（中文300-500字，含课程性质、主要教学内容、课程教学目标等） 这是一门面向全校本科生开设的通识教育核心课程，旨在通过讲述美国历史与文化的发展脉络，介绍美国的诞生与发展的历程。本课程在讲述美国历史的同时，深入浅出地介绍政治、经济、宗教、文化与教育等各个方面，同时关注各种美国社会问题，比如种族矛盾、性别歧视。通过历史学与社会学等的多学科交叉学习，努力使学生从多角度探索美国历史与文化，了解美国三权分立制度及其局限性、移民与种族问题、经济发展与财富分配不平衡、受教育机会与社会流动，以及美国在世界政治经济格局中所扮演的角色和所起的作用，并通过课堂讲授、小组讨论、学生演讲等多种方式，使学生理解人文核心价值的多元精神，在潜移默化中提升学生人文素养，提高学生在全球化时代国际竞争力。 （英文300-500字） This course belongs to the core curriculums of general education of SJTU, open to all undergraduates. It focuses on the American history and culture, introducing the birth and development of United States. As the course sets forth the American history, it also shows the different aspects of American politics, economy, religion, culture, and education. American social problems, such as racial conflicts and gender discrimination, are also discussed as well. Through inter-disciplinary study of history and sociology, the course aims at stimulating students to explore the American history and culture from multi-angles, especially to understand the system of the separation of the three powers, migration and ethnic problems, the economic development and disparity of income distribution, education opportunity and social mobility, and the role that United States play in the international communities. Different methods, such as lectures, group discussions, student presentations, are mixed to cultivate students’ core value of humanity, improve students’ understanding of culture, and enhance students’ competitiveness in the global era.