The United States

1. The United States INTERIOR NORTHEAST WEST MIDWEST SOUTHWEST SOUTHEAST

2. Facts and figures 50 states, 50 capitals Federal constitutional republic Population > 300 million Capital: Washington, D.C Largest city: NYC, pop. > 8 million

3. Northeast • Includes: Maine, N.H., Vt., Mass., Conn., R.I. (New England) plus N.Y., N.J., Penn. • Rocky coasts to the north; better harbors/shipping ports to the south • Regional characteristics: • Industry and huge cities • culturally diverse • Fast-paced lifestyle • Financial • Fashion • media capital of the world • Cultural icon: White steeple church

4. Southeast • Includes: Ala., Ark., Del., Fla., Ga., Kent., La., Md., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Va., W. Va., Wash. D.C. • Still a “laggin” region overall: • “Islands of Growth in a Sea of Poverty” • large urban/rural economic gaps • Regional characteristics: • Laid back lifestyle • significant cultural differences • religious (Bible Belt) • Cultural icon: Food

5. Midwest • Includes: Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois • Center of country’s meat and grain production (America’s “breadbasket”) • Regional characteristics: • Rural • agriculture • ranching • Cultural icon: • Water towers • grain elevators

6. Southwest • Includes: Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and southern California • Economy dominated by mineral exploitation, oil and agriculture • Regional characteristics: • Immigration issues • big oil business • Cultural icon: • Flat roof and adobe construction

7. Interior • Includes: Colorado*, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming • Large size, low population density (Big Sky Country) • Regional characteristics: • Wilderness • high concentration of indigenous peoples • Culturalicon:Windmill

8. West • Includes: Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, Alaska • Most cities and agriculture in the southern portion • Regional characteristics: • Hollywood glamour • logging and fishing industry • tourism (Hawaii) • fishing/crabbing and oil • global warming (Alaska) • Cultural icon: Totem pole

9. Breadbasket Cultural Landscape Icons – The Water Tower and Grain Elevator Sub-Regions of North America Regional and Culture/Environment Tradition Eastern Breadbasket Corn/Soy Beans/Hogs Western Breadbasket Wheat and Cattle Eastern Breadbasket Cultural Landscape Icons – The County Courthouse • Icons of the Cultural Landscape • Manmade features than symbolize the sub-region • Great Plains Breadbasket • Center of meat and grain production • Nearly all economic activity revolves around agriculture/ranching • Corn, wheat, soybeans, pork – principal products • Border Types • Cultural • Economic • Natural • Combination • Old Economic Core • Remains of the Manufacturing Belt (see Top 20 cities in 1870) • Postindustrial quaternary and quinary economic activity, e.g. Boston and New York City • Includes the Canadian industrial core • Agriculture still important in west part of sub-region • Edge of agricultural dominance, except dairy • Beginning of tourism and foresty • Second homes • Three season tourism Western Core – agriculture still important. 80% of the land in Illinois is in agriculture • American South • Undergone the most change in last 100 yrs = Sunbelt urban growth • Still a “laggin” region overall – “Islands of Growth in a Sea of Poverty” – large urban/rural economic gaps • Strong cultural differences • Continental Interior • Large size, physical diversity, low population density, localized growth issues • Much of the land is owned by national governments • Greatest concentrations of indigenous peoples in both countries • Tourism is of growing importance American South – Cultural Landscape Icons (beware of racist values) Cultural Landscape Icon (new) American South – Cultural Landscape Icons (Food) Cultural border – Mason Dixon Line American South Cultural Landscape Icon – the Smokestack Sadly defunct Cultural Landscape Icon (old) • The Southwest • Deep ties to Mexico; early colonization • Economy dominated by mineral exploitation, oil and agriculture • Border with Mexico is permeable and shifting • Western edge is metropolitan southern California • Quebec (French Canada) • Francophones – not only Quebec • No longer just agricultural, full industrialized and developed • Heightened sense of nationalism Cultural Landscape Icon – Flat Roof and Adobe Construction • New England and Canadian Atlantic • North/South New England split • Economic and cultural similarities between US and Canadian portions • Rapid and severe economic swings Cultural Landscape Icon (US) – the White Church with White Steeple Francophone and Anglophone New Brunswick • Pacific Northwest • Physical geography of narrow coast and interior mountains • Most cities and agriculture in the southern portion • Climatically wet – mid-latitude rain forests • Decline of logging and fishing, rise of high-tech (southern) • Garreau’s original Ecotopia Cultural Landscape Icon (folk culture) – Totem Pole Cultural Landscape Icon- Quebec Village Church Landscape Similarity - which is Maine and which is Newfoundland? John Harmon – G120 – Fall 2003