The United States & Canada

Unit II, Section 1 The United States & Canada

Section Overview In this section we will look at the geographic, cultural, and modern factors that have shaped the North American region north of the Rio Grande River and south of the North Pole. Geography Textbook Chapters 5-7

Objectives • Understand the physical and geographic features of the US/Canadian region. • Analyze the historic and government similarities and differences of the region. • Comprehend the different aspects of the economic sectors of the two nations. • Analyze the cultural aspects of the region.

Physical Features

Mountain Ranges • Rocky Mountains • Physical link between the US & Canada • 3000 miles long • Runs from New Mexico to Alaska • “Continental Divide” • River flow determiner • Appalachian Mountains • Oldest continental mountain range • 1500 miles in length • Quebec to Alabama

The Great Plains • Grassland environment • 300 to 700 miles across • Begins in the foothills of the Rockies • Elevation up to 6000 feet • Slopes 10 feet per mile toward the Mississippi River • Iconic inhabitants • Plains Indians • Bison

Other Features • Grand Canyon • Found on the Columbian Plateau • Formed through erosion of the Colorado River • 6000 ft at its deepest • Death Valley • Found in the Great Basin • Highest temperature in the World • 134 degrees (F) • Mt. McKinley • Highest continental peak • 20,320 feet high

Water Features • Mississippi River • 2,350 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf • Drains 1.2 millions square miles • 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces effected • One of the World’s busiest commercial waterways

…Continued • The Great Lakes • Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, & Superior • The St. Lawrence Seaway connects lakes to the ocean • Center for regional industry

Natural Resources • Fossil Fuels • Fuel sources created by carbon deposits compressed over millions of year • Petroleum • Texas (1st) & Alaska (2nd) • Natural Gas • High deposits in Texas and Alberta • Coal • Wyoming, Appalachian Mountains, Illinois, & British Columbia

…Continued • Timber • Renewable resource • Half of Canada & a third of the US remain heavily forested • Clear-cutting issues • Responsible timber management • Replanting efforts • Fishing • The Great Banks • Overfishing has lead to decline of some species • Cod • Aquaculture • Growing industry alternative

…Continued • Agriculture • Once major regional way of life • Commercialization of farming of commodities • Goods to sell • Cereal crops & livestock • 1 billion acres in the US, 167 million acres in Canada • Farm size is growing while number of farms are decreasing

…Continued • Major Agricultural Industries • Beef Cattle • Western/Southern US; Prairie provinces of Canada • Dairy Cattle • Northeast/Upper Midwest • The Wheat Belt • Great Plains • The Corn Belt • From Ohio to Nebraska

Historic/Governmental Aspects

Nations of Immigrants • Diversity reflected in immigration • Majority of population descend from immigrants • Immigration due to • Political/religious freedom • Escape • Pursuit of a better life • Industrialization & economic growth attracted immigrants • 2004- 11.7% of the US was foreign born

Early Americans • First Humans • Moved across the Bering Land Bridge • 20,000 years ago • Ancestors of the Native Americans • Developed into nearly 500 nations • Pre-Columbian pop. est.- 7-18 millions • Today, 3 million Native Americans

European Discovery • Viking exploration in the 1000’s • Columbus “discovers” the New World in 1492 • Native American populations begin waning in coming decades • Mid-1500’s saw European colonization • Spanish: South & Southwest • French: Northeast & Mississippi River Valley • English: Atlantic Coast

Nation Building • The United States • Heavily influenced by British colonial powers • Roanoke, Jamestown, & Plymouth • Colonial society flourished in three distinct areas • New English: Shipbuilding and Trade • Mid-Atlantic: Cash Crop Farming • South: Plantation Crops

…Continued • 1763: British seize French holdings • 1776-1783: American Revolution • Establishment of a New Nation • Federalist System • Bill of Rights • Separation of Powers into three branches

…Continued • Nations pushes westward after the Revolution • Industrialization reaches America • North est. as a industrial center • Middle West est. as resource rich/farming • South est. as an agrarian society • Cotton production • Plantation society • An enslaved workforce

…Continued • 1861-1865: the American Civil War • Fought between industrial North and agrarian South • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP8jeayFRBk • North wins • Slavery abolished at wars end • Freed slaves given US citizenship • Still faced another century of discrimination

…Continued • Post-Civil war changes • Transcontinental Line opens • Built by Chinese, Irish, & Mexican immigrants • Improvements in farming • Growth of industrial centers • Development and furthering of electrical technology & communication

…Continued • The Modern Age • Both World Wars spurred economic growth • Assembly line production • Development of a mobile and growing population • Standard of living rose • Demand of luxury goods • Today • Post-industrial society • Focus on ideas and technology development

Nation Building • Canada • Short lived colonization of the Vikings • L’Anse aux Meadows • Later European explorers • John Cabot & Jacque Cartier • Both established European claims

…Continued • Early settlements influenced by the French • Establish fur trading posts • Few European settlers • Men • Made contact with Native American tribes • Later influences of Catholic missionaries

…Continued • British & French conflict over territory begins in the 1670’s • Hudson Bay Co. looking for the Northwest Passage • Conflict erupts during the French & Indian War • British capture Quebec in 1759 • New France conquered in 1763 • Quebec Act allowed French to keep their language, religion, & system of laws

…Continued • American Revolution • Loyalist migration during war • Flight to the Maritime Provinces • Settled in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, & Prince Edward Island • Failed attempt to invade Canada by Continental forces

…Continued • The 1800’s • Massive immigration push of British immigrants • Shelter for escaped US slaves on the Underground Railroad • Klondike Gold Rush brought prospectors to the Far North • Prairie Provinces attracted further settlers • Farming

…Continued • 1867 the Dominion of Canada formed • Feud with colonial power • Fear of an US invasion • Established as part of the British Empire • Canadian Independence • 1901 • Great Britain held control over Canadian Constitution • Full legislative control in 1982 • 1999 Nanavet established for Inuit peoples • “Our Land”

…Continued • Government • Legislative Branch • Parliament • Senate & House of Commons • Executive Branch • Prime Minister • Stephen Harper • Judiciary • 9 member Supreme Court • Beverly McLachlin • British Crown’s Representative • Governor General • David Johnston

…Continued • Capital of Canada • Ottawa • Provinces • Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador • Major Metropolitan Areas • Ottawa, Quebec, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, & Edmonton • Currency • Canadian Dollar • Population • 35 Million

The Region Today

Post-Industrial Societies • US & Canada characterized as this • Less emphasis on heavy industry • Focus on service sector jobs, research, and high-tech business • Fastest growing jobs • Jazz Pharmaceuticals (US) • Holly Frontier (US) • Avigilon Corp. (Can.) • Mood Media Corp. (Can.)

Economics • US • Market Economy • Freedom to operate within the marketplace • Government protection of property and workers • Canada • More Command in nature • Public ownership of some industries • Private ownership encouraged

…Continued • NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) • 1994 • Opened trade between the US, Canada, & Mexico • Created the World’s largest trading bloc • Criticism for making outsourcing easier

…Continued • Outsourcing • Decrease in American heavy industry, push overseas in the 2000’s • Movement of jobs overseas • Cheaper labor • Fewer regulations • Availability of a workforce/resources • India, Indonesia, China, & Estonia leading contenders • National push for “Made in America”

…Continued • Regional Exports • US (Fastest Growing) • Fur/Skins • Dairy products • Oil • Ores/Minerals • Canada • Oil • Cars • Gold • Regional Imports • US • Oil • Machines • Electronics • Canada • Machinery • Consumer Goods • Energy

Cultural Aspects • The Arts • Movies (US) • Industry based in Los Angeles • Largest English speaking movie producer • Theatre (US) • Industry based out of New York City • Toronto major theatre center for Canada • Jazz Music • Strictly American in nature • Blend of West African rhythms w/ Western harmonies • Developed in Southern African American communities

Transportation • Airports • Atlanta’s Hartsfield • Countries busiest • 38.2 million passengers annually • Toronto’s Pearson International • 34.9 million passengers in 2012 • Heavy use of national highway systems • Mass transit a staple of metropolitan areas • Mississippi River major water highway of the United States

The Human Experience • Major Languages • US- English & Spanish • Canada- English & French • All five major world religions are practiced freely • Emphasis on public education • Family dynamics • Family sizes are getting smaller regionally • Change in what the “traditional” family is

Quebec • Claims laid by both the English & French explorers • French furthered influence within the territory (Est. of New France) • Push for population growth • The “Kings Daughters” • Seized by the British in 1763 • Regional difference remain • Push to maintain language and cultural heritage • Consideration of separating from Canada

Concerns • Terrorism • 9/11 Attacks • Shaped US world view • Prompted two military conflicts • Reshaped our daily lives • Equality of Healthcare • Command systems in place regionally • US- Social Security • How to provide this service cheaply and universally

…Continued • Trade • US • Trade Deficit • Spending more on imports than making on exports • Canada • Trade Surplus • Making more/equaling out of exports and imports • Smaller population

…Continued • Urbanization • Growth/movement into cities • Crime, healthcare, housing, pollution • Farmland Degradation • Poor farming practices degraded arable lands • Arable- land suitable for farming • Over grazing/farming, pesticides, erosion • Dust Bowl

Regional Issues • Invasive Species • Asian Carp, Africanized Honeybees, Emerald Ash Borer, Kudzu, Autumn Olive • Blocked waterways, crop destruction, species displacement • Species Decline • Acid Rain/Smog • Water Pollution • Polar Melt

The United States & Canada