Transcript Chapter 5 Physical Geography of the United States and

Chapter 5
Physical Geography of the
United States and Canada: A
Land of Contrasts
North America’s vast and varied landscape and
abundant resources have
attracted immigrants and shaped the development of
the United States and
Canada.
• Section 1: Landforms and Resources
• Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
• Section 3: Human-Environment Interaction
Section 1: Landforms and Resources
• The United States and Canada have vast lands
and abundant resources.
• These two countries share many of the same
landforms.
Section 1: Landforms and Resources
Landscape Influenced Development
Anglo America
• U.S., Canada are both former British colonies, most people
speak English.
• Strong economic and with one another along with sharing
physical geography.
Vast Lands
• Extend across North America from Atlantic on the east to
Pacific on the West, From the Arctic in the North to the Gulf
of Mexico in the south.
• Canada second largest country in the world by area; U.S.
third.
• Together they cover one-eighth of the earth’s land surface
Landscape Influenced Development
Abundant Resources
• Landmass and richness in natural resources
attract immigrants to both countries.
• U.S. and Canada have developed into global
economic powers
Many and Varied Landforms
Major Landforms
• All major landforms are found in U.S. and Canada
• The two countries share mountain chains and interior plains
The Eastern Lowlands
• A flat coastal plain runs along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of
Mexico. Excellent locations for harbors.
• Atlantic Coastal Plain extends from Delaware down to
Florida.
• Gulf Coastal Plain goes from Florida, along Gulf of Mexico, to
Texas
• Also in this area is the Piedmont—low plateau between
coastal plains and Appalachian Highlands
Many and Varied Landforms
The Appalachian Highlands
• Appalachian Mountains run 1,600 miles from
Newfoundland to Alabama
- include Green and Catskill mountains in the north
- Blue Ridge and Great Smoky mountains in the south
• More than 400 million years old
• Erosion has created gentle slopes, peaks from 1,200–
2,400 feet
• The Appalachian Trail is a scenic hiking path along the
chain
Many and Varied Landforms
The Interior Lowlands
• Huge area of mainly level lands covering the
interior of North America.
• Glaciers leveled the land and left fertile soil.
• Interior Plains extend from Appalachians to
Missouri River
• Great Plains extend from Missouri River to
Rocky Mountains
• Canadian Shield—vast, flat area around
Hudson Bay
Many and Varied Landforms
The Western Mountains, Plateaus, and Basins
• West of the plains are the massive, rugged Rocky
Mountains.
• Rocky Mountains run 3,000 miles from Alaska to New
Mexico
• Relatively young: 80 million years old
• Less erosion means rugged, 12,000-foot, snow-covered
peaks
• Continental Divide—the line of highest points along the
Rockies
- separates rivers that flow eastward from those that flow
westward
Many and Varied Landforms
The Western Mountains, Plateaus, and Basins
• Other Pacific mountain ranges: Sierra Nevada, Cascade
• Continent’s highest peak: Mt. McKinley in Alaska
• Major earthquake activity in Pacific ranges
• Between ranges and Rockies: cliffs, canyons, basins (low
desert)
The Islands
• Canada’s large, northern islands: Ellesmere, Victoria, Baffin
are huge, and only Greenland is bigger in North America.
• U.S.: Aleutians (Alaska), Hawaiian (politically, not
geographically) Both created by volcanic activity.
Resources Shape Ways of Life
Oceans and Waterways
• U.S. and Canada are bounded by:
- Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic oceans
- Gulf of Mexico
• Countries have many large, inland rivers and
lakes that provide:
- transportation, hydroelectric power, irrigation,
fresh water, fisheries
Resources Shape Ways of Life
Oceans and Waterways
• 8 of the worlds largest lakes are found in this
region. Among these are the Great Lakes
• Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie,
and Superior
• Mississippi-Missouri-Ohio river system:
continent’s longest, busiest
• Mackenzie River: longest in Canada, crosses
Northwest Territories
Resources Shape Ways of Life
Land and Forests
• One of the richest natural resources in the US and Canada is the
land.
• Fertile soil helps make North America world’s leading food exporter.
Much of the agricultural land is found in the plains.
• Large forests yield lumber and other products.
Minerals and Fossil Fuels
• Mineral quantity and variety make rapid industrialization possible
- Canadian Shield: iron ore, nickel, copper, gold, uranium
- Appalachians, Great Plains: coal
- Gulf of Mexico: oil, natural gas
• U.S.: biggest energy consumer, it actually gets most of Canada’s
energy exports.
Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
• Almost every type of climate is found in the 50
United States because they extend over such a
large area north to south.
• Canada’s cold climate is related to its location
in the far northern latitudes.
Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
Shared Climates and Vegetation
U.S and Canada Climates
• U.S. has more climate zones than Canada
• U.S.: moderate mid-latitudes, Canada: colder high latitudes
• US and Canada share climate like the one along the border of Alaska
and Canada, and also the northern border of the US and Southern
border of Canada.
Colder Climates
• Arctic coast is tundra: huge, treeless plain with long, cold winters
- some permafrost which means there is permanently frozen ground
• Rockies and Pacific ranges are highland: colder, sparse vegetation
-affect weather in lower areas: block Arctic air, trap Pacific moisture
which makes in rainy on the western side of the mountains and
those on the east are very dry.
Shared Climates and Vegetation
Moderate Climates
• North central, northeast U.S, southern Canada are humid
continental
- cold winters; warm summers; heavy agriculture. Canadian
summers are short while US has longer summers. Mostly
temperate grasslands to the west of Mississippi River and
to the east are deciduous forests.
• Pacific coast has marine west coast climate
- warm summers; long, mild, rainy winters; mixed vegetation
- climate affected by ocean currents, coastal mountains,
westerlies
- prevailing westerlies —middle-latitude winds blowing west
to east
Differences in Climate and Vegetation
Milder Climates
• Much of U.S. located south of 40 degrees N latitude
- milder, dry, and tropical climates
• Southern states are humid subtropical
- hot summers; mild winters; long growing season for
variety of crops
• Central, southern California coasts have Mediterranean
climate
- dry, warm summers; mild, rainy winters; fruits,
vegetables grow well
Differences in Climate and Vegetation
Dry Climates
• Great Plains, northern Great Basin semiarid: dry with short
grasses
• Southwest is hot, dry desert, including Mojave and Sonoran
deserts
Tropical Climates
• Hawaii is tropical wet: rain forests, temps around 70 degrees
F
- Mount Waialeale on Kauai Island is one of the wettest spots
on earth
• South Florida is tropical wet and dry: warm with tall grasses
- Everglades— swampland covering 4,000 square miles
Effects of Extreme Weather
Natural Hazards
• Warm Gulf air clashes with cold Canadian air over
the Great Plains
- creates thunderstorms, tornadoes, blizzards
• Hurricanes sweep the Gulf and Atlantic coasts in
summer and fall
• Heavy rains cause floods along big rivers like the
Mississippi
• Heat, lack of rain bring droughts, dust storms,
forest fires
Section 3: Human-Environment
Interaction
• Humans have dramatically changed the face of
North America.
• European settlements in the United States and
Canada expanded from east to west.
Section 3: Human-Environment
Interaction
Settlement and Agriculture Alter the Land
Settlement
• Before humans, land changed due to natural forces:
weather, erosion
• Human settlers adapted to, and changed, the environment
• First North Americans were nomads, moving from place to
place
- migrated from Asia over Beringia, a land bridge from Siberia
to Alaska
- hunted, fished, and gathered plants; settled near rivers and
streams
Settlement and Agriculture Alter the
Land
Agriculture
• Agriculture replaced hunting and gathering 3,000
years ago
• Settlements became permanent
- cut down trees for houses, plow fields, dig
irrigation ditches
- plant corn, beans, squash
• Today U.S. and Canada are leading agriculture
exporters
Building Cities
Where Cities Grow
• Water access a major factor in how towns begin, develop
• Other factors: landscape, climate, weather, natural
resources
Montreal—Adapting to the Weather
• Canada’s second-largest city; major port located on island in
Quebec
- meeting of St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers make it important
trade site
• French build permanent settlement in 1642 at base of
Mount Royal
• Cold winters force people to stay inside and build
underground areas
Building Cities
Los Angeles—Creating Urban Sprawl
• Mild climate and the ocean bring thousands to area in
early 1900s
- once-small Spanish settlement expanded into valleys
and foothills
• Becomes U.S.’s second-largest city in 1980s
- problems: air pollution, low water supply, earthquake
area
• Los Angeles has spread out over a large area
- city proper: 469 square miles; metropolitan area: 4,060
square miles
Overcoming Distances
Since the area is so big, the people of the US and
Canada had to find ways to overcome the distances,
here they are:
Trails and Inland Waterways
• First natives go east, south down Pacific coast; some
remain north
• Europeans colonize the east coast then go inland,
creating trails
- national and Wilderness roads, Oregon and Santa Fe
trails
- use Mississippi and Ohio rivers; build canals
- Erie Canal—first navigable water link between Atlantic,
Great Lakes
Overcoming Distances
Trails and Inland Waterways
• St. Lawrence Seaway—deepwater ship route
built by U.S. and Canada
• Connects Great Lakes to Atlantic by way of St.
Lawrence River
• Gated-off sections called locks raise and lower the
water and ships
• Large ocean vessels can get to industrial and
agricultural heartland
Overcoming Distances
Transcontinental Railroads
• Transcontinental—from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific
Ocean
• Builders of early-1800s railroads face many natural barriers
- workers cut down forests, bridge streams, tunnel through
mountains
• First U.S. transcontinental railroad: 1860; first Canadian:
1885
• Move goods, people; promote economic development,
national unity
• Today U.S. has world’s largest rail system; Canada, third
largest
Overcoming Distances
National Highway Systems
• Arrival of automobile spurs road building in early 20th
century
• Today U.S. has 4 million miles of roads, Canada has
560,000 miles
• Large Canadian highways connect major southern cities
from east to west
- Trans-Canada Highway: 4,860 miles, Newfoundland to
British Columbia
• U.S. interstate highway system: 46,000-mile network
begun in 1950s