US Political System, Immigration, and Canadian Culture

Posted on Jan 20, 2025 in History

The US Political System

The United States has two main political parties: the Democrats and the Republicans. The people who work in the US Congress to make laws are called Senators and Representatives. The US Constitution is the supreme law of the country. Presidential candidates run for office every four years. When a new president is inaugurated, they have to promise to support the Constitution. A president is allowed to hold office for a total of two terms.

How to Become President of the USA

  • Requirements for candidates:
    • A natural-born citizen of the US
    • At least 35 years old
    • A US resident for at least 14 years
  • Two ways to win a party’s nomination:
    • Caucus
    • Primary
  • At the party conventions: Vote for the best candidate and choose the vice president.
  • The Electoral College: Each state has a total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. A total of 538 electors form the Electoral College. To win, a candidate needs 270 or more votes.
  • The inauguration takes place on January 20th.

Presidential System

  • The US has a democratic form of government. Citizens elect the legislative branch (Congress) and the president (head of the executive branch).
  • Legislative branch (Congress): The House of Representatives (lower chamber) and the Senate (upper chamber) are located on Capitol Hill, Washington DC.
  • Executive branch: The President, Vice President, and the Cabinet (15 departments led by Secretaries) are located in the White House. The President may be removed from power through the impeachment process.
  • Judicial branch: The Supreme Court, other federal and state courts.

There are three levels of government: federal, state, and local. Every two years, elections are held for parts of Congress and state officials.

The US has 50 states (including Alaska and Hawaii), 16 territories, and Washington DC.

Branches of the US Government

  • Legislative: Makes laws (Congress, Senate, House of Representatives)
  • Executive: Carries out laws (President, Vice President, Cabinet)
  • Judicial: Interprets laws (Supreme Court, other federal courts)
  • Republican red states are often symbolized by an elephant.
  • Democratic blue states are often symbolized by a donkey.

The US Flag

Since 1960, the US flag has 13 horizontal stripes (7 red alternating with 6 white) representing the original 13 Colonies. There are 50 stars representing the 50 states. Red symbolizes hardiness and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence, and blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

Important Dates:

  • Declaration of Independence: 1776
  • Constitution of the US: 1787
  • Bill of Rights: 1791
  • Independence Day: July 4th
  • Juneteenth: June 19th (since 2021, a federal holiday, African American Independence Day)
  • Thanksgiving Day: Last Thursday in November (November 24th this year)

Immigration in the USA

First Encounters (1607-1680): In the North, people seeking religious freedom, who were middle-class, developed industries like linen and lumber. In the South, large plantations (cotton, tobacco, and indigo) aimed at profit and relied on slavery.

1st Wave of Immigrants (1680-1820): Immigrants came for religious, political, and economic reasons. Germans, English, and French arrived seeking religious freedom. Starvation, disease, and shipwreck killed many before they reached the US.

2nd Wave (1820-1890): Immigrants sought new opportunities. Germans, British, Irish, Norwegians, and Chinese arrived. 40% of immigrants came from Ireland due to the gold discovered in California in 1848 (California Gold Rush).

3rd Wave (1890-1914): Immigrants came for job opportunities and freedom of religion. Japanese, Koreans, and other Asians, as well as Jews and Italians, arrived. Travel by steamships became faster and cheaper. The first immigration station opened in New York Harbor on Ellis Island in 1892.

Myths of Immigration: Immigrants are not taking over, are not all Mexican, do work, do help the economy, do not take American jobs, are not too young or old to work, do not take advantage of welfare, and are educated.

Ethnicity and Race

  • Race: A socially constructed category based on biological traits that society finds important.
  • Ethnicity: A socially constructed category based on cultural traits that society finds important.
  • People of different races might share an ethnicity or vice versa.
  • People of different ethnicities might share a nationality or vice versa.

African American Minority

Civil War (1861-1865): Centered around African slavery.

1863 Emancipation Proclamation: Declared all slaves free.

1865 Slavery Abolished: President Lincoln repudiated slavery and finally put an end to it.

14th Amendment (1868): Granted citizenship to former slaves and equal protection under the law.

15th Amendment (1870): Gave male slaves the right to vote.

Canada

Canada is the second-largest country in the world. Its capital city is Ottawa. The Canadian flag was adopted in 1965. The name “Canada” comes from the word “Kanata,” meaning “village.” Canada is a constitutional monarchy. The head of government is the Prime Minister (currently Justin Trudeau). The Parliament consists of the Senate (upper chamber) and the House of Commons (lower chamber).

Things Associated with Canada

Maple leaf, maple syrup, beaver, moose, Mounties (Royal Canadian Mounted Police), Tim Hortons coffee shop, ice hockey, curling, Canadian football, lacrosse, snowshoeing.

Famous Canadians: Margaret Atwood, Elon Musk, James Cameron, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, Drake, The Weeknd.

Canadian Inventions: Egg carton, snowblower, walkie-talkie, synthesizer, pacemaker, alkaline batteries, insulin, Plexiglass, paint roller, garbage bag, electric wheelchair, snowmobile.

Lacrosse

Lacrosse was played in North America by Native American Indians as a ceremonial ritual, a kind of symbolic warfare, or to give thanks to the Creator. The game was called the Creator’s Game and was characterized by deep spiritual involvement. Those who played lacrosse took part in the role of “warriors” with the aim of bringing glory and honor to themselves and their tribes. The equipment consists of a stick with a head and a shaft, and a ball.

Canadians adopted lacrosse and changed elements of its meaning. This is a form of colonialism, where they copied the game from a minority culture and made it their own, but it now has little to do with its original cultural meaning.

Cultural Appropriation: Members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way.

Orange Shirt Day (September 30th)

Since 2013, an orange shirt is worn to honor residential school survivors. It is named the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a day to reaffirm that every child matters by wearing an orange t-shirt. It also symbolizes hope for future generations of Indigenous children.

Indigenous People in Canada

June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada. Indigenous people lived in Canada for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. They were the original inhabitants of the land that is now Canada. Currently, millions of people identify as Indigenous in Canada.

Three Categories of Indigenous People in Canada

  • Inuit (the people)
  • Métis
  • First Nations

The First Nations are the largest group and are found all over Canada. The Inuit inhabit the northern regions. The Métis people live mostly in the Prairie provinces and Ontario. Each nation has its own culture, language, laws, and spiritual beliefs. Music and art have a significant influence on their lives. Their cultures vary but are historically associated with hunting, gathering lifestyles, respect for nature, and rich mythologies to explain the natural world.

National Indigenous History Month recognizes the cultures and contributions of Indigenous people in Canada.

Impact of Residential Schools

  • Individuals: Loss of identity, low self-esteem, no sense of safety, difficulty forming healthy relationships.
  • Families: Loss of parental power, near destruction of family structure.
  • Indigenous Communities: Loss of sense of community, loss of language, loss of traditions and ceremonies.
  • Indigenous Nations: Weakened nation’s structure, loss of culture.

Issues faced by Indigenous people today include: Education, language and culture, health and mental issues, abuse, and conflict with the law.