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Chapter Menu
Chapter Introduction Section 1 Physical
Features Section 2 Climate Regions Summary
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Chapter Intro 1
Regions The United States and Canada cover most
of the land area of North America, stretching
from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.
These two huge countries share many of the same
physical features, resources, and climates. How
do landforms and climate help or hinder
transportation in a vast region?
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Chapter Intro 2
Section 1 Physical Features Geographers
organize the Earth into regions that share common
characteristics. The United States and Canada
share a long border and many landforms. Their
economies are closely linked by trade. Their
governments have also worked together on major
projects that have changed the land and benefited
both countries.
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Chapter Intro 2
Section 2 Climate Regions The physical
environment affects how people live. A diversity
of climates in the United States and Canada leads
to different ways of life. Some parts of this
region experience natural hazards that can
threaten peoples safety.
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Chapter Intro-End
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Section 1-Main Idea
Geographers organize the Earth into regions that
share common characteristics.
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Section 1-Key Terms
Content Vocabulary

• contiguous
• megalopolis
• prairie
• cordillera

• canyon
• navigable
• glacier
• divide

Academic Vocabulary

• constrain
• route

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Section 1-Polling Question
Have you ever been to Canada? A. Yes B. No

• A
• B

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Section 1
In Californias Redwood National Park, during
2006, naturalists discovered what is now
recognized as the worlds tallest tree. Named
Hyperion, it is 379.1 feet (115.5 m) tallas much
as one-and-a-quarter football fields long!
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Section 1
Major Landforms
The region rises in elevation from east to west.
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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• The United States and Canada, covering most of
  North America, are bordered by the Arctic Ocean
  in the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the
  Gulf of Mexico in the southeast, and the Pacific
  Ocean in the west.

• Canada occupies most of the northern part of
  North America and is the second-largest country
  in the world after Russia.
• The United States is the third-largest country.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• Most of the United States stretches across the
  middle part of North America.

• The 48 states in this part of the country are
  contiguous, or joined together inside a common
  boundary.
• Alaska lies in the northwestern part of North
  America, adjacent to Canada, and Hawaii is an
  island group in the Pacific Ocean.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• A broad lowland runs along the Atlantic and the
  Gulf of Mexico coasts.

• In northeastern areas, the thin and rocky soil
  constrains, or limits, farming.
• A fertile, hilly area called the Piedmont
  stretches inland from the coastal plain.
• Harbors along the Atlantic coast have led to the
  growth of shipping ports.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• The cities of Halifax, Boston, New York City,
  Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., all lie along
  or near the Atlantic coast, forming a connected
  area of urban communities called a megalopolis.

• The coastal plain along the Gulf of Mexico is
  wider than the Atlantic plain, and soils in this
  region are better than those along the Atlantic
  coast.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• Large cities here include Houston and New
  Orleans. West and north of the eastern coastal
  plain are highland areas that include the
  Appalachian Mountains.

• West of the eastern highlands are vast interior
  lowlands.
• In the north lies the Canadian Shield, a
  horseshoe-shaped area of rocky hills, lakes, and
  evergreen forests that wraps around the Hudson
  Bay.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• With poor soil and a cold climate, the Canadian
  Shield is not farmable, but it does contain many
  mineral deposits such as iron ore, copper, and
  nickel.

• South of the Canadian Shield and west of the
  Appalachians lie the Central Lowlands with grassy
  hills, rolling flatlands, thick forests, and
  fertile farmland.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• Important waterways are the Great Lakes and the
  Mississippi River.

• Chicago, Detroit, and Toronto are located here.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• The Great Plains stretch west of the Mississippi
  River, gradually rising in elevation from east to
  west.

• Much of this region is a prairie, or rolling
  inland grassland with fertile soil.
• Grains, cattle, and reserves of coal, oil, and
  natural gas are important products here.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• West of the Great Plains is a cordillera, or a
  group of mountain ranges that run side by side.

• At the eastern edge of the cordillera, the Rocky
  Mountains begin in Alaska and run south to New
  Mexico.
• Near the Pacific coast, the Sierra Nevada, the
  Cascade Range, the Coast Range, and the Alaska
  Range mountain chains make up the western part of
  the cordillera.

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Section 1
Major Landforms (cont.)

• Mount McKinley in the Alaska Range rises to
  20,320 feet (6,194 m), the highest point in North
  America.

• Between the Pacific ranges and the Rocky
  Mountains is a stretch of dry basins and high
  plateaus.
• In the southern part of this area, rivers have
  worn through rock to create canyons, or deep
  valleys with steep sides, including the Grand
  Canyon of the Colorado River.

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Section 1
Which statement is true about the Appalachian
Mountains? A. Contains tallest U.S. mountain
B. Oldest mountain range in U.S. C. Rich in
gold deposits D. Both A and C

• A
• B
• C
• D

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Section 1
Bodies of Water
The regions waterways provide transportation and
electric power.
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Section 1
Bodies of Water (cont.)

• The United States and Canada have numerous
  freshwater lakes and rivers.

• Many of the regions rivers are navigable, or
  wide and deep enough to allow the passage of
  ships.
• The Great Lakesthe worlds largest group of
  freshwater lakeslie in the central part of the
  region.

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Section 1
Bodies of Water (cont.)

• Thousands of years ago, glaciers formed Lake
  Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie,
  and Lake Ontario.

• The waters of these connected lakes flow into the
  St. Lawrence River, which empties into the
  Atlantic Ocean.

St. Lawrence Seaway and Locks
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Section 1
Bodies of Water (cont.)

• The St. Lawrence River, one of Canadas most
  important rivers, flows for 750 miles (1,207 km)
  from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence in
  the Atlantic Ocean.

• Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa developed in this
  area.

St. Lawrence Seaway and Locks
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Section 1
Bodies of Water (cont.)

• For many years, various obstructions kept ships
  from navigating the entire route, or journey,
  from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

• Then, in the mid-1900s, the United States and
  Canada built the St. Lawrence Seaway, which links
  these bodies of water.

St. Lawrence Seaway and Locks
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Section 1
Bodies of Water (cont.)

• The Mississippi river is North Americas longest
  river. It flows 2,350 miles (3,782 km), beginning
  as a stream in Minnesota and enlarging to a width
  of 1.5 miles (2.4 km) before emptying into the
  Gulf of Mexico.

• The Mississippi River system is the major
  waterway for the central region.
• It drains about 1.2 million square miles (3.1
  million sq. km) of land, including all or part of
  31 American states and much of central Canada.

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Section 1
Bodies of Water (cont.)

• The high ridge of the Rocky Mountains is called
  the Continental Divide. A divide is a high point
  that determines the direction that rivers flow.

• Northeast of the Rockies, the Mackenzie River
  flows from the Great Slave Lake to the Arctic
  Ocean, draining much of northern Canadas
  interior.

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Section 1
Which of the following is NOT a Great
Lake? A. Lake Ontario B. Lake Champlain C. Lake
Michigan D. Lake Huron

• A
• B
• C
• D

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Section 1
Natural Resources
The region has many energy, mineral, and other
natural resources.
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Section 1
Natural Resources (cont.)

• Although the United States has oil and natural
  gas reserves, the country uses nearly three times
  the amount of oil that it produces and must
  import more in order to meet the nations needs.

• Canada exports both oil and natural gas, much of
  it to the United States.
• Canadas area in or near the province of Alberta
  has the worlds largest reserves of oil in the
  form of oil mixed with sand.

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Section 1
Natural Resources (cont.)

• The United States and Canada also have
  significant amounts of coal.

• Coal is mined in the Appalachian Mountains,
  Wyoming, and British Columbia.

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Section 1
Natural Resources (cont.)

• The rivers and lakes in some areas of the United
  States and Canada provide hydroelectric energy.

• Niagara Falls is a major source of hydroelectric
  power for both countries.

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Section 1
Natural Resources (cont.)

• Farmers grow corn in the Central Lowlands, which
  receive plentiful rainfall, and wheat on the
  drier Great Plains.

• The wet, mild climate of western Washington and
  Oregon supports dairy farming and the growing of
  fruits and vegetables.
• Irrigation is used in the drier eastern areas of
  these two states to grow grain.

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Section 1
Natural Resources (cont.)

• The warm, wet valleys of central California yield
  more than 200 different crops.

• In the south central part of British Columbia,
  fruits and vegetables are grown on irrigated land.

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Section 1
Natural Resources (cont.)

• Today, forests cover less than 50 percent of
  Canada and about one-third of the United States.

• Still, lumber and wood products, such as paper,
  are major Canadian exports.

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Section 1
Natural Resources (cont.)

• The timber industry is also strong in the states
  of Oregon and Washington.

• Coastal waters are important to the regions
  economy and support large fishing industries.
• In recent years, however, the regions Atlantic
  fishing grounds have suffered from overfishing.

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Section 1
Which of the following is a major export of
Canada? A. Natural gas B. Lumber C. Coal D. All
of the above

• A
• B
• C
• D

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Section 1-End
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Section 2-Main Idea
The physical environment affects how people live.
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Section 2-Key Terms
Content Vocabulary

• drought
• tornado

• hurricane
• blizzard

Academic Vocabulary

• diverse
• adapt
• restore

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Section 2-Polling Question
Does the area you live in experience
tornadoes? A. Yes B. No

• A
• B

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Section 2
The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 tore
through Rhode Island, Connecticut, and
Massachusetts, killing nearly 600 people and
injuring three times that many. The destruction
of homes, other structures, boats, and the
fishing industry was almost immeasurable. Unlike
today, the storm was hardly reported by national
newspapers and radio stations.
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Section 2
A Varied Region
Most people in the United States and Canada live
in temperate climate regions.
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• The vast territory of the United States and
  Canada is diverse in both climates and
  vegetation.

• Most people live in the middle latitudes where
  climates are more moderate.
• The extremely cold tundra climate along the
  Arctic Oceans coastline prevents the growth of
  trees and most plants.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• In the subarctic region farther south, forests of
  evergreens are specially adapted to the climate.

• The area from southern Alaska to northern
  California has a marine west coast climate of
  year-round mild temperatures and abundant
  rainfall.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• Southern California has a Mediterranean climate
  of warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters with
  much less rainfall than in northern areas.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• The inland West has a desert climate of hot
  summers and mild winters. Here, Pacific coastal
  mountains block humid ocean winds.

• Hot, dry air gets trapped between the Pacific
  ranges and the Rockies, resulting in little
  rainfall in the inland West.
• Areas on the eastern side of the Rockies have a
  partly dry steppe climate.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• Droughts, or long periods without rainfall, are a
  serious challenge to farmers and ranchers who can
  lose crops and animals.

• The Great Plains have a humid continental climate
  with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• Enough precipitation falls to support prairie
  grasses and grains, although dry weather
  sometimes affects the area.

• In the 1930s, winds eroded loose topsoil and
  turned the area into a wasteland called the Dust
  Bowl, but todays better farming methods have
  restored this areas soil.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• The eastern United States and Canada have humid
  climate regions with plenty of year-round
  precipitation.

• The northeastern United States and some areas of
  eastern Canada have a humid continental climate.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• The southeastern United States has a humid
  subtropical climate.

• In summer, warm air from the south blocks cold
  Arctic air from reaching the eastern areas.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• In winter, however, the northeast receives strong
  blasts of icy Arctic air.

• For example, in Boston, Massachusetts, January
  temperatures can drop to an average low of 22ºF
  (6ºC).

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• Areas in the southeast still receive some warmth
  from the south, resulting in an average January
  temperature in Atlanta, Georgia, of 41ºF (5ºC).

• Southern Florida has a tropical dry climate, with
  hot temperatures in summer and warm winters.
• Rainfall occurs mainly during the summer.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
A Varied Region (cont.)

• Hawaii, the other tropical area, has year-round
  temperatures that average above 70ºF (21ºC).

• Rainfall, which varies throughout the state,
  supports tropical rain forests.

United States and Canada Climate Zones
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Section 2
Which state has a tropical climate? A. Texas
B. Hawaii C. Florida D. Both B and C

• A
• B
• C
• D

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Section 2
Natural Hazards
Hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes can
threaten parts of the region.
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Section 2
Natural Hazards (cont.)

• A tornado is a windstorm in the form of a
  funnel-shaped cloud that often touches the
  ground.

• Tornadoes are often associated with strong lines
  of thunderstorms and may have winds of more than
  300 mph (482 km per hour).
• The central United States, called Tornado
  Alley, sees more tornadoes each year than any
  other place in the world.

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Section 2
Natural Hazards (cont.)

• Hurricanes are wind systems that form over the
  ocean in tropical areas and bring violent storms
  with heavy rains.

• They also can create a storm surge, or high
  levels of seawater that flood low-lying coastal
  areas.
• Hurricanes most often strike along the
  southeastern Atlantic coast and the Gulf of
  Mexico, but they can also hit northeastern states.

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Section 2
Natural Hazards (cont.)

• One of the most damaging hurricanes in history,
  Hurricane Katrina, struck the coast of the Gulf
  of Mexico in August of 2005, damaging a wide area
  from Mobile, Alabama, to New Orleans, Louisiana.

• More than 1,800 people died, and hundreds of
  thousands lost their homes.

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Section 2
Natural Hazards (cont.)

• Blizzards are severe winter storms that last
  several hours and combine high winds with heavy
  snow, sometimes causing white-out conditions
  that limit how far people can see.

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Section 2
Natural Hazards (cont.)

• While earthquakes can occur anywhere in the
  region, most take place along the Pacific coast.

• This area lies along various fault lines, or
  areas of weakness in the Earth where two tectonic
  plates meet.

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Section 2
Natural Hazards (cont.)

• The area where tectonic plates meet can also be
  the site of volcanoes.

• Volcanoes are found in the Pacific coast
  mountains, southern Alaska, and Hawaii.
• Most are now dormant, or unlikely to erupt soon.
  
• Several of Hawaiis volcanoes are still active.

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Section 2
In North America, where are volcanoes
found? A. South west B. Northern
Alaska C. Hawaii D. All of the above

• A
• B
• C
• D

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Section 2-End
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VS 1
Major Landforms

• The East has low coastal plains and heavily
  eroded highlands.
• Lowland areas with minerals and rich soil make up
  the regions interior.
• The West has several parallel mountain ranges.
  Plateaus, basins, and valleys lie between the
  mountains.

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VS 2
Major Bodies of Water

• The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway
  support trade between the regions interior areas
  and other parts of the world.
• The Mississippi River is the most important
  waterway in the central part of the United States.

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VS 3
Natural Resources

• The regions energy resources include oil,
  natural gas, and coal.
• Abundant mineral resources are found in the
  eastern highlands, the Canadian Shield, and the
  western mountains.
• Rich soils support farming in the Central
  Lowlands, the Great Plains, and western valleys.

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VS 4
Climate Regions

• Most Americans and Canadians live in moderate,
  middle-latitude climate areas.
• The inland West has dry and semidry climates
  because mountains block moist air.
• Pacific coastal areas generally have mild, wet
  climates.

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VS 5
Natural Hazards

• Tornadoes occur primarily in the central area of
  the region.
• Hurricanes can bring heavy winds and rain to the
  Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
• Earthquakes are a destructive threat along
  coastal fault lines in the West.
• Volcanoes are found in western coastal areas,
  Alaska, and Hawaii. Most are dormant.

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VS-End
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Figure 1
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Figure 2
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PP Trans
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DFS Trans 1
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DFS Trans 2
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Vocab1
contiguous joined together inside a common
boundary
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Vocab2
megalopolis huge urban area made up of several
large cities and nearby communities
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Vocab3
prairie rolling inland grassland region with
fertile soil
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Vocab4
cordillera region of parallel mountain chains
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Vocab5
canyon deep valleys with steep sides
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Vocab6
navigable referring to a body of water wide and
deep enough for ships to use
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Vocab7
glacier giant sheets of ice
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Vocab8
divide the high point in a landmass that
determines the direction rivers flow
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Vocab9
constrain limit
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Vocab10
route journey
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Vocab11
drought long period of time without rainfall
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Vocab12
tornado severe windstorm that takes the form of a
funnel-shaped cloud and often touches the ground
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Vocab13
hurricane wind system that forms over the ocean
in tropical areas and brings violent storms with
heavy rains
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Vocab14
blizzard severe winter storm that lasts several
hours and combines high winds with heavy snow
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Vocab15
diverse varied
93
Vocab16
adapt change
94
Vocab17
restore return to put or bring back into
existence or use
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