Hawaii

Hawaii is known for its beautiful white sand beaches and luxurious resorts.  Well, so is Miami.  Although Miami's beaches do not spread for miles, they are still considered one of the best beaches in North America.  You can lay on the sand and tan, go surfing, snorkle, scuba dive, or even wind surf.  That is one great similarity between Miami and Hawaii.  Also the fact that both areas boast a tropical climate desired by so many.

Also when most people think of Hawaii they think of Waikiki, North Shore, and Pipeline.  Those are all famous surf spots that people travel thousands of miles to take part in.  In Miami, the surfing culture is not as big as Hawaii's but it is still very much alive.  And the perfect thing about both locations is that the water is warm year round.  So no matter if it is 85 degrees in August or 65 degrees in January, you can surf without fearing freezing to death...which is more than I can say about California's waters. 

The Noth PAcific Coast.

The North Pacific Coast is described in the chapter as having dense forests, high mountains, and excellent harbors.  Mt. McKinley is the highest point in the area, reaching heights of about 20,327 feet.  This is the complete opposite of Miami.  Miami has no mountain ranges and is barely above sea level.

It also says that the major economy in the area is agriculture and forest products.  Unlike the North Pacific Coast, Miami's main source of income is tourism.  Over a million of Miami's labor force work outside of agricultural jobs.  The most Most jobs are in the fields of: trade, transportation and utilities, government, public schools, and manufacturing.
Resources:
http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-South/Miami-Economy.html

The South west Border Area

One similarity between Miami and the Southwest border states are that they both have a very dense Hispanic population.  In southern Texas some counties have a Hispanic population of 70.0%-99.7%.  The same could be said about counties in Southern California and New Mexico.  The main reason for Spanish involvement in the Southwest area was the abundance of gold and silver.

Like the Southwest, whose population is mostly Mexican, Miami also has a very dense Hispanic population.  The only difference is that the Hispanics found in Miami are of Cuban and Latin American descent.  Also Miami was not conquered for its raw materials but it was a strategic port for the Spanish to use to transport their goods from Cuba to the mainland safely.  Also like the Southwest border states, Miami and the rest of Florida are always fighting against illegal immigration.  In Miami most illegal immigrants are fleeing from Cuba.  The most famous of these immigrants was Elian Gonzalez.  In 1999 Elian was fleeing Cuba with his mother and her boyfriend.  His mother drowned on the way there and he was stuck in a custody battle with his grandparents, who lived in Miami, and his father who wanted him back in Cuba.  He was eventually sent back to Cuba.

California

One similarity I noticed right away between California and Miami was that both of the areas were formerly Spanish colonies before joining the United States.  One interesting thing about both of the areas being Spanish colonies is that both had an extensive mission system.  Like in most Spanish colonies Spanish missionaries were sent to convert the "savage" Indians and make them law abiding Spanish citizens.  But of course like mot colonial powers, they always had a hidden agenda.

Pedro Menendez de Aviles.  Founder of Miami

In the early 1500's Spanish colonists ventured into the depths of California claiming it for Spain.  In 1566 Miami was claimed for Spain by Pedro Menendez de Aviles.     

The Empty Interior

In the empty interior the dominant religion is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or more commonly known as the Church of Mormon.  The Mormons were first located in New York, but due to persecution they kept moving West.  In 1844 a mob killed the church's founder Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois, so the church once again moved West and settled in the Utah area.  The Mormons, started to build their center in Salt Lake City, Utah and were really the first Americans to have to face problems of the Empty Interior.  Mormons' early efforts at large-scale irrigation was the start of an irrigation boom in the Empty Interior.

Unlike Mormonism in the Empty Interior, Catholicism is the most popular religion in Miami.  Because Florida was a Spanish colony before it entered the United States, there were many missions left along the Florida coast. The Natives were mostly converted into Catholicism and the people there kept the religion, even though most of America at the time was Protestant.  Another reason Catholicism is a major religion in Miami is because of the many Latinos that live in the city.  With an influx of immigrants coming from Cuba and other Latin American countries, Miami is predominantly Hispanic.

A Catholic mission in Palm Beach

The Great Plains and Praries

In this chapter there is a section that talks about the Plain Indians. It says that the Plains Indians were hunters and gatherers and their main food source was the buffalo.  They also lived along the streams in semi-permanent settlements.  But because the only domestic animal in the Americas pre-European contact was dogs, the Indians could not travel long distances to hunt buffalo because they could not abandon their settlements near the water for long periods of time.  That is until the Spaniards introduced horses to the Indians.  Once natives had horses, hunting buffalo was much easier and convenient 

Plains Indians using horses to hunt

Tequesta people

The Indians that inhabited the Miami area were known as the Tequesta.  The Tequesta like the Plains Indians were hunters and gatherers but their main source of food was fish. Like the Plains Indians the Tequesta formed settlements on the Miami River and the chief lived at the mouth of the river by Biscayne Bay.


Resources: Textbook, http://www.ocls.info/virtual/galleries/history/native_americans.asp#mayaimi

The Agricultural Core

Although Miami does not have a real Agricultural society, there is a major water way that runs through the city.  The Miami River much like the waterways in the agricultural core serve an important purpose in helping stimulate the city's growth. The River now creates the Port of Miami, which is a vital port in the state of Florida.  But because the river runs right through Miami-Dade County it has begun to become polluted.  But businesses relying on the river and the port have made efforts to keep it clean.  


The Miami River is now home to cargo ships which transport important materials to nearby islands like Haiti.  Their cargo usually consists of: beans and rice, canned goods, clothing, household appliances, used cars, trucks, and buses. 


Resources: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_River_(Florida)

A tugboat pulling a cargo ship through the River.

Resource for image: http://www.glamourgrannytravels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/tug.jpg

   

The Souther Coastlands

In this chapter there is a lot of talk about natural disasters in the Southern Coastlands.  Miami is not excluded from these talks.  Miami, along with the rest of Florida is in constant danger of being struck by a hurricane during the hurricane season.  Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean is officially started in June 1st through November 30th.  It is possible for events to take place outside of these dates but over 97% of hurricanes take place within this six month window.

Devastation left by Hurricane Andrew

The costliest Hurricane to ever hit a United Sattes city was Hurricane Andrew.  Andrew struck in 1992 and demolished Homestead and Miami-Dade County.  During the hurricane winds reached an epic 156 mile per hour.  The estimated cost damage was around $26.5 billion.  Most people were not prepared for this hurricane because most experts predicted its flight pattern was heading north.  After Andrew Florida upped its standards for protecting homes against hurricanes.  It is now a law that every new home have Hurricane shutters. 

Storm Shutters in action.

Resources: 
 http://gomiami.about.com/od/travelfactsplanningtips/qt/hurricaneseason.htm
http://miami.about.com/od/weather/a/hur_facts.htm

The Changing South

Miami Florida, although it had joined the United States, after the main colonies to the north still had an impact on the plantation system in the South.  Because of the tropical climate Miami was a perfect place to grow can sugar.  Also because it was right next to the ocean it was an ideal place to set up trading docks so the merchants can bring in goods from the Caribbean.

But now that slavery no longer exists and Miami is a a developed, urban city there is no need for cane sugar plantations any more.  Miami is actually one of the only cities that has more white collar jobs then blue collar jobs.  Also the majority of the minority population in Miami is not black; the main demographic in Miami is Hispanic.  Cubans migrated here in huge numbers after the Cuban revolution.  

Miami Population Diversity
Race	Title Elements	# People of this race
White		275,731
Black		78,823
American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut		568
Asian or Pacific Islander		2,711
Other		15,424
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander		327
Hispanic		267,341

       (Source)

What Mountain Ranges?

When you hear about the Appalachian mountains and the Ozarks you think tall rigid mountains But when you go to Miami Florida you will not see any of those.  Miami is only 15 feel above sea level.  That is nowhere near the heights reached in the Appalachia.  But there is a region near Miami that differs from the typical beach geaography.(source)

Florida Everglades

The Everglades next to Miami Dade County are marshlands within the subtropical region of Southern Florida.  The only problem with these marshlands being next to the big city Miami is that Miami's growth is starting to grow into the Everglades.  This leads to people finding marshland animals such as alligators in their backyard.  The waters from the Everglades also causes floods in Miami so in 1974 Florida crated the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project.  This project helped build canals and levees to help prevent flooding. (source)

A gator in someone's pool

The Bypassed East

The bypassed East is a beautiful place filled with lush green forests and meadows, but Miami is the polar opposite of that.  There is not an abundance of forests or meadows in Miami, but there is one thing Miami has and that is some of the beast beaches in the world. Miami is the third most visited city in the United States behind Los Angeles and new York.  And everyone who visits Miami usually comes for the amazing beaches and beautiful weather. (source)

Miami Coastline

Thunderstorm over Miami 

Just like the East there is rainfall in Miami but it is nothing like the rainfall in the North-East.  Rainfall in Miami is tropical and usually occurs between the months of May and September.  Even when the rain falls in Miami people do not run inside or put on their raincoats, the rain only last about 10-20 minutes. 

Manufacturing

Miami oolite, or Miami limestone

Miami does not have a big manufacturing core like the East Coast and Central United States, but that is not to say no important natural resources exist in Miami.  Miami's bedrock is made of all Miami limestone.  The limestone was a result of the change in sea level starting about 130,000 years ago.  About 4,00 years ago when the sea level had stabilized the limestone and a thin layer of soil were just above sea level creating the Southeast portion of Florida.  besides the limestone Miami is also has a very important underground aquifer that provides fresh water for the Miami-Dade county.  The Biscayner aquifer runs from Palm Beach county to the Florida Bay. (source) 

A total of 6.1% of Miami's working population work in either mining or manufacturing.  Most of Miami's jobs are in offices or in shipping.

http://www.miamidade.gov/planzone/library/narratives/EmploymentGlance.pdf

Megalopolis

Although Miami is not considered A megalopolis it is the second largest city in Florida. With a population of about 399,457 Miami is right after Jacksonville.  From 1900 Miami's population has jumped from 1,681 to almost 400,000.  

http://www.stateofflorida.com/Portal/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=95

Miami population
Year	City proper[65]	Metro area[66]
1900	1,681	N/A
1910	5,471	N/A
1920	29,549	66,542
1930	110,637	214,830
1940	172,172	387,522
1950	249,276	693,705
1960	291,688	1,497,099
1970	334,859	2,236,645
1980	346,865	3,220,844
1990	358,548	4,056,100
2000	362,470	5,007,564
2010	399,457[67]	5,564,635

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami

Though Miami has yet to reach the heights of New York and Boston its economy is greatly improving.  Before Miami's major source of income was tourism but starting in the early 2000s trade has been increasing in the Miami region.  Because many companies choose to establish their Latin American headquarters in southern Florida, Miami-Dade County is known as the "Gateway to the Americas." In 2003 approximately 1,200 multinational corporations were established in the region. (source)  International banking has also risen in the Miami area. With total deposits of $74.3 billion in 2003, about 100 commercial banks, thrift institutions, foreign bank agencies, and Edge Act banks are located in downtown Miami, representing the largest concentration of domestic and international banks on the East Coast south of New York. (source)


Miami is on its way to becoming a major factor in the American economy and I predict in a few years it will reach the levels of many megalopolises like New York and Los Angeles. 

Downtown Miami

Foundations of Human Activity

Native Americans arrived in the Miami region about 10,000 years ago.  The area was covered in pine forests and had plenty of animals to hunt.  They settled along the Miami River.  The Tequesta Indians were the main tribe when the Spanish first ventured into Miami.  The Tequesta had a lot control of almost all of South-eastern Florida.  These Indians were not agricultural, but they did hunt, fish, and collect fruit and plants roots.

In 1513 Juan Ponce de Leon saw Miami from the his ship but he did not come ashore.  The Spanish did not step foot into the Miami area until Pedro Menendez de Aviles landed in Miami looking for his son.  While there the Spaniards set up a mission to try to convert the Tequesta.  But by 1570 the missionaries went to look for more willing subject and left Miami.  The Spanish did not come back to Miami until 1743 and this time they built a mission and a fort.  However once again the mission was pulled in less than a year.   

The first non-Europeans to migrate to Florida were the Cubans.  After Fidel Castro had taken over Cuba many middle class and wealthy Cubans fled to Miami.  Many people in Miami did not like this migration, especially the African Americans, because the Cubans were taking their jobs.  in 1956 100,000 Cubans flew to Miami and settled in the Riverside region, which is now better known as "Little Havana".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Miami

Cuban wall art in Little Havana, Miami

Source for photo


Miami Florida now has a population of 362,470 people.  Of that population about 65% of them are Hispanic or Latino and the remaining 35% are non-Hispanic or Latino; 11% of this is White.  It is safe to say that the major religion within Miami is Catholicism.  It is not only safe to say that...it is true.  About 61% of Miami-Dade County is Catholic, 9% are Southern Baptist, and 30% are other religions.

Sources:
http://miamifl.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm
http://www.city-data.com/county/religion/Miami-Dade-County-FL.html

A Catholic Church in Miami

Source for Photo

Regions, Themes, and the Physical Environment.

The Miami Flag

Miami, Florida is located in the South-east United States.In terms of land area,  It is on the South-east tip of Florida right along the Atlantic Coast. Miami is one of the smallest major cities in the United States. According to the US Census Bureau, the city encompasses a total area of 55.27 sq mi (143.1 km²). Of that area, 35.67 sq mi (92.4 km²) is land and 19.59 sq mi (50.7 km²) is water. That means Miami comprises over 400,000 people in a mere 35 square miles (91 km²), making it one of the most densely populated cities in the United States, along with New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago among others. Miami is also separated into sections.  The sections are North, South, West, and Downtown.  The one important physical feature of Miami is the Miami River. This river runs from the Everglades right through Downtown Miami.  The mouth of the river is now home to the Port of Miami.  

Different sections of Miami.

Climate:  

Miami is classified as having a tropical Monsoon climate.  The summers are long and humid while the winters are short and warm.  But Miami is not all sunshine and rainbows.  Between the months of June and November residents have to worry about hurricanes.  The worst time during hurricane season is mid-August which is the peak of the Cape Verde season. According to the graph below much of the rain accumulated in Miami falls between the months of May and September.  During these months the temperature vary from the mid 80's to the low 90's.

http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate.php?location=USFL0543

Sources: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami#Climate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_River_(Florida)

http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate.php?location=USFL0543