1. Chapter 5 Physical Geography
North America
Chapter 5
Physical Geography

2. Landforms and Resources
Section 1
Landforms and Resources

3. Landscape Influenced Development
The U.S. and Canada occupy 4/5 of the continent of North America;
Anglo America: U.S. and Canada are both former British colonies; therefore, most people speak English.
U.S. and Canada have strong political and economic ties with one another.

5. Vast Land and Abundant Resources
Canada is the 2nd largest country in land mass and the U.S. is third.
1/8 of the land surface on earth.
Rich in natural resources: fertile soils, large supply of water, forests, and large deposits of a variety of minerals.
The amount of resources have attracted immigrants from around the world and helped both to become global economic powers.

7. Varied Landforms U.S. and Canada have all the major types of landforms
They share mountain chains in both the east and the west, and they also share interior plains.

8. Eastern Lowlands and Interior Lowlands
The Eastern Lowlands are flat, coastal plains that run along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
The Interior Lowlands includes a terrain of lowlands, rolling hills, lakes and rivers, and some of the world’s most fertile soils.
Interior Plains – extend from Appalachian to Missouri River
Great Plains – extend from Missouri River to Rocky Mountains
Canadian Shield – vast, flat area around Hudson Bay

9. Canadian Shield
Great Plains

10. Appalachian Highlands
West of the coastal plain
Green and Catskill Mountains
Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains
Appalachian Mountains – one of the two major mountain chains in the eastern United States and Canada, extending 1,600 miles from Newfoundland south to Alabama
Run North to South
More than 400 million years old

11. The Western Mountains, Plateaus, and Basins
Rocky Mountains – run 3,000 miles from Alaska to New Mexico
80 million years old
Continental Divide – the line of the highest points along the Rockies
Separates rivers that flow eastward from those that flow westward
Earthquakes are frequent in this area
Highest Peak in North America – Mt. McKinley in Alaska

12. The Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains
The Appalachian are 400 million years old
They have been eroded by the wind and rain
The top of the mountains are more rounded because of the erosion
The Rocky Mountains are only 80 million years old
They have not been eroded by the wind and rain as much
The top of the mountains are more pointed because of the lack of time and erosion

13. The Islands
Canada’s Islands are the northern islands: Ellesmere, Victoria and Baffin
The U.S.’s Islands are the Aleutians, which are in Alaska, and the Hawaiian Islands

14. Oceans and Waterways Three oceans: Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific
Both Canada and the U.S. have large rivers and lakes
Provide transportation, hydroelectric power, fisheries, irrigation, and freshwater
Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Eerie, and Superior
Mississippi-Missouri-Ohio River System: North America’s longest and busiest inland waterway
Mackenzie River: longest river in Canada that crosses over the Northwest Terrritories

15. Land, Forests, Minerals, Fossil Fuels
Fertile Soil – helps to make North America the lead food exporter
Large forests provide lumber and other products
Canadian Shield – iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, and gold
Appalachian Mountains and Great Plains – Coal
Gulf of Mexico – oil, natural gas

16. Climate and Vegetation
Section 2
Climate and Vegetation

17. Climate Similarities The U.S. has more climate zones than Canada
Arctic coast is tundra with some permafrost – permanently frozen ground
Rockies and Pacific ranges are highland: colder with little to no vegetation
North central, northeast U.S., and southern Canada are humid continental
The Pacific Coast of North America is a marine west coast climate

18. Differences in Climate
The U.S. has milder climates because most of the states are located south of the 40 degrees N latitude
The Southern states and central and southern California
The U.S. has parts of the country that are a dry climate
The Great Plains and the Southwest
The U.S. also has tropical climates
The islands of Hawaii and South Florida
The everglades – swampland (tall grasses and scattered trees) covering 4,000 square miles, locate in Florida

19. Effects of Weather
Tornado Alley – located in the Great Plains – Warm air clashes with cold air from Canada which creates strong thunderstorms, tornadoes, and blizzards
Hurricanes in the Gulf and Atlantic in the summer and fall
Heavy rains cause flooding along the Mississippi
Heat and a lack of rain can cause droughts, dust storms, and wildfires

20. Section 3
Human-Environment Interaction

21. Building Cities
Where a city is built and how it grows depends a great deal on physical setting
Factors that can affect the suitability of a site are landscape, climate, weather, and the availability of natural resources
Water is a major factor in how a city is built and developed

22. Montreal, Quebec Canada’s second largest city Major Port
Located on a large island where the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers meet
The French built a permanent settlement in 1642
Severe winters – large areas developed underground including a network of shops and restaurants

23. Los Angeles, California
Thousands were attracted to the mild climate and the ocean in the early 1900s
Became the second largest city in the U.S. in 1980
Rapid growth brought pollution, inadequate water supplies, and development on earthquake-ridden land

24. Trails and Inland Waterways
When the Europeans colonized, they started on the coast and worked their way in
Oregon and Sante Fe Trails
Built canals along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers
Erie Canal – first navigable waterway between the Atlantic and the Great Lakes
St. Lawrence Seaway – deepwater ship route built by U.S. and Canada
Gated off sections called locks raise and lower the water and the ships
Large ocean vessels can get to industrial and agricultural areas
Promotes international trade

26. Transcontinental Railroads and the National Highway Systems
Transcontinental – from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast
First continental railroad in the U.S. – 1860; first one in Canada – 1885
Railroads move goods and people; promote economic development and national unity
Automobiles influenced the National Highway system
The U.S. has 4 million miles of roads while Canada has 560,000