H U M A N G E O G RA P H Y

UNITED STATES

ESPN: A FRAMEWORK FOR STUDYING COUNTRIES

EconomicSocialPoliticaleNvironment

WHY THE U.S.?

17th and 18th century migration Religious persecution Economic gain/resources

19th century migration Religious persecution (again!) Russian Jews under Czar Nicholas II Famine in Europe Irish Potato Famine Jobs in factories Migrating from Europe Railroad construction Chinese & Japanese in the West. Available land - Europeans in general (tenant farmers where landlords

dominated – relics of feudalism)

20th and 21st century migration Economic growth and opportunity – Mexican immigrants War - (with religious persecution!) – WWII, Jews fleeing Nazi Controlled

areas, Vietnamese Immigrants, refugees on the War on Terror, regional conflicts in Africa, Asia, & elsewhere.

Revolution: Cuban immigrants.

REGIONS WITHIN THE U.S.

Perceptual regions – How would you describe…On your paper, jot down a few things you think of when you think of each of these perceptual regions. Then take a minute to share with your shoulder partner.

The Northeast?

The Midwest?

The South?

The West?

REGIONS WITHIN THE U.S.: THE NORTHEAST

1/5 of the country’s population

Financial and industrial center

Urbanization centered around rivers and ports

“Rust Belt”Culturally diverse

REGIONS WITHIN THE U.S.: THE MIDWEST

Major farming region “Corn Belt” “Dairy Belt”

Leading producer of industrial goods

Large cities along the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River

African American population concentrated in urban centers

REGIONS WITHIN THE U.S.:THE SOUTH

30% of the country’s population

Historically agricultural, but new industries developed in late 20th century

Economy centered around natural resources.

Large Hispanic population. Why?

REGIONS WITHIN THE U.S.:THE WEST

Largest and most sparsely populated

Interior West very different from Pacific states… why?

Livestock, mining, and tourism

POPULATION PATTERNS

What are the major cities in the U.S.? New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, Philadelphia

Where has population shifted over time? East to West

Human-Environment Interaction Railroads and interstate highways opened/connected new

areas Rivers, dams, bridges, canals, and irrigation made water

resources more useful People live near key resources

POLITICS

What is the political system in the U.S.?What do voting patterns in the U.S. have to do with population? Gerrymandering – Manipulating voting districts to gain a

desired outcome

Does the U.S. political system allow for popular participation?

ECONOMICS

Mixed economy Which elements are free

enterprise? Which elements are

socialist?

ECONOMICS - DEMOGRAPHICS

• How would you describe the level of development of the U.S.?• More developed

• Where does the U.S. rank in the Human Development Index?• NUMBER FOUR!

US

High Per Capita GDP 45,800

High Life Expectancy

78 years

Low Population Growth Rate .88%

Low Infant Mortality

6.3/1000

ECONOMICS – RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Rich in resources Minerals, energy,

forests Arable land

Highly developed infrastructure Roads Communications Ports and railroads Education

ECONOMICS – GLOBALIZATION

Vast export sectorLarge role in world financial marketsMultinational corporations and outsourcingNAFTA

THE U.S. AND THE WORLD

The influence of American population cultureAmerica as a world power National security and the

military The United Nations