louisiana from Napoleon with $15,000,000. The national territory was doubled with this addition. As a result of the U.S.-Mexican War breaking out in 184

31、6, a vast area of the Mexican territory was turned to the U.S. Half of the entire territory of Mexico was thus lost. In 1867, America purchased the present state of Alaska from Russia. It is now the largest state in the country. The Hawaiian Islands fell into the US control in 1889 The story of the

32、addition of new states in the 19th century is also the story of the conquest of the west, with the wagons（四輪馬車(chē)） and then the railroads, the cowboys and the sheriffs（地方行政司法長(zhǎng)官） and that piece of human experience which the Western movies constantly revives. Except for the last two states, Alaska and Ha

33、waii, all the other 48 states are on the mainland. They can roughly be divided into six regions: New England, the Middle Atlantic States, the Southwest Region, the Midwest Region , the Great Plains, The Western Region.Consists of six states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island

34、 and Connecticut. This region is featured with mountains, valleys, rivers 1) a long history, the birthplace of America 2) chief center of the American War of Independence 3) the first industrial area 4) some famous universities, Harvard, Yale, MIT 5) main cities: Boston The statue of John Harvard, w

35、hose 400th birthday was celebrated in November 2007, keeps a watchful eye on passersby in Harvard Yard on a snowy day. Six states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia1) 1/5 of the population2) highly industrialized and the nerve center of the country, capital, Ne

36、w York (busiest ports, financial, manufacturing and transportation center)3) main cities: Philadelphia (Delaware)Consists of 8 states: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana and ArkansasIn general, a warm climate, called as Su

37、nny SouthPlantation, cotton Main cities: New Orleans, Atlanta, BirminghamConsists of 8 states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa and MinnesotaOne of the richest section of the whole United States, large mineral resources, rich soil, a good climate, fertile plains, some lar

38、ge and important rivers (transportation)Main cities: Chicago (Illinois), Detroit (motor city) (Michigan)Consists of six states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and TexasSmall population, few large cities, vastness of flat land, and different climate from north to south, poor s

39、oil, and little rain in many partsIndians were the natives here. About one-fifth of the countrys Indians are now living in the state of Oklahoma. 11 states: Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Oregon and California Various natural advantages. California

40、dominates this region. It has rich natural resources, fertile land, well-established industry and large population. It is the first state in the country to introduce gold mining and the manufacture of airplanes. Famous cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco in California, (largest Chinese settlement in

41、US) .California is blessed with attractive scenery and mild climate.It has fertile land for the growing of oranges and grapes.More important are the electronics industry, airplane factories, defense plants of many kinds and a whole new industrial complex(綜合企業(yè)).California is regarded as the promised

42、land by many people to fulfill their goals.Hollywood, a place famous for its film industry, is in California. It is an important institution for conveying images and myths about American to every corner of the world. Population It is the third most populous nation in the world, ranking behind China

43、and India. Its population now reached 300 million on October, 17, 2006, up from 200 million in 1967.White people constitute 74,7%, Blacks 12,1%, Asians 4.3%, Native Americans 0.8%. By as early as 2043, the census bureau predicts, there will be 400 million Americans. Such rapid growth is unique among

44、 Western countries. The distribution of the population is rather uneven. The most densely populated region is the northeastern part of the country. The region takes up about one quarter of the total land area, but about half of the population is living here. The west is not densely populated, except

45、 for some metropolitan(大都市的） centers as Los Angeles and San Francisco. At present the West has about 20% of the nations population but is expected to grow faster than any other region in America. It is a nation of immigrants. In the last 4 centuries, 55 million people have immigrated to this country

46、. The United States was described as a “melting pot” where various racial and ethnic groups were combined into one culture. Recently, they have been called a “salad” in that people of different races and ethnic groups mix harmoniously but at the same time keep their distinct culture and custom. Abou

47、t one third of the all Native Americans now live on reservations and the others live in cities. Poverty and unemployment are the major problems for them, especially on reservations. Washington D.C. New York City Miami Chicago Los Angeles Seattle The nations capital, is located between Maryland and V

48、irginia in the humid subtropical zone. The important tourist attractions: the White House; US capitol; the national Zoo and the national Air and Space Museum.In New York state, the most populated city in the USA; known around the world for its broad range of entertainment, including the Great White

49、way(不夜街）-a thin strip of Manhattan containing more than 35 Broadway, theaters offering nightly performances spanning opera, jazz, the latest popular forms; the United nations is Located here; Its nickname is “the big Apple”, a phrase used by jazz musicians to explain the ultimate in achievement, siz

50、e and excitement. in Florida, the southern-most city (exclusive Hawaii), It attracts many tourists and retirees to its beaches , particularly in winter. In Illinois, the third most populated US city; Heavy and light industries are highly developed, making Chicago the largest industrial city in the n

51、ation. It has been famous for its labor movements, because thousands of workers protested there on May 1st,1886, May 1st is now International Labor Day. In California, the west-coasts center for business, technology, culture and international trade; home to many of American traditional industries, movie, television, recorded music and fast-growing new electronic media; Hollywood is located here. In Washington state, which is located between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascad