1. G EOGRAPHY U NIT 2 N OTES

2. K EY T ERMS  The Appalachian Mountains stretch from Alabama to the southeast corner of Canada.  The crest of the Rocky Mountains is called the Continental Divide  The lower area of land, generally surrounded by mountains is called a basin.

3. K EY T ERMS  The long narrow islands created by the depositing of sand in shallow water are called barrier islands.  The area at or near the foot of a mountain region is called the piedmont.  The boundary between the piedmont and the costal plain is called the fall line.

4. U.S.  Most of the people of the West region live in the Pacific states.  The South region stretches from Virginia to Texas  The Northeast region of the U.S. is the smallest in area and most densely populated.

5. U.S.  The West is the largest (in area) and most sparsely populated region in the U.S.  The Midwest region of the U.S. is mainly a farming region  Most early colonial settlements in the U.S. were located on natural harbors and navigable rivers.

6. C ANADA  Canada’s monarch is also the monarch of Great Britain.  NAFTA is an agreement between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico which allows trade without tariffs.  Toronto is the largest city in Canada  The Atlantic Provinces of Canada are New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia

7. C ANADA  The Province of Quebec tried to become its own country in the 1990’s.  Canada’s economy today is based mainly on manufacturing and service industries  Montreal is the industrial and financial center of Quebec.  The U.S. is the most important trade partner of Canada.

8. G OVERNMENT AND C ITIES  A city that ranks first and dominates a country in terms of population and economy is called the Primate City  An economic system in which industries are owned and operated by the government is known as socialism  A situation in which alliances between nations exists preventing conflict between them because of their equal strengths is known as a balance of power.

9. E UROPE - G ERMANY  The Protestant branch of the Christianity began in Germany and was called the Protestant Reformation  In 1933, the German people elected Adolph Hitler because he offered solutions to the financial crisis of the Great Depression.  Today, the government of Germany is a democracy.  Germany is a major producer of electronics, automobiles, and steel today.

10. E UROPE - F RANCE  Most people in France belong to the Catholic faith.  France has several major industries, including winemaking, perfume making, and clothes design.  The capital city of France is Paris.  The French Riviera is along the southern coast and is known for its vacation resorts.

11. E UROPE – G REAT B RITAIN  Great Britain uses a constitutional monarchy, meaning that the Prime Minister is the head of the government.  Great Britain was a powerhouse in the world for many years because they were surrounded by the ocean, which protected them from invaders and they had a powerful navy.  Great Britain is made up of England, Wales, and Scotland  The United Kingdom is separated from mainland Europe by the English Channel.

12. E UROPE - I RELAND  About 1 million people in Ireland died in the mid- 1800’s due to a shortage of potatoes  Ireland did not win its independence from the British until after Canada had gained its independence.  The capital of Ireland is Dublin  The Celts are the ancestors of the Scots, Welsh, and Irish.  The vast majority of the people in Ireland belong to the Catholic religion

13. E UROPE – O THER R EGIONS  The Benelux Countries consist of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium.  The purpose of the Hague (one of the capitals of the Netherlands) is to try criminal cases involving international law.  The number one economic activity in Norway and Iceland is fishing.  The Scandinavian Peninsula is made up of Finland, Norway, and Sweden

14. E UROPE  The European Union is the economic and political cooperative organization that created unity among many European countries.  The European Union introduced a common currency called the Euro to help be more competitive with the U.S. dollar.