Question

directions: essay answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.

1. read the following passage about changes in pittsburgh and other rust belt cities. (the term rust belt is used to refer to the manufacturing belt in the northeast and midwest that has suffered an economic decline in recent decades.) in a paragraph, explain how changes in pittsburgh demonstrate the relationship between economic development and population distribution in the united states.

\pittsburgh was once a city of immigrants, lured to the smoke - filled town by the promise of steady work in the steel mills.
in the century since the last immigration boom, the mills have largely shut down and factory jobs have moved to places with cheaper labor. and pittsburgh and other rust belt cities have suffered from what was once unthinkable: a population decline.\
--- aimee picchi,
ust belt cities lure immigrants to restore growth,\ may 14, 2013

1. in two or three paragraphs, explain how human activities have created air and water pollution in the united states. give examples of sources of pollution and how they have affected the environment. be sure to support your writing with evidence from the chapter.

Explanation:

Question 21

To answer this, we analyze Pittsburgh's economic and population shifts. Initially, Pittsburgh's steel mills (economic opportunity) attracted immigrants (population growth). As mills shut down (economic decline) and jobs moved (cheaper labor areas), population declined. This shows how economic development (job availability, industry success) drives population distribution—people move to areas with economic opportunities, and leave when opportunities fade. The Rust Belt’s decline (economic) led to population loss, demonstrating the interdependence of economic health and where people live.

For air pollution, human activities like burning fossil fuels (e.g., coal - fired power plants, vehicle emissions) release pollutants. Power plants emit sulfur dioxide (causing acid rain), and cars release nitrogen oxides (forming smog). For water pollution, industrial waste (e.g., chemical plants dumping toxins) and agricultural runoff (fertilizers, pesticides) contaminate water. For example, the Cuyahoga River fire (1969) resulted from industrial pollution, highlighting how industrial waste degrades water ecosystems. Agricultural runoff causes eutrophication (algal blooms) in lakes, harming aquatic life. These examples show how human actions (industry, transportation, agriculture) create pollution that damages air and water quality, affecting ecosystems and human health.

Answer:

Pittsburgh’s story shows economic development and population distribution are interdependent. Initially, the steel industry (economic growth) attracted immigrants, boosting population. As mills closed (economic decline) and jobs relocated to cheaper - labor regions, Pittsburgh’s population fell. This mirrors broader US trends: people flock to areas with economic opportunities (like industrial booms) and leave when those opportunities vanish (e.g., Rust Belt deindustrialization). Thus, economic development (job creation, industry success) drives population inflow, while economic decline triggers population outflow, illustrating their reciprocal relationship.

Question 22