Aspects of the USA
American History, Culture, and Society for learners of English
A complete summary - by Emily Arenz
, Foreword
Another year, another Culture and Literature course. This time we’ll be focussing more
closely on this century’s largest force in the world, namely the US. It goes without saying that
modern day dispersal of English is mainly influenced by American culture, as we’ve learned
in previous years. In this course, we’ll be focussing on the history and cultural aspects that
have influenced the US to be what it is nowadays.
Those of you who have purchased my previous work will be familiar with this summary, as it
follow the likeness of Aspects of the English-Speaking World: An introduction for EFL
teachers (Complete summary). Words that need to be comprehended to the extent of being
able to explain them and their value will be expressed in bold, additional information on
subtopics will be written in their own paragraphs in Italics. I will, as usual, be supplementing
this summary with media such as videos and photos to clarify or elaborate on certain topics.
Now sit back, relax, and enjoy. If you’ve passed your previous C&L exams, you will definitely
pass this one too without a hassle. So let’s get to work, and hit the books!
2
,Contents
Foreword............................................................................................................................... 2
content ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
1. American History up to 1700 .......................................................................................... 5
America’s Indigenous people ............................................................................................. 5
Age of Exploration, 1492-1700 .......................................................................................... 7
2. English Wars and the New American Republic ............................................................ 12
Eighteenth century America............................................................................................. 12
The beginning of Independence ...................................................................................... 12
Acts of War ...................................................................................................................... 13
Declaration of Independence ........................................................................................... 14
American Revolution ....................................................................................................... 14
War of 1812 ..................................................................................................................... 15
3. From Young Country to Civil War ................................................................................. 16
Building a New Country, 1776-1789 ................................................................................ 16
Westward Expansion ....................................................................................................... 17
Civil War .......................................................................................................................... 18
4. Building an American Empire (1865-1918) ................................................................... 21
Reconstruction (1865-1877) ............................................................................................ 21
Gilded Age (1877-1895) .................................................................................................. 22
Progressive Era (1896-1916)........................................................................................... 24
The Spanish-American Wars (1898-1902)....................................................................... 25
World War I (1914-1918) ................................................................................................. 25
5. America from 1920 to 1945 .......................................................................................... 26
The Roaring Twenties ..................................................................................................... 26
The Great Depression ..................................................................................................... 27
World War II .................................................................................................................... 29
6. Cold War, Culture, and Counterculture ........................................................................ 32
The Cold War (1946-1991) .............................................................................................. 32
Korean War ..................................................................................................................... 33
Vietnam War.................................................................................................................... 33
Civil Rights ...................................................................................................................... 36
Counterculture and Culture Wars (1960s and 1970s) ...................................................... 39
American Presidents from 1961-1989.............................................................................. 39
Ronald Reagan and the 1980s ........................................................................................ 40
3
, 7. Contemporary America (1990-2020) ............................................................................ 40
The 1990s ....................................................................................................................... 40
The 2000s ....................................................................................................................... 42
Hope and the Obama Era (2008-2016)............................................................................ 43
A Divided America (2016-2020) ....................................................................................... 44
8. Identity and Attitudes in America .................................................................................. 45
Identity in America ........................................................................................................... 45
American Symbols........................................................................................................... 46
Regional Culture and Identity .......................................................................................... 47
Racial Identity .................................................................................................................. 49
Political Identity ............................................................................................................... 49
American Attitudes .......................................................................................................... 49
9. Government and Politics in America ............................................................................ 50
Constitution ..................................................................................................................... 50
The Three Branches of Government ............................................................................... 51
State Government ........................................................................................................... 53
Federal Government........................................................................................................ 54
Elections and Politics....................................................................................................... 54
The Political Parties ......................................................................................................... 54
10. Education in America................................................................................................ 56
Basic Terminology: K through 12 (K-12), College and University ..................................... 56
How American schools are funded .................................................................................. 58
The debate around standardized testing.......................................................................... 59
The State of American Schools ....................................................................................... 59
4
American History, Culture, and Society for learners of English
A complete summary - by Emily Arenz
, Foreword
Another year, another Culture and Literature course. This time we’ll be focussing more
closely on this century’s largest force in the world, namely the US. It goes without saying that
modern day dispersal of English is mainly influenced by American culture, as we’ve learned
in previous years. In this course, we’ll be focussing on the history and cultural aspects that
have influenced the US to be what it is nowadays.
Those of you who have purchased my previous work will be familiar with this summary, as it
follow the likeness of Aspects of the English-Speaking World: An introduction for EFL
teachers (Complete summary). Words that need to be comprehended to the extent of being
able to explain them and their value will be expressed in bold, additional information on
subtopics will be written in their own paragraphs in Italics. I will, as usual, be supplementing
this summary with media such as videos and photos to clarify or elaborate on certain topics.
Now sit back, relax, and enjoy. If you’ve passed your previous C&L exams, you will definitely
pass this one too without a hassle. So let’s get to work, and hit the books!
2
,Contents
Foreword............................................................................................................................... 2
content ................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
1. American History up to 1700 .......................................................................................... 5
America’s Indigenous people ............................................................................................. 5
Age of Exploration, 1492-1700 .......................................................................................... 7
2. English Wars and the New American Republic ............................................................ 12
Eighteenth century America............................................................................................. 12
The beginning of Independence ...................................................................................... 12
Acts of War ...................................................................................................................... 13
Declaration of Independence ........................................................................................... 14
American Revolution ....................................................................................................... 14
War of 1812 ..................................................................................................................... 15
3. From Young Country to Civil War ................................................................................. 16
Building a New Country, 1776-1789 ................................................................................ 16
Westward Expansion ....................................................................................................... 17
Civil War .......................................................................................................................... 18
4. Building an American Empire (1865-1918) ................................................................... 21
Reconstruction (1865-1877) ............................................................................................ 21
Gilded Age (1877-1895) .................................................................................................. 22
Progressive Era (1896-1916)........................................................................................... 24
The Spanish-American Wars (1898-1902)....................................................................... 25
World War I (1914-1918) ................................................................................................. 25
5. America from 1920 to 1945 .......................................................................................... 26
The Roaring Twenties ..................................................................................................... 26
The Great Depression ..................................................................................................... 27
World War II .................................................................................................................... 29
6. Cold War, Culture, and Counterculture ........................................................................ 32
The Cold War (1946-1991) .............................................................................................. 32
Korean War ..................................................................................................................... 33
Vietnam War.................................................................................................................... 33
Civil Rights ...................................................................................................................... 36
Counterculture and Culture Wars (1960s and 1970s) ...................................................... 39
American Presidents from 1961-1989.............................................................................. 39
Ronald Reagan and the 1980s ........................................................................................ 40
3
, 7. Contemporary America (1990-2020) ............................................................................ 40
The 1990s ....................................................................................................................... 40
The 2000s ....................................................................................................................... 42
Hope and the Obama Era (2008-2016)............................................................................ 43
A Divided America (2016-2020) ....................................................................................... 44
8. Identity and Attitudes in America .................................................................................. 45
Identity in America ........................................................................................................... 45
American Symbols........................................................................................................... 46
Regional Culture and Identity .......................................................................................... 47
Racial Identity .................................................................................................................. 49
Political Identity ............................................................................................................... 49
American Attitudes .......................................................................................................... 49
9. Government and Politics in America ............................................................................ 50
Constitution ..................................................................................................................... 50
The Three Branches of Government ............................................................................... 51
State Government ........................................................................................................... 53
Federal Government........................................................................................................ 54
Elections and Politics....................................................................................................... 54
The Political Parties ......................................................................................................... 54
10. Education in America................................................................................................ 56
Basic Terminology: K through 12 (K-12), College and University ..................................... 56
How American schools are funded .................................................................................. 58
The debate around standardized testing.......................................................................... 59
The State of American Schools ....................................................................................... 59
4
