UNIT INFORMATION Unit overview Welcome to 64092 The American Culture This is a 30-period unit which is designed for the students who have finished the learning of four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and would like to learn about the culture in the United States Unit objectives The learning objectives of this unit are: - to increase students’ awareness and understanding of the cultural values of the United States, students’ own country (Vietnam), and, we hope, other countries - To provide interesting cross-cultural activities for small group and class discussions, and topics for oral presentations and research Unit prerequisites Students are required to have finished learning the four skills before taking this unit Unit staff Lê Hoàng Duy Thuần Email: thuanlhd@yahoo.com Mobile phone: 0909 489204 Unit evaluation We value your feedback on the organization, content and teaching of this unit An evaluation sheet will be circulated at the end of the semester for your comments Informal comments are welcome during the semester and may be made in person or in writing (e.g email) to the lecturer Unit timetable This timetable will help you to plan your study over the semester Note: periods (50 minutes each) per week week Content &2 Chapter 1: American Geography And History 3&4 Chapter 2: Government And Politics In The United States 5&6 Chapter 3: Traditional American Values And Beliefs 7&8 Chapter 4: The American Religious Heritage & 10 Chapter 5: Ethnic And Racial Diversity In The United States remarks 11 & 12 Chapter 6: Education In The United States 13 & 14 Oral and written presentations Group assessment 15 Individual assessment Review and in-class test Resources Books: Datesman, M., Crandall, J., Kearny, E (2005) Americans Ways: An Introduction to American Culture, 3rd Edition Pearson ESL Tiersky, E., Tiesky, M (2001) The U.S.A.: Customs and Institutions, Fourth Edition Pearson ESL Nash, G (2005) The American People: Creating a Nation and a Society, 7th Edition Prentice Hall Falk, R (1993) Spotlight on the USA Oxford University Press Bromhead, P (1997) Life in Modern America Pearson ESL Websites: http://fpc.state.gov/ http://info-pedia.americancorners.or.kr/ENG/index_eng.html http://www.america.gov/publications/ejournalusa.html Assessment Processes Assessment components and timetable for submission Assessment components Value Due date Individual written report 25% Week 10 Group oral presentation 25% Week 13 Final test 50% Scheduled according to NTU Assignment: All groups are required to work on a cultural point about the United States They need to show the deep understanding about the point through research reports and presentations Guidelines for assignment The group topics must be approved by the lecturer and announced in the class at least weeks before the first assignment due date Each group of or students, which is formed by themselves, will be working together and giving an oral presentation (15 minutes) before the class They will be assessed according to their performance and their answers to the follow-up questions from the classmates (no more than questions) The research report (about 2000 words) consists of the findings about the cultural point and personal ideas about it Plagiarism is strictly prohibited Students must not take and use another person’s ideas or work and pass these off as one’s own by failing to give appropriate acknowledgement, that is, not indicating by referencing that the ideas expressed are not your own Assignments must be submitted by the due date in both electronic and printed forms Assignments which arrive late will have 10% of marks deducted for each late day Under exceptional circumstances an extension can be provided Extensions for assignment submissions can only be granted if requested in advance of the due date for submission, and with a good reason American Culture Compiled by Lê Hoàng Duy Thuần Chapter 1: AMERICAN GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY “Culture hides much more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants Years of study have convinced me that the real job is not to understand foreign culture but to understand our own” Edward T Hall (1914 - ) Warm-up questions: What is the culture of a country? If someone asked you to describe your country’s culture, which of these would you mention? art dance holidays beliefs food houses cities geography literature climate government music customs history … Do you agree with the quotation by Edward T Hall? Do people really not understand their own culture? What aspects of a country’s culture are the hardest to understand? Location and Geography The United States is the world's fourth largest country, with an area of 3,679,192 square miles (9,529,107 square kilometers) It includes fifty states and one federal district, where the capital, Washington, D.C., is located Its forty-eight contiguous states are situated in the middle of North America The mainland United States borders Canada to the north and Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Straits of Florida to the south The western border meets the Pacific Ocean, and to the east lies the Atlantic Ocean Alaska and Hawaii are not joined to the other forty-eight states Alaska is at the extreme north of North America, between the Pacific and Arctic oceans, and is bordered by Canada to the east The island chain of Hawaii is situated in the east-central Pacific Ocean, about two thousand miles southwest of San Francisco Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes, the United States occupies the central latitudes of the North American continent The American land itself provides several lasting sources of industrial and economic strength    The land is rich in raw materials, from oil to timber to iron ore From the vast prairies of the American heartland to the fertile valleys of California, the United States has some of the most productive agricultural areas on the planet American waterways, including the substantial river systems, provided key natural transportation networks as the nation was building itself Railroads, highways, and air routes would later overlay this early network The rich land attracted people from all over the world (it still does) Combine the American land with the American people and you have a dynamic force indeed To add to all this, the United States, over much of its land mass, is a beautiful country, with some of the most breathtaking landscapes on earth Politically, the United States is divided into 50 states, each having separate state governments, flags, laws and traditions Puerto Rico, the U.S Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa are also part of the United States, each with a special status as a dependency or territory People Any study of the American people must take into account how complicated that subject is The United States is a large country encompassing more than 300 million people Indigenous people (today called Native Americans) make up at most 2% of the American population today The other 98% are either immigrants or descendants of immigrants Many people came to the United States to seek economic opportunity or religious freedom Others came as slaves Some groups, including many from the British Isles, became well established by the time of American independence from Great Britain in 1776 Others, like the Irish and many Germans, came in waves during the 19th century Asians came in their own waves, especially over the past half century So-called Hispanic people (actually a very varied group) could be descendants of 17th century settlers from Spain, or they could have arrived in the United States last week (or any time span in between) Unlike many other countries, the United States has an identity that does not depend on ethnic continuity, but rather on the ideas that inspired the formation of the nation The sections that follow give some general guidance on the major ethnic groups in the United States, with the understanding that generalizations always have exceptions Next comes a short section on social classes that, once again, can only make broad generalizations Finally, we cover some lifestyle distinctions that have meaning in America today The best way to look at the United States is to realize that ethnicity, social class, and lifestyle matter in some aspects of life, and, in some sense, they not matter All these people share the quality of being American, even if that quality is almost impossible to define 50 U.S States and District of Columbia Alabama (AL) Alaska (AK) Arizona (AZ) Arkansas (AR) California (CA) Colorado (CO) Connecticut (CT) Delaware (DE) Florida (FL) Georgia (GA) Hawaii (HI) Idaho (ID) Illinois (IL) Indiana (IN) Iowa (IA) Kansas (KS) Kentucky (KY) Louisiana (LA) Maine (ME) Maryland (MD) Massachusetts (MA) Michigan (MI) Minnesota (MN) Mississippi (MS) Missouri (MO) Montana (MT) Nebraska (NE) Nevada (NV) New Hampshire (NH) New Jersey (NJ) New Mexico (NM) New York (NY) North Carolina (NC) North Dakota (ND) Ohio (OH) Oklahoma (OK) Oregon (OR) Pennsylvania (PA) Rhode Island (RI) South Carolina (SC) South Dakota (SD) Tennessee (TN) Texas (TX) Utah (UT) Vermont (VT) Virginia (VA) Washington (WA) West Virginia (WV) Wisconsin (WI) Wyoming (WY) The federal entity created by the Constitution is the dominant feature of the American governmental system There are fifty (50) states and Washington D.C The last two states to join the Union were Alaska (49th) and Hawaii (50th) Both joined in 1959 Washington D.C is a federal district under the authority of Congress Puerto Rico is a commonwealth associated with the United States Other dependent areas include American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, Virgin Islands, Wake Island From 18 July 1947 until October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective October 1994); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986) In general, matters that lie entirely within state borders are the exclusive concern of state governments These include internal communications; regulations relating to property, industry, business, and public utilities; the state criminal code; and working conditions within the state There are many areas of overlap between state and federal jurisdictions In recent years, the federal government has assumed broader responsibility in such matters as health, education, welfare, transportation, and housing and urban development The constitutions of the various states differ in some details but generally follow a pattern similar to that of the federal Constitution, including a statement of the rights of the people and a plan for organizing the government On such matters as the operation of businesses, banks, public utilities, and charitable institutions, state constitutions are often more detailed and explicit than the federal constitution Regions of the United States Americans often speak of their country as one of several large regions These regions are cultural units rather than governmental units; formed by history and geography and shaped by the economics, literature and folkways that all the parts of a region share What makes one region different from another? A region's multicultural heritage as well as distinct demographic characteristics like age and occupation make regions different and special Within several regions, language is used differently and there are strong dialects There are also differences in outlook and attitude based on geography The Six Regions of the United States: New England New England has played a dominant role in American history Until well into the 19th century, New England was the country's cultural and economic center The earliest European settlers of New England were English Protestants who came in search of religious liberty They gave the region its distinctive political format town meetings (an outgrowth of meetings held by church elders) in which citizens gathered to discuss issues of the day Town meetings still function in many New England communities today and have been revived as a form of dialogue in the national political arena New England is also important for the cultural contribution it has made to the nation The critic Van Wyck Brooks called the creation of a distinctive American literature, in the first half of the 19th century, "the flowering of New England." Education is another of the region's strongest legacies The cluster of top-ranking universities and colleges in New England - including Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Wellesley, Smith, Williams, Amherst, and Wesleyan - is unequaled by any other region America's first college, Harvard, was founded at Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1636 Without, however, large expanses of rich farmland or a mild climate, generations of exasperated New England farmers declared that the chief product of their land was stones By 1750, many settlers had turned from farming to other pursuits In their business dealings, New Englanders gained a reputation for hard work, shrewdness, thrift, and ingenuity Mid-Atlantic If New England provided the brains and dollars for 19th-century American expansion, the Mid-Atlantic states provided the muscle The region's largest states, New York and Pennsylvania, became centers of heavy industry (iron, glass, and steel) The Mid-Atlantic region was settled by a wider range of people than New England Into this area of industry, came millions of Europeans who made of it what became known as the "melting pot." As heavy industry spread throughout the region, rivers such as the Hudson and Delaware were transformed into vital shipping lanes Cities on waterways, New York on the Hudson, Philadelphia on the Delaware, Baltimore on Chesapeake Bay, grew dramatically New York is still the nation's largest city, its financial hub, and its cultural center But even today, the visitor who expects only factories and crowded cities is surprised In the Mid-Atlantic, there are more wooded hills than factory chimneys, more fields than concrete roads, and more farmhouses than office buildings The South The South is perhaps the most distinctive region of the United States region The American Civil War (1861-65) devastated the Old South socially and economically Slavery was the issue that divided North and South To northerners, it was immoral; to southerners, it was integral to their way of life and their plantation system of agriculture The scars left by the war took decades to heal The abolition of slavery failed to provide African Americans with political or economic equality; and it took a long, concerted effort to end segregation The "New South" has evolved into a manufacturing region and high-rise buildings crowd the skylines of such cities as Atlanta and Little Rock The region however still has many landscapes to delight the human sense of poetry and wonder The region is blessed with plentiful rainfall and a mild climate Crops grow easily in its soil and can be grown without frost for at least six months of the year Owing to its mild weather, the South has become a mecca for retirees from other regions Midwest The Midwest is known as the nation's "breadbasket." The fertile soil of the region makes it possible for farmers to produce abundant harvests of cereal crops such as wheat, oats, and corn Corn is the most important of all American crops, as basic to American agriculture as iron is to American industry The annual crop is greater than the nation's yield of wheat, rice and other grains combined On hot, still midsummer nights in the Corn Belt, farmers insist they can hear the corn growing Farms are normally located separate from each other, close to the fields, and often beyond the sight of its neighbors The village or town is principally a place where the farm family travels to buy supplies, to attend church and to go for entertainment or political, social or business meetings Midwesterners are praised as being open, friendly, and straightforward Their politics tend to be cautious, but the caution is sometimes peppered with protest The Southwest The Southwest is drier than the adjoining Midwest in weather The population is less dense and, with strong Spanish-American and Native-American components, more ethnically varied than neighboring areas Outside the cities, the region is a land of open spaces, much of which is desert The magnificent Grand Canyon is located in this region, as is Monument Valley, the starkly beautiful backdrop for many western movies Monument Valley is within the Navajo Reservation, home of the most populous American Indian tribe To the south and east, lie dozens of other Indian reservations, including those of the Hopi, Zuni, and Apache tribes Parts of the Southwest once belonged to Mexico The United States obtained this land following the Mexican-American War of 1846-48 The population in the region is growing rapidly Arizona, for example, now rivals the southern states as a destination for retired Americans in search of a warm climate Since the last third of the 19th century, the immense stretch of barren American desert has been growing smaller In the 1860s, the wasteland extended from the Mississippi Valley almost to the Pacific Coast But settlers learned that the prairies could grow corn and that the grasslands could feed cattle and sheep or yield wheat As they continued to cultivate the desert, its size decreased Dams on the Colorado and other rivers and aqueducts have brought water to the once small towns of Las Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, allowing them to become metropolises The West Americans have long regarded the West as the last frontier Yet California has a history of European settlement older than that of most midwestern states Spanish priests founded missions along the California coast a few years before the outbreak of the American Revolution In the 19th century, California and Oregon entered the Union ahead of many states to the east The West is a region of scenic beauty on a grand scale In much of the West, the population is sparse and the federal government owns and manages millions of hectares of undeveloped land Americans use these areas for recreational and commercial activities, such as fishing, camping, hiking, boating, grazing, lumbering, and mining In recent years, some local residents who earn their livelihoods on federal property have come into conflict with the government agencies, which are charged with keeping land use within environmentally acceptable limits Hawaii is the only state in the union in which Asian Americans are the largest ethnic group Beginning in the 1980s, large numbers of Asians have also settled in California Los Angeles and Southern California as a whole - bears the stamp of its large Mexican-American population     other denominations appeared on the scene (e.g Methodists) the Great Awakening and its most famous theologian, Jonathan Edwards Show how he struggled with the need for more religious enthusiasm (passion) without sacrificing the Puritan orthodoxies (predestination) of old By introducing more emotion into the American religious equation, Edwards opened the door wider to religious individualism and facilitated challenges to social and theological traditions With migration, as Americans from different regions came into contact with each other more and more, they reshuffled their religious loyalties Protestant The Protestants broke away from the Roman Catholic church in the 16 th century in Europe They stressed that individuals must stand alone before God, seek forgiveness directly from God rather than through a priest This meant that the individual was responsible for his or herself A number of people came to the colonies for religious freedom Puritans in the 1600s At first they thought they could control the beliefs of everyone in their colony (Puritans in Massachusetts banishing people to Rhode Island) But colonies were too large to enforce belief The idea of separation of church and state became popular, and when the U.S became a country, the government was forbidden to establish a national church Under these conditions, many denominations developed George Whitfield, great awakening Protestantism has been a significant force in shaping American values and beliefs  Value of self-improvement God helps them who help themselves o This leads to a culture of self help, even among secular people Improve tennis game, marriage, lose weight  Value of material success God helps them who help themselves Material progress can be seen as a sign of God’s favor  Work ethic, self discipline—Protestant leaders viewed the work of all people as holy Defer immediate gratification o Good for the industrial work climate in the 19th century o Protestant work ethic, Puritan work ethic o Americans take an average of only weeks of vacation a year  Volunteerism and Humanitarianism o Idea that individuals make themselves better by helping others o Andrew Carnegie gave away more than 300 million for libraries, schools, and universities o John D Rockefeller gave money for the University of Chicago In the 1980s, there was a strong emphasis on the idea of people being born again— conversion  Evangelicals, they often hold conservative religious beliefs  And they have become a political force in elections and on ballot issues like opposing legalized abortion or supporting school prayer 36 The immediate response to the 9/11 terrorist attack reveals the prevalence of religion in American life  Candlelight prayer vigils  Outpouring of charity and patriotism  Volunteerism  Singing of patriotic songs “God Bless America”  This is a mixture of religion and patriotism—not a national religion The belief that the individual, not the organized church, should be at the center of religious life has encouraged tolerance and acceptance Today there are at least 2,000 distinct religious groups in the U.S with at least 5000 members each Recent trends include:  Change from Protestant-Catholic-Jewish nation to one with multiple religions (now as many Muslims as Jews in the US)  Religious expressive individualism—switching of faiths, trying out different ones, picking and choosing beliefs  New religious organizational structures—some are ethnic (Latvian, etc.), some are special purpose (help the homeless, the environment, etc.)  Trend toward a new spirituality—identify as spiritual rather than religious Diversity and pluralism are hallmarks of our society The plethora of traditions and values that share our continent are bound both to conflict with, and to enrich, one other Each new group of immigrants challenges the mainstream to accept its religion and culture, and is challenged to keep its identity while getting along and blending in Most Americans believe that religious freedom must be protected, that anyone has the right to practice his or her own religion w/o interference, that freedom of religion is a basic American right Discussion: What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a government recognize one official religion for a country? The United States does not have a national legal requirement for workers to have a certain number of paid vacation days Does your country have one? Explain What is humanitarianism? Do you think that people should volunteer their time to help the poor? What you think being religious means? Americans have a saying, “Never discuss religion and politics.” These are not safe topics because they may touch on personal beliefs Most Americans, however, will be willing to talk to you if you make it clear this is an assignment for a class If you can find some Americans, ask: How important would you say religion is in your own life: very important, fairly important, or not very important? What is your religion? How often you attend religious services? Would you say that your religious beliefs are very conservative, somewhat conservative, moderate, somewhat liberal, or very liberal? Do you consider yourself to be evangelical or born again? 37 Proverbs and Sayings: What are the historical roots of the following?  A penny saved is a penny earned  Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise  Save something for a rainy day  Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you die  Idle hands are the devil’s workshop Assignment: Artistic Expression  Instruct students to select a theme about religious, cultural, and spiritual diversity that they want to express artistically Examples of themes could be their family diversity, the diversity of their neighborhood, the diversity within any one religion, and the diversity they saw represented in the Belief and Practice segments  Once they have selected a theme explain that they can choose to create a poster, collage, a three-dimensional presentation, incorporating drawing, painting, photos, and real-life objects This can be an in-class or homework assignment  Explain that the students should be prepared to present a 2-3 minute presentation on their artwork explaining the theme they chose and the decisions they made in creating their artwork Finished art works can then be displayed in the classroom After each students has presented ask the class if their understanding of American religious culture has changed You can have them write their thoughts down or open the question up for discussion If students have revised previous opinions, be sure they explain what they think influenced the change The following people are highly regarded for their religious work Choose one and find out why the person is or was important  Dalai Lama  Martin Luther King, Jr  Desmond Tutu  Mother Teresa  Muhammad  38 Chapter 5: ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES “So in this continent, the energy of Irish, Germans, Swedes, Poles and all the European tribes, of the Africans, and of the Polynesians – will construct a new race, a new religion, a new state.” Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882) Warm-up questions: How did people from so many different countries create the American culture in the United States? Why you think some immigrants from some countries might have more success in the United States than others have? What you know about the history of African Americans in the United States? Ethnic Diversity America is home to people of every background, every color, and every origin According to 2008 U.S Census Bureau, there are an estimated 305 million people living in the United States Of this population, an estimated 76% are White (also called Caucasian in English), 14% are Hispanic, 12% are Black or African American, 4% are Asian, 0.8% are Native American or Alaska Native, and 0.1% are Pacific Islander Note: In America, the word “negro” is no longer used in common speech Instead, people tend to say “AfricanAmerican” or “Black.” A Nation of Immigrants The first European immigrants in American history came from England and the Netherlands Attracted by reports of great economic opportunities and religious and political 39 freedom, immigrants from many other countries flocked to the United States in increasing numbers, the flow reaching a peak in the years 1892-1924 During the late 19th century, the government operated a special port of entry on Ellis Island; it was in operation from 1892 until 1954 and is now preserved as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument The Statue of Liberty, which was a gift from the people of France to the people of America in 1886, stands on an island in New York Harbor, near Ellis Island Between 1820 and 1979, the United States admitted more than 49 million immigrants Hispanic Americans It is not uncommon to walk down the streets of an American city today and hear Spanish spoken In 1950 fewer than million U.S residents were from Spanish-speaking countries Today that number is about 27 million About 50 percent of Hispanics in the United States have origins in Mexico The other 50 percent come from a variety of countries, including El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia Thirty-six percent of the Hispanics in the United States live in California Several other states have large Hispanic populations, including Texas, New York, Illinois, and Florida, where hundreds of thousands of Cubans fleeing the Castro regime have settled There are so many Cuban Americans in Miami that the Miami Herald, the city's largest newspaper, publishes separate editions in English and Spanish The term Hispanic was coined by the federal government in the 1970's to refer to the people who were born in any of the Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas or those who could trace their ancestry to Spain or former Spanish territories Obviously, this represents a wide variety of countries and ethnic groups with different social, political and emotional experiences Most Hispanics see themselves in terms of their individual ethnic identity, as Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, etc instead of members of the larger, more ambiguous term Hispanic or Latino African-Americans Among the flood of immigrants to North America, one group came unwillingly These were Africans, 500,000 of whom were brought over as slaves between 1619 and 1808, when importing slaves into the United States became illegal The practice of owning slaves and 40 their descendants continued, however, particularly in the agrarian South, where many laborers were needed to work the fields The process of ending slavery began in April 1861 with the outbreak of the American Civil War between the free states of the North and the slave states of the South, 11 of which had left the Union On January 1, 1863, midway through the war, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which abolished slavery in those states that had seceded Slavery was abolished throughout the United States with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the country's Constitution in 1865 Even after the end of slavery, however, American blacks were hampered by segregation and inferior education In search of opportunity, African Americans formed an internal wave of immigration, moving from the rural South to the urban North But many urban blacks were unable to find work; by law and custom they had to live apart from whites, in run-down neighborhoods called ghettos In the late 1950s and early 1960s, African Americans, led by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., used boycotts, marches, and other forms of nonviolent protest to demand equal treatment under the law and an end to racial prejudice Today, African Americans constitute 12.7 percent of the total U.S population In recent decades blacks have made great strides, and the black middle class has grown substantially In 1996, 44 percent of employed blacks held "white-collar" jobs managerial, professional, and administrative positions rather than service jobs or those requiring manual labor That same year 23 percent of blacks between ages 18 and 24 were enrolled in college, compared to 15 percent in 1983 The average income of blacks is lower than that of whites, however, and unemployment of blacks particularly of young men remains higher than that of whites And many black Americans are still trapped by poverty in urban neighborhoods plagued by drug use and crime Martin Luther King, Jr.: “I have a dream” speech (1963) 41 On August 28, 1963, some 100 years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves, a young man named Martin Luther King climbed the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C to describe his vision of America More than 200,000 people-black and white-came to listen They came by plane, by car, by bus, by train, and by foot They came to Washington to demand equal rights for black people And the dream that they heard on the steps of the Monument became the dream of a generation Native Americans The first American immigrants, beginning more than 20,000 years ago, were intercontinental wanderers: hunters and their families following animal herds from Asia to America, across a land bridge where the Bering Strait is today When Spain's Christopher Columbus "discovered" the New World in 1492, about 1.5 million Native Americans lived in what is now the continental United States, although estimates of the number vary greatly Mistaking the place where he landed San Salvador in the Bahamas for the Indies, Columbus called the Native Americans "Indians." During the next 200 years, people from several European countries followed Columbus across the Atlantic Ocean to explore America and set up trading posts and colonies Native Americans suffered greatly from the influx of Europeans The transfer of land from Indian to European and later American hands was accomplished through treaties, wars, and coercion, with Indians constantly giving way as the newcomers moved west In the 19th century, the government's preferred solution to the Indian "problem" was to force tribes to inhabit specific plots of land called reservations Some tribes fought to keep from giving up land they had traditionally used In many cases the reservation land was of poor quality, and Indians came to depend on government assistance Poverty and joblessness among Native Americans still exist today Discussion: describe and explain the relationship between immigration and industrialization in the United States How important was slavery to the American economy in the first half of the nineteenth century? To the economy of the South? 42 How well did African Americans cope with being slaves in the American south? Did free blacks suffer as well as slaves? Explain The “Melting Pot” America is often referred to as “the melting pot” due to its unique blend of different cultures, nationalities, and backgrounds With the exception of American Indians, every person living in America is an immigrant or the descendant of an immigrant America is currently home to people from almost every country in the world About 11.7% of the American population is foreign born (US Census 2003) Of these, approximately 53.3% are from Latin America, 25% from Asia, 13.7% from Europe, and 8% from the rest of the world (US Census 2002) As of 2000, 18% of the population speaks a language other than English at home (US Census 2000) After English, the most commonly spoken language is Spanish, with 14.3% of the population claiming it as their primary language of use (US Census 2000) Many people are surprised to learn that America has no official language Follow-up questions: What are advantages and disadvantages to having a multicultural society in the twentyfirst century? Should a country discourage people from segregating themselves by minorities? What are advantages and disadvantages to people living in segregated communities? Would you rather live in a country that is described as a “melting pot,” a “salad bowl,” or a “mosaic”? Why? 43 Chapter 6: EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES “ Americans regard education as the means by which the inequalities among individuals are to be erased and by which every desirable end is to be achieved.” George S Counts (1889 – 1974) Warm-up questions: What are the differences between public and private schools? Which are better? What qualities you think American universities are looking for when they decide who will be admitted? What you know about the system of education in the United States? K What We Know About Education in the United States W What We Want To Know About Education in the United States L What We Have Learned About Education in the United States ORGANIZATION OF U.S EDUCATION The United States has a decentralized education system based upon our federal Constitution, which reserves power over education to the states and local authorities, as well as to individual schools and higher education institutions Education Laws And Regulations The U.S education system is not based on one, or even a few, framework laws Instead, there are a wide variety of federal, state and local laws, plus court decisions and regulations that define various aspects of our decentralized system In addition, there are rules and policies adopted by educational associations and individual schools and institutions that often have legal status with respect to matters within their competence National Education Policy While the federal government has a very limited role in running the U.S education system, it does provide important policy leadership and provides assistance in support of education throughout the nation The Role Of National Associations Non-governmental associations provide much of the leadership and activity on issues of nationwide importance in education They also function as representatives of various constituencies and stakeholders, ranging from citizens’ groups to professional and technical organizations National Educational Research And Statistics 44 An important role of the federal government is the collection, analysis and publication of national education statistics The federal government also supports some educational research activities Educational research is also supported by private organizations, universities, and foundations STRUCTURE OF U.S EDUCATION Education in the United States follows a pattern similar to that in many systems Early childhood education is followed by primary school (called elementary school in the United States), middle school, secondary school (called high school in the United States), and then postsecondary (tertiary) education Postsecondary education includes non-degree programs that lead to certificates and diplomas plus six degree levels: associate, bachelor, first professional, master, advanced intermediate, and research doctorate The U.S system does not offer a second or higher doctorate, but does offer post doctorate research programs Adult and continuing education, plus special education, cut across all educational levels ACCREDITATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE Accreditation is the process used in U.S education to ensure that schools, postsecondary institutions, and other education providers meet, and maintain, minimum standards of quality and integrity regarding academics, administration, and related services It is a voluntary process based on the principle of academic self-governance Schools, postsecondary institutions and programs (faculties) within institutions participate in accreditation The entities which conduct accreditation are associations comprised of institutions and academic specialists in specific subjects, who establish and enforce standards of membership and procedures for conducting the accreditation process Both the federal and state governments recognize accreditation as the mechanism by which institutional and programmatic legitimacy are ensured In international terms, accreditation by a recognized accrediting authority is accepted as the U.S equivalent of other countries' ministerial recognition of institutions belonging to national education systems INSTITUTIONS & PROGRAMS There are over 124,000 public and private schools in the United States; over 2,000 postsecondary non-degree career and technical schools; and over 4,000 degree-granting institutions of higher education Of the higher education institutions, over 1,600 award associate degrees and some 2,400 award bachelor's or higher degrees Over 400 higher education institutions award research doctorates This large and diverse array of accredited educational institutions is complex, but there are ways to make it manageable and to locate appropriate institutions and programs for your needs -1 Types of Institutions: Colleges, Universities, and Institutes: Degree-granting institutions in the United States can be called by any of these terms, and colleges and institutes are in no way inferior to universities As a general rule, colleges tend to be smaller and usually offer only undergraduate degrees, while a university also offers graduate degrees The words "school," "college," and "university" will be used interchangeably throughout this booklet An institute usually specializes in degree programs 45 in a group of closely related subject areas, so you will also come across degree programs offered at institutes of technology, institutes of fashion, institutes of art and design, and so on Within each college or university you will find schools, such as the school of arts and sciences or the school of business Each school is responsible for the degree programs offered by the college or university in that area of study State Universities: State universities are founded and subsidized by U.S state governments (for example, California, Michigan, or Texas) to provide low-cost education to residents of that state They may also be called public universities to distinguish them from private institutions Some include the words "state university" in their title or include a regional element such as "eastern" or "northern." State universities tend to be very large, with enrollments of 20,000 or more students, and generally admit a wider range of students than private universities State university tuition costs are generally lower than those of private universities Also, in-state residents (those who live and pay taxes in that particular state) pay much lower tuition than out-of-state residents International students, as well as those from other states, are considered out-of-state residents and therefore not benefit from reduced tuition at state institutions In addition, international students may have to fulfill higher admission requirements than instate residents Private Universities: 46 Private institutions are funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees, research grants, and gifts from their alumni Tuition fees tend to be higher at private universities than at state universities, but there is no distinction made between state and non-state residents Colleges with a religious affiliation and single-sex colleges are private In general, private universities have enrollments of fewer than 20,000 students, and private colleges may have 2,000 or fewer students on their campuses Community Colleges: Community colleges provide two-year associate degree programs, usually called the associate of arts (A.A.) or associate of science (A.S.) degrees, as well as excellent technical and vocational programs As the name suggests, community colleges are community-based institutions with close links to secondary schools, community groups, and employers, and many U.S students live close to campus with their families Community colleges can be public or private institutions and are sometimes called junior colleges or two-year colleges A growing number of international students are choosing to study at community colleges Tuition costs are often lower at two-year than at four-year institutions, and many have agreements to allow students on transfer programs to move easily into the third year of a bachelor's degree at the local state university Technical and Vocational Colleges: These institutions specialize in preparing students for entry into, or promotion within, the world of work They offer certificate and other short-term programs that train students in the theory behind a specific vocation or technology, as well as in how to work with the technology Programs usually last two years or less There are several thousand technical and vocational colleges across the United States, and they may be private or public institutions Further information is provided in 'Short-Term Study.' Undergraduate degrees: Bachelor's and Associate Degrees The bachelor's degree typically takes four years to complete, though some students take slightly less time to finish, while others may take longer The associate degree usually takes two years to complete Associate degree programs may be "terminal" programs, which lead into specific careers upon graduation, or "transfer" programs, which correspond to the first two years of a bachelor's degree and tend to be more liberal arts based Under the latter option you could then transfer into the third year of a four-year bachelor's degree program Associate degree programs are offered at two-year colleges known as junior or community colleges Four-year colleges and universities offer bachelor's degree programs, with a small number also offering associate degree programs The U.S Bachelor's Degree One of the most attractive features of the bachelor's degree program in the United States is that it is highly flexible You can usually choose from a wide variety of courses and create your own unique program of study The degree is awarded after you complete a specified number of credits, which are usually completed in four years of full-time study The first year is called the freshman year; the second is called sophomore; the third, junior; and the fourth, senior You may read that students in the United States often take longer than four years to complete their degrees This may be because they change majors and need to accumulate enough credits in the new major field to earn the degree Or it may be because they take less than a full-time course load per term for academic, personal, or financial 47 reasons International students, however, cannot study part-time and must maintain full-time status Courses taken in the first two years are known as lower division courses, and courses taken in the final two years are called upper division courses College catalogs usually assign a number to a course, which indicates the level of study as follows: 100 - 199 Freshman 200 - 299 Sophomore 300 - 399 Junior 400 - 499 Senior Academic calendar The academic year will be slightly different for each university or college but normally runs from early September to the end of May It may be divided into two terms of 18 weeks called semesters Alternatively, the university may have "quarters" or "trimesters," which are about 12 weeks in length In addition, universities very often provide six- to eightweek summer terms These are optional, and students attend if they wish to get through their degree faster, to decrease their course load during the regular terms, or to make up for courses not completed successfully during the regular academic year There are at least two main holidays during the academic year: a two- to four-week break over Christmastime and a oneweek "spring break" sometime between early March and mid-April Course load and grading system: The Credit System Students at American universities complete their degrees when they have accumulated a certain number of "credits." It usually takes somewhere between 130 and 180 credits to graduate Sometimes the terms "semester/quarter hours" or "units" are used instead of credits Each individual course you take each semester earns a specified number (usually three or four) of credits/hours/units Your academic adviser will help you plan your course schedule for the academic year Degree Courses The individual courses that make up the degree program can be divided into the following types: Core courses: These provide the foundation of the degree program and are required of all students Students take a variety of courses in mathematics, English, humanities, physical sciences, and social sciences Some colleges require students to take many core courses, while other schools require only a few Major courses: A major is the subject in which a student chooses to concentrate Most students major in one subject; however, some colleges offer the option of pursuing a double major with a related subject Your major courses represent one-quarter to one-half of the total number of courses required to complete a degree Minor courses: A minor is a subject in which a student may choose to take the second greatest concentration of courses The number of courses required for a minor tends to be half the number of major courses Elective courses: These courses may be chosen from any department They offer opportunities to explore other topics or subjects you may be interested in and help make up the total number of credits required to graduate 48 Grades American universities employ a system of continual assessment and assign grades for each course taken Almost everything you for a class will influence your final grade Examinations and tests, essays or written assignments, laboratory reports, laboratory or studio work, class attendance, and class participation may all be used to determine your final grade This means it is essential to keep up with the reading and course work and to attend classes on a regular basis The following is a general percentage/letter grade scale for classes taken at U.S colleges: 100 -90% = A 89 -80% = B 79 -70% = C 69 -60% = D 59 -50% = E 49 -0% = F What is a GPA? Each student completes his or her degree with a grade point average (GPA) A cumulative grade point average is the GPA for all courses taken throughout the degree program Most universities use a GPA scale of 4.0, but a few universities use a scale of 5.0 To work out your GPA, take the numerical value assigned to the letter grade you achieve for each course (typically points for an "A," points for a "B," and so on), then multiply this number by the number of credits each course is worth Finally, add these numbers together and divide by the total number of credits for all courses For example: Letter Grade Numerical Value Number of Credits Total A 4.0 12 B 3.0 C 2.0 27 divided by = 3.0 GPA Most universities will also offer some sort of honors degree To qualify for an honors degree, you must fulfill additional credits or write an honors thesis; precise details depend upon the university and/or academic department There may be different levels of honors: summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude, in descending order of distinction Follow-up questions: should universities be free or have very low tuition? Why or why not? Are most schools in Vietnam coeducational? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having boys and girls in the same classroom? Is it possible for college teachers and students to be friends? What you think the role of a teacher should be? Are students vessels to be filled or lamps to be lit? Which you think is more important – learning a large quantity of facts or learning to think creatively? Why? What should the requirements for entering a university be? Should extracurricular activities in high school or personal characteristics be considered? Why, or why not? Expanding knowledge: 49 5 Ask Americans Find out how Americans feel about education Ask several Americans the following questions and record their answers Should their be prayer in public school? Should public school systems provide vouchers that could be used to pay tuitions in private schools? Should there be sex education in the schools? If so, what should be taught? Are drugs and violence problems in the schools in your neighborhood? What is being done to protect children in public schools? How important is a college education? What difference does it make in a person’s life? Think, pair, share What should be taught in public schools? What should be the priorities? Read the following list of areas which are covered in American schools and decide which are the most important Developing students’ moral and ethical character Teaching students how to think Preparing students who not go to college for a job or career after graduation Helping students to become informed citizens so that they will be adequately prepared to vote at age eighteen Preparing students for college Developing students’ appreciation of art, music, and other cultural pursuits Other (your opinion) _ Ask yourself/Ask Americans Students should not ask questions; they should only answer them T/F Students should rise when the teacher enters the classroom T/F Asking a teacher questions challenges his or her authority T/F Students should never address teachers by their first names T/F Students should memorize everything their teachers assign; education is primarily memorizing books and teachers’ lectures T/F Male and female students should attend the same classes T/F 50