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1、On the Rise of the United States【摘要】 美国是一个年轻的资本主义国家。从发动独立战争、发表著名的独立宣言建立美国开始，至今只有短短的两百多年，美国就已经发展成为世界上迄今为止最为强大的资本主义国家。自从1991年苏联解体，美国便成了世界上唯一的超级大国。有人说，美国的崛起应归功于战争，但我认为这个说法不全面。探究美国迅速崛起的原因，不难发现这与它优越的地理位置、丰富的自然资源、多样化的民族和文化、民族独立和适时的改革，民主政治以及战争带来的机遇等各方面因素密切相关。【关键词】 美国； 超级大国； 有利条件； 战争； 崛起Abstract: The United
2、 States is a young capitalist country. It is only a short period of about 200 years since the people in the newly discovered land launched the War of Independence, issued the Declaration of Independence, that the United States of America has developed into the worlds most powerful capitalist country
3、. The United States has become the only superpower since the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Some people hold that the rise of America is owing to the wars，but I think this argument is not comprehensive. Explore the reason of Americas rise, we have no difficulty discovering that it is closely re
4、lated to many comprehensive factors, such as the advantageous geographical position, abundant natural resources, diversification of the nation and culture, the independence and timely reformation, democratic politics and favorable opportunities brought by wars.Key words: the United States; superpowe
5、r; advantage; war; riseThe United States, one of the frequently-mentioned countries in the world, has established a highly developed national economy within a matter of about two hundred years, counting from the time of its independence. There are many advantageous elements in the process of America
6、s approaching towards the great success. People from all over the world are surprised at its rapid development. As far as I am concerned, the rise of the United States results from a series of factors as follows.1.LocationIt is widely acknowledged that a nations economic development depends on, to a
7、 certain degree, what kind of geographical condition it has and how it makes use of it.Americas position on the globe and its relative position in relation to other countries both provide advantage for the country in its development.Mainland America is located in the south of North America, mainly w
8、ithin the northern temperate zone. America has only two land neighbors: Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. And they are not strong enough to pose a threat to its security, which relieve the burden to maintain a large frontier army along its border and enable America to stay free from invas
9、ions and conflicts. To the south, America lies in the Gulf of Mexico which is fertile of oil. On the west, America borders on the Pacific Ocean which provides convenient sea routes for Americas foreign trade with the Far East. To the east of America lies the Atlantic Ocean which is the most importan
10、t sea route to Europe and Middle East. Mainland America extends about 500 kilometers from east to west and some 2500 kilometers from south to north. Its coastline is about 20000 kilometers. This long coastline with many harbors not only benefits foreign trade and the fishing industry, but also bring
11、s much of the country within the influence of the oceanic air mass.2.Natural resources2.1 ClimateAs is known to us all, agriculture is the foundation of national economic life, because hundreds of thousands of people need food to survive. So climate plays a vitally important role in the rising of Am
12、erica. The United States, with its large size and geographical variety, includes most climate types. Mainland America lies within the northern temperate zone which is good for the growth of crops. Whats more, America has various kinds of climate in different areas due to its large territory and vari
13、ed landforms, providing America with all kinds of agricultural products. It is largely enriching peoples food culture.1.2 Land & Forests The large area of arable land is the base of Americas ever-growing agricultural production. About 47% of Americas land area can be used for farmland of which some
14、400 million acres are harvest cropland and about 900 million acres are permanent pasture land. The large area of arable land makes it easier for America to develop its agriculture and grow enough food grain to feed its people. Abundant land resources make it possible for America to expand its produc
15、tion of fruits and livestock products to meet the demand of the market. Owing to the large size of area suitable for the growth of plants, about one-third of Americas land area, or 750 million acres, is now still forest land of which more 500 million acres are commercial forests. The United States i
16、mports wood from Canada, but it also exports timber amd pulp to other countries, including China.2.3 WaterThe United States is comparatively rich in water resources. Besides the Mississippi River, there are many rivers that can be used to irrigate fields, transport goods and generate electricity. Fu
17、rthermore, there are lots of lakes in the United States. The Great Lakes, including five big lakes, cover 240,000 square kilometer. They are the largest lake group in the world and contain about half of the worlds fresh water. As a whole, unlike other countries, America has little trouble caused by
18、fresh water shortage.2.4Mineral resourcesThe United States is very rich in mineral resources. It ranks among the countries with the greatest reserves of coal, iron ore and oil. Having plenty of mineral resources is a solid foundation for Americas industrialization.In America, coal is mainly used to
19、produce electricity and steel as well as chemicals. During the first Industrial Revolution, coal played a vital role in the industrialization of America. Besides, America has a large reserve of the iron. Most of it is to be found in the Appalachians and in areas near Lake Superior. In the late 19th
20、century, with the fast development of steel-making industry, machine building accelerated and then triggered a chain reaction of the development of other industries America was once the largest oil-producing country in the world. It laid a solid foundation for Americas developing into a nation on wh
21、eels.All these natural resources have combined to provide a solid material base for American industry. America has the biggest market and the richest natural resources. 3.Human resources3.1 ImmigrationNo one can deny the fact that the immigrants, which provide needed workforce and new technology and
22、 form the diverse culture, have played a significant role in the development of the United States. The large number of immigrants is the result of American Immigration policy which changes over time to meet the need of society. Immigration can be divided into two main periods: free immigration and r
23、estricted selective immigration. From the establishment of America to 1882, America was badly in need for labor to develop its industry, so its policy encouraged foreigners to take American nationality without many restrictions. After 1882, America has enough people to meet its domestic need. Its po
24、licy began to put restrictions on immigrants. 3.2EducationChildren and education occupy a very important position in America society. They represent the future of the nation. The prosperity of a nation, to some extent, depends on its education. The general goal of American education is to achieve un
25、iversal literacy and to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills which are necessary in promoting their own individual welfare as well as that of the general public. Americans believe that education is indispensable to a qualified citizen as well as the democratic system.American schools at
26、tach great significance to “learning by inquiry” and “learning by doing” methods. Schools are not only to pass on knowledge but also to help create new knowledge. Students are encouraged to learn by doing since it is easier said than done. It well explains why Americans are so creative and full of n
27、ew ideas. America takes the lead in higher education. The 19th century witnessed a rapid development of higher education. Modern college system was introduced to America, followed by a full-scale of revolution and innovation which was aimed to meet the need of the society. Universities practice self
28、-government and the government does not interfere with their operation. 3.3Science and Technology The United States has been a leader in scientific research and technological innovation since the late 19th century. Rapid development of industrial in America began in the 1830s with the large scale co
29、nstruction of railroads which stimulated the demand for coal, iron and steel. But scientific inventions have always been important in promoting the development of industry in the United States. The 19th century saw the introduction of new farm machinery, food-processing plants, the telegraph, the te
30、lephone, electric light bulbs, the camera and moving pictures. The 20th century has witnessed even greater scientific achievements. These new high-technology products include jet jumbos, space shuttles, ultra-high speed computers. 4. RevolutionsIn about 200 years history of the United States, Americ
31、a experienced several significant wars which had great influence on Americas development and provided lots of favorable opportunities for Americas growth. The benefits of the wars happened in the United States were more than the loss of that. 4.1 The War of IndependenceTensions between American colo
32、nials and the British during the revolutionary period of the 1760s and early 1770s led to the American Revolutionary War, fought from 1775 through 1781. Proclaiming that all men are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable Rights, the Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, draft
33、ed largely by Thomas Jefferson, on July 4, 1776. After the British defeat by American forces assisted by the French, Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States and the states sovereignty over American territory west to the Mississippi River. This war helps America become an indep
34、endent country which has its own government and law. And at the same time it also promotes the economic development of capitalism. 4.2 The Civil War The legacy of the Civil War includes ending slavery in the United States, restoring the Union, and strengthening the role of the federal government. Th
35、e social, political, economic and racial issues of the war decisively shaped the Reconstruction era, which lasted through 1877, and brought about changes that would eventually help make the country a united superpower.The American Civil War was a great revolutionary war. It finally put an end to the
36、 slave system in America, a system which could not be reconciled with the development of capitalist production. The Civil War taught Americans another lesson and greatly influenced Americans military science. This belief not only strengthened their determination to further develop science and produc
37、tion but also furnished a guiding principle for the construction Americas war machine. 5.EconomyIts known to us that the economic system of America is capitalism, or private free enterprise. American economic system has been based on the main argument contained in The Wealth of Nations, written by A
38、dam Smith. The book contained economic ideas which fitted with America ideas of government. According to the theory, government should not interfere with the operation of economy which is adjusted by an invisible hand market. American government advocates free competition which helps to produce more
39、 and better products at lower price. By translating the theory into practice, American economy achieved great success, but serious social problems also arouse. To eliminate competition, factories owners formed their monopolies to dominate the society. The gap between the rich and the poor was enlarg
40、ed. Learning from the great calamity and to guarantee equal opportunity and competition, the United States learnt to strengthen the governments intervention in the market and improve the economic system that has greatly developed the American economy. President Theodore Roosevelt introduced stated-g
41、uided policy to economy. He made much effort in anti-monopoly, and punished many business oligarchies including Oil King Rockefeller and Steel King Carnegie. The government for the first put its hand into economy system and later it released a series of antimonopoly laws to keep its market healthy.6
42、.PoliticsIt is known that the United Stated is a Western democracy which is guided by three principles. The U.S. system of government is known as federalism. According to the Constitution, the power delegated to the Federal government is divided among three separate, but interdependent branches: Exe
43、cutive, Legislative and Judicial. The legislative, the executive, and the judicial are outwardly separated, but they cooperate with each other for major actions which require consensus. No branch has enough power to do whatever it likes without the considering of the other two. This helps to prevent
44、 power abuse and corruption which is often caused by absolute concentration of powers. As a result, it provides a stable environment for the economy to develop. American Constitution which is regarded as the most powerful law in the U.S. has declares some rules which are helpful to the economic life
45、. This authoritative and not easily changeable constitution has great influence on the rising of America. 7.Diplomacy7.1 During the World War Americas entry into World War I was April 1917, following a yearlong neutrality policy; the U.S. had previously shown interest in world peace by participating
46、 in the Hague Conferences. American participation in the war proved essential to the Allied victory. After the war, the America became the richest country in the world and it also got large amounts of benefits from other countries. It could own the most powerful navy that could match with the Britis
47、h.Post-war America witnessed the growth of new isolationism which was caused by disillusionment and accompanied by growing conservatism, nationalism and materialism. The nation focused its attention on domestic developments and successful business people became popular heroes. Government relaxed enf
48、orcement of the antitrust law and this led to the new development of big corporations which soon dominated banks and the manufacture of such important products as steel, automobiles, radios, and so on.7.2 During World War By the beginning of the 20th century, all major capitalist powers adopted poli
49、cies characterized by imperialism. World War I marked another turning point in American history and was a predatory war between imperialist powers. The United States witnessed a kind of industrial boom which was mainly based on progress of science and technology. Generators were greatly improved and electricity became the power source of about three-quarters of all industries. World War II had its most profound impact on American domes