Download Chapter 4—Physical Features of United States and Canada

Chapter 4—Physical Features of United States and Canada
 The United States rises in elevation from east to west
 The US has 48 contiguous states—Alaska and Hawaii are not
 Contiguous—joined together inside a common boundary
 Major physical features of the Eastern US
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Atlantic Coastal Plains
Gulf Coastal Plains
Piedmont
Appalachians—oldest in N.A.—rounded peaks, warn down by erosion
 Mt. Mitchell—highest point in Appa MT. 6,684 ft.
 Rich in coal deposits
 Major Cities of the Eastern US
o Boston, NY, Philadelphia, & Wash D.C.—they make up the
 MEGALOPOLIS—connect area of urban cities
 Major physical features of the Interior US/Canada
o Hudson Bay
o Canadian Shield—rich in copper, nickel, & iron ore
o Great Lakes
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Great Plains—once provided food for millions of buffalo and home to Native Americans
 Prairie—rolling inland grasslands w/fertile soil—good for farming
Chapter 4, Lesson 1, pages 116-122.
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 Mississippi River
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Longest in N.A.
Flows 2,350 mi.
Begins in Minn. Empties into Gulf of Mexico
As wide as 1.5 mi. in some parts
Many tributaries
St. Louis & Memphis important port cities along river
Drains 1.3M sq. mi. of land
Navigable—wide/deep enough for ships to travel through
 Major physical features of the western US
 Mountainous—highlands & plateaus
o Rocky Mountains
o Sierra Nevada, Cascades, & Coast Ranges (Pacific Ranges)
o Alaska Range—Mt. McKinley—highest point in N.A. @20,320 ft.
o Colorado River
o Grand Canyon
 Canyon—deep valley with steep sides worn out by rivers
 Cordillera—group of parallel mountain ranges
 Bodies of Water
o Great Lakes—largest group of freshwater lakes in world
 Lake Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, & Superior
 Glaciers—giant sheets of ice—formed the G.L.
 Canada
o St. Lawrence River—1 of Canada’s important transportation rivers
o Flows 750 mi. from Lake Ontario to Atlantic
o Major cities along S.L.R.—Quebec, Ottawa, Montreal
o St. Lawrence Seaway links S.L.R. to Atlantic Ocean
 Continental Divide—high point of the Rockies
o Determines which direction a river flows/drain
Chapter 4, Lesson 1, pages 116-122.
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 Natural Resources
o Texas #1 oil & natural gas
 The US uses about 3x the amount of oil & has to import oil
o Alberta, Canada— oil & natural gas
o Appalachians, Wyoming, & British Colombia have coal
 Enough energy for ~ 400 years
o Niagara Falls—hydroelectric power for US & Canada
o Eastern Canada & N. US have a lot of iron ore
o Rocky Mt.—gold, silver, & copper
o Canadian Shield—iron ore, copper, nickel, gold & uranium
 Soil, Timber, & Fish
o Rich
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soil = farming in US/Canada
Corn in central lowlands
Wheat in Great Plains
Dairy, fruits & veggies in Wash & Oregon
200 different crops in CALI.
Fruits & veggies—South Central British Columbia
Lumber & wood—Canada & Pacific NW
Fishing—Coastal regions—some problems with over fishing
Chapter 4, Lesson 1, pages 116-122.
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