Chapter Seven Study Guide

Essential Question

How do American consumption patterns affect people and the planet?

Geoterms

consumption:the using up of goods and services. This term is also used to describe the purchase and use of goods and services by consumers.

developed country:a wealthy country with an advanced economy. Developed countries have many industries and provide a comfortable way of life for most of their people.

developing country:a poorer country with a less advanced economy. In general, developing countries are trying to increase their industries and improve life for their people.

gross domestic product (GDP):the total value of goods and services produced in a country in a year

per capita:by or for each person. A per capita figure is calculated by dividing the total amount of something by the number of people in a place.

cartograms:a special type of map that is used to compare numerical data about different places.

Consumption Patterns

  • Consumption levels depend on levels of development. The United States is one of the world’s developed, or wealthy, countries. This means that consumption levels are very high.
  • People in developed countries live well compared to most of the world. Most live in urban areas and work in factories or offices.
  • Developing countries are still building their economies. Most of these countries are too few industries to provide good jobs for their people. Many also lack a strong stable government. They are more than likely to live in rural areas and work on farms.

Food Consumption Patterns

  • There is enough food on the planet to feed everyone, but much of this food stays in the developed world. People in rich countries consume more calories per day than people in the developing world.
  • Poverty leads to hunger. Poor people in both rich and poor countries may not earn enough money to buy food.

Oil Consumption Patterns

  • Developed countries depend on oil to meet most of their energy needs.
  • The United States leads the world in oil consumption. Americans make up just 5 percent of the world population, but consume 25 percent of the oil pumped out of the ground each year.
  • Oil use in the developing world is increasing. China and India will need far more oil in the future than it uses today.

Computer and Internet Use Patterns

  • Developed and developing countries differ in their access to technology. Most people in poor countries are limited to cheap and simple technologies.
  • Developing countries face a digital divide. This is the gap between people with access to computers and the Internet and those without.

The Consumer Class

  • This is the class of people worldwide that earn $7,000 or more a year. About 75 percent of people in developed countries belong to this group. Only about 16 percent of people in developing countries belong to this group. However, nearly half of the global consumer class lives in developing countries.
  • Pressure on resources and the environment continue to increase as the consumer class grows.
  • Most resources are limited. There is only so much fertile land, fresh water, and oil available to meet human needs. If current consumption patterns continue, there may not be enough of these resources to go around. The result could be shortages of food , water, or fuel.
  • Increased consumption may also do great harm to the environment. China, for example, already has dirty air from burning coal in their power plants.
  • Increased consumption also creates another problem for the environment. The more people that consume, the more trash they produce. Landfills are already overflowing with garbage.

Chapter Eight Study Guide

Essential Question

How does migration affect the lives of people and the character of places?

Geoterms

emigrate:to move from a person’s home country to another

immigrate:to move to a new country from another

migration streams: the constant flow of migrants from one country to another country

push factors: something that encourages people to leave a place behind. These things can be both positive and negative

pull factors: something that encourages people to move to a new place. These things can be both positive and negative

refugees: someone who seeks safety by going to another country. Refugees may be escaping political unrest or war. Or they may fear being attacked because of their beliefs

persecution: unfair treatment of others because of who they are or what they believe

genocide: the elimination of a group of people based on race, religion, or some other factor

drought: an unusually long period in which little or no rain falls

diffusion: the spreading or mixing of cultures

brain drain: the loss of well education people such as doctors and engineers to another country

remittances: a payment of money sent by an immigrant to a relative in his or her own country

What Push Factors Drive Immigration?

Examples of Political Push Factors

  • war
  • persecution

Examples of Environmental Push Factors

  • Drought
  • Starvation due to diseased crops
  • People from the Ukraine area were unsafe when the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded

Examples of Economic Push Factors

  • Early United States immigrants were poor farmers and working people in Europe wanted to improve their lives
  • Many people immigrate in hopes of making a better future for themselves.

What Pull Factors Draw Immigration?

Examples of Quality-of-life Pull Factors

  • The “Lost Boys of Sudan” gained safety, schooling, and jobs.
  • Jewish immigrants found the freedom to worship without fear.
  • The “American Dream” is the belief that people in America can make a better life for themselves and their children.

Examples of Family Pull Factors

  • Many people join relatives already living in the United States.

Examples of Education Pull Factors

  • People migrate so their children can attend good schools

How immigration affects the United States

Examples of Economic Impacts on the United States (Jobs)

  • Immigrant labor helped build America and fight its wars.
  • Many immigrants work low-paying jobs that native-born workers don’t want, such as farm work and house cleaning.
  • Some are highly skilled, such as doctors, professors, and computer programmers.
  • Some start new businesses or work as athletes or artists.

Examples of Economic Impacts (Taxes)

  • Working immigrants pay taxes that support schools, libraries, and health clinics.
  • Some immigrants need services such as English language classes, welfare, and health care.

Examples of Cultural Impacts (neighborhoods, foods, and holidays)

  • Immigrant neighborhoods like Chinatown and Little Italy enrich American cities.
  • Immigrant foods such as pizza, bagels, and tacos become popular.
  • People from many backgrounds celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Chinese New Year, and Cinco de Mayo.
  • Immigrants expand Americans’ knowledge of the world.

How does Emigration affect the homelands people leave behind?

Examples of Economic Impacts (brain drain and brain gain)

  • Home countries lose the training and talent of skilled emigrants.
  • Many immigrants send money, or remittances, back to their families.
  • Some immigrants go to school or work and then return to their homeland to share their new skills and experiences.

Examples of Social Impacts (divided families, community improvements)

  • When people leave to find jobs, families are splintered, sometimes for years.
  • Remittances may be used to help family members pay for health care and schooling and to help communities pay for wells, schools, and other improvements.

Examples of Political Impacts (working for better government)

  • Some United States immigrants work for democracy in their homelands.
  • Lithuanian immigrants Valdas Adamkus returned home to be elected president of his newly democratic country.