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AMERICAN
CULTURE


INTRODUCTION


Subject details
Subject name

American Culture

Units of credits

3

Prerequisite

Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing 4

Subject structure

-

Suggested study
commitment

90 periods of self-study

Subject lecturer

Võ Nguyễn Hồng Lam

Contact details

Email:
Cell phone: 0963076417

Theory: 25 periods
- Group Presentation:
10 periods
- Field trip: 10 periods


Goals and objectives
• Course Goals and Learning Objectives: Students who complete this course
will:

• Gain a basic knowledge of American culture.
• Be able to discuss and analyze American culture from multiple perspectives.

• Understand written and spoken English at the advanced level (Communication)
• Speak and write English at the advanced level (Communication)
• Demonstrate knowledge of American culture, which includes the values and
attitudes behind certain behaviors and the events, people and places of
importance in American culture. (Knowledge)

• Demonstrate understanding of issues that have caused cultural conflict in the
United States. (Critical Thinking)

Textbook and reference books
Textbook: About the U.S. A

* Reference books:
1. Spotlight on the USA by Randee Falk
2. Outline of the US Economy

by Peter Behr

3. Outline of American Geography by Stephen S. Birdsall and John Florin
4. British- American Civilization by Le Van Su
5. American Ways (third edition)
by Maryanne Kearny Datesman, JoAnn Crandall, Edward N. Kearny


Evaluation
1. Mid-term test: 50%
- Attendance & Participation: 10%
- Group Presentation: 20%
- Written Report (after the field trip to
American Centre in HCMC): 20%
2. Final test: 50% (written)


CLASS RULES
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Come on time
Come prepared
Come ready to participate
One person speaks at a time
No cell phone use during the lesson


INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN CULTURE


Think, pair and share

If someone asked you
to describe your
country’s culture,
which of these would
you mention?

Art
Beliefs
Cities
Climate
Customs
Dance
Food
Geography

Government
History

Holidays
Houses
Literature
Music
Other?


How would you define culture?
.
Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of
people, defined by everything from language, religion,
cuisine, social habits, music and arts…. Today, in the
United States as in other countries populated largely by
immigrants, the culture is influenced by the many
groups of people that now make up the country.




Types of Culture: Academic
• Elite or highbrow
• Generally taught in
colleges &
universities

• Examples: opera,
classical music,
ballet

Types of Culture: Popular
• Radio and Television
• Ordinary life


Types of culture: Folk

• Traditional
materials, customs,
music, dances, art

• Passed from
person to person
or within members
of a group.


American Geography and History


American geography


50 U.S. States and District of Columbia
Alabama (AL)
Alaska (AK)
Arizona (AZ)
Arkansas
(AR)
California

(CA)
Colorado
(CO)
Connecticut
(CT)
Delaware
(DE)
Florida (FL)
Georgia (GA)

Hawaii (HI)
Idaho (ID)
Illinois (IL)
Indiana (IN)
Iowa (IA)
Kansas (KS)
Kentucky
(KY)
Louisiana
(LA)
Maine (ME)
Maryland
(MD)

New Mexico
(MA)
(NM)
Michigan (MI) New York (NY)
Minnesota
North Carolina

(MN)
(NC)
Mississippi
North Dakota
(MS)
(ND)
Missouri (MO) Ohio (OH)
Montana (MT) Oklahoma
(OK)
Nebraska
(NE)
Oregon (OR)
Nevada (NV) Pennsylvania
New Hampshire (PA)
(NH)
Rhode Island
(RI)
New Jersey
(NJ)
South Carolina
(SC)
Massachusetts

South Dakota
(SD)
Tennessee
(TN)
Texas (TX)
Utah (UT)
Vermont (VT)

Virginia (VA)
Washington
(WA)
West Virginia
(WV)
Wisconsin
(WI)
Wyoming
(WY)


Basic Facts

• Declared independence in
1776

• 50 states
• Population: almost 326
million (Aug 2018)

• World’s 3rd largest country by
population

• Climate: mostly temperate,
but some arctic and tropical.


Basic facts (Area)
• Total

3,717,813 sq mi
9,629,090 km2

• Land

3,536,294 sq mi
9,158,960 km2

• Water

181,519 sq mi
470,131 km²

• Latitude

38°0' N

• Longitude 97°0'W


Basic facts (Borders)
• Canada

5,526 miles8,893 km

• Mexico

2,067 miles3,327 km

• Coastlines 12,380 miles

19,920 km


U.S. Time Zones


Time in the United States, by law, is divided into nine
standard time zones covering the states and its possessions
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UTC-11: Samoa Standard Time
UTC-10: Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST)
UTC-9: Alaska Standard Time (AKST)

UTC-8: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
UTC-7: Mountain Standard Time (MST)
UTC-6: Central Standard Time (CST)

UTC-5: Eastern Standard Time (EST)
UTC-4: Atlantic Standard Time (ATC)
UTC+10: Chamorro Standard Time