Our World

Class Summary 2-17-06

Today was a big notes day for College Geo. We started by turning in our maps and then proceeded to work on some notes. Here they are:

Population and settlement: Reshaping a Continental Landscape

· Modern Spatial and Demographic Patterns
o Settlement is uneven in the region
o N. America has 315.5 million (284.5-U.S.: 31-Canada)
o Megalopolis: largest settlement cluster in the U.S. (Boston-Washington DC)

· Occupying the Land

o Indigenous people have been in N.A. for at least
o Europeans came to North America
o European diseases and disruptions

Population Map of North America

Three settlement stages for Europe:
Stage 1: 1600-1750: European colonial footholds on East Coast (French, English, Dutch, Spanish enslaved Africans)
Stage 2: 1750-1850: Infilling better eastern farmland, including Upper Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, Interior Lowlands, Midwest, Interior, South Canadian Settlement slower
Stage 3: 1850-1910: Westward movement (immigrants and American-born Europeans) heading west for gold rushes and other opportunities.

North America on the Move

Westward moving populations
By 1900, more than half of U.S. population west of the Mississippi river

Black Exodus from the South

After emancipation, most African-American stayed in the south
Movement north for jobs

Rural to Urban Migration
Today, more than 75% of North Americans live in cities (2500 people or more)

Growth on the Sun Belt
Fastest growing region since 1970, with some states growing by 20% (GA, FL, TX, NC)

The Counter urbanization trend
Since 1970, some people have moved to smaller cities and rural areas

Lifestyle Migrants: Seeking amenities

Settlement Geographics: The Decentralized Metropolis

Urban decentralization: when metropolis areas sprawl in all directions
and suburbs take on the characteristics of downtown.

Growth of the American City

Concentric Zone Model: Urban land uses organized in rings around the Central Business District

Urban realms model or Edge Cities: New suburbs with a mix of retail, office complexes, and entertainment

Consequences of Sprawl:
People and investment flee city for suburbs
Poverty, crime, racial tensions in city

Gentrification:
Movement of wealthier people to deteriorated inner-city areas; many displace low income residents

Suburban downtowns: Similar to edge cities; suburbs become full-service urban centers with retail, business, education, jobs, etc.

Settlement Geographics: Rural North America

North Americans historically have favored a dispersed rural settlement pattern
Township-and-range survey system: Rectangular survey system introduced in 1785in U.S. for unincorporated areas; similar system in Canada
Railroads opened interior to settlement
Today, many rural areas are experiencing population declines, as family farms are replaced by corporate farms

posted by Kevin Hurd @ 2/18/2006 11:26:00 PM