American studies & culture.pptx

Part II: OVERVIEW

ABOUT THE UNITED STATES

CONTENTSCONTENTS

1. Some facts about the USA2. E PLURIBUS UNUM3. Geography4. History5. People6. Culture7. Economy8. Government

The factfile of the USA The factfile of the USA Washington: the capital cityNew York: the biggest city.Official language: American English.Current president: Barack Obama.Surface: 9.8 million km

2 (3rd biggest)

Number of States: 50Population: 307.000.000 (3rd biggest)

Independence Day: July 4thAnthem:

E PLURIBUS UNUME PLURIBUS UNUM

E PLURIBUS UNUME PLURIBUS UNUM

What is E PLURIBUS UNUM?What is E PLURIBUS UNUM?United States mottoAppearing on the US coins & moneyAppearing on many US public

monumentsMeans “From many, one”Primarily used to unify 13 British

colonies in North America during the American Revolution (1775-1783)

The Melting Pot (the nation of nations)

13 British colonies13 British colonies

UNITED STATES UNITED STATES GEOGRAPHYGEOGRAPHY

UNITED STATES UNITED STATES GEOGRAPHYGEOGRAPHY

50 STATES OF THE USA50 STATES OF THE USA

OFFICIAL REGIONS OF THE OFFICIAL REGIONS OF THE USAUSA

THE USA BY REGIONSTHE USA BY REGIONSTHE WESTTHE WEST

Basin and Range

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains -extends more than 3,000 miles across the western part of North America

Great Basin - a large desert that covers 200,000 sq. miles in California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming

Mt. Ranier - 14,410 ft., 4,392 meters, Cascade in Washington, Highest peak in Washington

Mt. McKinley - 20,320 ft. 6,194 meters, Alaska Range in Alaska, Highest peak in North America

Mt Hood -11,239 ft, 3,426 Meters, Cascade in Oregon, Inactive volcano with many glaciers

Great Plains - vast, dry   land in North America

Geographical FeaturesGeographical Features

Geographical FeaturesGeographical FeaturesAbundance or scarcity of water affects natural

vegetation, economic activity, and population density.

Much of the West has a semiarid or arid climate, with short grasses, shrubs, sagebrush, and cactuses for vegetation.

The western side of the cordillera receives much more rainfall, and it contains deciduous and coniferous forests at lower elevations.

Hawaii has a wet tropical climate and dense tropical vegetation.

The tundra of Alaska is a dry, treeless plain that sprouts grasses and mosses only when the top layer of soil thaws in the summer.

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parts of the West get extremely high amounts of rain and/or snow

other parts are true desert and get less than 5 inches of rain per year.

seasonal temperatures vary greatly throughout the West.

Low elevations on the West Coast have warm to very hot summers and get little to no snow.

The Desert Southwest has very hot summers and mild winters.

““Go West, Young Man”Go West, Young Man”Why did people go West?

Why would people want to migrate West?

Men like Wild Bill Hickok and Wyatt Earp were hired to keep law and order in the rising towns of the West.

Yellow Stone -Wyoming Cayonlands -Utah Rocky Mountains -

Colorado Yosemite, Disney,

HollyWood, Golden Gate Bridge -California

Glacier -Montana Hoover Dame -Nevada Idaho Falls -Idaho Crater Lake -Oregon Olympic -Washington

Yellow Stone National Park

View of Hoover

Dam from Bypass

Bridge.

Grand Canyon - ColoradoGrand Canyon - Colorado

THE USA BY REGIONSTHE USA BY REGIONSTHE MID-WESTTHE MID-WEST

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Geographical FeaturesGeographical FeaturesThe Midwest is relatively flat and contains

fertile soil that is rich in a dark-colored organic material called humus.

The Midwestern climate favors agriculture with its long, hot summers.

There are many regional variations, such as precipitation, growing season, and quality of soil, that affect the type of agriculture possible.

Midwestern farms, the most productive in the world, have earned the Midwest the nickname “the nation’s breadbasket.”

AlabamaArkansasIowaKansas

MississippiMissouriNebraskaOklahomaTexas.

•The Great Plain States: Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota

•flat, rises gradually to eventually meet the Rocky Mountains.

• In Minnesota

• Origin of the Mississippi River.

THE USA BY REGIONSTHE USA BY REGIONSTHE SOUTHTHE SOUTH

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Geographical FeaturesGeographical FeaturesThe South’s warm, wet climate

produces thick mixed forests and stands of mangrove trees.

Marshy inlets of lakes and rivers in Louisiana are called bayous.

Rich soils, ideal for agriculture, attracted Europeans, some of whom built large plantations.

Farming is still important to the South’s economy.

Some parts of the South, such as Appalachia, are deeply impoverished.

Slaves Working on a Slaves Working on a Plantation, 1862Plantation, 1862

Marshy Areas in the SouthMarshy Areas in the South

AGRICULTURAL AGRICULTURAL PLANTATIONSPLANTATIONS

THE USA BY REGIONSTHE USA BY REGIONSTHE NORTHEASTTHE NORTHEAST

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Geographical FeaturesGeographical Features

relatively few natural resourcesThe Appalachian Mountains

make some areas quite rugged.Apart from coal in Pennsylvania,

the Northeast has few mineral resources

a center of commerce and fishing since Colonial times

Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains

Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountainsmade of several other ranges.

◦The Green Mountains◦The White Mountains◦The Catskill Mountains◦The Poconos Mountains◦The Adirondack Mountains

the oldest mountain range in North America.

begins in Canada and extends south to Alabama

Land and Water in the Land and Water in the NortheastNortheastThe Northeast Region has many areas of incredible scenery and

natural formations.The Chesapeake Bay and other bays in the region provide

seafood for many people.

Niagara FallsNiagara Falls

Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay

Ellis IslandEllis IslandMost European immigrants came into the U.S. through the port of New York.The U.S. opened an immigration station on Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Inspectors checked the immigrants’ papers and health. The Ellis Island station was closed in 1954.

WHITE HOUSEWHITE HOUSE

The Coastline of the The Coastline of the NortheastNortheastranges from sandy beaches to rocky cliffs.

Resources of the Resources of the NortheastNortheast The climate and geography of the Northeast Region

make it excellent for growing grapes and

cranberries.

A lot of maple trees grow in the Northeast. The sap from these trees is

harvested to make maple syrup. Minerals are an important resource to this area.

Minerals such as granite and marble are minerals that are mined here.

Chesapeake Bay got its name from the Native American word for “Great Shell Fish Bay”. It is very

rich in fish and shellfish allowing the fishermen to make a living.

UNITED STATES TIME UNITED STATES TIME ZONESZONES

UNITED STATES TIME UNITED STATES TIME ZONESZONES

THE DIFFERENCES IN TIMETHE DIFFERENCES IN TIME

Hawaii Time Alaska Time Pacific TimeMountain

TimeCentral Time

Eastern Time

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