1. The United States and Canada

2. Physical Geography
What large bodies of water surround the United States and Canada?
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Gulf of Mexico, Arctic Ocean
Which major landforms and/or waterways do the United States and Canada share?
Rocky Mountains, Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, Great Plains, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
How do Canada and the United States rank in size compared with other countries?
Second and third

3. Landforms Appalachian Mountains located in the East
Extend from Newfoundland in Canada to Alabama (1600 miles)
These mountains are very old and have been eroded by the elements
Rocky Mountains located in the West are rugged and extend from Alaska to New Mexico
These mountains are very young (about 80 million years old) and have jagged peaks that reach more than 12,000 feet high

4. Appalachian Trail

5. Springer Mountain, GA

6. Resources
Both the U.S. and Canada are leading agricultural and industrial nations due to the abundance and variety of natural resources (especially water)
The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River form one of the world’s major shipping routes (St. Lawrence Seaway connects Great Lakes to Atlantic Ocean by raising and lowering the water level)
Most of Canada’s energy exports come to the United States because it is the world’s biggest consumer of energy resources

8. Settlement
Migration of nomads from Asia over Beringia (land bridge that once connected Siberia and Alaska)
European exploration of the “New World”
Spanish settled South; St. Augustine, FL
French settled North and Canada (for fish and fur)
English settled Maine to Georgia; Jamestown, VA
Displacement of Native Americans
Columbian Exchange: exchange of goods, plants, animals, and diseases between Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa (see p. 136)

9. A New Nation American Revolution (founding of the U.S.)
Louisiana Purchase: nearly doubled size of U.S. when purchased Mississippi to Rocky Mts. from France
Civil War (agricultural South and slave labor against industrialized North)
Westward movement aided by transcontinental railroad
Industrialization and urbanization led to Americans and immigrants moving to large cities to work in textile factories, steel industries, oil, and food processing
Movement from a rural, agricultural nation to an urban, industrialized nation (suburbs)

10. A New Nation Cont.
1790 people were self-employed farmers, worked from sunrise to sunset in the field
1890s worked in factories or service industries, 60 hour work week for $12/wk, unsafe conditions, as young as 12
21st century average worker in office, in front of computer, 40 hrs/wk, government regulated safety environment

11. Government
Representative Democracy: created by Constitution, people rule through elected representatives
Federal Republic: powers divided among federal, state, and local governments
3 branches of government (Executive, Legislative, Judicial)
See chart p. 139

12. Economy Has 10% of the world’s exports
Free enterprise: private ownership, supply and demand
Driven by service industries (banks, stores, restaurants) provides a service rather than a product
Called a postindustrial economy because manufacturing no longer plays a major role
A major world trading power, Mexico and Canada

13. Language and Religion Multicultural due to immigrants
Language: English, Spanish
Religious freedom; majority are Christians (Protestants, Roman Catholics)

14. Subregions
Northeast: known as “America’s Gateway” because of its location; fishing, farming, manufacturing, and service industries; megalopolis – “BosWash” where several large cities and surrounding areas grow together
Midwest: occupies 1/5 of the land; known as the “breadbasket” due to fertile soil and mild climate; trade, transportation, and distribution center
Dust Bowl: drought, misuse of land, dust storms devastated Great Plains in the 1930s (see p. 150) led to abandonment of many farms

15. Subregions cont.
The South: mixed culture, “sunbelt”, began as agricultural society but is becoming more industrial; metropolitan areas - large cities and the nearby suburbs and towns
The West: is most rapidly growing region of U.S., varied economic activities, technology, foreign trade