《英语国家国情与文化-美国》PDF电子版教材-U1
Unit OneFrom Sea to Shining SeaThe Regions of AmericaSituated between the countries of Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, lies the continental United States of America. It contains majestic mountains, mighty rivers, painted deserts, vast farmlands, great lakes, flat plains, small, medium-sized and large cities, towns and villages of all descriptions and plenty of wide-open spaces. There are immense national park lands that contain exquisite scenic natural treasures, like the Grand Canyon in Arizona (1), Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming(2), Glacier National Park in Montana(3) The Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina(4), Yosemite in California(5), and Bryce Canyon in Utah(6).
Five large regions make up the expanse of the United States of America. They are not governmental regions like provinces, rather they are cultural regions, constellations of adjacent states influenced by similar economics and lifestyles which are shaped by geography and history. Each region also has a similar weather pattern, which provides comparable scenery, personality and character. The regions also tend to be united in their political leanings, which is due in part to economics and the combination of ethnicities that dominate each area.
The makeup of the regions is somewhat elective. Some geographers or analysts might use a slightly different collection of contiguous states for each region. For instance, here we have Texas as part of the Southwest. Other authorities might include it as part of the south. In truth, Texas is both. It is a very large state in which the eastern part more resembles the South and the Western part has definite Southwestern characteristics. Other “border states” may also partially fit into a neighboring region’s description.
Although not located within the continental United States, the country also includes the most recently admitted states of Alaska 1959 (49th state) and Hawaii 1959 (50th state). Alaska is northwest of Canada and Hawaii is a collection of tropical islands in the Pacific Ocean. Since they are not within the “contiguous 48 states”, they do not share the regional characteristics with those states that are.
The Northeast
The Northeast is divided into the New England states and the Middle Atlantic states.
The northern states of the American Northeast are called the New England states. They are: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island (the smallest state in the country) and Vermont. America began as a settlement in New England and the American Revolution, which separated America from its mother country, Britain, started there in 1775. Rustic and wooded suburban and developed rural areas surround smaller cities known for their sturdy New England architecture, large leafy deciduous trees, colorful summer gardens and the dry wit of their citizens. It’s said that a tourist in a fancy car passed through a back country road in rural Maine (the northernmost state which is famous worldwide for its delicious Atlantic lobsters) and stopped one fine summer day at a remote roadside stand that was selling cherries, lettuce, honey, summer squash, maple syrup from Vermont and local wood carvings. The tourist spent an hour picking out fruit, vegetables and souvenirs and finally, when he’d assembled a big pile of produce and merchandise, he asked the local man how much the goods would cost. He was told it would cost $62.00. The tourist got his wallet out of his fancy car and fingered through his large wad of cash. He then asked the man from Maine if they took credit cards. “Ay-yup”, said the man from Maine with a crinkled, close-lipped smile, “but we don’t give them back.”
New England is known for its beautiful countryside, cozy mountain resort communities with high pine forests, picturesque lighthouses, covered bridges, and lovely landscapes such as those scenes of Maine painted by Andrew Wyeth.
Protestant pilgrims, prohibited from worshiping in their faith, came from England (hence the name, New England) starting in 1620, seeking freedom of religion. The town meetings, which evolved from meetings of church elders, became meetings where citizens gathered to discuss local issues amongst themselves. In many New England communities today, citizens still participate in town meetings, which have been revived as a form of dialogue in the national political arena and called “caucuses”. A popular American nightly television news commentary program, Ted Koppel’s Nightline occasionally broadcasts town meetings on national issues, often featuring students from some of the famous top-ranking New England universities (Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Brown, Wellesly, Smith, Williams, Amherst and Wesleyan). To this day, the primary presidential elections held in New Hampshire remain the earliest important indicators of how presidential nominees rate in the opinions of voters and how campaigns should proceed.
Although there were many quaint small farms in New England’s early days, the climate is not as conducive to agriculture as it is in the South and the Midwest, which 4
were settled later. A short summer and a long cold winter limit the growing season. By 1750, most of the New England farmers turned to business. The area today has lovely expanses of scenic woody green space with rocky streams running through them,winding old country roads, beautiful fishing villages and active seaports, picturesque small towns and thriving small and mid-sized cities, many of which retain the quintessence of American colonial history.
The Eastern states south of New England: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania are called the Middle Atlantic States.The Middle Atlantic region also includes Washington D.C., the nation’s capital, which is not actually a state, but a special political district, the only one in the country, built on a strip of land originally known as the District of Columbia after Christopher Columbus.
The larger states of New York and Pennsylvania are the centers of heavy industry (iron, glass, and steel). The Mid-Atlantic states are economically very strong, ranking highest in average hourly earnings.
The Mid-Atlantic states were settled by a wider diversity of immigrants than those that settled in New England. As New York was a major port of entry for immigrants, this is where the millions of Europeans first arrived to work in the eastern cities. Mid-Atlantic Rivers such as the Hudson River and the Delaware are vital shipping lanes. Cities on these rivers---New York on the Hudson, Philadelphia on the Delaware, Baltimore on Chesapeake Bay---are major industrial centers. The area also has great areas of wooded hills, fields, dairy farms, and lovely suburban areas and wilderness vacation lands.
were settled later. A short summer and a long cold winter limit the growing season. By 1750, most of the New England farmers turned to business. The area today has lovely
expanses of scenic woody green space with rocky streams running through them, winding old country roads, beautiful fishing villages and active seaports, picturesque small towns and thriving small and mid-sized cities, many of which retain the quintessence of American colonial history. The Eastern states south of New England: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania are called the Middle Atlantic States. The Middle Atlantic region also includes Washington D.C., the nation’s capital, which is not actually a state, but a special political district, the only one in the country, built on a strip of land originally known as the District of Columbia after Christopher Columbus.
The larger states of New York and Pennsylvania are the centers of heavy industry (iron, glass, and steel). The Mid-Atlantic states are economically very strong, ranking highest in average hourly earnings.
New York City, which was the first capital of the United States of America, is still the nation's largest and most influential city, its financial hub and cultural center.Rustic, industrial, pastoral, urban, and cosmopolitan, its citizens made efficient and adaptable by the seasonal weather: crystal cold snowy winters, blooming sweet springs, warm bright summers and colorful fragrant autumns, the Northeastern states are the original sources of the variety and vigor that created the complex structure of American society and the success of its thriving economy.
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