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North American Cultural Characteristics
Mr. BroughmanMonday, October 28, 2013
North American Culture
• Main Idea All of these cities are important to trade (economics) and are significant to their country’s culture in a number of ways.
• Why are these cities important to North American culture?1. Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal near or along the St.
Lawrence River2. Vancouver is a major Pacific port3. All five American cities are near major bodies of water4. “Melting pots” for cultural diversity
Review of North American Physical Geography
• The Rocky Mountains and plateaus in the west from Alaska to Mexico; the Appalachian Mountains in the east from Maine to Alabama.
• In the center of the continent lies lush grasslands known as the Great Plains. This area is also known as the “bread basket” of America because of the crops, particularly the wheat and corn that it provides.
Review of North AmericanPhysical Geography
• The Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains effectively separates the country. East of the divide, rivers flow toward the Gulf or the Atlantic Ocean. West of the divide, rivers flow toward the Pacific Ocean.
• Climates range from tundra and taiga in Northern Canada and Alaska, to temperate forests, deserts, and grasslands in North America, to tropical rainforests in Hawaii.
• The longest unfortified border in the world between countries can be found between Canada and the United States.
• Unfortified means that something is left unprotected (no walls, soldiers, fences, etc.)
History of the United States
• The United States was “founded” as we know it in the late-1400s by European colonists.
• The first permanent European settlement in North America was at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607.
• The British colonized the East Coast; the French colonized the Midwest, Quebec, and the central part of the U.S.; the Spanish colonized Florida and the southwest.
• The United States, as we know it today, was founded in 1776 with the passage of the Declaration of Independence. The final states admitted to the union were Alaska and Hawaii in 1959.
History of Canada
• Canada was first discovered in the late-900s by the Vikings or the Norse from Scandinavia or the countries of Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark.
• These were the first Europeans to come to North America, more than 500 years before Christopher Columbus! The Vikings first landed in Newfoundland, but decided to not colonize.
History of Canada
• Eastern Canada, including the provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario, was largely colonized by the French.
• Following France’s loss at the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, most of Canada was given to the British.
• Canada did not gain independence from Great Britain until 1848 and was established as a dominion of Great Britain in 1867.
Natural Resources
• What are natural resources?– Natural resources are naturally occurring
products from the earth used by humans
Natural Resources• Both countries have rich, abundant, and important
supplies of natural resources such as fuels, minerals, and lumber.– A. Petroleum for oil and natural gas in Texas, Alaska,
and Alberta.– B. Coal in Appalachia, Wyoming, and British Columbia– C. Gold, silver, and copper in the Rocky Mountains.– D. Nickel and ore in the Canadian Shield and Midwest.– E. Timber in the forests and mountains of both
countries.• 1. Deforestation and population growth, however,
have left only half of Canada covered by forests and only 30% of the U.S.
Populations
• The population of North America has been shaped largely by immigration, or the movement of people to an area.
• The population of the United States is about 315 million, and the population of Canada is about 37 million.
• With immigrants from Asia, Europe, Africa, and especially Latin America, the population of North America is one of the world’s most diverse.
Populations
• About 90% of Canadians live within two-hundred miles of the border with the United States.
(1) Why does Canada have such a low population density (8 people per square mile)?Most of Canada is uninhabitable due to harsh climate conditions.
• Both the United States and Canada have experienced urbanization, or the concentration of people in cities.
Population
• Why has urbanization occurred in North America within the last one-hundred years?– More jobs in cities– More opportunities– Better access to resources/infrastructure
Population
• Urban areas include both the metropolitan area and the surrounding suburbs. – (1) America has more than 450 metropolises, or cities
that contain more than 50,000 people. – (2) Like most developed countries, the United States
has a low population growth rate. Its population only grows by about 1% per year due to people having babies.
– (3) The population of the United States grows much more rapidly due to immigration. About 12.5% of people in the U.S. are immigrants.
Population
• What is “industrialization”?– The growth of industries (i.e. factories) over
farming in a society• When did “industrialization” first occur in the United
States? What occurred during the Industrial Revolution?– First industrialization occurs in early-1800s– Industrial Revolution occurs in 1880s as U.S.
switched from an agrarian society to an industrialized one
North American Governments
• Both the United States and Canada are democratic federal systems. They also have state and local governments.
• The governments of both countries are based on constitutions.
• Canada was created as a dominion, or a partially self-governing country, under the power of Great Britain. Today its ties with Great Britain are VERY LOOSE.
Commonwealth of Nations
North American Governments• Canada’s government is similar to the U.S.– (A) The executive branch is technically controlled
by the Queen of England, but includes a Prime Minister and his/her Cabinet.
– (B) Canada also has a parliament, or legislature, and a Supreme Court, like in our judicial branch.
• Canada has had trouble maintaining a national identity because many people in Quebec, since they are “French-Canadians,” would like to be independent.
