1. North America
Physical Geography

2. Landforms

3. Coastal Plains
Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain: runs along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico
Atlantic: begins in northeastern United States and extends southward into Florida
Gulf of Mexico: extends along the Gulf of Mexico from Florida into Texas
Flat
2,200 miles
Mostly wet region
Includes rivers, swamps, marshes, deltas, and bayous

4. Appalachian Mountains
On East coast
One of two major mountain chains in the U.S. and Canada
Runs North to South
1,600 miles from Canada to Alabama
More than 400 million years old

5. Great Lakes Located on border between U.S. and Canada
HOMES: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
One of the world’s major shipping routes

6. Mississippi River
Runs North to South from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.
Branches off into major rivers: Ohio River and Missouri River
Largest river system in the U.S.
About 2,320 miles long

7. Great Plains Large, treeless, flat area
West of the Mississippi River and East of the Rocky Mountains

8. Rocky Mountains West of the Great Plains
Other major mountain system in the U.S. and Canada
Extends 3,000 miles from Alaska south to New Mexico
About 80 million years old
Peaks can be more than 12,000 feet high

9. Continental Divide
The line of highest points in the Rockies that marks the separation between rivers flowing eastward and westward.
There are 4 in North America

10. Colorado River Southwestern United States Carved the Grand Canyon
1,450 miles long

11. Grand Canyon Located in Arizona Carved by Colorado River
227 miles long
In some areas, 18 miles wide
6,000 feet deep
Major tourist attraction

12. Climate and Vegetation

13. Shared Climates Regions: Sub Arctic, Marine West Coast, and Highland
Why is Canada’s climate colder than the United States’?

14. Different Climates Tundra – arctic coast of Alaska and Canada
Winters are long and cold
Summers are short and chilly
Treeless plain
Permafrost – permanently frozen ground
Mountains and Highlands
Climate is colder
Rocky Mts. are in this area
Area west of mountains are moist because they trap moisture from Pacific Ocean
Vegetation- forest

15. Different Climates Cont’d
Canada/U.S. Border
Cold winters and warm summers
Vegetation – forests and grasslands
Good for farming and ranching
Heavy Canadian population
Southern United States
Summers – hot and humid
Winters – mild and cool
Moist air from Gulf of Mexico causes rain
Rain is great for growing crops!

16. Different Climates Cont’d
Desert region
Vegetation – short grass, cactus
States with desert climate: New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Nevada
Mojave Desert located here
Tropical Region
Wet climate with lush rainforests
Usually warm with wet/dry seasons
Vegetation – tall grasses and scattered trees
States with tropical climate: Florida and Hawaii