Regional Regional Geography and the Geography and the United States and United States and CanadaCanadaWG.3b,4WG.3b,4

Regions are used to simplify Regions are used to simplify the world for study and the world for study and understandingunderstanding

Regional LandscapesRegional LandscapesRegional landscapes reflect Regional landscapes reflect

the cultural characteristics of the cultural characteristics of their inhabitants. This can be their inhabitants. This can be seen in the architectural seen in the architectural structures used in a region, structures used in a region, and in the statues and and in the statues and monuments of local, national, monuments of local, national, or global significance.or global significance.

Architectural StructuresArchitectural StructuresMosques-IslamMosques-Islam

Churches-ChristianityChurches-Christianity

Synagogues (Judaism)Synagogues (Judaism)

Temples (Buddhism)Temples (Buddhism)

Pagodas (Buddhism)Pagodas (Buddhism)

Dwellings (homes)Dwellings (homes) Tiles roofs in the MediterraneanTiles roofs in the Mediterranean

Chalets in SwitzerlandChalets in Switzerland

Thatched RoofsThatched Roofs

Tents and YurtsTents and Yurts

Castles in EuropeCastles in Europe

Statutes, and MonumentsStatutes, and Monuments

Many have Many have local, local, national or national or global global significancesignificance

Taj MahalTaj Mahal

Dome of the Rock and Dome of the Rock and PyramidsPyramids

Eiffel Tower and the Eiffel Tower and the White HouseWhite House

Examples of other well know Examples of other well know monumentsmonumentsKaaba (Mecca), Western Wall Kaaba (Mecca), Western Wall

(Jerusalem), Church of the Holy (Jerusalem), Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem), Sepulcher (Jerusalem), Washington Monument, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Kremlin Lincoln Memorial, Kremlin (Moscow), Statute of Liberty, (Moscow), Statute of Liberty, Virginia State Capital buildingVirginia State Capital building

KaabaKaaba

Western Wall (Wailing Wall)Western Wall (Wailing Wall)

Examples of Physical and Examples of Physical and Cultural RegionsCultural RegionsPhysical regionsPhysical regions

Sahara, Taiga, Rainforest, Great Sahara, Taiga, Rainforest, Great Plains, Low CountriesPlains, Low Countries

Cultural regionsCultural regionsLanguage (Latin America, Language (Latin America,

Francophone world)Francophone world)

Ethnic regions (Chinatown, Ethnic regions (Chinatown, Kurdistan)Kurdistan)

Religious regions (Islam, Buddhism)Religious regions (Islam, Buddhism)Economic regions (Wheat Belt, Economic regions (Wheat Belt,

European Union)European Union)Political regions (NATO, African Political regions (NATO, African

Union {AU})Union {AU})Changes in perception regionsChanges in perception regions

(Middle East, Sun Belt, Rust Belt)(Middle East, Sun Belt, Rust Belt)

United States and Canada United States and Canada physical characteristicsphysical characteristics Both nations have abundant Both nations have abundant

natural resources.natural resources. The Continental Divide sits at the The Continental Divide sits at the

top of the Rocky Mountains and top of the Rocky Mountains and acts as a divider for North Americaacts as a divider for North America

Many important rivers (Mississippi, Many important rivers (Mississippi, St. Lawrence, Colorado, St. Lawrence, Colorado, Columbia, and Rio Grande) Columbia, and Rio Grande)

US and Canada also have US and Canada also have other important water features.other important water features.

(Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, (Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and the Hudson Atlantic Ocean, and the Hudson Bay)Bay)

Important landforms—Aleutian Important landforms—Aleutian

Islands, Hawaiian archipelago, Islands, Hawaiian archipelago, Appalachian Mountains, Pacific Appalachian Mountains, Pacific Coastal Ranges, Basin and Coastal Ranges, Basin and Range region, Rocky Range region, Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, Mountains, Great Plains, Interior Lowlands, Atlantic and Interior Lowlands, Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, Canadian Gulf coastal plains, Canadian Shield, Grand Canyon Shield, Grand Canyon

Both have varied climate Both have varied climate regions—they range from regions—they range from the tundra in Alaska to a the tundra in Alaska to a tropical wet climate in tropical wet climate in HawaiiHawaii

US and Canada economic US and Canada economic characteristicscharacteristicsBoth countries are major Both countries are major

exporters of technology, exporters of technology, consumer goods, information consumer goods, information systems, and foodstuffssystems, and foodstuffs

Both have highly developed Both have highly developed infrastructuresinfrastructures

Both have highly diversified Both have highly diversified economieseconomies

Both have a rich supply of Both have a rich supply of mineral, energy, and forest mineral, energy, and forest resourcesresources

Both are members of the North Both are members of the North American Free Trade American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)Agreement (NAFTA)

Both are home to many Both are home to many multinational corporationsmultinational corporations

US is the center of the world US is the center of the world financial markets (New York financial markets (New York Stock Exchange)Stock Exchange)

Both have sustained economic Both have sustained economic growth growth

Both have a widening gap Both have a widening gap between the rich and the poorbetween the rich and the poor

The US exports our culture The US exports our culture via the global marketplace. via the global marketplace. Examples—McDonald’s, Examples—McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, music, blue Coca-Cola, music, blue jeansjeans

Cultural characteristics of the Cultural characteristics of the US and CanadaUS and CanadaBoth countries were originally Both countries were originally

colonized by countries from colonized by countries from EuropeEurope

Both have multicultural Both have multicultural societiessocieties

Both have increasingly diverse Both have increasingly diverse populationspopulations

Both have high literacy ratesBoth have high literacy ratesBoth have a high standard of Both have a high standard of

livinglivingBoth are highly urbanizedBoth are highly urbanizedCanada struggles to maintain a Canada struggles to maintain a

national identitynational identityBoth have highly mobile Both have highly mobile

populationspopulations

The world’s largest unfortified The world’s largest unfortified border is between the US and border is between the US and CanadaCanada

Both have a democratic form of Both have a democratic form of governmentgovernment

Both are members of NATOBoth are members of NATO Both have arts that reflect the Both have arts that reflect the

cultural heritage of their cultural heritage of their multicultural societiesmulticultural societies

Important cities Important cities (centers of culture and (centers of culture and trade)trade)

Washington DCWashington DC ChicagoChicago New York CityNew York City Los AngelesLos Angeles HoustonHouston

TorontoToronto MontrealMontreal OttawaOttawa QuebecQuebec Vancouver, Vancouver,

British ColumbiaBritish Columbia

Examples of the cultural Examples of the cultural landscapelandscape

US Capital US Capital buildingbuilding

Golden Gate Golden Gate BridgeBridge

Independence Independence HallHall

St. Louis St. Louis Gateway ArchGateway Arch

Wheat fieldsWheat fields SkyscrapersSkyscrapers Shopping mallsShopping malls Bilingual signsBilingual signs Influence of Influence of

automobiles (ex. automobiles (ex. Gas stations, Gas stations, motels, interstate motels, interstate highways, drive up highways, drive up services)services)

Human interaction affects the Human interaction affects the environmentenvironment Deforestation—examples are the Deforestation—examples are the

Amazon Basin, Nepal, and Amazon Basin, Nepal, and MalaysiaMalaysia

Acid Rain—example is the Black Acid Rain—example is the Black Forest in EuropeForest in Europe

Decreased soil fertility—Example Decreased soil fertility—Example is the Aswan High Dam in Egyptis the Aswan High Dam in Egypt

Criteria for determining a Criteria for determining a countries relative countries relative importanceimportance

Gross Domestic Product Gross Domestic Product (GDP)(GDP)

Land sizeLand sizePopulation sizePopulation sizeResourcesResources

How do physical features How do physical features impact humansimpact humansExample—WaterExample—Water

Rio Grande River is a boundaryRio Grande River is a boundaryOb River flows northward into Ob River flows northward into

the Arctic Oceanthe Arctic OceanZambezi River provides water Zambezi River provides water

powerpowerGanges and Brahmaputra Rivers Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers

are flood hazardsare flood hazards

Example—MountainsExample—MountainsRocky Mountains create a rain Rocky Mountains create a rain

shadow on the leeward slopesshadow on the leeward slopesHimalayas block moisture and Himalayas block moisture and

create steppes and deserts in create steppes and deserts in Central AsiaCentral Asia