1. THE UNITED STATES & CANADA
Unit II, Section 1
THE UNITED STATES & CANADA

2. Physical Features

3. Mountain Ranges Rocky Mountains Appalachian Mountains
Physical link between the US & Canada
3000 miles long
Runs from New Mexico to Alaska
“Continental Divide” - determines river flow
Appalachian Mountains
Oldest continental mountain range
1500 miles in length - Quebec to Alabama

6. The Great Plains Grassland environment 300 to 700 miles across
Begins in the foothills of the Rockies
Elevation up to 6000 feet
Slopes 10 feet per mile toward the Mississippi River
Iconic inhabitants
Plains Indians
Bison

7. Other Features Grand Canyon Found on the Columbian Plateau
Formed through erosion of the Colorado River
6000 ft at its deepest
Death Valley
Found in the Great Basin
Highest temperature in the World
134 degrees (F)
Mt. McKinley/Denali
Highest continental peak - 20,320 feet high

8. Water Features Mississippi River
2,350 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf
Drains 1.2 million square miles
31 states and 2 Canadian provinces affected
One of the world’s busiest commercial waterways

9. Water Features The Great Lakes
Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, & Superior
The St. Lawrence Seaway connects Great Lakes to the ocean
Center for regional industry

10. The Hawaiian Islands Eight major islands
Tops of the biggest mountains on Earth
Biggest island is getting bigger
42 acres per year, Mt. Kilauea
Largest city in the world by dimension
Only state to grow coffee, cacao, & vanilla bean
Largest exporter of pineapples

11. Natural Resources Fossil Fuels
Fuel sources created by carbon deposits compressed over millions of years
Petroleum
Texas (1st) & Alaska (2nd)
Natural Gas
High deposits in Texas and Alberta
Coal
Wyoming, Appalachian Mountains, Illinois, & British Columbia

12. Natural Resources Timber Renewable resource
Half of Canada & a third of the US remain heavily forested
Clear-cutting issues
Responsible timber management
Replanting efforts
Fishing
The Grand Banks
Overfishing has lead to decline of some species - ex. cod
Aquaculture - growing industry alternative

13. Natural Resources Agriculture Once major regional way of life
Arable - land suitable for farming
Commercialization of farming of commodities
Goods to sell
Cereal crops & livestock
1 billion acres in the US, 167 million acres in Canada
Farm size is growing while number of farms are decreasing

14. Natural Resources Major Agricultural Industries Beef Cattle
Western/Southern US; Prairie provinces of Canada
Dairy Cattle
Northeast/Upper Midwest
The Wheat Belt
Great Plains
The Corn Belt
From Ohio to Nebraska

15. Historic/Governmental Aspects

16. Nations of Immigrants Diversity reflected in immigration
Majority of population descended from immigrants
Immigration due to
Political/religious freedom
Escape
Pursuit of a better life
Industrialization & economic growth attracted immigrants
% of the US was foreign born

17. Early Americans First Humans
Moved across the Bering Land Bridge 20,000 years ago
Ancestors of the Native Americans
Developed into nearly 500 nations
Pre-Columbian pop. est millions
Today, 3 million Native Americans

18. European Discovery Viking exploration in the 1000’s
Columbus “discovers” the New World in 1492
Native American populations begin waning in coming decades
Mid-1500’s saw European colonization
Spanish: South & Southwest
French: Northeast & Mississippi River Valley
English: Atlantic Coast

19. Nation Building The United States
Heavily influenced by British colonial powers
Roanoke, Jamestown, & Plymouth
Colonial society flourished 3 distinct areas
New England - Shipbuilding and Trade
Mid-Atlantic - Cash Crop Farming
South - Plantation Crops

20. Nation Building 1763: British seize French holdings 1776-1783
American Revolution
Establishment of a New Nation
Federalist System
Bill of Rights
Separation of Powers into 3 branches

21. Nation Building Nation pushes westward after the Revolution
Industrialization reaches America
North - industrial center
Middle West - resource rich/farming
South - agrarian society
Cotton production
Plantation society
Enslaved workforce

22. Nation Building 1861-1865 - the American Civil War
Fought between industrial North and
agrarian South
North wins
Slavery abolished at war’s end
Freed slaves given US citizenship Still faced another century of
discrimination

23. Nation Building Post-Civil war changes Transcontinental Railroad
Built mainly by immigrants Chinese & Irish
Improvements in farming
Growth of industrial centers
Development and furthering of
electrical technology &
communication

24. Nation Building The Modern Age Both World Wars spurred economic growth
Assembly line production
Mobile and growing population
Standard of living rose
Demand of luxury goods
Today
Post-industrial society
Focus on ideas and technology development

25. Nation Building - Canada
Short lived colonization of the Vikings s
Later European explorers
John Cabot & Jacques Cartier
Both established European claims

26. Nation Building - Canada
Early settlements influenced by the French
Establish fur trading posts
Few European settlers - most were men
Made contact with Native Americans
Catholic missionaries

27. Nation Building - Canada
British & French conflict over territory begins ’s
Hudson Bay Co. looking for the Northwest Passage
Conflict erupts during the French & Indian War
British capture Quebec in 1759
New France conquered in 1763
Quebec Act allowed French to keep their language,
religion, & system of laws (traditional way of life)

28. Nation Building - Canada
American Revolution
Loyalist migration during war
Flight to the Maritime Provinces
Settled in Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, & Prince Edward Island
Failed attempt to invade Canada by
Continental forces

29. Nation Building - Canada
The 1800’s
Massive immigration push of British immigrants
Shelter for escaped US slaves on the Underground Railroad
Klondike Gold Rush brought prospectors to the Far North
Prairie Provinces attracted further settlers - farming

30. Nation Building - Canada
1867 the Dominion of Canada formed
Feud with colonial power
Fear of an US invasion
Established as part of the British Empire
1901 Canadian Independence
Great Britain held control over Canadian Constitution
Full legislative control in 1982
1999 Nanavet established for Inuit peoples
“Our Land”

31. Nation Building - Canada
Government
Legislative Branch
Parliament
Senate & House of Commons
Executive Branch
Prime Minister - Justin Trudeau
Judiciary
9 member Supreme Court
British Crown’s Representative
Governor General - Julie Payette

32. Nation Building - Canada
Capital of Canada - Ottawa
Provinces
Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba,
British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador
Major Metropolitan Areas
Ottawa, Quebec, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, & Edmonton
Currency - Canadian Dollar
Population - 35 Million

33. The Region Today

34. Post-Industrial Societies
US & Canada characterized as this
Less emphasis on heavy industry
Focus on service sector jobs, research, and
high-tech business
Fastest growing jobs
Health Care
Business/Marketing
Technology
Social Services

35. Economics United States Market Economy
Freedom to operate within the marketplace
Government protection of property and workers
Canada
More Command in nature
Public ownership of some industries
Private ownership encouraged

36. Economics NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) 1994
Opened trade between the US, Canada, & Mexico
Created the world’s largest trading bloc
Criticized for making outsourcing easier

37. Economics Outsourcing Decrease in American heavy industry,
push overseas in the 2000’s
Movement of jobs overseas
Cheaper labor
Fewer regulations
Availability of a workforce/resources
India, Indonesia, China, & Estonia leading contenders
National push for “Made in America”

38. Cultural Aspects The Arts Movies (US) Industry based in Los Angeles
Largest English speaking movie producer
Theatre
Industry based out of New York City
Toronto major theatre center for Canada
Jazz Music
Strictly American in nature
Blend of West African rhythms w/ Western harmonies
Developed in Southern African American communities

39. Transportation Airports Atlanta’s Hartsfield
Country’s busiest million passengers annually
Toronto’s Pearson International million passengers in 2012
Heavy use of national highway systems
Mass transit a staple of metropolitan areas
Mississippi River major water highway of the United States

40. The Human Experience Major Languages US- English & Spanish
Canada- English & French
All 5 major world religions are practiced freely
Emphasis on public education
Family dynamics
Family sizes are getting smaller regionally
Change in what the “traditional” family is

41. Quebec Claims laid by both the English & French explorers
French furthered influence within the territory (Established New France)
Push for population growth
Seized by the British in 1763
Regional differences remain
Push to maintain language and cultural heritage
Consideration of separating from Canada

42. Concerns Terrorism 9/11 Attacks Shaped US world view
Prompted 2 military conflicts
Reshaped our daily lives
Equality of Healthcare
Canada - Command system in place regionally
US- Social Security
How to provide this service cheaply and universally

43. Concerns Trade US Canada Trade Deficit Trade Surplus
Spending more on imports than making on exports
Canada
Trade Surplus
Making more on exports than spending on imports
Smaller population

44. Concerns Urbanization Growth/movement into cities
Crime, healthcare, housing, pollution
Farmland Degradation
Poor farming practices degraded arable lands
Over grazing/farming, pesticides, erosion
Dust Bowl

45. Regional Issues Invasive Species
Asian Carp, Africanized Honey Bees, Emerald Ash Borer,
Kudzu, Autumn Olive
Blocked waterways, crop destruction, species displacement
Species Decline
Acid Rain/Smog
Water Pollution
Polar Melt

48. Push For Green Energy Options Nuclear Energy Solar Power Wind Energy
Hydroelectric Power
Reliable/Reasonably Safe/Renewable
Waste Products/Expensive/Location