The United States of America

Unit 2

U.S. Geographic Regions

Northeast• Most densely populated region of the U.S.• Very cold winters. Hot/Humid summers.• Democratic States• Home to most major corporations in the U.S.• Strong maritime industry (fishing)

South• Hot, humid summers. Mild winters.• Agriculture (farms)• Population is evenly distributed (except cities)• Jazz, country, bluegrass, gospel, blues• Republican States

Midwest• The Great Plains – flat with rolling hills• Dense population around the Great Lakes• Besides that, scarcely populated• Very dry in the Great Plains• Lots of farming

West• Rocky Mountains• Earthquakes, floods, and intense droughts• Population dense along coastal areas,

particularly in California• Hi-tech, wine, movie, and fishing industry• Grand Canyon

U.S. History• Originally inhabited by Native Americans• England, France, and Spain began settling the

“New World”• 13 British colonies• Revolutionary War leads to the founding of

the United States of America (1776/1788)

U.S. Expansion (1788)

U.S. Expansion (1796)

U.S. Expansion (1837)

U.S. Expansion (1850)

U.S. Expansion (1950)

The American Civil War(1861-1865)• Southern states seceded from the Union• Southern states, like today, were highly

agricultural (farming)• Slaves worked the farms• Abraham Lincoln worked to abolish slavery• The Union won

U.S. Immigration• The United States = “The Melting Pot”• The U.S. received large amounts of immigration

in the early 1900s, and recent decades• Early 1900s: Ellis Island

WWI and WWII• “The Great War”: 1914-1918• World War II: 1939-1945• In both wars, resolutions were uncertain• U.S. intervention determined both outcomes• The U.S. has been the world superpower

since WWII

The Cold War (1945-1991)• The war with no fighting• United States* vs Soviet Union*• Capitalism vs Communism• Ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall

September 11, 2001• Terrorists hijack 4 American planes• Sends the United States and other nations into

Afghanistan and Iraq• It was the worst day we have ever seen, but it

brought out the best in all of us.”

American Government• Federal System: National and State Govts. • 3 Branches of Government:– Executive (President)– Legislative (Congress)– Judicial (Supreme Court)

• Republic: people vote for officials to represent them (legislators, senators, etc.)

American Economy • Market/Mixed• 77 % of workers are employed in service jobs– Government– Education– Banking, etc.

• NAFTA (North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement)

American Economy Facts• GDP per capital = $52, 800– The average American makes about $53,000

• Unemployment rate = 7.3%– 7.3% of Americans are looking for a job but do not

have a job• 1/3 of all American exports go to Canada and

Mexico– What are some reasons for this?

What does the U.S.A. produce?

Use your cell phone to find what the United States produces.What do we produce the most of?What do we lead the world in?

Culture: Language• The United States does not have an official

language• People from different parts of the culture use

different words to express the same idea.

What do you call this?

Varied American Language

Culture: Religion• What religion does most of “The South” practice?