Need help with some code! (newbie)

Help me with this simple piece of code...
Hey everyone, I got some problem learning android developement at the moment. I'm newbie, so bare with me

I'm currently following a guide at Androids own website. In one instance they're giving me the following code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
<!-- the theme applied to the application or activity -->
<style name="CustomActionBarTheme"
parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat">
<item name="android:actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
<item name="android:actionBarTabTextStyle">@style/MyActionBarTabText</item>
<item name="android:actionMenuTextColor">@color/actionbar_text</item>

<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="actionBarStyle">@style/MyActionBar</item>
<item name="actionBarTabTextStyle">@style/MyActionBarTabText</item>
<item name="actionMenuTextColor">@color/actionbar_text</item>
</style>

<!-- ActionBar styles -->
<style name="MyActionBar"
parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.ActionBar">
<item name="android:titleTextStyle">@style/MyActionBarTitleText</item>

<!-- Support library compatibility -->
<item name="titleTextStyle">@style/MyActionBarTitleText</item>
</style>

<!-- ActionBar title text -->
<style name="MyActionBarTitleText"
parent="@style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
<item name="android:textColor">@color/actionbar_text</item>
<!-- The textColor property is backward compatible with the Support Library -->
</style>

<!-- ActionBar tabs text -->
<style name="MyActionBarTabText"
parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.ActionBar.TabText">
<item name="android:textColor">@color/actionbar_text</item>
<!-- The textColor property is backward compatible with the Support Library -->
</style>
</resources>

As you may see, the code is about changing the style in the action bar..

I got some question regarding this code..

1.
I've wrote it down in my application aswell but it's not working on my virtual android machine - "unfortently, My first app has stopped working" (Name of the app is My first app). What could i possible be doing wrong?

2.
Now, what does the following code do:
parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat"
I know what a inheritance is, but what's going on here? What is Theme.AppCompat, were can i find the attributes?

3.
And this code:
<style name="MyActionBarTitleText"
parent="@style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Widget.ActionBar.Title">
Basically, I wonder were all the data from the parents are located. Just like question 2

Hopefully You understand me!
Help would be really appreciated!