Today's Issues Chapter 8

Chapter 6 - The United States

Section 1: History and Government A. Humans reached North America at least 13,000 years ago 1. May have come earlier by sea 2. Vikings reach Newfoundland around 1,000 AD 3. European explorers began to arrive after 1492  Spanish: settled the southwest United States, California, and Florida  English: settled the eastern coast of the U.S. and Canada  French: settled eastern Canada, Great Lakes, Mississippi River  Continuing immigration from other countries and migration (movement) within the United States 4. Many place names reflect early settlement patterns:  Native American: Appalachian, Dakota, Kansas  Spanish: Texas, Los Angeles, San Antonio  French: St. Louis, St. Genevieve, New Orleans  English: Charleston, Plymouth, Jamestown

B. Columbian Exchange: trade between Europe and the Americas 1. To America: Citrus fruit, sugar cane, honey bees, coffee, cattle, horses, wheat, oats 2. To Europe: Cacao, tobacco, peanuts, corn, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, turkeys

C. 13 British colonies: 1. Southern colonies were primarily agricultural 2. Northern colonies primarily engaged in trade, shipbuilding, and fishing 3. A series of incidents between Great Britain and the colonies created resentment 4. 1776 – Declaration of Independence 5. 1775-1781: American Revolution

E. 1803: President Thomas Jefferson arranged the Louisiana Purchase 1. Land between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains purchased from France 2. The United States doubled in size

F. By 1830, the northeastern U.S. was industrializing; factories and railroads 1. The South remained largely agricultural; exported tobacco and cotton to Europe 2. Political and economic tensions arose between the very different regions 3. 1861-1865: Civil War divided the country

G. During the 1800s, Americans moved steadily west 1. Frontier: free, open land in the American west available for settlement 2. To make way for settlers, the U.S. government removed the Native Americans from their lands by treaty or by force 3. Railroads carried people West and cattle and products to markets in the East

SG-6L 1 H. In the late 1800s, the U.S. became more industrialized and urbanized 1. New agricultural machinery such as the McCormick reaper 2. New plows and irrigation opened the Great Plains to farming 3. Growth of industry attracted people to cities – many immigrants, mostly from Europe 4. By 1920, more Americans lived in cities than in rural areas

I. 1900 - the U.S. was the dominant economic and political power in the Western Hemisphere 1. The U.S. was self-sufficient  Ample natural and human resources  Farmers grew necessary food  Factories produced manufactured goods 2. Protected from foreign conflicts by two vast oceans

J. The 20th Century brought major social, economic, and technological changes: 1. World War I (1914-1918) 2. Great Depression (1930s) 3. World War II (1941-1945) 4. At the end of World War II, the U.S. was the only major nation that escaped major physical damage and had a healthy economy

K. During the last half of the 20th Century changes continued: 1. Many Americans moved to suburbs 2. Many people migrated to the southern and western parts of the country 3. Immigrants came more from Latin America and Asia than Europe 4. Social unrest marked the 1960s and 1970s:  Civil Rights for African Americans  Equality for women  Protests against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War 5. The U.S. became part of a global economy  The use of computers revolutionized the workplace  Providing services and information technology surpassed industrial production  The U.S. became the world’s greatest economic power

L. Cold War: competition for world influence between Communist and non-Communist countries 1. Soviet Union led the Communist nations 2. U.S. led the non-Communist nations trying to stop the spread of Communism 3. Both sides built huge military forces and possessed nuclear weapons 4. 1991 - Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War ended 5. The United States was the world’s only remaining superpower

SG-6L 2 M. One of the strengths of the U.S. is the political system created by the U.S. Constitution 1. Representative democracy: the people rule through elected representatives 2. Separation of power: power is divided between three branches of government  Legislative: (House of Representative and Senate) makes the laws  Executive: (President) carries out the laws  Judicial: (courts) interpret the laws 3. Federalism: power is divided between local, state, and federal governments

Section 2: Economy and Culture A. The United States has about 7% of the world’s land area 1. 5 % of the world’s population 2. The world’s largest economy 3. World leader in agricultural products, manufactured goods, and global trade 4. Accounts for more than 10% of the world’s exports  Export: goods sold to another country  Import: goods brought into a country  Tariff: tax on imported goods

B. Three factors have contributed to the overall success of the American economy 1. Available natural resources 2. A skilled labor force 3. A stable political system

C. The United States has a market economy 1. Production of goods and services is determined by consumer demand 2. Free enterprise: private individuals own most of the resources, technology, and business, and operate them for profit with little government interference 3. An agricultural and industrial giant, the United States provides:  40% of the world’s corn  20% of the world’s cotton  10% of the wheat, cattle, and hogs  Industrial output is greater than any other country

D. There are three economic stages: 1. Pre-industrial: an economy based mostly on farming 2. Industrial: an economy based primarily on manufacturing 3. Post-industrial: more service-industry jobs than manufacturing  Service industry: any kind of economic activity that produces a service rather than a product 4. Multinationals: corporations engaged in business worldwide

SG-6L 3 E. The U.S. is a nation of immigrants; it is one of the most diverse nations in the world 1. English has been the dominant language since the founding of the country 2. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language 3. There are over 1,000 religions practiced in the United States  About 85% of Americans are Christian  Jews are about 2% of the population  Muslims are about 2% of the population 4. Because of its diverse population, the United States has a rich artistic heritage  American styles developed in painting, music, literature, and architecture  American movies and music are influential around the world  Distinctly American music includes jazz, blues, rock & roll, and country & western

F. About 80% of Americans live in cities or surrounding suburbs 1. The growth of suburbs was made possible by widespread ownership of automobiles  1.3 cars for every American 2. The U.S. has a highly developed transportation network; highways, railroads, and airlines 3. Education is necessary for a high standard of living  Free and required for all children  More than 2,300 colleges and universities 4. Americans enjoy many sports including baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, tennis, and skiing

Section 3: Subregions A. Northeast (New England, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey) 1. Smallest, most densely populated  5% of U.S. land area - 20% of U.S. population 2. New England: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut 3. Gateway to the United States for millions of immigrants 4. Megalopolis: several large cities and surround areas that have grown together  Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C. 5. Political and financial center 6. One of the most industrialized and urbanized areas in the world region  Rust Belt: heavy industry is declining  Most people are now employed in manufacturing and service industries 7. Major Cities  New York City: largest metropolitan area in the U.S.; cultural and financial center  Washington D.C.: capital of the United States

SG-6L 4 B. Midwest (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri) 1. Considered the agricultural and industrial heartland 2. Major trade centers grew along the Great Lakes and rivers 3. Nation’s breadbasket: fertile soil, adequate rainfall, and favorable climate  Produces grain (wheat and corn), dairy products, and livestock 4. Major Cities  Chicago, Illinois: port on Lake Michigan, rail center; O’Hare Airport is the busiest in the United States  St. Louis, Missouri: largest inland port on the Mississippi; Gateway to the West

C. South (Virginia to Texas) 1. More than one-third of the U.S. population lives in the South 2. Like the Northeast, the Southeast was colonized by Great Britain  Louisiana was settled by French-Canadians  Texas and Florida were settled by the Spanish

3. Historically agricultural: raise cotton, tobacco, fruits, peanuts, and rice 4. Eleven southern states were once part of the Confederacy 5. Rich in energy resources (oil, coal, natural gas, and water) 6. The invention of air conditioning in the 1950 boosted industrial growth in the South  Many manufacturing and service industries have moved from the “Rust Belt”  High tech companies have moved from the expensive Pacific coast  Warm weather attracts tourists and retirees 7. Major Cities  Atlanta, Georgia: financial, trade, and transportation center  Houston, Texas: 2nd largest port in the U.S.; Johnson Space Center

D. West (nearly everything west of the Mississippi including Alaska and Hawaii) 1. 50% of the U.S. land area – 20% of the U.S. population 2. Most areas are sparsely populated; plains, mountains, and deserts 3. Pacific Coast is densely populated; California is the most populous state  Excellent farmland, good harbors, and a mild climate 4. Irrigation and air conditioning helped the growth of the region in the 20th century 5. Economic activities vary with the climate and landscape  Farming, ranching, logging, fishing, mining, tourism, and filmmaking 6. Major Cities  Seattle, Washington: major port; home of Boeing, Microsoft, and Starbucks  Los Angeles, California: major Pacific port, center of U.S. movie industry

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