Background to America 2 英美文化课件.ppt

America-A Melting Pot? A nation of immigrants Immigration and emigration Immigration, the movement of people into another nation with the intention of residing there permanently. The contrasting term emigration refers to the movement of people permanently leaving a nation. What does “a melting pot” mean? Traditionally the United States has been described as a melting pot, a metaphoric image of the United States as a foundry that combines the different component metals-represented by immigrants from various countries -into the new metal, Americans. Look at the photos and describe them in terms of race and ancestry General Eisenhower Yang ,Chen Lin ----physicist and Nobel laureate Michelle Kwan ---Figure skater Winners of Oscar Awards Who are Americans ? Except for Native Americans, all Americans are either recent immigrants or the descendants of immigrants who have settled in North America over the last five centuries. Quoted from Letters from an American Farmer What then is the American, this new man? He is either a European, or the descendant of a European, hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. I could point out to you a family whose grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was a Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of different nations. Quoted from Letters from an American Farmer He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys , and the new rank he holds. Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and from new opinions. This is an American. Reading Activity Guided Questions Why is the term “a melting pot” not mor