Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Human Geography of the United States Shaping an Abundant Land

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "Human Geography of the United States Shaping an Abundant Land"— Presentation transcript:

1 Human Geography of the United States Shaping an Abundant Land
Chapter 6 Human Geography of the United States Shaping an Abundant Land

2 History and Government of the United States 6.1
The Untied States is the third largest country in both size and population The United States is a nation of immigrants Nomads crossing Beringia and the Bering Sea Native Americans, Athapascans, Aleuts and Inuit Spanish arrived in the 1500s: seeking Gold and other treasure St. Augustine, FL is the oldest permanent European settlement in the USA France: Came in the 1600s for fish and fur England: Came to settle colonies European settlement often displaced Native Americans With “secret” biological weapons of mass destruction: diseases

3 First contact of Europeans with the Americas led to the greatest ecological events in history

4 Establishing the Union
English won land from the French during the French and Indian War (1763) Colonists fought the British efforts to make them share paying for the war Colonists won the Revolutionary War ( ) US expanded with the Louisiana Purchase (from France) of 1803 Land west of the Mississippi to the Rockies Early immigration was from Western Europe to the Northeast

5 Sectionalism The different economic systems that developed in each section of the US led to competing interests Northeast: Industry and trade Southeast: Cash crop agriculture based on slavery West: Staple crop agriculture, mining and livestock One result was the Civil War Fought North won

6 In the second half of the 1800s, millions of Americans were on the move
Settlement expanded westward During the same period, immigrants poured in from Europe During the 19th century, the USA transformed from a rural agricultural nation to an urban, industrial one

7 Migrants Immigrants First in wagon trains (a six-month journey)
Then via railroad (also used to move products back to eastern markets) The US Government removed many Native Americans from their lands: by treaty or by force By 1890, the frontier was fully settled Immigrants Some moved west Others settled in the growing eastern cities: New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago They were joined by many who moved to the cities from rural areas to work in textile, steel, food processing and other industries

8 As the 20th century began, the USA was the most powerful country in the Western Hemisphere
Up to this point the US was practically self-sufficient Beginning with the Spanish American War, and through World Wars I & II, the US became the strongest world power

9 Self-sufficient We produced most of the food we needed
We also produced most of the manufactured goods we needed We were protected from foreign conflicts by two large oceans

10 The final half of the 20th century was a time of rapid social change
Movement: Large numbers of families moved to suburbs Many moved west and south to warmer climates Immigrants continued to flock to the USA The 60s and 70s Civil Rights movement Feminist movement Students and others protested the Vietnamese War Technological change Computers revolutionized the workplace Providing services and informational technology surpassed industrial production in importance

11 The United States & Globalization
The US became the world’s greatest economic power The rest of the world competes with the US as they develop economically Many industrial jobs have been exported to other countries The USA led the non-communist nations during the Cold War When communism in Europe collapsed in 1991, the US became the world’s sole superpower

12 Government: the United States is a Presidential Federal Republic
The current governmental form comes from the Constitution of 1787 People are governed through elected representatives Separation of Powers between Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches The president is NOT a member of the legislature Congress (Legislature): House of Representatives and Senate The 50 states also have legislative, executive and judicial branches and exercise powers not specifically granted to the federal (national) government)

13 Economy and Culture of the United States 6.2
The United States is the leading economic power The US economy is run largely on free-enterprise (free market, capitalist) system

14 World Leader Free enterprise
As the leader in agricultural and industrial goods, the US accounts for 10% of all world exports The US benefits from available resources, a skilled labor force and a stable political system Free enterprise Private ownership of capital (resources, technology and businesses) Seeking profit (with little government control) In an open market, following the laws of supply and demand

15 An agricultural and industrial giant
The US not only feeds itself, but also helps to feed the world Different part of the US provide different products Midwest and South: crop farming West: Livestock

16 US farms produce 40% of the world’s corn 20% of its cotton
10% of its wheat, cattle and hogs

17 The industrial output of the US is larger than any other country
Advances in technology revolutionized industry and led to new products and methods

18 Leading industries: Industrial centers:
petroleum, steel, transportation equipment, chemicals, electronics, food processing, telecommunications, consumer goods, lumber and mining Industrial centers: Originally along the Atlantic Coast near the Great Lakes Recently to Urban centers in the South and the Pacific Coast Some have become identified with certain products: Detroit (automobiles), Seattle (aircraft) and Northern California-Silicon Valley (computers)

19 Postindustrial economy
Service industries (producing a service rather than a product) Nearly three-fourths of American workers work in the service sector Information processing, finance, medicine, transportation, and education Known as postindustrial economy The US leads the world in both exports and imports Exports: raw materials, agricultural products, and manufactured goods Imports: automobiles, electronic equipment, machinery and apparel Our chief trading partners are Mexico and Canada Many US corporations engage in business worldwide and are called multinationals

20 Because the USA is a nation of immigrants, it is a nation of different races and ethnicities
English is the dominant language Religious freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution

21 Diversity Language Religions About 70% trace their ancestry to Europe
Latinos, mostly with roots in Central and South America, make up about 13% African Americans: about 12 % Asian Americans: 4% Native Americans: 1% Language Spanish #2 Most immigrants have spoken their original language until they have learned English Religions 85% Christians (56% Protestant; 28% Catholic) Jews and Muslims account for about 2% each

22 Arts and Popular Culture
Native Americans made pottery, weavings and carvings Europeans brought artistic traditions of their homelands Truly American styles developed in the 1800s Paintings of the expansive landscape Scenes of American life on both the frontier and in the cities Skyscrapers shaped world architecture Today: motion pictures, popular music Hollywood African influence: jazz, blues, gospel, rock and roll, hip-hop Southern (European ancestry) influence: country, bluegrass

23 American Life today More than 280 million people live in the USA
80% live in cities 50% of American Adults are employed America has always valued education Americans enjoy a high amount of leisure time Not all Americans live well

24 American Dream Urban Workforce Education
Most enjoy a high standard of living Despite ethnic diversity, they generally live and work together The pursue what attracted their ancestors: “The American Dream” Urban Shift to suburbs made possible by the widespread ownership of automobiles Highways, expressways, railroads and airlines aid mobility Workforce Half of them are women 70% work in the service sector Education Compulsory, free education (90% in public schools) 2,300 private and public colleges and universities

25 Leisure time Sports: Baseball, football, golf, soccer, tennis, skiing, and extreme sports Engaged in hobbies, visit museums and libraries, watch television and movies More recently spending time on the computer, surfing the Internet or playing videogames Poverty How to bring them into the mainstream, while still maintaining the incentive to excel?

26 Subregions 6.3

27 Subregions of the United States 6.3
Northeast 5% of the land area, but 20% of the population Six northern states: Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island make-up New England Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey are known as the Middle Atlantic States One of the first areas settled by Europeans Served as the “Gateway” for many immigrants

28 More Northeast The first activities were fishing and farming
Coastal and inland waters turned the region into a heart of trade, commerce and industry Many “rustbelt” industries have moved to the “sunbelt” or overseas The nations first Megalopolis developed in the Northeast: “Boswash”

29 Heart of commerce and trade
The Northeast is one of the most industrialized and urbanized regions in the world New York, Philadelphia and Boston developed into major international trade centers Coal, iron and oil fueled industrialization Although the Middle Atlantic States have rich farmlands, New England is too hilly and rocky to grow crops easily Boswash 500 miles form Boston to Washington, D.C. Washington is the Nation’s capital New York is the nation’s cultural and financial centers

30 Midwest America’s heartland The nation’s “breadbasket”
20% of area and 25% of population of the US Mostly flat plains, with numerous waterways Great Lakes, Mississippi River and its tributaries The nation’s “breadbasket” Fertile soils, adequate rainfall, and a favorable climate enable farmers to produce more food and feed more people than any comparable area in the world Agriculture is the foundation for many of the region’s industries meatpacking, food processing, farm equipment, and grain milling

31 More Midwest Its central location and excellent waterways make the Midwest a trade and distribution center Chicago is the cultural, financial and transportation “hub” Others are also located near large bodies of water: Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee are on the Great Lakes; Cincinnati, St. Louis, Minneapolis, St.. Paul, and Omaha developed along rivers Changing face of the Midwest: Number of farms is declining; Cities are growing; Industries are moving to the sunbelt and overseas

32 The South 25% of area and 33% of population
11 of the sixteen states were part of the Confederacy during the Civil War Like the Northeast, the South was an early destination for immigration Its mix of cultures comes from early European settlement, imported slave labor, and later immigration of Mexicans into Texas, French-Canadian “Cajuns” and Creoles to Louisiana Once a rural, agricultural area, the South is rapidly changing and its cities growing

33 Agricultural economy was built upon cheap, slave labor
Cotton, tobacco, fruits, peanuts ad rice Industrial development was made possible by the widespread use of air conditioning and the vast stores of energy resources Oil, gas, coal and water Major industries: petroleum, steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, electronics Climate draws tourists and retirees Atlanta is the “hub” of the New South Other major cities: Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, Ft. Worth and San Antonio Along with its neighbors to the west, known as the “sunbelt”

34 The West (Hey, that’s us!)
50% of the area, 20% of the population People settle where landforms and climate are favorable Deserts are sparsely settled, yet California is the most populous state The West is the most rapidly growing region Los Angeles is the West’s cultural and commercial center

35 Developing the West Helped by air conditioning and irrigation
The Colorado River has been diverted to serve many areas (except Mexico) Las Vegas, Tucson and Phoenix, as well as L.A. Economic activities: farming, ranching, food processing, logging, fishing, mining, oil refining, tourism, filmmaking and the production of computers The West has many good harbors that make foreign trade—especially with Asia—important: Los Angeles/Long Beach, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego


Download ppt "Human Geography of the United States Shaping an Abundant Land"

Similar presentations


Ads by Google