The Cultural Geography of the U.S.

and Canada

Population Patterns

 Both the U.S. and Canada have been shaped by

immigration
Immigration The movement of people from one country to

another

About 5% of the worlds population live in either the

U.S. or Canada
The U.S. has about 312 million people Canada has about 33 million

 North Americas first immigrants probably came from

Asia thousands of years ago.

Today, their descendents are known as Native

Americans.
Immigrants came from Europe, Asia and Africa to find

religious freedom and better economic opportunities.

 Canada has an average population density of only 8

people per square mile.

About 90% of all Canadians live within 100 miles of

the U.S. border.

The U.S. has about 77 people per square mile California is the most populous state.

 Urbanization The concentration of people in cities. Today, most people in the U.S. and Canada live in a

metropolitan area.
Metropolitan City with a population of at least 50,000

people

They also have settled largely in suburbs.

Suburbs Outlying communities of Metropolitan areas.

 Many populations have grown near coastal cities due to

great economic opportunities.

Megalopolis Closely linked metropolitan areas.

Bowash The area of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore

and Washington D.C.

Other important coastal cities include Miami, New

Orleans and Houston.

On the Pacific Coast, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle and

Vancouver are major cities.

 Rivers, lakes and inland waterways promoted the

growth of the regions inland cities

The St. Lawrence River provides water ways for

Quebec, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa.

The Great Lakes links Detroit and Chicago to the rest

of the world trade routes.

 The U.S. and Canada have low birthrates, this

increases the population 0.5 percent annually.

In 1998, more than 9% of all Americans were born in

another country.
Mobility The freedom to move from place to place.

History and Government of the United States and Canada

 Two theories exist of how North America became

populated:
Nomads crossed the Bering Land Bridge from Russia

into the present day Alaska.

Nomads from South and Central America populated

North America.
Whichever is true, scientists know that people lived in

every part of North America about 10,000 years ago.

 Early Native Americans in Canada and Alaska hunted

Caribou.
Pacific Indian Tribes used fiber nets to catch salmon

and other fish.

Groups in the Great Plains hunted buffalo and

eventually learned how to farm as well.

 By the late 1500s, European migration to the New

World had begun.

The first to settle North America were England, France

and Spain.
Spain controlled Florida and everything west of the

Mississippi.
France controlled the fur trading industry.

 After harsh taxes, the 13 colonies revolted against

England and won their independence. The United States of America was born.
Canada was created as a dominion state of Englands,

they eventually gain independence.

Republic A government system in which people

elect their own officials.

 In 1803, the U.S. bought the Louisiana Purchase, this

added land from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.

Texas was annexed in 1845 and produce large amounts

of cotton and cattle.

Either by treaty or trade, the U.S. eventually controlled

everything from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

 In the 1800s industrialization transformed America

and Canada.
This created jobs in the textile industry in the

Northeast and mining in the Appalachian Mt. area.

 As the Eastern United States become crowded, more

people started settling the Great Plains.

Dry Farming Cultivating the land so that it caught

and held rainwater.

In the late 1800s, the U.S. completed the first

transcontinental railroad.

 The U.S. is a democracy with a federal system. Constitution A plan of government

Amendment A change to the U.S. constitution

Bill of Rights Guarantee basic rights to citizens. Cabinet A group of special advisors

 Dominion A partially self-governing country with

ties to Great Britain.

Canada finally gained its independence in 1982. Parliament The national legislature of Canada, it is

made up of the Senate and the House of Commons.

Cultures and Lifestyles

 The U.S. and Canada are made up of many different

cultures.
Because of the blending of different cultures

throughout history, new cultures have been created.

 This idea has always been valued in the U.S. and

Canada.
The Bill of Rights gives the U.S. freedom of religion. Canada also has religious freedom.

 English is the main language in the U.S. and Canada. French is also considered an official language in

Canada.
Because of immigration, several other languages are

spoken such as, Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese and Hindi.

 Separatism The breaking away of one part of a

country to create a separate, independent country.

Bilingual Speaking two languages.

 Native Americans created early music, this mixed with

folk music from Europe and Africa.

Jazz Style of music developed in African American

communities in the 1900s.

 Was first written to portray historical and religious

themes.
Famous American authors Mark Twain, Edgar Allen

Poe, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway and Richard Wright.

 The U.S. still leads the world in entertainment. Hollywood was created and to this day is the leading

producer of movies.

 Socioeconomic Status Level of income and

education .
Literacy Rate Percentage of people that can read in

a given country.
Patriotism Loyalty to ones country.