RESEARCH LINKS
THE BODY OF WATER formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico is now listed on Google Maps as the Gulf of America for U.S. users, Google announced on Feb. 10, 2025.
Issue 1: Gulf of America
Congress.gov: H.R.276, “Gulf of America Act of 2025”
EPA.gov: “EPA Renames Its Gulf Division to Honor the Gulf of America”
WhiteHouse.gov: “Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness”
Google Blog: “Gulf of America Name Change in the United States”
NPR.org: “Who Will Call It the Gulf of America?”
Fox News: “Google Maps, FAA Officially Acknowledge Gulf of America”
Fox News Video: “The View Co-Host on Gulf of America Name Change”
Issue 2: AM Radio
Congress.gov: S.315, “AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025”
Inside Radio: “Radio Industry Applauds Reintroduction Of AM Radio Bill”
wearebroadcasters.com: “82 Million Americans Depend on AM Radio”
National Association of Broadcasters: “Keep AM Radio in Cars Public Safety”
Fox News: “Officials Sound Alarm on Carmakers Dropping AM Radio”
Washington Post: “End of a Love Affair: AM Radio is Being Removed from Cars”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Issue 1: Gulf of America
- Watch the Fox News video (link above) where a co-host of The View argues that Gulf of America is a more inclusive name because “America” includes both Mexico and the U.S. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum dismissed Trump’s decision to rename the gulf. “For us and for the entire world it will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico,” she said. Why do you think Mexico opposes renaming the gulf and instead wants to preserve the name as the Gulf of Mexico?
- Why do the names of geographic entities matter to countries? What do map names symbolize to various nations? (e.g., power, culture, historical significance)
- Summarize the arguments for and against changing the name from Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. Which position do you agree with and why?
- How do geographic names strengthen a country’s claims to ownership of a certain place?
Issue 2: AM Radio
- What are the arguments for and against congress requiring automakers to include AM radio in new vehicles? Decide where you stand on the issue, then see if you can argue the other side’s position.
- Do you think AM radio will continue to be relevant in the future? Why or why not?
- Automakers say that cell phones are much better at broadcasting emergency alerts than AM radio. With today’s smartphones, is AM radio still necessary? Why or why not?
- According to the Nielsen Company, AM radio listeners tend to be older (about one-third of them are over age 65). As a young person, do you think AM radio is still useful? Why or why not?
- AM radio is free to all drivers of cars that have it. Given this fact, how does AM radio compare to other modes of communication such as cell phone and Wi-Fi reception?