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1.InwhatwaydidPuritanisminfluenceAmericanculture?ThePuritansbelievedthatgovernmentsshouldenforceGod'smorality.Theystrictlypunisheddrunks,adulterers,violatorsoftheSabbathandotherreligiousbelieversdifferentfromthemselves.RogerWilliams,oneofthePuritanswhoprotestedthatthestateshouldnotinterferewithreligion,wasdrivenoutofMassachusetts.In1635,hesetupRhodeIslandcolony,whichguaranteedreligiousfreedomandtheseparationofchurchandstate.ThePuritansalsohaveleftrichculturalheritagetofutureAmericans.TheAmericanvaluessuchasindividualism,hardwork,respectofeducationoweverymuchtothePuritanbeliefs.(1)Thepuritanshopedtobuild“acityuponhill’-anidealcommunity.Sincethattime,Americanshaveviewedtheircountryasagreatexperiment,aworthymodelforothernation.ThissenseofmissionhasbeenverystronginthemindsofmanyAmericans.(2)NewEnglandalsoestablishedanotherAmericantradition-astrainofoftenintolerantmoralism.Thepuritansbelievedthatgovernmentsshouldenforcegod’smorality.Theystrictlypunisheddrunks,adulterers,violationofSabbathandotherreligionsbelieversdifferentfromthemselves.(3)ThepuritansalsohaveleftrichculturalheritagetofutureAmericans.TheAmericanvaluessuchasindividualism,hardwork,andrespectofeducationoweverymuchtothepuritanbelief.(4)ThanksgivinghasbecomeoneoftheNationalholidays,whichcomesfromwhite-IndiancooperationinNewEngland.2.WhatweresomeofthecausesoftheAmericanRevolution?ExplaintheDeclarationofIndependence.WiththerapidgrowthofeconomyinNorthAmerica,theAmericancolonistswereincreasinglyexpectedtoseparatethemselvesfromBritish’soppressionandexploitation.However,BritishonlytreatedAmericaasitsmaterialoriginandcommoditymarketanddon’twanttoseeitsfinancialindependence.TheconflictsaggravatedwhentheBritishbegantoimposeheavytaxesuponsugar,coffee,textilesandotherimportedgoodaftertheFrenchandIndianwar,whichwouldmakelocaltradingmoredifficult.What’sworse,BritishcitizensintheAmericancoloniespaidtaxesbuthadnorepresentativesintheBritishParliament.SothecolonistsrefusedtoobeytheBritishlaw,andthenBritishsoldiersweresenttoBostontostampouttherevolt.In1773,agroupofpatriotsrespondedtotheteataxbystagingthe“BostonTeaParty”,whichdirectlyledtotherevolution.TheAmericanRevolutionlastedfor8yearsfrom1775to1783andendedinAmericanvictoryagainsttheBritish.3.WhataresomeofthemajorpowersofeachofthethreebranchesoftheUSgovernment?Howarethethreebranchessupposedtocheckandbalanceeachother?Thelegislativebranchcanmakefederallaws,levyfederaltaxes,declarewarorputforeigntreatiesintoeffect.Thecentreoftheexecutivebranchisthepresident.ThepresidentcanproposelegislationtoCongress,canissueregulationsanddirectivesregardingtheworkofthefederalgovernment’smanydepartmentsandagencies,canvetobillspassedbyCongress,appointfederaljudges,theheadsandseniorofficialsoftheexecutivebranchagenciesaswellasambassadorsandotherofficials.Healsoiscommander-in-chiefofthearmedforces.Thejudicialbranchappliesandexplainsthelaws.FederalcourtshavejurisdictionovercasesarisingoutoftheConstitution,lawsandtreatiesoftheUS;maritimecase;issuesinvolvingforeigncitizensorgovernments;andcasesinwhichthefederalgovernmentitselfisaparty.TheSupremeCourtdetermineswhethercongressionallegislationorexecutiveactionviolatestheConstitution.TheSupremeCourtcandeclarealawpassedbytheCongressoranactionbythePresidenttobeunconstitutional.ThePresidentcanvetoalawpassedbyCongress.CongresscanpassalawoverridingthePresident'sveto.ThePresidentappointsSupremeCourtjustices.CongresscanrefusetoconfirmappointmentsandratifytreatiesmadebythePresident.4.WhatarethetwopoliticalpowersintheUnitedStates?Doyouthinktheyarefundamentallydifferent?TheDemocraticPartyandtheRepublicanPartyTheyaredifferentinsomespecificpolicies,butthey’renotfundamentallydifferent.(1)ItisgeneralconsideredthattheDemocraticPartyismoreliberalandmorecenter-left;TheRepublicanPartyismoreconservativeandcenter-right.Forexample:ineconomicpolicies,theDemocratsbelievethatthegovernmentshouldbeactiveinalleviatingpovertyandsocialinjustice,anditalsosupportsprogressivetaxationandsocialservice;theRepublicanPartyplacesmoreemphasisonprivateenterpriseandindividualinitiative,anditsupportstaxcuts.Insocialpolicies,theDemocraticPartyisdividedonthesubjectofsame-sexmarriageandfocusonmethodscrimeprevention;TheRepublicanParty,however,opposesthelegislationofsamesexmarriageandfavorcapitalpunishment.（2）Despitethosedifferences,theyarenotfundamentallydifferent.Firstly,bothofthemadvocatethebasicAmericanvalueslikeindividualismandcapitalismandareonbehalfofthebourgeoisies.Secondly,bothofthemadvocatethepoliticalpartysystem.Neitherofthemwantstochangethispoliticalsystem.Thirdly,theaimsofbothpartiesarethesame.Theyallwanttowinthepresidentelectionandtoformamajorityinthecongress.Inthisregard,thetwopartiesaretoolsforelection.Finally,asnewconservatismandnewliberalismemergeinrecentdecades,thepartiestendtobemoreandmorealikeintheirideology.Theykeepabsorbingnewidealsfromeachotherwhichtheythinkarebeneficialtothewholecountry.So,fundamentallyspeaking,theyarethesame.5.Itisknowntoallthatbuyingandsellingstocksisariskybusiness.Whydoyouthinktherearestillsomanype