Post on 11-Feb-2016
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Chapter 5Chapter 5
Landforms and ResourcesLandforms and ResourcesUnited States & CanadaUnited States & Canada
Landscape Influenced Landscape Influenced DevelopmentDevelopment
• US & Canada occupy the Central & Northern 4/5 of North America.
• Largest countries in the world – 1st Russia– 2nd Canada– 3rd United States
Landscape Influenced Landscape Influenced DevelopmentDevelopment
• Water that border the US & Canada– Atlantic Ocean (East)– Pacific Ocean (West)– Arctic Ocean (North)– Gulf of Mexico (South)
• US & Canada are– Rich in Natural Resources
US & Canada ShareUS & Canada Share
Landforms:1. Eastern & Western Mountain Range2. Interior Plains
Water Bodies: Atlantic, Pacific & Arctic Oceans, Great Lakes, Niagara Falls, St. Lawrence
River
LandformsLandforms
• The Eastern Lowlands• The Appalachian Highlands• The Interior Lowlands• The Western Mountains, Plateaus &
Basins• The Islands
PlainsPlains
Central Central PlainsPlains
Atlant
ic Coa
stal
Atlant
ic Coa
stal
PlainPlain
Gulf Coastal PlainsGulf Coastal Plains
GreatGreatBasinBasin
Eastern LowlandsEastern Lowlands
• Eastern lowlands: flat, coastal plain runs along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
• Atlantic Coastal Plains: begin as lowlands in the northeastern US & widen as it extends into Florida.
• Piedmont– Between plains & Appalachian Mountains– Contains rolling hills & fast-flowing rivers and
streams.
Geographic RegionsGeographic Regions
Appalachian HighlandsAppalachian Highlands
• West of the coastal plains• Gently sloping Appalachian Mountains. • Begin in Newfoundland to Maine to
Alabama1. Extend 1,600 miles2. More than 400 million years old3. Have been eroded by the elements4. 1200 ft - 2400 ft. elevation
Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains
• Contain these mountain ranges:1. Green Mountains2. Catskill Mountains3. Blue Ridge Mountains4. Great Smokey Mountains
Interior LowlandsInterior Lowlands
• Mainly level land covers a huge expanse of North America
• Flattened by huge glaciers thousands of years ago.
• Divided into 3 sub-regions: – The Interior Plains– The Great Plains – Canadian Shield; largest, 2 million sq.miles
The Western MountainsThe Western Mountains• Massive, rugged Rocky Mountains
(youngest US range)• Extends 3,000 miles from Alaska to New
Mexico• Relatively young = 80 million years old• Peaks more than 12,000 ft• Highest peak is Mt. McKinley located in
Alaska @ 20,320 feet
The Continental The Continental DivideDivide
Line of highest points in the Rockies that marks the separation b/w rivers flowing eastward and westward.
Interior PlainsInterior Plains• 1.Between Appalachian Mts. & Mississippi
River• 2. Known as “America’s Breadbasket” –
Most productive soil in the world. • 3. Mississippi Drainage Basin – rivers
that drain into Mississippi River• Ohio River• Tennessee River
Great PlainsGreat Plains
. Between Mississippi River & Rocky Mountains
• Western part of the Mississippi watershed.• Contains the Missouri, Platte, Arkansas, &
Red Rivers• Stretches from N. Montana to Central Texas• Treeless region
The Great PlainsThe Great Plains
The Great Plains
Canadian ShieldCanadian Shield
• Lies farther north• Rocky & mainly flat• 1500 ft above sea level• Around Hudson Bay
The IslandsThe Islands• Canada’s northernmost lands are islands
riding the icy seas near the Arctic Circle• 3 islands are:
– Ellesmere– Victoria– Baffin
• US islands created by volcanic activity – Aleutian Islands
• rugged & treeless• Off the coast of Alaska
– Hawaiian Islands
ResourcesResources• US & Canada’s most important industries:
– Agricultural – Industrial
Great LakesGreat Lakes
– Huron– Ontario– Michigan– Erie– Superior
• These lakes & the St. Lawrence river form one of the world’s major shipping routes.
Ocean’s & WaterwaysOcean’s & Waterways
• Longest & busiest river system is Mississippi-Missouri-Ohio
• Mississippi River runs almost the length of the US @ 2,357 miles long.
• Main tributaries - Ohio & Missouri Rivers.
• Canada’s longest river = Mackenzie River flows to Arctic Ocean
The Great PlainsThe Great Plains
Land & ForestsLand & Forests• Land is one of the richest natural resources due
to fertile soil.• Leading food exporter = North America
Land & ForestsLand & Forests
• 1/2 Canada & 1/3 of US are covered by woodlands
• Major producers of lumber & forest products
• US has more different trees than Canada b/c of the varied climate.
The American Landscape
Minerals & Fossil FuelsMinerals & Fossil Fuels• Canadian shield has rich deposits of:
– Iron ore– Nickel– Copper = $$ for US– Gold = $$ for US– Uranium
• Coal - Appalachian Highlands & northern Great Plains
• Oil & Natural Gas - Great Plains, Alaska, & along the Gulf of Mexico
Minerals & Fossil FuelsMinerals & Fossil Fuels
• The US is the Largest consumer of energy resources
• 60% of energy is imported from middle eastern countries (OPEC> Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
Climate & VegetationClimate & Vegetation
• Most of the US lies in the mid-latitudes– Climate are moderate
• Canada is colder b/c it lies far north (high latitudes)
• Canada & US share similar climates along the joint border, Alaska & Yukon or Northwest Territories.
Colder ClimatesColder Climates
• A sub arctic climate (tundra) is along the coast of Alaska & Canada
• Permafrost would be found in Alaska • Rocky Mountains & the Pacific ranges
have highland climate & vegetation.
– See map on page 125
Moderate ClimatesModerate Climates
• A humid continental climate can be found in central & northeastern US & southern Canada.
• Most of Canada’s population is found in the humid continental climate.
Milder ClimatesMilder Climates
• Milder, dry and tropical climates of N. America are found south of 40* latitude.
• Much of the US is located here.• Most southern states have a humid
subtropical climate• Great plains & northern parts of the
Great Basin have Semiarid climate• Houston has a Humid Subtropical climate
Milder ClimatesMilder Climates• Southern California has a Mediterranean
climate• Mojave and the Sonoran are large desert
areas of the Southwest.• Only Hawaii and southern Florida have
tropical climates.• Mount Waialeale on Hawaii is one of the
wettest spots on earth. It receives about 460 inches of rain per year.
• Canada has no desert, humid subtropical, Mediterranean, or tropical climates.
DesertsDeserts
Mojave Mojave DesertDesert
Death Death ValleyValley
Sonovan Sonovan DesertDesert
Mojave Desert – 3,000’Mojave Desert – 3,000’
Death Valley, CADeath Valley, CA
3.3 million acres.
95% wilderness.
Climate – Semi-Arid - Arid
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Extreme WeatherExtreme Weather
• An area of extreme weather in the Great Plains is called “Tornado Alley”
• Violent thunderstorms, tornadoes and blizzards are caused by warm air from the Gulf of Mexico meeting the cold Canadian air masses.
SettlementSettlement
• The 1st inhabitants of N. America were Nomads from Asia
• Beringia was a land bridge connecting Siberia & Alaska
SettlementSettlement• Most early Americans
settled along coastlines and near rivers and streams
• About 3000 years ago agriculture replaced hunting & gathering as the primary method of food production
SettlementSettlement• Early American
vegetables like corn, beans, & squash are now food staples around the world. Agriculture remains a huge activity in Canada & US.
Building CitiesBuilding Cities
• Early cities built mainly around water sources.
• Other factors that affect where cities are build include:– Climate – Weather– Landscape – Availability of natural resources
Jamestown established in May 1607
Building CitiesBuilding Cities
• Canada’s 2nd largest city is Montréal, Quebec
• It’s located on a large island where the St. Lawrence & Ottawa rivers meet
• In order to make living easier in here, much of the city has been developed underground
Building CitiesBuilding Cities
• Los Angeles expanded into valleys & desert like foothills to handle all the people pouring in the area
• Large populations caused air pollution, inadequate water supplies and construction on earthquake-threatened land
• Los Angeles’ metropolitan area spreads over 4,060 square miles.
• Los Angeles settled in 1781 by Spain.
Los Angeles: The City of Los Angeles: The City of Angels?Angels?
Overcoming DistancesOvercoming Distances• Obstacles faced by early settlers in moving
across N. America were huge distances, large bodies of water, difficult landforms, & harsh climates.
• Early settlers carved overland trails in order to move inland called: – National & Wilderness roads– Oregon trail– Sante Fe Trail
• They also used inland waterways such as the Mississippi & Ohio Rivers.
National & Wilderness TrailNational & Wilderness Trail
Sante Fe TrailSante Fe Trail
Oregon Trail
Inland WaterwaysInland Waterways
• They built a network of canals to connect bodies of water
• The Erie canal was the 1st navigable waterway b/w the Atlantic & the Great Lakes was built in 1825
• N. America’s most important deepwater ship route—the St. Lawrence Seaway
• It was a joint project of the US & Canada
Great Mississippi Flood, 1993Great Mississippi Flood, 1993
St. Louis, MO before the flood
St. Louis, MO during the flood
St. Louis, MO after the flood
Mississippi River floods due to weather.
RailroadsRailroads
• Today, the US has the world’s largest railway system
• The 1st transcontinental railroad was completed across the US in 1869.
HighwaysHighways• The development of
automobiles spurred road building.
• The US has about 4 million miles of roads
HighwaysHighways
• Canada has about 560,000 miles of roads• The Canadians built their roads going
East to West to connect principal cities.
HighwaysHighways• Canada’s primary roadway is called The
Trans-Canada Highway & stretches about 4,860 miles
• The US interstate highway system began in the 1950’s and is a network of more than 46,000 miles of roads.