American Civilisation I Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover the key concepts of American civilization, including its cultural metaphors (Melting Pot vs. Salad Bowl), core values (Individualism, American Dream), historical figures, literature, and social structures as well as social structures.

Uncle Sam

The symbolic character representing the United States government, linked to Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who supplied beef during the War of 1812.

War of 1812

A conflict fought between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815.

Federal Constitutional Republic

A system where political power is shared between the national government and individual states, guided by the Constitution (adopted in 1787) as the supreme law.

Melting Pot

A concept describing the U.S. as a nation where immigrants from diverse backgrounds blend into a single, unified American identity through assimilation.

Salad Bowl

A concept suggesting that immigrants maintain their unique cultural identities, traditions, and languages while coexisting within one society.

Individualism

A cultural value where people see themselves as separate from others, prioritize personal choice and privacy, and view success as the result of one's own effort.

The American Dream

A core cultural belief comprising the pursuit of happiness, equality, success through hard work (social mobility), and freedom.

De facto national language

A language used in practice for government, education, and public life despite having no official status at the federal level; for the U.S., this is English.

Spanglish

A linguistic blend that emerges naturally from the high use of Spanish as the second-most spoken language in the U.S. among its bilingual population.

Religious Demographics (2023–2024)

Approximately 62% of U.S. adults are Christians, with 19% identifying as Roman Catholics and about 39-40% as Protestants.

Edgar Allan Poe

A pioneer of gothic fiction, detective stories, and early science fiction known for works like "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart."

Mark Twain

Often called the "father of American literature," he used humor and satire to critique society in works like "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Ernest Hemingway

A leading 20th-century American novelist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954 and wrote "The Old Man and the Sea."

Toni Morrison

The first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1993), known for exploring history and identity in novels like "Beloved."

Juneteenth

Commemorated on June 19, this federal holiday established in 2021 celebrates the end of slavery in 1865.

Collectivism

A cultural value emphasizing personal interdependence, social harmony, and defining oneself in terms of relationships and group membership.

Social Class Indicators

The three major factors identifying social class in the U.S.: Educational Attainment, Income, and Occupational Prestige.

Tiger Woods effect

A term referring to the growth of multiracial identity, popularized by the golfer who called himself "Cablinasian" to reflect his mixed heritage.

Cultural Pluralism

A state where many different cultural, linguistic, and ethnic groups live together while maintaining their own traditions, exemplified by driver's license tests given in 25 languages in California.

Political Correctness

The practice of choosing words that avoid offending or excluding minority communities, such as using "Native Americans" instead of "Indians."

Personal Space Bubble

An invisible circle around the body that Americans maintain even in crowds to ensure privacy, safety, and politeness.

Self-reliance

The traditional American value of depending on oneself and taking responsibility for one's own success or failure, often summarized as "standing on one's own two feet."

Abraham Lincoln

The 16th President of the United States who expressed that a free society should allow the humblest man an equal chance to get rich.