Physical Features of the United States

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Physical Features of the United States

• Geography
• Mr. Napier

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Standards

• A. Describe the location of major physical
  features and their impact on Canada and the U.S.
• B. Describe the major climates of Canada and the
  U.S. and how they affect those nations.
• C. Explain the reasons for population
  distribution in U.S. and Canada.
• D. Explain how the physical geography of Canada
  and the U.S. contributed to regional growth and
  development.
• E. Describe the ethnic and religious groups in
  Canada and U.S. include major customs and
  traditions.
• F. Analyze how transportation and communications
  improvements led to the growth of industry in the
  U.S. and the consequences of such growth,
  especially environmentally, for both Canada and
  the U.S.

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What Information can you gather from a map?
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Performance Task 1

• You have been hired by the Chamber of Commerce of
  a city in Canada.
• You have one week to prepare a tri-fold brochure
  to encourage business and tourism to the city.
• You have six panels to promote your city. One
  panel is the cover. Other five panels should
  include interesting sites, major businesses and
  products, colleges/education, government, and
  transportation infrastructure.

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Cities for Performance Task

• Quebec
• Toronto
• Ottawa
• Halifax
• Winnipeg
• Calgary
• Vancouver
• Yellowknife
• Victoria
• Edmonton
• Iqaluit
• Thunder Bay
• Hamilton
• St. Johns
• Whitehorse
• Montreal
• Regina
• Hull

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Collaborative Pairs
Work with your collaborative partner. Make a
list of 10 important facts you already know about
the geography of the U.S.
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Essential Question
The United States has the highest gross national
product (GNP) in the world. GNP is the sum of
all economic activity in a country. What nation
is 2? What does being 1 mean about the role
the United States plays in the world economy?
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Where are some important physical features in the
United States?

• Physical features are natural landforms and
  bodies of water on Earths surface.
• Important land physical features in the United
  States include
• The Atlantic Coastal Plain
• The Great Plains
• The Continental Divide
• The Great Basin
• Death Valley

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The Atlantic Coastal Plain

• Lowland area borders the Atlantic Ocean in the
  Eastern part of the United States.
• Has many excellent harbors.
• Many people live in this region.

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The Great Plains
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The Great Plains
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The Great Plains

• The Interior plains are a flat area in the middle
  of the United States.
• The Great Plains are the western part of the
  interior plains.
• The Great Plains are east of the Rocky Mountains.
• The Great Plains consists of grasslands with no
  trees.

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The Continental Divide

• High peeks of the rocky mountains form an
  imaginary line called the backbone of North
  America.
• On the eastern side of the Continental Divide,
  rivers flow toward the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf
  of Mexico.
• On the Western side of the Continental Divide,
  rivers flow toward the Pacific Ocean.

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The Great Basin
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The Great Basin

• This area is west of the Rocky Mountains and east
  of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges.
• You will find isolated mountain ranges as well as
  Death Valley the lowest point in North America!

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Death Valley
The Lowest Point in North America!!
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Where are some important physical features in the
United States?

• Physical features are natural landforms and
  bodies of water on Earths surface.
• Important bodies of water in the United States
  include
• The Gulf of Mexico
• The St. Lawrence River
• The Great Lakes

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The Gulf of Mexico

• This body of water is between the eastern coast
  of Mexico and the Western coast of Florida.
• It has warmer water than the Atlantic Ocean.

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St. Lawrence River
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St. Lawrence River

• This important river flows through northeastern
  Canada.
• It is a major transportation route for large
  ships bringing goods into Canada and the United
  States.

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The Great Lakes

• These five lakes are located in the northern part
  of the United States between the U.S and Canada.
• They are the largest freshwater lakes in the
  world.

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Economic Systems Review

• Capitalism free enterprise
• Supply and demand determines prices
• Consumers are in control
• Laissez faire
• AKA Market

• Command
• Communism government controls and makes central
  decisions
• Socialism Government makes major decisions

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Mixed Economies

• Almost every economic system in the world is a
  mixed economy with some capitalism and some
  command or government control.

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Mixed Economies around the world
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Essential Question?

• Which economic system is the best?
• What is the ideal economic system?
• Should the government be involved in the economy?

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Political Systems Review

• Democracy people make all decisions
• Town Meetings
• Ancient Greece
• Republic People elect representatives
• United States
• Canada

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Federalism is a compromise!

• But, what is Federalism?
• Unitary Central government
• Confederation Local governments

Federalism is a compromise in the Constitution
which divides powers between the national and the
state governments.
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Political Vocabulary

1. Sovereignty who owns a nation
2. Totalitarianism total govt control
3. Dictatorship one person in control
4. Monarchy inherited power king/queen
5. Tyranny Takes over government
6. Empire One nation/ruler controls other nations
7. Constitution set of rules for the government

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Homework Chapter 3 section 2

• Read Chapter 3, Section 2 Page 100-105.
• Questions 1, 3, 4.
• Due on 1/21/14

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Important man-made features in New England

• There are many things in the United States that
  have been created by man.
• These man-made features include
• Cities
• Structures like a canal or a dam.
• Some major man-made features in the United States
  include
• New York City
• Boston
• Philadelphia
• Erie Canal

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New York City
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New York City

• The most populated city in the United States.
  8.33 million people! 468 sq/m
• Located in New York State.
• It is the world center of finance and business.
• It is located on a large harbor that helped it to
  grow as a trade center.

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Boston
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Boston

• This city is the capital of Massachusetts.
• It is located on a harbor at the mouth of the
  Charles River.
• It is the largest city in the New England region.

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Philadelphia
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Philadelphia

• This is the largest city in Pennsylvania.
• It is known as the birthplace of a the nation.
• Both the Declaration of Independence and the
  Constitution were written there.
• The city of Brotherly Love.

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Erie Canal
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The Erie Canal

• This man-made waterway links lake Erie with the
  Hudson River in New York.
• It was completed in 1825.
• It allows goods to be transported easily along
  the Great Lakes and then further west.
• It helped make New York City a major trade center.

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Man Made FeaturesTrue or False?

• New York City is the largest city in the United
  States.
• New York City is not located on a harbor.
• Boston is the capital of Massachusetts.
• The largest city in the New England region is
  Providence, Rhode Island.
• Philadelphia is the capital of Pennsylvania.
• The Declaration of Independence was written in
  Philadelphia.

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Climate of United States and Canada
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Temperatures in North America
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Precipitation in North America
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Questions

• What area of North America receives the most
  rainfall?
• How much rain does Atlanta receive each year?
• Where does rain come from???
• How do mountains impact the amount of rain an
  area receives?
• What happens when rain and cold meet?

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Review
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United States vs. Canada

• Lets compare the U.S. with Canada.
• How are the nations similar?
• How are the nations different?
• Work with your collaborative partner and list
  three answer to each question.

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Comparing U.S. and Canada

• United States

• Canada

• 315,000,000 people
• President
• 81 white, 13 black
• Largest GNP
• Congress
• Baseball/Football
• 3,794,000 square miles
• U.N. and NAFTA

• 35,000,000 people
• Prime Minister
• 83 white, 10 Asian
• 13 in GDP
• Parliament
• Hockey
• 3,855,000 square miles
• U.N., NAFTA and British Commonwealth

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Homework 8-22

• Read pages 181 to 188
• Questions 3, and 6