Economic
Free Market
• A market economy in which individuals depend on supply, demand, and prices to determine the answers to the four economic questions of:
* “what to produce,” “how to produce,” “how much to produce,” and “for whom to produce”
• The system has four characteristics:
* economic freedom
* voluntary exchange
* private property
* the profit motive

Economic
Agriculture
• Most productive industrial region in the world
• Major Industries: automobiles, technologies, food stuffs

Economic
Agriculture
• Most productive agricultural region in the world
• Agricultural Products: beef, corn, wheat
• US uses commercial farming
• Needs for commercial farming: arable land, capital, technology

Economic
Wealth
• US is extremely wealthy compared to other regions of the world and has a high standard of living
• GDP Per capita: the average income for a person in a country
* US: $40,100
• Reasons for high GDP per capita:
* low fertility rates
* high literacy rates
* abundance of natural resources (#1)
* services/luxuries available because of high levels of wealth, health care, entertainment, better education and public services

Economic
Developed Infrastructure
• Infrastructure: The basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including schools, post offices, and prisons

Economic
Diversified Economies
• The US has a diversified economy; many different types of industries
• Diversify: to spread out into many businesses and industries so that if one becomes weak the country remains strong
• Countries that do not diversify their economies risk economic collapse if one industry begins to struggle

Economic
Banking and Trade
• Banking provides capital (money) for business expansion
• People and businesses can buy more products
• Things often purchases with money from loans:
* Cars, Homes, New Businesses
• More purchases help businesses, help economy
• Banks earn money from interest

Economic
Stock Exchanges
• New York hosts one of the world’s major stock exchanges
• Stock exchanges: people can invest their money by buying stock in companies; if the companies earn money, the investors earn money
• Why stocks are risky:
* stocks can lose value; investor can lose money
* major stock market crash occurred in 1929

• Technology
• Consumer goods
• Information systems
• Agricultural products

Economic
Influence of Popular Culture
• Globalization: American businesses, media spread throughout the world:
* McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Movies, CDs, ESPN, Levi’s blue jeans

Economic
Globalization
• Backlash against American culture
* many countries with traditional cultures are offended by
American culture

• NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)
• Member countries: US, Canada, Mexico
• Reasons for joining an economic union:
* new markets for US companies to sell to
* access to more products/resources

Economic
• Companies that operate worldwide by selling to foreign markets and/or manufacturing overseas
• Examples of American multinational corporations:
* Microsoft, IBM, General Motors, Ford, General Electric

Economic
Sustained Economic Growth
• US has continued to get richer
* no major changes in government
* having money helps you earn more money
• Countries that have been hurt economically because of changes in government:
* Russia, Afghanistan

Economic
Widening Gap between Rich and Poor
• More demand for skilled labor
• Education necessary for high-paying jobs
• Jobs in demand:
* computer skills, interpreters, other jobs in that require education and specific skills

Cultural
Colonized by Europeans
• United States:
* Dutch & England colonized Eastern US
* France colonized Louisiana Territory
* Spain colonized Florida, American Southwest (and Mexico)
* Russia colonized Alaska

Cultural
Multicultural Societies
•
United States is made up of many different ethnic, language, and religious groups
* Total Population:
314,416,442 (September 2012)
* Major Ethnic Groups:
Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Asian
* Religion:
Protestant 52%, Catholic 24%
* Language:
English 82%, Spanish 11%

Cultural
Increasingly Diverse Populations
• USA receives many immigrants from Latin America and Asia
• Challenges because of diverse populations:
* Communication
* Racism

Cultural
High Literacy Rates
• US—97%
• World Average—82%
• Reason for high literacy rates: Education
• Result of high literacy rates: Wealth

Cultural
Highly Urbanized
• US: 75% urban, 25% rural
• World: 47% urban, 53% rural
• High rates of urbanization are usually found in developed countries

Cultural
Highly Mobile Populations
• Transportation technologies and infrastructure are well developed in the US
• Transportation technologies: Cars, Planes, Trains
• Transportation infrastructure: Roads, Airports, Railroads

Cultural
World’s Longest Unfortified Border
• Border between US and Canada is the world’s longest unfortified
(undefended) border
• US and Canada aren’t enemies and are often military allies (NATO) and trade partners (NAFTA)

Cultural
Democratic Governments
• US: Representative Democracy/Republic
* People elect executive (President)
* People elect lawmakers (Congress)
• Elected governments allow for freedom and opportunity

Cultural
Arts that Reflect Multicultural Societies
• Different music, architectural styles, etc. are contributions from different cultural groups
• Examples:
* Jazz music, Blues, Rap, Country
* Colonial or Spanish-style homes

Cultural
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
• US and Canada belong to NATO
• Original purpose of NATO: military alliance against the former Soviet Union and its communist allies (Warsaw Pact countries)
• Current purpose of NATO: military alliance that cooperates to fight worldwide terrorism
• Other NATO members:
* Germany
* United Kingdom
* Spain
* Italy

Cultural
Cities as Centers of Culture and Trade
Washington, D.C.
• Capital of United States; center of US national government
• Built along Potomac River
• Home of Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, US
Capitol Building, other famous sites
• 60% African-American, 33% White
• Very high crime rate
• 3 major airports; Metro system

Cultural
Cities as Centers of Culture and Trade
Chicago
• Located on shore of Lake Michigan
• 3rd largest US city behind New York and Los Angeles
• “Windy City”
• Major financial center and shipment point between agricultural Midwest and manufacturing East
• Ethnic makeup: similar numbers of White,
• African-American, and Hispanic

Cultural
Cities as Centers of Culture and Trade
New York City
• Harbor city
• The “Big Apple”
• Statue of Liberty
• Largest populated city in the United States
• Home of United Nations
• Major financial center with stock exchanges, business headquarters, media outlets
• Large immigrant population from over 180 countries
• Low crime rate compared to other major US cities
• Subway—commuter city; cars less popular than in other major US cities because of congestion

Cultural
Cities as Centers of Culture and Trade
• 2 nd largest population of US cities; largest geographically
• Reason city sprawls outward instead of building skyscrapers like New York:
Earthquakes
• Major immigration point; one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world
• High Hispanic population
• Heavy reliance on automobiles; causes pollution
• Major gang problem
• Major media center: Hollywood, television, news outlets

Cultural
Influence of Automobile
• Gas Stations
• Motels
• Interstate Highways
• Drive-up Services

• Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland, and the District of Columbia
• The Northeast can be subdivided into two smaller regions:
* New England and Mid-Atlantic States
• The Northeast has the longest history of European settlement.
• Historically, the Northeast has been the gateway to immigrants.
• Most densely populated region of the country

South
• North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana
• Deep South: consists of the six founding members of the
Confederacy
* S. Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana
• Cajun South: Louisiana and East Texas
• Gulf Coast States: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Texas

• Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and
Iowa
• The Mid-West was considered the “Western Frontier”, hence the name.
• Historically known as the breadbasket of the U.S., as this is also an agricultural region.
• Also known as a manufacturing, blue-collar hub of the U.S.

• Strip of States through the center of the country
* Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota
• Transition States: Oklahoma, Panhandle of Texas, Eastern Colorado,
Wyoming and Montana
• The Great Plains was also used for cattle grazing and cattle drives.
• Many of the cities in this area were founded as railroad hubs for cattle.
• Homestead Act of 1862: provided each settler with 160 acres of land, as long as he cultivated the land.
• This caused a rush of settlers to the Great Plains region in the 1800s.

Regions of the United States of
America
• New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona
• Transition States: Colorado, Wyoming and Montana are also Great Plains
States.
• Southwest: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Southern Utah/Nevada
• Mining towns
• Outlaws (Wild West)
• Cattle/Sheep Grazing
• Reservation Lands
• Las Vegas and Reno- Gambling towns
• National Park Service

Pacific Coast
• California, Oregon and Washington
* Alaska and Hawaii will be covered separately
• Hi-tech Industry
• Movie Industry
• Farming in the San Joaquin Valley
• Wine (Napa and Sonoma)
• Tourism
• Fishing on the coast