Geography of the Borderlands

by Abby Lomas

Standards 1 and 5

Maps and Geographical Representations

In different circumstances, the U.S and Mexico border area could be considered either a formal region or a perceptual region. If you think about the borderlands of the U.S. and Mexico as a whole, the area can be considered more of a formal region. Another way it can be considered formal is if you consider the climate of the U.S and Mexico borderlands. However, if you think of the area more as the "southwest" then that can be percieved many different ways. Different people have different ideas of how the country is split up into the different regions.APA: Lee, Ginny. Map of the percentage of the U.S. population born in Mexico, based on U.S. Census and American Community Survey data from 2006 to 2010. Retrieved February 18, 2015, from: http://www.cdc.gov/usmexicohealth/about-border-region.html

Mental mapsMy route to Music Theory: drawn by Abby Lomas

Standard 2

Interpreting geographic patterns

The border states', and the western part of the country in general, incomes tend to be more spread out, I think. The states aren't as densely populated as those in the central and eastern parts of the nation. Across the board, a majority of the population tends to be in the middle and lower classes, making less than $80,000 a year. In Maricopa County, the most heavily-populated county in Arizona, 78% of the 1,338,468 households make less than $100,000 a year while 21% make an upwards of $100,000. In Pima County where Tucson is located, 32% of the households make less than $30,000 a year. that's a pretty good-sized portion to be making that little. Now, Orange County, California is stereotypically known to be an upper class area, and this Census Map proves it. The percentage of households having an income of $100,000 or higher is 36%. Around San Francisco it climbs even higher to 42% in San Mateo County and 44% in both Marin and Santa Clara counties.APA: Bloch, Matthew., Carter, Shan., ' McLean, Alan. Household Income Distribution. Retrieved from: http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/explorer?ref=us (2015, February 18)

Standard 4

Human and Physical characteristics

Standard 3

Puerto Pañasco, Sonora was developed into a major tourist destination.APA: (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.rockypointkyle.com/Resorts_of_Rocky_Point/page_2413676.html

The saguaro cactus is a plant species native to Arizona and the borderlands.APA: Ron Niebrugge. Saguaro Cactus Photos. Retrieved from http://www.wildnatureimages.com/Saguaro_Cactus_Photos.htm

Standard 6

My own perspectives and background affect how I view the regionThe fact that my parents raised me in another part of the country affects the type of people I'm used to being around. Whether I like it or not, the seeds of their views and backgrounds were planted in my mind from a young age and that will affect how I percieve things around me.

Standard 7

Standard 8

Standard 9

The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth's surface

Human population on Earth's surface

Using the National Geographic Map Maker Interactive tool I made this map that shows the human footprint in the borderlands region. APA: National Geographic Education ' Children's Media. (n.d) Human Footprint. Retrieved from http://mapmaker.education.nationalgeographic.com/?ar_a=1'b=1'ls=000000000000#/

The Grand Canyon has been eroded into what we see today over billions of years. Natural processes of water wind and other eroding

factors have turned this into one of the natural wonders of the world.

APA: Google Maps. (2015). South Rim of Grand Canyon. Earth map. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/search/+south+rim+of+grand+canyon/@36.0902598,-111.8534109,6254a,20y,180h/data=!3m1!1e3

Ecosystems

This map by the Houston Advanced Research Center shows the different ecoregions of the U.S/Mexico Borderlands. The region is rich with both warm and cold deserts.APA: Houston Advanced Research Center. (2011). Ecoregions of the Southwest and Central Southwest Gulf Coast. Retrieved from http://gulfcoast.harc.edu/Biodiversity/Ecoregions/tabid/2248/Default.aspx

Economic Interdependence

Geography of the Borderlands

The increase in border control and security is helping our country, but I didn't know it was also hurting it in a way too. The amount of trucks coming into the nation bringing goods from Mexico has significantly dropped since the year 2000.

APA: Christopher E. Wilson. (2011). Trucks andPersons Entering the U.S. at the Mexican Border, 2000–2009 Retrieved from http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/Working%20Together%20Full%20Document.pdf

Standard 12

Human Settlements

Many settlements along the border are growing and developing. El Paso, Texas is one of the oldest settlements and it has grown into a major city.

Standard 13

Cooperation and Conflict

Although there is struggle in the relations between the U.S and Mexico, there is also positive interaction. "PepsiCo has undertaken a new initiative that saves the corporation money, but also benefits small corn and sunflower farmers in Mexico." APA: Anne M. Martinez. (6 December, 2011). Borderlands Business: Conflict and Cooperation on the US-Mexico Border. Retrieved from https://notevenpast.org/borderlands-business-conflict-and-cooperation-us-mexico-border/

Standard 14

Human Modification of Environment

Cultural Mosaics

A huge part of the borderland culture is the food. Many of the restaurants here are Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. Because I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food (I'm from the Midwest--sue me) but I do like one restaurant. The only Mexican food I'll eat is from Don Jose's Mexican Food LLC. It's a family owned restaurant and the cuisine is authentic and tasty. Images from Google reviews.

Standard 10

APA: (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.tecma.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/El-Paso-Juarez-Night-780x400.jpg

Things even meant to create ease for humanity can alter the environment in dramatic ways. The construction of the Hoover Dam, for instance, changed the surrounding ecosystems and most likely upset the balance, and with any human development.

APA: Google Maps. (2015). Hoover Dam. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hoover+Dam/@36.01634,-114.737437,3a,75y,221.05h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s3LJPvBOBT7y9obuO4mCdGA!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x80c92b497f82a14b:0x89d59d0bd29de37!6m1!1e1

Standard 15

Environment affecting Humans

Although not seemingly threatening, haboobs can make it dangerous to drive as well as cause illness such as Valley Fever in humans due to the airborne dirt particles.

APA: Mike Olbinski. (6 September 2014). Phoenix Haboob. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1liD03rIeck

Standard 16

Resouce Geography

Wind turbines near Holbrook, AZ provide energy by harnessing and using wind. It's such an abundant resource in certain areas and this wind farm may others to be built around the state.

Apply Geography to your Future

APA: Ryan Randazzo. (12 May 2009). Holbrook wind turbines to deliver power. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/05/12/20090512biz-windfarm0512.html

Standard 17

Standard 18

This is West Point Elementary School and it's surrounded by awesome residential areas and great families. Geography can play a large role into where I may or may not want to teach.

Early settlers set roots around rivers because it was a great resource for transportation, food, and other things.

APA: Kearney Egerton. (n.d.) The Salt River Valley in the 1860's. Retrieved from http://www.apcrp.org/SWILLING,%20Jack/The_Swilling_Legacy.htm

APA: Google Maps. (2015). West Point Elementary School. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/place/West+Point+Elementary+School/@33.6255071,-112.3562318,797m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x872b44950b424def:0x3b79b2cec6f3ddaa

Standard 11

Apply Geography to the Past