Revision Materials for the 1st American Culture and Civilization Revision Test

Contents
1. AMERICAN SYMBOLS AND HOLIDAYS..........................................................................................................................1
2. ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES & THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.........................................3
3. EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES..........................................................................................................................18
4. AMERICAN VARIETIES OF AMERICAN ENGLISH.........................................................................................................24
5. AMERICAN SPORTS AND RECREATION......................................................................................................................27
6. THE AMERICAN FAMILY.............................................................................................................................................34
7. AMERICAN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT.......................................................................................................................38

1. AMERICAN SYMBOLS AND HOLIDAYS

You need to know the names of the holidays, when they are celebrated and why. You CAN NOT USE THE
HOLIDAYS IN RED AS EXAMPLES OF AMERICAN HOLIDAYS! MANY AMERICANS
CELEBRATE THEM BUT SO DO MANY CROATS SO THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED JUST
“AMERICAN” HOLIDAYS & WON’T BRING YOU POINTS!
Americans celebrate a variety of holidays throughout the year.  American holidays can be secular, religious,
international, or uniquely American.  With the wide variety of holidays and the many levels of American
government it can be confusing to determine what public and private facilities are open on a given holiday. 
You can usually find out in the daily newspaper or by calling the office you wish to visit.

New Year's Day is January 1st. The celebration of this holiday begins the night before, when Americans
gather to wish each other a happy and prosperous coming year. Many Americans make New Year's
Resolutions.

Martin Luther King Day is the third Monday in January.  The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was
an African American clergyman who is recognized for his tireless efforts to win civil rights for all people
through nonviolent means.

Presidents' Day is the common name for the U.S. federal holiday officially designated as Washington's
Birthday. It is celebrated on the third Monday of February.  The   Washington’s Birthday holiday was
originally established to honor the contributions of the first president of the U.S., but it has become
commonplace for Americans to celebrate the legacies of all past presidents on this day. 

Valentine's Day, is celebrated on February 14th.  The day was named after an early Christian martyr, and
on Valentine’s Day, Americans give presents like candy or flowers to the ones they love.

Easter falls on a spring Sunday that varies from year to year.   Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For Christians, Easter is a day of religious services and the gathering of
family. Many Americans follow old traditions of coloring hard-boiled eggs and giving children baskets of
candy.

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Memorial Day is the fourth Monday of May.   It originally honored the people killed in the American
Civil War but has become a day on which the dead of all wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in
special programs held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places. The flying of the American
flag is widespread.

Independence Day is July 4th.  This holiday honors the nation's birthday – the signing of the Declaration
of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and
fireworks. The flying of the American flag is widespread.

Labor Day is the first Monday of September.   This holiday honors the nation's working people,
typically with parades. For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season and the start of
the school year.

Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October.  The day commemorates October 12,
1492, when Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New World.

Indigenous Peoples' Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Recognizes that Native
people are the first inhabitants of the Americas and honors the past, present, and futures of Native peoples
throughout the US.

Halloween is celebrated on October 31.  On Halloween, American children dress up in funny or scary
costumes and go "trick or treating" by knocking on doors in their neighborhood. The neighbors are
expected to respond by giving them small gifts of candy or money.

Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th.  Originally called Armistice Day, this holiday was
established to honor Americans who had served in World War I, but it now honors veterans of all wars in
which the U.S. has fought. Veterans' organizations hold parades, and the president places a wreath on the
Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November.   The holiday dates back to 1621, when Puritans,
who had just enjoyed a bountiful harvest, showed their gratitude to the Native Americans for their help by
hosting a feast to give thanks.  The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition and almost always
includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25.    Christmas is a Christian holiday marking the birth of the
Christ Child. Decorating houses and yards with lights, putting up Christmas trees, giving gifts, and sending
greeting cards have become traditions even for many non-Christian Americans.

Other Celebrations

Various ethnic and religious groups in America celebrate days with special meaning to them even though
these are not national holidays. Jews, for example, observe their high holy days in September, Muslims
celebrate Ramadan, African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, Irish Americans celebrate the old country's
patron saint, St. Patrick, on March 17, and Mardi Gras is the day before the Christian season of Lent begins
and is a big occasion in New Orleans, Louisiana, where huge parades and wild revels take place. There are
many other such religious and ethnic celebrations in the U.S.

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2. ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES & THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT

OUTLINE: Ethnic and Racial Assimilation in the US

Introduction: The United States is made up of people of different races, nationalities, and religions. the
process by which these many groups have been made a part of a common cultural life with commonly
shared values is called "assimilation".

I. Melting pot or salad bowl

A. Melting pot: the racial and ethnic groups combine into one culture

B. Salad bowl: the groups remain distinct and different although they are mixed together

C. The separateness of American Jews - the American Jews are the only groups of
whites who retain a feeling of separateness

1. A long history of persecution in the Christian countries in Europe

2. The weaker forms of discrimination and anti-Jewish feeling in the United

States
3. However, at the same time American Jews have a strong sense of being a part
of the larger American culture in which they have achieved competitive
success in almost every field.

II. The establishment of the dominant culture

A. The characteristics of the population at the time of the Revolution - English,

Protestant, middle class (this became the standard for judging other groups)
B. The assimilation of people in the late 1700s occurred with little difficulty (English,
Irish, German, Dutch and Swedish mingled and intermarried with little thought of any
difference)

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 C. The characteristics of the dominant culture today (English-speaking, Western
European, Protestant and middle class - immigrants having these characteristics
were most likely to give the strongest support to the basic values of the culture such as
freedom, equality of opportunity, and the desire to work hard for a higher material
standard of living.)

III. The assimilation of non-Protestant and non-Western Europeans

A. The immigrants of the late 1800s and early 1900s (the degree of acceptance of the
minority groups depended on their degree of difference)

1. Where they came from (mostly from poverty-stricken nations of southern and
eastern Europe)

2. How they were different (they spoke languages other than English and many
were Catholics or Jews)

3. How Americans viewed them (Americans were afraid that these people were so
accustomed to lives of poverty and dependence that they would not understand
such basic American values as freedom, self-reliance and competition. Their great
numbers also posed the threat of them changing the American values)

a. Americans offered English instruction and citizenship classes to teach

immigrants basic American beliefs

b. Immigrants felt disapproval of their traditions and lacked help in meeting

needs such as: employment, food and place to live

B. The role of the big city political bosses in assimilation

1. What the bosses did
a. accepted the immigrants different homeland traditions
b. saw to many of the practical needs of the immigrants
2. What the bosses expected in return
a. expected the immigrants to help in keeping them in power by voting for them
in elections

3. Why Americans criticized the bosses

a. frequently corrupt (stole money from the city governments that they controlled)
b. engaged in other illegal practices

c. Americans felt the political bosses were destroying the basic values of self-
reliance and competition

C. The rapidly expanding economy

1. The opportunities for new immigrants
a. to better their standard of living in the US

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 b. this led them to accept most of the values of the larger American culture -
they have a strong sense of American identity which is much stronger than
their feeling of belonging to a separate ethnic group

2. The acceptance of the new immigrants

IV. The assimilation of non-European groups (has been more successful for white ethnic
groups than non-white)

A. The experience of black Americans (greater difficulty in becoming assimilated into

the larger culture)
 only group brought to the US against their will to be sold as slaves

 all other ethnic groups came to the US voluntarily as immigrants in order to better their
living conditions

1. Slavery in the south

South - slavery the basis of society
North - did not allow slavery

2. Why people in the north feared the spread of slavery

a. slavery was an injustice to the black man, it was in complete contradiction to

American values such as freedom and equality of opportunity

b. slavery was a threat to northern whites, white men would have to compete
with unpaid slave labor (this would degrade their work and lower their social
status)
c. Abraham Lincoln- the sixteenth President of the United States, serving from
March 4, 1861 until his assassination. An outspoken opponent of the
expansion of slavery in the United States

3. The Civil War

a. the southern states left the Union and tried to form a new nation based on
slavery
b. the bloodiest and most destructive of all the nation's wars
c. victory for the North and end to slavery in the US

B. The role of Martin Luther King

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 1. Segregation in the south
a. blacks in the South were not allowed to vote and were legally segregated from
whites
b. victims of strong racial prejudice in the North and South

2. King's goal to end segregation and discrimination

a. 1954 - the Supreme Court declared that racially segregated public schools did
not provide equal educational opportunities for black Americans and were
therefore illegal
b. Black leaders tried to end racial segregation in all areas of American life
c. King led thousands of black people in non-violent marches and
demonstrations against segregation and other forms of racial discrimination

3. King's desire for complete assimilation of blacks into the American society
a. He did not wish to separate his people from American society, but rather to
gain for them a larger part of it.
b. some black leaders, such as Malcom X, urged rejection of basic American
values and complete separation of blacks from the white culture (white man's
values used to keep blacks in an inferior position).

C. The civil rights laws of the 1960s

1. An end to segregation- removed racial segregation from public facilities in the
South

2. A return to voting rights - removed the barriers which had prevented black
people from voting in that region.
3. Reduced white prejudice and helped to improve the position of blacks in
society today (increase in black university students, elected officials, higher
income jobs)

4. however, the following differences still exist between whites and blacks:

a. differences in earnings, educational opportunities, social class standings

b. on the one hand, African Americans feel that they are part of the larger
American culture
c. on the other hand, they have a strong feeling of being separate from it.
d. Other groups with a similar problem: Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans,
Asian Americans and American Indians

V. The assimilation of future immigrants

A. Immigrants from Latin America (handicap - lack of knowledge of the English
language)
B. The role of economic conditions
1. An aid to assimilation in the past (the US was a land of material abundance,
immigrants bettered their standard of living and showed greater acceptance of
American values)
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 2. Future uncertainty about the economy and the ability to assimilate new
immigrants- everybody wants a piece of the pie

Conclusion: Uncertainty about future assimilation of new immigrants

diversity in America through pictures:

ETHNIC AND RACIAL ASSIMILATION IN THE UNITED STATES (Lecture)

 A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
“Every American who ever lived… was either an immigrant himself, or a descendant of immigrants.”
- J. F. Kennedy
 Frederick Jackson Turner: on the role of the Frontier in shaping the characteristic
outlines of American society & culture – the frontier melting pot
 “The frontier promoted the formation of a composite nationality for the American people. . . .
In the crucible of the frontier the immigrants were Americanized, liberated, and fused into a
mixed race”
 “the tide of foreign immigration …has made a composite American people whose
amalgamation is destined to produce a new national stock”
 Around 1000 A.D. Leif Eriksson discovered a new land which he named Vinland
 A few attempts at settling this new world proved unprofitable for the Vikings and so they
abandoned their newly founded colony
 In 1492 Columbus discovered America
 Large-scale migration followed after a series of attempts at establishing a lasting colony in the
New World – the first such colony was in Jamestown, Virginia (year 1607)
 The Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 granted Native Americans, for the first time, full access to
the United States Bill of Rights.

 Congress adopted the ICRA to make sure tribal governments respect basic rights of Indians and
non-Indians.
 The establishment of the dominant culture
 The characteristics of the population at the time of the American Revolution - English-
speaking, Western European, Protestant and middle class (this became the standard for
judging other groups)

 Immigrants who closely resembled the dominant culture were most likely to give the strongest
support to the basic values of the culture such as freedom, equality of opportunity, and the
desire to work hard for a higher material standard of living.

 How Americans viewed the immigrants

 Americans were afraid that these people were so accustomed to lives of poverty and
dependence that they would not understand such basic American values as freedom, self-
reliance and competition.

 Their great numbers also posed the threat of them changing the American values.

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 a. Americans offered English instruction and citizenship classes to teach immigrants basic American
beliefs
b. Immigrants felt disapproval of their traditions and lacked help in meeting needs such as:
employment, food and place to live

 The role of the big city political bosses in assimilation

 What the bosses did?

• They accepted the immigrants’ different homeland traditions
• They saw to many of the practical needs of the immigrants

 What the bosses expected in return?

• They expected the immigrants to help in keeping them in power by voting for them in
elections

 Why Americans criticized the bosses

 frequently corrupt (stole money from the city governments that they controlled)
 engaged in other illegal practices
 Americans felt the political bosses were destroying the basic values of self-reliance and
competition

MELTING POT VS SALAD BOWL

 The United States is made up of people of different races, nationalities, and religions.
 The process by which these many groups have been made a part of a common cultural life with
commonly shared values is called assimilation.
 The U.S.A. has often been called a melting pot where different cultures (various racial &
ethnic groups) combine into one culture but lose their own cultural identity
 Lately, it has been called a salad bowl – different cultures (various racial & ethnic groups)
become one culture but still retain their own cultural identity. They remain somewhat
distinct & different from one another creating a richly diverse country.

 The rapidly expanding economy

 The opportunities for new immigrants
a. led to better their standard of living in the US
b. this led them to accept most of the values of the larger American culture
- they have a strong sense of American identity which is much stronger than their feeling of belonging to a
separate ethnic group

 The acceptance of the new immigrants

 In spite of the worries of those in the dominant culture, the new immigrants did assimilate to
life in the United States.
 They greatly enriched the cultural diversity of the nation, and they ultimately did not cause
major changes to its system of government, its free enterprise system, or its traditional values.
 The United States as a Mosaic

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 It was thought that this diversity will give the nation great influence and appeal to the rest of
the world during the twenty-first century.
 Perhaps the United States will be described not as a "melting pot" or a "salad bowl," but as a
"mosaic"—a picture made up of many tiny pieces of different colors. If one looks closely at the
nation, the individuals of different colors and ethnic groups are still distinct and recognizable,
but together they create a picture that is uniquely American. E pluribus unum —the motto of
the United States from its beginning— means "one composed of many." Out of many, one.

 The assimilation of future immigrants

 The assimilation of people in the late 1700s occurred with little difficulty (English, Irish,
German, Dutch and Swedish mingled and intermarried with little thought of any difference)
 Immigrants from Latin America (handicap - lack of knowledge of the English language)
 The role of economic conditions
a. An aid to assimilation in the past (the US was a land of material abundance, immigrants
bettered their standard of living and showed greater acceptance of American values)

 Bilingual & Bicultural Groups

 Since 1776, an enormous amount of racial and ethnic assimilation has taken place in the United
States, yet some groups continue to feel a strong sense of separateness from the culture as a
whole.
 Many of these groups are really bilingual and/or bicultural. That is, they consider themselves
Americans, but they may also wish to retain the language and sometimes the cultural traditions
of their original culture.
 e.g. many Hispanics, or Latinos, have taken a special pride in maintaining their cultural
traditions and the use of the Spanish language.

 Changes in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations

.
 In 2018, the Trump administration pushed to cut down on legal immigration and strengthen the
Department of Homeland Security’s ability to enforce immigration laws.
 Here are five USCIS changes in immigration regulations and policy updates that affect legal
immigrants with visas and green cards in the United States and likely will increase deportations
in 2019
 The unauthorized immigrant population (Illegal aliens) are people living in the U.S.A. without
proper authorization (green card)
 Some sneak across borders, but some stay after their tourist or student visas expire
 Latest estimation: the number has declined to around 10.4 million (2019) 3% of total US
population
 As part of his efforts to curb immigration, US President Donald Trump sought to end former
President Obama’s DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program in 2017, calling
it unconstitutional.
 However, a judge ordered Trump to restore the undocumented immigrants scheme
 Trump's immigration policies center around eight areas:
1. Restrict legal immigration.
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2. Complete the border wall with Mexico.
3. Reduce the number of asylum seekers.
4. Stop immigrants from receiving benefits.
5. End the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and deport its recipients.
6. Restrict travel and visas from certain countries.
7. Reduce the number of refugees.
8. Modify the H-1B visa work program.
 THE BIDEN PLAN FOR SECURING OUR VALUES AS A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS
-
Key facts about U.S. immigration policies and Biden’s proposed changes
 The Biden Commitment to a Fair and Humane Immigration System
 He will ensure US values are squarely at the center of its immigration and enforcement
policies.
 The Biden administration is acting on a number of fronts to reverse Trump-era restrictions on
immigration to the United States. The steps include plans to boost refugee admissions,
preserving deportation relief for unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and
not enforcing the “public charge” rule that denies green cards to immigrants who might use
public benefits like Medicaid.
 Biden’s biggest immigration proposal to date would allow more new immigrants into the U.S.
while giving millions of unauthorized immigrants who are already in the country a pathway to
legal status
 The African-American Experience &
The Civil Rights Movement
of the 1950s and I960s
 The assimilation of non-European groups (has been more successful for white ethnic groups
than non-white)
 The experience of black Americans (greater difficulty in becoming assimilated into the larger
culture)
 only group brought to the US against their will to be sold as slaves
 all other ethnic groups came to the US voluntarily as immigrants in order to better their living
conditions
 Slavery in the South –
 The South - slavery the basis of society
 The North - did not allow slavery
 Why people in the north feared the spread of slavery?
 Slavery was an injustice to the black man, it was in complete contradiction to American values
such as freedom and equality of opportunity
 It divided the United States into two increasingly different sections: the southern states, in
which black slavery became the basis of the economy, and the northern states, which chose to
make slavery against the law.
 Slavery was a threat to northern whites, white men would have to compete with unpaid slave
labor (this would degrade their work and lower their social status)
 Northerners demanded that slavery be abolished, even if this meant war with the South
 Abraham Lincoln- the sixteenth President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1861
until his assassination. An outspoken opponent of the expansion of slavery in the United States

10
 Lincoln's argument was that if black slavery continued to spread westward, white freedom and
equality would be threatened
 Lincoln also believed that basic ideals such as freedom and equality of opportunity had to
apply to all people, black and white, or they would not last as basic American values.

 The Civil War (1861-1865)

 When Lincoln won the presidency in 1860, the southern states left the Union and tried to form
a new nation of their own based on slavery.
 A war between the North and South resulted which turned out to be the bloodiest and most
destructive of all the nation's wars.
 When the North was finally victorious, black slavery ended in the United States.
 Back in the 1830s, Tocqueville predicted trouble between blacks and whites in the United
States:
 These two races are fastened to each other without intermingling; and they are unable to
separate entirely or to combine. Although the law may abolish slavery God alone can obliterate
the traces of its existence.
 Current racial tension foreshadowed
 Although slavery was abolished in the1860s, its legacy continued, and African Americans were
not readily assimilated into the larger American culture.
 Most remained in the South, where they were not allowed to vote and were legally segregated
from whites.
 Black children were not allowed to attend white public schools, for example, and many
received an inferior education that did not give them an equal opportunity to compete in the
white-dominated society.
 Many former slaves and their families became caught in a cycle of poverty that continued for
generations.
 Although conditions were much worse in the segregated South, blacks continued to be the
victims of strong racial prejudice in the North as well.

 The role of Martin Luther King Jr.

 Segregation in the south
a. blacks in the South were not allowed to vote and were legally segregated from whites
b. victims of strong racial prejudice in the North and South
 King's goal to end segregation and discrimination

a. 1954 - the Supreme Court declared that racially segregated public schools did not
provide equal educational opportunities for black Americans and were therefore illegal
b. Black leaders tried to end racial segregation in all areas of American life
c. c. King led thousands of black people in non-violent marches and demonstrations against
segregation and other forms of racial discrimination

 King's desire for complete assimilation of blacks into the American society

11
 a. He did not wish to separate his people from American society, but rather to gain for them a
larger part of it.
b. Some black leaders, such as Malcom X, urged rejection of basic American values and
complete separation of blacks from the white culture (white man's values used to keep blacks
in an inferior position).
 The civil rights laws of the 1960s
 An end to segregation- removed racial segregation from public facilities in the South
 A return to voting rights - removed the barriers which had prevented black people from voting
in that region.
 Reduced white prejudice and helped to improve the position of blacks in society today
(increase in black university students, elected officials, higher income jobs)
 However, the following differences still exist between whites and blacks:
a. differences in earnings, educational opportunities, social class standings
b. on the one hand, African Americans feel that they are part of the larger American culture
c. on the other hand, they have a strong feeling of being separate from it.
d. Other groups with a similar problem: Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Asian Americans
and American Indians

 Multicultural society
 Immigrants greatly influenced the U.S.A. with their beliefs, customs, food, religion etc.
 people of different races, cultures and traditions live side by side with a mutual respect.
 multiculturalism is beneficial to a society, because it consists of people from different ethnic
backgrounds, cultures and religions living and working together
 cultural diversity

 NEW YORK
 New York is cosmopolitan but not completely mixed.
 Nationalities stay in their own areas, like the Russians in the Russian section, the Germans in
the German section. Polish people settled down in a cosmopolitan district of Chicago.
 The area of a city where many Chinese people live and where you can find many Chinese
shops and restaurants is called Chinatown.
 People go there because of its special atmosphere, good restaurants and shops selling cheap
Chinese souvenirs.

 Advantages / pros
When people learn about different ways of life:
 it helps to break down barriers between ethnic groups which are caused by ignorance. Human
beings have a tendency to be suspicious of cultures they do not understand.
 Living with different cultures brings a better understanding of other cultures, enrich our lives
and helps to encourage tolerance.

 Disadvantages/cons
 cultural differences can divide a society
 this can lead to prejudice and discrimination

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  there will always be people who think that their religion and culture is superior and right and
that other beliefs and cultures are inferior and wrong (racists)
 these people try to blame ethnic minorities for social and economic problems even when it is
not true
 racism is sometimes a problem of multicultural society
 Future uncertainty about the economy and the ability to assimilate new immigrants-
everybody wants a piece of the pie

 Ethnic diversity in the United States

 African Americans descendants of enslaved Africans
 enslaved Africans brought their own religious beliefs, languages, and cultural practices with
them to the New World
 the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution and the President Abraham Lincoln
abolished slavery in the U.S. in 1865.
 African Americans were treated inhumanely by White Americans
 White Americans bred African American sons and daughters with their own mothers and
fathers, forced them to wear mouth bits like horses in order to break their spirits and whipped
them brutally
 The American Civil Rights Movement scored a series of victories from the 1940s into the early
1970s that put an end to segregation and discrimination
 By 1990, the African American population reached about 30 million and represented 12% of
the U.S. population
 Almost 58 percent of African Americans live in metropolitan areas
 New York City and Chicago have the largest black population in the U.S.

 Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is the name of the several organizations in the United States that have
advocated white supremacy, antisemitism, racism, anti-Catholicism, homophobia and nativism
 Originally created after the end of the American Civil War
 Gov. W. Holden attempted to use the state militia against the KKK
 On Easter Sunday, 1873, the bloodiest single instance of racial violence in the Reconstruction
era happened during the Colfax massacre, it started with African Americans who fought back
against the Klan
 Two hundred and eighty African Americans were killed
 The burning cross is a symbol used by the Klan to create terror

 Ethnic and racial assimilation and the Civil rights movement

 After Civil War between the North and the South, black slavery in the US ended
 Blacks not assimilated in American society and culture
 Discrimination
 Legally segregated
 Not allowed to vote
 Violence
 Widespread unemployment

 The Civil Rights Movement

 Long struggle to bring civil rights and equality under the law to all Americans

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  Rosa Parks, an African-American woman who refused to get up on a public bus to make room
for a white person to sit
 Montogomery Bus Boycott
 The boycott took place from December 5, 1955, to December 20, 1956, and is regarded as the
first large-scale U.S. demonstration against segregation.
 “sit-ins” held all over the country
 March on Washington, held on 1963

 Martin Luther King, Jr.

 born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia
 an American Baptist minister and leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement
 first president of SCLC - the Southern Christian Leadership conference, an organization formed to
provide new leadership for the civil rights movement
 received Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at the age of 35, he was the youngest man to receive the Nobel
Peace Prize
 “I have a dream speech”, held on March on Washington in 1963
 Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired with Gandhi’s non-violent activism
 important role in creating Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965

 The March on Washington August, 28 1963

 The Lincoln Memorial, “I Have a Dream”
 assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee
 All major civil rights organizations
 6 goals:
 meaningful civil rights laws
 a massive federal works program
 full and fair employment
 decent housing
 the right to vote
 adequate integrated education

 As a result of King’s activities, two major civil rights laws were passed during the 1960s.
 One law made it illegal to segregate public facilities; The other law made it illegal to deny
black people the right to vote in elections.
 A federal program called affirmative action required employers to actively seek black workers
and universities to recruit black students.
 Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
 refused to give seat 1955
 “mother of civil rights movement”
 boycott lasted for 381 days
 November 1956 Montgomery's busses desegregated

 Martin Luther King Jr. & Malcolm X

 Martin Luther King Jr. - King’s goal was to bring about greater assimilation of black people
into the larger American culture.
 Malcolm X urged a rejection of basic American values and complete separation of blacks from
the white culture.
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  Martin Luther King Jr.: “I feel that Malcolm has done himself and our people a great
disservice. Fiery, demagogic oratory in the black ghettos, urging Negroes to arm themselves
and prepare to engage in violence, as he has done, can reap nothing but grief.”

 Barack Obama
 the first African-American president of the US
 sign that the society changed
 still, racism is present in society

 Black Lives Matter

 #BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer.
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Inc. is a global organization in the US, UK, and
Canada, whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in
violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes. By combating and countering
acts of violence, creating space for Black imagination and innovation, and centering Black joy, we
are winning immediate improvements in our lives.
 "All Lives Matter" - criticized by BLM for its "racial dismissal, ignoring, and denial"
 President Barack Obama : "I think that the reason that the organizers used the phrase Black
Lives Matter was not because they were suggesting that no one else's lives matter ... rather
what they were suggesting was there is a specific problem that is happening in the African
American community that's not happening in other communities." He also said "that is a
legitimate issue that we've got to address."
 " Blue Lives Matter " - Following the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson and in
response to BLM, the hashtag #BlueLivesMatter was created by supporters of the police.
 "White Lives Matter" - In response by "White Student Unions" on college campuses in the
United States that promise a "safe space" for white students and condemn alleged anti-white
racism on campus.

 Malcolm X
 Malcolm Little or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz
 born May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska
 KKK harassed his family a lot
 Malcolm went from being a drug dealer and burglar to one of the most prominent African-
American nationalist leaders in the U.S.
 assassinated February 21, 1965 in New York
 1500 people attended his funeral in Harlem

Native Americans
 Native Americans make up less than 1% of the total U.S. Population
 The term “Native American” includes over 500 different groups and reflects great diversity of
geographic location, language, socioeconomic conditions, school experience, and retention of
traditional spiritual and cultural practices
 28 May 1830 – Indian Removal Act
 President Jackson’s removal policy caused migration of Native Americans to the West of the
Mississippi
 1838-1839 – the “Trail of Tears” – over 4000 out of 15000 of the Cherokees died on their way
to the West because of hunger, disease and exhaustion
15
  They were considered savages and were forced to become “civilized” and convert to
Christianity
 They were often betrayed and deceived by the U.S. Government that wanted more land for new
white settlers
 They still live in reservations in poverty and have no opportunity to get education and proper
jobs to support their families
 An American paradox One the one hand, most young Americans say they would have no
problem being friends with or even marrying someone of a different race or ethnic background;
On the other hand, races and ethnic groups still tend to live in segregated communities.
 Segregation and discrimination are against the law, but residential patterns create largely
segregated neighborhood schools, particularly in many urban areas. Americans continue to
believe strongly in the ideal of equality of opportunity and to search for ways to give everyone
an equal chance at success.

KEY for the HW Reading Assignment:

Understand Details: Write the letter of the best answer according to the information in the chapter.
________ 1. Scholars who see the United States as a "salad bowl" emphasize
a. the great extent of racial and ethnic assimilation in the United States.
b. the many differences between different racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
c. the rapid growth of the population of the United States.
________ 2. In American society, there are some members of ethnic groups (such as some Jews and Hispanics) that
are bicultural; they feel that
a. they are fully assimilated into American society.
b. they do not belong at all to American society.
c. they belong to American society, but at the same time they also have another separate identity.
________ 3. Which of the following was not a characteristic of the dominant American culture during the early
decades of the nation's history?
a. Catholic
b. western European
c. middle-class
________ 4. Which of the following was true about the political bosses in northeastern cities during the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries?
a. They were more afraid of new immigrants than were other Americans.
b. They were more cruel to new immigrants than were other Americans.
c. They were more helpful to new immigrants than were other Americans.

________ 5. Today ethnic groups in the United States

a. have no feeling of belonging to an ethnic group (such as Irish, Italian, or Polish) whatsoever.
b. consider themselves as part of the American culture in varying degrees, often depending on
how similar their culture is to the majority.
c. feel much more a part of their ethnic group than part of the American culture.

________ 6. What was the main reason most northern whites disliked slavery?
a. It went against their religious beliefs.
b. It went against the U.S. Constitution.
c. It threatened their own economic opportunities.
________ 7. After the Civil War, African Americans in the South lived in a social
16
system where
a. many continued to be slaves.
b. segregation was legal.
c. there was racial discrimination, but no laws separated them from whites.
________ 8. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court declared
a. African Americans could not legally be denied their right to vote for racial reasons.
b. racially segregated public schools are illegal.
c. no one may be denied freedom of speech, press, or religion.
________ 9. On which of the beliefs listed below did Malcolm X disagree with Martin Luther King?
a. Black people should be assimilated into the larger American society.
b. Black people were not treated fairly by the larger American society.
c. Black people should have freedom and equality.
________10. Which of these statements about race and ethnicity in America is true?
a. Most young African Americans today have no interest in learning about the black culture and they
identify fully with the white culture.
b. Racial prejudice, segregation, and discrimination are at an all-time
high in the United States today.
c. Using the word mosaic to describe the American culture suggests a positive image.

Build Your Vocabulary - Definitions: Match the word with its definition.
c_______ 1. abolish a. to meet and talk together
f_______ 2. assassination b. dishonest
g_______ 3. civil rights c. to officially end a law or system
b_______ 4. corrupt d. someone who suffers bad treatment
h______ 5. registration e. to encourage someone to achieve something great
e_______ 6. inspire f. the murder of an important person
j______ 7. legacy g. rights that every person should have
a______ 8. mingle h. recording names on an official list
k_____ 9. mosaic i. to destroy something so that nothing remains
i____ 10. obliterate j. a situation that exists as a result of things that happened at an earlier time
l___________ 11. trickle k. a picture made by fitting together small pieces of colored stones, glass, or paper
d__________12. victim 1. a movement of people or things into a place in very small numbers or amounts

1.__________________________Although slavery had ended in the North by the late 1700s, it was not abolished in
the rest of the country until the 1860s.
2. Black people in the 1950s and early 1960s did not have the same freedom and equality as whites in the South;
they had to fight for their civil rights.
3. Martin Luther King, Jr., was able to inspire his followers to demonstrate against segregation.
4._________________________________King was the most important black leader in America from the late 1950s
until his assassination by a white gunman in 1968.
5.__________________________________________Unfortunately, the legacy of slavery continues in the United
States, and there are still problems between the races.
6. When John Lewis was organizing voter-registration drives, he never dreamed that one day an African American
would be elected president.
7. People who come to the United States from many different countries have mingled, and many have married persons
of a different national origin.

17
8. Often, it is the poor minorities who live in the inner cities who are the victims of crime.
9. Perhaps the United States is really more of a mosaic than a melting pot or a salad bowl.
10. Immigration by white Europeans has now slowed to a trickle the majority of the immigrants now come from Asia, Latin
America, or the Caribbean.
11. Few people would really want to obliterate the rich diversity of cultures living together in the United States.
12. Many of the big city political bosses of the late 1800s and early 1900s were corrupt; they stole money from the city
governments.

Develop Your Critical Thinking Skills: This chapter has three definitions or descriptions of the diversity
of the United States: melting pot, salad bowl, and mosaic. Briefly explain each type in your own words.
Which do you prefer?

3. EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Introduction: The ideal of equality of opportunity in American education

I. The establishment of public schools in America
 Americans established system of public schools in 1825
 Americans believe that everyone deserves equal opportunity to get a good education
 By 1860, free public elementary schools were established
 Tendency of public education was in harmony with the customs of American society

A. Characteristics of public schools

B. Reasons why the wealthy feared universal education
 Wealthier Americans opposed these schools’ Educational institutions in the USA reflect nation's
basic values - ‘Public schools will educate people beyond their ‘proper station’ in life’
Tocqueville's observations
 When Alexis de Tocqueville arrived in the United States in 1831, he found a great deal of
enthusiasm about the new and growing public elementary schools.
 He eventually decided that the tendency of public education to encourage people to seek a higher
status in life was in harmony, not in conflict, with the customs of American society. The ideal of
equal opportunity for all regardless of family background was much stronger in the United States
than in France.

II. The educational ladder

 There are no separate educational systems with higher education for the wealthy and a lower level of
education for the masses. The abilities of the individuals, rather than their social class, are expected
to determine how high each person will go.

18
  This concept is a perfect reflection of the American ideal of individual success based on equality of
opportunity.
 Americans view their public-school system as an educational ladder - rising from elementary
school to high school and finally college undergraduate and graduate programs, "working
your way to the top."

Kindergarten
 K-12, a short form for the publicly supported school grades prior to college. These grades are
kindergarten (K) and the 1st through the 12th grade (1-12).
 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – HIGH SCHOOL – COLLEGE – MA - PhD, …
o AGE: 3-5 preschool
o 5 kindergarten
o 5-6 years of elementary school
o 2-3 years of middle school
o 4 years of high school
B. Types of schools
 Public schools – under state supervision – must follow curriculum, no tuition, focused on the core
classes,
 Catholic schools and elite private schools – not under state supervision – must not follow
curriculum, high tuition, uniforms, better academic education, better student-to-teacher ratios, offer a
wider array of extracurricular offerings, advanced placement courses, International Baccalaureate
programs, and gifted studies classes.
 There are private schools which are not open for all social classes
 Private schools’ conflict with the American ideal of equality of opportunity
 Elite private schools – serve mainly upper-class children

19
C. Why the number attending college has increased
 Tuition expenses are much lower at public universities than at private ones
 Americans continue to believe in public education and the ladder to success in life
 Over 30 percent of the total population of Americans over 21 have attended college

III. The monetary value of education

A. The belief that the more schooling people have, the more they will earn when they leave school.
A college education brings jobs with higher pay and better working conditions. Recent studies show that the
typical college graduate earns an estimated $650,000 more than the typical high school graduate over the
course of a 40-year work life.
B. Regrets of those who did not get enough education – Many people wish they had not dropped out
or that they had gone on to higher education.

IV. Extracurricular activities - A well-rounded student is both a strong student and eager to share their
passions and skills with the extended community.” What stands out in the college process are students that
are authentic in their pursuit of leadership, volunteer, and extracurricular involvement, as well as academic
goals.
“IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT HAVING TOP GRADES OR SAT SCORES; IT IS ABOUT BRINGING
SOMETHING TO THE TABLE THAT STUDENTS BELIEVE IN.” You don’t have to excel in all
extracurricular activities, but you need to showcase your passions, interests, and life experiences.
 Help to develop other important skills, like social and political skills
 Athletics, the ‘competitive sports’, are most important of these activities
 There are clubs and activities for almost every student interest
 Student government  develops competitive, political and social skills in students
V. Racial equality and education
 The most significant departure from the ideal of equality of opportunity in education occurred in the
education of black Americans
 Black people in the southern states were prohibited by law from attending schools with whites
 After the Civil War the southern states developed a social system that segregated former black
slaves from the white population in all public facilities, including schools
 1896  the Supreme Court stated that racial segregation in public schools did not violate the
Constitution
 Problems in race relations continued to trouble the public schools
A. The segregation of blacks from whites in schools
B. Efforts to improve black education after segregation ended

20
1954  the Supreme Court reached the decision that racial segregation violates the Constitution

B. The burden of busing

 the most controversial method used to deal with unequal neighborhood schools – students were
bussed from one neighborhood to another to promote racial equality – African American pupils
were bussed to white neighborhoods and vice versa.
 Debate over school busing continues with no clear agreement among Americans – neither side was
satisfied – children did not like going to schools where they felt unwanted or where they would get a
lower quality education

C. The use of quotas to give African Americans a chance to catch up

 Setting minority quotas  lowering academic standards for admission for a limited number of
minority students
 A special treatment rather than equal opportunity? Feelings about this are divided:
1. there are those who feel quotas give underprivileged students a chance to catch up & get
opportunities that they did not have because of their being part of a socially disadvantaged group
2. there are those who feel this is not fair and the quota system denies them their rightfully

VI. The increasing responsibilities of public schools

 Americans place the weight of many of their ideals, hopes and problems on the nation’s public
school system
 Beginning in the 1960s many Americans came to see more problems than opportunities when they
observed public schools in action
 Violence in schools is a growing problem
 The public schools are usually expected to solve student problems that result from the weakening
of family ties in the US
 Although it has many flaws, no acceptable substitute for it has yet been found

KEY for the HW Reading Assignment:

EDUCATION IN THE USA
Understand Details - Write the letter of the best answer according to the information in the chapter.
__________B_1. In the beginning of the chapter, it is implied that some wealthier Americans opposed the
first public schools in the United States because
a. they cost too much money.
b. they would weaken social-class barriers.
21
 c. people who did not pay for their education would not value it.

________A 2. Tocqueville finally concluded that public education in the United States would
a. give Americans not only the desire but also the means to better their position in life.
b. not provide any practical training in vocational skills.
c. not work because people would be prevented from rising to a higher class by the aristocracy.

________C__ 3. Which of these statements is false?

a. American high school students have the choice of going to a free public school or a private one
where they must pay tuition.
b. The American education system is based on strong principles of equality of opportunity—all
students should have an equal opportunity to get a good education.
c. After twelve years of school, American students receive a bachelor's degree diploma at
graduation.

_________A_ 4. Which of these statements is true?

a. Most of the money to pay for American public schools comes from state and local taxes.
b. Religious schools that serve middle-class students receive money from the national government, but
elite private schools do not.
c. The national Department of Education determines the curriculum for all schools and sets the
standards for high school graduation and college admission.

______A 5. From 1900 to 2000, the percentage of young Americans who take at least some college
courses
a. increased enormously, from less than 10 percent to over 50 percent.
b. increased slightly, from about 10 percent to about 20 percent.
c. stayed about the same, at around 20 percent.

________ 6. What the majority of Americans probably value most about higher education is
a. its cultural value.
b. its monetary value.
b. its moral value.
_______B_ 7. Which of the following would not be considered an extracurricular activity?
a. a school baseball team
a. the student government of a school
b. a classroom research project

______C___ 8. In 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court said that racially segregated school and other public
facilities
a. violated the principle of equality.
b. violated the U.S. Constitution.
c. did not violate the principle of equality or the U.S. Constitution.

22
_____B_____ 9. Which of these statements about American schools is false?
a. Public schools that are mainly black or mainly white today usually are the result of the racial makeup
of neighborhoods.
b. African Americans are the fastest growing minority in the schools today.
c. In some school districts, 100 different languages may be spoken.

_______C___ 10. Which of these statements about multiculturalism in the United States is true?
a. In the United States, all immigrant children attend bilingual programs until they learn English very
well and are allowed to attend regular classes with native speakers.
b. In the United States, there are almost no uniform standards for any schools.
c. Multicultural education discusses history from the perspectives of all the ethnic groups
involved, not just the Anglo-American.

Build Your Vocabulary - Use the words in the box to complete the sentences.
attainment elite facilities obvious tuition vocational
displace extracurricular isolated remove violated zip codes
1. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation denied black children an equal opportunity to an
education; segregation violated the Constitution.
2. In the past, many students who went to competitive schools such as Harvard received their high
school education at elite private schools for the rich.
3. Sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities held after school help students get a well-
rounded education.
4. Ravitch believes that it is the responsibility of our public schools to provide equality of educational
opportunity to all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, or income, and if they are unable to reach
equality of educational attainment, we must give them special help.
5. Murray says that members of the new upper class live in certain super zip codes in the United States,
where the income and education levels are high, and the people are often the leaders and decision
makers of the country.
6. However, because these schools are relatively few in number, they do not displace the public school
as the central educational institution in the United States.
7. Murray Murray worries that these elite Americans are isolated from the rest of the country and do
not understand the problems of the middle class.

8. At the university level, there is no free system of public education; even universities
supported by public funds charge students tuition.
9. It is obvious that children who are not native speakers of English are going to be at a
disadvantage when taking standardized tests.
10.Before the civil rights laws were passed, segregation of public facilities was legal in the
South.
11.Parents were given the opportunity to remove their children from schools with low or
failing grades and send them to schools with better grades.
12.Some American high schools offer vocational education to prepare students for
jobs right after school; these students do not attend college.

23
Small-Individual Project: As the COVID-19 pandemic forces education online students across the globe
are making the transition to an online format to finish out the school year. Within the limit of 350 min to
500 words max discuss the transition to online higher education by comparing the situation in Croatia
and the USA. It is expected that you do some research to be able to support your claims with evidence,
examples, or details.

4. AMERICAN VARIETIES OF AMERICAN ENGLISH

Varieties of American English

 Accent-variation in pronunciation
 Dialect- variation in grammar, vocabulary, syntax and pronunciation
 Idiolect- manner of speaking of the individual person
 Jargon- a specialized vocabulary within a particular discipline(legal, medical, computer,...)
English
 English is the most common language in the United States.
 Though the U.S. federal government has no official language, English is considered the de facto (in
practice but not necessarily ordained by law) language of the United States because of its widespread
use.
 English has been given official status by 32 of the 50 state governments.
American English
 (AmE, AE, AmEng, USEng, en-US), also known as United States English or U.S. English, is a set of
dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States
 approximately two thirds of native speakers of English live in the United States
 General American is the name given to any American accent that is relatively free of noticeable
regional influences

American Regional Dialects- American English can be very roughly divided into the following dialects:
 New England
 Mid-Atlantic
 Southern
 Midwestern
 Upper Midwestern
 Western
 Northwestern
 Californian
24
General Northern / General American
 used in 2/3 of the country
 the most prestigious dialect in the USA
 Neutral and free of regional characteristics (‘accentless’ speakers)
African American Vernacular English
 remains prevalent among African Americans
 has a close relationship to Southern varieties of AmE and has greatly influenced everyday
speech of many African Americans

American regional dialects & accents

 The dialects and accents of American English also create walls among its speakers.
 American citizens are often stereotyped among each other because of how they speak.
 Dialect coaches make a great deal of money training actors to speak properly, not
because they do not speak clearly, but because they use an unacceptable accent.
 Some Americans are considered ignorant or uninformed by their countrymen because of
their particular brand of American English.
 While standard, good usage is important, so is preserving the individual flavors of
American English, expressed in its many dialects and accents.

Weird regional words and wonderful regional words

- When you think about the way someone from another part of the country talks, one thing that strikes you
are the words that they use. Even though they all speak English, there are many words and expressions used
in one place that might as well be Greek to people from somewhere else.

1. Milkshake - This drink consists of syrup, ice cream, milk and it’s all mixed up and it turns out to be a
very, very fine drink.

In Rhode Island it’s called a “cabinet.”

2. Rubber band - It’s a thing like you wrap things up in. It stretches.

In Pittsburgh it's a “gumband?”

25
3. Quitting time - work is “finished” (završetak rada)

In Hawaii the term is “pau hana.”

4. A Stew - a dish of Creole origin, consisting of rice cooked with ham, sausage, chicken, or shellfish, herbs,
spices, and vegetables, especially tomatoes, onions, and peppers.

In Louisiana it’s called “Jambalaya."

5. Not straight, crooked, askew. In Mississippi the term is "anti-gogglin."

6. A rowdy little kid. In Pennsylvania the term is “Snickelfritz.”

7. To carry, to lug around, to walk around.

In New York the term is “Schlep." Everybody in New York, schleps. Everybody is carrying something.
Everybody is schleping some place. We’re all schleppers.

Anglicisms in Croatian: Use and Abuse of English:

A. Anglicisms in Croatian - Provide the Croatian translation for the computer terms: (Exercises A &
B NOT for Erasus students!)
1. computer – računalo
2. printer – pisač
3. attachment - privitak
4. file - datoteka
5. download - preuzeti
6. home page - početna stranica
7. site- stranica
26
 8. email - elektronička pošta
9. password – lozinka
10. laptop – prijenosno računalo
B. “Use and Abuse of English by Non-Native Speakers” – Make the necessary corrections:
dodaci na pizzu - addition for pizza – pizza toppings
prilog – contribution / adverb – side dish
kiselo vrhnje - acid creme – sour cream
pileća prsa - chicken chests – chicken breasts
crno vino - black wine - red wine
gazirani sokovi – gasssed drinks – carbonated soft drinks / soft drinks/fizzy drinks
točeno pivo – poured beer – draught beer (also known as draft beer or tap beer
na način kuće/ kućni specijalitet – on the house way - house specialty

5. AMERICAN SPORTS AND RECREATION

Organized Sports and Recreation - Sports and American values

 In the United States there are three major organized sports: football, basketball, and
baseball

 illustrate the ways and words of democracy

Sports that are organized by a society generally reflect the basic values of that society

A. Equality of opportunity - People of different races and economic backgrounds get an equal
chance to excel

B. Competition

1. Learning how to win in sports is believed to develop the habits necessary to compete successfully
in later life. This training, in turn, strengthens American society as a whole. "It is commonly held,"
says one sportswriter, "that the competitive ethic taught in sports must be learned and ingrained in
youth for the future success of American business and military efforts."
Research Suggests Successful Business Qualities Originate from Sport - Common attributes
27
 that are found in successful sportsmen and women that are also present in top businessmen and
women include a competitive nature, leadership skills, and the ability to work under pressure and
show perseverance.

2. The competitive ethic is taught in sports

 The competitive ethic in organized sports contains some elements of hard work—often
called "hustle," persistence, or "never quitting"—and of physical courage—being "tough"
or having "guts."
 Slogans are sometimes used to drive home the competitive virtues for the young
participants:
 "Hustle—you can't survive without it."
 "A quitter never wins; a winner never quits."
 "It's easy to be ordinary, but it takes guts to excel."
 Amateur sports (schools & colleges) valued for teaching young people basic American values
 Professional sports: profit & entertainment, inspiration to participate in organized sports
 National religion

1. organized sports: a mixture of patriotism and national pride on the one hand with religious ideas and
symbols on the other

- Brings together sports, religion and national pride

- controversy- two different views

Criticism of American values

Sports are being DEVALUED:

 Critics have pointed out that too many coaches and players have done just this.
 Vince Lombardi, a famous professional football was often criticized for stating that winning is the
"only thing" that matters in sports.

 Criticism of power of sports to corrupt when certain things are carried to excess
o An excessive desire to win in sports - The philosophy of winning is all
- Fair play - following the rules of the game and behaving with dignity when one is defeated
are weakened
- tradition of honorable defeat: knowledge of having defeated a courageous
opponent who performed honorably
 When the idea of winning in sports is carried to excess, honorable competition can turn into
disorder and violence.

28
 o The amount of violence in sports
 Fighting at games (disorder & violence)
 Injuries
 Extreme roughness of the game
 Desire to defeat one's opponent

- the game turned into a large-scale fight between the two teams
- the coach thought that the fight had helped to bring the men on his team closer together.

A few critics believe that sports should be completely replaced by noncompetitive kinds
of recreation.
 These critics tend to be strongly opposed to the basic American value of competition as well.
 They view the emphasis on competition in American life as having corrupted the entire culture.
 As a first step in eliminating this corruption, they want to abolish organized sports.
 Americans generally are not sympathetic to this harsh criticism of organized sports.
 Competition, they believe, strengthens the national character rather than corrupting it.
 They believe that eliminating competition in sports and in society would lead to laziness and
vice rather than hard work and accomplishment.
 Comments of this sort illustrate how strong the idea of competition is in the United States and how
important organized sports are as a means of maintaining this value in the larger society.
 Male and Female Roles - Men's sports have been given greater importance than women's

 Men's sports more competitive and aggressive and more important

- Men – competitors

- Women - cheerleaders: give support to the men

As one high school teacher stated more than two decades ago: "Our culture does not require girls to
compete against each other in physical activity to achieve the acceptable female image. Our
culture does require boys to do so."
29
  Growing emphasis on equality for women
 High schools and colleges have been urged to give more emphasis to women's sports and
to spend more money on them. In fact, laws governing equality have required many
schools to do so.
 The difference in roles between the males and females at major sports events reflects
differences in traditional roles later in life
 Men are expected to compete for economic success
 Women are expected to give men emotional support as wives and homemakers

 Recreation: A Time for Self-Improvement

 Americans, like people everywhere, enjoy forms of recreation in which little but rest and relaxation
is sought: watching TV, visiting friends, going on picnics

 Unlike organized sports, what is generally called recreation in the United States is not expected to
encourage competition.
 For this reason, it is much more spontaneous and serves the individual's needs beyond the
competitive world of work
 Nevertheless, much can be learned about the values of Americans from an examination of the kinds
of recreation in which they engage.
 Recreational activities are not expected to encourage competition
 May require a high level of physical activity
a. Jogging, tennis, snow skiing
b. "We like to work hard and play hard"
 Americans have difficulty relaxing – but the activity is so different from the kind of activity they
30
 must do in the world of work, often indoor office work involving mind rather than body.

 A time for Self-Improvement

 An interest in self-improvement can be traced back to their Protestant heritage
 An interest in self-reliance going back to the frontier days (vegetable gardens, adventure,
danger)
Over the last fifteen years, for example, jogging has become a popular pastime for 30 million
participants of all ages. Joggers seem to thrive on the physical activity as they try to run longer and
longer distances in shorter and shorter time periods.
The interest that Americans have in self-improvement, traceable in large measure to the nation's
Protestant heritage is also carried over into their recreation habits.
 It is evident in the jogger who is determined to improve the distance he can run and the time in
which he can run it.
 The self-improvement motive, however, can also be seen in many other popular forms of recreation
which involve little or no physical activity.

 The recreational interests of Americans also show a continuing respect for the self-reliance, and
sometimes the adventure and danger, of frontier life.
 Some Americans are drawn to hobbies that give them a feeling not only of self-reliance but of
adventure and risk as well.


 An official at Big Bend National Park in Texas reports that about 20,000 people come to
the wilderness and mountain areas of the park each year.

 Many of them like to come in the middle of winter when the hardships are greater.
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  Following the death of two persons in a mountain-climbing accident in the park, campers
and climbers came in even greater numbers to the same area where the accidents occurred.

 "It is as if they are looking for hardship," stated the park official.
"They seem to enjoy the danger and the physical challenge."
 Interest and participation in cultural activities, which improve one's mind or one's skills, have been
growing rapidly in recent years.
1. visit museums
2. attend theater performances
3. paint
4. perform music
5. handicrafts - candle making, weaving, and wood carving.
6. maintain their own vegetable gardens - Americans do not do this primarily to save money; rather,
their greatest satisfaction is in growing some of their own food (self-reliance) and in tasting its home-
grown flavor.
 Americans, like people everywhere, enjoy forms of recreation in which little but rest and relaxation
is sought. Watching television, going on picnics, or visiting friends are simply enjoyable ways to
pass the time.
 However, as we have seen, millions of Americans seek new challenges involving new forms of effort
even in their leisure time. "Their reward is a renewed sense of vitality," a sense of a goal
conquered, and confidence regained in dealing with life's ups and downs.
 Sports and recreation volunteer opportunities in America are abundant and people of all ages
gladly take part. As a volunteer in this area, you get to be active and participate in a fun
recreational event, with the important added bonus of showing your support for those who need
it.

KEY for the HW Reading Assignment:

Comprehension Check:

1. Organized sports in a society

a. are a poor reflection of the values of that society.

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 b. are a good reflection of the values of that society.
c. are leisure activities and games which tell us very little about the
social values of a country.

2. Which of the following ideals is at the very heart of organized sports in

the United States and is therefore the most important ideal expressed in
organized sports?
a. hard work b. self-denial c. competition

3. Vince Lombardi, a famous professional football coach, expressed the

view that
a. sports help boys grow into men.
b. a good football player makes a good soldier.
c. winning is the only thing that matters.

5. Respected publications such as Reader's Digest have stated that

a. sports are good in general, but excessive violence in sports should be
stopped.
b. sports corrupts the American spirit and should be replaced with
noncompetitive activities.
c. many aspects of American culture, such as music and art, have been
replaced by the love of sports.

6. American society today generally

a. gives equal importance to men's sports and to women's sports.
b. gives greater importance to men's sports than to women's sports.
c. does not believe that either men's or women's sports serve any useful
purpose in maintaining the values of the nation.

7. Cheerleaders at sports events are

a. usually males.
b. usually females.
c. equally divided between males and females.

8. What is generally called "recreation" in the United States

a. stresses competition less than organized sports.
b. stresses competition more than organized sports.
c. stresses competition about the same as organized sports.

9. Some of the fastest growing forms of recreation in the United States,

such as jogging, reflect the attitude that
a. a healthy body helps to maintain a healthy mind.
b. contact with nature is good for the soul of man.
c. it is good to work hard and to play hard.

10. Many forms of recreation, such as participation in cultural activities, show an American
desire for
a. self-improvement.
b. competition.
c. hard work.

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6. THE AMERICAN FAMILY

OUTLINE: Introduction: The American Family

I. The emphasis on individual freedom: What would be best for the family is not considered as important
as what would be best for the individual.

A. The structure of the American family

1. American view the family as a group whose primary purpose is to advance
the happiness of the individual members

2. The primary responsibility of the American family member is not to advance the family as a group, either
socially or economically, nor to bring honor to the family name
3. The American desire for freedom from outside control extends to the family as well.
4. The American family is a nuclear family (husband, wife, and children who live in their own house or
apartment); "immediate family"

and "extended family" - a family which extends beyond the nuclear

family to include grandparents and other relatives.

B. Marriage and divorce

1. The importance of an individual's happiness: young people are expected to find a husband or wife on their
own; no arranged marriages.

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2. Companionship is most important; economic support and the opportunity to have children are seen as
less important

3. Americans firmly believe in marriage, but not a bad marriage; they do not stay together for the sake of the
children.
4. Divorce is easy to obtain: "no-fault" divorce due to "irreconcilable differences"

C. The role of the child

1. The emphasis on the individual rather than the group
a. Americans tend to place more emphasis on the needs and desires of the child and less on social and
family responsibilities.
b. Child psychologists, counselors and social workers are employed to help children with problems at school
or in the family.
c. The development of the individual is the primary goal.

d. The purpose of the family is the development and the welfare of each of its members as individuals.

II. Equality in the family

A. Parental authority
1. Belief in individual freedom and equality also has a strong effect on the family

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a. The democratic idea of equality destroys much of the father's status as a ruler of the family and lessens the
emotional distance between father and children.

b. There is less formal respect and fear but more affection.

c. In some cases decline in parental authority and children's respect for their parents
B. Four stages of marriage relationship: The idea of equality also affects the relationship between
husbands and wives. 1. There has been steady progress toward equal status for women in the family and in
society at large. 2. Through the 4 stages wives have increased the degree of equality with their husbands and
have gained more power within the family.
a. Stage I: Wife as servant to husband

b. Stage II: Husband-Head, Wife- Helper

c. Stage III: Husband-Senior Partner, Wife-Junior Partner

d. Stage IV: Husband-wife Equal Partners

C. The role of the family in society

1. The American ideal of equality has affected marriage as well as all forms of relationships between men
and women

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2. Individual freedom and equality for each family member
3. Strongly believe in the idea of the family as the best of all lifestyles (the family as a necessary "refuge"
from the competitive world outside)
4. The family is seen as a noncompetitive and cooperative institution
a. Family members are not expected to compete against each other.
b. The ideal of the American family is group cooperation to help achieve the fulfillment of each individual
member.

American Family Proverbs

1. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world - Prov. Mothers are the most powerful people, because
they shape their children's personalities

2. As the twig is bent, so grows the tree - Prov. A grown person will act the way he or she was taught to
act as a child.

3. That child is a chip of the old block - A person who closely resembles a parent Fig. a person (usually a
male) who behaves in the same way as his father or resembles his father

4. A man may work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done - A woman must often work
longer hours than a man

5. Behind every man, there is a woman - Many men owe their achievements in life to women.

6. Blood is thicker than water - something that you say which means family relationships are stronger and
more important than other kinds of relationships

7. the black sheep (of the family) - Someone who is thought to be a bad person by the rest of their family.
A disreputable or unloved family member.

8. a family man - a man who likes to spend a lot of time with his wife and children.

9. in the family way - (old-fashioned) – pregnant

10. run in the family - if a particular quality or ability runs in the family, a lot of people in that family have
it.

KEY for the HW Reading Assignment:

A. Comprehension Check - Write T if the statement is true and F if it is false.

FALSE 1. Americans usually consider what is best for the whole family first and what is best for them
as individuals second.
TRUE 2. Americans believe that the family exists primarily to serve the needs of its individual family
members.
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TRUE 3. Most Americans would define a family unit or household as consisting of parents and their
children.
TRUE 4. Most Americans believe that marriages should make both individuals happy and that if they
cannot live together happily, it is better for them to get a divorce.
TRUE _5. American parents generally think more about the individual needs of their children than they do
about what responsibilities the child will have to the society as a whole.
FALSE 6. Although Americans believe in democracy for society, they generally exercise strict control
over their children, particularly teenagers.
FALSE 7. The amount of equality between husbands and wives has remained pretty much the same
for the last 150 years.
TRUE 8. If an American wife works outside the home, she is likely to have more power in the family than
a married woman who does not hold a job.
FALSE 9. In the husband-senior partner, wife-junior partner type of marriage, the husband and wife
both work, have equal power and influence in making family decisions, and divide the family duties equally
between them.
TRUE 10. Although the divorce rate in the United States is very high, Americans still believe strongly in
marriage and the family.

7. AMERICAN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment in America… And Some Other Things

Getting Started…What are American Parties? American parties are free in form. People mingle. They
eat. They drink. They freely walk around and socialize with whomever they choose.

At parties, Americans…

 always eat something, sometimes high-quality food, other times something cheap and bought from
the store.

 sometimes play games. Americans love games. There are lots of games for teenagers & adults as
well as children.

 sometimes drink alcohol. There are many parties in America that do not have alcohol.

Variety of Parties:

There are holiday parties, dancing parties, birthday parties, drinking parties, parties for couples, parties for
families, parties for single people, parties for members of the same company. Some parties have more
structure; others are very flexible and free in form.

What else do Americans do for fun?

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  They’re similar to many cultures. They love to be with their friends and family.

 Some people enjoy computer games. Others take part in sports teams or leagues that take up lots
of time.

 Lots of people are involved in clubs or activities that connect them to others.

 They like to watch movies at home or go to a movie theater.

 Sometimes they have game nights at their homes or nights when they get together and cook.

Entertainment - Many people like to do some D.I.Y. projects, personally improve their homes, or
produce creative art.

 Many people (typically women) like to create crafts or scrapbooks, homemade books to show their
photos and memories or do other crafts.

 Lots of people spend hours creatively expressing themselves through writing and photography on
blogs. Blogging is very popular in America right now.

 Some couples enjoy completing various projects to improve their homes. They like to learn how to
do it themselves and complete woodwork, re-decorating, etc. as a hobby.

Exercise is a big part of many people’s lives.

 Lots of people (though certainly not all!) spend at least 30-60 minutes exercising every day. Our idea
of exercise is an activity that really makes your heart rate (心跳) rise and helps you burn lots of
calories.

 Lots of people get a membership at a gym or sign up for exercise classes.

Americans enjoy a huge variety of music.

 American music extends far beyond Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Brittney Spears, Justin Bieber and
Beyonce. Like so many countries, there are literally thousands of well-known singers with a huge
variety of styles and themes.

 Americans enjoy attending concerts when a music group comes to town. Many people also enjoy
local musicians’ work in coffee shops.

 Volunteering - Giving Back to Society

 Many Americans spend time regularly volunteering. Some people volunteer at places such as animal
shelters, homes for old people, or for environmental causes. Some people spend time volunteering
weekly; others do it less often. Some people volunteer locally; others prefer to travel abroad.

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  Some people volunteer because they are passionate about a cause (e.g. Poverty, homelessness,
environment, etc.). Others do it because they feel it’s the right thing to do. Still other people
volunteer because it’s a requirement for their school or other group.

Americans enjoy relaxing and meeting friends in different settings.

 It’s popular for people (friends, boyfriends/ girlfriends, co-workers, etc.) to meet each other in a
coffee shop. They often study, play games, have business meetings, and drink coffee or tea in these
places.

 They sometimes visit restaurants or shopping malls or parks to walk around and chat with friends.
In evenings, bars are popular places for people to meet new friends or catch up with old ones.

 Some women (usually women with plenty of money) enjoy visiting the spa together and chatting
while they relax.

 Vacationing - Where to Go?

Our idea of vacationing is often different from the Croatian idea of vacationing.

 Croats enjoy seeing beautiful sights. Often their idea of a good vacation is going to a place with
lovely parks and mountains as well as famous landmarks and gardens.

 When many Americans go on vacation, we also appreciate beautiful sights, but our interest is
different. We often go to a place for the purpose of doing nothing. Some people like sightseeing,
but lots of us like to find a place in the mountains or by the sea and just do nothing. They’ll gladly
visit the same place every day just to relax.

 They like to bring a good book or some interesting movies and just forget about anything but
relaxation.

 When they do want to go out, they often want to do something rather than see something. For
example, many of them would rather go to watch a movie or take part in an activity than simply go
to a garden and look at nature. Of course, everyone is different…

 What does it mean to “hang out”?

 “Hanging out” is not the same as going out. They can hang out in their home, classroom, or outside.

 Hanging out simply means that they do an activity for fun with friends.

 Afternoon Rest

 Americans don’t have a rest in the afternoon. Their jobs and schools are often too far from home to
go back and rest, and their value of time doesn’t allow for this period of rest either.

 Some Americans enjoy a nap on the weekends.

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  Climbing Mountains

 They have a different idea in English about what it means to “climb mountains.”

 In America, mountains rarely have stairs. Climbing a mountain requires wearing outdoor clothes and
shoes and often bringing a backpack and climbing gear.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT IN THE USA:

 Freedom of expression for ourselves requires freedom of expression for others. It is at the very heart
of our democracy.
 Provocative and controversial art and in-your-face entertainment put our commitment to free speech
to the test.
 a free society is based on the principle that each and every individual has the right to decide what art
or entertainment he or she wants -- or does not want -- to receive or create.

ART –
 SCULPTORS

 James Earle Fraser (1876-1953) - The American was one of the most foremost portrait sculptors of
his generation. The End of the Trail (1915) National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum,
Oklahoma City
 In the late 18th century, William Rush (1756-1833) of Philadelphia became the first documented
person to pursue a career as a sculptor in America.

 PAINTERS
 "American Colonial art" describes the art and architecture of 17th and 18th century settlers who
arrived in America from Europe.
 Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze (1816-68), Washington Crossing the Delaware, (1851), Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York
 Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), The Last of the Buffalo (c.1873) Private Collection.

 Indigenous painters
 Diné Sandpaintings (Navajo) - sandpainting of southwestern Native Americans
 Woody Crumbo (Pottawatomi) - influence in bringing Native American work into the contemporary
art world remains a powerful presence.

 Immigrant Painters

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  the Latin American artists challenging Trump's narrative on immigration
 Ricardo Santos Hernandez's mixed media piece "Caged" serves as a study for a mural he is
planning on painting in Chicago this year on immigration

 ARCHITECTURE
 United States Capitol (Washington, D.C.)
 Monticello (Charlottesville, Virginia) - Designed by the third president of the United States.
Thomas Jefferson both built and lived in this home until his death, in 1826
 Ray and Maria Stata Center (Cambridge, Massachusetts) - Designed by starchitect Frank Gehry,
this complex of buildings was completed in 2004 and is housed on MIT's campus. Several
departments, including Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Linguistics and Philosophy
use the space.
 Aqua Tower (Chicago, Illinois) - Chicago's Aqua Tower was completed in 2009, it became the
world's tallest skyscraper designed by a woman.

 MUSIC

 Live At The American Music Awards

 concerts
 festivals
 YouTube entertainment
o parodies – even on the topic of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown – comic relief for
troubling times

 DANCE
 marching bands
 line dance
 square dancing
 modern dance
 LITERATURE- 5 best books to read during Covid-19—Harvard and Yale professors and staff
share recommendations

1. The Plague by Albert Camus - one of the most well-known books on the topic of epidemic disease — and
right now, it’s on the reading lists of many professors. This book is very vivid in conveying what it feels like
to be in a city hit by an epidemic, and what it feels like to be in quarantine.
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2. The Stand by Stephen King - In this novel by one of the most prolific writers of horror and suspense, a
patient escapes from a biological weapons facility carrying a mutated strain of the flu that kills 99 percent of
the population within weeks. The book follows two leaders who emerge among the survivors, and how those
who are still living coalesce around them.

AMERICANS ENJOY ALL KINDS OF ENTERTAINMENT:

 Movies
 Theater
 Television
 Streaming Services:
#1 Netflix
#2 fuboTV
#3 Disney+
#3 Amazon Prime Video
#5 Crunchyroll
#5 Hulu
#5 YouTube TV
#5 Peacock
#9 HBO Max
#10 Paramount+

 Top Music Streaming Platforms

#1) Tidal
#2) Deezer
#3) Spotify
#4) iHeartRadio
#5) YouTube Music
#6) Pandora
#7) LiveXLive
#8) Apple Music
#9) Amazon Music
#10) Quobuz

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