CANADA

The Physical Geography of Canada

(1) Canada’s Physical Landscape

Canada is a very large country with an area of 3.86 million square miles. However, it also has a low population. Most people live in the southern part of the country.

Canada is divided into 10 smaller units, or parts, called provinces. Each province has its own government. Canada also has three territories.

Much of the far north has a subarctic climate. This means it has cold winters and mild summers. The areas farthest north have a tundra climate.

CANADA’S PROVIENCES TUNDRA CLIMATE

SUBARTIC CLIMATE

CANADA

The Physical Geography of Canada

(2) Bodies of Water

Three oceans border Canada. They are the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Arctic. They affect climate in different ways. The Atlantic brings moderate temperatures in eastern Canada. The Pacific brings rain and mild temperatures to western Canada. The Arctic chills northern and central Canada.

Canada shares four of the five Great Lakes with the United States. It does not share Lake Michigan.

Oceans bordering Canada

Great Lakes in Canada

CANADA

The History of Canada

(3) The First Nations of Canada

The first people to live in Canada are called the First Nations. They are aboriginal. These first people came from Asia during a period of cold called the Ice Age. The Ice Age affected where they lived.

After the Ice Age, some aboriginal people, including the Huron and Iroquois, settled in the eastern woodlands. They farmed, hunted, and fished. They also built villages and traded with one another.

Other aboriginal people lived in the west, along the Pacific Ocean. They made canoes and fished in the ocean and in rivers. They also hunted in the forests. They used the trees in the region to build their houses out of wood.

The Inuit people lived in the far north. Few plants grow there, so they made shelters without using wood. They hunted caribou, which is an animal like a deer. They also hunted seals and whales on the water.

CANADA

The History of Canada

(4) Exploration and Settlement

Around A.D. 1000, the Vikings arrived. They were the first Europeans to reach Canada. They settled in Newfoundland, but did not stay long.

The next explorers to arrive were the French. In 1530, an explorer named Jacques Cartier came to Canada. He sailed up the St. Lawrence River and claimed the area for France. The area eventually became known as New France. In the 1600s, another French explorer arrived. His name was Samuel de Champlain, and he founded the first French settlement, Quebec, in 1608.

Over time, more French settlers migrated to Canada. Some became fur traders. They traded European goods to the Huron, a First Nations people, in exchange for beaver furs. They sent the furs back to Europe.

In the 1600s and 1700s, France was a powerful nation. But soon Britain began to compete with France for the Americas.

In the 1700s, Britain and France fought wars. When Britain won a victory in 1763, France had to give up much of its land in North America. However, the British passed the Quebec Act. With this Act, Britain allowed French settlers in Canada to keep their language, religion, and system of laws.

In 1871, a transcontinental railroad was built to link eastern and western Canada.

Today, Canada is almost completely independent of Britain. Canada has close ties to the United States and is active internationally.

CANADA

Life in Canada

(5) City and Country Life

Canada has both a national government and regional governments in the provinces. It is like the United States in that way. Canada has a parliamentary system of government. It is like Britain in that way. Voters elect members of the Parliament, which is Canada’s legislature. The party with the most members chooses the prime minister.

The French heritage of Canada is particularly strong in Quebec Province. In fact, Canada is a bilingual nation. Canada’s two official languages are English and French. Most people in Quebec speak French.

CANADA

Life in Canada

(6) Economic and Political Relationships

Canada has close ties to the United States. In the early 1990s, it signed the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with both the United States and Mexico. This made it easier to trade. In 2010, almost three-quarters of Canada’s imports came from the United States. Also in 2010, almost three-quarters of Canada’s exports went to the United States.

Canada is also close to Britain. Its government and laws are based on the laws in Britain (although the laws in Quebec are not). The British king or queen is Canada’s king or queen, too.

CANADA

Life in Canada

(7) Canada’s Challenge

Canada’s biggest challenge might be to stay together as a nation. Some people in Quebec want to separate and become an independent nation.

Canada’s constitution makes sure that French-speaking people have rights. However, Canada is mostly controlled by English speakers, and they have run the economy for many years. French-speaking people in Quebec feel that they have been treated badly.

In the late 1990s, some Quebec leaders started a separatist movement in an attempt to break away from Canada. People in Quebec voted on this issue. They needed to decide on whether Quebec should separate from Canada. Twice they have voted no.

The First Nations people gained more power, though. In 1999, the Canadian government created a new territory for them called Nunavut. There, the people have more autonomy.

MEXICO

Physical Geography of Mexico

(1) Mexico’s Varied Landscape

Mexico lies in the southern third of North America. It is the third largest North American country. Southern Mexico forms an isthmus with Central America that connects North and South America.

On the south, Mexico borders the Central American countries of Belize and Guatemala. On the north, it has a long border with the United States. To the west, this border is a river. It is called the Río Bravo del Norte in Mexico and the Rio Grande in the United States.

The Pacific Ocean lies west of Mexico. The Gulf of California is an inlet of the Pacific Ocean that separates Baja California from the rest of the country. East of Mexico are two arms of the Atlantic Ocean. They are the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Coastal lowlands lie along the Pacific and Gulf coasts of Mexico. In the east these lowlands reach into the Yucatán Peninsula and form a wide, fertile plain.

Three mountain ranges form a backward y on the Mexican landscape. The Sierra Madre Occidental is in the west, and the Sierra Madre Oriental is in the east. In the south they meet the range that forms the tail of the y, the Sierra Madre del Sur.

Mexico lies along the Ring of Fire that rims the Pacific Ocean. Earthquakes and volcanoes are common along the Ring of Fire. Active volcanoes lie where the three mountain ranges meet. Volcanic rock breaks down to create fertile, productive soil.

Between the eastern and western ranges is a high area called the Plateau of Mexico. People have lived here for thousands of years because of its fertile volcanic soil, mild climate, and adequate rainfall. Part of the plateau is the densely populated Mesa Central (Central Plateau). It includes the Valley of Mexico, the heartland of the country. Mexico City is located in this valley.

MEXICO

Physical Geography of Mexico

(2) Land of Many Climates

Because Mexico is near the Equator, you might expect that the climate would be hot. The coastal lowlands are hot. However, the highland areas are much cooler. The region can be divided into climate zones based on elevation.

The tierra caliente (“hot land”) is the warmest zone. Slightly higher in elevation, the tierra templada (“temperate land”) has a cooler climate. Most of Mexico’s people live in this mild climate zone. At an even higher elevation is the tierra fria (“cold land”), which has chilly nights. A fourth zone above this is the tierra helada (“frozen land”). Few human activities take place here. This climate zone is more common in other areas of the Americas.

MEXICO

Physical Geography of Mexico

(3) Economic Regions

The North is dry, but with irrigation, farmers grow cotton, grains, and other crops. The North also has rich mineral deposits, including silver and copper. Many U.S. companies have built maquiladoras here. The finished products are then exported. However, some Mexicans cannot find jobs. Many of them cross the border into the United States, some illegally, to work.

Central Mexico is the most densely populated region in the country. It is the “breadbasket” of Mexico because crops grow well in its fertile volcanic soil. People have ranched and mined here since colonial times. Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico, has growing industries. But the largest city here is the megacity of Mexico City.

Important Facts About Mexico City:1. Is the capital city of Mexico

2. Has a population of about 20 million3. Accounts for one-fourth of Mexico’s gross national product4. Attracts migrants looking for work5. Has modern skyscrapers and overcrowded slums6. Has poor air quality because surrounding mountains trap industrial

pollution

The South is Mexico’s poorest region. Most farmers grow only enough to feed their families. Yet tourism is an important part of the economy here. The ancient ruins on the Yucatán Peninsula draw people from around the world. Petroleum in the Gulf Coast region makes Mexico one of the world’s leading oil producers and exporters.

Maquiladoras Mexico City

MEXICO

History of Mexico

(4) Native American Civilizations

Native peoples first grew corn in Mexico about 7,000 years ago. They also grew squash, chilies, and avocados. These were their staples. They could produce more food than they needed to survive. The surplus allowed them to specialize in other jobs.

The Olmec built one of the earliest civilizations in Latin America. They lived in the tropical lowlands along the Gulf Coast of Central Mexico from about 1200 B.C. to 600 B.C. The Olmec farmed the fertile soil near rivers. They also built cities used as ceremonial centers, with large temples. The Olmec traded with other groups for goods to make tools, jewelry, and sculptures. No one knows why their civilization declined after 600 B.C.

The Maya formed a civilization about 400 B.C. They lived mainly in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and in what are now Guatemala and Belize. The Maya built great cities such as Chichén Itzá. They constructed pyramids with stepped sides and temples on top. They invented a complex writing system and used their knowledge of astronomy to

make an accurate calendar. Their civilization reached its peak from 300 to 900 A.D. Then it mysteriously collapsed.

The Aztec settled in central Mexico about 1300 A.D. Their capital was Tenochtitlan, where Mexico City now stands. Tenochtitlán was built on an island in a lake. Raised roads connected it to the shore. The Aztec had a complex social and religious system. They were also skilled farmers. They built up land in the lake to make small island farms called chinampas. The Aztec built an empire by conquering many neighboring native peoples. They made slaves of captured soldiers. The emperor collected taxes from the people as well.

MEXICO

History of Mexico

(5) Spanish Mexico

In 1519, Hernán Cortés led a small force of Spanish conquistadors. Within two years, they had taken control of the Aztec empire. How did this happen?

• First, Spanish guns and armor were better weapons than Aztecspears.

• Second, the Spanish carried diseases to which the NativeAmericans had no resistance. These diseases killed manythousands.

• Third, many native peoples who resented Aztec rule joinedCortés as allies.

The conquest brought Spain rich gold and silver mines. It also completely transformed life in Mexico. Spanish priests converted native peoples to the Catholic faith. Spanish rulers forced native peoples to work on farms or in mines. Spanish rule was an example of colonialism. The colony’s resources make the ruling nation richer. As a colony, Mexico was called New Spain.

Conquistadors

Hernan Cortes

MEXICO

History of Mexico

(6) Modern Mexico

Mexico was a Spanish colony for about 300 years. By the early 1800s, many Mexicans wanted to be independent from Spain.

In 1810, a priest named Miguel Hidalgo began a rebellion. Some people hoped to create a more equal society. The Spanish captured and killed Hidalgo, but Mexico gained its independence in 1821.

Mexico also lost over half of its land to the United States. Texas had been a part of Mexico. Americans settled there and began to resent Mexican rule. They declared Texas independent in 1836. It became part of the United States in 1845. Mexico and the United States then had a border dispute. War broke out. The United States won the U.S.-Mexican War. In the treaty, Mexico had to give to the United States a large part of what is now the American Southwest.

In the 1850s, Benito Juárez became Mexico’s first president of Native American ancestry. He introduced many reforms. France invaded Mexico in 1862 and installed an emperor. In 1867, however, Juárez led an uprising to overthrow him.

Today, Mexico is a democracy. However, one political party often gains control of Mexico and it becomes very difficult to elect a president from an opposing political party.

MEXICO

Life in Mexico

(7) Urban and Rural Life

More than three-fourths of Mexicans live in urban areas. Mexico’s cities are influenced by their colonial past.

Most cities are organized around a plaza. The plaza is the heart of the city. It is where festivals and celebrations take place. Government buildings and a church line the sides of the plaza.

Buildings in older areas of a city may date from colonial times. In newer areas are modern buildings of steel and glass. Homes in poor neighborhoods may be made of boards, sheet metal, or even cardboard.

Mexico City, located in Central Mexico, is by far the largest city; it is one of the largest cities in the world. Besides being the capital, it is a center of commerce, arts, and education. However, overcrowding and pollution are major problems.

Many Mexicans still live in rural areas. Many homes in rural villages are made of adobe, a dried mud brick. Extended families often live in one home.

Although some Mexicans live in villages, Mexico has become more and more urban. That is because it is now an industrial country. Manufacturing jobs have attracted rural Mexicans to the cities.

The industrial economy has raised the standard of living. Even so, serious economic inequality still exists. Up to nearly one-half of Mexico’s people are poor. There are not enough jobs. As a result, some Mexicans migrate to the United States in search of work.

Mexico has close economic ties to the United States and Canada. These countries signed the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). About 80 percent of Mexico’s exports and more than 60 percent of its imports are with NAFTA members.Most of Mexico’s trade is with the United States.

MEXICO

Life in Mexico

(8) Government and Culture

Mexico is a constitutional federal republic. As in the United States, power is divided between the national government and state governments. Mexico has 31 states.

Mexican culture shows European, Native American, and modern influences. Mexico has produced many outstanding artists and writers. One art form Mexico is known for is large wall paintings called murals. In the 1900s, Mexican painters drew on Native American and Spanish traditions to create murals celebrating Mexico’s history and people. Mexican artist Diego Rivera is one of the most famous mural painters of the twentieth century. With their characteristically vivid colors and distinctive style, Rivera’s murals tell the story of the work, culture, and history of the Mexican people. City architecture shows the Spanish colonial past.

Sports reflect Mexico’s ties to Spain and the United States. Soccer and bullfighting, which came from Spain, are popular. Baseball is also very popular.

MEXICO

Life in Mexico

(9) Challenges

The standard of living for many Mexicans has improved in recent decades, but poverty is still a major problem. Many live in slum areas in cities, where they have come looking for work.

Human rights are sometimes violated in Mexico, especially those of Native Americans. Political corruption has long been a problem. Crime rates are high in Mexico.

Pollution, particularly air pollution, is a problem in Mexico’s cities. This is especially true in Mexico City. A great deal of exhaust from cars and factories is released into the air. The polluted air is held in place by the mountains around the city. Sometimes a layer of cold air above keeps the pollution from rising. The result can be a serious threat to public health.