Population Patterns of North America

• The U.S. and Canada have been shaped by immigration – the movement of people into one country from another

• All people in US and Canada are immigrants or descendants of immigrants

• Native Americans probably first came from Asia thousands of years ago

• U.S. and Canada are among the most diverse populations in the world.

• Reasons why people came to U.S. and Canada:

–Religious or political freedom

–Fleeing wars or natural disasters

–Greater economic opportunities

–Sought rich natural resources of the region

• Canada has 8 people per mi²

• 90% live along the border with the U.S.

• U.S. has about 75 people per mi²

• Northeast and Great Lakes area most densely populated areas

• Sunbelt (mild climate - SW) is the fastest growing area of the U.S.

• Urbanization – the migration of people into cities

• 80% of Americans and 60% of Canadians live in metropolitan areas – large cities with outlying communities called suburbs

• Megalopolis – closely linked metropolitan areas

• Ex: Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore

• U.S. and Canada have low birth rates; most population growth comes from mobility, or the ability to move from place to place

History

Where did the first people in North America come from?

Theory #1: nomads crossed land bridge from Asia to Alaska and settled in N. America

Theory #2: nomads from Central and South America settled in N. America at the same time as the people from Asia

European groups come to N. America

• Spanish – controlled Florida and large area west of Mississippi River; set up military posts, missions, farms, and cattle ranches

• French – came for fur trade along rivers; settled along St. Lawrence and Mississippi Rivers.

• English – colonies along Atlantic Coast– Northern colonies- shipbuilding,

fishing, trade– Middle colonies- farming; cash crops– Southern colonies- plantation

farming• In 1763, France gave much of its land

to Britain after the French and Indian War

• English migrate west and push Native Americans off their land

• U.S.A. created in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence; fought and won independence in American Revolution

• Americans set up a republic in which the people elect their own officials

• People still loyal to Great Britain move north and establish the Dominion of Canada

• 1800s – industrialization causes urbanization; cities grow along rivers

• In the south, enslaved Africans provided labor on southern plantations

• Underground Railroad, a series of safe houses, helped many slaves make their way north to freedom

Government

• U.S. and Canada are both democracies with federal systems

• The central governments share power with state or provincial gov’ts

• Bill of Rights – first 10 amendments to the Constitution; give freedom of speech, religion, press, etc.

• Three branches of US gov’t

–Legislative: Congress

–Executive: President; cabinet: President’s advisors

–Judicial: Supreme Court

• Canada is a dominion – a partially self-governing country with close ties to Britain

• Canada has a prime minister and a legislature called Parliament