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Đề cương văn hóa Mỹ American Culture Part 1 AMERICAN CULTURE UNIT 1 Immigration and Diversity in the United States WHAT DID THE IMMIGRANTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE U S SOCIETY? THE ROLE OF IMMIGRANTS FOR THE.
• Đề cương văn hóa Mỹ - American Culture - Part AMERICAN CULTURE UNIT 1: Immigration and Diversity in the United States WHAT DID THE IMMIGRANTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE U S SOCIETY? THE ROLE OF IMMIGRANTS FOR THE US Settle the West Provide a source of fresh energy for the economic development Supply new professionals and scientists Enrich and diversify the American Culture Contribute to the growth of the cities/urbanize CULTURAL ASSIMILATION: A MELTING POT OR A SALAD BOWL? According to this theory, peoples from various cultures come to America and contribute aspects of their culture to create a new, unique American culture The result is that contributions from many cultures are indistinguishable from one another and are effectively "melted" together According to this theory, there are times when newly arrived immigrants not lose the unique aspects of their cultures like in the melting pot model, instead they retain them The unique characteristics of each culture are still identifiable within the larger American society, much like the ingredients in a salad are still identifiable, yet contribute to the overall make up of the salad bowl WHY IS THERE DISCRIMINATION? When there is a dominant culture, the people who are part of that culture determine what society approves and what society disapproves When people ARE NOT a part of the dominant culture, they face the pressure to the following: · assimilate – completely adapt to the dominant culture · integrate – unify with the dominant culture while retaining their individual identity · segregate – completely separate from the group (the dominant group usually segregates others from them) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DOMINANT CULTURE The dominant culture: WASPs = White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, English-speaking, Western European, Protestant and middle class HOW WERE NON-PROTESTANTS AND NON-WESTERN EUROPEANS ABLE TO ASSIMILATE? · Dominant values and beliefs · Immigrants were "so accustomed to lives of poverty and dependence · American values: Freedom, self-reliance and competition ·" Political bosses "(cities of northeastern US) · Helped immigrants · immigrants vote for them · Rapidly expanding economy · New opportunities, new rewards · immigrants were willing to give up their individual culture to become rich in America · African-Americans = most difficulty assimilating · African-Americans were brought over as slaves for European immigrants Did not want to be in the U S The African – American experience The Civil War 1861-1865 Civil War: America was two nations: · North – industrial & against slavery · South farming cotton & tobacco = dependent on slaves from Africa 1861: S wanted their own nation because N was against slavery war 1863: Lincoln gave Emancipation Proclamation – freedom to slaves\1865: S surrender to N, civil war ends The African – American experience The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s The segregation between whites and non-whites Segregation is an extreme form of discrimination, where people are forced to separate themselves based on the color of their skin THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT Martin Luther King, Jr: A black minister È Non-violent marches and demonstrations against segregation and other forms of racial discrimination È Was assassinated by a gunman in 1968 Malcolm X: African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist È Initially advocated black supremacy and segregation of black and white Americans È Eventually joined forces with civil rights movement, while advocating for self-determination and self-defense È Was killed by multiple gunshots in 1965 Two major civil rights laws were passed => remove racial segregation from public facilities in the South => remove the barriers that had prevented black people from voting in that region RACE RELATIONS AFTER THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT The amount white prejudice toward black was reduced: § College and university attendance § Income increase § Elective public office § Higher involvement in politics and society Still a gulf between races: Poverty, unemployment, violence and despair A UNIVERSAL NATION America is more so a mosaic § Smaller units coming together to make a beautiful picture § Individual cultures integrating to create a larger, heterogeneous culture UNIT 2: TRADITIONS AND ADAPTING CULTURES " Barba Nikos "Review (with vocabulary) ü This was a story of cultural diversity, even though the narrator and Barba Nikos shared the same ethnic background ü The narrator inherited his culture (Greek), and his heritage lies in the ingredients in Barba Nikos shop ü They both had different personal identities: ¡ Barba Nikos represents the old country (Greece) · Being Greek was a source of pride for him ¡ Narrator represents Americanized Greeks (people who lost their culture willingly) · Being Greek was a source of embarrassment " Barba Nikos ": Which one did the narrator do? assimilate – completely adapt to the dominant culture ¡ He turned against his own people (Greek) to fit in with his American friends integrate – unify with the dominant culture while retaining their individual identity ¡ He and his family eat Greek foods during holidays segregat e – completely separate from the group (the dominant group usually segregates others from them) ¡ The old neighborhood may have been informally segregated by cultural identity, but not by race Ingredients of Greek Culture (p 15) In the story, Barba Nikos criticizes the narrator for not understanding the true meaning of each ingredient in his store: " You are a stupid boy, "the old man said." You are not really Greek, are you? " " Yes, I am " " You might be, "he admitted grudgingly." But you not act Greek Wrinkling your nose at these fine olives Look around this store for a minute What you see? " " Fruits and vegetables, "I said." Cheese and olives and things like that " He stared at me with a massive scorn." That's what I mean, "he said." You are a bonehead You don't understand that a whole nation and a people are in this store " UNIT 3: TRADITION OF VALUES AND BELIEFS People come to America because they believe in the following: Individual freedom, equal opportunity, and material wealth However, the outcomes of each are respectively self-reliance, competition, and hard work # 1: Individual freedom and self-reliance ü Value / Belief: INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM • Many immigrants came to America to find freedom from controlling government or religious persecution • Beginning of American's colonial rule: Class separation of" nobles "(rich) and" commoners "(poor) § Changed when colonists declared freedom from British rule ü Result of freedom from British rule: ü" Don't tell me what to do; it's my life " Þ People govern, not kings Þ No ruling class (nobility) Þ Separation of church and state ü The power shared between federal (national) and states (regional) ü Outcome of Value/Belief: SELF-RELIANCE ü" You should be able to stand on your own two feet " ü You are looked up to if you are able to things on your own ü The Reality: - People are pressured to move out of their family's homes as early as possible – 18 – 21 years old - People are unwilling to receive charity or government help to avoid seeming weak - People look down on beggars, thinking that it's their fault that they're poor - In 2017, there were 39.7 million people in poverty - About 15 million children in the United States – 21% of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty threshold # 2: Equal Opportunity and Competition Value/Belief: EQUAL OPPORTUNITY Everyone has chance to succeed because freedom from overpowering government and social hierarchy (classes) " Old country "– hereditary aristocracy; noble families had power, wealth, land that they inherited No one else had much chance to succeed " New country "– status and opportunity are not based on your birth / position in society – the harder you work, the more you succeed Outcome of Value/Belief: COMPETITION -" Life is a race "– rule must be equal, competition must be fair - American society trains people to compete + Competition makes people energetic, motivated + Popularity of sports and competition throughout schools, in nearly all aspects + It's everyone's duty to try effort is rewarded The Reality: - Children = trained early to engage in competition, they are fixed on the winning/losing mentality pressure, stress - Women and people of color = historically disadvantaged - Some people are richer than others = inherited advantage - Elderly = Emotional strain; feel useless when not involved in highly competitive society • Women earn less than men (75%) in the workplace • People of color earn less than white people # 3: Material wealth and hard work Value / Belief: MATERIAL WEALTH - Many immigrants came to escape poverty, America was known for being a land of wealth, abundant natural resources - Wealth is seen as a reward for hard work – wealth had to come through earning it; natural resources had to be developed through hard work –" Money talks " - The" American Dream ":" Going from rags to riches " + belief that any American can succeed and become rich if they simply work hard enough + Status and success became based on material wealth Outcome of Value / Belief: HARD WORK § You must earn material wealth and respect through hard work §" Burning the candle at both ends " ị Stress ị Workaholic Đ As economy move from industry-based to service-based, fewer high-paid jobs are available, more difficult to become wealthy The Reality: - American Dream less likely = different economy now - Citizens judge people who use welfare §" welfare mothers "= young women who not marry or hold a job and have children and are support by payments from the government § Some women actually choose not to get married because the father is not good enough Unit 4: American Government (Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches) A New Nation - The British colonized America in 1600s - The British colonists wanted to declare freedom from England / the King in 1776 - American Revolution colonists won and eventually established The United States of America Let's Put it in Writing • The first written document – 1781 – Articles of Confederation • rules were too loose The Constitution – official in 1789 • Sets the basic form of American government • branches: Executive, legislative, judicial • System of" checks and balances "for each branch • No one branch or institution gets the ultimate power – belongs to the people •" Supreme Law of the Land "– ALL government groups (federal, state, local) MUST follow its guidelines The Bill of Rights • The Constitution didn't make clear many of the basic rights of American people (civil rights) The Bill of Rights – 1791 – fundamental rights of any American 1) Freedom of speech, press, religion and petition 2) Right to keep and bear arms 3) Government cannot house soldiers in private homes without consent 4) Need probable cause and search warrant before you search someone's home 5) Cannot be charged for the same crime twice; can't be forced to testify against yourself (" plead the 5th ") 6) Right to a speedy and public trial and defense lawyer in criminal case 7) Right to trial by jury in civil case 8) No cruel and unusual punishment or excessive bail 9) Protection of rights not stated in the Constitution 10) Powers not given to government are reserved for states, or people •" unalienable "rights – you are born with them and they can't eve be taken away • designed to serve the people and carry out their majority wishes • People did NOT want the government to control them (they had that in England) still dislike of" big government "today • The American System of Government 1) One person, one vote – representatives are elected based on number of people so everyone is fairly and evenly represented 2) Checks and Balances – no system has complete power – they all influence each other Legislative • Congress = Senate + House of Representatives • Meet in Capitol Hill • Senate: 100 Senators, 2/state; 1/3 elected every years for years in office • House: 435 members; elected every years for year terms • Number of representatives is based on state population (California has 53 votes, Delaware has 1) • Speaker of the House leads Congress sessions (currently Democrat Nancy Pelosi) Executive student learning + Aims to keep students on track to meeting academic growth goals - School staff are judged based on test scores rather than classroom observations - Classrooms become training grounds for standardized testing rather than meaningful learning - High pressure neighborhoods on low-performing schools in low-income Current Move from State to National Standards: Common CORE Higher Education Attending an Wealthier American students have University more options - Rich families can send their students to any school without worrying about costs - Poor families can apply for financial aid to receive grants (free money) and for scholarships that help pay for tuition - Middle class families suffer the most: - Cannot receive grants, but not have enough to pay tuition - Must apply for loans (money to pay back) - 1900: Less than 10% college-aged Americans in college - 2000: Over 60% college-aged Americans have taken college courses, with 20% having attended years or more The Money Value of Education Belief: Success is based on acquiring material wealth • Education: Valued for monetary value • The more schooling people have, the more money they will earn when they leave school • Professional field: Medicine, law • "Non-professional" field: Art, history, philosophy Main point: You need to have a college education to be successful in America • Past: People can get a paid $$$ for working in a factory without a college education • NOW: New technology and high-skilled jobs in America require a college education, or even graduate degree (5+ years of college) • Other option: Low service sector (fast-food restaurants, small stores, hotels) Racial Equality and Education • Debate that nationwide standards don't address educational inequality in the U S • 1860s-1960s: Segregated schools between white people and African-Americans • 1896 Plessy v Ferguson : Supreme Court case upheld the "Separate but equal doctrine" to justify racial segregation in public schools and facilities in the South • 1954 Brown v Board of Education: Supreme court decisions stated that laws forcing racial segregation violated the U S Constitution because such schools could never be equal • Even though schools desegregated and integrated, public schools were still not equal • African American students inner-city schools, high crime rates and social disorder • White students suburban schools, middle class neighborhoods Other options • • – Private Catholic students pay Schools: School tuition (fee) • • gives similar religious class - background Elite - pay Usually only - tuition upper-class families education – Public Schools: Magnet • students must • specializes in apply - Program and certain be subjects chosen (ex: to Math, Charter Students must Chosen Works Famous apply by Public and of and Supreme attend science) Schools random independently students School high for options • - school Good Other - public Private Students - - to instruction the be chosen to attend raffle/lottery system public district private Court school funding Cases Affirmative Action : To make up for discrimination against blacks and other minorities, schools set quotas for minimum numbers of minority students 1978 Bakke Case: Supreme Court struck down affirmative action and ruled that a professional school could not set aside a certain number of places to be filled only by minority students, or students of color Allen Bakke, a white student, was denied admission to UC Davis Medical School Blamed his non-admission on "less qualified" students of color receiving placement Extra consideration MAY be given to nonwhite students, but limited Unit 6: The I American Family Family Structures • 1950s: 70% "classic" American family with a husband (breadwinner), wife (homemaker) and two children (under the age of 18) • "breadwinner" – the one who earns money to support the family • "homemaker" – the one who takes care of the children and did not work outside of home • "nuclear Immediate family" – family" just the husband, " wife, and kids • rare for "extended family" living in household – aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents • • 2000: average Families household are included becoming 2.62 people (3.23 smaller in 1985) • Trend moving toward both parents working, not just one parent • Alternative • families Married (different couples from without "classic") children • Single-parent families • Blended families • • Unmarried Gay or • I couples lesbian couples People Family Structures: living with or without living Demographic together children alone factors Alternative families nearly outnumber traditional ones Why? o Substantial increase in birthrate in 1950s ( "baby boomers") o Increased population Still living People are getting married and having children later in life: Men: 26.8 years o Women: 25.1 years old People are o High old (26.1 in 1990) living longer of divorce rate 50% of marriages end in divorce • I Family Structures: Alternative Why? • families Political nearly and Economic outnumber factors traditional ones o Women's Movement: Women began to enter careers outside traditional areas of teaching, nursing or being a secretary o Changing economy: Women started working as well to support the family due to economic hardships It is very difficult to raise a family by relying on one working parent's salary II The emphasis on individual freedom Aristocratic Families American Families Advance Bring Aim to the honor create a family to as the economically a group family name self-supporting family Advance the happiness of individual members of the family Grant freedom Make to family independent members career (no controls) decisions III Marriage and divorce - American parents have little control over whom their children marry - Happiness is based primarily on companionship – the most important part of marriage • Option: "No-fault" divorce, "irreconcilable (non-solvable) differences" • Approximately one out of every two marriages end in divorce (50%) • Individual happiness should not be sacrificed for the sake of children • Children may be better off with two single and happy parents than two unhappily married parents IV Equality o • in the family Parent-children relationship • Americans give their young children a lot of freedom to teach them to be independent and self-reliant: • Young children are asked for their opinions and express opinions even without being asked • Parents and children can engage in arguments to show equality in viewpoints • Babies • Elderly have parents their live own in beds (cribs) nursing homes • Children "leave their nest" at about 18 to go to college to get a job to support themselves • "boomerang kids" : Leave the nest once but are back again B Husband-wife relationship • The man of the house may be responsible for the child care, cooking, washing clothes or doing other cleaning and picking up around the house • Man may choose to stay at home to care for kids while wife works • Some V men's The restrooms Role have of diaper-changing Family in facilities Society Divorce is tolerated as preservation of freedom and equality Marriage and family life still highly valued Family (90%) trends: Within 26% of "typical" American family households are actually "step families," or "blended families" Parent who marries another parent who already has children Not Second marriages fail easy at a higher rate Family Rise 1/3 first Trends: in children than single-parenthood born to unmarried women Public concern: Family institution and "values" are in deep trouble Families are VI actually Family A "Clearly B "More Values Traditional" Values Expressive" Values Respecting Being Having one's responsible for faith Respecting fine parents one's in actions God authority Married to Leaving the the same world person in for life better shape Giving emotional support to other members of the family Respecting Developing people greater skill in for communicating Respecting Living up to themselves one's one's one's potential feeling children as an individual UNIT 7: Leisure Time (Organized Sports, Recreation, and Television) Organized Sports Sports • and Organized American sports reflects the Values following values: • Equal opportunity: "A laboratory in which young men [and women], regardless of social class, can learn the advantages and rewards of a competitive system" • Women are becoming more recognized, as we see them being represented more in the Olympics and national sports • Emphasis on "fair play" • Competition: learning how to win in sports helps develop necessary habits to be successful in life • • • Hard work: "Hustle "A quitter "hustle," – you never "persistence," can't wins, a or "never survive winner quitting" without never it." quits " • "It's easy to be ordinary, but it takes guts to excel." Sports • Professional and sports American inspire and teach Values young people • "The national religion" = mixture of national pride and patriotism • with Keep religious yourself Competition from Carried to ideas being an idle Extreme? • The desire to win can weaken rather than strengthen American values • "Winning is the only thing that matters." • Not accepting "honorable defeat" – fact that the other team won because they are better • Disorder and violence • Coaches like that the rivalry brings teams together • Injuries Competition sustained Carried to in an sports Extreme? • Theory: elimination (getting rid) of competition = laziness • • Battle: Players Argument over vs who Coaches/Managers/Owners should get paid more • 1994: World Series (the annual championship series of North American-based Major League Baseball) was cancelled because the players wanted no "cap" on their salary, and owners disagreed • Fans lost • 2011: 4th NBA Lockout due to disagreement about salary cap and luxury tax • Season delayed – stressed players because they rushed into the season A Time for Self-Improvement • Self-improvement: The desire to grow individually in a mental or physical sense • Three most common activities: • Jogging/running • Tennis • Snow skiing • Afterward Physical • Self-Improvement 1970s • – beginning Sports of "physical clubs fitness / • craze" gyms Marathons • adventure travel - $8 billion business, 1/5 of Americans leisure travel market • Risk-taking: White-water raft, mountain climbing, rock climbing, sky diving, helicopter skiing, bungee jumping • (all of these have mental self-improvement aspects as well) Mental Self-Improvement • Participation in cultural activities: Symphony concerts, live theater performances, museums, lectures, artistic activities, and skill-based activities • "Soft-adventure" – traveling, and then coming home to nice resort or hotel A • Time Recreation for reflects Self-Improvement the following values: • Hard work: Work hard in the office, then reap the benefits of relaxing physically and mentally • "Work hard to play hard" • Self-reliance: People challenge themselves mentally or physically simply to see that they can actually complete the task Health and Obese and Fitness Overweight Health (Americans) and Fitness • American population if becoming heavier due to poor eating habits and sedentary (mostly sitting) lifestyle • Less than ½ of Americans exercise in their leisure time • 1/3 Americans are at their desirable weight ã ắ Americans say that physical fitness is more important to them now than it was then • What is happening Reason #1: • Television, information magazines, and about • • Stores Many The Reason #2: • in Eating • may "The large Busy • Loss lifestyle of Health control and the government eating taste Culture some of Fitness eating provided healthier choices health Over-Indulgence" having of – has over of then Choice non-fat choose portions, America? of low-fat, Love • Power provide Americans to another serving fast families due reflects don't to have ease of the food the fast-food following time life values: • Individual freedom: You make your own choices when it comes to the food that you eat • Hard work: In order to stay fit, you have to make difficult decisions in your lifestyle, and you will receive good results Television • • Beautiful TV promotes The Ø woman images Effects Young Ø slender, of women have Ø Ø of = slim physically fit Watching become obsessed TV: with Eating Anorexia Bulimia (starving (forcing people weight disorders: yourself yourself to to throw get up skinny) your food) Ø The more TV people watch, the less likely they are to exercise Ø Ø "couch Children's attention Ø Ø potato" span has shortened "channel Witness too much surfing" sex and violence Changing Ø Public TV: television provides many educational shows Ø 1990: Congress required TV to improve the quality of their commercials Ø 1996: TV Rating programs Ø Still difficult since both parents work, and children watch TV by themselves Ø Individual Freedom / Material Wealth: Children are free to have their own TV, and this reflects how much money they have Popularity • of Home Chatrooms, Computers and Email, "Surfing the Net" Facebook • "surfing the net" – browsing different websites for various purposes • Rarely parents monitor what their children are browsing UNIT8: Justice, Overview Freedom of and Discrimination Black History • 1600-1800s: Africans were brought over to American as slaves • 1863: 16th president Abraham Lincoln issued "The Emancipation Proclamation," which declared that all African American be freed from slavery (not recognized by Congress) • 1865: Slavery was made illegal everywhere in the U S by the Thirteenth Amendment, after the Civil War was won by the North Jim • Crow Laws 1876-1965 / Jim Segregation Crow laws • State and local laws that mandated racial segregation in all public facilities in the Southern states • • "separate South: de jure but (concerning law) equal" racial segregation • Blacks were, by law, inferior to white Americans and had to use separate schools, businesses, facilities • North: de facto (concerning fact/reality) racial segregation • Blacks were generally discriminated in areas such as jobs, bank lending practices, and housing Civil Rights Movement • Rosa Parks sparked Civil Rights Movement in 1955 (Montgomery, Alabama) • Whites were allowed to sit in the front of the bus, black people were forced to sit in the back • Rosa Parks refused to move when asked by the bus driver • Arrested • 50, 000 African Americans boycotted (refused to use) the city bus system • Company lost money (75% customers) • Supreme Court ruled segregation on buses was illegal a year later Martin Luther • of One King the - Civil leaders of Rights the Movement Montgomery leader bus boycott • 1963 – led March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom • Consisted of over 250, 000 participants, white and black • • • delivered Called for an 1964 • "I end – Forms Sit-ins to a racism received Dream" in in Peace to designated States prize protest: use) white • • speech United non-violent (refusal (sitting the Nobel of Boycott • Have facilities) Speeches Assassinated four years later in Memphis, Tennessee Black Power – movement among people of African descent, especially African Americans in the U S • Emphasizing racial pride and creation of separate institutions for black people to promote their interests • Blank Panther Party (1962-1982) – African-American revolutionary socialist organization in the U S • Initially set out to protect African-American neighborhoods from police brutality (violence) • Malcolm X • fought for human rights around the world, especially for African Americans • Advocated self-defense when encountered with violence • Change of language: • "Afro-American" • "Black • is beautiful." "Black Justice, Freedom and power" Discrimination Skits Rosa Parks sitting in the front section of the bus Martin Luther King, Jr.'s March on Washington Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech African-American Montgomery Segregation sit-ins bus at Racial public boycotts facilities\ violence Black power / affirmation ( "Black is beautiful," etc) ... gun-control • deporting undocumented immigrants • US ground troops should fight against ISI Đề cương ơn tập văn hóa Mỹ - American Culture - Part UNIT 5: Education Educating in the U the S Individual Goal:... Workaholic Đ As economy move from industry-based to service-based, fewer high-paid jobs are available, more difficult to become wealthy The Reality: - American Dream less likely = different economy now... Democrat President) • This can make it difficult for the President to get laws passed (has to have approval from both houses before law passes) • Different departments within executive branch