Physical Features of the United States

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Physical Features of the United States

• Geography
• Mr. Napier and Mr. Newhall

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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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Homework!

• Read Pages 143 to 147
• Answer questions 1, 2, and 3 on page 147.
• Why is capitalism the best economic system? What
  other systems are there?

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Essential Question
The United States has the highest Gross National
Product in the world. What does this mean about
the role the United States plays in the world
economy? By the way, GNP, is the sum of all
economic activity in a country. What nation is
2?
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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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Farming the land

• Most abundant natural resource is land
• Native Americans lived off the land
• Homestead Act gave 160 acres to those who moved
  west.
• Most land east of Mississippi was cleared by the
  Civil War.
• Fossil fuels now critical to economy.

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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
Bread box for much of the world. Called Great
American Desert by early settlers. Railroad
brought many west through GP to
California. What was found in California in
1849? Who built the Transcontinental
Railroad? What animnal was nearly destroyed in
the process of settling the Great Plains?
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The Great PlainsCan you name all the states in
green?
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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 few
  trees.
• U.S. farmers grow 10 of wheat and 32 of corn in
  the world.

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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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Checking your knowledge

• What American explorers first crossed the
  Continental Divide?
• What river did they follow across the Great
  Plains?
• Through which American port does the grain from
  the Great Plains pass to be exported?
• What mountains are west of the Rockies?
• What pro football team plays in Mile High Stadium?

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Cool Maps

• http//twistedsifter.com/2013/08/maps-that-will-he
  lp-you-make-sense-of-the-world/

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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
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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.
• Montreal and Quebec and major cities on St.
  Lawrence.
• What tourist attraction prevents travel between
  the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes?

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The Great LakesCan you name them??
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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.
• Know key terms on page 105.
• Complete Section 2 Guided Reading and Review
• Quiz tomorrow at start of class!

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Where are some important man-made features in the
U.S?

• 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

• This the largest city in the United States.
• 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.
• \

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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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San Francisco

• Excellent harbor
• The nearby San Andreas and Hayward Faults are
  responsible for much earthquake activity

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Mount Rushmore

• Carved into Black Hills of South Dakota
• Sacred land of the Sioux
• Another monument is being carved for Crazy Horse
  a few miles away.

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Chicago

• Third largest city in United States.
• Name top two?
• Near a portage between the Great Lakes and the
  Mississippi River watershed
• Home to Bears and Cubs!

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Review
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Everglades - Florida

• Habitat for wildlife
• Large cities near this ecosystem
• Is flood control more important than the
  environment?
• Manatee and panther endangered
• Invasive species

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Rio Grande River

• Forms border between Texas and Mexico
• Many illegal immigrants cross river
• Should the river be fortified?

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Mt. McKinley

• Highest mountain in North America
• 20,237 feet
• Alaska

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Gulf of Mexico

• Warm water temperatures feed hurricanes
• Oil and natural gas production
• Dead zone near coast
• Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill

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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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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