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UnitOne：TheCountry1.HowhasclimateaffectedtheSouthernwayoflife?WhyareSoutherners,ingeneral,soconservative?KeyPoints:TheSouthhasmildwintersandhotsummers,makingitanidealplaceforagriculturalindustry.Foralongtime,southernagriculturewascharacterizedbyplantationeconomy,controlledbyslave-ownersandlandedgentryclass,whosevestedinterestinplantationeconomymadethemconservativevirtuallyineveryaspect,politically,economicallyandsocially.Historically,theSouthwashierarchicalinitssocialstructure,givingrisetoacastesystembasedonblacksalvesandindenturedservants,withbigplantationownerssittingatthetop.TheSouthernslow-pacedagriculturallifehasproducedwhatpeopletherecall“theSouthernwayoflife”,whichinprinciple,cherishesruralvirtues,emphasizescommunitylife,suspectsmodernization,andrejectsmoralsins..2.Traditionally,NewEnglandershavealwaysattachedgreatimportancetoeducation.Whyisthatandwhataretheimplications?KeyPoints:EducationisimportanttoPuritansasawayofseekingtruthfromtheBible.Itistrueforbothclergymenandlaymen.Educationisimportanttothecultivationofrepublicanvirtuesforpublic-mindedNewEnglanders,wholaunchedthepublicschoolmovementasearlyastheearly19thcentury.Educationisbelievedtobethebestvehicleforcommonpeopletorealizetheirpotentialandultimatelytheirpersonalworth.Beingaplacethatstressesequalityanddemocracy(asreflectedinitstownmeetingandcongregationalism),NewEnglandhasalwaysledthenationinmakingeducationavailabletoallpeopleacrosstheboard.Educationhasdevelopedrapidlyintheareaatalllevels,fromelementary-andsecondary-leveleducationtocollegeanduniversityeducation,andfrompublictoprivateeducation.UnitTwo:History1.ThroughoutAmericanhistorytherehavebeenmanymovements,suchastheTemperanceMovement,Anti-slaveryMovement,ProgressiveMovement,CivilRightsMovement,andFeministMovement.PickoneofthemanddiscussitssignificanceinU.S.history.KeyPoints:(answerscanbefoundontheInterneteasily)TheProgressiveMovementwasanefforttocuremanyoftheillsofAmericansocietythathaddevelopedduringthegreatspurtofindustrialgrowthinthelastquarterofthe19thcentury.Thefrontierhadbeentamed,greatcitiesandbusinessesdeveloped,andanoverseasempireestablished,butnotallcitizenssharedinthenewwealth,prestige,andoptimism.Progressivismwasrootedinthebelief,certainlynotsharedbyall,thatmanwascapableofimprovingthelotofallwithinsociety.Assuch,itwasarejectionofSocialDarwinismpositiontakenbymanyoftherichandpowerfulfiguresoftheday.Progressivismwasalsoimbuedwithstrongpoliticalovertonesandrejectedthechurchasthedrivingforceforchange.Specificgoalsincluded:Thedesiretoremovecorruptionandundueinfluencefromgovernmentthroughthetamingofbossesandpoliticalmachines;theefforttoincludemorepeoplemoredirectlyinthepoliticalprocess;theconvictionthatgovernmentmustplayaroletosolvesocialproblemsandestablishfairnessineconomicmatters.ThesuccessofProgressivismowedmuchtopublicitygeneratedbythemuckrakerswriterswhodetailedthehorrorsofpoverty,urbanslums,dangerousfactoryconditions,andchildlabor,amongahostofotherills.Thesuccessesweremany,beginningwiththeInterstateCommerceAct(1887)andtheShermanAntitrustAct(1890).Progressivesneverspokewithonemindanddifferedsharplyoverthemosteffectivemeanstodealwiththeillsgeneratedbythetrusts;somefavoredanactivistapproachtotrust-busting,otherspreferredaregulatoryapproach.TheProgressivespiritalsowasevidentinnewamendmentsaddedtotheConstitution,whichprovidedforanewmeanstoelectsenators,protectsocietythroughprohibitionandextendsuffragetowomen.Urbanproblemswereaddressedbyprofessionalsocialworkerswhooperatedsettlementhousesasameanstoprotectandimprovetheprospectsofthepoor.However,effortstoplacelimitationsonchildlaborwereroutinelythwartedbythecourts.TheneedsofblackssandNativeAmericanswerepoorlyservedorservednotatall—amajorshortcomingoftheProgressiveMovement.Progressivereformswerecarriedoutnotonlyonthenationallevel,butinthestatesandmunicipalitiesofthecountryaswell.ProminentgovernorsdevotedtochangeincludedRobertM.LaFolletteofWisconsinandHiramJohnsonofCalifornia.Suchreformsasthedirectprimary,secretballot,andtheinitiativereferendum,andrecallwereeffected.Localgovernmentswerestrengthenedbythewidespreaduseoftrainedprofessionals,particularlywiththecitymanagersystemreplacingtheall-too-frequentlycorruptmayoralsystem.2.Overthepastquarterofacentury,theUnitedStatesissaidtobeengagedina“CultureWar”.Whataretheissuesthiswarisabout?WhatdoesthewarsaytousaboutcontemporaryAmericansociety?KeyPoints(answercanbeeasilyfoundontheInternet)Theexpressioncameintousein1991intheUnitedStateswiththepublicationofCultureWars:TheStruggletoDefineAmericabyJamesDavisonHunter,asociologistattheUniversityofVirginia.Init,HunterdescribedwhathesawasadramaticrealignmentandpolarizationthathadtransformedAmericanpoliticsandculture..Hearguedthatonanincreasingnumberofhot-buttondefiningissues—abortion,gunpolitics,separationofchurchandstate,privacy,recreationaldruguse,homosexuality,censorshipissues—therehadcometobetwodefinablepolarities.Furthermore,itwasnotjustthattherewereanumberofdivisiveissues,butthatsocietyhaddividedalongessentiallythesamelinesoneachoftheseissues,soast