mid+20th+century+group+5+map+a+The+United+States+of+America

=The United States of America=

[[image:1800.jpg width="138" height="150" align="right" caption="Americas orignal colonies" link="http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/colonies/original-thirteen-states-map.jpg"]]Overview
During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 colonies as well as acquiring a number of overseas territories. The United States is made up of 48 contiguous states and 2 non-contiguous states (Alaska and Hawaii). The capital remains to be Washington D.C. The United States is located between in North America, between Canada to the North and Mexico to the South. The United States boarder both the Atlantic Sea (East Coast) and the Pacific Sea (West Coast). The United States consist of flat central plains, mountains in the West, and hills and low mountains in the East. Major rivers include the Mississippi, Missouri, Rio Grande, Colorado, and Ohio. Major mountain ranges are the Appalachians in the East and the Rockies in the West. The United States is the 3rd largest country in the world.

Critical Issue
The United States in the 1800's was significantly smaller than the United States in 1955. In addition to the original 13 colonies: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. There was Kentucky known as “The West” and the Mississippi Territory. Soon The United States would expand from purchases, annexation, cession, and manifest destiny. The United States first doubled the amount of land by the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. A treaty between France and the United States was singed to purchase 800,000 square miles from France in return fro 15 million dollars. In 1819, Florida was gained by the Spanish Cession. In 1845, Texas was acquired by the Texas Annexation. The Oregon Country was acquired by Manifest Destiny in 1846. The Mexican Cession in 1849, which was the result of the Treaty Guadalupe-Hudalgo and the Gadsden Purchase in 1853, gave the United States what is today California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. All of theses acquisitions by the United States expanded the territory and world power of the United States during the 1800's.

Conclusion/Historical Significance
The United States is the 3rd most populated country in the world. The population during the mid 20th century was around 300,000,000 people. In contrast to the United States in the 1800's in which a rural lifestyle was encouraged, now around 82% of the population lives in urban areas. The economy has become increasingly more industrial than agricultural with the switch from rural society to an urban society. The largest cities in the United States have changed from the time of the 1800’s. The most populated city is New York City; the next is Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Dallas, San Diego, and San Jose. Only two of the ten largest cities in the United States have Adam and Abigail have heard of (New York City and Philadelphia).

References (2009-10.1.2.K Alyssa Brown & Adam Dorzinski)