1. 1.3 American Lands and Climates
Mr. Davis

2. Types of Landforms
North America has many landforms, or natural features. These include:
Rolling hills, high mountains, long rivers, grassy plains, dense forests, and deserts.
There are four basic landforms

3. Mountains
High steep rugged land. They rise to a height (or elevation) of at least 1,000 feet.
Few people live on the mountainsides because they are steep, but many people live in the valleys.

4. Hills
Areas of raised land that re lower and more rounded than mountains.
Farming is often used on hilly land.

5. Plains Fairly level land, not all plains are level.
Plains usually do not rise about sea level.
Often used to settle on and build farms, roads, and cities.

6. Plateaus
Plains that range from a few hundred to many thousand feet above sea level.
With enough rain, plateaus can be good for farming. However, some plateaus are surrounded by mountains which cut off rain supply.

7. Physical Regions of North America
North America has SEVEN physical regions
Pacific Coast:
The Westernmost region of North America is the Pacific Coast
Some of these western ranges that contain high mountain ranges stretching from Alaska to Mexico hug the Pacific Ocean.

8. Intermountain Region:
East of the coast is the Intermountain region. It is very rugged region of mountain peaks, high plateaus, and deserts.
Rocky Mountains:
The Rocky Mountains stretch from Alaska through Canada into the United States.
The Rockies include some of the highest peaks in North America, many peaks are more than 14,000 feet high.
The Rocky Mountains are often described for their beauty and impressive appearance.

9. Interior Plains:
Between the Rockies in the West and the Appalachian Mountains in the East in a lard lowland area called the interior plains.
The dry western part of the Interior Plains is called the Great Plains; on the eastern side it is called the Central Plains.
According to scientist, a great inland sea once covered the Interior Plains.
The land is covered by coal and petroleum and other parts offer fertile soil for farming and grasslands for cattle.

10. Appalachian Mountains:
Run along the eastern part of North America. They stretch from Canada in the North to Georgia in the south.
The Appalachian Mountains are lower and less rugged than the Rocky Mountains.

11. Canadian Shield: Lowland area that lies mostly in eastern Canada.
The Southern part extends into the U.S.
The Shied lacks topsoil for farming, but has many minerals.

12. Coastal Plains: Opposite of the Pacific Coast is the Coastal Plains.
It lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
It starts off narrow in the North and broadens going South toward Florida.

13. Sometimes there is an extra!
Hawaiian Islands:
The Hawaiian Islands lie far out in the Pacific, about 2,400 miles west of California.
Contains eight large islands.
Many of these islands contain volcanoes that are still active to this day.
The largest one is Mauna Loa, which rises 13, 680 feet above sea level.

14. Rivers and Lakes
Great river systems crisscross North America. They collect runoff water form rains and melting snows and carry it to the ocean.
The Mighty Mississippi:
These two rivers make up the longest and most important rivers in the United States.
They carry water through the Interior Plains into the Gulf of Mexico
Many streams and smaller rivers (also known as tributaries) flow into the Mississippi-Missouri River.
Today barges carry freight up and down the river as in the past.

15. The Colorado River:
This river begins in the Rocky Mountains and flows through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.
This river forms the border between California and Arizona as it flows to the Gulf of California.
The Grand Canyon was created from the Colorado River because the river rushed over layers or rock carving deeper and deeper channels.

16. International Borders:
The Rio Grande and the St. Lawrence River serve as political boundaries.
The Rio Grande is part of the border between the U.S. and Mexico
The St. Lawrence River is a border between Canada and the U.S.
The “Great Lakes” also create a border between Canada and the U.S.

17. Weather and Climate
Weather:
Climate:
El Nino:

18. North American Climates
Marine:
The strip of land from southern Alaska to northern California is called the Pacific Northwest.
This region has a mild, moist, marine climate with warm summers and cool winters.
The winds from the Pacific Ocean being mild temperatures and moisture inland.
What kind of industry might prosper because of this climate?

19. Mediterranean: Winters and mild and wet. Summers are hot and dry.
This climate produces crops that cannot be grown anywhere else.
Almost, walnuts, olives, apricots, figs, and dates.

20. Highland:
In the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and Rocky Mountains, a highland climate brings cooler temperatures.
During the summers, snow from the mountains provide water to the major rivers and lakes. Example?

21. Desert and Steppe: Humid Continental:
Many of the southwestern United States has a desert climate, with hot days and cold nights.
Humid Continental:
The Central Plains and the northeastern United States have a humid climate.
Mild summers and cold winters.
Today, American farmers raise much of the world’s food.

22. Tropical and Humid Subtropical:
Southern Florida and Hawaii.
Hot, humid conditions make these regions good for growing crops such as pineapples and citrus fruits.
Southeastern U.S.
Warm temperatures and regular rainfall allow for growing of cotton, soybeans and peanuts.

23. Tundra and Subarctic:
Northern and western coastal regions of Alaska have a tundra climate.
The rest of Alaska and Northern Canada have a subarctic climate with long cold winters and short summers.
Farming is very limited.
Logging and production of paper are the most important industries.

24. DON’T FORGET!!!
TEST IS ON MONDAY!!