North AmericaNorth America

World Geography World Geography text supplement text supplement Chap. 5Chap. 5

(to accompany (to accompany “Glossary” “Glossary” worksheet)worksheet)

Copyright, Concept & Creation: Geetesh Bajaj

During what eras do lower sea levels During what eras do lower sea levels expose a land bridge between Siberia and expose a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska?Alaska?

Beringia land bridge

Fish, birds, animals and insects migrated back Fish, birds, animals and insects migrated back and forth across this bridge into the ice-free and forth across this bridge into the ice-free area of the Yukon known as eastern Beringia. area of the Yukon known as eastern Beringia. NomadicNomadic humans migrated across the land humans migrated across the land bridge following animal herds and entered the bridge following animal herds and entered the Yukon about 24,000 years ago. Yukon about 24,000 years ago.

About 40 species of large mammals became About 40 species of large mammals became extinct in North America, including dire wolf, extinct in North America, including dire wolf, mammoths, mastodons and giant beavers. Two mammoths, mastodons and giant beavers. Two hypotheses for this wave of extinction are hypotheses for this wave of extinction are human over-hunting and climate change. human over-hunting and climate change.

12,000 - 9,000 BP 12,000 - 9,000 BP

Where Did They Where Did They Go?Go?

North America landforms

Name six Name six that are in that are in both the both the United United States States and and CanadaCanada

AppalachiansAppalachiansA vast system of A vast system of North American North American mountains, partly in mountains, partly in Canada, but mostly Canada, but mostly in the United States, in the United States, extending as a zone, extending as a zone, from 100 to 300 from 100 to 300 miles wide, running miles wide, running from Newfoundland from Newfoundland and Labrador, and Labrador, Canada, 1500 miles Canada, 1500 miles south-westward to south-westward to central Alabama in central Alabama in the United States.the United States.

AppalachiansAppalachiansMore than 480 million More than 480 million years ago, the first of years ago, the first of several mountain several mountain building plate building plate collisions culminated collisions culminated in the construction of in the construction of the the supercontinent Pangea with the with the Appalachians near Appalachians near the center.the center.

N

Blue Mts.

Tuscarora Mts.

Jacks Mts.

Tussey Mts.

Bald Eagle Mts.

Lewistown

South Mts.

Juniata R.

Canadian Shield

The Canadian Shield, also known as the Precambrian Shield The Canadian Shield, also known as the Precambrian Shield or Laurentian Plateau, covers about half of Canada as well or Laurentian Plateau, covers about half of Canada as well as most of Greenland and part of the northern United as most of Greenland and part of the northern United States; an area of 1.7 million square miles.States; an area of 1.7 million square miles.

Precambrian rocks exposed on Earth's surface are Precambrian rocks exposed on Earth's surface are often highly weathered. This portion of the often highly weathered. This portion of the Canadian Shield is about 2.5 billion years old.Canadian Shield is about 2.5 billion years old.

Great PlainsGreat PlainsThe broad expanse The broad expanse of of prairie which lies east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States of America and Canada.

Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe Mississippi drains most of the The Mississippi drains most of the area between the Rocky Mountains area between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. It and the Appalachian Mountains. It runs through two states — runs through two states — Minnesota and Louisiana — and was Minnesota and Louisiana — and was used to define the borders of eight used to define the borders of eight states (the river has since shifted) states (the river has since shifted) — Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, — Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi — before emptying and Mississippi — before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico about 100 into the Gulf of Mexico about 100 miles (160 km) downstream from miles (160 km) downstream from New Orleans.New Orleans.

Rocky Rocky MountainsMountainsCommonly defined to Commonly defined to stretch from the stretch from the Liard River in British Liard River in British Columbia, down to Columbia, down to the Rio Grande in the Rio Grande in New Mexico. The New Mexico. The mountains can also mountains can also be considered to run be considered to run to Alaska or Mexico, to Alaska or Mexico, but usually those but usually those mountains are mountains are considered to be considered to be part of the entire part of the entire American cordillera, American cordillera, rather than part of rather than part of the Rockies.the Rockies.

Rocky Mountain SeptemberRocky Mountain September

Continental DivideContinental Divide

A series of A series of mountain ridges mountain ridges extending from extending from Alaska to Mexico Alaska to Mexico that forms the that forms the watershed of watershed of North America. North America. Most of it runs Most of it runs along peaks of the along peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Rocky Mountains. The sign above is The sign above is in Wyoming.in Wyoming.

Independence PassIndependence Pass – a route through the rangea route through the range

They are the series of They are the series of mountain ranges that mountain ranges that stretch along west stretch along west coast of North America coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. from Alaska to Mexico. They are also known as They are also known as the the Pacific CordilleraPacific Cordillera..

Pacific Coast RangesPacific Coast Ranges

Canadian Canadian CordillerasCordilleras

The range runs parallel to the Pacific coasts of California, Washington, and Oregon for 4,500 miles in the United States and extend north into Canada for about 1,000 miles and south into Mexico for about 800 miles.

List six List six climate climate zones that zones that the United the United States States (including (including Alaska) and Alaska) and Canada Canada share.share.

Climate Climate mapmap

Because of the Coriolis Effect, these winds generally blow from southwest to northeast on the North American continent

The The westerlieswesterlies are the are the prevailing prevailing winds in the winds in the middle middle latitudes latitudes between 30 between 30 and 60 degrees and 60 degrees latitude, latitude, blowing from blowing from the high the high pressure area pressure area in the horse in the horse latitudes latitudes towards the towards the poles. poles.

Great Lakes

The The Great Great LakesLakes

St. Lawrence SeawaySt. Lawrence Seaway

The Saint Lawrence Seaway is the system of The Saint Lawrence Seaway is the system of canals that permits ocean-going vessels to travel canals that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes as far from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes as far as Lake Superior. The Welland Canal as Lake Superior. The Welland Canal (above)(above) connects Lakes Erie and Ontario, bypassing the connects Lakes Erie and Ontario, bypassing the Niagara Falls on the Niagara River. Niagara Falls on the Niagara River.

Niagara FallsNiagara Falls

Canal and Canal and dam locksdam locksAt right, a Great Lakes At right, a Great Lakes steamer passes steamer passes through a series of through a series of locks to go from one locks to go from one Great Lakes to Great Lakes to another.another.

All of the boat traffic that flows into or out of Lake All of the boat traffic that flows into or out of Lake Superior must move through the locks of the St. Superior must move through the locks of the St. Mary's River, at Sault Ste. Marie.Mary's River, at Sault Ste. Marie.

EvergladesFlorida EvergladesFlorida Everglades

Everglades National ParkEverglades National Park

Florida Florida EvergladesEvergladesA A subtropical marshland located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. Much modified by agricultural development in central and southern Florida, the Everglades is the southern half of a large watershed arising in the vicinity of Orlando known as the Kissimmee River system.

LinksLinks• http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/nalnd.htmhttp://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/nalnd.htm• http://www.taiga.net/yukonsoe/time1.htmlhttp://www.taiga.net/yukonsoe/time1.html• http://www.cloudwall.com/wind/images/world5.gifhttp://www.cloudwall.com/wind/images/world5.gif• http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/alpena.htmhttp://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/alpena.htm• http://www.pbase.com/image/36852524http://www.pbase.com/image/36852524• http://www.rivernen.ca/fn_home.htmhttp://www.rivernen.ca/fn_home.htm• http://csern.laurentian.ca/Canadian_Shield.htmhttp://csern.laurentian.ca/Canadian_Shield.htm• http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/na/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/na/

na0612.htmlna0612.html• http://talmud.epsb.ca/regions/north/lz/csi/csi.htmlhttp://talmud.epsb.ca/regions/north/lz/csi/csi.html• http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/geology/features/valleyridge.htmlhttp://nationalatlas.gov/articles/geology/features/valleyridge.html• http://www.geo.msu.edu/geo333/SooLock.htmlhttp://www.geo.msu.edu/geo333/SooLock.html