The United Stats of America

Did you see that series? It was a 2012 limited TV series. Really, really fun. It was 6 episodes of the best statistical information. Narrated by the Sklar brothers. Very entertaining. 

We watched a couple episodes last night, for the 2nd time. I love the 2nd one, Moving On. All about where people live and the influence of 7 inventions that moved people out.

For instance, did you know that 99% of Americans live on only 8% of the land?! No wonder cities seem so crowded! 83% of Americans live in urban areas. 

But what influenced how and where we moved?

* The first invention that moved people from the east coast, west, was the railroad. 

* The next invention that influenced where we lived, steel. The steel frame of a building. What used to take up 16 city blocks could be crammed into 1 building. In Chicago, 13,000 people live in every square mile! Whoa.

* Which led directly to number 3 - the elevator. Now buildings could be even taller.

* Number 4 is the automobile - which moved us out to the suburbs! 

* Number 5 is the highway! A direct route to wherever the city was.

* Number 6 is air conditioning! Now we could move farther south and into places like Arizona, where 168 days a year are over 90 degrees! 

* The last invention that influenced where we lived? The airplane.

See? Wasn't that fun!?