This document provides an overview of the key topics covered in a chapter about the geography of the United States and Canada. It describes the different landforms, climates, populations, economies, and diversity found within the two countries. Some of the main challenges discussed include managing water resources, addressing poverty, and balancing economic development with environmental sustainability.
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GEOG103 Chapter 2 Lecture
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Chapter 2 Lecture
World Regional
Geography
A Developmental Approach
11th Edition
United States
and Canada
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Chapter Learning Outcomes
Describe the general differences and similarities between the United States and
Canada in terms of culture and history.
Organize correctly the location of the general landform regions in Canada and the
United States.
Locate climatic regions in the United States and Canada, and explain the general
processes involved in their formation.
Explain major environmental challenges facing this world region, from water
resources to the impacts of resource development.
Outline the territorial evolution of what is now the United States and Canada.
Compare the benefits and costs of the various forms of energy production in Canada
and the United States.
Explain the meaning of diversity to the population geographies of Canada and the
United States, and how this diversity serves as both an advantage and disadvantage
to the development process.
Relate the geographies of agriculture and manufacturing in the United States and
Canada to the larger processes of globalization and economic restructuring.
Describe the diverse population geographies of both countries, and its advantage and
disadvantage to the development process.
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Landforms
Both are on the North American continent,
which also includes Mexico and Central
America.
Together these two countries encompass
every type of landform and climate
classification that exists.
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Appalachian Highlands and Lowlands
Low-lying mountains from Newfoundland to Alabama
Six distinct landforms:
1. PiedmontPA southward to GA
2. Fall LineSeries of river and stream rapids that mark the edge of the
Piedmont where it descends on the coastal plain
3. Blue Ridge MountainsNC, TN, and GA (also called Great Smokies)
4. Ridge and Valley province
Folded landscape of long, parallel ridges and valleys from NY to
northern AL
Includes Hudson and Shenandoah Valleys
5. Appalachian PlateauWestern portion of Appalachian Highlands
6. New England
White Mountains of NH and ME
Green Mountains of VT
Continues into Canada to form a MaritimesNewfoundland extension
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Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain
Gulf of Mexico to U.S. Atlantic Coast
Location
Cape Cod to Florida
Florida
Coastal Texas
Much of lower Mississippi Valley
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Western Mountains and Plateaus
Rocky MountainsNorthern NM
northward to CO and WY
Interior plateau
West of the Rocky Mountains
Transition between Rockies and Pacific
Coastlands
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Western Plateaus
Colorado plateauMore than a mile high in SW CO, eastern UT, northern
AZ, NM
Basin and range
West and south of the CO plateau
Much of NV and western UT, parts of southern CA and AZ
Columbia plateau
North of basin and range
Eastern OR and WA
Snake River area of ID
Pacific Coastlands
Sierra Nevada Mountains
North to south in eastern CA
Eleven peaks in excess of 14,000 feet
Cascade Mountains
North of Sierra Nevada
Central OR and WA
Coast RangesLength of the Pacific Coast
Great ValleyAlluvial trough
Willamette Valley (OR)
Puget Sound Lowland (WA)
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The Canadian Shield
Shields
Piece of Earths crust that is very old and
geographically very stable
Probably cannot be further revised
Cultural nuclei around which mountain formation
tends to occur
Location
Extends outward from the Hudson Bay
Includes much of Quebec & Labrador
Most of Ontario & Manitoba
Substantial part of Canadian Arctic
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Interior Lowlands
South and west of the Canadian Shield
Between North Americas backbones of east
and west
Components
Great PlainsEast of the Rocky Mountains
Great LakesMI, NY, and Ontario
Ozark PlateauMI
Ouachita MountainsAK
Black Hills
Western SD
Peaks that exceed 7,000 feet
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Climate
Several influencing factors:
Clearly defined changes in seasonal temperatures
Prevailing wind direction is west to east.
Northsouth mountain ranges in the west modify air masses as they
move east.
Atmosphere takes on the more extreme heating and cooling
characteristics of land than water.
Winters are cold.
Summers are hot.
Gulf of MexicoImportant source of moisture for the Gulf Coast and
Interior Lowlands
Characteristics:
Humid subtropics
Dry subtropics
Marine west coast
Western steppes and deserts
Humid continental
Subarctic and polar climates
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Humid Subtropics
Hot and sticky
Eastern Texas and Oklahoma east to
Florida and Virginia and sections of West
Virginia
The climate in many of these states is
subject to extremes.
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Dry Subtropics (Mediterranean)
Pacific Coast
San Diego to San Francisco
Summers relatively cool (time of drought)
Winters relatively warm
Precipitation low, but clearly defined wet
and dry seasons
Lack of snow
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Marine West Coast
Northern CA to Alaska
WinterWarmer due to moderating
effects of ocean
SummerCool
Cascade mountains produce a moderating
effect.
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Western Steppes and Deserts
Eastern OR and WA south to Colorado Plateau
East of Rocky MountainsCorresponds roughly
to the Great Plains
Semiarid climate
Temperatures tend toward extremes
True deserts of North America concentrated in
the southwest:
Southern TX
Southern AZ
Southern CA
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Humid Continental
Northern part of United States into southern
Canada
Humidity
WinterCool to cold
SummerCan be very hot
Home to Americas agricultural heartland
Corn Belt
Dairy Belt
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Subarctic and Polar
Subarctic
Wide swath of central Canada and Alaska
Precipitation levels lowMostly as summer rain
Polar
Northern edges of Canada and Alaska
Freezing conditions most of the year
Some days without sunlight
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Environmental Challenges
Continental climates have always
experienced environmental extremes.
Water issues in dry conditions cause
issues.
Northeastern and midwestern locales may
experience too much water.
Storms, especially in the southeast, may
cause dramatic problems.
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Water Competition in Desert
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Historical Settlement
European core has influenced the early settlement of both countries.
Core influences:
New EnglandMA, RI, and CT
Originally a destination for religious freedom
Artisanal work and shipbuilding
Southern AtlanticVA and southward
Cultivation of subtropical cropsnotably tobacco
Plantation system a major aspect of work by smaller farms
Middle AtlanticNY, PA, and parts of NJ and MD
English, Dutch, ScotsIrish, and Swedish influences
Mixed agricultural system
Manufacture of tools, guns, and wagons
Iron ore work in PA
Influential impact of American middle west and parts of Appalachians
French CanadaQuebec; St. Lawrence River area
Early settlers were French; British took over in 1763.
Some farming along St. Lawrence River
French Canadian population has remained contextual; little spatial diffusion.
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Western Expansion
Historical view was that all land on the continent is to be civilized by
Americans
Expansion of United States
Louisiana Purchase1803
East Florida1819
West Florida18101813
TexasAnnexed in 1845
Mexican Cession1848
Oregon County1848
Gadsden Purchase1853
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Population
U.S. population growth
after 1800
High birthrates (fertility
rates)
Low death rates (mortality
rates)
Immigration
Canadian population growth
Grew mainly by natural increase between 1867 and 1900
But limited by a low fertility rate
Population distribution
Predominantly east of the Mississippi River
Greatest concentration in northeast quadrants
Population of Canada
Most people live 200 miles of U.S. border
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Agriculture Regions
Corn BeltCentral Ohio to eastern Nebraska; MN to
SD; Kansas
Dairy BeltNorth of the Corn Belt, stretching westward
from Nova Scotia and New England to WI and MN
Specialty Crop and Livestock RegionSouthern New
England to eastern Texas
Great Wheat Belts
Winter Wheat Belt
KS, OK, CO, and north TX
Spring Wheat Belt
ND, SD, MT, and Saskatchewan
Western farming
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Energy
Coal
Major energy source for industrial expansion in United States: WY, KY,
WV, and PA
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick in Canada
Easier to import from U.S. Appalachian states
More emphasis on petroleum
Oil and gas
Both United States and Canada are major producers and consumers.
United StatesProduction centered in TX, LA, KS, CA, and AL
CanadaAlberta and Saskatchewan
Water
60% energy via hydroelectricity in Canada
8.5% in the United States
Nuclear
20% source of power in United States
12% source of power in Canada
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Energy
Iron ore
United States and Canada are major producers and consumers.
CanadaExporter
United StatesImporter
Aluminum
Used extensively in transportation and construction
Imported from Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, and Australia as it is
not readily available
Canada produces other metals:
Nickel
Copper
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Manufacturing
New England
Waterways
Railroads
South
Remote from transportation
Produced for exporting
Coreland
Southern New England
Textile
Leather-working
Machine tools
Metro New York
Diversified manufacturing
Garment industry
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Problems Facing Manufacturing
Intensive foreign competition
Labor costs cheaper
More modern equipment
Difficult economic conditions
Recessions
Fluctuations
Social problems
Social conflict
Air and water pollution
Residential quality
Urban water supply
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Canadian Manufacturing
LocationSt. Lawrence Seaway and Ontario
Industrial heartland
Montreal the center of industryAkin to NYC
Specialization elsewhere
Hydroelectric potentialQuebec
Golden Horseshoe
Most of Canadas steel
Great variety of other goods
Protected by tariff
Drift westward
Alberta and western provinces gain
Similar trends to United States
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Urban Dynamics
Cities natural attraction for industrialism
Agglomeration economies
Multiplier effect
Highly urbanized by beginning of 21st century
Globalization transforming cities
Transportation
Expressways
Automobiles
Spatial expansion
Megalopolis
Result of congestion and sprawl
A very large city
More governmentMore demands
Canadian Cities
More acceptance of government planning
More compact; higher densities
More emphasis on public transportation
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Poverty
78% of all poor live in metropolitan areas.
Effect of biases against specific ethnic groupings
African Americans
Hispanic Americans
Native Americans
Appalachian whites
Concentrated in central cities
Appalachia
Other areas
Mississippi Delta
Along the Mexico border
Native American reservations in north central
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Diversity
Numerous subgroups distinguished by
race, ethnic and linguistic differences
African Americans
Hispanic Americans
Asian or Pacific Islanders
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Canadian Diversity
Tension between English-speaking and French-speaking
AnglophonesNative English speakers
FrancophonesNative French speakers
Population Demographics
French-speaking
Quebec
New Brunswick
Predominantly Roman Catholic
English-speaking
Western provinces
Maritimes
Predominantly Protestant
Multilingualism (other than French and English)
Toronto
Montreal
Produced by immigration and ethnic clustering
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Summary of Chapter
The United States and Canada occupy one of the largest land
masses in the world, and one with a wide array of environments.
Both countries evolved out of a spatial integration process in which
frontiers were pushed back by advancing populations. The result is
a racial and cultural mosaic that enriches their contemporary
geographies, while presenting challenges to governments that
struggle to accommodate competing groups.
Each country is an economic powerhouse that occupies a prominent
position in the world economy.
Progress has come with costs in terms of environmental
degradation, global warming, employment insecurity among North
American workers, increased reliance on foreign sources for
important natural resources, and a growing fear that economic
progress may not be sustainable.