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Slide1: 

English-Speaking Countries: A Survey 英语国家概况

Slide2: 

The United States of America

Slide3: 

American History (II) (1900-1945) Economic Development

Economic Development: 

Between the end of the Civil War and 1900, the U. S. saw a tremendous growth of the economy. Steam and electricity replaced human muscle. Steel took the place of iron. Machines and oi1 were used. People and goods could move by railroads. By 1900 there were 193,000 miles of railroad. Economic Development

Economic Development: 

Machines changed farming. Before the Civil War it took 61 hours of labour to produce an acre of wheat. By 1900 it took 3 hours 19 minutes. Economic Development

Economic Development: 

In 1880 a million tons of steel were produced, in 1913, 3l.8 million tons, ranking first in the world, with Germany coming second with l5. 7 million tons. In 1900 the U. S. produced 245 million tons of coal, ranking first in the world, with Britain coming second with 229 million tons. Economic Development

Features in the Growth of Economy: 

1. Beginning in 1989, there emerged a growth of industrial and financial mergers. 2. With the development of industry and the extension of railroad network, there was a mushroom growth of cities. 3. There was a rapid development of new technology. Apart from electricity and steam, there were the automobile, the radio and other developments. Features in the Growth of Economy

Slide8: 

American History (II) (1900-1945) Progressivism

Progressivism: 

With the development of the economy, there also arose a number of social problems. At the turn of the 20th century, these prob1ems drew more and more attention of the people. The Muckrakers, a group of reform-minded journa1ists, made investigations and exposed various dark sides of the seeming1y prosperous society. These exposures shocked the peop1e, the middle-class people, to be more specific, into realizing that something must be done to change the situation. Progressivism

Progressivism: 

The Progressive Movement, a movement demanding government regulation of the economy and social conditions, spread quickly with the support of large numbers of people across the country. The Progressive Movement was not an organized campaign with clearly defined goals. Rather, it was a number of diverse efforts at politica1, social, and economic reforms. Progressivism

Reforms in the Social Area: 

In the social area, the demands were improved living conditions for the poor in the cities, the banning of child 1abour, work hour limit for women workers, and industrial accident' insurance. For example, in 1900, over l. 7 million children under 16 were employed in the cotton mills and on the farms, and over half of the states had no law setting an age limit on the employment of children. Reforms in the Social Area

Reforms in the Political Area: 

In the political area, there were demands for reforming the city and state governments, and ending corruption which was evident in the Gilded Age. Reforms in the Political Area

Reforms in the Economic Area: 

In the economic area, there was an attempt to regulate big business to prevent price-fixing and control of the market. Reforms in the Economic Area

Progressivism: 

Pushed by the Progressive Movement, Presidents Theodore Rooseve1t and Woodrow Wi1son contributed to the government regulation of economic development and initiated changes from the 19th century tradition of laissez faire, that is, the government should merely preserve order and protect property, leaving the control over the economy to the business people. Progressivism

Slide15: 

Progressive Era of USA

President Theodore Roosevelt's Contributions: 

1. The withdrawal of 200 million acres of public land as forest reserve and initiation of large-scale irrigation projects such as the Roosevelt Dam in Arizona at the expense of and under the supervision of the Federal government; 2. The active use of the Sherman Antitrust Act to stop monopolistic business mergers; 3. The adoption of the Hepburn Act of 1906 to regulate railroad prices and do away with rebates. President Theodore Roosevelt's Contributions

Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) : 

Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)

President Wilson's New Freedom: 

1. A reduction of tariffs by l0% for the first time since the Civil War and a number of items put on the free list; 2. The passage of the Federal Reserve Act which decentralized the banking System, provided better banking facilities to the neglected South and West and ensured an adaptable currency in the Federal notes under government control; President Wilson's New Freedom

President Wilson's New Freedom: 

3. Regulation of trusts by stating clearly the unfair business practices and setting up Federal Trade Commissions to hear complaints and to investigate; 4. Making available to farmers loans at low rates; 5. 8-hour workday for railroad workers and better treatment of seamen; 6. Adoption of an income tax; 7. Adoption of the 19th amendment of voting right for women. President Wilson's New Freedom

Woodrow Wi1son (1913-1921): 

Woodrow Wi1son (1913-1921)

Slide21: 

American History (II) (1900-1945) World War I and the United States

WW I and the United States: 

When the war began, most Americans felt that their country had no vital interests in the outcome of the war. Because of ethnic ties, cultural tradition, social background and economic connections, the public, generally speaking, was in favour of the allies (Britain, France, Russia and Italy). Britain also controlled the wartime news that went into the United States. This also influenced the attitude of the American people. WW I and the United States

WW I and the United States: 

On August 4, 1914, President Wilson issued an official statement proclaiming American neutrality. He said that the United States “must be neutral in fact as well as in name” and “we must be impartial in thought as well as in action”. WW I and the United States

WW I and the United States: 

But the United States was impartial neither in action, nor in thought. It pursued a policy of pro-Ally partiality. WW I and the United States

WW I and the United States: 

Britain and France could buy arms and war materials from the U. S., and get loans from American banks and financial institutions, while Germany, as a result of British control of the Atlantic, could have little access to American resources. WW I and the United States

WW I and the United States: 

When Britain blocked American ships sailing towards Germany, the United States only protested. When Germany used submarines to cut British sea routes and sink American ships, the U. S. government threatened to go to war against Germany. WW I and the United States

WW I and the United States: 

In the end, when Germany refused to give up its submarine warfare, when Britain and France, exhausted by the war, might lose the war and bring great harm to American business interest, when Germany was trying to get Mexico into the war against the United States, promising it the return of lost territory of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, the United States government declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. WW I and the United States

Troopship Carrying US Soldiers in WWI: 

Troopship Carrying US Soldiers in WWI

WW I and the United States: 

The war ended on November 1l, 1918 when the armistice was signed and fighting stopped. The Peace Conference, the Paris Conference, was actua1ly a conference of division of colonies of Germany. It was dominated by the Big Four (the United States, Britain, France, and Italy). Although President Wilson put forward a program of Fourteen Points which was praised by many as liberal and progressive, he was actually trying to advance American interests. WW I and the United States

Cheering the End of WWI: 

Cheering the End of WWI

Slide31: 

American History (II) (1900-1945) The United States in the 1920s

The United States in the 1920s: 

The l920s in the U. S. has been described by many historians as a period of material success and spiritual frustration or confusion and purposelessness. As a result of the war, the U. S. had changed from a debtor nation, a nation which owed other nations money, to a creditor. The United States in the 1920s

The United States in the 1920s: 

During wartime, there was a demand in the country for patriotism and uniformity. When the war was over, for a period of time, there existed a highly aggressive and intolerant nationalism, that is, not allowing views, opinions, or beliefs different from the main trend of views or beliefs. Many believed that American political, economic and social institutions were far better than those anywhere else in the world. The United States in the 1920s

The Red Scare: 

In 1917, the October Revolution took place in Russia and a completely new type of political system was established there. Communist ideas spread quickly in Europe and there were also groups in the U. S. supporting and advocating such ideas. This caused fear among some people who whipped up a kind of sense1ess excitement about the danger of Communism. On November 7, 1919 and January 2, 1920, the Justice Department launched two waves of mass arrests. Over 4, 000 suspected Communists and radicals were arrested and many were forced to leave the U. S. The Red Scare

The Death of Sacco and Vanzetti: 

On April 15, 1920, two people were shot and killed in a town in Massachusetts and $16,000 was stolen. Sacco, a shoe maker and Vanzetti, a fish peddler, were arrested, found guilty and sentenced to death. But there was very little evidence to prove that the two were guilty. The legal struggle went on for a few years but the death sentence was carried out in August 1927. Many historians wrote that they died for their political views, their radicalism. The Death of Sacco and Vanzetti

The Ku Klux Klan: 

The KKK was first organized in 1866 and then reformed in 1867 after the Civil War in the South. In l9l5, it was reactivated and by 1924 it claimed a membership of four to five million. The KKK terrorized and attacked not only blacks, but also progressives, labour union organizers, Communist or socialist party members. The Ku Klux Klan

Ku Klux Klan: 

Ku Klux Klan

Slide38: 

Lynching

Modern Ku Klux Klan 1998: 

Modern Ku Klux Klan 1998

Slide40: 

American History (II) (1900-1945) The Great Depression & the New Deal

The Great Depression and the New Deal: 

There were serious weaknesses, however, in the American economy in the l920s. One was that there was no regulation or control over various kinds of investment companies. The banking system lacked stability. Stock market speculation and overexpansion of credit was another serious weakness. Certain radio stocks, for example, rose from 85 to 420 in 1928 although they had not paid a single dividend. The prices of many stocks had no relation to profits or to real value. The Great Depression and the New Deal

The Great Depression and the New Deal: 

The first blow to the stock market came on October 24, 1929, called the black Thursday. Tens of millions of shares were dumped on the market, which drove down the share prices. Billions of dollars of paper profits were wiped out within a few hours. The stock market crash was the beginning of a long economic depression. Since President Hoover refused to take strong government action to make the economic suffering smaller, the situation worsened quickly. The Great Depression and the New Deal

New York Stock Exchange: 

New York Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange: 

New York Stock Exchange

The Great Depression and the New Deal: 

People rushed to banks to take out their money which further drove banks to bankruptcy. Rural Americans were no better off than were their city compatriots. Many lost their land and other properties because of foreclosures. Foreclosure is the taking away of properties of the debtor as a result of failure to pay interest. The Great Depression and the New Deal

The Great Depression and the New Deal: 

Misery and personal sufferings were widespread. Young men and women about 2 million in all became “tramp”, riding the train to nowhere in particular, hoping to get a job or meal at every stop. Millions of homeless people slept in parks, subways or abandoned buildings. Hungry people were seen looking for scraps of food in garbage cans. The Great Depression and the New Deal

Franklin D. Roosevelt: 

In 1932, in the depth of the depression, the American people chose Franklin D. Roosevelt as their next president who promised a “new deal” to get America out of the depression. Roosevelt was not an idealist, not a dreamer, but had a sure sense of what seemed practical or possible. He was a great communicator, able to talk to people in all walks of life. His “fireside chats” over the radio were listened to by millions of people. And his sense of timing was excellent. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Fireside Chats: 

Fireside Chats

The Great Depression and the New Deal: 

The Great Depression and the New Deal . The only thing we have to fear is fear itself, nameless, unreasoning, un justified terror which paralyzes needed efforts that convert retreat into advance. — Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Great Depression and the New Deal: 

The Great Depression and the New Deal . This nation asks for action, and action now. — Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Great Depression and the New Deal: 

Roosevelt did immediately go into action. In the first l00 days in the White House, he made Congress pass a large number of acts, with the purpose of preventing the further worsening of the economic situation and helping the needy people. The Great Depression and the New Deal

New Deal: 

1. Establishment and strengthening of government regulation and control of banking, credit and currency systems, overcoming the financial crisis and restriction of certain extreme practices of financial capital; New Deal

New Deal: 

2. Federal government management of relief and establishment of social security systems such as the formation of the Civilian Conservation Cops and the setting-up of the Tennessee Valley Authority; New Deal

New Deal: 

3. Stimulation of the recovery of industry and agriculture; 4. Formulation and implementation of federal labour laws to raise the role of labour in the re1ations of production; 5. Improvement of the situation of minorities and members of certain religious groups. New Deal

Slide55: 

American History (II) (1900-1945) World War II & the United States

World War II & the United States: 

The Second, World War was the result of struggle between the great powers for control of the world and military expansion of the countries of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and militarist Japan. This struggle was worsened by the world economic crisis. From the Japanese attack on China in July 1937 to the German attack on Poland in September 1939, from the attack on the Soviet Union in June, 194l to the Pearl Harbour incident in December 1941, the war spread to the whole world and involved all the great powers in the world. World War II & the United States

World War II & the United States: 

In the early 1930s, the American foreign policy was isolationist, that is, to keep the U. S. out of the fighting that was going on in Europe and Asia. From 1935 to 1937, the U. S. Congress passed 3 neutrality acts which were all signed into law by President Roosevelt. These neutrality laws were aimed at preventing the U. S. from being dragged into the war. These laws actually helped and encouraged the aggressors because they made clear that whatever happened, the U. S. would not support the countries being attacked. World War II & the United States

World War II & the United States: 

The bombing of Pearl Harbour changed the whole situation. The nation was formally in war with the Axis powers, that is, Germany, Italy and Japan. American wartime objectives were the total destruction of the Axis powers and the establishment of a world order after unconditional victory in accord with American ideals and interests. And the road to the realization of these objectives was coordination of American, British and Soviet efforts. Wartime American diplomacy largely was American diplomacy towards Britain and the Soviet Union. World War II & the United States

Slide59: 

Pearl Harbour

Issues in Anglo-American Diplomacy: 

the formulation of a grand strategy Europe first, i. e., concentration of resources to defeat Germany first policy towards the Soviet Union give the Soviet Union support to keep it in the war (After the Battle of Stalingrad, the two countries were more concerned about Soviet expansion.) the status of former colonies after the war US: eager to take away from France and Britain their former colonies and let them become independent states UK: sensitive to American design and tried to protect its interests Issues in Anglo-American Diplomacy

Three Summits: 

Three Summits

The Big Three: 

The Big Three

World War II & the United States: 

At the same time, the conference showed there were great differences among the three powers. Most of these differences were not solved at the conference, which later led to tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. World War II & the United States