WORLD GEOGRAPHY CHAPTER 6 NOTES: PROFILE OF THE UNITED STATES

SECTION ONE NOTES PP I. U.S – QUICK FACTS. A) U.S DIVIDED INTO 50 STATES 1) 4 TH LARGEST COUNTRY IN AREA 2) 3 RD IN SIZE BY POPULATION

B) THE UNITED STATES IS CONSIDERED VERY WEALTHY 1) WORLD ’ S HIGHEST GNP **GNP IS THE TOTAL VALUE OF ALL GOODS AND SERVICES PRODUCED BY THE U. S. AND IT ’ S COMPANIES YEARLY. ** GDP IS THE TOTAL VALUE OF ALL GOODS AND SERVICES PRODUCED BY THE U. S. AND IT ’ S COMPANIES YEARLY DIVIDED BY THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE U.S.

C) WHY IS THE U.S. SO WEALTHY? 1) ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES 2) INNOVATIVE AND ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION 3) INNOVATIVE AND ADVANCED COMMUNICATION 4) INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM-AND FREE ENTERPRISE ECONOMIC SYSTEM.

II. THE ABUNDANCE OF NATURAL RESOURCES

A) THE UNITED STATES BEGAN AS AN AGRICULTURAL COUNTRY 1) 1790 CENSUS — 75% OF PEOPLE LIVED ON FARMS 2) 1862 HOMESTEAD ACT — GAVE SETTLERS 160 ACRES OF FREE FARMLAND IF THEY WOULD SETTLE AND FARM THE LAND. 3) U.S. GOVERNMENT CREATED AN AGENCY TO JUST HELP FARMERS CALLED THE – DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 4) TODAY, ONLY ABOUT 25% OF U.S. POPULATION LIVES ON FARMS 5) U.S. FARM EXPORTS ABOUT $50 BILLION EACH YEAR. 6) STILL, ALMOST 50% OF U.S. LAND IS USED FOR AGRICULTURE.

B. THE AMERICAN FOREST INDUSTRY 1) TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS CREATED INCLUDE: LUMBER, FURNITURE, AND PAPER 2) NON TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS INCLUDE: SPONGES, FILM, CHARCOAL, MEDICINES, RAYON, and PLASTICS. 3) FOREST PRODUCTION HAS MOVED FROM THE EAST TO THE SOUTH IN THE 1800 ’ S. ** EASIER TO HARVEST FORESTS IN THE SOUTH THAN THE MIDWEST BECAUSE OF THE WARMER CLIMATE 4) TODAY THE MAJORITY (OVER 50%) OF NATIONS LUMBER COMES FROM FORESTS WEST OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. ** Only 5% of Untouched U.S. Forests remain. 5) MAN IS RESPONSIBLE TO RENEW THE FORESTS a) Grazing laws, reforestation, better logging practices, selective harvests

C. THE WEALTH FOUND UNDERGROUND 1) COAL — AMERICA ’ S ABUNDANT RESOURCE ** U.S. PRODUCES 1/5 OF WORLD SUPPLY OF COAL. 2) THE MAJORITY OF AMERICA ’ S FOSSIL FUELS ARE FOUND IN: a) CENTRAL PLAINS b) WESTERN PLAINS c) ALASKA 3) ABUNDANT RESOURCES HELP THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE!

III. MOVING RESOURCES, GOODS, AND PEOPLE A) TRAVEL OVER WATER 1) TRAVEL MADE EASIER AND CHEAPER WITH DEVELOPMENTS OF: ** STEAMBOATS ** CANAL SYSTEM ** IN THE 1800 ’ S NEW YORK GOVERNOR DEWITT CLINTON BUILT THE ERIE CANAL, CONNECTING THE GREAT LAKES TO NEW YORK,

B) TRAVEL OVER LAND 1) BEFORE 1890, TRANSPORTATION CENTERED AROUND DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RAILROAD INDUSTRY. 2) AFTER 1900, TRANSPORTATION ADVANCES WERE IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY. 3) IN THE 1950 ’ S THE U.S. BEGAN TO BUILD THE FIRST INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM

C. COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY 1) GROWTH IN INDUSTRY IS RELATED TO GROWTH IN COMMUNICATION 2) TODAY THE U.S. RELIES ON COMMUNICATIONS BY ELECTRONIC MEANS, CALLED “ TELECOMMUNICATIONS ”. **Today over 90% of homes in U.S. have telephones

D) THE RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS 1) THE U. S. IS FOUNDED ON THE IDEA OF INDIVIDUALS HAVING EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS. 2) U.S. ECONOMIC SYSTEM CALLED CAPITALISM OR FREE ENTERPRISE SUPPORTS THOSE BELIEF 3) AMERICANS BELIEVE IN “ RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM ” **The willingness of individuals to stand alone and struggle long and hard to survive and prosper!

SECTION TWO NOTES PP I. GROWTH OF CITIES IN AMERICA — METROPOLITAN AREAS AND LOCATIONS

A. CHANGING WORKFORCE IN AMERICA 1) SERVICE INDUSTRIES IS THE FASTEST GROWING SECTION OF U.S. WORKFORCE. a) Jobs or businesses that do not manufacture or gather raw materials. 2) OVER 50% OF TODAY ’ S WORKFORCE COMES FROM: a) Service Occupations b) Administrative Support c) Professional Specialty 3) A SHIFT OF POPULATION FROM RURAL TO URBAN AREAS.

B) THE METROPOLITAN AREA 1) METROPOLITAN AREA — A MAJOR CITY AND IT ’ S SURROUNDING AREAS (SUBURBS) ** U. S. HAS OVER 250 METROPOLITAN AREAS 2) THE VALUE OF A CITY BASED ON THESE FACTORS: a) Changes in transportation and technology b) Changes in economic activities c) Changes in popular preferences

C) TRANSPORTATION AFFECTS THE PATTERN OF SETTLEMENT 1) IN EARLY STAGES OF U.S. --MAJOR CITIES WERE LOCATED ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST **SEAPORTS AND TRADE ** CITIES THEN DEVELOPED ALONG THE MAJOR RIVERS.

2) DEVELOPMENTS HELPED CONNECT THE EAST COAST TO THE MIDWEST AND THE WESTERN U.S. a) Erie Canal built by Dewitt Clinton, Governor of New York-- helped develop cities in the Great Lakes region b) Transcontinental Railroad — Connected Omaha, Nebraska to Sacramento, California. –CONNECTED THE EAST AND WEST COASTS!

3) BY THE 1950 ’ S THE FIRST INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WAS BEING BUILT. ***OVER 8 MIILION NEW CARS WERE BUILT EACH YEAR DURING THE 1950 ’ S *** TRANSPORTATION FROM WAS ALL ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAILROADS. ***AFTER 1900 IT WAS ALL ABOUT DEVELOPMENT OF THE AUTOMOBILE.

HOW WOULD A NEW HIGHWAY AFFECT THE CITY IT IS CONNECTED TO ? * INCREASE IN TRAFFIC *DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BUSINESS * LESS LAND FOR FARMING *INCREASE IN POPULATION * NEED FOR NEW SCHOOLS * NEED FOR MORE POLICE * NEED FOR MORE HOUSING * DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE

D) THE IMPACT OF MIGRATION 1) CHANGES CAUSED PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES TO MOVE FROM THE RURAL AREAS TO THE CITIES IN THE 1950 ’ S !(AFTER WWII) *** LAND WAS AVAILABLE AND CHEAP!! 2) TODAY PEOPLE MOVE TO AREAS BECAUSE OF CLIMATE OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. ** CITIES IN THE SOUTH AND WEST HAVE SHOWN THE MOST GROWTH!!

E. CITIES AND TOWNS 1) 80 % OF PEOPLE LIVE IN METROPOLITAN AREAS 2) PEOPLE ARE CONNECTED BY THEIR PARTICIPATION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ***PRIMARY ACTIVITY — GROW VEGTABLES ON THE FARM ***SECONDARY ACTIVITY — VEGTABLES CANNED IN A FACTORY *** TERTIARY ACTIVITY — TRANSPORTING CANNED VEGTABLES TO A WAREHOUSE FOR STORGAE *** QUATERNARY ACTIVITY — DECIDING HOW MUCH TO STORE INTHE WAREHOUSE AND HOW MUCH TO SHIP OUT!

F) FUNCTION AND CITY SIZE-- HIEARCHY 1) CITIES ARE RANKED BY THEIR HIEARCHY. **HIEARCHY IS BASED ON A CITY ’ S POPULATION, ACTIVITIES(HINTERLAND) AND POLITICS EXAMPLE: FARM, VILLAGE OR SMALL TOWN, LARGE TOWN, CITY, METROPOLIS. (OAKVILLE AND SURROUNDING FARMLAND, WAPELLO, WASHINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS, QUAD CITIES)

F) FUNCTION AND CITY SIZE-- HINTERLANDS 2) A CITY AND THE SURROUNDING AREA IT AFFECTS IS CALLED THE HINTERLAND *** THE SIZE OF A CITY AND IT ’ S ACTIVITIES WILL DETERMINE THE SIZE OF IT ’ S HINTERLAND.