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

Montréal, Quebec

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.

1950 Austin, Texas 1958

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.