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The way of life of americans. Features of character of americans (курсова робота)

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Курсова робота

The way of life of americans. Features of character of americans

Contents

Introduction

Part I. The way of life of Americans

American national character in popular culture

Urban life of Americans.

Rural life of Americans and their character

Language

Religion if Americans

Work and jobs

Recreation

Health and income

Food

Part II. Features of character of Americans

2.1. Trust and hope of Americans on God

2.2. Love pf Americans to their native country

2.3. “Americans are vitally concerned in their defense of freedom”

2.4. The other features of character

Conclusion

Bibliography list

Introduction

United staffs of Comerica is the third – largest country in the world in
population and if is the fourth – largest country in arid. The United
staffs is a land of gnat beauty and natural wealth its people enjoy one
of the world’s highest standards of living.

The United states today has one of the world’s most varied populations.
At has been called “a nation of immigrants”. The Americans – as the
people are commonly called – also made major contra but ions in such
fields as technology, science, and medicine.

The American way of life is an expression that refers to the “lifestyle”
of people living in the United States. It is an example of a behavioral
modality, developed during the 20th century. It refers to an nationalist
ethos that purports to adhere to principles of “life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.” It has some connection to the concept of American
exceptionalism.

During the time of the Cold War, the expression was commonly used by the
media to highlight the differences in living standards of the
populations of the United States and Russia. At that time, American
popular culture broadly embraced the idea that anyone, regardless of the
circumstances of his or her birth, could significantly increase his or
her standard of living through determination, hard work, and natural
ability. In the employment sector, this concept was expressed in the
belief that a competitive market would foster individual talent and a
renewed interest in entrepreneurship. Politically, it took the form of a
belief in the superiority of a free democracy, founded on a productive
and economic expansion without limits.

Today, the expression has again become pervasive in popular culture, in
part because of its use by President George H. W. Bush, who has stated
that “the ‘way of life1 of the Americans is not negotiable.” The
expression has come to be associated with over-consumption, exploitation
of natural resources, American exceptionalism, and other negative
aspects of American culture, and it has negative connotations in many
parts of the world.

In the National Archives and Records Administration’s 1999 Annual
Report, National Archivist John W. Carlin writes, “We are different
because our government and our way of life are not based on the divine
right of kings, the hereditary privileges of elites, or the enforcement
of deference to dictators. They are based on pieces of paper, the
Charters of Freedom – the Declaration that asserted our independence,
the Constitution that created our government, and the Bill of Rights
that established our liberties.”

American way of life is an expression that one finds in all the main
documents of American history. Let us see the use by the Americans
themselves of this terminology: executive Order 10631 Eisenhower August
17, 1955

Code of Conduct for Members of the United States Armed Forces: 1) I am
an American fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of
life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

In 1998: Powerful Documents Inspire a Nation By Senator Trent Lott:

“When the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired, it signaled
one of the most significant changes in the human history. “The shot
heard ’round the world” started a struggle for independence not just
from England, but from despotism. Our Founding Fathers were literally
the first people in history to fight and die for their naturally-given
right to self-determination. When those out-manned revolutionaries beat
the English, a bold new way of life was born.”

ethnographic and wildlife Alaska from the early 1920s:

“This extraordinary collection was selected for this preservation
project because it is well organized, identified, documented, and
published Photographically, the images are beautifully composed, are in
sharp focus, and have been well exposed. As American history, this
collection is an important contribution to the chronicle of the time and
region, its wildlife and native populations These photographs document a
people and a way of life on the brink of change just prior to the modern
era. We can see a way of life that changed quickly and completely when
the radio made possible rapid communication and the airplane became a
common means of transportation across such vast distances. Bailey’s keen
observations led to an outstanding archive of cultural information. His
unique visual and documentary record is essential as it comes at a time
when the traditional economies and belief system were beginning to
change to heavy reliance on objects and behaviors brought about by
schools, tourists, the military, and oil field developers “.

I. The way of life of Americans

American national character in popular culture

“The culture of the United States is a Western culture, and has been
developing since long before the United States became a country. Its
chief early influence was British culture, due to colonial ties with the
British that spread the English language, legal system and other
cultural inheritances. Other important influences came from other parts
of Europe, especially countries from which large numbers immigrated such
as Ireland, Germany, Poland, and Italy; the Native American peoples;
Africa, especially the western part, from which came the ancestors of
most African Americans; and young groups of immigrants. American culture
also has shared influence on the cultures of its neighbors in the New
World.

The United States has traditionally been known as a melting pot, but
recent academic opinion is tending towards cultural diversity, pluralism
and the image of a salad bowl rather than a melting pot.

Due to the extent of American culture there are many integrated but
unique subcultures within the United States. The culutral affliations an
individual in the United States may have commonly depend on social
class, political orientation and a multitude of demogrpahic
charateristics such as race, ethnicity, sex and sexual orientation. The
strongest influences on American culture came from northern European
cultures, most prominently from Germany, Ireland and England. [2] It is,
however, paramount to remember that there are great differences within
American culutre which should therefore under no circumstance be seen as
one large homogenous subject.

The American state of California (especially the Hollywood region) is
home to a thriving motion picture industry, with prominent film studios
such as Warner Brothers, Paramount, and MGM creating dozens of
multi-million dollar films every year that are enjoyed around the world.
American actors are often among the world’s most popular and easily
identified celebrities. It’s worth noting that Hollywood also tends to
attract many immigrant actors and directors from around the world, many
of whom, such as actor Russell Crowe or director Ang Lee become just as
famous and successful as American-born stars.

The United States was a leading pioneer of T.V. as an entertainment
medium, and the tradition remains strong to this day. Many American
television sitcoms dramas game shows and reality shows remain very
popular both in the US and abroad. Animation is a popular US
entertainment medium as well, both on the large and small screen. The
characters created by Walt Disney and Warner Brothers animation studios
remain very popular. In music, the United States has pioneered many
distinct genres, such as country and western, jazz, rock music, hip hop
and gospel. African-American cultural influences play a particularly
prominent role in many of these traditions.

Urban life of Americans.

Urban life. Urban areas, which range from giant cities surrounded by
suburbs to small towns, dot the U.S. landscape. Although the urban areas
cover about 2 1/2 percent of the land, they are the home of about
three-fourths of the people. New York City, with about 7 million people,
is the largest U.S. city by far. Los Angeles has about 3 million people.
Chicago has a population of about 2 3/4 million. Five other U.S.
cities—Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, Detroit, and Dallas—each have
more than 1 million people.

Networks of suburbs surround many U.S. cities. The central cities and
their suburbs form units called metropolitan areas. There are about 268
metropolitan areas in the United States. The three largest are, in order
of size, the New York-Newark, Los Angeles-Long Beach, and Chicago areas.
The New York-Newark metropolitan area has about 17 million people, the
Los Angeles-Long Beach area has more than 83/4 million people, and the
Chicago area has about 71/2 million people.

For many years, the vast majority of the country’s urban population
lived in the central cities. But during the mid-1900s, suburban
population soared throughout the United States, while central city
growth slowed down or decreased. In 1970, for the first time, more
Americans lived in suburbs than in central cities.

The Northeast and Midwest have long had most of the nation’s largest
urban areas. But during the 1900’s, other parts of the country have
experienced dramatic urban growth. Since the early 1900’s, many
California urban communities—especially Los Angeles—have grown
tremendously. Since the mid-1900’s, the populations of many more urban
areas in the West, and in the South and Southwest, have soared. Such
metropolitan areas as Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Houston, and Phoenix grew
rapidly. Large numbers of people were attracted to the West, South, and
Southwest by jobs created by new industries. Also, many of the
fastest-growing communities have warm, sunny climates, which helped
attract many of the newcomers. Parts of the South, Southwest, and West
are sometimes called the Sun Belt because they have such climates.

Urban economies provide jobs for a great variety of workers, including
office and factory workers, bankers, doctors, fire fighters, medical
personnel, police officers, teachers, trash collectors, and construction
and transportation workers. Urban life also has many other positive
features. Because of their large populations, urban areas generally
offer a wide variety of specialized services and shops. Urban dwellers
can take advantage of an assortment of restaurants, recreation
facilities, and places of entertainment. Because of such facilities as
art galleries, museums, libraries, theaters, and concert halls, many
cities are important cultural centers. These and other features make
urban areas exciting and interesting places to live for many people.

The people of most U.S. urban areas represent a variety of ethnic
backgrounds. Most cities include neighborhoods in which almost all the
people belong to the same ethnic or nationality group. The people of
large urban areas are also divided economically. Urban society includes
extremely wealthy and extremely poor people, and a huge middle class.
The wealthy live in luxurious apartments or condominiums, or in large,
comfortable single-family houses. Middle-class housing also includes
apartments, condominiums, and single-family houses. In general, the
housing of the middle class is comfortable, though not as luxurious as
that of the wealthy. In contrast, large numbers of urban poor people
live in substandard housing. They rent crowded, small apartments or
run-down single-family houses.’

In addition to substandard housing, urban areas have a number of other
negative features. Such features include high crime rates, racial and
ethnic friction, noisy surroundings, pollution, and traffic jams. See
City (City problems).

1.3. Rural life of Americans and their character

Rural life. More than 97 percent of all the land of the United States is
classified as rural. But much of the rural land is uninhabited or only
lightly inhabited. About a fourth of all Americans live in rural areas.

Farms provide the economic basis of the nation’s rural areas. But only
about 9 percent of the country’s rural people work on farms. Many other
rural people own or work in businesses related to agriculture, such as
grain and feed stores and warehouses. Mining and related activities and
light industries also employ many rural people. Still other rural
Americans work as teachers, police officers, salesclerks, or in other
occupations. Many farmers hold other jobs for part of the year to add to
their incomes.

American farmers of today lead vastly different lives from those of
their grandparents. Machines have eliminated much backbreaking farm
work. Farmers use machines to help them plow, plant seeds, harvest
crops, and deliver their products to market. Many farms have conveyor
systems so that the farmer no longer has to shovel feed to farm animals.
Milking machines make morning and evening chores easier. In the home,
farm families may have all the comforts and conveniences of city people.
In the 1900’s, the automobile, telephone, radio, and television have
brought U.S. farm families into close contact with the rest of the
world.

The steady decline in the percentage of the country’s rural population
has slowed since 1970. Although many people continued to move away from
rural areas, others chose to move into rural towns and farm communities.
Many of the newcomers wanted to escape the overcrowding, pollution,
crime, and other problems that are part of life in urban areas and to
take advantage of benefits of country living. Rural areas have lower
crime rates and less pollution than urban areas. They are also far less
noisy and crowded.

Because of their small populations, rural communities collect less tax
revenues than urban communities do, and they generally cannot provide
the variety of services that urban areas can. For example, rural
communities have cultural and recreational facilities that are more
limited than those available in urban areas. For many rural Americans,
social life centers around family gatherings, church and school
activities, special interest clubs, and such events as state and county
fairs.

Rural areas generally have less diversified economies than urban areas.
Because there are fewer and a smaller variety of jobs to choose from,
rural communities may experience more widespread economic hardships than
urban communities. A single economic downturn—a drop in farm prices, for
example, or the closing of a mine—can cause economic hardship for an
entire rural area.

The nation’s rural areas, like its urban areas, have wealthy, middle
class, and poor people. For the most part, however, the gaps between
economic classes are not as large in rural areas as in urban areas. Most
rural Americans live in single-family houses. The majority of the houses
are comfortable and in good condition. But some people, including many
who live in parts of Appalachia—in the eastern United States—and other
pockets of rural poverty, have run-down houses and enjoy few luxuries.

1.4.Language

Language. The United States has never had an official language, but
English has always been the chief language spoken in the country.
Immigrants from the British Isles—who included the nation’s
founders—spoke English. Many immigrants from other lands who spoke
little or no English also came to the United States. They learned at
least enough English to be able to communicate with other Americans.
Their children learned English in school. The immigrants’ children
generally spoke both English and their ethnic language, and in many
families the immigrants’ grandchildren spoke only English.

Today, Spanish is the second most common language in the United States.
The region that is now the Southwestern United States was colonized by
Spain in the 1500’s. As a result, many people from that region speak
Spanish. Since the 1950s, many Spanish-speaking people have immigrated
to the United States from Mexico, Cuba, and other places. Many of these
people learned English. But others speak only Spanish. This is
especially true in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods that developed in
cities. Some people feel that special efforts should be made to provide
education and other services in Spanish for people who speak only
Spanish.

Many people believe every American should know English. They point out
that it is difficult to get a job outside Spanish-speaking neighborhoods
without a knowledge of English. They also argue that a language shared
by everyone is an important unifying force for a country. In the
i1980’s, a number of states passed laws declaring English to be their
only official language. These laws provide that the government must
offer its services in English, and need not do so in any other language.
But in some places, public documents and signs in public places are
written in both English and Spanish.

1.5.Religion if Americans

Religion plays an important role in the lives of millions of Americans.
The country’s churches provide people with moral guidance and places for
worship. Many churches also serve as centers for social gatherings, such
as a church picnic, above.

Religion. About 60 per cent of all the American people are members of an
organized religious group. Among them, about 52 per cent are
Protestants, 38 per cent Roman Catholics, 4 per cent jews, 3 per cent
Mormons, and 3 per cent are members of Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Relatively small numbers of Americans belong to other faiths, such as
Islam and Buddhism. Roman Catholics make up the largest single religious
denomination in the United States. About 56 million Americans are Roman
Catholics. The country’s largest Protestant groups are, in order of
size, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Lutherans, and Presbyterians.

Religion has played an important role in the history of the United
States. Many people came to the American Colonies to escape religious
persecution in other lands. The early colonists included Puritans in New
England, Roman Catholics in Maryland, and Quakers in Pennsylvania. The
early Americans made religious freedom one of the country’s basic laws.
The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which was
adopted in 1791, guarantees every American freedom of religion. It also
provides that no religious group be given official recognition as a
state church. These provisions were intended to prevent persecution of
religious minorities and the favoring of one church over another.
Religious freedom was one of the reasons immigrants continued to flock
to the United States through the years.

Although all religious groups in the United States enjoy freedom,
Christian traditions have had a stronger influence on American life than
those of any other faith. For example, most offices, factories, and
other places of employment are closed on Sunday, the Sabbath of most
Christians. The influence of Christianity results from the fact that a
majority of the people are Christians.

Throughout the country’s history, religion has influenced everyday life
in a number of ways. For example, in colonial America many religious
rules were enforced by local governments (see Colonial life in America
[The church]). Some of the laws that prohibited activities on Sunday
still exist (see Sunday).

Today, religion has relatively less influence in the everyday lives of
most Americans. But churches and other, religious organizations continue
to play important roles in American life. Their chief functions are to
provide moral guidance and places for worship. However, religious groups
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active roles in discussing such issues as birtlh control and rights for
minorities and women.

Historically, the United States’ religious tradition has been dominated
by Protestant Christianity, but this tradition coexists in a public
sphere where religious plurality and secularism are the norm. For
example, the United States Constitution enshrined individual freedom of
religious practice, which courts have since interpreted to mean that the
government is a secular institution, an idea called “reparation of
church and state”.

According to the same study, the major Christian denominations (making
up the vast majority of faiths actively practiced in the United States)
are (in order): Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran,
Presbyterian, Pentecostal (aka Charismatic or Evangelical),
Episcopalian, Latter-Day Saints, Church of Christ, and Congregational.

According to other studies, as reported by the Statistical Abstract of
the United States, Americans’ self-reported religious affiliations are
56% Protestant, 27% Roman Catholic, 2% Judaism, 1% Orthodox
Christianity, 1% Mormon faith, 5% “other specific” religion, and 8%
“other” or “did not designate.” Some 68% of Americans are members of a
place of worship, and 44% attend that place of worship regularly.

1.6.Work and jobs

Most people commute to work using automobiles rather than mass transit
(the New York Metropolitan Area is a notable exception); the effect of
the automobile on the United States and its prominence in American life
cannot be overestimated. Most jobs are based on a 40-hour work week;
typically five days (Monday through Friday), eight hours per day. By
law, after 40 hours, employers must pay overtime which is 150% their
normal wage, although many workers are exempt, including almost all who
work for a biweekly salary instead of an hourly wage. On holidays, some
companies pay double.

The United States has minimum wage laws requiring a minimum wage for
many employees, though a number of employment sectors are excluded.
Minimum wage differs from state to state; some states have higher
minimum wages than the wage mandated by the federal government.

According to equal opportunity labor laws, employers are not allowed to
discriminate based on race, gender, religion, political convictions,
family situation, marital or parental status. In addition, applicants
need not provide photos or personal information on these topics, however
drug tests and criminal background checks are sometimes required.
Employees must pay federal and state income tax to the government. In
most cases, employees are not allowed to attend work after drinking
alcohol or to drink alcohol during work. Exceptions include some
restaurant jobs, bars and business meetings.

Vacations are usually two weeks, but unlike in most developed countries,
there is no legal minimum. Other company benefits may include sick days
and/or personal days. The common retirement age is roughly 65, with many
retiring either earlier or later, depending on their personal finances
and their job statisfaction. Some Americans, especially professionals
continue part-work such as teaching community college classes after
retirement. Others continue to work past 65 due to their job
statisfaction. US companies often offer benefits such as health and
dental insurance, and life insurance. In addition, the benefits can
often include the employee’s family as well. A few companies provide
various lessons for free, such as relaxation to improve their work
performance. However, most benefits are not mandated by law, and there
is a large range of wages, compensation and benefits in different types
of jobs. Generally, the most physically demanding jobs such as
construction and farm labor are the least well compensated. Compared to
most European systems, work culture in the USA seems to be much harder
for employees. For example, there is less paid vacation, paid sick days,
maternity leave and benefits for parents.

1.7.Recreation.

Recreation. Most Americans have a great deal of lei sure time, and they
spend it in a variety of ways. They pursue hobbies, take part in sports
activities, attend sporting and cultural events, watch movies and
television, listen to music, and read books and magazines. They enjoy
trips to museums, beaches, parks, playgrounds, and zoos. They take
weekend and vacation trips, eat at restaurants, go on picnics, and
entertain friends at home. These and other activities contribute to-the
richness and diversity of American life.

Sports rank as a leading American pastime. Millions I of Americans enjoy
watching such sports events as automobile races, horse races, and
baseball, basketball, and football games—either in person or on
television. Many Americans, especially children and other young
people, play baseball, basketball, football, and soccer. People of most
ages participate in such sports as bicycle riding, boating, bowling,
fishing, golf, hiking, hunting, running, skiing, Softball, swimming, and
tennis.

Motion pictures, plays, concerts, operas, and dance performances attract
large audiences in the United states. Americans find entertainment at
home, as well. About 98 per cent of all American homes have a television
set. On the average, a set is in use in each home for about seven hours
a day.

Hobbies occupy much of the leisure time of many Americans. Large numbers
of people enjoy raising bower or vegetable gardens or indoor plants.
Other popular hobbies include stamp collecting, coin collecting, and
photography. Since the mid-1900’s, interest in HP1 crafts hobbies as
needlepoint, quilting, weaving, pottery making, and woodworking has
increased

Most Americans spend part of their leisure time traveling. Many take
annual vacations, as well as occasional one-day excursions or weekend
trips. Some people lave vacation homes near lakes or seashores, in the
contains, or in other recreation areas. Others own protor homes or
trailers, which provide comfortable livelong and sleeping quarters
during trips. Some people enjoy camping in tents. Others prefer to stay
in hotels or wotels while on trips.

1.8.Health and income

Income also had a significant impact on health as those with higher
incomes had better access to health care facilities, higher life
expectancy, lower infant mortality rate and increased health
consciousness. While the United States lacks a universal health care
system similar to those found in many other post-industrialized
developed nations across Europe and Asia, 85% of the US population were
insured in 2005. Yet, discrepancies seem to remain beyond the difference
between insured and uninsured. In 2006 Harvard researchers divided the
US into “eight Americas. “[27] Life expectancy ranges from 84.9 years
for the 10,400,000 Asian Americans who had an average per capita income
of $21,566. Urban African Americans with an average per capita income of
a mere $14,800 had a life expectancy of merely 71.1 years.t27]
Furthermore, the United States like other post-industrial nations saw
increased health consciousness among persons of higher social status.
Persons of higher status are less likely to smoke, more likely to
exercise regularly and be more conscious of their diet.[28] Additionally
poor American are more likely to consume lower quality, process food.
One can therefore conclude that low socio-economic status contributes to
a person’s likelihood of being obese.[29][30] One does of course, need
to note than any statements or research connecting health consciousness
and income are generalizations, as are most other statements made in
regards to the diverse culture of the United States.

American sports are quite distinct from those played elsewhere m the
world. The top three spectator team sports are baseball, American
football and basketball, which are all popular on both the college and
professional levels. Baseball is the oldest of these. The professional
game dates from 1869 and had no close rivals in popularity until the
1960s; though baseball is no longer the most popular sport it is still
referred to as the “national pastime.” Also unlike the professional
levels of the other popular spectator sports in the U.S., Major League
Baseball teams play almost every day from April to October. American
football (known simply as “football” in the U.S.) attracts more viewers
within the country than baseball nowadays; however, National Football
League teams play only 16 regular-season games each year, so baseball is
the runaway leader in ticket sales. Basketball, invented in
Massachusetts by the Canadian-born James Naismith, is another popular
sport, represented professionally by the National Basketball
Association.

Most residents along the northern tier of states recognize a fourth
major sport -ice hockey. Always a mainstay of Great Lakes and New
England-area culture, the sport gained tenuous footholds in regions like
the Carolinas and Tampa Bay, Florida in recent years, as the National
Hockey League pursued a policy of expansion.

The top tier of stock car auto racing, NASCAR, has grown from a mainly
Southern sport to the second-most-watched sport in the U.S. behind
football. It has largely outgrown a previously provincial image; it is
now avidly followed by fans in all socioeconomic groups and NASCAR
sponsorships in the premier Nextel Cup division are highly sought after
by hundreds of the U.S.’s largest corporations.

Unlike in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, soccer has a relatively
small following, and is mostly popular in the more international cities
with large immigrant populations, like New York and Los Angeles.
Generally few non-Hispanic American adults appear to be attracted to
soccer as spectators, but the sport is widely played by children of
affluent backgrounds (giving rise to the “soccer mom” stereotype).
Dramatic growth in youth participation has fueled the national team’s
steady rise in caliber of play over the last two decades of the 20th
century and the 2000s. Almost as many girls as boys play youth soccer in
the U.S., contributing to the women’s national team becoming one of the
world’s premier women’s sides.

The extent in America to which sports are associated with secondary and
tertiary education is unique among nations. In basketball and football,
high school and particularly college sports are followed with a fervor
equaling or exceeding that felt for professional sports; college
football games can draw six-digit crowds, many prominent high school
football teams have stadiums that seat tens of thousands of spectators,
and the college basketball championship tournament played in March draws
enormous attention. For upper-tier schools, sports are a significant
source of revenue. Though student athletes may be held to significantly
lower academic requirements than non-athletes at many large
universities, minimum standards do exist.

The U.S. is also known for endorsing of many newer or less popular
sports, such as paintball, lacrosse, volleyball, etc.

9. Food

The types of food served at home vary greatly and depend upon the region
of the country and the family’s own cultural heritage. Recent immigrants
tend to eat food similar to that of their country of origin, and
Americanized versions of these cultural foods, such as American Chinese
cuisine or Italian-American cuisine often eventually appear. German
cuisine also had a profound impact on American cuisine, especially the
mid-western cuisine, with potatoes and meat being the most iconic
ingredients in both cuisines.[2] Dishes such as the hamburger, pot
roast, baked ham and hot dogs are examples of American dishes derived
from German cuisine.[34][35]

Families that have lived for a few generations in the U.S. tend to eat
some combination of that and the food common to the region they live in
or grew up in, such as New England cuisine, Midwestern cuisine, Southern
cuisine, Tex-Mex cuisine, and Californian cuisine.

Around the world the United States is perhaps best known for its
numerous and successful fast food franchises. Such chains, including
McDonald’s, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken are known for selling
simple, pre-prepared meals of foods such as hamburgers, French fries,
soft drinks, fried chicken, and ice cream. Though undeniably popular,
such food, with its emphasis on deep-frying, has been criticized by
dietitians in recent decades for being unhealthy and a cause of obesity.
It has thus become somewhat of a stereotype to associate American
cuisine with obesity and junk food, for in reality, fast food represents
only a tiny fraction of available American cuisine.

Americans eat a wide variety of foods. A typical planer consists of
meat and potatoes, plus a lettuce ailed a vegetable, and sometimes rolls
or bread. Famishes dinner meats include beef steaks, ground beef HMjjp5′
chicken, ham, and turkey. Fish, shellfish, and ach dishes as pizza and
spaghetti also serve as main rises.

For lunch, many Americans eat a sandwich, such as al hamburger or a hot
dog. Other favorite sandwiches include those made with meat or sliced
sausage, cheese, peanut butter, and chicken or tuna salad.

Some Americans enjoy a hearty breakfast of eggs or pancakes served with
bacon or sausage. Others prefer a light breakfast of toast or a pastry,
or cereal with milk and fruit. Orange juice accompanies many breakfasts.

Cake, cookies, pie, and ice cream are eaten as desserts and snacks.
Other snack foods include chocolate candy, potato or corn chips, and
fruits such as bananas, apples, oranges, and grapes.

Beverages are drunk with meals and also at other times for refreshment.
Consumption of soft drinks, especially cola, exceeds that of any other
beverage. Americans also drink much coffee, milk, and beer, and smaller
amounts of fruit juices, tea, and wine.

Americans eat out often. Fast-food restaurants have wide popularity.
They offer a limited variety of foods, all of which are served within a
few minutes. Common fast-food items include hamburgers and other
sandwiches, fried chicken, and French fried potatoes. Many Americans
also enjoy the cooking of other countries. Chinese, French, Italian, and
Mexican restaurants have long been popular. In recent years, Americans
have begun to enjoy the cuisines of India, Japan, the Middle East, and
many other areas.

Some regions of the United States have distinctive food specialties. For
information on such foods, see Ha-

All corn does not pop. A seed or kernel of corn must have 14 percent
water in it to pop. Other kinds of corn have less water and do not pop.
When you put a kernel of corn on a fire, the water inside makes the corn
explode. This makes a “pop” noise. That is why we call it popcorn.

The American Indians popped corn a long time ago. The Indians knew there
were three kinds of corn. There was sweet corn for eating, corn for
animals, and corn for popping. The Indians introduced corn to the first
settlers, or Pilgrims, when they came to America in 1620. One year after
they came, the Pilgrirm had Thanksgiving dinner. They invited the
Indians. The Indians brought food with them. One Indian brought popcorn!

Since that time Americans continued to pop corn at home. But 1945 there
was a new machine that changed the history of popcorn. This electric
machine popped corn outside the home. Soon movie theaters started to
sell popcorn to make more money. Popcorn at the movies became more and
more popular. Today, Americans still continue the custom of eating
popcorn at the movies.

Americans use 500,000 pounds of popcorn every year. Many people like to
put salt and melted butter on their popcorn. Some people eat without
salt or butter. Either way—Americans love their popcorn!

Americans love to eat peanut butter. But what is peanut butter? It is a
thick, creamy paste. You buy it in a jar at the grocery store.
Manufacturers roast peanuts and take off the skin. Then they grind them
into a thick paste—that’s peanut butter!

The peanut is not really a nut, but a pea. It is a strange pea because
it grows underground. But peanut plants also have green vines with
yellow flowers. These vines or stems grow above the ground and are quite
long. Peanuts are very healthy for you. They have more protein than a
steak and \ they have many vitamins, too.

The peanut comes from South America, but peanut butter is a food that is
truly “American.” Peanut butter started in 1890 in St. Louis. A doctor
made some peanut butter. He gave it to patients who could not eat
regular food. Later, peanut butter was popular as a health food.

Peanut butter is very popular with children in the United States.
Perhaps their favorite way to eat it is in a sandwich. Many children add
jelly to their peanut butter sandwiches. This makes a favorite snack or
lunchtime meal.

II. Features of character of Americans

2.1.Irust and of Americans on God

Religion plays very important role in America. There are a lot of
different kinas of religion But most of people believe in God. They
think that all depends from God and they must hope, ask for help, pray
more.

John F. Kennedy had told that:” The world is very different now. For man
holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human
poverty and all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life and
yet the same revolutionary belles for wich our forebears fought are
still at issue around the globe – the belief that the rights of man come
not from the generosity of the state, but from of America or citizens of
the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and
sacrifice which we ask of you final judge of our deeds, let us go forth
to lead we love asking blessing His help, but knowing that here on earth
God’s work must truly be our own”.

I understand it that e must believe in God, hope on Him, pray more and
more and do not forget about only on God, to achieve the, aim and don’t
forget abut God, ask him for help, pray and believe in Him.

Ronald Reagan had told us about God’s help that we can solve our problem
only together with God, that he had believed God. «I am – I’m told that
tens of thousands of prayer meetings are being held on this day, and for
that I am deeply grateful. We are nation under God, and I believe God
intended for us to be free. It would be fitting and good I think if on
each inaugural day in future years it should be declared a day of
prayer. The crisis we are facing today does not require of us the kind
of sacrifice that Martin Treptow and so many thousands of others were
called upon to make. It believe in ourselves and to believe in our
capacity to perform deeds, to believe that together with God’s help we
can and will resolve the problems which now confront us».

President Kennedy, who said that «no religious body should seek to
impose its will» also urged religious leaders to state their views and
give their commitment when the public debate involved ethical issues.
In drawing the line between imposed will and essential witness, they
keep church and state separate, and at the same time we recognize that
city of should speak to the civic duties of men and women.

Religions values can not be excluded from every public issue, but not
every public issue involves religious value.

William Jefferson Clinton. Oklahoma bombing memorial prayer service
address had said:

“But for so many of you they were also neighbor and friends. You saw
them at church or the PTA meetings, at the civic clubs, at the ball
park. You know them in ways that all the rest of America could not. And
to all members of the families here present who have suffered loss,
though we hare your grief, your pain is unimaginable, and we know that.
We can not undo it. That is God’s work. To all my fellow Americans
beyond this hall, I say, one thing we owe those who have sacrificed is
the duty to purge ourselves of the dark forces which gave rise to this
evil. They are forces that threaten our common peace, our freedom, our
way of life. Let us teach our children that the Cod of comfort is also
the God of righteousness: Those who trouble their own house will inherit
the wind. Justice will prevail».

I understand it that we must teach our children about God, and I thin k
not only children but all who are around us that God of comfort is also
the God of honesty, goodness, friendly. And I think that Americans
believe God, that they don’t forget about Him as William Jefferson
Clinton had said that they had to teach children a bout God, and than
they had to teach children a bout God, and than justice will prevail.

I know that most of Americans trust Cod, pray, ask Him for help, go to
church. I can prove it Most of American people in this book in their
oratory spoke about God and of the end of every article each of them
thanked Gad. For example. Ronald Reagan: putting American back to work:
«God bless you and thank you».

Mary Fisher: a Whisper of Aids: “God bless the children, and God bless
us all” etc.

Robert F. Kennedy had told his favorite poem. This poem is about God.:
“Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget.

Falls drop by drop upon the heart,

Until, in our own despair,

Against our will,

Comes wisdom

Through the awful grace of god”.

2.2. Love of Americans to their native country

Americans love their county very much and they are proud of their
country and they can do all to their country to defend it.

I can prove it. Martin Luther King: Beyond Vietnam – a Time to Break
silence in world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. A
nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military
defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual
death”

People of America love their country so that they had dreams often only
about their country, their better life in it and even song which they
would sing.

Martin Luther King, JR.: I Have a Dream: – “I have a dream that one day
this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created
equal”.

– “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of
former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will de able to sit
down together at the table of brotherhood.”

– “I have a dream that one day the state of Mississippi? A state
sweltering with heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of
oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice”

– “With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of
despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to trans form
the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of
brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray
together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for
freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day».

2.3. “Americans are vitally concerned in their defense of freedom”

And it is really true. They love their country and they also love
freedom of their country – America.

I can prove it by words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt: The Four Freedoms”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt said: ”We Americans are vitally concerned in
your defense of freedom. We are putting forth our energies, our
resources, and our organizing powers to give you the strength to regain
and maintain a free world. We shall send you in ever – increasing
numbers, ships, planes, tanks, guns.

I understand it that Americans are people who love their country, love
freedom, love each other and together they can do all to defend freedom,
their native country.

Also Franklin Roosevelt said: “ The nation takes great satisfaction and
much strength from the things which have been to make its people
conscious of their individual stake in the preservation of democratic
life in America. Those things have toughened the fiber of our people,
have renewed their faith and strengthened their devotion to the
institutions we make ready to protect».

As we see, Americans ready to protect their native country in any time.
And to protect they country hey must renew their faith that they can it
to do.

«No realistic American expect from a dictator’s peace international
generosity, or return or true independence, or world disarmament, or
freedom of expression, or freedom of religion – or even good business.
Such a peace would bring no security for us or for our neighbors. Those
who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty safety”. In times like these it is
immature-and, incidentally, untrue – for anybody to brag that an
unprepared America, single – handed and with one had tied behind its
back can hold off the whole world. This nation has placed its destiny in
the hands and heads and hearts of its millions of free men and women,
and its faith in freedom under the guidance of God. Freedom

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