The United States of America
美国概况
Geography 美国地理
I. Location and Size
A. Name
a. the United States of America
b. the United States
c. the U.S.
d. America
B. Location
The continental United States lies in central North America with Canada (加拿大) to its north, Mexico (墨西哥) and the Gulf of Mexico (墨西哥湾) to its south, the Atlantic Ocean (大西洋) to its east and the Pacific Ocean (太平洋) to its west. The two newest states Alaska (阿拉斯加) and Hawaii (夏威夷) are separated from the continental United States: Alaska borders on northwestern Canada, and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific.
C. Benefit of its location
The United States has an ideal location for trade. Its Atlantic coast faces the developed countries of Western Europe and its Pacific coast and Hawaii give the nation an approach to the Far East (远东) and Australasia (澳大利西亚). In the past the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans served as natural barriers between the United States and the rest of the world. This allowed the United States to grow and become strong with little outside interference. Today with the development of the means of communication and transportation the world has become smaller and the United States is well connected to the rest of the world.
D. Land area
a. The U.S. has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometers. It is the fourth largest country in the world in size after Russia, Canada and China.
b. The U.S. is a federal republic with many states.
48 states +Alaska +Hawaii (1959)
Alaska: largest
Rhode Island: smallest
Texas: the largest on the main land
Ⅱ. Topography——The Face of the Land
A. Two mountain ranges 两大山脉
a. the Appalachian mountains/ the Appalachians 阿巴拉契亚山脉
走向：from the northeast to southwest
older, lower
noted for forests and mines
seven different local names:
阿巴拉契亚山脉在不同地区的七个名称：
the Green Mountains 格林山脉
the White Mountains 怀特山脉
the Catskills 卡茨基尔山脉
the Alleghenies 阿勒格民山脉
the Cumberlands 坎伯兰山脉
the Blue Ridge mountains 蓝山山脉
the Great Smokies 大雾山脉
b. the Rocky mountains/ the Rockies 落基山脉
走向：from the northwest of southeast
younger, higher——as young as the Himalayas 喜玛拉雅山脉
——the highest peak: the Elbert 坎尔伯特峰
Known as ①the backbone of the North American continent 北美大陆的脊梁
②the Continental Divide 大陆分水岭
The tops of the Rocky Mountain chain form the imaginery north-south line known as the Continental Divide. It separates the major river systems of the United States. The rivers that descend from the eastern slopes of the Rockies flow into the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. Those that begin on the western slopes of the Rockies flow to the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.
B. Rivers and Lakes
a. Rivers
① The Mississippi 密西西比河
The Mississippi, lying between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains is one of the world’s great continental rivers. The Mississippi proper (干流) rises in the lake region in North Minnesota (明尼苏达州北部) and flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. It is 3,782 kilometres long.
②The Missouri 密苏里河
the chief headstream of the Mississippi
The Missouri rises in southwest Montana among the Rocky mountains. It runs 3,725 kilometres before it joins the Mississippi at St. Louis.
③The Ohio 俄亥俄河
It flows from the rainy east at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and joins the Mississippi at Cairo, Illinois. It is about 1,500 kilometres long.
The Ohio River has been called the American Ruhr (after the Ruhr River 鲁尔河in Germany). As in Germany, the area along the river is rich in valuable deposits of high-grade coking coal and is well-known for its steel industry. The river provides cheap water transportation for raw materials.
④The Colorado 科罗拉多河
⑤The Columbia 哥伦比亚河：rises in Canada
The Colorado River rises in the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. It flows 2,330 kilometres and empties into the Gulf of California (加利福尼亚湾). In the dry western country, both rivers are vital sources of life. The Colorado drains an enormous area. All the farms and cities of the southwestern corner of the country depend on its water. Today a system of dams have been built on the river to supply water and electricity for farms, factories and homes.
⑥The Rio Grande River 格兰德河
The Rio Grande River rises in the southern Rocky mountains and flows to the Gulf of Mexico. It is about 3,200 kilometres long and forms a natural boundary between Mexico and the United States.
⑦The Hudson 哈得孙河
⑧The Potomac 波托马克河
b. Lakes
The Great Lakes (五大湖区)：They are all located between Canada and the U.S. except Lake Michigan.
①Lake Superior 苏必利尔湖：the largest fresh water
lake in the world 全世界第一大淡水湖
② Lake Michigan 密歇根湖：the only one entirely in the U.S.
③ Lake Huron 休伦湖
④ Lake Erie 伊利湖
⑤ Lake Ontario 安大略湖
The Importance of the Great Lakes 五大湖的重要性
These lakes are joined together by canals and are linked to the Mississippi River and its tributaries in the Interior Plains and the Atlantic Ocean forming a complete system of waterways. The Great Lakes are the economic lifeline of the Midwest. They provide cheap transportation for materials such as iron ore, coal, and grain. The upper lakes region is a land of great natural wealth, whereas the lower lakes region is a land of industries. The cheap and easy transportation between these two regions is of great importance.
C. Benefits of the topography of U.S.
The United States is a varied land of forests, deserts, mountains, plateaus and fertile plains. ①The long and irregular seacoasts provide many excellent harbours. ②The mountains are rich in mineral resources. ③The fertile gently rolling plains are easy to cultivate. ④A large network of lakes and the Atlantic and Gulf rivers links the interior of the country with the coastal cities. ⑤Many swift rivers provide good sources of hydroelectric power. The United States is a large country, but no single part of it is isolated from other parts. The topography and the excellent system of internal transportation have made possible the free exchange of goods among all sections of the country. With the increased use of automobiles and airplanes, people now travel easily from one part of the country to another.
Ⅲ. Climate 气候
A. Six types of climate
① the humid continental climate 湿润的大陆性气候
in the north-eastern part of the country (New England)
② the humid subtropical climate 湿润的亚热带气候
in the south-eastern part
③ the continental steppe climate 大陆性草原气候
the Great Plains
④ the continental desert climate 大陆性沙漠气候
the inter mountain region
⑤ the maritime climate 海洋性气候
the Pacific northwest
⑥ the Mediterranean climate 地中海式气候
the southern part of the Pacific coast in California
B. Factors influence the climate of the U.S.
Many factor beside latitude influence the climate in the United States. Large bodies of water such as the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes are the most important factors. They keep temperatures moderate in the regions bordering them. Ocean
currents also influence the climate over wide regions. The Gulf stream (墨西哥湾暖流), the Labrador Current (拉布拉多寒流), the cool California Current (加利福尼亚寒流) and the Japan current (日本暖流) are the most important ones. The mountain ranges are another factor. For example, the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges prevent westerly winds from bringing moisture to the intermountain region of the West.
Ⅳ. Geographical Regions 地理区划
Traditionally from the east to west the United States can be divided into seven geographical regions. They are New England, the Middle Atlantic states, the Midwest, the South, the Great Plains, Rockies and Intermountain region or the American West, the Pacific Coast and the New States.
①New England 新英格兰
——The birthplace of America 美国的发源地
——Famous for its position in education:
Yale 耶鲁大学
Harvard 哈佛大学
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 麻省理工学院
——New Englanders were originally known as Yankees (杨基佬), which came to stand for all Americans.
②The Middle Atlantic States 大西洋中部各州
——a highly industrialized area
the nerve centre of the country 全国的神经中枢
——Famous cities: Washington D.C., New York
③The Midwest 中西部
——It’s America’s most important agricultural area
It is also a major manufacturing region and the nation’s leading centre of heavy industry. ——Chicago 芝加哥
Detroit 底特律: the automobile capital of the world Toledo and Cleveland 托莱多和克利夫兰（俄亥俄州）
St. Louis 圣·路易丝
Omaha 奥马哈：the agricultural capital of the United States
④The South 南部
——rich in mineral resources
——one of the richest oil-producing regions in the world
——Florida 佛罗里达
⑤The American West 美国西部
——3 parts: the Great Plains
the Rocky Mountains
the Intermountain Basin and Plateaus
——Colorado 科罗拉多：the steel city of the west
Denver 丹佛
——Mining is the chief industry in the Rocky Mountains.
Another important industry is the tourist trade (旅游业)
National Parks: 国家公园
①Yellowstone National Park: 黄石国家公园
②Rocky Mountain National Park: 落基山国家公园
③Glacier National Park: 冰川国家公园
——Hoover Dam 胡佛水坝
——the Grand Canyon 科罗拉多大峡谷
⑥The region of the Pacific Coast 太平洋沿岸地区
——California’s Imperial Valley 帝国山谷
——Los Angeles 洛杉矶
San Francisco 旧金山
Portland 波特兰
Seattle 西雅图
⑦Alaska and Hawaii
——Geographical differences between Alaska and Hawaii
a. Alaska extends northward into the Arctic Circle, and Hawaii extends southward into the Tropic of Cancer.
b. Alaska has the largest land area of all the states, and Hawaii has one of the smallest land areas.
c. Alaska is rich in natural resources, and Hawaii has rich volcanic soil.
——Inuits 因纽特人
Eskimos 爱斯基摩人
——Mauna Loa 冒纳罗亚火山：the world’s largest active volcano
——Sugar cane and pineapples are Hawaii’s two main crops.
——Tourism is Hawaii’s most important industry.
Population, Race and Ethnic Groups
人口与民族
I. Introduction
A. The United States of America, with a population of 255.5 million in July 1992, is the third most populous country in the world after China and India.
B. Immigration (移民) accounts for a major source of population growth. The United States had a more or less open-door policy to immigrants from independence until the 1960s. Ellis Island of New York was an important immigration reception spot in the 1890s and at the turn of the century. Even with later restrictions, immigration has continued at a high level.
C. Great changes took place in the recent decades in the population of different regions in the United States. Such population movements reflected the shift from traditional manufacturing industries in the Northeast and Midwest to high-technology industries, whose growth has been most notable in the sunbelt states of the South and Mountain regions. Arizona (亚利桑那), Nevada and Florida have been the fastest growing states in population for the last 20 years.
D. Most of the population in the United States live in city areas. The biggest city was New York, which was followed by Los Angeles (洛杉矶), Chicago (芝加哥), San Francisco (旧金山) and Philadelphia (费城).
E. Changes in age structure during the 1980s reflect past trends in child bearing: the low birth rate in the two decades ending in 1945, the higher birth rate during the “baby boom” (1946-1964) and the lower birth rate afterwards.
Ⅱ. Immigration
A. The first immigrants in American history came from England and the Netherlands. Though immigration had been a familiar aspect of American development throughout the colonial period, the largest immigration movement did not take place until 1815.
B. In American history, there were three major immigration waves. The first wave began in the mid 1810s, grew steadily during the 1830s and 40s and reached the highest point in 1845. The second wave happened between 1860 and 1890. The third wave was the largest of the three. It happened between 1890 and 1914 and was drawn mainly from southern and central European countries.
Ⅲ. Population Movement
A. Mobility is considered to be one of the characteristics of the American people.
B. There are four great population movements in the history of the United States. The first was between the end of the civil war and 1880 when the westward movement came to a halt. In this period, the flow of population was from the densely-populated east coast to the sparsely-populated west. The second was between 1890 and 1920, a period when the United States realized its industrialization and urbanization. The main feature was the movement of population from the rural areas to cities. The third was from 1920 to 1960 with the 1940s, the war years, as the peak. In this period a large number of black people moved out of the south to other areas. The fourth and the last one so far is from the end of the 1960s till now. In this period, the population flow is from the Northeast and Central North to the West and the South, that is, to the sunbelt areas. Population in the South increased by 55.47% between 1960 and 1990 and population in the west increased by 88.17% in the same period.
Ⅳ. Racial and Ethnic Minorities 少数民族
A. Blacks 黑人
a. The largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. is the blacks. The first blacks were brought to North America as slaves in 1619. Uncle Tom’s Cabin汤姆叔叔的小屋and Roots根are two novels giving a vivid description of the miserable life of the black slaves.
b. The slave system was formally ended by Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. But even after the abolition of slavery, open or covert, organized or individual discrimination was practiced against black Americans.
c. ①The civil rights movement in the 1960s.
②The Civil Rights Act of 1964.
③The Voting Rights Act of 1965.
B. Hispanics 拉美裔美国人
Hispanic: Spanish-speaking people of any race
a. The Spanish-speaking population of the United States is a large diverse and rapidly growing one.
b. Three major Hispanic groups historically have had the greatest influence on the United States. ①Mexican-Americans (墨西哥裔美国人), or Chicanos, make up the largest group and most of them have settled in the south-western United States.
②The next largest group are the Puerto Ricans (波多黎各人). They have settled in the large cities in the eastern seaboard.
③In the third place are the Cuban-Americans (古巴人) who got away from Cuba after the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and are now gathered in the Miami area. In general, the Cuban-Americans have done the best economically.
④Another group: least known. They are the recent Central and South American immigrants (中南美洲移民) who fled their countries as a result of political and social unrest. They are actually refugees (难民) who are poorer, less educated and mostly from rural backgrounds.
c. Many Hispanics are in lower-paying jobs. The most important obstacle to Hispanic success in the labor market is their low education. Hispanics have the highest school dropout rate of any major racial and ethnic group;
d. The Hispanics are getting organized today to fight for equal treatment.
C. Asian-Americans 亚裔美国人
a. The Asian and Pacific Islander population was 3% of the total population in the United States. Most Asian-Americans are doing well in the United States. A higher percentage of Asian-Americans complete university study. Experts say three Asian traditions best explain the success of Asian-Americans: education, hard work, and family.
b. The largest group of Asian-Americans are the Chinese-Americans.
① the gold rush
② the construction of the railroad in the 1860s
③ In May, 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which stopped Chinese
immigration for 10 years.
④ In 1902 Chinese immigration was stopped for an indefinite period.
⑤ It was not canceled until 1943 during the Second World War when China became an ally to
the United States.
c. The Japanese-Americans form the second largest group.
D. Indians 印第安人
a. For centuries before the arrival of the first Europeans, the lands of what is now the United States were populated by “Indians” called by Columbus.
b. After the civil war, government reservations (印第安人保留地), land specially set aside for the Indians, were established. Today, Native Indians live on the 278 reservations scattered around the United States. The social and economic conditions of the Indians are often poor. Their average life expectancy (寿命) is around 50 years.
c. Since the 1960s, a militant social movement, the American Indian Movement, has arisen. E. White ethnics 白人的民族背景
Traditionally, the mainstream Americans were called WASPs, that is, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. But actually there is a much greater variety of ethnic groups. 13.1% of the U.S. population had English roots, 23.2% had German roots and 15.5% had Irish roots.
The United States of America
美国概况
Geography 美国地理
I. Location and Size
A. Name
a. the United States of America
b. the United States
c. the U.S.
d. America
B. Location
The continental United States lies in central North America with Canada (加拿大) to its north, Mexico (墨西哥) and the Gulf of Mexico (墨西哥湾) to its south, the Atlantic Ocean (大西洋) to its east and the Pacific Ocean (太平洋) to its west. The two newest states Alaska (阿拉斯加) and Hawaii (夏威夷) are separated from the continental United States: Alaska borders on northwestern Canada, and Hawaii lies in the central Pacific.
C. Benefit of its location
The United States has an ideal location for trade. Its Atlantic coast faces the developed countries of Western Europe and its Pacific coast and Hawaii give the nation an approach to the Far East (远东) and Australasia (澳大利西亚). In the past the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans served as natural barriers between the United States and the rest of the world. This allowed the United States to grow and become strong with little outside interference. Today with the development of the means of communication and transportation the world has become smaller and the United States is well connected to the rest of the world.
D. Land area
a. The U.S. has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometers. It is the fourth largest country in the world in size after Russia, Canada and China.
b. The U.S. is a federal republic with many states.
48 states +Alaska +Hawaii (1959)
Alaska: largest
Rhode Island: smallest
Texas: the largest on the main land
Ⅱ. Topography——The Face of the Land
A. Two mountain ranges 两大山脉
a. the Appalachian mountains/ the Appalachians 阿巴拉契亚山脉
走向：from the northeast to southwest
older, lower
noted for forests and mines
seven different local names:
阿巴拉契亚山脉在不同地区的七个名称：
the Green Mountains 格林山脉
the White Mountains 怀特山脉
the Catskills 卡茨基尔山脉
the Alleghenies 阿勒格民山脉
the Cumberlands 坎伯兰山脉
the Blue Ridge mountains 蓝山山脉
the Great Smokies 大雾山脉
b. the Rocky mountains/ the Rockies 落基山脉
走向：from the northwest of southeast
younger, higher——as young as the Himalayas 喜玛拉雅山脉
——the highest peak: the Elbert 坎尔伯特峰
Known as ①the backbone of the North American continent 北美大陆的脊梁
②the Continental Divide 大陆分水岭
The tops of the Rocky Mountain chain form the imaginery north-south line known as the Continental Divide. It separates the major river systems of the United States. The rivers that descend from the eastern slopes of the Rockies flow into the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. Those that begin on the western slopes of the Rockies flow to the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.
B. Rivers and Lakes
a. Rivers
① The Mississippi 密西西比河
The Mississippi, lying between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains is one of the world’s great continental rivers. The Mississippi proper (干流) rises in the lake region in North Minnesota (明尼苏达州北部) and flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. It is 3,782 kilometres long.
②The Missouri 密苏里河
the chief headstream of the Mississippi
The Missouri rises in southwest Montana among the Rocky mountains. It runs 3,725 kilometres before it joins the Mississippi at St. Louis.
③The Ohio 俄亥俄河
It flows from the rainy east at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and joins the Mississippi at Cairo, Illinois. It is about 1,500 kilometres long.
The Ohio River has been called the American Ruhr (after the Ruhr River 鲁尔河in Germany). As in Germany, the area along the river is rich in valuable deposits of high-grade coking coal and is well-known for its steel industry. The river provides cheap water transportation for raw materials.
④The Colorado 科罗拉多河
⑤The Columbia 哥伦比亚河：rises in Canada
The Colorado River rises in the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. It flows 2,330 kilometres and empties into the Gulf of California (加利福尼亚湾). In the dry western country, both rivers are vital sources of life. The Colorado drains an enormous area. All the farms and cities of the southwestern corner of the country depend on its water. Today a system of dams have been built on the river to supply water and electricity for farms, factories and homes.
⑥The Rio Grande River 格兰德河
The Rio Grande River rises in the southern Rocky mountains and flows to the Gulf of Mexico. It is about 3,200 kilometres long and forms a natural boundary between Mexico and the United States.
⑦The Hudson 哈得孙河
⑧The Potomac 波托马克河
b. Lakes
The Great Lakes (五大湖区)：They are all located between Canada and the U.S. except Lake Michigan.
①Lake Superior 苏必利尔湖：the largest fresh water
lake in the world 全世界第一大淡水湖
② Lake Michigan 密歇根湖：the only one entirely in the U.S.
③ Lake Huron 休伦湖
④ Lake Erie 伊利湖
⑤ Lake Ontario 安大略湖
The Importance of the Great Lakes 五大湖的重要性
These lakes are joined together by canals and are linked to the Mississippi River and its tributaries in the Interior Plains and the Atlantic Ocean forming a complete system of waterways. The Great Lakes are the economic lifeline of the Midwest. They provide cheap transportation for materials such as iron ore, coal, and grain. The upper lakes region is a land of great natural wealth, whereas the lower lakes region is a land of industries. The cheap and easy transportation between these two regions is of great importance.
C. Benefits of the topography of U.S.
The United States is a varied land of forests, deserts, mountains, plateaus and fertile plains. ①The long and irregular seacoasts provide many excellent harbours. ②The mountains are rich in mineral resources. ③The fertile gently rolling plains are easy to cultivate. ④A large network of lakes and the Atlantic and Gulf rivers links the interior of the country with the coastal cities. ⑤Many swift rivers provide good sources of hydroelectric power. The United States is a large country, but no single part of it is isolated from other parts. The topography and the excellent system of internal transportation have made possible the free exchange of goods among all sections of the country. With the increased use of automobiles and airplanes, people now travel easily from one part of the country to another.
Ⅲ. Climate 气候
A. Six types of climate
① the humid continental climate 湿润的大陆性气候
in the north-eastern part of the country (New England)
② the humid subtropical climate 湿润的亚热带气候
in the south-eastern part
③ the continental steppe climate 大陆性草原气候
the Great Plains
④ the continental desert climate 大陆性沙漠气候
the inter mountain region
⑤ the maritime climate 海洋性气候
the Pacific northwest
⑥ the Mediterranean climate 地中海式气候
the southern part of the Pacific coast in California
B. Factors influence the climate of the U.S.
Many factor beside latitude influence the climate in the United States. Large bodies of water such as the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes are the most important factors. They keep temperatures moderate in the regions bordering them. Ocean
currents also influence the climate over wide regions. The Gulf stream (墨西哥湾暖流), the Labrador Current (拉布拉多寒流), the cool California Current (加利福尼亚寒流) and the Japan current (日本暖流) are the most important ones. The mountain ranges are another factor. For example, the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges prevent westerly winds from bringing moisture to the intermountain region of the West.
Ⅳ. Geographical Regions 地理区划
Traditionally from the east to west the United States can be divided into seven geographical regions. They are New England, the Middle Atlantic states, the Midwest, the South, the Great Plains, Rockies and Intermountain region or the American West, the Pacific Coast and the New States.
①New England 新英格兰
——The birthplace of America 美国的发源地
——Famous for its position in education:
Yale 耶鲁大学
Harvard 哈佛大学
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 麻省理工学院
——New Englanders were originally known as Yankees (杨基佬), which came to stand for all Americans.
②The Middle Atlantic States 大西洋中部各州
——a highly industrialized area
the nerve centre of the country 全国的神经中枢
——Famous cities: Washington D.C., New York
③The Midwest 中西部
——It’s America’s most important agricultural area
It is also a major manufacturing region and the nation’s leading centre of heavy industry. ——Chicago 芝加哥
Detroit 底特律: the automobile capital of the world Toledo and Cleveland 托莱多和克利夫兰（俄亥俄州）
St. Louis 圣·路易丝
Omaha 奥马哈：the agricultural capital of the United States
④The South 南部
——rich in mineral resources
——one of the richest oil-producing regions in the world
——Florida 佛罗里达
⑤The American West 美国西部
——3 parts: the Great Plains
the Rocky Mountains
the Intermountain Basin and Plateaus
——Colorado 科罗拉多：the steel city of the west
Denver 丹佛
——Mining is the chief industry in the Rocky Mountains.
Another important industry is the tourist trade (旅游业)
National Parks: 国家公园
①Yellowstone National Park: 黄石国家公园
②Rocky Mountain National Park: 落基山国家公园
③Glacier National Park: 冰川国家公园
——Hoover Dam 胡佛水坝
——the Grand Canyon 科罗拉多大峡谷
⑥The region of the Pacific Coast 太平洋沿岸地区
——California’s Imperial Valley 帝国山谷
——Los Angeles 洛杉矶
San Francisco 旧金山
Portland 波特兰
Seattle 西雅图
⑦Alaska and Hawaii
——Geographical differences between Alaska and Hawaii
a. Alaska extends northward into the Arctic Circle, and Hawaii extends southward into the Tropic of Cancer.
b. Alaska has the largest land area of all the states, and Hawaii has one of the smallest land areas.
c. Alaska is rich in natural resources, and Hawaii has rich volcanic soil.
——Inuits 因纽特人
Eskimos 爱斯基摩人
——Mauna Loa 冒纳罗亚火山：the world’s largest active volcano
——Sugar cane and pineapples are Hawaii’s two main crops.
——Tourism is Hawaii’s most important industry.
Population, Race and Ethnic Groups
人口与民族
I. Introduction
A. The United States of America, with a population of 255.5 million in July 1992, is the third most populous country in the world after China and India.
B. Immigration (移民) accounts for a major source of population growth. The United States had a more or less open-door policy to immigrants from independence until the 1960s. Ellis Island of New York was an important immigration reception spot in the 1890s and at the turn of the century. Even with later restrictions, immigration has continued at a high level.
C. Great changes took place in the recent decades in the population of different regions in the United States. Such population movements reflected the shift from traditional manufacturing industries in the Northeast and Midwest to high-technology industries, whose growth has been most notable in the sunbelt states of the South and Mountain regions. Arizona (亚利桑那), Nevada and Florida have been the fastest growing states in population for the last 20 years.
D. Most of the population in the United States live in city areas. The biggest city was New York, which was followed by Los Angeles (洛杉矶), Chicago (芝加哥), San Francisco (旧金山) and Philadelphia (费城).
E. Changes in age structure during the 1980s reflect past trends in child bearing: the low birth rate in the two decades ending in 1945, the higher birth rate during the “baby boom” (1946-1964) and the lower birth rate afterwards.
Ⅱ. Immigration
A. The first immigrants in American history came from England and the Netherlands. Though immigration had been a familiar aspect of American development throughout the colonial period, the largest immigration movement did not take place until 1815.
B. In American history, there were three major immigration waves. The first wave began in the mid 1810s, grew steadily during the 1830s and 40s and reached the highest point in 1845. The second wave happened between 1860 and 1890. The third wave was the largest of the three. It happened between 1890 and 1914 and was drawn mainly from southern and central European countries.
Ⅲ. Population Movement
A. Mobility is considered to be one of the characteristics of the American people.
B. There are four great population movements in the history of the United States. The first was between the end of the civil war and 1880 when the westward movement came to a halt. In this period, the flow of population was from the densely-populated east coast to the sparsely-populated west. The second was between 1890 and 1920, a period when the United States realized its industrialization and urbanization. The main feature was the movement of population from the rural areas to cities. The third was from 1920 to 1960 with the 1940s, the war years, as the peak. In this period a large number of black people moved out of the south to other areas. The fourth and the last one so far is from the end of the 1960s till now. In this period, the population flow is from the Northeast and Central North to the West and the South, that is, to the sunbelt areas. Population in the South increased by 55.47% between 1960 and 1990 and population in the west increased by 88.17% in the same period.
Ⅳ. Racial and Ethnic Minorities 少数民族
A. Blacks 黑人
a. The largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. is the blacks. The first blacks were brought to North America as slaves in 1619. Uncle Tom’s Cabin汤姆叔叔的小屋and Roots根are two novels giving a vivid description of the miserable life of the black slaves.
b. The slave system was formally ended by Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. But even after the abolition of slavery, open or covert, organized or individual discrimination was practiced against black Americans.
c. ①The civil rights movement in the 1960s.
②The Civil Rights Act of 1964.
③The Voting Rights Act of 1965.
B. Hispanics 拉美裔美国人
Hispanic: Spanish-speaking people of any race
a. The Spanish-speaking population of the United States is a large diverse and rapidly growing one.
b. Three major Hispanic groups historically have had the greatest influence on the United States. ①Mexican-Americans (墨西哥裔美国人), or Chicanos, make up the largest group and most of them have settled in the south-western United States.
②The next largest group are the Puerto Ricans (波多黎各人). They have settled in the large cities in the eastern seaboard.
③In the third place are the Cuban-Americans (古巴人) who got away from Cuba after the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and are now gathered in the Miami area. In general, the Cuban-Americans have done the best economically.
④Another group: least known. They are the recent Central and South American immigrants (中南美洲移民) who fled their countries as a result of political and social unrest. They are actually refugees (难民) who are poorer, less educated and mostly from rural backgrounds.
c. Many Hispanics are in lower-paying jobs. The most important obstacle to Hispanic success in the labor market is their low education. Hispanics have the highest school dropout rate of any major racial and ethnic group;
d. The Hispanics are getting organized today to fight for equal treatment.
C. Asian-Americans 亚裔美国人
a. The Asian and Pacific Islander population was 3% of the total population in the United States. Most Asian-Americans are doing well in the United States. A higher percentage of Asian-Americans complete university study. Experts say three Asian traditions best explain the success of Asian-Americans: education, hard work, and family.
b. The largest group of Asian-Americans are the Chinese-Americans.
① the gold rush
② the construction of the railroad in the 1860s
③ In May, 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which stopped Chinese
immigration for 10 years.
④ In 1902 Chinese immigration was stopped for an indefinite period.
⑤ It was not canceled until 1943 during the Second World War when China became an ally to
the United States.
c. The Japanese-Americans form the second largest group.
D. Indians 印第安人
a. For centuries before the arrival of the first Europeans, the lands of what is now the United States were populated by “Indians” called by Columbus.
b. After the civil war, government reservations (印第安人保留地), land specially set aside for the Indians, were established. Today, Native Indians live on the 278 reservations scattered around the United States. The social and economic conditions of the Indians are often poor. Their average life expectancy (寿命) is around 50 years.
c. Since the 1960s, a militant social movement, the American Indian Movement, has arisen. E. White ethnics 白人的民族背景
Traditionally, the mainstream Americans were called WASPs, that is, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. But actually there is a much greater variety of ethnic groups. 13.1% of the U.S. population had English roots, 23.2% had German roots and 15.5% had Irish roots.