North America
Chapter 5
Physical Geography
Section 1
Landforms and Resources
Landscape Influenced Development
The U.S. and Canada
occupy 4/5 of the continent
of North America;
Anglo America: U.S. and
Canada are both former
British colonies; therefore,
most people speak English.
U.S. and Canada have
strong political and
economic ties with one
another.
Vast Land and Abundant
Resources
Canada is the 2nd largest country in land mass
and the U.S. is third.
1/8 of the land surface on earth.
Rich in natural resources: fertile soils, large
supply of water, forests, and large deposits of a
variety of minerals.
The amount of resources have attracted
immigrants from around the world and helped
both to become global economic powers.
Varied Landforms
U.S. and Canada have all the major types of landforms
They share mountain chains in both the east and the
west, and they also share interior plains.
Eastern Lowlands and Interior
Lowlands
The Eastern Lowlands are flat, coastal plains that run
along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
The Interior Lowlands includes a terrain of lowlands,
rolling hills, lakes and rivers, and some of the world’s
most fertile soils.
Interior Plains – extend from Appalachian to Missouri
River
Great Plains – extend from Missouri River to Rocky
Mountains
Canadian Shield – vast, flat area around Hudson Bay
Canadian Shield
Great Plains
Appalachian
Highlands
West of the coastal plain
Green and Catskill Mountains
Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky
Mountains
Appalachian Mountains – one of
the two major mountain chains
in the eastern United States and
Canada, extending 1,600 miles
from Newfoundland south to
Alabama
Run North to South
More than 400 million years old
The Western Mountains, Plateaus, and
Basins
Rocky Mountains – run
3,000 miles from Alaska to
New Mexico
80 million years old
Continental Divide – the line
of the highest points along the
Rockies
Separates rivers that flow
eastward from those that
flow westward
Earthquakes are frequent in
this area
Highest Peak in North America
– Mt. McKinley in Alaska
The Appalachian Mountains and the
Rocky Mountains
The Appalachian are 400 million years old
They have been eroded by the wind and rain
The top of the mountains are more rounded because of the
erosion
The Rocky Mountains are only 80 million years old
They have not been eroded by the wind and rain as much
The top of the mountains are more pointed because of the lack
of time and erosion
The Islands
Canada’s Islands are the northern islands: Ellesmere,
Victoria and Baffin
The U.S.’s Islands are the Aleutians, which are in
Alaska, and the Hawaiian Islands
Oceans and Waterways
Three oceans: Atlantic, Arctic, and
Pacific
Both Canada and the U.S. have
large rivers and lakes
Provide transportation,
hydroelectric power, fisheries,
irrigation, and freshwater
Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario,
Michigan, Eerie, and Superior
Mississippi-Missouri-Ohio
River System: North America’s
longest and busiest inland
waterway
Mackenzie River: longest river
in Canada that crosses over the
Northwest Terrritories
Land, Forests, Minerals, Fossil Fuels
Fertile Soil – helps to make North America the lead food
exporter
Large forests provide lumber and other products
Canadian Shield – iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, and
gold
Appalachian Mountains and Great Plains – Coal
Gulf of Mexico – oil, natural gas
Section 2
Climate and Vegetation
Climate Similarities
The U.S. has more climate zones
than Canada
Arctic coast is tundra with some
permafrost – permanently frozen
ground
Rockies and Pacific ranges are
highland: colder with little to no
vegetation
North central, northeast U.S., and
southern Canada are humid
continental
The Pacific Coast of North America
is a marine west coast climate
Differences in Climate
The U.S. has milder climates because most of the states are
located south of the 40 degrees N latitude
The Southern states and central and southern California
The U.S. has parts of the country that are a dry climate
The Great Plains and the Southwest
The U.S. also has tropical climates
The islands of Hawaii and South Florida
The everglades – swampland (tall grasses and
scattered trees) covering 4,000 square miles, locate in
Florida
Effects of Weather
Tornado Alley – located in the
Great Plains – Warm air clashes
with cold air from Canada which
creates strong thunderstorms,
tornadoes, and blizzards
Hurricanes in the Gulf and
Atlantic in the summer and fall
Heavy rains cause flooding along
the Mississippi
Heat and a lack of rain can cause
droughts, dust storms, and
wildfires
Section 3
Human-Environment Interaction
Building Cities
Where a city is built and how
it grows depends a great deal
on physical setting
Factors that can affect the
suitability of a site are
landscape, climate, weather,
and the availability of natural
resources
Water is a major factor in
how a city is built and
developed
Montreal, Quebec
Canada’s second largest city
Major Port
Located on a large island
where the St. Lawrence
and Ottawa rivers meet
The French built a
permanent settlement in
1642
Severe winters – large areas
developed underground
including a network of shops
and restaurants
Los Angeles, California
Thousands were attracted
to the mild climate and
the ocean in the early
1900s
Became the second
largest city in the U.S. in
1980
Rapid growth brought
pollution, inadequate
water supplies, and
development on
earthquake-ridden
land
Trails and Inland Waterways
When the Europeans colonized, they started on the
coast and worked their way in
Oregon and Sante Fe Trails
Built canals along the Mississippi and Ohio
rivers
Erie Canal – first navigable waterway between
the Atlantic and the Great Lakes
St. Lawrence Seaway – deepwater ship route
built by U.S. and Canada
Gated off sections called locks raise and lower
the water and the ships
Large ocean vessels can get to industrial and
agricultural areas
Promotes international trade
Transcontinental Railroads and the
National Highway Systems
Transcontinental – from the Atlantic coast to the
Pacific coast
First continental railroad in the U.S. – 1860; first
one in Canada – 1885
Railroads move goods and people; promote
economic development and national unity
Automobiles influenced the National Highway
system
The U.S. has 4 million miles of roads while Canada
has 560,000
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