The U.S. Human Geography

Pick up a graphic organizer from the front desk for notes. Sit down and be prepared for CNN Student News!!!!!!!!

The United States

History of the United States The U.S. is the world’s third largest country in both land area and population. The U.S. is rich in natural resources and is fortunate to have a moderate climate, fertile soil, and plentiful water supplies.

Many Peoples Settle the Land Nomads- the first inhabitants of North America who came from Asia at least 13, 000 or more years ago. The nomads crossed the Bering land bridge known as Beringia.

The 15th century The native people were undisturbed until the 15th century when the Europeans began to explore what they referred to as the “New World.” The Spanish arrived first. Spanish came for gold and other treasure. In 1565, they founded St. Augustine, Florida. St. Augustine is the oldest permanent European settlement in the U.S. The French and British came later.

The French and British Arrive… In the early 1600s, The French settled along the northern Atlantic Coast and the St. Lawrence River in what is now Canada. The French were interested in fisheries and the fur trade.

The British Colonies The English made their first permanent settlement in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. The British settled from Maine to Georgia, along rivers and bays on the Atlantic Coast. Why did the colonists want to come to the new world?

States are small because this was the area first settled by Europeans; travel would have been more difficult back then! This made early trade easier (no cars, trains, etc.) What is this area’s nickname?

Megalopolises (extensive metropolitan areas) were 1st seen here  “BosWash” Stretches through 500 miles of highly urbanized areas from Boston to Washington D.C.

The Columbian Exchange—Exchange of goods, people, and ideas between Europe, Africa and Americas. In 1617, the Europeans brought Africans to America to work as slave laborers on cotton and tobacco plantations in the South. Which theme of geography is this an example of?

Louisiana Purchase In 1803, the United States nearly doubled in size when the government purchased the vast plains region between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains from France. What was this called? Many colonists moved to rich farmlands for opportunities with land Louis and Clark explore the land from 1804-1806.

Westward Movement In the second half of the 19th century, millions of Americans were on the move. What is migration? migration- movement of peoples within the United States. 1840s- Wagon Trains began moving pioneers to the west. The 1st transcontinental railroad across the U.S. was completed in 1869 helping many people settle the West.

Industrialization and Urbanization 14 million immigrants came from 1860 to 1900. Many immigrants settled in urban areas undergoing industrialization.

Cities such as New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago expanded rapidly. Immigrants and Americans from rural areas came to cities such as these to work in textile, steel, oil, food processing, and other industries. The U.S. was being transformed from a rural, agricultural nation to an urban, industrialized one.

Government of the United States U.S. political system was created by the U.S. Constitution in 1787. The U.S. has a representative democracy, where people rule through elected representatives. The federal government consists of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

United States –Representative Democracy Executive Branch (enforces the laws) President V.P. Cabinets Departments & agencies

Legislative (makes the laws) Congress House of Representatives Senate Capitol Building!! Ceiling of Capitol Building!!

Judicial (interprets the laws) Supreme court Federal courts State and local courts Supreme Court Justice Building

Language and Religion of the U.S. English is the dominant language of the United States. Spanish is the 2nd most commonly spoken language. Religious freedom has been a cornerstone of American society. Over 1,000 different religious groups practice their faith in the U.S.

Economy of the United States The U.S. accounts for more than 10 percent of the world’s exports. What is an export? The economy is run on free enterprise. Free enterprise is when private individuals own most of the resources, technology, and businesses, and can operate them for profit with little control from the government.

Economy of the U.S. The American economy today is driven by service industries. 3 out of 4 Americans now work in service-related jobs, such as finance, medicine, education, and transportation. The U.S. is an agricultural and industrial giant. We have a postindustrial economy today.

American Citizenship Test What is the supreme law of the land? What is an amendment? How many amendments does the constitution have? What is ONE right or freedom granted to us by the First Amendment? When do we celebrate Independence Day? What are 3 rights given to us in the Declaration of Independence? What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? Who is in charge of the Executive Branch? Name one state that borders Canada. Why does the U.S. flag have 13 stripes?