Transcript Week 9 Geography of US Notes

USA and CANADA
Region at a Glance
Physical Geography of the United States
Landforms
• At over 3.5 million square miles, the United
States is the third-largest country in the world.
• Glacial activity and tectonic plate
movement created the many landforms of
the United States.
• The Pacific Ranges and the Rocky Mountains
mark the western region, with some elevations
over 20,000 feet.
• The flat landscape of the Great Plains lies in the
center.
• Going east, the geologically older, but shorter
Appalachian Mountains extend to the Piedmont’s
fertile plateau, then the Atlantic Coastal Plain
hems the shore.
Major Landforms
USA
•Vast central plain
•Mountains in west - Rockies
•Hills and low mountains in east Appalachians
•Rugged mountains and broad river
valleys in Alaska
•Rugged, volcanic topography in
Hawaii
•St. Lawrence Seaway: Gateway to
the Atlantic from the Great Lakes
Physical Geography of the United States
Water Systems
• The many lakes, rivers, and tributaries
helped encourage economic develop along
their shores.
• The Mississippi River in the east and the
Colorado River and Rio Grande in the west form
two major waterways.
• The Continental Divide, a high ridge in the
Rockies, determines the direction of river flow.
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Fall line
Higher land of eastern
US drops to the lower
Atlantic Coastal Plain
Eastern rivers break
into rapids and
waterfalls
Prevents ships from
the Atlantic Ocean from
traveling further inland
Big cities were
established along the
fall line
Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington
D.C.
The Great Lakes
• Formed when
glacier basins
filled with water,
the Great Lakes
are part of the St.
Lawrence Seaway
System, a series of
waterways that
connect to the
Atlantic Ocean.
• Glaciers uncovered
major deposits of
natural resourcesiron ore and coal
which led to
• Explosive
economic growth
St. Lawrence Seaway
Ships moving through locks
• Links Great Lakes with Atlantic Ocean
• Series of canals, rivers, and waterways
• Helped make cities like Chicago
powerful trade and industrial center
Physical Geography of the United States
Climate, Biomes, and Resources
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The large size of the United States leads to
many variations in climate and vegetation.
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The oceans moderate temperature in
coastal regions, while the interior
experiences more extreme conditions.
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Rich in natural resources such as water, timber,
fish, minerals, and fossil fuels, the United
States helped speed industrialization and
become one of the most prosperous countries in
the world.
Climate Regions
USA
Mostly temperate
However…
Tropical in Hawaii and Florida
Arctic in Alaska
Semiarid in the great plains west of
the Mississippi River
Arid in the Great Basin of the
southwest
Natural Hazards
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USA
Hurricanes in Atlantic and Gulf regions
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Earthquakes along the Pacific coasts
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Tornadoes and extreme heat events
(drought, grass fires) in the interiors
Major Modifications in the
Region
• Erie Canal
• St. Lawrence Seaway
• Taming the Mississippi
• Hoover Dam
• Transcontinental Railroads
• National Highway System
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal
● A canal in New York
● Originally ran about 363 miles from Albany, New
York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York,
at Lake Erie.
● Built to create a navigable water route from New
York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great
Lakes, allowing for grains and meats from the
Midwest to get to the east coast via a waterway.
History Song
The Mississippi River
Flood Control on the Mississippi
Levees break In New Orleans
after Hurricane Katrina
2005
Bonfires on the Levee
Louisiana
Christmas Eve Celebration
Hoover Dam
Built to:
● control floods
● provide irrigation water
● produce hydroelectric power
● water storage (resevoir)
● recreation
Human Geography of the United States
History and Geography
• The physical environment played a
significant role in the development of
the United States.
• Native Americans, descendants of the first
waves of migrations- from Asia to Alaska,
occupied North America until the Europeans
began immigrating in the 1500s.
• Spanish, French, and then British
migrations.
• After gaining independence,
during the 1800s, the country
nearly doubled in territory,
gaining valuable land and
resources.
• Factories were built in along the fall line
in northeast
• Cotton- major cash crop in the south.
• Two major conflicts during this time
period: American Revolution, Civil War
Historical
Geography of the
USA
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18th century – Thirteen colonies
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1803 – Louisiana purchase
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1840s – Mexican cession and Texas
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1840s – Gold rush
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1850s to 1890s – Westward expansion
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1898 – Hawaii
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1945 to Present – Postwar sunbelt explosion
Westward Expansion
• New immigrants- Europe, Mexico, China that came
to the US during Industrial Revolution needed land
• Cities needed more food
• Transcontinental Railroad helped with all of these
things
• During this time people
Moved from farms to cities looking for work
Political Geography of
United States
•3rd largest country by size (after Russia and
Canada)
•3rd largest population (after China and India) =
310,232,863 (July 2010 est.)
•Constitution-based federal republic; strong
democratic tradition
•Most powerful military in the world – Nearly half
of global military spending is done for the US
military alone. Only 4% of GNP, though.
What religion dominates The
United States?
Religious & Cultural Landscape
Language
Needs some examples of language (words)
Human Geography of the United States
Population Patterns
• More than 315 million people live in the United
States.
• The aging of the population will cause challenges
in government and health care costs.
• Population is increasing in Sunbelt states
as manufacturing has declined in the North
and Great Lakes region—factories are
closing and sending work to China and
other countries (Outsourcing). . . People
are moving from north to sunbelt looking
for jobs.
• Densely populated urban areas like the
megalopolis between Boston and Washington,
D.C. attract residents with economic
opportunity.
What do the megalopolises have in common?
Population Geography of USA
Where are the areas of population density?
Human Geography of the United States
Society and Culture Today
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With its long history of immigration, the
population of the United States is one of
the most diverse countries in the world.
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This diverse population, coupled with the core
value of religious freedom, contributed to the
wide range of religions practiced today.
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The family remains important but the role of
women is changing as more women seek
employment and continue to outpace men in
earning college degrees.
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Art and music, like jazz, developed by
blending the influences of the country’s
vast immigrant communities.
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Jazz blended African American rhythms and
European harmonies.
Human Geography of the United States
Economic Activities
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The free market economy in the United
States helped establish its great economic
power.
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The economy has evolved from its agricultural
origins to manufacturing to the postindustrial
economy of today.– services and technology
have replaced farming and factories
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Good transportation and reliable
communications networks are critical pieces that
enable the economy to function.
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2008-- Too many mortgages were given to
people who could not afford to pay them.
Homes went into foreclosure, caused some
banks to fail, or led to government bailouts of
banks. At same time unemployment rose.
People and Their Environment: The United States
Managing Resources
• Modern life poses a threat to the abundant
natural resources in the United States.
• Conservation efforts by citizens and from
all levels of government have increased to
ensure resources will continue to flourish
in the future.
• Resource management includes understanding
and respecting the balances that exist in natural
ecosystems.
• Efforts to reverse the damage have begun but
more is needed to achieve sustainable levels.
People and Their Environment: The United States
Human Impact
• Acid rain and smog are consequences of
human pollution of the air and water.
• Water pollution speeds eutrophication, which
encourages the excessive algae growth that
depletes water’s oxygen and suffocates fish.
• Projected water shortages could turn into
droughts that cause billions of dollars in crop
and livestock losses.
People and Their Environment: The United States
Addressing the Issues
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The United States is continually improving
its protection of the environment by using
clean-air practices, searching for renewable
sources of energy, and reducing waste.
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Federal legislation, such as the Clean Water Act
and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement,
has helped restore water quality throughout the
country.
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The government is working to curb
environmental damage by encouraging the
use of renewable energy sources and
offering incentives for companies to limit
emissions.