Chapter 6

World Regions in Global Context:World Regions in Global Context:Peoples, Places, and Environments (3Peoples, Places, and Environments (3rdrd Ed.) Ed.)

Sallie A. Marston, Paul L. Knox, Sallie A. Marston, Paul L. Knox, & Diana M. Liverman& Diana M. Liverman

Chapter 6: Chapter 6:

The United States and CanadaThe United States and Canada

Robert M. ArthurRobert M. Arthur

The United States & CanadaThe United States & Canada

Two of the Largest and Wealthiest Countries North Two of the Largest and Wealthiest Countries North of the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancerof the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer

World LeadersWorld Leaders

Setting the BoundariesSetting the Boundaries

North AmericaNorth America• Region composed of two countries:Region composed of two countries:

CanadaCanada The United StatesThe United States

• Highly mobile, industrialized, and Highly mobile, industrialized, and urbanizedurbanized

North America

LandformsLandforms Centered on the Centered on the

Canadian ShieldCanadian Shield• Interior lowlandsInterior lowlands• Great plainsGreat plains• AppalachiansAppalachians• Coastal plainCoastal plain• Pacific MountainsPacific Mountains• Rocky MountainsRocky Mountains• Intermontane Intermontane

regionregion

A Diverse Physical SettingA Diverse Physical Setting

Chesapeake Bay >

Glacier National Park, Montana

ClimateClimate Extreme VariationsExtreme Variations

• Cold arctic air massCold arctic air mass• Hot, moist air – Gulf of MexicoHot, moist air – Gulf of Mexico• Moderation of the CoastsModeration of the Coasts

Maritime climatesMaritime climates

• Large interior land massLarge interior land mass Continental climateContinental climate Great Lakes and their effectsGreat Lakes and their effects

• Rainfall higher in the east and declining Rainfall higher in the east and declining westwardwestward

• Jet Stream – mixing of air masses - stormsJet Stream – mixing of air masses - storms

Physical Diversity: ClimatePhysical Diversity: Climate

Region’s size, latitudinal range, and Region’s size, latitudinal range, and varied terrain contribute to diversity varied terrain contribute to diversity in climate and vegetation patterns.in climate and vegetation patterns.• Cooler Continental Interior: Boreal Cooler Continental Interior: Boreal

ForestForest• High Latitudes: TundraHigh Latitudes: Tundra• Drier Continental Climates: PrairieDrier Continental Climates: Prairie

Climate Map

Florida’s Changing ShorelineFlorida’s Changing Shoreline Sea Level RiseSea Level Rise

• Hazards for low-Hazards for low-lying zones along lying zones along East CoastEast Coast

Other HazardsOther Hazards• Tropical HurricanesTropical Hurricanes• Coastal StormsCoastal Storms• Heavy Winter SurfHeavy Winter Surf• Beach ErosionBeach Erosion

Figure 3.9

EnvironmentEnvironment

ResourcesResources• Wildlife, fisheries,forests, fertile land, minerals, Wildlife, fisheries,forests, fertile land, minerals,

fresh waterfresh water• Technical capability to exploit themTechnical capability to exploit them

Before EuropeansBefore Europeans

Initially of Little Initially of Little Importance to Importance to EuropeansEuropeans• No gold or silverNo gold or silver• No large societies to No large societies to

plunderplunder• L’Ance aux MeadowsL’Ance aux Meadows• Large variety of culturesLarge variety of cultures• 2200 languages2200 languages• Independent small Independent small

groupsgroups

Environmental HistoryEnvironmental History

Native PeoplesNative Peoples• Bering Land BridgeBering Land Bridge• Neolithic huntersNeolithic hunters• Southward Southward

migrationmigration• Hunter gatherersHunter gatherers• Shifting cultivationShifting cultivation• Perceptions of land Perceptions of land

use in conflict with use in conflict with EuropeansEuropeans

Environmental ChallengesEnvironmental Challenges

Industrial Pollution DecliningIndustrial Pollution Declining• Factories cleaned up or movedFactories cleaned up or moved• Acid RainAcid Rain• Automobile emissionsAutomobile emissions• Cross-border problemsCross-border problems• Superfund sitesSuperfund sites• High degree of resource consumptionHigh degree of resource consumption

EnvironmentalIssues

Human–Environment Interaction: Human–Environment Interaction: Costs of Human ModificationCosts of Human Modification

Soils, Vegetation, and WaterSoils, Vegetation, and Water• Agricultural TransformationsAgricultural Transformations• Urban TransformationsUrban Transformations

AtmosphereAtmosphere• Acid RainAcid Rain• Air QualityAir Quality

Resource ConsumptionResource Consumption

Costs of Human ModificationCosts of Human Modification

• Water in the West

• California Aqueduct

• How has engineeringshaped the agriculturaland metropolitan landscapes of the West?

Colonization & IndependenceColonization & Independence Dramatic transformation over a short Dramatic transformation over a short

time spantime span• Europeanization – 16Europeanization – 16thth to 17 to 17thth C C • Dominated by the BritishDominated by the British• ‘‘Wild’ landscape required tamingWild’ landscape required taming• Old World diseases devastating nativesOld World diseases devastating natives• Seven Year’s War / French and Indian WarSeven Year’s War / French and Indian War

British victoriousBritish victorious

• AmericanizationAmericanization• Revolutionary WarRevolutionary War

The Legacy of SlaveryThe Legacy of Slavery

Differential development – Differential development – North/SouthNorth/South• Large plantations – tobacco, cotton, Large plantations – tobacco, cotton,

indigoindigo• Indentured servants giving way to Indentured servants giving way to

slaveryslavery• Slavery lasted for 250 yearsSlavery lasted for 250 years• Ended with the Civil War (1861 – 1865)Ended with the Civil War (1861 – 1865)• Lasting effectsLasting effects

European SettlementEuropean Settlement Settlement IncreasesSettlement Increases

• U.S settlement continuous and contiguousU.S settlement continuous and contiguous• Leapfrogs to west coastLeapfrogs to west coast• Canadian settlement hindered by the shieldCanadian settlement hindered by the shield• Railroads open the plainsRailroads open the plains• HomesteadingHomesteading• Mid 1800s – manufacturing develops in the US Mid 1800s – manufacturing develops in the US

northeastnortheast

Settlement Geographies: Settlement Geographies: RuralRural

Repeating Repeating geometric geometric patterns are a patterns are a hallmark of rural hallmark of rural North American North American landscapeslandscapes• Township and Township and

Range “stamp” in Range “stamp” in Iowa Iowa

TobaccoTobacco Cultivated by Natives Cultivated by Natives

5000 Years Ago5000 Years Ago• Europeans ‘discovered’ in Europeans ‘discovered’ in

1515thth C C

• Cigarettes introduced in Cigarettes introduced in

1850’s – elite, expensive1850’s – elite, expensive

• Mechanized production in Mechanized production in

the 1870s and 1880sthe 1870s and 1880s American tobacco American tobacco

company – monopolycompany – monopoly Broken up in 1911Broken up in 1911

UrbanizationUrbanization Cities as Centers of TradeCities as Centers of Trade

• PortsPorts• Cultural hearthsCultural hearths• ManufacturingManufacturing

MaineMaine

• IndustrializationIndustrialization US – Canadian manufacturing US – Canadian manufacturing

beltbelt

• Differentiation between US Differentiation between US north and southnorth and south

• Manifest destinyManifest destiny• British North American ActBritish North American Act

American City American City GrowthGrowth• Changing Changing

Transportation Transportation TechnologiesTechnologies

• Evolving from Evolving from Concentric Zones Concentric Zones to Urban Realmsto Urban Realms

• Urban Urban DecentralizationDecentralization

Settlement Geographies: UrbanSettlement Geographies: Urban Urban Realms Urban Realms

ModelModel• Highlights new Highlights new

suburban growthsuburban growth

• Edge citiesEdge cities

Higher income residents in Indianapolis tend to cluster toward newer opportunities on the urban periphery

Settlement Geographies: Urban Settlement Geographies: Urban (cont’d)(cont’d)

GentrificationGentrification• Pittsburgh’s South Pittsburgh’s South

Side Works Side Works neighborhood is neighborhood is evidence of an evidence of an urban renaissance urban renaissance on the site of an on the site of an old steel plant on old steel plant on the Monongahela the Monongahela RiverRiver

Settlement Geographies: Settlement Geographies: SuburbanSuburban

Sprawl in Las Vegas, NVSprawl in Las Vegas, NV• Rapid pace of change in suburban Rapid pace of change in suburban

Henderson, Nevada between 1990 and 2000Henderson, Nevada between 1990 and 2000

U.S. Global HegemonyU.S. Global Hegemony Political and Military Political and Military

StrengthStrength• Monroe Doctrine – Monroe Doctrine –

18231823• Roosevelt Corollary – Roosevelt Corollary –

19041904 Unilateral Unilateral

involvement in South involvement in South AmericaAmerica

• Cold War policiesCold War policies• War on terrorismWar on terrorism

US intervention US intervention without allied supportwithout allied support

A Global Reach …A Global Reach …

PopulationPopulation

U.S. – 281.5 millionU.S. – 281.5 million• Widely distributed Widely distributed

populationpopulation• White – 73%White – 73%• Afro-American – 11%Afro-American – 11%• Hispanic – 11%Hispanic – 11%• Mostly ProtestantMostly Protestant

Canada – 30 millionCanada – 30 million• 75% live close to US border75% live close to US border• British – 33%British – 33%• French – 25%French – 25%• Roman Catholics, mostly in Roman Catholics, mostly in

QuebecQuebec• Protestant elsewhereProtestant elsewhere

Population: Population: Current PatternsCurrent Patterns

Modern Spatial and Modern Spatial and Demographic Demographic PatternsPatterns• Uneven pattern of Uneven pattern of

distributiondistribution• Metropolitan Metropolitan

clusters dominate clusters dominate landscapelandscape

MegalopolisMegalopolis

Population: Historic PatternsPopulation: Historic Patterns European European

Settlement Settlement ExpansionExpansion• 11stst Stage (1600– Stage (1600–

1750)1750)• 22ndnd Stage (1750– Stage (1750–

1850)1850)• 33rdrd Stage (1850– Stage (1850–

1910)1910)

Waves of ImmigrationWaves of Immigration

Three Major Waves of Immigration into the U.S.Three Major Waves of Immigration into the U.S.• 1st Wave - Irish and German immigrants1st Wave - Irish and German immigrants• 22ndnd Wave - Russian Jews, Italians, Polish Wave - Russian Jews, Italians, Polish• 33rdrd Wave - Asian, Latin Wave - Asian, Latin

Assimilation vs. MulticulturalismAssimilation vs. Multiculturalism U.S. AssimilationU.S. Assimilation

• Melting PotMelting Pot• Mix all culturesMix all cultures• Create a new oneCreate a new one

Canada Canada MulticulturalismMulticulturalism• Right to cultureRight to culture• Retain individual Retain individual

culturescultures• Live together Live together

peacefullypeacefully

Vancouver’s Immigrant PopulationVancouver’s Immigrant Population

North Americans North Americans on the Moveon the Move

Westward MigrationWestward Migration African-American African-American

Migration from the Migration from the SouthSouth

Rural-to-Urban Rural-to-Urban MigrationMigration

Migration to the Migration to the Sunbelt SouthSunbelt South

CounterurbanizationCounterurbanization

Internal MigrationInternal Migration Three stagesThree stages

• 1 – Rural to urban 1 – Rural to urban and east to westand east to west

Due to Due to industrializationindustrialization

Reduce crowding in Reduce crowding in the eastthe east

Homestead ActHomestead Act

• 2 – South to north2 – South to north African AmericansAfrican Americans Massive and rapidMassive and rapid

• 3 – To the Sunbelt3 – To the Sunbelt Industrial Industrial

unemploymentunemployment

• SuburbanizationSuburbanization

Internal MigrationInternal Migration

Black Exodus from the SouthBlack Exodus from the South

Artist Romare Bearden’s interpretation of life in Harlem was Artist Romare Bearden’s interpretation of life in Harlem was based on an actual neighborhood in Harlem and his based on an actual neighborhood in Harlem and his experiences in the Northeast and Southexperiences in the Northeast and South

U.S. & Canadian CultureU.S. & Canadian Culture U.S. CultureU.S. Culture

• MusicMusic Jazz, gospel, blues, Jazz, gospel, blues,

country, bluegrass, country, bluegrass, rock, raprock, rap

• CraftsCrafts Pottery, rugs, Pottery, rugs,

jewelryjewelry

• SportsSports BaseballBaseball

Canadian CultureCanadian Culture• Canadian contentCanadian content

Mixture of immigrant and Mixture of immigrant and British settler influencesBritish settler influences

Globalization of CultureGlobalization of Culture

Cultural Diffusion: Two-way processCultural Diffusion: Two-way process• North America Other World North America Other World

RegionsRegions LanguageLanguage TourismTourism InternetInternet MediaMedia

Forms of Connectivity

Patterns of Ethnicity: Regional and Local Scales

Culturally Diverse Landscapes: Culturally Diverse Landscapes: MiamiMiami

Globalized ConsumptionGlobalized Consumption

Geopolitical Issues

Challenges to Federalism:

-Quebec Secession

-Native Land Claims

Politics of Immigration

Life in Nunavut

Immigration Protests

Transforming EconomiesTransforming Economies ¼ of Worlds GNP¼ of Worlds GNP

• U.S. world’s largest U.S. world’s largest economyeconomy

• Canada – 9Canada – 9thth largest largest Shifting BalancesShifting Balances

• Decline of Rust BeltDecline of Rust Belt DeindustrializationDeindustrialization Creative destructionCreative destruction RevitalizationRevitalization

• Rise of sunbeltRise of sunbelt Movement of capitalMovement of capital

Creating a Continental Creating a Continental EconomyEconomy

Sectoral Sectoral TransformationTransformation• Evolution from Evolution from

primary sector to primary sector to quaternary sectorquaternary sector

• Map illustrates Map illustrates spatial spatial concentrations of concentrations of these these transformationstransformations

Sectoral ShiftsSectoral ShiftsGulf Coast Petroleum Refining

Silicon Valley

U.S. & Canadian CoreU.S. & Canadian Core Megalopolis – Megalopolis –

BosWashBosWash Main StreetMain Street

• Windsor to Quebec Windsor to Quebec CityCity

Manufacturing BeltManufacturing Belt• Railroad connectionsRailroad connections• Rust BeltRust Belt

Population lossPopulation loss DisinvestmentDisinvestment

• RevitalizedRevitalized• Primary corePrimary core

Canadian EconomyCanadian Economy

Staples EconomyStaples Economy• Hewers of wood, drawers of waterHewers of wood, drawers of water• Dependence on natural resource exploitationDependence on natural resource exploitation• Concentrated industrializationConcentrated industrialization• Shift to service sectorShift to service sector

Restructuring the StateRestructuring the State

Federal StatesFederal States• Power is allocated to local governmentsPower is allocated to local governments

States, provincesStates, provinces

• Stronger federal government in U.S.Stronger federal government in U.S. Conceived with strong statesConceived with strong states

• Canada, powers devolved to provincesCanada, powers devolved to provinces Due to Quebec issueDue to Quebec issue More inclined to guarantee social welfareMore inclined to guarantee social welfare

Wealth & InequalityWealth & Inequality ““Rich getting richer and poor getting poorer”Rich getting richer and poor getting poorer”

• 34.6 million U.S. families below poverty level34.6 million U.S. families below poverty level• U.N. states that U.S. has highest child poverty of U.N. states that U.S. has highest child poverty of

industrialized counties – as high as 17%industrialized counties – as high as 17% Lowest government benefitsLowest government benefits Stagnation of lower income wagesStagnation of lower income wages

Wealth & InequalityWealth & Inequality

Rural PovertyRural Poverty• Decline of family farmsDecline of family farms• Farm frisesFarm frises• Influence of transnationalsInfluence of transnationals

Urban PovertyUrban Poverty• High cost of housingHigh cost of housing• Wealth disparityWealth disparity

Persisting Social IssuesPersisting Social Issues

Wealth and Poverty in Tampa and New York City

Aging Landscapes in Arizona

The New EconomyThe New Economy Technology Technology

IndustriesIndustries• Began in Silicon Began in Silicon

ValleyValley• Reorganization of Reorganization of

workwork Biotech and farmingBiotech and farming Productivity is fasterProductivity is faster RiskierRiskier Knowledge-based Knowledge-based

jobsjobs

Pacific RimPacific Rim

Western Portion of CaliforniaWestern Portion of California• San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego

and Sacramentoand Sacramento• Oriented to Asian marketsOriented to Asian markets• Birthplace of the new economyBirthplace of the new economy

66thth largest world economy - $1.4 billion largest world economy - $1.4 billion High tech industriesHigh tech industries Top universitiesTop universities Service sector industriesService sector industries Recreational lifestyleRecreational lifestyle

Los AngelesLos Angeles 22ndnd Largest U.S. City Largest U.S. City

• 16 million16 million• Founded in 1781Founded in 1781• Multi-ethnicMulti-ethnic• Lack of waterLack of water• Transportation and Transportation and

SprawlSprawl• ManufacturingManufacturing

WeaponsWeapons GarmentsGarments FurnitureFurniture

• HollywoodHollywood

CascadiaCascadia Northern Pacific Northern Pacific

RimRim• Vancouver, Vancouver,

Seattle, and Seattle, and PortlandPortland

• InternationalInternational Busiest border Busiest border

crossingcrossing

• Four quality portsFour quality ports• Aerospace Aerospace

industryindustry• Software Software

manufacturingmanufacturing• TourismTourism

VancouverVancouver BeautifulBeautiful

• Ocean and mountainsOcean and mountains• Close to U.S. borderClose to U.S. border• 33rdrd largest Canadian city largest Canadian city• ““Gateway to the Far East”Gateway to the Far East”

• Hong Kong Hong Kong ImmigrantsImmigrants

Expensive real estateExpensive real estate High taxesHigh taxes Cultural centerCultural center

• Marijuana growingMarijuana growing

New York CityNew York City Premier U.S. CityPremier U.S. City

• 21 million21 million• World cityWorld city• Eire CanalEire Canal• Major portMajor port• 1975 financial 1975 financial

crisescrises• 1995 resurgence1995 resurgence• GentrificationGentrification

End of Chapter 6:End of Chapter 6:

The United States and CanadaThe United States and Canada

World Regions in Global Context:World Regions in Global Context:Peoples, Places, and Environments (3Peoples, Places, and Environments (3rdrd Ed.) Ed.)

Sallie A. Marston, Paul L. Knox, Sallie A. Marston, Paul L. Knox, & Diana M. Liverman& Diana M. Liverman