The United States History Economy and Culture HISTORY

The United States History, Economy, and Culture

HISTORY • United States: world’s fourth largest country in terms of area • #1: Russia • #2: Canada • #3: China • migration: the movement of people within a country or region

• Explorers arriving in the United States: 1. ) Spanish: arrived in 1565 2. ) French: settled near the St. Lawrence River in Canada in the early 1600 s 3. ) English: arrived in early 1600 s, Jamestown in 1607 **all explorers displacing various Native American tribes**

• Columbian Exchange: movement of plants, animals, and diseases between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres during the Age of Exploration

• Louisiana Purchase: territory between the Mississippi River and Rocky Mountains that the United States bought from France in 1803 • Movement westward during 1850 s 1900 s • frontier: free, open land in the American west that was available for settlement

• Early 1900 s: increase in industrialization in cities such as New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Chicago • Shift in movement to suburbs starting in the 1950 s • suburbs: communities located near borders of the central city • What is making the move to the suburbs possible?

United States Government • Federal Republic: powers are divided between national and state governments • Representative Democracy: government in which people rule through elected representatives

economy • The United States has the world’s largest economy • Leader in producing agricultural goods, manufactured goods, and global trade • Produces 10% of the world’s exports (goods sold to another country)

• Three contributing factors for a strong U. S. economy: 1. ) Available natural resources 2. ) Skilled labor force 3. ) Stable political system that has allowed the economy to develop

• Free enterprise: economic system in which individuals own most of the resources, technology, and businesses • Can operate them with little control from the government • American farms supply 40% of world’s corn, 20% of cotton, 10% of wheat and cattle • Leading industries: petroleum, steel, chemicals, electronics, telecommunications, lumber, and mining

• Service industry: economic activity that produces a service rather than a product • Examples: finance, medicine, transportation, and education • Multinationals: corporations that engage in business worldwide

Culture • 63% of Americans trace their ancestry to Europe • Native Americans: 1% of population • 85% of Americans identify as Christian • 56% Protestant • 28% Catholic • 2% Jewish • 2% Muslim

• 80% of Americans live in cities or surrounding suburbs • Pattern of American migration: rural areas→cities→suburbs

What does it mean for something to be a part of American culture? Brainstorm a list of things that are a part of American culture.