U.S. Map Project for Human Settlements

U.S. Map Project for Human Settlements

1. USA Blank Map: Label each state with its very small official initial (2 letters), and place a small star in the location of all 50 capitals. Try to place state initials near the borders, away from capitals & large cities. You will need to draw Alaska & the Hawaiian Islands in the bottom left corner of the map. Look at examples of how other maps include these regions, and carefully draw your own.

2. Thematic Mapping: Utilizing the Blank USA Map (in downloads), you have initialed each state, starred 50+ capitals, and added Alaska & Hawaii in the corner. Now, with a symbol you pick, create a population density map (Symbol = 1 million). Gather information on the most densely populated regions of each state, and draw symbols in areas with a concentration of the populace; if an area has 2 million citizens, then you will need to draw 2 figures in that area. You may either draw 1/2 of the symbol to represent a 1/2 million, or you may use another symbol for this purpose. You must have a KEY, above the map, explaining all symbols.

South Carolina has approximately 4.7 million citizens. You may represent this with A (4 symbols and a 1/2 of a symbol) or B (4 of the 1 million symbols & 1 of the 1/2 million symbol). Placements should be in areas of greatest population, for example; Charleston, the coastal region, the Greenville-Spartanburg area, Columbia.
The population of the U.S. of A. is nearing 317 million. Your symbolic representations should be in the neighborhood of 300 in number, give or take 25.

3. Highways & Byways: *Infrastructure. Distinguish each with its name (in small script); rivers & roads, lake & oceans.

Waterways (i): Lightly shade (in blue) the oceans, major rivers (i.e. like the Mississippi, historically used to transport goods & people throughout the U.S.), and large lakes (i.e. the Great Salt Lake).
Roads: Using any distinct color (not blue or black or any used for something else) name & place major interstates that connect the U.S. by the points on a compass rose (North, E, SW, etcetera). Make sure to include Route 66.
Railroads: Using the traditional railroad symbol (a single line with regular perpendicular slashes), represent our major railroads still used to transport natural resources of great mass across great distances.
Seaports: Label Seaports with a representative symbol (i.e. a boat, docks, etcetera) place your symbol on these critical locations for U.S. International Shipping (i.e. Port of Charleston).

1. It is important for the paths of your rivers, interstates, and railroads to be approximate in relation to your map. Many state lines were based on rivers (which are in constant shift, by erosion on one bank & deposits on another), creating a rich history of debate. In SC, the Catawba, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Savannah and Tugaloo Rivers defined our borders with neighboring states. So, try to "keep on course."

4. Municipal Corporations: Incorporated Places; these areas have the largest populations. With a red pen, locate the following ten locations and mark your map with a small (but easily seen) filled circle and write the name next to it (in small legible print). These are the 10 most populated incorporated places, in descending order.
1. New York 2. Los Angeles 3. Chicago 4. Houston 5. Philadelphia
6. Phoenix 7. San Antonio 8. San Diego 9. Dallas 10. San Jose

5. Mountain Ranges: On your map, illustrate the mountain ranges found in the United States. Some may have higher peaks, while others may have rounded tops. The Rocky Mountains are relatively new compared to the Appalachian Mountains (being among the oldest, they're showing signs of wear). Make sure to include symbols in key.

6. Faults: Watch Earth Quake Video on this website. In pink (or yellow, if you've already selected pink for another symbol), illustrate the following five fault lines with a highlighter; San Andreas Fault, Ramapo Fault, New Madrid Fault, Eastern Piedmont Fault, and the Denali Fault lines. Label each (in small print). There is a slideshow of the faults on this website.

7. Regions: With a bold black pen or thin marker, divide the United States into its 5 official regions, according to the U.S. census. Place labels on the outside of the US, on the sides of each region. (.gov image in WG Downloads)

8. Deserts: With a khaki, tan or light shade variant, carefully indicate the Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts. You do not have to label them.

9. $tate: Pick a state. In that state, draw a green dollar ($) symbol in it. (*note: i & ii)

Go to www.census.gov/govs/state
Beneath, the 2011 Annual Survey of State Government Finances, and under Downloadable Data, click on "Summary Table"
On the back of your map, In a top corner, write "Your State's Name" Finances 2011, beneath that, give information on the following;

1. Total Revenue

2. Taxes

3. Utility Revenue

4. Total Expenditure

5. Debt at End of Fiscal Year

6. Cash & Security Holdings

7. Expenditures

Education
Public Welfare
Hospitals
Governmental Administration
Utility

i. When providing financial data, round up to the highest periodicity (period value) followed by the category word, for example; $432,000,000=$432 million.

ii. Pay close attention to cell A2 in the excel spread sheet.

10. Urban versus Rural: complete the chart, providing the pros & cons of living in human settlements. (WG Downloads).

11. City Planner: Modern cities are systematically organized, to increase success. In this project, you are the city-planner in the construction of your city. Consider the Advantages/Disadvantages worksheet (found in downloads) during your architecture. Reflect on Pull & Push Factors of Migration (what will attract people to your city, and what might repel them). Will your city have entertainments or will it focus on business & functionality. Your city must;

Have a name (and your name, class block & date in corner).
Be had drawn or computer rendered (& printed out) in 2-d, 3-d, or with a symbolic reference for each structure (i.e. a water tower drawn for the water treatment plant), with a correlated numbered-list of infrastructure names.
If done on a computer with clipart, each piece of infrastructure must be placed by you (right reserved to request inspection of product on a computer).
Show evidence of forethought in design (i.e., shouldn't put waste-managements next to restaurants). Don't forget the basics of life; water, food, shelter & waste.
Everything should be on one side of a (no-lines) sheet of paper.
Remember, the purpose of this is to explore city planning; examining the functionality of city development while considering factors of successful human settlements. Consideration might also be given to the waste byproducts of cities (pollution), transportation, roads, future development, and etcetera.