Chapter 6North America

and International Studies

A Brief History of the United States in the World

• The character of the people, power relationships, place, production, and the past – that is anthropology, politics, geography, economy, and history – define North America.

• “Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue a different course.” George Washington 1796

North America

A Brief History of the United States in the World

• Louisiana Purchase: Thomas Jefferson• 1812-1815 War with United Kingdom• Western Expansion• 1861-65 Civil War: Abraham Lincoln• 1898 Spanish American War• By 1900 US was the greatest industrial power• Panama Canal 1904-1914: Theodore Roosevelt

Mt. Rushmore

A Brief History of the United States in the World

• US and World War I 1917-1918• US and World War II 1941-1945• US and Cold War 1947-1991• US and Financial Institutions– World Bank– International Monetary Fund – GATT replaced by World trade Organization– US: global economic and political power

US National Interests

• US: civil and military power• Asia: Pivot to Asia, Ally with Japan,

cooperation/competition with India and China, • Middle East: Conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Issues

with Iran and Syria, continuing concern in Israel/Palestine

• Africa: concerns in Somalia, Mali, Nigeria, Kenya• Latin America: Free Trade Agreement of the Americas,

US less focused on Latin America• Europe: America’s partner, issues with Russia

The United States in the World Economy: Too Big to Fail

• US: World’s largest economy• Abundant natural resources• Market Orientation: private enterprise• Powerful Military: Costs of Iraq and Afghanistan

wars• Technological innovation, yet poverty continues• Debt and recession 2007-2019• “Too Big to Fail” Banks and US economy

The American Dream

• “ We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” United States Constitution 1789

• Meritocracy• Politics: – liberalism – Civil republicanism

The American Dream

• Who is “American”? Role of immigrants• Multiculturalism: value differences• Global Social progress• Values important in contemporary American

life– Importance of the individual– All people should have equal opportunities– Merit should be rewarded with material

prosperity

Canada and the World

• “Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies.” John F. Kennedy 1961

• Canada – developed economy– Abundant resources– large territory– Political system similar with Europe– Relationship with US

Geography, Trade and the Globalization of North America

• Globalization of North America• Latin American, African, Asian and European

foods and culture in North America• North American Goods, food , culture diffused

to all parts of the world• US export partners: Canada, Mexico, China,

Japan, UK, Germany• Canadian export partners: US, China, UK, Japan,

Germany

Los Angeles

Transforming the Environment

• Environmental Change– Forests and grasslands to croplands – Urbanization

• Water: significant resource– Colorado River– Great Lakes and Niagara falls

• Climate Change– Carbon dioxide and the greenhouse effect– Melting of Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets– Coastal inundation: Eastern seaboard

Niagara Falls

North America’s Changing Population

• Population: Urban, mobile, affluent• Immigrants – Previously from Europe and Africa– Now from Latin America and Asia

• US population– 2010: 79.5% White, 16% Hispanic, 12.9% black,

4.9% Asian, 1.8% multiracial, 1% American Indian– 2070: 47% White, 29% Hispanic, 13% black, 11%

asian, 5% multiracial, 1% American Indian

Toronto

North America’s Changing Population

• Canada 2011– 20.6% foreign born, Asia and Middle East– Ethnicity: 42 % more than one ethnicity• Most common: Canadian, English, French, Scotch, Irish,

German, Italian, Chinese, First Nation, Ukrainian, East Indian, Dutch, Polish

– Visible minorities 19% • S. Asia, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab,

S.E. Asia, W. Asia

• North America is fully globalized