North American Region and the 5 themes

These are my notes for today
- 335 million people
- Everything diverse
- Rich in natural resources
- GLOBALIZATION!!
- Last remaining global super power!

ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY-
- Transformed the land (animals weren't originally here)
- 3nd largest consumer of water in the world
- Water quality is becoming a problem- shortages
- Pollution!! (air modification
- Industries, utilities, automobiles
- Carbon dioxide, sulfur, nitrogen oxides, particulates
- Acid rain
- Formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide get into the water system
- Pollution goes into rain clouds and then comes down

POPULATION AND SETTLEMENT:
- In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean
- Native Americans already lived in the Americas
- 3.2 million in US and 1.2 in Canada
- In 1491 about 90 to 112 million people in all the Americas (also South America)
- In any case 95% of Native Americans died after Europeans came (warfare, disease-- Smallpox!)
- Stage 1- (1600- 1750) The Europeans settle on the east coast of N. America
- Stage 2-( 1750- 1850) settlers surge across the Appalachian Mountains
- Stage 3- (1850- 1910) move to Great Plains, Utah, Oregon, California
- One of the largest and most rapid human transformations of the landscape in history
- Mega - metropolis from Boston to NYC to Philly to Baltimore to Washington DC--- well over 40 million people.
MIGRATION
- Westward movement--> high tech jobs, recreation, scenery, break from winters
- This means more building and it can be bad
- Black Exodus from the South
- Post- civil war, worked as sharecroppers
- Fewer farming jobs sent blacks north to the cities
- Rural to Urban Migration
- Job opportunities
- 200 years ago 5% urban
- Now 82% urban
- South
- After 1970 the southern states grew quickly, retirement, job opportunities
- Counter urbanization
- People are leaving for rural-- more affordable, more space, less crime, better schools, easier retirement

CULTURAL COHERENCE AND DIVERSITY
- A mosaic of different people
- Immigrants been arriving for 400 years
- (1880- 1930) huge waves of immigrants from Europe
- In 1910, 14% of Americans were born in a different country
- Since 1970 more big numbers mostly from Latin America and Asia
- WE SPEAK SPANISH!
- By 2070 1 out of 3 people will be hispanic

- GEOPOLITICAL FRAMEWORK
- US and Canada have a great relationship
- We have a 5,525 miles long border
- Always gotten along with CANADA!
US CONFLICTS
- How many immigrants should be allowed into the country?
- What should we do about the illegal Mexicans?
- 1.2 million are getting arrested at the border
- How do we deal with the undocumented workers that are already in the country
CANADA'S CONFLICTS
- Conflicts between french and english speaking populations
- Conflict between canada and U.S. about salmon fisheries and timber un British Columbia

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT::