Chapter 2: United States and Canada

Chapter 2: United States and Canada

Landform Geography Both are on the North American continent.
Crustal mass includes Mexico and Central America. Many generalizations can be made also to Mexico and Central America. World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Land Surface Regions of US & Canada
World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

The Canadian Shield Shields Canadian Shield
Piece of Earth’s crust that is very old and geographically very stable Probably cannot be further revised Cultural nuclei around which mountain formation tends to occur Canadian Shield Extends outward from the Hudson Bay Includes much of Quebec & Labrador Most of Ontario & Manitoba Substantial part of Canadian Arctic World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Appalachian Highlands and Lowlands
Low-lying mountains from Newfoundland down to Alabama Six distinct landforms: Piedmont—PA southward to GA Fall Line—Series of river and stream rapids that mark the edge of the Piedmont where it descends on the coastal plain Blue Ridge Mountains—NC, TN, and GA (also called Great Smokies) Ridge and Valley province Folded landscape of long, parallel ridges and valleys from NY to northern AL Includes Hudson and Shenandoah Valleys Appalachian Plateau—Western portion of Appalachian Highlands New England White Mountains of NH and ME Green Mountains of VT Continues into Canada to form a Maritimes-Newfoundland extension World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia Pikes Peak, Colorado

Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain
Gulf of Mexico to US Atlantic Coasts Expanse Cape Cod to Florida FL Coastal TX Much of lower Mississippi Valley World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Western Mountains and Plateaus
Rocky Mountains—Northern NM northward to CO and WY Interior Plateau West of the Rocky Mountains Transition between Rockies and Pacific Coastlands World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Western Plateaus—Components
Colorado Plateau—More than a mile high in SW CO, eastern UT, northern AZ, NM Basin and Range West and south of the CO Plateau Much of NV and western UT, parts of southern CA and AZ Columbia Plateau North of Basin and Range Eastern OR and WA Snake River area of ID Pacific Coastlands Sierra Nevada Mountains North to south in eastern CA Eleven peaks in excess of 14,000 feet Cascade Mountains North of Sierra Nevada Central OR and WA Coast Ranges—Length of the Pacific Coast Great Valley—Alluvial trough Willamette Valley (OR) Puget Sound Lowland (WA) World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Interior Lowlands South and west of the Canadian Shield
Between North America’s backbones of east and west Components Great Plains—East of the Rocky Mountains Great Lakes—MI, NY, and Ontario Ozark Plateau—MI Ouachita Mountains—AK Black Hills Western SD Peaks that exceed 7,000 feet World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

The Great Plains Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota

Climate Several influencing factors: Characteristics:
Clearly defined changes in seasonal temperatures Prevailing wind direction is west to east. North–south mountain ranges in the west modify air masses as they move east. Continentality—Atmosphere takes on the more extreme heating and cooling characteristics of land than water. Winters—Cold Summers—Hot Gulf of Mexico—Important source of moisture for the Gulf Coast and Interior Lowlands Characteristics: Humid subtropics Dry subtropics Marine west coast Western steppes and deserts Humid continental Subarctic and polar climates World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Climate Regions in US & Canada

Humid Subtropics Hot and sticky
Northward to southern Middle Atlantic and mid-western states World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Dry Subtropics (Mediterranean)
Pacific Coast San Diego to San Francisco Summers relatively cool (time of drought) Winters relatively warm Precipitation low, but clearly defined wet and dry seasons Snow virtually unheard of World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Marine West Coast Northern CA to Alaska
Winter—Warmer due to moderating effects of ocean Summer—Cool Cascade mountains produce a moderating effect. World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Western Steppes and Deserts
Eastern OR and WA south to Colorado Plateau East of Rocky Mountains—Corresponds roughly to the Great Plains Semiarid climate Temperatures tend toward extremes True deserts of North America concentrated in the southwest: Southern TX Southern AZ Southern CA World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Humid Continental Northern part of US into southern Canada Humidity
Winter—Cool to cold Summer—Can be very hot Home to America’s agricultural heartland Corn Belt Dairy Belt World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Subarctic and Polar Subarctic Polar
Wide swath of central Canada and Alaska Precipitation levels low—Mostly as summer rain Polar Northern edges of Canada and Alaska Freezing conditions most of the year Some days without sunlight World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Culture Cores Geographers study settlement trends.
Several dynamics studied by geographers: Culture hearths Centers of cultural innovation Take innovations across landscape through diffusion Diffusion process—Settlers moving into new territories Settlement frontiers—Areas where settlers develop Spatial integration—Result of settlers transforming the settled landscape World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

US & Canada—European Core Influences
New England—MA, RI, and CT Originally a destination for religious freedom Artisanal work Shipbuilding Southern Atlantic—VA and southward Cultivation of subtropical crops—notably tobacco Plantation system a major aspect of work by smaller farms Middle Atlantic—NY, PA, and parts of NJ and MD English, Dutch, Scots–Irish, and Swedish influences Mixed agricultural system Manufacture of tools, guns, and wagons Iron ore work in PA Influential impact of American middle west and parts of Appalachians French Canada—Quebec; St. Lawrence River area Early settlers were French; British took over in 1763. Some farming along St. Lawrence River French Canadian population has remained contextual; little spatial diffusion. World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Expansion—Manifest Destiny
View of US that all land on the continent willed by God to the US to be civilized by Americans and their ennobling institutions Enabled by dominant international political culture Expansion of US Louisiana Purchase—1803 East Florida—1819 West Florida— Texas—Annexed in 1845 Mexican Cession—1848 Oregon County—1848 Gadsden Purchase—1853 World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Trends in Canada Loyalists—Remnants of supporters of the British following the American Revolution Created a counterweight to French-speaking Quebec Anglicization process would eventually displace the French to minority. July 1, 1867—Canada officially becomes a country. American-style federalism (confederation of provinces) British-style Parliament House of Commons Senate World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Other Factors Impacting Expansion
Transformation in transportation technologies Need to overcome friction of distance Canal building Railroads World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Immigration Both US and Canada impacted historically.
Zelinsky—Two categories of US immigration: 1607 to 1775—European migrants and African as slaves 1820 to present—The “national” era 1820 to 1870—Heavily British, Irish, German, and Dutch; some Latin Americans and Asians 1870 to 1920—“Great Deluge” 26 million people emigrate to US Traditional northwestern European sources Scandinavia Eastern and southern Europe, China, Japan, and Latin America 1920 to present—Miscellaneous: Wide variety of origins Especially Asians and Latin Americans World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Canadian Immigration Just as intense and nation-altering as US
Started later Prior to confederation British American Loyalists French (Quebec) 1885—Railroads to Canadian Prairies finished Many claims on land Eastern Europeans Scandinavian countries Britain and US Population increased by one-third in the first half of the twentieth century. After World War II, primarily immigration to urban areas (increasing concentrations of Asians and Africans) World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Demographics US population growth after 1800
High birthrates (fertility rates) Low death rates (mortality rates) Immigration Canadian population growth Grew mainly by natural increase between 1867 and 1900 But limited by a low fertility rate Population distribution Predominantly east of the Mississippi River Greatest concentration in northeast quadrants US—North central, northeast Canada: Within 200 miles of US border between Windsor, Ontario and Quebec City, Quebec Vancouver, Victoria, and British Columbia World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Population Redistribution
Changes in economies Agrarian to industrial economies (1800s) US Development of manufacturing in cities Transformation from plantation system due to mechanization of farming Canada Development of petroleum reserves (Alberta) International and interprovincial migration (British Columbia) World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Factors Influencing Success of Agriculture
Abundance of good land 1.5 of all land in US is classified as cropland. Canada’s small population relative to the US means the ration of farmland to people is about the same. High level of mechanization Tractors replace mules. Hybrid seeds, pesticides, herbicides, biotechnology, and scientific farming techniques Regional specialization A variety of environmental conditions Need for developing comparative advantage World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Historical Agricultural Productivity in US

Agricultural Regions Corn Belt Dairy Belt
Specialty Crop and Livestock Region Great Wheat Belts Western farming World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Corn Belt Location—Central OH to eastern NB; MN to SD; southern into KS Corn useful for multiple purposes Food for people Feed for animals Area began as a mixed farming area, with equal emphasis on crop cultivation and livestock production. World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Dairy Belt Location—North of the Corn Belt, stretching westward from Nova Scotia and New England to WI and MN Conditions less favorable for agriculture Soils thinner/less fertile Growing seasons shorter Two types of production World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Specialty Crop & Livestock Production
Location—Southern New England to eastern TX Wide array of activities City dwellers demanded fruits and vegetables. Truck farming High value Land intensive Market-oriented South Livestock region Poultry farms World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Great Wheat Belts Winter Wheat Belt Spring Wheat Belt
KS, OK, CO, and north TX What planted in fall, lies dormant in winter, and is harvested in spring. Used for spaghetti, crackers, and pastries Spring Wheat Belt ND, SD, MT, and Saskatchewan What planted in spring and is harvested in late summer Used for bread World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Western Farming Water is the big issue. Ranches are very large.
Dry soils can be tilled with water from underground aquifers. Irrigation, however, is not necessary in the Pacific Northwest. Ranches are very large. Many cases exceeding 100,000 acres Typically used for livestock World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Continuing Adjustments in Agriculture
Fewer farmers Growth of agribusiness/vertical integration Death of family farming Rise of corporate farming Fewer, larger farms Rural geography changing Now a coarse series of large corporate holdings Greater increase in supply than in demand Farm output has increased. Demand has not kept pace. World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Resources for Growth & Development: Energy & Power
Coal Major energy source for industrial expansion in US, WY, KY, WV, and PA Nova Scotia, New Brunswick in Canada Easier to import from US Appalachian states More emphasis on petroleum Oil and gas Both US and Canada are major producers and consumers. US—Production centered in TX, LA, KS, CA, and AL Canada—Alberta and Saskatchewan Water 60% energy via hydroelectricity in Canada 8.5% in the US Nuclear 20% source of power in US 12% source of power in Canada World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Resources for Growth & Development: Metals
Iron ore US and Canada are major producers and consumers. Canada—Exporter US—Importer Aluminum Used extensively in transportation and construction Bauxite required Not readily available here. Import from Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, and Australia Canada produces some other metals: Nickel Copper World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Power Consumption in US by Source

Coal and Iron Ore in US & Canada Petroleum & Natural Gas in US & Canada

Manufacturing in the US
New England Waterways Railroads South Remote from transportation Produced for exporting Coreland Southern New England Textile Leather-working Machine tools Metro New York Diversified manufacturing Garment industry World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Three Prominent Steel Industries
First Baltimore, MD Bethlehem, PA Philadelphia, PA Harrisburg, PA Second Erie, PA Pittsburgh, PA Toledo, OH Third Gary, IN Chicago, IL Milwaukee, WI World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Automobile Manufacturing
Southern MI Parts of IN, OH, and Ontario Automobile production Parts and assembly World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Manufacturing Regions & Urban-Industrial Districts of US

Problems Facing Coreland Manufacturing
Intensive foreign competition Labor costs cheaper More modern equipment Difficult economic conditions Recessions Fluctuations Social problems Social conflict Air and water pollution Residential quality Urban water supply World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Southern Economic Revolution
Textiles are the first major industry. Grew to have a comparative advantage Cheaper labor costs than in the north Better locations Lower power costs Lower taxes Other industries Material-oriented pulp and paper Furniture Food processing Forest industries Petroleum (Gulf Coast) Steel (Birmingham, AL and Atlanta, GA) Grew into a significant regional market World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Manufacturing Employment Shifts in US: 1970–2000

% US Workers in Manufacturing

Canadian Manufacturing
Location—St. Lawrence Seaway and Ontario Industrial heartland Montreal the center of industry—Akin to NYC Specialization elsewhere Hydroelectric potential—Quebec Golden Horseshoe Most of Canada’s steel Great variety of other goods Protected by tariff Drift westward Alberta and western provinces gain Similar trends to US World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Manufacturing Employment Shifts in Canada between 1969 & 2005

Post-Industrialism in North America
Emphasis on production of goods and services Synonyms Knowledge economy Service economy Post-industrial economy Industries Banking Retailing Finance Information services Business services Attracted to suburban locations—Impacts on urban manufacturing centers World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Urbanization in North America
Cities’ natural attraction for industrialism Agglomeration economies Multiplier effect Highly urbanized by beginning of 21st century Globalization transforming cities Transportation Expressways Automobiles Spatial expansion Megalopolis Result of congestion and sprawl “a very large city” More government—More demands World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Canadian Cities Somewhat different from US
More acceptance of government planning More compact; higher densities More emphasis on public transportation After 1970s, converging trends began to emerge. World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Challenges in a Developed Realm
Poverty—Material deprivation affecting biologic and social well-being Income disparities—Differences in the amount of money people earn Key measures for evaluating the strength of a society Defined differently between countries—Therefore, no consensus World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Poverty in US 78% of all poor live in metropolitan areas.
Effect of biases against specific ethic groupings African-Americans Hispanic-Americans Native Americans Appalachian whites Concentrated in central cities Appalachia Other areas Mississippi Delta Along the Mexico border Native American reservations in north central World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Poverty in US by Region and Group, 2007

Poverty & Unemployment in US

Canadian Poverty World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Appalachia Predominantly white Location
Midwestern Pennsylvania West Virginia Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Parts of Georgia, Mississippi, and eastern Alabama Restricted access/inability to harness land Less access to transportation Coal-mining prosperity short-lived Deleterious effects of flooding, soil erosion, and strip mining Appalachian Regional Development Act (1965; amended 2004)—Core mission to eradicate poverty World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Poverty and Unemployment in US
Result of economic and technological change Infrastructural changes Social capital needs change Closely associated with high poverty levels High unemployment levels Southwest along Mexico border Mississippi Delta South Carolina—Textile areas Western states California Oregon Washington World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Income Disparities in Canada
Regional differences also exist. 9.5% “low income after tax” in 2002 Somewhat lower than US poverty rate Poverty concentrations High Quebec Newfoundland Moderate Manitoba British Columbia High Income Levels Ontario Alberta (oil-rich) Causes Downturn in fishing industry Regional/local causes World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

African Americans Initial patterns an outgrowth of the plantation system Small proportion freedmen outside South or in southern urban areas Remainder formed the backbone for plantation system Southern Plantations Land-based social and economic system Commercial production Slave labor on relatively large holdings Became basic system for agricultural production Dense concentration Coastal zones of South Carolina and Georgia Inner Coastal Plain Mississippi Valley Tennessee River Valley of Alabama Portions of Texas World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

African-American Poverty as % of County Population in US, 2000

African-American Migration
Mechanization of agriculture displaces sharecropping. Movement from South to North Jobs in the industrial rust belt Migration slowed somewhat during Great Depression. Otherwise continued through to the 1970s Current demographics Urban areas of North Urban and rural areas of South Some movement back to the South Social and racial biases Redlining Disparities in resources for education and housing City residents trapped in older residential areas Less social infrastructure World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Hispanic Americans Hispanic—Not a racial group South American culture
Demographics Population large and growing Concentrated along Hispanic-American borderland Some major urban agglomerations Higher than average fertility rate Large proportion comprised of illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants sparking intense debate in US. Negative—Shouldn’t receive social welfare benefits Positive—Reserve army of cheap labor World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Hispanic Population as a % of County Population in US, 2000

Other Demographic Groupings
Asians Immigration since 1970s Predominantly concentrated in urban centers of the West Native Americans Concentrated in north central World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Native-American Population

Asian-American Population as a % of County Population in US, 2000

Native-American Population as a % of County Population in US, 2000

Canadian Population Demographics
Tension between English-speaking and French-speaking Anglophones—Native English speakers Francophones—Native French speakers Population Demographics French-speaking Quebec New Brunswick Predominantly Roman Catholic English-speaking Western provinces Maritimes Predominantly Protestant Multilingualism (other than French and English) Toronto Montreal Produced by immigration and ethnic clustering World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

The Several Canadas World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Canadian Economic Demographics
Quebec Industrial heartland 80% urban Maritimes Fishing Farming Mining Alberta—Oil Ontario Strong commercial and industrial base Seat of federal government (Ottawa) Prairies Wheat Cattle British Columbia—lumbering World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

The Question of “Distinctiveness”
Quebec has sought designation to protect its French heritage and identity. Federal political party (Parti Quebecois) mainly seeks to represent Quebec secessionist views. Several secession movements: 1979 1995 Both failed. Meech Lake Accord (1987): Recognition of Quebec as “Distinct society” Rejected by Newfoundland and Manitoba Unfair recognition to Quebec vice other provinces No recognition to aboriginals World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Melting Pots or Stew Pots?
Canada Multilingualism codified Students must learn French and English. Official business in French and English Additional pressures from Asian immigration Tension between Anglophones and Francophones US Debate over English as “national language” National Anthem in language other than English? (Canada has English and French lyrics.) World Regional Geography, Tenth Edition

Chapter 2: United States and Canada

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Chapter 2: United States and Canada"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

Chapter 2: United States and Canada

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Chapter 2: United States and Canada"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback