视听文本

Segment 5a: Introduction.
第五部分A:介绍

In this lecture we examine the United States's
这堂课上，我们要讲讲
political and social life in the years leading up
导致美国1861年至1865年内战的
to the American Civil War of 1861 to 1865.
政治与社会生活因素
Seen from the outside America was not
从外部来看
just growing in size, in population,
不只是美国国土面积在增长
it was managing its growth responsibly.
它也在尽责管理其人口增长

On the other hand there were cracks
另一方面
in the American political system and social fabric
美国政治体系和社会结构出现破裂
which nearly tore the nation apart.
这差点使国家分崩离析
In segment 5b our Manifest Destiny.
在第五部分B：我们的天定命运中
The American nation's success leads its people
美国国家成功致使人民
to a growing sense of mission.
的使命感渐增
North America was meant to be civilized
北美必须从东海岸到西海岸
from sea to shining sea. And the United States
都被文明化，而美国
was the country to do it. As Americans saw it
将是实现这使命的国家，正如美国人看到的
the civilizing mission extended not just
开化任务不仅向西进
westward but southward into Mexico and
还南下至墨西哥
northward into the so-called Oregon country.
还北上至所谓的俄勒冈国
President James K. Polk, Napoleon of the stump,
总统詹姆斯·K.波尔克，树桩中的拿破仑
first got the economy going by adjusting
首先通过调整国家关税
the nation's tariffs and by bringing about
和创立独立国库
an independent treasury.
使得经济运转
In foreign policy Polk resolved the Oregon question
在对外政策上，波克尔解决了俄勒冈问题
by negotiating with Great Britain.
通过与大不列颠协商
On the other hand he addressed relations with
另一方面，他发起一场战争
Mexico by starting a war. Among other critics
解决与墨西哥的关系
of Polk's war the young Illinois Congressman
对波克尔战争批评的人中，伊利诺伊州年轻议员
Abraham Lincoln had harsh words for
亚伯拉罕林肯言辞犀利地
the president's actions. Yet nobody can deny
抨击总统这一举措，然而无人可否认
that the Mexican War, whatever its true cause is,
不管真正原因为何，墨西哥战争
was the key to America's westward development.
都是美国西进的钥匙
Segment 5c: Life in the good old days examines
第5部分C
American life on the eve of the Civil War,
看看内战前夕的美国生活好时日
in the north, in the south and in the rapidly
北方，南方，和
growing Midwest. By roughly 1850
快速发展的西北部，大约至1850年
the industrialized north and agricultural south
工业化的北方和重农的南方
were on two different economic paths.
走在两条不同的经济发展道路上
The north's factories made the northern
北方的工厂让
upper class wealthy. And the workers sometimes
北方上层阶级富裕，而工人有时
shared in the prosperity too.
也得以分享此繁荣
The north also managed to build close ties
北方也试图构建
physically and financially with the rural
与快速发展的中西部农村经济
economy of the fast growing Midwest.
构筑起心理与金融纽带
Meanwhile the worldwide demand for
同时，全球对南方棉花的需求增长
southern cotton grew making southern planters
使得南方种植园主富裕
wealthy but king cotton, as the industry was called,
但被北方工业称为棉花王的他们
was also severely limited. King cotton depended on
也严重受限，棉花王大量依赖奴隶劳动力
plentiful slave labor. And its tendency to wear out
而且其产业会耗尽土地资源
the soil meant it always required more new farmland.
这意味着它总是需要更多新农田
The stage was thus set for free-soilers and
这因此造成自由土壤党与
slave owners to fight over western territory.
奴隶主争夺西部领土
Socially the American people were becoming more advanced
社会意义上，美国人更加进步
with more care paid to poorer people and
更关心穷苦人民
to public services. But not unfortunately
与公共服务，但幸运的是
so advanced that slavery was abolished or
如此先进的他们废除了奴隶
that women were given a right to choose
也给了妇女权力
their own paths in life or even allowed to vote.
选择自己的人生道路，甚至不给她们选举权
In segment 5d: of human bondage,
第5部分d ：人性枷锁
the United States at last confronts the evil which
美国最后与邪恶对峙
nearly defeated it; human slavery.
差点击倒它，人类奴役
Half hearted attempts were made to postpone this
人们不无决心地试图推迟
impending catastrophe; the Compromise of 1850
这灾难的到来 1850年妥协方案
and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1853.
和1853年的堪萨斯-内布拉斯加法案
But the slave state supporters fought violently for
但支持奴隶制的州
what they saw as economic and social survival.
为他们的经济与社会生存展开激烈斗争
Meanwhile the abolitionists who were in fact
同时，废奴主义者实际
on the side of justice alienated even northerners
处于正义的一边疏离
with their self-rigteous zeal and their equal
有正当热忱
taste for violence. At one point the Kansas Territory,
和其对暴力有同样爱好的北方人，堪萨斯州
also known as Bloody Kansas, had two separate capitals;
也被称为血腥的堪萨斯一度有两个首府
one slave and one free-soil, each with
一个是奴隶派的一个是自由派的
its own legislature and its own government.
各自都有自己的立法和政府

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：