1. History, Economy, and Culture
The United States
History, Economy, and Culture

2. HISTORY United States: world’s fourth largest country in terms of area
#1: Russia
#2: Canada
#3: China
migration: the movement of people within a country or region

3. Explorers arriving in the United States:
1.) Spanish: arrived in 1565
2.) French: settled near the St. Lawrence River in Canada in the early 1600s
3.) English: arrived in early 1600s, Jamestown in 1607
**all explorers displacing various Native American tribes**

4. Columbian Exchange: movement of plants, animals, and diseases between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres during the Age of Exploration

5. Louisiana Purchase: territory between the Mississippi River and Rocky Mountains that the United States bought from France in 1803
Movement westward during 1850s- 1900s
frontier: free, open land in the American west that was available for settlement

7. Early 1900s: increase in industrialization in cities such as New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Chicago
Shift in movement to suburbs starting in the 1950s
suburbs: communities located near borders of the central city
What is making the move to the suburbs possible?

9. United States Government
Federal Republic: powers are divided between national and state governments
Representative Democracy: government in which people rule through elected representatives

10. economy The United States has the world’s largest economy
Leader in producing agricultural goods and global trade
Produces 10% of the world’s exports (goods sold to another country)

11. Three contributing factors for a strong U.S. economy:
1.) Available natural resources
2.) Skilled labor force
3.) Stable political system that has allowed the economy to develop

12. Free enterprise: economic system in which individuals own most of the resources, technology, and businesses
Can operate them with little control from the government
American farms supply 40% of world’s corn, 20% of cotton, 10% of wheat and cattle
Leading industries: petroleum, steel, chemicals, electronics, telecommunications, lumber, and mining

13. Service industry: economic activity that produces a service rather than a product
Examples: finance, medicine, transportation, and education
Multinationals: corporations that engage in business worldwide

14. Culture 63% of Americans trace their ancestry to Europe
Native Americans: 1% of population
85% of Americans identify as Christian
56% Protestant
28% Catholic
2% Jewish
2% Muslim

15. 80% of Americans live in cities or surrounding suburbs
Pattern of American migration:
rural areas→cities→suburbs

16. What does it mean for something to be a part of American culture
What does it mean for something to be a part of American culture? Brainstorm a list of things that are a part of American culture.