美国社会与文化,1,Chapter 2 United States: The “Melting Pot”,0. Introduction I. Earlier immigrants II.“A Nation of Nations” III. Racial and Ethnic Groups IV. National Characters V. Basic values and beliefs,美国社会与文化,2,0. Introduction,1. population of the US? 255.5 million (1992) 300 million (Dec. 2006) the 3rd most populous country in the world after China and India. 2. major source of US population growth? Immigration accounts for a major source of population growth. 3. Ellis Island? Ellis Island of New York immigration reception spot in the 1890s and at the turn of the century. 3.2 known as the Gateway to the United States. 4. “baby boom”? the higher birth rate after WWII a period from 1946 to 1964.,美国社会与文化,3,Early immigrants tour of Ellis Island,Stop 1. Arrival Stop 2. the baggage room Stop 3 Stairways to the Great hall Stop 4. Medical examination Stop 5. The great Hall Stop 6. Legal inspection Stop 7. Money exchange Stop 8. The Journeys End,美国社会与文化,4,Stop 1. Arrival New arrivals were taken by ferry to the main building at Ellis Island. Opened in 1892, the first immigrant to arrive was a 15-year-old girl from Ireland named Annie Moore to join her parents in New York City.,美国社会与文化,5,Stop 2. the baggage room,Immigrants entered the main building through its ground floor baggage room. They left their trunks, suitcases and baskets here until they were finished. Immigrants with only a few belongings carried their things as they climbed the stairs to the Great Hall for medical and legal examinations.,美国社会与文化,6,Stop 3 Stairways to the Great hall,The first test the immigrants had to pass became known as the “six second medical exam.“ As the immigrants climbed the stairs to the Great Hall, doctors stood at the top and watched. They were looking for anyone having difficulty coming up the steps. If a medical problem or disability was suspected, one of seventeen different chalk marks was put on the persons clothing. They were then sent for a full physical examination. If they werent marked, they went on to wait in the Great Hall.,美国社会与文化,9,Stop 6. Legal inspection,After passing the medical exams, immigrants had to prove they could legally come into America. They had to prove their country of origin and where they expected to live and work once they entered the country. Inspectors rejected any immigrant with a criminal record or those suspected of being indentured servants. By 1921, immigrants had to pass a literacy test and show a passport and visa.,美国社会与文化,10,Stop 7. Money exchange,In the money exchange area immigrants exchanged the money of their homeland for dollars, and purchased any train tickets they needed. Laws passed in 1909 required each immigrant to have at least 20 dollars before they were allowed to enter America.,美国社会与文化,11,Stop 8. The Journeys End,Just beyond the money exchange was the exit from Ellis Island. Staff members referred to this spot as the kissing post because of all the emotional reunions that were witnessed there. Two thirds of the new Americans then boarded a ferry to New Jersey, where the next leg of their American journey would begin. The remaining third took the ferryboat to Manhattan to begin their new life in New York City, only one mile away.,美国社会与文化,12,美国社会与文化,13,America has traditionally been referred to as a “melting pot,“ welcoming people from many different countries, races, and religions, all hoping to find freedom, new opportunities, and a better way of life. American history began with waves of immigrants, bringing their own cultures and traditions to a vast new country. No other place in the world has such a diverse population.,I. Earlier Immigration to America,美国社会与文化,14,I. Earlier immigrants,Earlier immigrants The earliest immigrants- American Indians intercontinental wanderers, some 30,000 years ago Native Americans permanent settlement in North America began 100 years after Columbuss first voyage (1492) The first immigrants came from England and the Netherlands Sir Walter Raleigh (1585): claimed all North America-Virginia Drake (1587) first enduring settlement in 1607 by English capitalistsNew England the Pilgrim Fathers (1620)followed by more settlers New Amsterdam was founded by Holland English were the dominant ethnic group; English became the prevalent language Modern Americans look back to the Pilgrim Fathers as the origins of their country,美国社会与文化,15,I. Earlier immigrants,2 waves of massive settlement between 1820 and 1920 the population of the US has increased through repeated waves of immigration which accounts for a major source of population growth 18201860: 5 million, mostly British, Irish and Germans; 18601920: 30 million, mostly mid-Europeans and Russians. In 1920 massive immigration came to an end restrictions were placed on immigration,In the years 1903 to 1913, “every time the clock struck the hour, day and night 100 persons born in some foreign country, not including Canada and Mexico, landed on the shores of the United States.”,美国社会与文化,