United States & Canada Notes
U.S. Quiz
1. What do we call the first ten amendments to
the Constitution?
2. How many U.S. senators are there?
3. What are the three requirements to be elected
president?
4. Name one of the rights guaranteed by the 1st
amendment:
5. How many U.S. Representatives does the
state of GA have?
6. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
Answers:
1. Bill of Rights
2. 100
3. Naturalized citizen, live in U.S. for 14
years, age 35
4. Freedom of speech, religion, press, and
to assemble
5. 13
6. House of Representatives & Senate
Geography…
• Geography – study of the earth and of the
ways people live and work on it
• Geographers study:
– The way places on the earth are different
– Ways people organize themselves and use
the earth’s resources
– Location of places
– Relationship between people and their
environments
Theme #1 – Location
– Where is it?
– Absolute location - precise position on the globe, latitude and
longitude lines cross one another and make it possible to find
exact places on the earth’s surface
• Example – Atlanta is located at 34°N, 84°W
– Latitude - imaginary lines that circle the earth parallel to the equator
– Longitude - also called meridians, imaginary lines that circle the earth
and cross through the North and South poles
– Relative location - the location of a place in relation to other
places
• Example - Dacula is located northeast of Atlanta
Theme #2 – Place
– What is it like
there?
– Place deals with:
• Physical
features
• Vegetation
• Animal life
• Population
• Activities
• People’s
religion and
language
Theme #3 – Human/Environment
Interaction
– What is the
relationship
between the
people and their
environment?
• What attracts people
to the region?
• How is the land
used?
• How do people adapt
to their environment?
• How have people
created problems
with their
environment?
Theme #4 – Movement
– How are people
and places
connected?
• Why do people
move to different
regions?
• How do people
move about
(transportation)?
• How goods,
information and
ideas are moved
(communications)?
Theme #5 – Region
– The world is divided into regions
– Three types
• Uniform/Formal region - boundaries determined by the
distribution of some uniform characteristic
– ie. Sahel – dry region between the Sahara & wetter forested
region to south
• Functional region - an area that focuses on a central point
by arteries (roads, railroads) or by people’s wants and
needs (jobs, shopping, entertainment)
– ie. Amazon River – links places together
• Perceptual Region – regions that reflect human feelings
and attitudes
– ie. the South or “Dixie”
Geography…
• U.S. is 3rd
largest
country by
area
• Canada is 2nd
largest
country by
area
Western Mountains…
– Alaska Range
• Mount McKinley –
highest mountain in
North America (20,320 ft)
– Cascade Range
• Located near Pacific Coast
• Series of Volcanic
mountains
– Mount Ranier
– Mount St. Helens
– Sierra Nevada
• West of Rockies
Western Mountains…
– Rocky Mountains
• More than 3000 miles
long
• Stretch from New Mexico
to Canada
• Peaks reach 14,000 ft.
• Longest mountain
range in North America
– Basin – lower area of
land surrounded by
mountains
• Great Basin
• Death Valley, California
– lowest point in North
America
– Western mountain
ranges are part of
Ring of Fire
– All of U.S. lies on North
American plate
• parts of California lies
on Pacific plate
• separated by San
Andreas Fault
• many earthquakes
– Hawaiian islands are
the tops of
submerged
volcanoes
• Formed over a hot spot
– place where magma
wells up to the surface
from Earth’s mantle
Tectonic Activity…
Eastern Mountains…
– Appalachian
Mountains
• 2nd longest range in
North America
• Stretch from Alabama
to southeastern Canada
• 1500 miles long
– piedmont – an area
at or near the foot of
a mountain region
Plains…
– Great Plains broad, flat upland
covering much of
the Midwest
• Stretch from
southern Canada
into Texas and
reach the Rockies
• Include Ozark
Plateau
Water Systems…
– Continental divide - line
that separates rivers
that flow toward
opposite ends of a
continent
• Found on a high ridge in the
Rockies
• Separates the waters
flowing west to the Pacific
Ocean from those flowing
east towards the Mississippi
River and the Atlantic
Ocean
Rivers…
– Mississippi River largest river in the
U.S.
– Missouri River
– Colorado River
– St. Lawrence river
system connects
Great Lakes to
Atlantic
• North America has
more lakes than
any other continent
• Continental ice
sheets created most
of these lakes
– During ice age, ice
sheets widened and
deepened existing
basins
– With melting of ice
age, ice sheets
filled lakes with
water
• Example: Great Lakes
Lakes…
Climate…
– Variety of climate types
– Seasonal weather
conditions:
• Blizzards - snowstorms with
winds in excess of 35
miles/hour, temperatures
below freezing, visibility of
less than 500 feet for 3 hours
or more
• Tornadoes - swirling columns
of air whose winds can reach
300 miles/hour
• Hurricanes - ocean storms
hundreds of miles wide with
winds more than 75 miles per
hour
The Northeast…
• Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut,
New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, Maryland,
Delaware, Washington D.C.
• Smallest & most densely
populated region
• Home to about 1/5 of U.S.
population
• Political & financial center
of U.S.
• Roads, railroads, canals
connect NE to rest of U.S.
• Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Iowa,
Missouri, Kansas,
Nebraska
• Major farming region
• Settlers moved to
Midwest as transportation
improved
• Agriculture is most
important:
– Corn Belt – stretches to
Nebraska to Ohio
– Dairy Belt – Wisconsin
produces more dairy than
any other state
– Wheat Belt – stretches
across Dakotas, Nebraska,
Kansas
The Midwest…
Agriculture Belts…
The South…
• Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Tennessee,
Kentucky, Arkansas,
Louisiana, Texas
• Home to 30% of U.S.
population
• Historically, South was
rural & agricultural
• Cash crops such as
tobacco & cotton were
grown on plantations
• Textiles & minerals are
important industries
• Warm climate attracts
many tourists
• North Dakota, South
Dakota, Oklahoma,
New Mexico, Colorado,
Wyoming, Montana,
Idaho, Utah, Nevada,
Arizona, California,
Oregon, Washington,
Alaska, Hawaii
• Largest & most
sparsely population
region
• Includes: Great Plains,
Rocky Mountains
• Mining, livestock,
technology
The West…
Provinces & Territories…
• 10 provinces:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
Ontario
New Brunswick
New Foundland &
Labrador
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
• 3 territories:
– Nunavut
– Northwest Territories
– Yukon Territory
Population…
•
•
•
•
U.S. – 301 million
Canada – 33 million
U.S. population density – 74 people per sq. mi.
Canada population density – 8 people per sq. mi.
• Urbanization
– Rural - country/ farmland
– Urban - city
– Suburban - communities
outside of a city
– Metropolitan area - city and its
surrounding suburbs
– Because most people drive cars
of use mass-transit systems
(Marta, subway), more people
now live in suburbs than in the
city
– Megalopolis - cities so close to
one another that their
surrounding areas overlap to
form a single urban area
• D.C to Boston
Population…
Regionalism vs. Separatism…
• Regionalism – feeling of
strong political and
emotional loyalty to one’s
own region
• Separatism – belief that
certain parts of a country
should be independent
– Separatist feelings are
strongest in Quebec
– Laws in Quebec are based
on French legal system, not
English
– French is official language
– Many want French Quebec to
become its own country
U.S. History…
• Early Americans
– Bering Strait is a narrow
passageway connecting
the Arctic and Pacific
Ocean
– Archaeologists believe that
14,000 years ago there was
a land bridge connecting
Asia and North America
– People used the land bridge
to migrate from Asia to
North America
– Early people of North
America became known as
Native Americans
U.S. History…
• European
Colonization
– Spanish reached
the continent first
– European migration
began by the late
1500s
– Immigrants came
for:
• Land
• Opportunity
• Freedom
(political and
religious)
– Immigrants set up
colonies run by the:
• Spanish
• British
• French
– By the late 1700s, the British
controlled most of N. America
– British set up 13 colonies
– Conflicts arose between
Native Americans & colonists
• Land disputes
• Invasion of hunting land
• Traders
– In the 1760s, the relationship
between the colonists and
Great Britain worsened due
to the British government:
• Controlling the colonies
• Taxing the colonies
• Taking away freedom
– 1776 – fought the British in
the Revolutionary War which
resulted in the formation of
the United States and a
republic government where
power is held by a group of
elected individuals
U.S. History…
Westward Expansion…
• During the 1800s, the
government encouraged
settlers to move out west
to:
– Ease the crowded cities
– Farm land to produce
food
• 1848 – gold was
discovered in California
• Government sold land for
cheap to encourage
expansion
Westward Expansion…
• U.S. continued to grow due to the Louisiana Purchase,
acquisition of western states, & the purchase of Alaska
from Russia
• As pioneers moved west, bitter conflicts with American Indians
arose
• Americans pushed Indians further west onto reservations and
took up their land
Industry…
• By 1830 the U.S. was
industrializing
• Industrialization –
establishment of factories
that use machinery
– James Watt invented the steam
engine as a source of power
– Midwest became the leading
center of industry
– Textile industry increased the
demand for cotton grown in the
south
• Transcontinental Railroad
was complete in 1869 –
made it easier to move goods
and people across the country
North vs. South
• Multiple differences
between North &
South
– North focused on
industry, South
focused on
agriculture
– North had outlawed
slavery, South used
labor of enslaved
Africans
• Differences
eventually led to Civil
War
• 1861 – 1865
• Ended in defeat for
Southern states (or
Confederacy)
1900s…
• U.S. experienced major
challenges
– Fought in WWI (1917 &
1918)
– Suffered through
Great Depression
(1930s)
– Fought in WWII (1941 –
1945)
– Experienced Cold War
against Soviets
Canadian History…
• Extensive European
exploration began around
1500s
• John Cabot explored
eastern coasts
• French explorer, Jacques
Cartier traveled up the St.
Lawrence River
• French had 3 goals for
Canada:
– Find NW water passage
across N. America to Asia
– Exploit fishing waters &
develop fur trade
– Convert Native Americans
to Catholicism
• 1700s British took control of
many parts of Canada
• 1763 – British won control
of Canada from French
U.S. Government…
– Constitution - plan or blueprint
for the government
• Spells out who has what power
• Amendments – official
changes made to the
constitution
– 1st 10 Amendments are
known as the Bill of Rights
» Guarantee basic rights
such as freedom of
speech & right to a trial
– Currently, there are 27
Amendments
– The last Amendment was
added in 1992
– Power is divided between
federal, state, and local
– Ultimate power rests with the
people
U.S. Government…
– Federal System –
divides powers
between the national
government and
state governments
– Representative
democracy – elect the
people who govern us
– National government
is divided into:
• Executive branch President, Vice
President, Cabinet
• Legislative branch Congress (Senate
and House of
Representatives)
• Judicial branch courts systems
Canadian Government…
– Executive
• The British monarch is still
the official head of state
• Prime Minister is the
actual working head of
government
– Legislature
• Elected Parliament
– Senate
– House of Commons
– Judicial
• Court system
– Canada is divided into
provinces
• U.S. and Canada are
considered multicultural
- societies having more
than one culture
• Religion
– Religious freedom is very
important
– The majority of people are
Christians
– Majority of Canadians
practice Catholicism
• Language
– English is the language
used by Americans
– Canada is a bilingual nation
– use of two languages,
English & French
– America is becoming
increasingly more bilingual
Culture…
– Mobile society - able to move from place to place
– Since most families own cars, they have greater choices in
where they live
• Both have a high standard of living - measure of
people’s quality of life based on access to material
goods such as income food and housing
– $45,800 – U.S. per capita income
– $38,600 – Canada per capita income
Lifestyle…
Healthcare…
– Long life expectancy - average age a person is
expected to live
• 78 years (U.S.)
• 81 years (Canada)
– In Canada, the government spends a lot of money
ensuring that health care is available to all
– In the US, many people have health insurance
•
•
•
•
•
Health insurance is very expensive
government does offer some help
Medicare - for elderly citizens
Medicaid - for those who qualify due to their low income
No national health care in the U.S. – but debate has opened
up about providing universal healthcare
Education…
– Canada and the U.S.
have similar education
systems
– Basic education is free &
required
– Public and private
schools
– High literacy rate - % of
the population who can
read and write (97%)
– 80% of U.S. students
complete high school
U.S. Economy…
• Based on free enterprise or
capitalism- individuals own,
operate, and profit from their
own businesses
• No country is considered
pure capitalist because that
would mean the government
did not provide any goods or
services
• The U.S. produces and
exports a lot of goods
• The U.S. also imports (buys
from other countries) many
goods because of:
– Depletion of U.S. resources
– Improvements in foreign
products
– Enormous demands for
goods
Canadian Economy…
• Economy based on
manufacturing &
services
• Exports most minerals
& metals
• Fishing is important
economic activity –
recently overfishing
has become an issue
• Agriculture – produce
wheat
Agriculture…
• Major products:
– Beef
– Wheat
– Corn
• 40% of world’s corn
grown in the U.S.
–
–
–
–
Potatoes
Tobacco
Peanuts
Fruit
• Apples
• Peaches
• Oranges
• Technology
– Size of farms has
increased while the
number of farmers has
decreased
– Only 2.5% of the
population are
farmers
– Crop rotation
• Farmers grow
different crops in
succession on the
same land to help
preserve the soil’s
nutrients
• Rotate crops with
soybeans to put
nutrients back in the
soil
Agriculture…
Agriculture…
– Scientific developments
• Pesticides
• Fertilizers
• Hybrid seeds and
plants - two different
types of plants are
crossbred
– Machinery
•
•
•
•
Tractor
Thresher
Reaper
Expensive equipment
makes it hard for small
farmers to afford it
Manufacturing…
• Producing goods
(factories)
• 1 in 5 people work in
manufacturing
• Major manufacturing
products:
– Technology
– Transportation
equipment and
machinery
– Food processing
Service Industries…
• Provide services rather
than goods
• Examples:
–
–
–
–
Teacher
Doctor
Lawyer
Banker
• Service industry employs
more people than any
other kind of industry
– 2/3 of all workers in the U.S.
and Canada work in the
service industry
• Fastest growing industry
Trade…
• Supplies 1/10 of all goods
exported worldwide
• U.S. imports many goods
because:
– We don’t have many raw
materials
– Cheaper from other countries
• U.S. has trade deficit – value
of its exports is less than the
value of its imports
• NAFTA
– North American Free Trade
Agreement
– Trade agreement made in
1992 between the US,
Canada, and Mexico to
eliminate trade barriers
Environment…
Acid Rain
• U.S. consumes more energy
than any other country &
produces lots of waste
• Acid rain – precipitation that
carries abnormally high
amounts of acidic material
• Created when the chemicals
emitted by cars & factories
react with water vapor in the air
• Sulphuric acid and nitric acid
found in acid rain
• Acid rain can:
–
–
–
–
Corrode stone and metal
Damage crops
Pollute water
Kill fish and marine life
Environment…
Smog
• Haze caused by the
sun’s interaction with
exhaust gases
• Kills plants
• Harms humans
• Causes burning eyes and
irritation in lungs
• In Georgia, we have to
get emissions on your car
checked every year
Overuse of Resources…
• Logging
– Timber and products made from
wood are an important
economic activity
– 15% of the world’s wood comes
from the U.S.
– Logging companies are allowed to
log from public lands under the
monitoring of the U.S. Forest
Service
– Some people complain that profits
from lumber companies are viewed
as more important than
conservation
– Clearcutting
• All trees are cut down
• Clearcutting endangers wildlife
because it removes their habitat
Overuse of Resources…
– The fishing industry is
depleting the fish population
– Fishing bans or restrictions
are in place
– Example:
• Canada lowered cod
fishing quota by 35%
• This resulted in 20,000
people being laid off from
work
– Pollution and overfishing has
hurt the US fishing industry
– By-catch- unwanted fish
and marine life caught in
fishing nets and just
thrown out
Quiz #6
• Highest peak in N. America
• Longest mountain range in
North America
• Continental divide
• Largest river in U.S.
• Smallest & most densely
populated region
• Definition of megalopolis
• Definition of metropolitan area
• Which province reflects French
heritage?
• What continent did the first
people come from to the
Americas?
• Which European country
controlled most of N. America
by 1700s?
• 3 reasons for opposition
against British
• 3 reasons for westward
expansion
• Importance of steam
engine
• Major events of the 1900s
• # of amendments to U.S.
Constitution
• Actual head of Canadian
government
• 2 official languages of
Canada
• NAFTA
• Acid rain