The United States The United States of Americaof America

Geography of the Land Geography of the Land

and the Peopleand the People

Zhejiang University of Finance and EconomicsDong Fang College

Toriano Cook

The United States of The United States of AmericaAmerica

• The US, USA, United States, America• What is your impression of the United States?• What do you know about American people?• What do you know about the American culture?

National nickname: National nickname: YankeeYankee

• Commonly from the traditional song “Yankee Doodle”

• Used by people in the South to talk about people from the North

• For a long time a bad name for an American.

“Yankee Doodle Dandy”

Yankee Doodle went to town riding on a pony,Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni,

Yankee Doodle, keep it up! Yankee Doodle dandy,Mind the music and the step, and with the girls be

handy.

And there was Captain WashingtonAnd gentle folks about him

They say he's grown so tarnal proudHe will not ride without them

Yankee Doodle, keep it up! Yankee Doodle dandy,Mind the music and the step, and with the girls be

handy.

The “Melting Pot”The “Melting Pot”

• Nation of Immigrants• People from every country of the world • Population: 310 million people• Recently called the “salad bowl”• 1620, Pilgrims from England• 1600s ~1800s, 12 million from Africa• Mid-1800s from Western Europe, China, Japan• Late 1800s from Southern Europe• 20th century from Latin America, South and

South East Asia, Korea, Africa, Middle East, Oceania

We Are All AmericanWe Are All American

• White American: European, Middle East• Black American: most from Africa as slaves

before 1850, recently from West Africa and the Caribbean

• Native American: first people of Americas, from Asia about 12,000 years ago

• Latin American: “Hispanic / Latino”, Spanish-speaking from Central and South America

• Asian American: many from China (Hong Kong, Taiwan) Korea, Vietnam, South Asia (India, Pakistan)

US DemographicsUS Demographics

AIAI = American Indian / Native AmericanAIAI = American Indian / Native American

The Star Spangled BannerThe Star Spangled Banner

• 50 stars = the 50 States

• 13 stripes = the first 13 colonies (first states)

Major Cities of the USMajor Cities of the US

SeattleSeattle

San FranciscoSan Francisco

Los AngelesLos Angeles

HoustonHouston

MiamMiamii

AtlantAtlantaa

ChicagChicagoo

BostBostonon

New York New York CityCity

National National Capital: Capital: Washington, DCWashington, DC

Seattle: Pacific Northwest

San Francisco: Gateway to Asia

Los Angeles: Home of Hollywood

Houston: :Everything is Bigger in Texas

Chicago: The Windy City

Miami: Center of Latin America

Atlanta: Peach of the South

Boston: Home of American Patriotism

New York City: “The Big Apple”

The Fifty States

Territories of the USTerritories of the US

Puerto Puerto RicoRico

American American SamoaSamoa

GuaGuamm

Northern Mariana Northern Mariana IslandsIslands

US Virgin US Virgin IslandsIslands

NortheastNortheast

• Very urban with many large cities

• Oldest English-speaking region of the US

• Most diverse people in America

• Northeast Megalopolis

SouthSouth

• Known as “the Bible Belt” or “Sun Belt

• Fastest growing region in the US

• Center of Country music

• Basketball, baseball, American football

MidwestMidwest

• “Bread Basket”• Standard American

English• Many quality

universities• “All American”

small towns

Southwest

• Center of Mexican-American culture• Vast desert areas• Tex-Mex food• “Everything is bigger!”

Rocky Mountains

• National parks• Ski and winter resorts• Vast areas with small

population• Many deserts• Original ‘cowboys’

Pacific West

• Diverse environments• Pacific Northwest home

of ancient Native people• Hawaii, California most

popular tourist places in US

• Alaska, the largest state• Large Asian communities

in Hawaii, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles

American Chinese Food:American Chinese Food:Sesame PorkSesame Pork

American Chinese Food:American Chinese Food:Sweet and Sour Pineapple Sweet and Sour Pineapple ChickenChicken

American Chinese Food:American Chinese Food:Fortune CookieFortune Cookie

American Chinese Food:American Chinese Food:Take-out BoxesTake-out Boxes

American Chinese Food:American Chinese Food:Chow Mein SandwichChow Mein Sandwich

American Chinese Food:American Chinese Food:Stir FryStir Fry

Interesting State Facts• Nevada and New Jersey: Only states with legal

gambling (Las Vegas, Atlantic City casinos)• Utah: center of Mormon Church (a kind of

Christianity)• Hawaii: used to be it’s own country with a king• Texas was also it’s own country!• Arizona, New Mexico, California, Texas, Nevada,

Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Kansas were a part of Mexico

• Each state has a nickname (North Carolina is the “Tar Heel State”)• Washington D.C.: the national capital• Not part of any state• DC = District of Columbia• Less than 1 million people live there!

Sports in America• National Sport: baseball• Most popular are basketball and American

football• Ice hockey is played in the North• Rugby and Lacrosse in many high schools and

universities• “Little League”• Many children play baseball in primary

school• More American children play soccer than in

any other country!

Holidays and Festivals

• Americans celebrate many holidays and festivals from around the world.• Chinese New Year, Diwali, Bastille Day,

St. Patrick’s Day

• Most popular are holidays from England and Western Europe

• Many holidays that are pure American• Holiday culture spreading around the

world

December 31: New Year’s Eve

• Celebrate by ‘counting down to the New Year• Attend parties and view fireworks• Sing “Auld Lang Syne”• Eat many special foods and clean your home for good luck

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day

• To honor St. Patrick of Ireland• Wear green clothes• Watch parades• Drink green beer

March/April: Easter

• Christian religious holiday to celebrate Jesus• Many people attend church services• Children hunt for ‘Easter eggs’ and chocolate

Second Sunday in May: Mother’s Day

• Special day for mothers• Give cards and flowers to your mother• Go out to a special dinner or lunch

Third Sunday in June: Father’s Day

• Special day for fathers• Give your father gifts• Traditional gifts are neckties and hardware tools

Fourth of July: Independence Day

• National holiday to celebrate independence from England in 1776

• Attend ‘cookouts’ (barbecue parties)• Watch parades and fireworks at night

October 31: Halloween

• Day for wearing costumes and fun!• Children ‘trick or treat’ for candy and sweets• Adults attend parties

November 11: Veteran’s Day

• Day to remember all veterans (men and women who were in the military)

• Many ceremonies and parades

Fourth Thursday in November:Thanksgiving

• To be thankful for everything good in life• Remember the kindness of Native Americans to the Pilgrims• Celebrated with family• Eat turkey and pumpkin pie• Watch American football games

December 25: Christmas

• Christian religious holiday for birth of Jesus• Give gifts, put up a Christmas tree and lights• Spend Christmas Eve and Day with family• Longest holiday (students have 2 weeks

vacation)

My home: North Carolina

North Carolina

• The 12th colony to join the United States in 1776.

• Population: 10 million people

• Capital city: Raleigh • Largest city: Charlotte(2 million people) • “The Tar Heel State”

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill