英語國家概況(修訂版)Chapter10課件

1、A Guide to English-Speaking Countries英語國家概況The United States of AmericaForeign Language Teaching and Research Press Government Chapter Ten CONTENTConstitution1Federal System & Government 2Political Parties3Election4Foreign Policy5Foreign Language Teaching and Research PressConstitutionbasic instrume

2、nt law, drawn up in 1787, came into effect in 1789Two characters:separation of powers, checks and balancesspecified exactly what power the central government had and which power was reserved for the states1. ConstitutionForeign Language Teaching and Research PressWhat is federalism?What is the separ

3、ation of powers?What are the qualifications for a US President? How do you understand the power of American President?Questions for brain-stormingForeign Language Teaching and Research Press2. Federal System & Government2.4Foreign Language Teaching and Research PressThe Federal GovernmentTh

4、e Executive BranchThe Legislative BranchThe Judicial Branch2.2 The executive branch Departments & White HouseFunctions of The President Qualifications of The President Watergate Scandal2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.2.4Foreign Language Teaching and Research PressThe executive branch consists of 15 departments

5、and many independent agencies； Cabinet is formed by department headssecretaries；source of advice and assistance to the presidentPresident is chief of the executive.first citizen his wifeFirst Lady2.2.1 Departments & White HouseForeign Language Teaching and Research Press2.2.1 Departments & White Hou

6、seOfficial presidential residenceThe president works and lives here and the offices of most of his staffs are also located there, such as White House Staff, National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), etc. The White House at Christmas nightForeign Language Teaching and Resea

7、rch PressAs Chief Executive, he is given the authority or duty: to command the armed forces and grant pardons;to make appointments to certain offices; to conclude treaties;to send and receive diplomatic and consular officials;to inform Congress on the “state of the Union”;to recommend legislation, a

8、pprove or veto bills passed by Congress, and ensure the execution of laws. 2.2.2 Functions of The PresidentForeign Language Teaching and Research PressThe presidents limits:major appointments with approval of the Senate; veto overridden by Congress with two-thirds consent of the Senators;all appropr

9、iations legislated by Congress; can be impeached by Congress if abusing power or committing crimes; no power to dismiss Congress;his policy can be vetoed and abolished by the Supreme Court.2.2.2 Functions of The PresidentForeign Language Teaching and Research Press2.2.4 President and ScandalWatergat

10、e ScandalThe Watergate scandal occurred in 1972.It remains one of the top presidential scandals of modern time.Foreign Language Teaching and Research PressTo defeat his adversary, Nixon hired five burglars to set up wiretaps to get confidential information in the Democratic National Committee office

11、s;It was exposed and became the biggest political scandal in the history of America;Because of the pressure of public, Nixon was to be impeached but he resigned in 19 President and ScandalListen to the Audio: WatergateForeign Language Teaching and Research Press2.3 The Legislative BranchThe

12、SenateThe House of Representatives The Function of CongressCongress..4Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press2.3.1 CongressLaw-making and the supreme legislative body； Two houses: the Senatethe House of Representatives The Capitol is no longer opened to the public after the ter

13、rorist event on Sept. 11th, 2001.Foreign Language Teaching and Research PressUnited States Capitol, Washington, D.C.100 voting members, two from each state;They may be reelected for an unlimited number of six-year terms, chosen by a direct election; Qualifications for being a senator:over 30 years o

14、ld; a US citizen for at least 9 years; resident in the state from which he is elected.2.3.2 The Senate Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press435 voting members plus six non-voting representatives from Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and four other territories of the U.S.State legislature

15、 divides each state into congressional districts, each district electing one representative; Qualifications for being a representative:at least 25 years old; US citizen for no less than 7 years; serve for a term of two years.2.3.3 The House of RepresentativesForeign Language Teaching and Research Pr

16、essFunction of Congresspassing laws for the Union;Either house may introduce legislation on any subject except the revenue bills which must originate in the House of Representatives. 2.3.4 The Function of CongressForeign Language Teaching and Research Pressthe power to declare war, raise and support

17、 armies, and provide and maintain a navy; the power to establish post offices and post roads; the power to set up the federal courts under the Supreme Court; the power “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution”. 2.3.4 The Function of CongressForeign Language T

18、eaching and Research PressThe judicial branch consists of a series of courts:the Supreme Courtthe courts of appeals12the district courts94The Supreme Courtthe highest courtOne Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices; decisions are made by the majority. appointed by the President with the Senates

19、approval;only removed from office by Congress through a difficult impeachment process.2.4 The Judicial BranchForeign Language Teaching and Research PressThe role of the jury is the “finder of fact”, while the Judge has the sole responsibility of interpreting the appropriate law and instructing the j

20、ury accordingly. Occasionally, a jury may find the defendant not guilty even though he violated the law if the jury thinks that the law is invalid or unjust.Jury SystemForeign Language Teaching and Research PressWhat are the differences between the two major parties?What are the functions of the maj

21、or parties when the general election comes? How is the president voted in the US?What is the “winner-take-all” system?3. Political PartiesQuestions for brain-stormingForeign Language Teaching and Research Press3. Political PartiesSymbols of PartiesThe Democratic PartyThe Republican PartyFunction of

22、Parties3.1 3.23.3 3.4 Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press3.1 Symbols of Parties Donkey & ElephantIn 1847, American artist Thomas Nest drew a political picture with a donkey representing the Democratic Party and an elephant representing the Republican Party. The Democratic Party and the Repu

23、blican PartyFrom then on, they became the symbol of the two parties. Foreign Language Teaching and Research PressThe Democratic Partyliberal;Governmentplaying an important role in the economy and emphasizing full employment; Favor civil rights laws, a strong social security system and less restricti

24、ve abortion laws, etc.;More disposed to search out a method of living with Russia and China and to look for reduction in arms spending.3.2 The Democratic PartyForeign Language Teaching and Research PressThe Republican Partyconservative;Favor an economic systemgiving enterprises a greater freedom and

25、 demand the government to control inflation; Stress the need for law and order; Oppose complete government social programs and free choice of abortion;Favor a strong military posture and assertive stand in international relations.3.3 The Republican PartyForeign Language Teaching and Research PressTo

26、 nominate candidates for office and help them in their election campaigns.find the most suitable candidates; help candidates to collect the money needed, mobilize the party activists or hire people to help them with the propaganda;urge the public to vote for them and undermine the rivals by exposing

27、 their personal flaws or attacking their policies. 3.4 Function of PartiesForeign Language Teaching and Research PressThere are many kinds of elections in the United States. When an American votes in November in the presidential election, he is voting in several other elections as well;He also votes

28、 for a Representative or a Senator; At regular intervals he votes to choose the governor of his state, the mayor of his city and the holders of several local public offices.4. ElectionForeign Language Teaching and Research PressOnly the candidates nominated by the two major parties have the chance t

29、o win a Presidential election; The election process is complex; The Presidential election (four stages):The first stage: the major parties hold conventions to choose candidates for President and Vice-President and to determine the partys platform. Presidential ElectionListen to the audio: American y

30、outh supports Democratic PartyForeign Language Teaching and Research PressThe second stage is the campaigning stage.By early fall the presidential race is on. From that time until the election day, voters are bombarded from all sidesby radio, television, newspapers, and personal communications with

31、political material. There are whistle stop tours by train, by plane, and by car. The candidate delivers countless speeches and shakes countless hands. This is a very important stage in the general election. Presidential ElectionForeign Language Teaching and Research PressThe third stage is the time

32、for voters to choose the list of presidential electors for the state. The number of electors of each state is equal to that of its senators and representatives in Congress. There are altogether 538 presidential electors, 535 from the states and 3 from the District of Columbia (without seats in Congr

33、ess). Presidential ElectionForeign Language Teaching and Research PressUntied States Electoral College (總統(tǒng)選舉團(tuán))the system by which the president and vice president of the United States are chosen.President and vice president are elected by electors who are chosen by popular vote on a state-by-state b

34、asis. The number of electors in each state is equal to the number of members of Congress to which the state is entitled. In total, there are 538 electors, based on there being 435 representatives and 100 senators, plus the three electors from the District of Columbia. They compose the United States

35、Electoral College.All the candidates of Presidential electors are party nominees. People will vote their party candidate for the presidency. As a result, a voter is actually choosing a President when he casts his vote for an elector.“Winner-take-all” principle If the candidates of a party for “elect

36、ors” in a given state receive a majority of the total vote, then the party is entitled to have all the electoral votes for that state. Presidential ElectionForeign Language Teaching and Research PressWhen the presidential electors are chosen out in the presidential election year, people have already

37、 known who is going to be the US president in the next four years.Although the result is already known, the electors still meet in their state capitals and cast their votes for President and vice-President on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December. That is the fourth stage. Presiden

38、tial ElectionForeign Language Teaching and Research Press Presidential ElectionOn November 2nd, 2004, George W. Bush was reelected Americas forty-third president. But he is the first in sixteen years to win a majority of the popular vote. The last one was his father, in 1988.Senate Kerry & his wife,

39、 TeresaPresident Bush & his wife, LauraForeign Language Teaching and Research Press Presidential ElectionObama and Hillary The two most likely Democratic candidates for 2008 Presidential Election.With the withdrawal of Hillary Clinton, Obama won the election. Foreign Language Teaching and Research P

40、ress5. Foreign policy NeutralityContainment and Intervention 5.1 5.2Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press“Declaration of Neutrality”;America entered the warGerman government resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917;Wilson submitted Fourteen Points in 1918.5.1 NeutralityForeign Language

41、Teaching and Research Press5.1 NeutralityFourteen Pointsabandonment of secret international agreements; freedom of the seas; free trade between nations;reduction of armaments (軍備、武器);adjustment of colonial claims in the interests of the inhabitants affected; self-rule for subjugated (使屈服、征服) Europea

42、n nationalities; the establishment of an association of nations to afford “mutual guarantees to great and small states alike”.Foreign Language Teaching and Research PressWith the outbreak of World War II, isolationist sentiment increased；Neutrality legislationprevent the involvement of the war；prohi

43、bited trade in arms with any warring nations;required cash for all other commodities;forbade American merchant ships from carrying those goods. 5.1 NeutralityForeign Language Teaching and Research PressJapanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941;America declared war with the Axis powersGerma

44、ny, Italy and Japan. The nation rapidly readied itself for mobilization of its people and its entire industrial capacity； Wartime objectivestotal destruction of the Axis powers and the establishment of a world order.5.1 NeutralityForeign Language Teaching and Research PressThe US dominated global affairs after World War II;“American Century”:confident of its mission at home and abroad;to maintain the democratic structure. Containmentpostwar policy affirmed by President Truman：Communism was a threat to the United States;His statements inspired a wave of hysterical an