Texas History

Chapter 2.3

Texans and Geography

Why are we studying this?

Texas has a population that is becoming larger and more

diverse than before.

Who Texans Are

Texas mostly populated by people from different lands. Texas has people

of many different backgrounds, ethnicities,

and races.

Who Texans Are

•Immigration—movement of people from country to country

Who Texans Are

Native Americans

The first people to live in Texas

Who Texans Are

•First Europeans came from Spain

–In recent years, the largest number of immigrants to Texas have come from Mexico.

Who Texans Are

•White, not of Hispanic origin–German, Czech, French, Irish

•African Americans

•Asians

Where Texans Have Settled

•Rio Grande Valley—Hispanics

•East Texas—early settlers from the U.S.

•Central Texas—Czech and German

Where Texans Settle

•Texas is historically a rural state

•Since 1950 it has been more urban

•2000: 85% of population lives in cities

The Growing Population of Texas

•2000: Population 20+ million

•Texas population continues to grow and become more diverse

The Growing Population of Texas

•Demography—the branch of geography that studies human populations

The Growing Population of Texas

Demographers look at:

growth rate—the speed of growth

The Growing Population of Texas

•Birthrate—number of births per 1000 people

•Death rate—number of deaths per 1000 people

The Growing Population of Texas

Birthrate: 17.5

Death rate: 7.3

The Growing Population of Texas

Factors contributing to Texas growth:

1. Better healthcare2. More people being born than

dying3. Continued immigration

The Growing Population of Texas

Age distribution—portion of the

population at each age group

Immigration

Births

Deaths

Growth

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