Class 1

Class 1 :

Presentation of the course – main Historical Periods.

Vocabulary:

• Antebellum America: Amerique de l’avant guerre (Guerre de Cessession 1860).
• T. Jefferson: Declaration of Independence: 4 July 1776. Figure de gauche, defend le monde agricole.
• Yeoman (farmer) : figure de la gauche, paysan et soldat. Paysan vertueux dévoué aux biens publics.
• Isolationism : volonté de se séparer du reste du monde.
• G. Washington (Farewell Address) : promotteur de l’isolationsim (droite : conservateur).
• Multicultural : situations sociales des US maintenant (races : pluralité pacifiste).
• Liberalisation : politique de gauche. Liberal : de gauche ≠ en France : de droite.

Main historical Periods represented by 5 main steps which describe a success story. It’s a story of expansion. The US kept on being more powerful.

1. 1776-1860: the founding period of American history. Antebellum America (before the Civil War: North vs. South).
2. Late 19^th- early 20^th: rise of modern America: urban country. Rise of immigration: South of Europe, Russia and Italy. Groups stick together: multicultural society.
3. WW1: 1917: America starts becoming a super power. First international move of the US. (Fight vs. German).
4. WW2: US enters WW2 vs. Japan and Germany. US becomes the leader of the free world vs. totalitarian regimes: fascism and communism.
5. 1991: USSR collapses so the US becomes the only super power. USA has been trying to find a new enemy (terrorism).

Development:

• 1776-1860:  (First birth of the US).US is in a weak position. It has got its independence in 1783 but was a backward (marginalized) nation. Europe was the super power of the time.
  • America is bases on agriculture. Mainly composed of farmers, no industry.
  • The US is different from the other nations. The politic is different: US is the only republic in the world with an elected President. It’s a revolutionary nation. It’s the exception of the time: The Constitution made citizen equal.
  • The first President of the US was George Washington: 1789-1796. When he left office, he made is Farewell Address: he advices citizens to stay away from Europe and keep focussing on their domestic affairs because Europe was made of Kings, Queens and powerful countries. à Policy of isolationism.
  • Thomas Jefferson (3^rd President) represented the left political). George Washington represented the conservative party: right.

--> The US is a republican country with mostly farmers and was marginalized from an international point of view.

• Late 19^th- early 20^th: (Second birth of the US): the US as we know it appeared.
  • The US becomes an urban country: first skyscrapers appeared in Chicago in 1870s (rebuild the city destroyed by a fire).
  • It’s a major industrial power in 1900: the US makes as much manufacture goods as Germany, England and France.
  • Social status: 1870s-1910s: US keeps on attracting increasing number of immigrants who came from the East of Europe: Polls, Russians, south European and Italians. (Irish immigrants in 1940s were not welcomed in the US. They were regarded as a danger. They had to do their faith, their religion. They were Catholics.). In 1890, America is a multicultural nation.
  • America starts creating its own colonial empire. In 1898 US attacks Spanish colonial Empire which collapses. US was able to take it. Cuba and Philippines Islands.

--> It’s a new birth: the agricultural republic became an industrial nation with diverse population and starts creating its own empire.

• World War 1: 1917: US was recognized as an international partner as strong as European countries after it had entered in WW1.
  • In 1920s, the US was a major power, it becomes a super power. But American didn’t react in a positive way: they rejected the situation of super power. They preferred isolationism. This feeling is explained by the Conservative period of the time: Identity Crisis. They’re all republicans, right, against black emancipation. There is nostalgia. American administrations want the US to stay away from European affairs and to be protected for invasion.
  • In 1920s, the American culture appeared for the first time. Important cultural period with new writers, new music: jazz…
  • 1921-1924: The conservative Backlash: two national legislations passed by the US to stop the influx of immigrants.

• World War 2: They entered it in 1941. By 1945, they were the main leader of the fight. The situation at that time is very different than during the WW1: they had an amazing superiority.
  • In 1945, America accepts changes, the US becomes the leader of the free world.
  • In 1945, half manufactures goods are American.
  • In 1945, the US has the 2/3 of the gold world wild.
  • 1945-1949: it’s the only country the have the atomic bomb.
  • 1960s: the US experienced dramatic changes in race relation with the Civil Rights Movement which wanted to emancipate Blacks.

• 1991: It’s the end of the Cold War. The USSR disappeared. The American react the same way in 1920’s: they had a feeling of fear. The US stands alone, with no rival anymore: it’s the Super Power. They wondered how to adapt to that new status. Terrorists’ attacks in 2001 reinforced the feeling of fear. The US is in a transition period. In 1991, Europe was still strong to influence the US. Now, Europe is much to weak to have influence to the US.