Chapter 1 美国部分

Chapter 1 American BeginningsI. What is an American?- In 1782, the Frenchman J.Hector St. John de Crevecoeur(赫克托圣约翰德克雷夫科尔), who settled in Pennsylvania first asked the question and answered it in his book Letters from an American Farmer(美国农人书简)。He believed that the American was a new man with the mixed blood of Europeans or their descendants. This new man left behind him all the ancient European traditions and received new ones in the New World. In North America, all individuals were melted into a new race of the American. This new man acted upon new principles, entertained new ideas and formed new opinions.(新型的人按照新的原则办事，吸取新的思想，形成新的见解)II. two immigration movements to the Americas- 1. from Asia (American Indians, who were mistakenly called by Columbus, moved to the Americas from Asia about 25 000 years ago. They developed their own aboriginal cultures and some of them such as the Aztecs(阿兹台克文化/墨西哥地区), the Incas（印加文化/秘鲁地区） and the Mayas(玛亚文化/中美洲) were very advanced when Europeans arrived in the New World. But, as a result of European conquest, the Indian population was quickly reduced and their cultures were ruthlessly destroyed.- 2. from Europe and Africa, began with the expansion of Europe from the 16th century.(the discovery of America- Christopher Columbus, an Italian sailor, believed that by sailing west from Europe he could reach the East. In 1492, he persuaded the Spanish monarchy to support his voyage. He landed on one of the Bahama Islands(巴哈马群岛) in the Caribbean Sea and thus “discovered ” the New World. Based on his voyage, the Spanish king claimed the territory of the Americas and later conquered the native Americans and established a huge empire.) * The English king claimed the territory of North America based on the voyage in the year of 1497 of another Italian sailor John Cabot(约翰卡伯特) IV. the forces that brought about the modern development of Europe- 1. capitalism- 2. Renaissance- 3. Religious Reformation (in 1517, Martin Luther, a German theology professor, started to reform the Catholic Church which had dominated Europe for centuries. He challenged the authority of the Pope and attacked the practice of the sale of indulgences. He believed that people could be saved only by their faith in Jesus Christ and through a direct contact with God. The next important leader of the Reformation was John Calvin(约翰加尔文).The Religious Reformation, which was capitalistic in nature, had great impact on the modern development of Europe and North America.)Four colonial patternsV. the settlement of Virginia (the 1st English permanent settlement in North America)- The 1st English permanent settlement was organized in 1607 by the London Company(伦敦贸易公司) with a charter（特许状）from the English king James I. The colonists settled in Virginia and survived by imposing strict discipline on themselves and by transplanting tobacco into the colony of Virginia. In 1619, the settlers elected their delegates and set up the House of Burgesses (议会), and the same time these white people seeking their own freedom bought and enslaved（奴役）black servants. These two events greatly influenced the political and social development of the United States later.VI. Puritanism - the 2nd enduring English settlement was established in Massachusetts Bay in 1620 by English puritans, who followed the doctrine of John Calvin and wanted to purify the Church of England. They believed that human beings were predestined by God before they were born(他们深信人的命运是生前就由上帝注定的。这是清教主义的命运天定说). Some were Gods chosen people while others were damned to hell. No church nor good works could save people. The sign of being Gods elect was the success in his work or the prosperity in his calling. (一个人工作上的成功或事业上的兴旺是上帝选民的标志) They also argued that everyone must read the Bible in order to find Gods will and establish a direct contact with God. (他们还说人人都要读圣经，从中探索上帝的意志，与上帝建立直接的联系).These beliefs had great impact on American culture.- the Pilgrim Fathers (清教移民先驱)Puritans in England were persecuted for their religious beliefs, and some of them fled to Holland. In Holland, they found it hard to live in a foreign land, so they decided to move North America so that they could worship as they pleased. Supported by some merchants in London, they went on board the Mayflower in 1620. Before they landed on todays New England, they signed the Mayflower Compact (五月花公约)for the future civil government of their colony. These early Puritans in New England were called the Pilgrim Fathers.- the influence of Puritanism on American culture Puritans have left rich cultural heritage to future Americans. The American values such as individualism, hard work, respect of education owe very much to the Puritan beliefs.(美国的价值观，如个人主义，勤奋工作，尊重教育等，在很大程度上源于清教主义)VII. Lord Baltimore and his feudal plan- the 3 rd colonial pattern in North America was the pattern in the colony of Maryland founded by the Catholics. The founder was the second Lord Baltimore, who carried out his fathers will to set up a colony in North America(in todays Maryland) in 1632 and became the owner of the colony. He wished to introduce a feudal system similar to the manor system in Europe to his colony. Each gentleman who brought 5 servants with him settled in his land was allowed to establish a manor of 2000 acres. But this feudal plan was doomed and the colony followed a capitalist development road. (*In order to develop his colony, he encouraged the immigration of Protestants as well as Roman Catholics. The Protestant settlers, most of whom were capitalistic-minded, outnumbered the Catholics. It was impossible to have the feudal plan executed. In 1648, he appointed a Protestant governor and the next year, the Maryland Toleration Act(马里兰宗教容忍法) was passed.)VIII. Quakerism- the 4 th colonial pattern in North America was set by William Penn(an English Quaker who wanted to establish a colony for persecuted fellow religious believers. He assured religious freedom and easy terms for land in Pennsylvania to those Europeans who wished to settle in his colony. In his Holy Experiment, he encouraged the spirit of liberty and equality and carried out the policy of separation of state and church. He set no restrictions on immigration and naturalization was made easy for non-English Europeans. All this has left rich heritage to American culture) - Quakers were a group of Protestants. They believed that people could communicate with God because Gods divine light was in everyones heart. They believed in God through faith without the help of church or priest. Those religious beliefs taught them that people were born equal, and not sinful. They worked hard and lived a simple life in order to please God. - the heritage of the Holy Experiment in American culture - the idea of the melting-pot was practiced here - a proof that man could lead a good life without absolute monarch, feudalism or religious and racial uniformity - inspired some American founding fathersIX. the American Revolution- the causes 1.The English people and Europeans in the 13 English colonies in the North America had become Americans, ready to separate themselves from the Old World.2. Britains victory in the war fought between Britain and France led directly to a conflict with its American colonies. The British government began to charge new taxes (*the stamp tax印花税, the tea tax, etc.)because they argued that Britain had spent large sums of money defending their American colonies and that the colonists therefore should pay a part of those expenses. “No taxation without representation”(没有代表权就不纳税) was their rallying cry(是号召北美人民团结起来一致抗英的口号). 3. In1773, the “Boston Tea Party ” tossed British merchants tea into Boston harbor.4. Te Americans disobeyed the Intolerable Act passed by British Parliament and boycotted British trade.* On April 19, 1775, the first shot was fired. The American war of Independence began. And it ended in 1781.- major leaders 1.George Washington was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the War of Independence against the British colonial rule and the first President of the United States.2. Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic. He was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States.3. Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic. He participated in writing the Declaration of Independence and making the U.S. Constitution.- the Declaration of Independence mainly drafted by Thomas Jefferson and was adopted by the Congress on July 4, 1776, when the people of 13 English colonies in North America were fighting for their freedom and independence from the British colonial rule. The document declared that all men were equal and that they were entitled to have some unalienable (不可剥夺的) rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It also explained the philosophy of governments: the powers of governments came from the consent of the governed and the purpose of governments was to secure the rights mentioned above. The theory of politics and the guiding principles of the American Revolution mainly came from John Locke(约翰洛克)