Warm-up Questions

• List the states that border Texas.• Name two Canadian provinces.• Name the mountain regions that run through

the US & Canada.• Name the capital city of Canada.

Intro to US and Canada

Why do we link the US and Canada?• The US and Canada:– Share many physical features– Share many cultural features – Have similar economies– Have the world’s largest trading

relationship– Have the longest international border

(5,530 miles)– Have a very similar history – Are both highly industrialized– Are both considered to be melting pots– Share a common language (for the

most part)

Political Divisions• Canada is divided up into 10 provinces and 3 territories– The provinces are located toward the southern part

of the nation– The territories are found in the north

Political Divisions• The United States is divided up into 50 States– 48 are known as the contiguous States– 2 are separated making the entire United States a

fragmented nation– US also has a federal district, an associated

commonwealth, and several dependent nations.

Physical Features

• The two countries share many physical characteristics.

• Much of the area is dominated by grassy plains and mountain chains.

Mountain Ranges• Eastern North America the

Appalachian Mountains • Western North America

dominated by the Rocky Mountains – Also the Pacific Ranges: Sierra

Nevada, Coast Range, and Cascades

Plains• Coastal Plains near Atlantic Ocean and Gulf

Coast• Great Plains between Appalachian Mts. and

Rocky Mts.– From the South by the Gulf of Mexico all the way

up to the icy tundra in Canada

Rivers• Mississippi River is the largest on the

continent.– Ohio and Missouri Rivers are tributaries of the

Miss. River.• Other major rivers include the Colorado,

Columbia, Saint Lawrence, Yukon, and the Rio Grande

Major Bodies of Water• Bering Sea and Bering Strait

separate North America and Asia

• Gulf of Mexico made up of Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean

• North America has 8 of the world’s 12 largest freshwater lakes– Including the 5 Great Lakes

• Also has one major saltwater lake

Canadian Shield• Also known as the Laurentian Plateau• Huge expanse of igneous rock (comes from

volcanoes) covered by a thin layer of soil• Gives us an idea of how the northern portion

of the United States was formed

Climate and VegetationPolar Zones

• Polar Climate – Northern Canada and Alaska–Winters are long and cold, summers short and

cool• Tundra has very little vegetation• Pine forests toward the southern portion of Canada

• Temperate Climate–Most of Canada and the United States– Humid climates with year-round precipitation

• Trees vary from broadleaf trees to pine forests dependent on region – Some of the world’s largest trees found in the

Pacific Northwest• Prairies used mostly for ranching and farming

Climate and VegetationTemperate Zones

• Tropical Climate– Southern states–Humid and dry in the southeast–Arid and dry in the southwest

• Palm trees grow in the coastal areas of California, Florida, and Hawaii

• Southwest portion of United States filled with desert vegetation

Climate and VegetationTropical Zones

Weather• Experiences most types of natural disasters– Volcanoes along the Pacific Coast– Droughts in the Southwest– Tornados in the central plains– Hurricanes/Tropical Storms along the Gulf and

East Coast– Floods in areas with lots of rainfall/rivers– Heavy snow/avalanches in mountainous areas

Resources• Water– Allow for shipping and fishing industries to be

successful• Land– North America is the leading food exporter in the

world.– Lots of woodlands and lumber resources

• Mineral and Fossil Fuels– Valuable deposits of iron ore, nickel, copper, and gold– Natural gas/oil and coal deposits allow for energy

producing resources to come from within