Texas History Chapter 2.1 Texans and Geography

Everything is Bigger in Texas Texas is the second-largest state after Alaska.

Everything is Bigger in Texas Texas has a total area of 266,807 square miles. Alaska is 663,268 square miles, over twice the size of Texas.

When you know the geography of a place, it helps you appreciate why people live the way they do why event occurred there

It is important for understanding the past and the present of Texas and the world.

Geography can help answer what elements make a place special. Element- a separate, identifiable part of something.

Elements Physical Elements Human Elements Landforms Climate Plants Animals Language Religion Architecture Music Politics Ways of Life

Geographers look at the land and climate of a place to understand how it became what it is today.

Hamilton Pool

Hamilton Pool A large cave collapsed because of erosion, revealing the underground pool. Pool had formed thousands of years ago as a result of: Volcanic activity Glacier movement Hurricanes

Geographers look at how people have changed the land . Galveston SeaWall

Hurricane of 1900

Hurricane IKE

Geographers look at how the environment affects human activities. Climate Landforms Plants Animals

If people know about these interactions, then they can figure out how to make plans (present & future) for themselves for their businesses for their government

Location

Location Texas’ location on the Gulf of Mexico has been important for the states growth. The Gulf provides jobs for thousands of Texans. Fishing Oil Tourism Shipping

Why are we studying this? Texas has a population that is becoming larger and more diverse than before.

Population of Texas 2010: Population 25 million Texas population continues to grow and become more diverse More than 26 million currently

Texas is mostly populated by people from different lands. Who Texans Are Texas is mostly populated by people from different lands. Texas has people of many different backgrounds, ethnicities, and races.

Demography—the branch of geography that studies human populations

Immigration—movement of people from country to country

The first people to live in Texas Who Texans Are Native Americans The first people to live in Texas

First Europeans came from Spain Who Texans Are First Europeans came from Spain In recent years, the largest number of immigrants to Texas have come from Mexico.

White, not of Hispanic origin Who Texans Are White, not of Hispanic origin German, Czech, French, Irish African Americans Asians Chinese, and Vietnamese

Where Texans Have Settled Rio Grande Valley—Hispanics East Texas—early settlers from the U.S. Central Texas—Czech and German

The Growing Population of Texas Demographers look at: growth rate—the speed of growth

The Growing Population of Texas Birthrate—number of births per 1000 people Death Rate—number of deaths per 1000 people

The Growing Population of Texas Birthrate: 17.5 Death rate: 7.3

Immigration + Births - Deaths = Growth

Texas is historically a rural state Since 1950 it has been more urban Where Texans Settle Texas is historically a rural state Since 1950 it has been more urban 2010: 88% of population live in urban areas 12% live in rural areas

Where Texans Settle 6.7 million people live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

Dallas started as a cotton market and grew when oil was discovered Fort Worth was an Army post and became a cattle shipping center