Our Country’s Neighbors
A look at Canada and Mexico
North America
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Stretches from _________________ to _________________
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_____ largest continent in land size
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_____ largest continent in population
Canada, Our Neighbor to the North
Canada’s Land
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_____ largest country (land)
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Population: _______ Million
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Six time zones
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_____ Provinces, _____ Territories
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1/3 of land is barren, Arctic land which is uninhabited
Canada’s Flag
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Red and White with a _____________ leaf in the middle.
– Red: Blood of Canadians lost in the ____________________________
– White: the __________
– Maple leaf: the nature and ________________________________ of the country
Geography of Canada
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Mountain Ranges: Appalachian and _________________
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Canadian Shield: vast rock base with important rivers and lakes.
– Hydroelectricity
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_______________________
– Shared with the United States
Canada’s Provinces & Territories
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_____________________- political division of land (like a U.S. state)
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Canada’s Provinces:
Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Prince Edward Island
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Canada’s Territories:
Yukon, Northwest, and Nunavut
The Atlantic Provinces
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Includes: Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
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Economy is dependent on Maritime Industry.
– __________________- any activity or industry related to the sea
– _______ of Canada’s fish comes from this region
Ontario and Quebec
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Canada’s two ___________________ provinces
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Contain Canada’s two largest cities:
– ___________________, Ontario and ___________________, Quebec
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Ontario is predominantly ________________ in culture while Quebec is ________________
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Connected by the _____________________________________________
– Named after two Canadian leaders (one English, one French)
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Ontario
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Diverse geography
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Reaches from _________________________ to the Great Lakes
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_______ of Canada’s entire population lives in southern Ontario
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Federal government centered here
Quebec
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Center of French Canadian culture
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Many French moved to Quebec following the ___________________________________
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Many French Canadians have argued for Quebec’s Independence, but votes in the
past have failed.
Canada’s Two Languages
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1969- Canada officially becomes _________________________- two languages
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English and French are both recognized as official languages of Canada
The Canadian Plains
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Includes: Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan
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Located on the largest __________________ in the world.
– Similar to North Dakota
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¾ of Canada’s farmland
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_____________________ is the major crop.
– Called Canada’s “breadbasket”
British Columbia
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More than half of the province is covered by _______________________.
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Many ties with countries along the Pacific Ocean.
– Strong _________________ influence
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1885: Canadian Pacific Railway joined Canada from east to west.
The Northern Territories
Yukon, Northwest, Nunavut
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Most of land is _________________- region where temperatures are always cold and only
certain plants can grow
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Less than _____ of population lives here
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Home to large number of ___________________________________- people who are
descendants of those who first lived in a region.
Province vs. Territories
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Canada’s government has ________________ control in the territories than the provinces
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Territories only have power and control over the things the federal government allows.
Canada’s Government
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Canada is a _______________________
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National Capital: ______________
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Head of government: _______________________
– Stephen Harper (Current PM)
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3 branches of government
–
–
–
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Once under British rule
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Influenced by U.S. and British models
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Senate and House of Commons in Legislative Branch
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___________________- Canada Day
Canada’s History
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Once a highly sought after area by France and Great Britain.
– Believed there were great resources and wealth
– __________________ in Canada was profitable
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French and Indian War (Seven Years War)
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__________________________ gains complete control
Canadian Independence
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Canada had worked hard over several years to prove it could be a successful
independent nation.
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July 1, 1864- British North American Act gives Canada its independence.
– Canada becomes a _____________________- self-governing area
Canada and the U.S.
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For the most part, Canada and the U.S. have had a friendly and cooperative
relationship
– __________________________________
– ___________- North American Free Trade Agreement- promotes economic
growth and free trade
– Each other's biggest trading partner
Canada and U.S. Concerns
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Environmental Issues
– __________________ from US factories
– Air pollution
– Protecting the ___________________________
– Using Natural resources shared by both countries
Mexico, Our Southern Neighbor
Mexico’s Flag
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Green, white and red
– Green: ________________
– White: ________________
– Red: Blood of the Mexican people
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Eagle eating a snake in the middle
– Aztec pictogram for Tenochtitlan
Mexico’s Land
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______ largest country(land)
– Roughly three times the size of Texas
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Population 106 million(______ in the world)
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31 states and 1 federal district
Mexico’s Geography
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Shares 2,000 mile border with U.S.
– _______________________/Rio Bravo del Norte
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Mountains cover 2/3 of country
– Country created by ___________________ mts
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Two Peninsulas:
–
–
Central Plateau
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_______________- large raised area of mostly level land
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Lies between the ____________________________ mountains
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Most of Mexico’s people live in the Central Plateau
Mexico’s Climate
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Ranges from tropical to ______________
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______________________ is the key factor affecting Mexico’s climate
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15% of land is suitable for farming
Natural Resources
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Mexico is the world’s 4th largest producer of __________
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World leader in ______________
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Fish and commercial fishing
Mexico’s Economy
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Service industry employs the most people
– Manufacturing and tourism are also large
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____________ has increased trade in all three countries and help Mexico become a
strong economic nation.
Movement
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Large movement from rural areas to urban areas
– ________ of Mexicans live in urban areas
– Mexico City is the ______ largest city in the world.
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Growing population makes it hard to find _________.
– Move to cities and border towns
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_________________________________- border factories where U.S. employers can pay
lower wages to workers.
Mexico’s Government
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Federal Republic
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2 houses of Congress
– ______________ and ______________________________________________
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Capital City: _____________________________
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Current President- Felipe Calderon
– One 6 year term
People in Mexico
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About 90% of Mexicans are ______________________
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Largest Spanish speaking country
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___________________________- person of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry
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10% consider themselves Indian
Mexico’s History
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Home to the ancient civilizations of the _____________ and _________________
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1519- __________________________ sailed for Spain to Mexico’s coast searching for
wealth and treasure.
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______________________________- conquerors working for Spain in charge of gaining
land and wealth
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Cortes Conquered the Aztecs in 1521
Spanish Empire
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Conquered area of Mexico was known as ___________________.
– Spain’s empire ran through most of the Americas
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Forced the Native Americans to work on ________________________________
– Plantations owned by Spanish settlers or the Catholic Church
Spain’s Rule
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Spain allowed harsh and unfair treatment of the ___________________________________
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Gave settlers __________________________- right to demand taxes or labor from the
Native Americans
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Due to poor conditions and harsh treatment, caused a large decline in population
Mexico’s Independence
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_____________________ began Mexico’s revolution for independence in 1810
– Captured and executed in 1811
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Rebel groups continued to fight after Hidalgo’s death.
– Led by Agustin de Iturbide
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__________- declared independent from Spain
Mexico and the U.S.
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Connected _______________________________ and demographically.
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Illegal trade and _________________________________ have caused tension between the
two nations recently
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Interdependence
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______________________________- depending on one another for economic, defense
and international support.
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Because Canada, the U.S. and Mexico share such a large area of North America it is
important the countries work together for the good of all.
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A problem in one country can quickly become a problem in another