American Civilization Week 1: Introduction to AC

What is Civilization?

• The process of educating a society to develop its culture
• A human society with well-developed social organizations, or the culture and way of life of a society or country at a particular period in time

American Symbols

• The National Memorial features four great American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln
• The Washington Monument is in Washington, D.C., honoring the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and the first President of the United States
• Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, advocating for equal rights for African Americans
• The Bald Eagle is the national bird of America, known for its majestic ability to soar high in the air

American History

• Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer and navigator, sailed to the Americas in 1492, seeking a direct water route west from Europe to Asia
• Columbus named the land 'the West Indies', assuming he had reached India in the west
• Amerigo Vespucci, another Italian explorer, discovered that the newly known lands were distinct continents and coined the phrase 'Mundus Novus', meaning the New World
• The name 'America' was derived from Amerigo Vespucci's first name

The United States of America

• The United States of America was formed in 1776
• The American Motto is 'In God we trust'
• The Flag features stars and stripes, with the number of stars changing over time: 0 (1775-1777), 13 (1777-1795), 49 (1959-1960), and 50 (July 4, 1960 - present)
• The National Anthem is 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

Geography and Administrative Structure

• The United States is a large country, covering 9,372,610 km2
• The population is approximately 341,129,084
• The country is bordered by Canada and Mexico
• The country meets the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans
• The largest state is Alaska, and the smallest state is Rhode Island
• The administrative structure is federal, with states and counties

The Early Inhabitants

• The earth experienced the Ice Age approximately 30,000 years ago, covering North America in glaciers
• At least 14,000 years ago, the first American immigrants were Asian hunters who crossed a land bridge from present-day Bering Strait