1. Physical Geography of the U.S. & Canada
Chapter 5 Section 1

2. - U.S. & Canada cover 7 million sq. miles
- 12% of Earth

3. Western Features Pacific Ranges
Formed by colliding plates (Pacific & N.A.)
Sierra Nevada, Cascade Range, Alaska Range, and Coastal Mountains (in Canada)

4. Mt. McKinley (Alaska Range) = tallest peak
in N.A. at 20,320 feet—collision between Pacific and North American plates

6. Western Features Great California Valley alluvial valley
out produces any other region in fruit & vegetable production

7. In Between Landforms
Dry basins and plateaus fill area between Pacific Ranges and Rockies – Why?
rain shadow effect from Pacific Ranges

8. In Between Landforms
Great Basin Region: area of low land surrounded by mts.
Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran, & Chihuahuan Deserts

9. In Between Landforms Death Valley:
hottest & lowest (282 ft. below sea level) place
in N. Am.
dancing rocks phenomenon

10. In Between Landforms Columbia Plateau-
Created by lava seeping thru cracks
Aka: Flood basalt
Eventually part of crust sank into space left by lava

12. In Between Landforms Colorado Plateau-
Created by tectonics and erosion (Colo. River)
Grand southern end
Walls as steep as 6,000 ft

13. Hoover Dam Built on Colorado River b/w Arizona and Nevada (1931-1935)
What is purpose of building dam?
to provide irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric-power

14. Rocky Mountains Formed by collision of N. A. & Pacific plates
Stretch more than 3,000 miles from New Mexico to Alaska
Some peaks are more than 14,000 ft tall
Series of ranges (cordilleras)

16. Rockies in Alberta, Canada

17. Continental Divide
Divide = high point or ridge that determines the direction that rivers flow
E - toward Arctic Ocean & Atlantic Ocean
W - into the Pacific Ocean

18. Rivers Main rivers that have headwaters (source) in Rockies
Colorado, Columbia, Rio Grande, Mackenzie, Missouri

19. Interior Landforms US: between Rockies and Appalachian
Canada: between Rockies and Canadian Shield

20. Interior Landforms Great Plains (aka Interior/High Plains*)
Start at 6,000 ft gradually slope down about 10 ft/mile from W to E
E of Rockies: extend miles across center of region
“Breadbasket” of the US
(Wheat Belt)
*depends on source*

22. Interior Landforms High Plains: primarily W of the 100th meridian
W of meridian= inches of rain (semi-arid); good for rangeland
Rain shadow from Rockies
E of meridian= 20+ inches of rain

24. Interior Landforms
Eastern Interior Plains: region most positively affected by glaciers
Typically east of 100th Meridian
20-40 inches of rain
Mostly flat w/ some rolling hills
Most fertile soil in world: Corn Belt

25. Interior Landforms Interior Highlands Ozarks: Surface is limestone
Sinkholes, caves, and springs

26. Canadian Shield Giant core of bedrock (millions of yrs. old)
Negatively affected by Glaciation: scraped down to bare rock/thin soil
Good soil deposited in Great Plains
Only veg. is forests in south
Great for minerals (ores, gold, silver, copper, etc.)

27. Exposed Precambrian bedrock

28. Eastern Mountains Appalachians: formed 300 million yrs ago
Oldest mts; eroded to 5,000-6,000 ft
Eastern NA plate collided with African plate
From Quebec to central Alabama
Valleys great for agriculture

30. Piedmont & Lowlands Piedmont: E of Appalachians
Plateau region that drops (Fall line) into the coastal lowlands
Many 1st cities originated here: Philadelphia, Richmond, Baltimore, D.C…. WHY?
Rapids/waterfalls = hydroelectric power and blocked from moving inland

32. Lowlands Atlantic Plain- Carolinas, narrower as move North
Gulf Coastal Plain- west toward TX

33. Water
US/Canada wealthy b/c of abundant water- power, transportation

34. Water Mississippi: 2,350 miles Starts as stream in Minnesota
Gets to width of 1 ½ miles & empties into Gulf of MX
Affects all/part of 31 states and 2 provinces
One of world’s busiest waterways

35. Water St. Lawrence River: one of Can. most impt. Rivers Niagara Falls:
From Great Lakes to Atlantic, forms country border
Niagara Falls:
Tourist attraction, and major source of hydroelectric power
Form border of Ontario and NY

36. Water
Glacial Lakes
Great Bear Lake & Great Slave Lake formed by glacial dams
Great Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) formed by glacial gouges
St. Lawrence Seaway- series of canals & rivers
Helped build industry in NE

37. Islands NYC’s Manhattan Island: impt. economic center
Hawaii: volcanic island state, big tourism
Newfoundland, P.E.I., Vancouver I.: Canada’s most impt.
Greenland: world’s largest island, Denmark territory (Alaska + TX)

38. Resources Fuels Minerals
petroleum & nat. gas: TX and Alaska, & Alberta lead
Coal: Appalachians, Wyoming, & British Columbia
Minerals
Gold, silver, copper: Rockies
Iron & nickel: Canadian Shield

39. Resources Timber Fishing Today cover <50% of Canada & 1/3 of US
Conservation of forests and animals is high priority
Fishing
Grand Banks (Can.), Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of MX
Cod fishing banned in Grand Banks in ’92 due to overfishing