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Towers in NYC and Washington D.C. Financial crisis - big recession whole world 2 von 21 3 von 21 Xtra File - The American political system Checks and Balances Legislative - Congress - Senate The legislative branch Also known as Congress. Congress has two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. - Senate: 100 Senators, elected for a 6-year term, one third are elected every two years. - House of Representatives 435 members, elected every two years. States with a high population have more Representatives than states with a low population. The House and Senate can reject each other's bills. Congress decides on the federal budget (how federal money is spent). direct vote The Court can declare laws unconstitutional. The Senate must confirm the President's judicial appointments. The voters The President suggests legislation and can veto laws passed by Congress. Congress can pass laws over the President's veto by a two-thirds majority. Congress ratifies treaties and declares war. Judicial - Supreme Court - Federal Courts The judicial branch The Supreme Court has nine judges. They are appointed for life. The Supreme Court is responsible for seeing that the Constitution is upheld and that laws that are made are allowed under the Constitution. There are 11 US Courts of Appeals indirect vote (via state electors) The President appoints federal judges. The Court can declare presidential acts unconstitutional. 80 regional courts Executive - President - Cabinet The executive branch The President is elected every for years and can hold office for two terms only. The President is Head State and Commander-in-Chief o armed forces. The President appc cabinet and the cabinet is approv the Senate. Cabinet members ne be members of Congress. 2. Political system of the USA Q1 Englisch The US then and now Q1 Englisch The US - then and now 3. "The American Dream" • The American Dream is a set of beliefs and ideals which, allow every American the freedom to prosper and advance socially and financially through hard work • Some dream of fame and fortune, others of a fulfilled life • The idea probably began when Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1776 that Americans were born with the unalienable rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" 3.1 "Melting pot" vs. "Salad bowl" Salad bowl: A salad bowl is a metaphor for the way a multicultural society can integrate different cultures while maintaining their separate identities. In the salad bowl model, different cultures are brought together - like salad ingredients - but do not form together into a single homogeneous culture; each culture keeps its own distinct qualities. In the case of the salad bowl, cultural groups should exist separately and maintain their practices and institutions. In a salad bowl cultures do not mix at all. Melting pot: Cultural Assimilation In the case of the melting pot the aim is that all cultures become reflected in one common culture, however this is generally the culture of the dominant group. Critics say that the melting pot produces a society that primarily reflects the dominant culture instead of fusing into a completely new entity. This type of assimilation was seen as working like a one-way street and it was viewed as something that depended primarily on the cooperativeness of immigrants to be reoriented towards the dominant culture. Some sort of compromise between full assimilation and multiculturalism will be necessary to retain our multiethnic flavor while building a cohesive society. 4 von 21 Q1 Englisch 4. Vietnam War (1955-75) • Conflict in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia • North Vietnam = supported by Soviet Union, China, communist allies • South Vietnam = supported by US, anti-communist allies • Location: South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, South China Sea, Gulf of Thailand • US-Presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, J. F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon Why? The US then and now • Vietnam War began as a regional conflict On one hand were guerrillas in North Vietnam (communist, supported by China and the USSR), called the "Vietkong" fighting against the westernized, capitalist South • Wanted to unite all of Vietnam under one communist flag; the US, fearing the spread of communism, didn't want ● They intervened, entered the conflict, and tried to fight back the army in the north • War escalated and tides turned in favor of the Vietkong, so many more soldiers had to come to Vietnam (the draft - turning young men into soldiers) During the war, pesticides like Agent Orange were used (still having effects on the Vietnamese society today) and a tremendous amount of unarmed civilians died • Anti-war movement grew in the US - originally, they were seen as sympathizers of the communist regime, but it became clear that most of them were peace protestors • When everyday citizens started protesting - an angry peace-movement was growing, fueled by the reports about the war crimes and the Mio. of soldiers letting their lives • Public opinions turned soon against the government Outcome: ● Technically a victory for the North Vietnamese, but half a million civilians had died, and the total amount of casualties was around a number of 3 million people Effect: • US military is unwilling to commit ground troops to conflicts, draft ended, peace- movement around the world became stronger, lots of soldiers with PTSD 5 von 21