英语国家概况Chapter-9

AGuidetoEnglish-SpeakingCountries英语国家概况TheUnitedStatesofAmericaChapter9Government英语国家概况CONTENTSUSConstitution1FederalSystem&Government2PoliticalParties3Election4ForeignPolicy5TheTreatyofParis(1783):recognizedtheindependenceoftheUSandtheformer13Britishcolonies.ArticlesofConfederation联邦条款WhentheWarofIndependencewasover,eachnewstatehaditsowngovernmentandwasorganizedlikeanindependenetnation.However,thesestateswouldraisemoneytopayoffdebtsofthewar,establishamoneysystemanddealwithforeignnationsinmakingtreaties.TheagreementthatsetthisplanofcooperationwascalledtheArticlesofConfederationTheArticlesofConfederationfailedbecausethestatesdidnotcooperate.TheCongressatthetimehadbeengivennoauthoritytoforceanystatetodoanything.TheAmericanConstituentAssemblyThisdraftconstitutioninPhiladelphiaattheconstitutionalconventionontheapprovaloftherepresentatives,andshortlythereafterbeatthattimetheUnitedStateshas13statespecialapprovalofthemeeting.（该宪法草案在费城召开的美国制宪会议上获得代表的批准，并在此后不久被当时美国拥有的13个州的特别会议所批准。1)Time:May25,1787----Sept.17,1787(116days)2)Place:inIndependenceHallinPhiladelphia3)People:GeorgeWashingtonpresidedovertheconventionJamesMadisonwascalledtheFatheroftheConstitutionJamesMadison(the4thAmericaPresident)wascalledthefatherofAmericaconstitution.FatheroftheConstitution1.AmericanConstitution1、TheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesisthebasicmeansofAmerica.3、TheconstitutionoftheUnitedStatesistheworld’sfirstwrittenconstitution.2、ItlayalegalfoundationoftheAmericanpoliticalsystem.Awrittenconstitutionisaformaldocumentdefiningthenatureoftheconstitutionalsettlement,therulesthatgovernthepoliticalsystemandtherightsofcitizensandgovernmentsinacodified(编成法典)form.ThePreambleoftheUnitedStatesConstitutioniscomposedof52words.WethepeopleoftheUnitedStates,inordertoformamoreperfectUnion,establishjustice,insuredomestictranquility,provideforthecommondefense,promotethegeneralwelfare,andsecuretheblessingsoflibertytoourselvesandourposterity,doordainandestablishthisConstitutionfortheUnitedStatesofAmerica.我们合众国人民，为建立更完善的联盟，树立正义，保障国内安宁，提供共同防务，促进公共福利，并使我们自己和后代得享自由的幸福，特为美利坚合众国制定本宪法。However,nowordstoguaranteethefreedomsandprivilegesofcitizens“BillofRights”wasaddedtotheconstitutionin1791.TenAmendments.Therewere16otheramendmentstotheConstitutionasof1991.So,thereare26amendmentstotheU.SConstitution.BillofRights2.FederalSystem&GovernmentTheFederalGovernmentTheLegislativeBranchTheExecutiveBranchTheJudicialBranch2.12.22.32.4Onefear：thenewcentralgovernmentmightweakenortakeawaythepowerofstategovernments.TheConstitutionspecifiedexactlywhatpowerthecentralgovernmenthadandwhichpowerwasreservedforthestates.TwofearsinwritingtheconstitutionAfederalsystemofgovernmentisonethatdividesthepowersofgovernmentbetweenthenational(federal)governmentandstateandlocalgovernments.TheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesestablishedthefederalsystem,alsoknownasfederalism.Underfederalism,eachlevelofgovernmenthassovereigntyinsomeareasandsharespowersinotherareas.2.1TheFederalGovernmentShare:makeandenforcelaws;levytax;borrowmoneyNationalgovernmentCoinmoneyDeclarewarConductforeignrelationsOverseeforeignandinterstatetradeStategovernmentRatifyamendmentsManagepublichealthandsafetyOverseetradewithinthestateEducationTheconstitutiondoesnotclearlylistthepowersofthestates.Instead,itsaysthatallpowersnotspecificallygrantedtothenationalgovernmentarereservedtothestates.Onepersonorgroupmightbecometoopowerful.Agovernmentconsistingofthreeparts,orbranches,theexecutive,thelegislativeandthejudicialwassetup.AnotherfearChecksandBalances(制约与平衡)Separationofpowersthedivisionofthelaw-making(立法),law-enforcing(执法)andlaw-interpreting(司法)power.LegislativebranchExecutivebranchJudicialbranchThelegislativebranchismadeupofelectedrepresentativesfromallofthestatesandistheonlybranchthatcanmakefederallaws,levyfederaltaxes,declarewarorputforeigntreatiesintoeffect.ItconsistsofaCongressthatisdividedintotwohouses:TheSenateHouseofRepresentativesChiefOfficial:PresidentoftheSenate(VicePresidentoftheUSA.)ChiefOfficial:TheSpeakeroftheHouse2.2TheLegislativeBranchTheSenatecompriseslawmakerswhoservesix-yearterms.Eachstate,regardlessofpopulation,hastwosenators.ThatassuresthatthesmallstateshaveanequalvoiceinoneofthehousesofCongress.Thetermsofthesenatorsarestaggered,sothatonlyone-thirdoftheSenateiselectedeverytwoyeas.ThatassuresthattherearesomeexperiencedsenatorsinCongressaftereachelection.TheSenateTheHouseofRepresentativescompriseslawmakerswhoservetwo-yearterms.EachHousememberrepresentsadistrictinhisorherhomestate.Thenumberofdistrictsinastateisdeterminedbyacountofthepopulationtakenevery10years.Themostheavilypopulatedstates(California)havemoredistrictsand,therefore,morerepresentativesthanthesmallerstates,someofwhichhaveonlyone.Thereare435representativesintheHouseofRepresentatives.SpeakeroftheHousecallingtheHousetoorderatthebeginningofasessionofCongress.TheHouseofRepresentativesThemainreadingroominsidetheLibraryofCongressLibraryofCongressBilltheSenatetheHouseofRepresentativesthePresidentLaw-makingProcess2.3ExecutiveBranchThepresident:thechi