United States and Canada

Answer ?’s In Your Notebooks Where is Canada in relation to the United States? What three oceans border the United States? What are the major mountain ranges and other prominent land features in the United States? What are the major agricultural products of the United States?

Economic Characteristics of U. S. and Canada Major Exports – Technology, Consumer goods, food Highly developed infrastructure Highly diverse economy – Have all levels of economic activity Have a rich supply of resources Mineral Energy Forest

NAFTA – Canada, USA, Mexico Multinational Corporations Center of world financial markets (New York Stock Exchange)

Sustained Economic Growth USA GDP – 14.66 Trillion Canada GDP – 1.33 Trillion

Widening Gap Between Rich and Poor

Export of U.S. Culture Via the Global Marketplace Cultural Diffusion

Weather and Climate is also dominated by Maritime, Humid subtropical & Humid Continental Climates- natural hazards include hurricanes & tornadoes “Tornado Alley” is found in the Midwest- especially throughout the wide fertile area called the Great Plains.

Cascades/ Coastal Ranges ROCKY MOUNTAINS There is an imaginary line of high elevation that runs northwest to southeast through North America. This is the dividing line that separates any water that flows west towards the Pacific and water that flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. This line follows the Rocky Mountains and is called the Continental Divide Appalachians Cascades/ Coastal Ranges

RAIN SHADOW EFFECT Windward side of the mountains Leeward Side or “protected” side of the mountains ANDES Pacific Ocean http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/simblob/rain-shadow.png

Breadbasket Great Plains Regional Labels These are areas that share similar characteristics and have been given “nicknames” like the: Dairy Belt Corn Belt Tornado Alley The West Dixie Bible Belt Breadbasket Great Plains

But even with major similarities, there are cultural differences in the region. Would any of these be found in North America? YES! THEY ALL WOULD

Canada’s province of Quebec is French speaking (Francophone) and wants to separate from the rest of English-speaking Canada. This is causing a lot of conflict with Canada’s national identity. Bi-lingual signs like this one make some people mad.

LIKE CHICAGO’S DEEP DISH PIZZA VS. NEW YORK’S PIZZA PIE… EVEN MAJOR CITIES HAVE DIFFERENCES AMONG THEM… OR SEAFOOD PREPARED IN SAN FRANSICO VS. SEAFOOD PREPARED IN WASHINGTON DC OR COFFEE IN SEATTLE PREPARED IN STARBUCKS VS. COFFEE PREPARED IN DALLAS (OK- IT’S STILL STARBUCKS) LIKE CHICAGO’S DEEP DISH PIZZA VS. NEW YORK’S PIZZA PIE… CAN YOU GUESS THESE CITIES? REMEMBER YOUR “MENTAL MAPS” Seattle Chicago San Francisco New York City Los Angeles Washington DC St. Louis Dallas

We are a "Melting Pot" of peoples European and Asian Immigration since 1840s English colonization on the east coast (orig. 13 colonies)- spread to West coast over time. (Manifest Destiny) Major push in 1910s and post WWII from all over the world Modern immigration from Latin America (esp. Mexico)

Impacts of migration on the region Originally from overseas, foreign cultures have migrated to the United States/ Canada. Language- places have become bi-lingual Religious freedoms and different religions enter the areas. Multiple customs/traditions= blending of cultures Changes of the cultural landscapes (monuments, buildings, different styles of homes, businesses, places of worship)

Acid rain, ozone depletion Water pollution (esp. Chicago on Lake Michigan, Detroit with the auto productions, & other urban centers with heavy pollution. There are even industrial spills like the Exxon Valdez along the Alaskan Coast or the oil refineries explosion in Texas. Increased population on the coasts "Eastern Megalopolis" from Boston to Va. Beach. Urban areas have large employment opportunities

The Future of the region. : We’re Post-Industrial The Future of the region?: We’re Post-Industrial!! We’ll have increasing "Clean Industries" (NAFTA labor) Will we maintain a World presence?: YES through UN, NATO, military presence What do YOU think will happen in the future?

Cultural Landscape of the United States and Canada

U. S. Capitol building in Washington, DC

Capital building in Richmond

Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, CA

Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA Site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence

St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, MO. Gateway to westward expansion

Wheat fields in north central USA and south central Canada

Skyscrapers in larger U. S. cities

Shopping Malls are found in every large city in the U. S. A