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PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF NORTH AMERICA
Mrs. MinksWorld Geography & Cultures
U.S. & Canada: A region?
North America land of immigrants First peoples, ancestors of Native
Americans, came from Asia In 1500s immigrants from Europe arrived Later others came from Africa, Asia, &
Latin America Many made this home by choice Others forced to come as exiles or slaves
United States and Canada
Stretch from Pacific to Atlantic
Mountains frame Western and Eastern edges
Central region of vast plains
Dark, fertile soil Almost all climates,
from tundra to desert to tropical wet, can be found
Physical Geography
Plains and Plateaus
Lakes and Rivers
Mountains
Natural Resources Appalachian Mountains
Pacific Ranges
Sierra Nevada Cascade Range Coast Range Alaska Range
All caused by tectonic plate collisions
Alaska Range
Rocky Mountains
Link the US and Canada More than 3,000 miles from NM to AK
In between the Pacific Range and Rocky Mountain Range
Dry basins Plateaus
Columbia Plateau formed by lava
Eroded Colorado Plateau
Majestic Grand Canyon
Great Basin
East of the Rockies
Great Plains 300 to 700 miles across the center of the
region Stretch to Mississippi River
East of the Mississippi
Land rises into the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachians are North America’s oldest mountains
Rockies and Appalachians
Islands
Oceanic islands are volcanic Hawaii – 8 major and
124 smaller islands Continental islands
are unsubmerged parts of continental shelf Greenland, world’s
largest island
Rivers
Continental (or Great) Divide – high ridge of the Rockies
Divides determines direction rivers flow East of Continental Divide waters flow
toward Arctic & Atlantic Oceans, Gulf of Mexico
West of Divide waters flow to Pacific Ocean
Mississippi River
One of North America’s longest rivers Begins in Minnesota as a stream so
narrow you can jump across it Reaches a width of 1.5 miles as it
empties into Gulf of Mexico
Great Lakes
Glacial dams created Canada’s Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake
Other Great Lakes made by glacier gouging at central section of continent
Natural Resources
Fossil fuels Petroleum and natural gas TX and AK rank 1st and 2nd for petroleum
reserves Coal mined in Appalachians, Wyoming, and
British Columbia Minerals
Rocky Mountains yield gold, silver, & copper Iron ore in Minnesota and Michigan
Timber & Fishing
Timber vital resource for US & Canada Forests cover about
33% of US, 34% of Canada
Renewable source if….
Fishing Essential to region’s
economy
Climate & Vegetation
Very diverse Wet & dry, bitterly cold, cool & wet
Southern Climates
Warm and Wet climates Humid subtropical in SE; long, muggy
summers, mild winters Wetlands and swamps (Everglades) Last summers hurricanes common
Warm and Dry climates Between Pacific Ranges and Rocky Mountains Deserts (Death Valley)
Northern Climates
Interior Climates Great Plains – bitterly cold Prairies – tornadoes common
Coastal Climates Lots of rain, overcast winters, cool summers
High Latitude Climates
Subarctic with frigid winters (Canada, Alaska)
Winter blizzards Inhospitable for most plants Few people live in these areas (Yukon
Territory)
Why Geography Matters: Story of a Hurricane
August 23 – 24, 2005: Tropical depression forms over Bahamas, becoming Tropical Storm Katrina
August 25: Katrina becomes category 1 hurricane before making landfall in Florida
August 26 – 28: Hovering over Gulf of Mexico, Katrina grows to category 5
August 29: Katrina destroys towns in Louisiana and Mississippi
Why Geography Matters: Story of a Hurricane
Katrina was born from a cluster of thunderstorms near the Bahamas. Like other hurricanes, it formed from high humidity, light winds, and water temperatures of at least 80°F. Katrina became the largest hurricane of its strength to ever hit the U.S. With 125 mph winds, gusting to 215 mph, and a 34-foot storm surge, Katrina had the energy of 10,000 nuclear bombs.
Hurricane Classification
Category Wind Speed Storm Surge (above normal tide)
1 74-95 mph 4-5 feet
2 96-110 mph 6-8 feet
3 111-130 mph 9-12 feet
4 131-155 mph 13-18 feet
5 Above 155 mph Above 18 feet
Hurricane Katrina
The human toll
Thousands left battered, displaced, and homeless
Official death toll: 1,833 But months later more than 4,000 people
were still unaccounted for Many still missing
Exit Ticket
1. Why might people not want to leave their homes before a hurricane hits?
2. Why might people choose to rebuild homes in areas often affected by hurricanes?
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