视听文本

Significantly the constitutional convention
这里不得不说，制宪会议史无前例地
established a unique and complicated balance
完成了权利的三分，并且在
of powers between the executive, legislative
行政权，立法权和司法权三者之间
and judiciary branches. The plan for
实现了独特而复杂的平衡
the United States government was truly
美国政府的组成可谓充满了艺术性
a work of art, but how well would it work?
但是它在实践中表现究竟会如何?
President Washington and foreign entanglements;
对于华盛顿总统和外国政府来说

on March 4th, 1789 the United States government
美国政府正式上台是在1789年3月4日
officially took power. There was really only
其实当时的总统竞选者就只有一个人
one candidate for President, George Washington.
那就是乔治华盛顿
Some Americans wanted to name Washington King,
一些美国人想要奉华盛顿为国王
or name him dictator, but to his eternal credit
或者让他成为独裁者，但他的伟大之处
George Washington had said farewell to Kings.
正是在于他让这个国家摆脱了君主制度
Unanimously selected by the Electoral College
在获得了总统竞选团的一致投票表决后
Washington was inaugurated as President on
华盛顿作为总统在1789年4月30日
April 30th, 1789. In 1792 he was unanimously
正式上任，并且在1792年再次经过
awarded a second term. Although Washington's
投票表决得到连任，尽管华盛顿此前的
only work experience was as a surveyor,
身份仅仅是一个测量员，农场主
planter and army officer his wise leadership
和军队指挥官，但正式他卓越的领导力
contributed greatly to the new country's success.
为这个新兴国家的建立做出了巨大的贡献
He organized a national government,
他在职期间建立了国家政府
he developed policies for settlement of territory
在过去属于英国和西班牙的土地上
held by Britain and Spain at one time and
推行了大量发展政策
he stabilized America's north western frontier
并且平定了美国的西北边境
otherwise known as the North-West Territory.
当时还那里还是所谓的"西北地区"
He presided over the admission to the union
他在得到联邦许可后曾经在3个
on completely equal terms of 3 new states;
新成立的州内进行过任期相同的管理
Vermont, 1791, Kentucky, 1792 and Tennessee,
分别是1791年在佛蒙特 1792年在肯塔基
1796. Finally in his farewell address
1796年在田纳西，在他的告别辞中
Washington demonstrated great diplomatic insight
华盛顿也展现了卓越的外交洞察力
by advising that the United States, quote
因为他那时候就明确建议美国
'steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion
"避免同任何外国签订永久的同盟"
of the foreign world' end quote.
"避免同任何外国签订永久的同盟"
Washington's experience in the 7 years war
华盛顿经历过7年战争
which was fought on North American soil
这场在北美土地上打响的战争
because of the disagreements of European powers
源头正是欧洲列强之间的矛盾和摩擦
had soured him on getting involved with
这使他厌倦与欧洲人打交道
the Europeans. The French Revolution of 1789
而1789年法国大革命的爆发
presented Washington with the dilemma;
也使得华盛顿深陷进退两难
America owed a great debt of gratitude
一方面美国是应该对路易16世国王
to King Louis the 16th for his personal support
抱有强烈的感激之情，因为他曾经给予过
yet American sympathy lay strictly with
美国重要的援助，但是美国人的同情
the Revolutionaries. Wisely the United States
仅限于提供给革命分子，因此他们明智地
maintained strict neutrality. Although
选择了保持中立，尽管华盛顿
Washington never spoke the precise words
从来没有明确表达过
'avoid foreign entanglements' so often
但是不要过多地牵扯到国际争端中
attributed to him examination of his printed
是后人在阅读他的《告别辞》时
farewell address shows that the phrase
可以明显读出来的意味
well explains his approach yet Washington
这也极好地解释了他的外交政策
realized also that America could not just stick
当然华盛顿也意识到美国不能
its head in the sand. For one thing
对外界完全不闻不问，一方面
the United States had borders with British
美国与英属加拿大殖民地
colonies in Canada, French colony in Louisiana
法属路易斯安那殖民地
and Spanish colonies Florida and Mexico.
西班牙属殖民地佛罗里达和墨西哥都接壤
Overseas issues also proved troublesome;
另一方面，国外形势也是困难重重
dealings with the Barbary pirates of North Africa
他们要与北非的巴巴里海盗对峙
caused the United States, even during
即便是在华盛顿就任总统期间
Washington's presidency to pay tribute.
他们也没有少给这些海盗送上贡品

视频及简介

课程介绍:
本课程对罗马帝国和前苏联的兴衰进行回顾，探讨它们历史变迁的内在规律，并将现代的超级大国——美国与它们进行比较，从而作出对未来可能的一些预测。

原声视频：