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?