英美文化知识点整理

Chapter 11.the geographical composition of the U.K.: two/four parts2.the population: the majority / the earliest inhabitants3.the English language: the Germanic group of the Indo-European family / threeperiodsChapter 24.Westminster Abbey5.1066, Norman Conquest, feudalism6.Henry II—jury system7.Magna Carta8.the Hundred Years’ War9.House of Tudor: medieval to modern10.Religious Reformation: the Roman Catholic Church VS. Henry VIII11.two camps of the Civil War12.the Glorious Revolution, the Bill of Rights, constitutional monarchy13.the Industrial Revolution: reasons / effects14.the British Empire —colonization15.Three Majestic CirclesChapter 316.the British Constitution: three parts17.a division of powers among three branches18.Parliament —the law-making body; two housesThe House of Commons —center of parliamentary power19.the role of the Prime Minister20.The House of Lords —Supreme Court21.Scotland —a distinct legal system22.right/left wing party23.a general election —every 5 years24.The Commonwealth —decolonization; an unpolitical union of sovereign statesChapter 425.Margaret Thatcher and her controversial policies26.three sectors of economy —primary, secondary and tertiary27.the major trends in the British economy28.two pillar industries of the current British economyChapter 529.British compulsory education —5 to 1630.four stagessecondary education —comprehensive schoolfurther education —sixth form31.two systemsindependent system —public schools32.GCSE, A-levels33.Oxford University —oldestCambridge University —more Nobel Prize winners34.“Big Three” of the quality press35.Boxing Day / Easter / Trooping the Color / Bonfire NightChapter 636.the Renaissance —sonnet / dramaWilliam Shakespeare, Hamlet37.the Neo-Classical Period:Jonathan Swift —satire, Gulliver’s TravelsDaniel Defoe —progenitor of the novel in English, Robinson Crusoe38.the Romantic Periodthe Lake Poets / second generation39.the Victoria Period —novelRealism: Charles Dickens / Thomas HardyNew literary trends —Neo-Romanticism / Aestheticism40.the Modern Period:stream of consciousnessChapter 841.Stars and Stripes42.50 states (48+2) and Washington D.C.the smallest and the largest43.the Appalachian Range / Rocky mountains44.Great Lakes / Niagara Falls45.the Mississippi River46.New England47.New York (the largest city), Los Angeles (second largest), San Francisco (largestChinatown)48.population —while /blacks / asians / natives / mixed race49.a “melting pot” and a “salad bowl”50.dominant American culture / cultural diversityChapter 951.1607, James Town52.American War of Independencefirst shots / turning point / a decisive victory53.1755, Philadelphia, the Second Continental Congress54.July 4th, 1776, Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of IndependenceIndependence Day (the national day)55.American Civil WarAbraham Lincoln, Emancipation Proclamation—abolishing slavery56.America’s policy at the first stage of WWI —neutralityAmerica’s policy at the first stage of WWII —“sit on the fence”The direct cause for America’s entrance into WWII —Pearl Harbor Attack57.Franklin D. Roosevelt —“New Deal” aimed at Great Depression58.“Truman Doctrine”—the Cold War (containment and intervention)59.the Vietnam War —Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson60.Richard M. Nixontwo diplomatic breakthroughs; the Watergate ScandalChapter 1061.the Constitution of the U. S.1787; checks and balances; the first ten amendments—Bill of Rights; 27 amendments62.federalism / the separation of powers63.Congress —the legislative branch —to pass lawsthe Senate amd the House of Representatives64.to introduce a bill —to hold hearings —to report to the Congress —to go tothe President for approval65.the President’s powers —limited66.the qualification of a candicate for President67.the Supreme Court —one Chief Justice+ eight Associate Justices68.a two-party system —a donkey and an elephant69.a general election, not a direct election / every 4 years538 electors (270 needed to win) / Electoral College System / “winner-take-all”(two exceptions)Chapter 1170.progress of the modern American economy: colonial—farming—industrial71.Wall Street —financial services industryDetroit —automobile industrySilicon Valley —high-tech industryChapter 1272.ideals of American Education73.three stages of American educational system12-year compulsory education —elementary and secondary74.Ivy League —8 top private universities with long historyHarvard University —the oldest75.The New York Times(the most influential); The Washington Post(the secondlargest & the first to expose the Watergate scandal)76.Thanksgiving ( the origin; celebration: significance)Chapter1377.the Romantic PeriodJames Fennimore Cooper —the author of the “Leather Stocking Tales”Ralph Waldo Emerson —the chief spokesman of TranscendentalismNathaniel Hawthorne —The Scarlet LetterEdgar Allan Poe —detective story / science fiction / horror fictionHerman Melville —Moby Dick/The Whaletwo founts of American poetry —Walt whitman (free verse) & Emily Dickinson 78.the Realistic PeriodMark Twain —colloquialism; the true father of American modern literature 79.the Naturalistic PeriodTheodore Dreiser —describing the sordid side of the everyday life of the lower societySister Carrie; An American Tragedy80.the Modern Periodthe Lost Generation & the Beat MovementTory Morrison —the first African-American Nobel Prize Winner。