1. A Land of Contrasts North America
Chapter 5
A Land of Contrasts
North America

2. North America (Total Area)
Canada and the United States rank as two of the largest countries in the world area wise.
1. Russia
2. Canada
3. United States
4. China
5. Brazil

3. Natural Resources
Both Canada and the United States are global economic powers because they have a ton of natural resources.
Examples include: coal, copper, iron ore,
petroleum, timber, natural gas, lead etc.

4. Oceans and Waterways
Eight of the world’s largest lakes are on the North American Continent. *The Great Lakes are 5 of them.
Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior.
The Mississippi River goes most of the length of the United States from North to South.

5. Canada’s longest river is the Mackenzie River, which empties out into the Arctic Ocean.

6. Land and Forests
North America is the world’s number one food exporter. This is because the United States and Canada have some of the most fertile soils in the world.
½ of Canada is covered by woodlands
1/3 of the U.S. is covered by forests
Although Canada has more timber, the U.S. has a higher variety of trees.

7. Energy Resources
The U.S. consumes more energy resources than any other country in the world. Canada supplies the U.S. with a lot of energy resources.

8. Appalachian Great Plains Canadian Shield Rock Mountains
East mountain chain
Treeless area
Rocky, flat area
West mountain chain
1,600 miles from Nf to AL
4,000 ft. above sea level
Lies far north in Canada
Extend 3,000 miles from Alaska to NM
Green, Catskill, Blue Ridge and Smoky Mts.
Run from Texas up through Canada
Covers 18 million sq. miles
Line of highest points make Con. Divide
400 million yrs. Old
Encircles Hudson Bay
80 million yrs. old

9. Chapter 5 Section 2
Alaska & Canada have tundra climate and vegetation.
Winters= Long & Cold
Summers= Short & Chilly (Even in July the temperature is 40 degrees F.)

10. Rocky Mts. & Pacific ranges tend to have a cold climate with sparse vegetation.
North central & northeastern part of the U.S. and southern Canada have a humid continental climate.
Winters= Cold
Summers= Warm

11. Southern states of the U.S. have a humid subtropical climate.
Summers= Hot & Muggy (75 to 90 degrees F).
Winters= Mild & Cool

12. Great Plains tend to have a semiarid climate. An overall dry weather.
Some southern states have a very dry climate receiving less than 10 inches of rain in areas.
Desert areas in this region are the Mojave and Sonoran.

16. Chapter 5 Section 3
Human-Environment Interaction

17. Places & Terms Nomads- people who move from place to place.
Beringia- a land bridge that once connected Siberia and Alaska.
Locks- sections of a waterway with closed gates where water levels are raised and lowered.

18. Settlement and Agriculture of North America
The first inhabitants of North America came from Asia.
Food sources of early settler’s included wild game and plant foods. (Hunters & Gatherers)
Early farmers cut down trees for lumber to build houses and to burn as fuel.

19. The first Americans lived along coastlines and near rivers and streams because water was, and still is necessary for survival.
Landscape, climate, weather and the availability of natural resources also played a role as to where people settled.

20. Obstacles that early settlers faced when coming to North America included: huge distances, large bodies of water, harsh climates and hazardous landforms.

21. Present Canada and U.S.
Agriculture is still an important economic activity in the United States and Canada. Both countries are leading exporters of agricultural products.
The United States has the world’s largest railroad system, while Canada has the third largest.
The U.S. has nearly 4 million miles of roads, and Canada has about 560,000 miles of roadways.