1. Warm-up What is weathering? What is erosion? Fun Fact:
Hawaii has the only caterpillar that eats other insects.

2. US and Canada Physical Notes

3. Overview
Canada is slightly larger than the continental United States, but they have less than one 1/5 of the population.
Key point- Canada has a low population density and a large amount of land per amount of people.
Together US and Canada make 1/8 of the world’s land

4. Rivers
Mississippi is the longest river in North America. Flooding is still an issue.
The Mississippi River system is also the continent's busiest river system.

5. Lakes
8 of the World’s 15 largest Lakes are in this region: The Great Lakes – a major shipping route.

6. Mountains Mt. McKinley is the tallest in North America.
Mt. Logan in the tallest in Canada.
Logan
McKinley

7. Mountains cont.
Appalachian Mountains – over 400 mil. yrs. old. These mountains have been eroded and are a shorter mountain chain.
Rocky Mountains – Rugged and tall. Runs 3,000 miles in length from Alaska to New Mexico. The Rockies are younger than other mountains – 80 mil. Yrs. Old.
Continental Divide – line of highest points in the Rockies that marks the separation btw rivers flowing eastward and westward

8. Plains
Great Plains – largely treeless. In the middle of the US, and continues north into Canada.

9. Resources Land and Forests are significant resource
Minerals and Fossil Fuels:
Iron ore
Nickel
Copper
Gold
Uranium
Coal
Natural Gas
Oil
The US uses more energy than any other country in the world. Most of Canada’s energy exports go to the US.

10. Climates and Vegetation - Tundra
Northern Alaska & Northern Canada
Winters= Long & Cold
Summers= Short & Chilly (Even in July the temperature is 40 degrees F.)
The majority of Alaska and Canada fall in the Sub Artic zone

11. Why do most Canadians live in the South?

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

13. Humid Subtropical South Eastern states of the U.S.
This is where we are
Summers= Hot & Muggy (75 to 90 degrees F).
Winters= Mild & Cool
In Florida, there is a large swampland that covers over 4,000 sq. miles called the Everglades.

14. Mediterranean Southern California Summers= Hot & Dry
Winters= Mild and Wet

15. Semiarid Great Plains tend to have 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. Human/Environment Interaction
The first ppl to interact with the North American environment were nomads (ppl who move).
The came to NA across Beringia (a land bridge in the North. Some came in boats across the Pacific through island hopping.
Agriculture (farming) is a significant part of both US and Canadian history, and remain one of the most important exports.

17. H/E continued
Transcontinental Railroads were a significant project meant to improve transportation. This project had a dramatic effect on both people and the environment.
This was followed by the highway system.
Which five themes is this related to? How?

18. Describe what effect the Physical Geography of US and Canada has on the people who live in different regions.
Don’t forget to finish your maps.