Unit 2: The United States and Canada Chapter 5: Physical Geography

Unit 2: The United States and Canada

Chapter 5: Physical Geography

Chapter 5, Section 1: Landforms and Resources

Landscape

• United States and Canada are located in North America, in the Western Hemisphere. They are both part of the Northern Hemisphere.

• Oceans surrounding these two countries are the Atlantic (East Coast) and Pacific (West Coast)

• Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world, America is the 3rd .

Resources

Landforms

• Eastern Lowlands– Flat, coastal plain

along Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

Landforms

• Appalachian Highlands– Appalachian Mountains• 1600 miles from

Newfoundland, Canada to Alabama• Green, Catskill, Blue

Ridge, Great Smoky• Peaks about 1200-2400 ft

Landforms

• Interior Lowlands– Interior Plains– Great Plains– Appalachians – Canadian Shield

Landforms

• Western Mountains, Plateaus, Basins– Rocky Mountains– Continental Divide– Sierra Nevada and

Cascade Ranges– Denali/Mt.

McKinley is the tallest peak on the continent

– Earthquakes common

Landforms• The Islands– Canadian islands

near Arctic Circle– Aleutian Islands

located off of Alaska

– Hawaiian Islands• A state of

America but located in the Pacific (ie not part of North America)

Oceans and Waterways

• Atlantic• Pacific• Gulf of Mexico• Great Lakes-

HOMES• Mississippi

River (USA)• Mackenzie

river (Canada)

Land and Forests

• Some of the most fertile soil in the world

• North America is the world’s leading food exporter

• ½ of Canada is covered in forest

• US has more varieties of trees

Minerals and Fossil Fuels

• Iron ore• Nickel• Copper• Gold• Uranium• Silver• Coal• Natural Gas• Oil

Chapter 5, Section 2: Climate and Vegetation

Climates and Vegetation

• Colder Climates– Arctic coast of Alaska and Canada have tundra

climate• Long, cold winters• Brief, chilly summers• Permafrost

Climate and Vegetation

• Moderate Climates– Humid continental climate– Winters are cold, summers

warm– Very productive agricultural

area• Diary, grain, livestock

Climate and Vegetation• Milder Climates– Humid subtropical

climate: summers are hot and muggy, winters are short and cool

– Long growing seasons – Mediterranean:

summers are dry, sunny, warm. Winters can be cool and rainy.

Climate and Vegetation

• Dry Climates– Great Plains and Great

Basin– 15 inches of rain a year– Short grasses and

shrubs– Desert climate

Climate and Vegetation

• Tropical Climates– Hawaii and southern

Florida– Rain forests– Lots of rain, warm

temperatures– Everglades (FL)

Chapter 5, Section 3: Human-Environment Interaction

Agriculture and Cities

• North America is the #1 producer of food world wide

• The soil and varying climates of North America have made agriculture a huge success

• Both America and Canada have urbanized…how they perceive space varies between the countries

Overcoming Distances

• Waterways• Transcontinental RR• Highway System