GeographicalFeaturesandNaturalResources

.Inarea,theUnitedStatesisthe4thlargestcountryintheworld.

.TheMidwestintheUSreferstotheregionaroundtheGreatLakesandtheupperMississippiValley.

.TheBackboneofNorthAmericareferstotheRockyMountains

.DeathValleyisonthewesternedgeoftheGreatBasin.

.TheGreatPlainsmighthaveaduststorminsummer.

.ThewesternpartofWashingtonStatehasthehighestrainfallintheUS.

.TheUSprimarysuppliersofforeignoilarethefollowingcountriesexceptJapan

.TheUSlargestopen-pitcopper-miningcenterisinUtah.

TheUnitedStatesisborderedonthenorthbyCanada,onthesouthbyMexicoandtheGuffofMexico,ontheeastbytheAtlanticOcean,andonthewestbythePacificOcean.

ThelargeterritoryofthecontinentalUSisdividedintothreebasicareas:

theAtlanticseacoastwesttotheAppalachians

theMississippiRiverBasin

theRockieswesttothePacific

TheMiddleAtlanticStatesarethemostdenselypopulatedregionintheUS,wherethelandisflatandfertile.

TheCentralValleyofCaliforniaisahighlyproductivearea,whichproducedenormousamountsoffruitsandvegetables.

MostproductionofoilandnaturalgasintheUScomesfromoffshoreareasofLouisianaandTexas,andfromonshoreareasofTexas,OklahomaandCalifornia.HerbigconsumptionofenergynowhasmadeAmericainsufficientinoilsupply.TheUSrelianceofforeignoilhasremindedconsistentlyinthe40%ranges.

TheUnitedStateshaslittletroublecausedbytheshortageoffreshwater.FarmlandsintheUSmakingupabout12%ofthearablelandsintheworld,andtheyareamongtherichestandmostproductive.

AmericanPopulation

.Theover3millionofearlyAmericansin1790weremostlyofBritishancestry.

.About700,000immigrantswerelegallyreceivedbytheUSeachyearduringthe1980s.

.TheofficialracialsegregationcontinuedtobethelawoftheUSuntil1954.

.AmericanIndiansnowmainlyliveintheSouth.

.ThemajorityofAmericanHispanicsarefromthefollowingcountriesexceptSpain.

.TheWestnowleadsinpercentageincreaseinpopulation.

.Accordingtothe1994UScensus,thesecondmostpopulousstateintheUSisTaxes.

.ThetrendinmigrationfromcitiestosuburbsnowprevailedinallregionsexcepttheSouth.

.TheUnitedStatesisthethirdmostpopulousnationintheworld.

.Priorto1875anyonefromanycountrycouldentertheUSfreelyandtakeuppermanentresidencethere.LatertheUSCongresspassedlawsrestrictingimmigrationonthebasisofmorality,race,andnationalorigin.The1952ImmigrationandNationalityActreaffirmednationaloriginasthechiefcriterionforeligibilityandestablishedapreferentialsystemforskilledworkersandforrelativesoftheUScitizens.FormanyyearstheUSrestrictedtototalnumberofimmigrantsto270,000eachyear,althoughtherealimmigrantsnumberedmuchgreaterthanthelimit.The1990ImmigrationActlimitsthetotalnumberofimmigrantsto700,000from1992to1995and675,000thereafter.

.ThefirstblacksarrivedinJamestownin1619asindenturedservants,butsoon[after1619theywerebroughttocoloniesasslaves.Theblackswereformallyfreedin1863,butcontinuedtosuffertheinstitutionalizedsegregationforaboutacentury.TodaymanyblacksstillliveintheSouth,somehaveenteredthemiddleclass,butone-thirdofallblackfamiliesstilllivebelowthepovertyline.

.TheChinese-Americanshaveprovedtobeindustriousandintelligent.Theyarenowviewedasa“modelminority”intheUS.Accordingtothe2010UScensus,therewereabout3.8millionChinese-AmericanslivingintheUS.Thefigurewasmorethantwicewhatitwasin1990.

Chapter3DiscoveryandColonizationoftheNewWorld

TheancestorsofthepresentAmericanIndianscamefromAsia.

“Theambitionforthevastlands”isnotcorrecttoexplainthereasonsforthesuddendaringexplorationoftheunknowninthemid-15thcentury.

Onhisvoyageof1492,ColumbusexpectedtoreachIndia.

VascodaGamadiscoveredtheroutetoIndia.

JohnCabotwassentbytheEnglishKingtoexplorethenewwaytotheeast.

NewYorkwasnotfoundedfirstbytheEnglish.

ThebreadbasketcoloniesincludethefollowingonesexceptVirginia.(NewYork,Pennsylvania,Maryland)

Thelastoneofthe13colonieswasGeorgia,whichwasestablishedin1733.

In1488BartholomewDiaz,sailingunderthePortugueseflag,wenttotheCapeofGoodHopeatthesouthernAfrica.In1492ChristopherColumbus,financedbyrulersofSpainsailedwestacrosstheAtlanticOceananddiscoveredtheislandsoftheCaribbean.HewasconvincedthathehadfoundthecontinentofAsia.

TheSouthAfricawasdiscoveredbyAmerigoVespucciwhoshowedthelandhearrivedinwasanewcontinent.BeforelongthelandwasnamedAmericaafterhisname.

Jamestown,thefirstpermanentEnglishsettlement,wasfoundedin1607.In1620,PilgrimsandothersarrivedinPlymouth,Massachusetts.Theydrewup“MayflowerCompact”

By1775,the13coloniesinNorthAmericacouldbeclassifiedasthefollowingthreekinds.Specifyhowthegovernorswerechosenineach.

Royal:appointedbytheEnglishKing

Proprietary:chosenbyproprietors

Self-governing:electedbyresidents

BecausetheNewEnglandcoloniesweredifficultoffarming,theybecomeacenterforfishingandshipbuilding.Themiddlecolonieswereknownasthebreadbasket,whichproducedwheatandpotatoesasthemajorstaple.Thesoutherncoloniesdevelopedaplantationsystem.ThemaincropintheSouthwastobacco.Muchlater,cottonbecameimportantcrop.

Chapter4AmericanRevolution

Therewasagreatchangeinpolicytowardsthe13coloniesafter1763.

TheStampActof1765firstsetalargescaleofoppositioninthecolonies.

TheTeaActof1773waspassedbytheBritishParliamentinordertohelptheBritishEastIndiaCompany.

TheFirstContinentalCongresswasattendedbytherepresentativesfromallthecoloniesexceptGeorgia.

ThefirstshotoftheAmericanWarofIndependencewasfiredinLexington.

ThomasPaine’sCommonSenseurgedtheAmericancoloniststodeclaretheirindependence.

TheprincipalauthoroftheDeclarationofIndependencewasThomasJefferson.

ThevictoryatSaratogawasconsideredastheturningpointoftheWarofIndependence.

DuringthecolonialdaystheEnglishrulingclassdideverythingtheycouldtocontrolthedevelopmentofthecolonialeconomy.ThecoloniesinNorthAmericaweresupposedtocomplementandnotcompetewithEnglishindustry.

Withinthefiveyearsfrom1763to1767afterthewarwithFrance,theBritishgovernmentadoptedseveralmeasurestoextractmoremoneyfromcolonies.TheSugarActof1764andtheStampActof1765,forexample,laidtaxesoncertainimportsandnumerousarticlesinAmericatohelppayforthecostsofBritishgovernmentinthecolonies.

TheSonsofLibertywasformedin1765toorganizetheoppositiontotheStampAct.Theyfavoredtotakeviolentactiontothestampcollectors.

ThefirstContinentalCongresswasheldinPhiladelphiainSep.1774.ThemajorityoftherepresentativesstillfavortotakepeacefulmeanstosettlethequarrelwiththeBritish.TheyagreedtorefusetobuyEnglishgoods,hopinginthiswaytoforcetheBritishgovernmenttogiveintotheirdemands.Thisunitedactioncouldbecalledboycott.

TheDeclarationofIndependencewassignedonJuly4,1776.KarlMarxoncecalledit“thefirstdeclarationoftherightsoftheindividual”.

TheAmericanWarofIndependencelasted7years.Thefightingwasactuallyendedin1781,butthefinaltreatybetweenBritainandtheUnitedStateswassignedinParisin1783.TheboundariesoftheUnitedStateswerefixedroughlyfromtheAtlanticOceantotheMississippiRiveronthewestandfromtheGreatLakesonthenorthtoSpanishFloridaonthesouth.ThedirectsocialchangebroughtaboutbytheAmericanRevolutionwastheemancipationofslaveswhofoughtagainsttheBritish.

Chapter5theConfederationandtheConstitution

Theconfederationcreatedin1781wasaverylooseunionofstates.

JamesMadisonwascalledtheFatheroftheUSConstitution.

TheConstitutionwasframesonthefollowingidealsexceptthatthenewgovernmentshouldimposeitsauthorityonthepeoplethroughstates.

ThosewhosupportedtheConstitutionandpreferredastrongnationalgovernmentwerecalledFederalists.

NineStateswereneededtoratifytheConstitution.

“Theyspelloutthepeople’sright”isincorrecttocommentontheFederalistPapers.

TheamendmentoftheConstitutionrequirestheapprovalofatleastthree-fourthsofthestates.

WhentheSecondWarofIndependencebrokeoutin1812,theUSpresidentwasJamesMadison.

UndertheArticlesofConfederationthenationalgovernmentconsistedofonlyalegislature;ithadnoseparateexecutiveandjudicialdivisions.Thestategovernmentwaslefttheexclusivepowerstoregulatecommerceandtotaxtheircitizens.

TheConstitutionalConventionwasheldinPhiladelphiain1787.Fifty-fivedelegatesfromallstatesexceptRhodeIslandattendedtheopeningsession.ThepresidentoftheconventionwasGeorgeWashington.

TheAntifederalistsopposedtheconstitutionandpreferredamoredecentralizedfederalsystemofgovernment.

GeorgeWashingtonwaselectedunanimouslyasthefirstUSPresidentin1788.ThefirstVice-PresidentwasJohnAdams,andthefirstSecretaryofTreasurywasAlexanderHamilton,andthefirstSecretaryofStatewasThomasJefferson.

themostgloriousachievementofJeffersonasPresidentwastheLouisianaPurchase,whichwasabout828,000squaremiles.ThisPurchasedoubledtheareaofthethenUnitedStates.

TheWarof1812isalsocalledtheSecondWarofIndependence.ThiswarlastedthreeyearsandendedinanotherAmericanvictory.Animportantresultofthewarwasthestrengtheningofnationalunityandpatriotism.AnditwasafterthiswarthattheUSwasabletomakethechangeofasemi-colonialeconomyintoareallyindependentnationaleconomy.

Chapter6AmericanExpansionandtheCivilWar

TheMonroeDoctrinehadthefollowingfeaturesorideasexceptLatinAmericaforEuropeans.

TheUScontinentalexpansionwasalmostcompleteby1848.

CottonbecamethemostprofitablecropintheSouthmainlybecauseoftheWhitney’scottongin.

In1854,theRepublicanPartywasfoundedbysomeabolitionists.

Inhisinauguraladdressin1861,LincolnshowedclearlythathewouldnotabolishslaveryimmediatelybuttopreservetheUnion.

“ItimmediatelyfreedallslaveslivingintheUnitedStates”abouttheEmancipationProclamationisnotaccurate.

themostimportantadvantagetheNorthhadovertheSouthintheCivilWarwasitsindustrialsuperiority.

AnadvantagetheSouthhadovertheNorthwasitssuperiormilitaryleadership.

TheessenceoftheMonroeDoctrinewas“AmericaforAmericans”whichlaterbecamethecornerstoneoftheUSforeignpolicy.

TheUSexpansiontothewestmaybetreatedinthreestages;

thesettlementoftheregionbetweenseaboardstatesandtheMississippiRiver

thesettlementoftheLouisianaTerritory

theoccupationofthefarSouthwest.

ThegreatmajorityofdwellersinLouisianaTerritorywerethedescendantsoftheFrenchpioneers.Theysettledmainlyintwocities:St.LouisandNewOrleans.

OregonTerritorywassettledbetweenBritainandtheUnitedStatesin1846.Itsboundaryonthenorthwasfixedattheforty-ninthparallelofnorthlatitude.

UnderMissouriCompromise,Missouriwasadmittedasaslavestate,butthebalanceofpoliticalpowermaintainedbyadmissionofMaineasafreestate.Inaddition,slaverywastobeprohibitedintherestofLouisianaTerritorynorthoftheline36°30’parallel.

In1862,thefederalgovernmenttooktworevolutionarymeasures:(1)HomesteadActand(2)Emancipationproclamation.

InJuly1863cametheturningpointofthewaratGettysburg.HeretheConfederatearmyunderthegeneralRobertE.Leewasdefeated.Thebattlefieldwasmadeanationalcemetery,whereLincolngavehisfamousspeech,theGettysburgAddress,onNovember19,1863.

In1865,theThirteenthAmendmenttotheUSConstitutionwasadopted,whichabolishedslaverythroughouttheUnitedStates.

Chapter7ReconstructionandtheBirthofUSImperialism

ThefirstUSpresidentwhofacedimpeachmentproceedingswasAndrewJohnson.

TheradicalReconstructionwasendedunderthePresidentRutherfordB.Hays

GoldwasdiscoveredinCaliforniain1848.

ThefirsttranscontinentalrailroadintheUSwascompletedin1869.

Telephonewasinventedin1876byAlexanderD.Bell.

ThevalueofmanufacturedgoodsintheUSwasworthtwiceasthatofheragriculturalproductsby1900.

Thefirstimperialistwar,theUS—SpanishWar,brokeoutin1898.

AftertheUS—SpanishWar,theUSacquiredallthefollowingareasexceptCuba(PuertoRico,Guam,thePhilippines)

TheReconstructionActsdividedalltheformerConfederatestates,exceptTennessee,intofivemilitarydistrictsandeachwasputunderthecontrolofaNorthernarmyofficer.Theofficerhadthepowertokeeporderandtoenforcemartiallawifnecessary.

DuringtheReconstructionperiodmanyNorthernersmovedtothesouth.Whatevertheirmotives,theseNorthernerscametobecalledcarpetbaggersbecausetheyweresaidtohavebroughtalltheirbelongingstotheSouthinasmall,cheapsuitcasemadeoutofacarpetlikematerial.

DuringtheReconstructiontheSouthernwhiteswhosupportedtheradicalreconstructionandjoinedtheRepublicanPartywerecalledscalawags.TheywereconsideredastraitorsbytheSouthernDemocrats.

TheKKK,foundedinTennesseein1866,wasasecretsocietyforrestoringwhitesupremacyanddrivingblacksoutofpolitics.

DuringTheodoreRoosevelt’spresidencytheUSgotcontrolofPanamaCanal.

Chapter8WorldWarIandtheDepression

Bythebeginningofthe20thcenturythecountrythattookthefirstplaceineconomyinEuropewasGermany.

WhentheFirstWorldWarbegan,PresidentWilsonimmediatelycalledupontheAmericanpeopletoobservestrictneutrality.

TheUSjoinedtheFirstWorldWarin1917.

Wilson’sFourteenPointsdidnotincludethepointofcreationofaninternationalpeacekeepingforce.

“Onlytherichcouldaffordnewconsumergoods”abouttheUSin1920sisnottrue.

InrespondingtotheDepression,PresidentHooverthoughtthatthebasicroleoftheGovernmentwasto“createconditionsfavorabletothedevelopmentofprivateenterprises”.

TheagriculturalAdjustmentActwasanattempttodealwiththefarmers’problemofoverproduction.

“Itreducedthecommoditypricesbylimitingproductionanddevaluingthedollar”isnotrighttocommentontheNewDeal.

TheFirstWorldWarwaswagedbetweentwogroupsofimperialistpowers:theAlliesandtheCentralEuropeanPower.

ThedirectcausethatmadetheUSdeclarewaronGermanyin1917wastheGermany’sunlimitedcampaign.

ThemajortriumphforWilsonattheParisPeaceConferencewastheformationoftheLeagueofNations.

TheUnitedStatesdidn’tjointheLeagueofNationsbecausetheUSSenaterefusedtoapprovetheTreatyofVersailles.

ThreemajortreatieswereconcludedattheWashingtonConference:

TheFour-PowerTreaty,respectingthestatusquointhePacific.

TheFive-PowerTreaty,onnavalarmsapportionment.

TheNine-PowerTreaty,guaranteeingtheindependenceandintegrityofChinainappearance,butactuallyapublicinternationalaffirmationoftheOpenDoorpolicy.

TheNineteenthAmendmenttotheUSConstitutionwasadoptedin1920,whichgrantedwomentherighttovote.

TheGreatDepressionstartedwiththesuddencollapseoftheStockMarketinNewYorkinOctober,1929.ThiseconomicdistressextendedtoEurope,Asia,Africa,AustraliaandSouthAmerica.

Chapter9AmericanDuringandAfterWorldWarII

Between1935and1939,Americanforeignpolicyincludedallofthefollowingexceptactiveinterventiontopreventaggression.

TheUSformallyenteredtheSecondWorldWarin1941.

NormandyLandingtookplaceonJune6,1944.

AtYaltaConference,inFeb.1945didRoosevelt,ChurchillandStalinagreetocallaconferenceofalltheUnitedNationsinSanFranciscoinApril1945.

Thepost-WorldWarIIprogramofeconomicassistancetoWesternEuropewasknownasMarshallPlan.

Dr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.,advocatedthephilosophyofnonviolence.

ThousandsofAmericansoldiersweresenttoVietnamunderthePresidentLyndonB.Johnson.

TheformaldiplomaticrelationattheambassadorialrankbetweenChinaandtheUSwasestablishedunderthePresidentCarter.

Thecash-and-carrypolicyallowedUScitizenstosellcertainnoprohibitedgoodstobelligerentnationsaslongasthose

goodswerenottransportedonAmericanships.

Lend-LeaseActenabledanycountrywhosedefensethePresidentconsideredvitaltothatoftheUStoreceivearmsandotherequipmentandsuppliesbysale,transfer,exchange,orlease.F.D.RooseveltexplainedtheActwouldmaketheUSthearsenalofworlddemocracy.

Civilrightsinvolvegovernmentprotectionofindividualsagainstdiscriminationbasedontheirrace,religionnationorigin,gender,age,andotherfactors.Dr.MartinLutherKing,Jr.washonoredforhisefforttofightdiscrimination.In1964,hewontheNobelPrizeforpeace.

StarWarsprogramwasproposedbyPresidentReaganin1983.Theprogramseekstoconstructadefensive“shield”againstincomingmissiles.TheshieldwouldbemadeoflaserandelectronicdevicesthatwoulddestroysuchmissileslaunchedtoattacktheUS.

In1990,PresidentBushorderedOperationDesertStormtopunishIraq,morethan200000UStroopsweresenttoSaudiArabia,andtheUSnavyblockedalloilexportsfromIraqandallimportsexceptfood.

UnderClinton,theUSenjoyedaneconomicgrowthfornineconsecutiveyears.Thisphenomenon,hardlyseenbefore,hasbeentermedthe“neweconomy”bysome.ThefundamentalreasonforitisthatAmericaneconomicstructurewentthroughessentialchangesbecauseofthepromotionofscientificandtechnologicalprogress.

Chapter10theFederalSystemandCongress

ThepowerofthestateintheUSisactuallyfrombothBandC.(thestateconstitution,theUSConstitution)

ThesupremelawoftheUnitedStatesincludesalltheabovethree.

Thetermsofthesenatorandrepresentativearesixandtwoyearsrespectively.

”The17thAmendment(1913)”providedforthedirectelectionofsenators.

CertainpresidentialappointmentsmustbeapprovedbyamajorityvoteintheSenate.

AllrevenueortaxbillsmustbeoriginatedintheHouse.

TheSpeakeroftheHouseissecondinlineinpresidentialsuccession.

IntheHouse,thepowertodecidewhenthefullHousewillhearthebillisvestedintheRulesCommittee.

Federalismmeansthedivisionofpowersbyaconstitutionbetweenthecentralgovernmentandstategovernment.Itoperatesonlyontwolevels,thenationalandthestates.Unitsofgovernmentwithinastateenjoynoindependentexistence.

SeparationofpowersintheUnitedStatesmeansnotonlyallocatinglegislativepowertoCongress,executivepowertoPresidentandjudicialpowertotheSupremeCourt,butalsogivingeachbranchconstitutionalandpoliticalindependenceandchecksandbalancesthatensureeachofthethreebranchesasufficientroleintheactionsoftheothers.

AccordingtotheConstitution,membersoftheHouseofRepresentativesmustbe25yearsoldandmusthavebeencitizensfor7years.Senatorsmustbeatleast30andmusthavebeencitizensfor9years.

TheVicePresidentisofficiallythepresidingofficerandiscalledthepresidentoftheSenate.InfactheseldomappearsintheSenatechamberinthisroleunlessitappearsthattheremightbetievoteintheSenate.Insuchinstances,hecaststhetiebreakingvote.Todealwithday-to-daybusiness,theSenatechoosesthepresidentprotempore.

Asenatorwhowantstodelayactiononabillorkillitaltogethermayuseatacticcalledafilibuster.Itcanbecutoffonlythroughcloture.

Lobbyingispartofthecitizen’srighttopetitiongovernmentintheUS.NowtherearethousandsoflobbyistsinWashingtonD.C.TheirinfluenceinmakingtheUSpolicyissogreatthatsomepeoplecallthem“thethirdhouse”.

Chapter11ThePresidentandtheJudiciary

The22ndAmendmentinfollowinglimitsthePresidenttotwosuccessivetermsonly.

TheAmericanPresidenthasallthefollowingpowersexceptdeclaringwaronanothercountry.

Thepresident’smajorappointmentsshouldbeapprovedbytheSenate.

“ItrequirestheapprovalofCongress”isnotcorrecttoexplaintheexecutiveagreement.

ThePresident’svetocanbeoverriddenbytwo-thirdvotesinbothhouses.

Thefederalcourtsthatregularlyemploygrandandpetitjuriesarethedistrictcourts.

ThehighestauthorityoftheSupremeCourtistointerprettheUSconstitution.

Thecaseinvolvingcopyright,trademark,counterfeiting,andbankrobberyareusuallyfirsttriedinthefederaldistrictcourts.

Bylawanynatural-bornAmericancitizenofandover35yearsofageandofbeingaresidentwithintheUnitedStatesfor14yearscanrunforthePresident.Thedulyelectedanddulyqualifiedpresident-electtakesofficeonthe20thofJanuaryfollowinghiselection.

Thewarpowersresolution(1973)requiresthePresidenttoconsultcongressandwithdrawtroopsaftersixtydaysunlessCongressspecificallyapprovesthecontinueddeploymentoftroops.

AfederallawgavePresidentanitemvetoin1996,whichisanauthoritytorejectspecificsectionsofabillwithouthavingtovetotheentirebill.

TheSupremeCourthasthepowertoexaminethebillspassedbyCongressandpoliciesmadebyPresident,anddeclarethemunconstitutionalandthusabolishthem.JohnMarshall,themostfamouschiefjusticeinAmericanhistorycalledthispowerofinterpretationjudicialreview

Therearethreefederalcourtlevels:1)thedistrictcourts2)thecourtsofappeal3)theSupremeCourt.AllthejudgesoffederalcourtsareappointedbyPresidentwiththeconsentoftheSenat