1. Physical Geography of the United States and Canada:
A Land of Contrasts
North America’s vast and varied landscape and
abundant resources have attracted immigrants and
shaped the development of the United States and
Canada.
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2. SECTION 1 Landforms and Resources
SECTION 2 Climate and Vegetation
Physical Geography
Looking at the Earth
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SECTION 3 Human-Environment Interaction

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Section 1
Landforms and
Resources
• The United States and Canada have vast
lands and abundant resources.
• These two countries share many of the same
landforms.

4. Landscape Influenced Development
Anglo America
• U.S., Canada: former British colonies, most people
speak English
• Strong economic and political ties with one another
Landforms and Resources
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Continued . . .
Vast Lands
• Canada second largest country in the world by area;
U.S. third
• Together they cover one-eighth of the earth’s land
surface

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Abundant Resources
• Landmass and natural resources attract immigrants
to both countries
• U.S. and Canada have developed into global
economic powers
continued Landscape Influenced Development

6. Many and Varied Landforms
Major Landforms
• All major landforms are found in U.S. and Canada
• The two countries share mountain chains and
interior plains
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Continued . . .
The Eastern Lowlands
• Atlantic Coastal Plain extends from Delaware down
to Florida
• Gulf Coastal Plain goes from Florida, along Gulf of
Mexico, to Texas
• Piedmont—low plateau between coastal plains,
Appalachian Highlands

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The Appalachian Highlands
• Appalachian Mountains run 1,600 miles from
Newfoundland to Alabama
- include Green and Catskill mountains in the
north
- Blue Ridge and Great Smoky mountains in
the south
• More than 400 million years old
• Erosion has created gentle slopes, peaks from
1,200–2,400 feet
• The Appalachian Trail is a scenic hiking path along
the chain
continued Many and Varied Landforms
Continued . . .

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The Interior Lowlands
• Glaciers leveled the land, left fertile soil
• Interior Plains extend from Appalachians to
Missouri River
• Great Plains extend from Missouri River to
Rocky Mountains
• Canadian Shield—vast, flat area around Hudson
Bay
continued Many and Varied Landforms
Continued . . .

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The Western Mountains, Plateaus, and
Basins
• Rocky Mountains run 3,000 miles from Alaska to
New Mexico
• Relatively young: 80 million years old
• Less erosion means rugged, 12,000-foot, snow-
covered peaks
• Continental Divide—the line of highest points along
the Rockies
- separates rivers that flow eastward from those
that flow westward
continued Many and Varied Landforms
Continued . . .

10. The Western Mountains, Plateaus, and Basins
• Other Pacific mountain ranges: Sierra Nevada,
Cascade
• Continent’s highest peak: Mt. McKinley in Alaska
• Major earthquake activity in Pacific ranges
• Between ranges and Rockies: cliffs, canyons, basins
(low desert)
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continued Many and Varied Landforms
The Islands
• Canada’s large, northern islands: Ellesmere,
Victoria, Baffin
• U.S.: Aleutians (Alaska), Hawaiian (politically, not
geographically)

11. Resources Shape Ways of Life
Oceans and Waterways
• U.S. and Canada are bounded by:
- Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic oceans
- Gulf of Mexico
• Countries have many large, inland rivers and lakes
that provide:
- transportation, hydroelectric power, irrigation,
fresh water, fisheries
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Continued . . .

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Oceans and Waterways
• Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie,
and Superior
• Mississippi-Missouri-Ohio river system:
continent’s longest, busiest
• Mackenzie River: longest in Canada, crosses
Northwest Territories
continued Resources Shape Ways of Life
Continued . . .

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Land and Forests
• Fertile soil helps make North America world’s
leading food exporter
• Large forests yield lumber and other products
Minerals and Fossil Fuels
• Mineral quantity and variety make rapid
industrialization possible
- Canadian Shield: iron ore, nickel, copper,
gold, uranium
- Appalachians, Great Plains: coal
- Gulf of Mexico: oil, natural gas
• U.S.: biggest energy consumer; gets most of
Canada’s energy exports
continued Resources Shape Ways of Life

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Section 2
Climate and Vegetation
• Almost every type of climate is found in the
50 United States because they extend over
such a large area north to south.
• Canada’s cold climate is related to its
location in the far northern latitudes.

15. Shared Climates and Vegetation
U.S. and Canada Climates
• U.S. has more climate zones than Canada
• U.S.: moderate mid-latitudes, Canada: colder high
latitudes
Climate and Vegetation
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Continued . . .
Colder Climates
• Arctic coast is tundra: huge, treeless plain with long,
cold winters
- some permafrost—permanently frozen ground
• Rockies and Pacific ranges are highland: colder,
sparse vegetation
- affect weather in lower areas: block Arctic air, trap
Pacific moisture

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Moderate Climates
• North central, northeast U.S, southern Canada
are humid continental
- cold winters; warm summers; heavy agriculture
• Pacific coast has marine west coast climate
- warm summers; long, mild, rainy winters;
mixed vegetation
- climate affected by ocean currents, coastal
mountains, westerlies
- prevailing westerlies—middle-latitude winds
blowing west to east
continued Shared Climates and Vegetation

17. Differences in Climate and Vegetation
Milder Climates
• Much of U.S. located south of 40 degrees N latitude
- milder, dry, and tropical climates
• Southern states are humid subtropical
- hot summers; mild winters; long growing season
for variety of crops
• Central, southern California coasts have
Mediterranean climate
- dry, warm summers; mild, rainy winters; fruits,
vegetables grow well
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Continued . . .
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Dry Climates
• Great Plains, northern Great Basin semiarid: dry
with short grasses
• Southwest is hot, dry desert, including Mojave
and Sonoran deserts
continued Differences in Climate and Vegetation
Tropical Climates
• Hawaii is tropical wet: rain forests, temps around 70
degrees F
- Mount Waialeale on Kauai Island is one of the
wettest spots on earth
• South Florida is tropical wet and dry: warm with tall
grasses
- Everglades—swampland covering 4,000
square miles

19. Effects of Extreme Weather
Natural Hazards
• Warm Gulf air clashes with cold Canadian air over
the Great Plains
- creates thunderstorms, tornadoes, blizzards
• Hurricanes sweep the Gulf and Atlantic coasts in
summer and fall
• Heavy rains cause floods along big rivers like the
Mississippi
• Heat, lack of rain bring droughts, dust storms, forest
fires
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Section 3
Human-Environment
Interaction
• Humans have dramatically changed the
face of North America.
• European settlements in the United States
and Canada expanded from east to west.

21. Settlement and Agriculture Alter the Land
Settlement
• Before humans, land changed due to natural forces:
weather, erosion
• Human settlers adapted to, and changed, the
environment
• First North Americans were nomads, moving from
place to place
- migrated from Asia over Beringia, a land bridge
from Siberia to Alaska
- hunted, fished, and gathered plants; settled near
rivers and streams
Human-Environment Interaction
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Continued . . .

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Agriculture
• Agriculture replaced hunting and gathering
3,000 years ago
• Settlements became permanent
- cut down trees for houses, plow fields, dig
irrigation ditches
- plant corn, beans, squash
• Today U.S. and Canada are leading agriculture
exporters
continued Settlement and Agriculture Alter the Land

23. Building Cities
Where Cities Grow
• Water access a major factor in how towns begin,
develop
• Other factors: landscape, climate, weather, natural
resources
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Continued . . .
Montreal—Adapting to the Weather
• Canada’s second-largest city; major port located on
island in Quebec
- meeting of St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers make it
important trade site
• French build permanent settlement in 1642 at base
of Mount Royal
• Cold winters force people to stay inside and build
underground areas

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Los Angeles—Creating Urban Sprawl
• Mild climate and the ocean bring thousands to
area in early 1900s
- once-small Spanish settlement expanded into
valleys and foothills
• Becomes U.S.’s second-largest city in 1980s
- problems: air pollution, low water supply,
earthquake area
• Los Angeles has spread out over a large area
- city proper: 469 square miles; metropolitan
area: 4,060 square miles
continued Building Cities

25. Overcoming Distances
Trails and Inland Waterways
• First natives go east, south down Pacific coast;
some remain north
• Europeans colonize the east coast then go inland,
creating trails
- national and Wilderness roads, Oregon and Santa
Fe trails
- use Mississippi and Ohio rivers; build canals
- Erie Canal—first navigable water link between
Atlantic, Great Lakes
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Continued . . .

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Trails and Inland Waterways
• St. Lawrence Seaway—deepwater ship route
built by U.S. and Canada
• Connects Great Lakes to Atlantic by way of St.
Lawrence River
• Gated-off sections called locks raise and lower
the water and ships
• Large ocean vessels can get to industrial and
agricultural heartland
continued Overcoming Distances
Continued . . .

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Transcontinental Railroads
• Transcontinental—from the Atlantic Ocean to
the Pacific Ocean
• Builders of early-1800s railroads face many
natural barriers
- workers cut down forests, bridge streams,
tunnel through mountains
• First U.S. transcontinental railroad: 1860; first
Canadian: 1885
• Move goods, people; promote economic
development, national unity
• Today U.S. has world’s largest rail system;
Canada, third largest
continued Overcoming Distances
Continued . . .

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National Highway Systems
• Arrival of automobile spurs roadbuilding in early
20th
century
• Today U.S. has 4 million miles of roads, Canada
has 560,000 miles
• Large Canadian highways connect major southern
cities from east to west
- Trans-Canada Highway: 4,860 miles,
Newfoundland to British Columbia
• U.S. interstate highway system: 46,000-mile
network begun in 1950s
continued Overcoming Distances

29. NEXT
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