North America
Important Terms Nation: a group with a shared culture inside a land area (ex: Cherokee Nation) State: sovereign territory with distinct borders (ex: Canada) Nation-State: land where nation and state are within the same sovereign territory (ex: Japan) Political Sovereignty: absolute control of a state by a government Ethnic Sovereignty: control for an ethnic group inside of a functioning politically sovereign state
Government of the United States Representative Democracy: people rule through elected representatives Federal Republic: powers divided among nations & state governments
SuBREGIONS OF THE u.s. – the Northeast 9 northern states New England: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey
SuBREGIONS of the U.S. – the Midwest 12 states North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa
SUBREGIONS OF THE u.s. – thE soUTH ¼ Land area of U.S. 16 states Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia
SUBREGIONS OF THE u.s. – thE West 13 states Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska Great Plains to the Pacific Ocean Including Hawaii & Alaska
NAFta: North American free trade agreement Trade agreement between U.S., Canada & Mexico – 1994 One of world’s largest trading blocks Eliminates trade barriers Increased economic activity between the three countries Strengthened political and economic positions in global economy NAFTA allows US Companies to set up assembly plants in Mexico = lower labor cost
UN: United nATIONS 190 countries Keep peace & stability around the world Provide diplomatic & humanitarian solutions to issues
United against terrorism After 9/11, US & Canada created the Smart Border action plan to enhance border security Focuses on Monitoring the flow of people/goods Securing infrastructure Sharing information The FAST Program – The Free & Secure Trade Program Sharing & coordination between US and Canadian law enforcement
Political geography of Canada Provinces: political units 1830: Political disputes between French (Lower) & English (Upper) speaking settlers 1867 – British North America Act passes creating the Dominion of Canada Loose confederation (political union) of Ontario, Quebec Nova Scotia & New Brunswick
Governing Canada 1931 - Independent nation from Britain Parliamentary Government: system in which legislative and executive function are combined in a legislature called a parliament Large federal government & smaller provincial governments Canada is independent, Queen of England is symbolic head Parliament: appointed Senate & elected House of Commons Prime Minister: head of the government & majority party leader in Parliament Each of 10 provinces has its own legislature & premier (prime minister) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7C8uDuhLqvg
Subregions of Canada 10 provinces & 3 territories Atlantic Provinces: Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador Quebec & Ontario: Core Provinces Center of political life Ottawa = capital of federal government Prairie Provinces: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta Pacific Provinces: British Columbia, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories & Nunavut (Inuit population)