FIRST SEMESTER

GEOGRAPHY EXAM REVIEW

CHAPTER 1

• Terms:latitude- lines that run parallel to the equatorlongitude- lines that go over the earth around the

poles• prime meridian- imaginary line diving the earth

east and west• topographic map- a general reference map; it

has natural and man-made features of earth

CHAPTER 2

• What instrument measures the relative strength of an earthquake?

seismograph• What term is used to identify a windblown sediment of

silt and clay?loess• What rocky feature might a receding glacier leave

behind?moraine• What name is given to the area where most of the

world’s active volcanoes exist?Ring of FireName the parts of the biosphere

CHAPTER 3

• What is an aquifer?

• convection

• tundra

• steppe

• rain shadow

• biome

CHAPTER 3

• What types of trees are birch and cottonwood?Deciduous• What are the divisions of biomes?Forests, grasslands, deserts, tundra• How does the greenhouse effect occur?Gases in the atmosphere create a barrier that

traps solar energy

CHAPTER 4

• democracyA government run by its citizens• DictatorshipAn individual or small group holds political power• InfrastructureBasic support system of a nation (power, water,

roads)• market economyA system where production of goods and services

is determined by demand from consumers• command economyA system where production of goods and services

is determined by a government

CHAPTER 4• InnovationWhen a culture creates or invents a new system or

device for fulfilling a specific need• BirthrateThe number of live births per thousand people• fertility rateThe average number of children a woman would have in

her lifetime if she had children at the current rate for her country

• rate of natural increaseTells the difference between birthrate and mortality rate• population pyramidGraphic representation that shows gender and age

distribution of a population

CHAPTER 5

• Be able to identify the parts of the lowlands of North America• Why is North America the world’s leading food

exporter?Rich, fertile soil allows for vast and

productive agricultural activity• What is a key natural resource of the Great

Plains?Fertile soil

CHAPTER 5

• What types of climates are found in the United States but not Canada?

Tropical wet and dry climate• What landform borders the Great Plains on one

side?The Rocky Mountains• After crossing the Beringia, where did early

nomads most likely begin settling?Near water

CHAPTER 6

• Why do most of Canada’s energy exports go to the United States?

The US consumes more energy resources than other places

• What things were included in the Colombian exchange?Plants, animals and diseases• What is the service industry?Careers such as information processing, finance,

medicine, education• What is a representative government?The people rule through electing government

officials

CHAPTER 6

• What is a free enterprise system?The government has little control over

businesses, resources, and technology operated by private businesses• What is postindustrial economy?Manufacturing is no longer the country’s

most important industry

CHAPTER 7

• Prairie Provincesarea where Canada’s chief area of agriculture

activity is located• Atlantic ProvincesSometimes severe weather; dependable

coastal economic activities such as fishing and shipbuilding

• MetisLive in Saskatchewan• NunavutEstablished in 1999 for the Inuit• QuebecCanada’s second largest city, Montreal, is

located here

CHAPTER 7

• First NationsAncestors of the early Native Americans who

traded w/European fishermen in the 16th century

• OntarioCapital of Canada’s federal government,

Ottawa, is located in this province• British ColombiaLocated within the Rocky Mountain Range• Dominion of CanadaPolitical union between Upper and Lower

Canada established in 1867• Parliamentary governmentPolitical system where legislative and executive

functions are combined in a legislature

CHAPTER 8

• What is the most negative effect on a community’s infrastructure?

Strains from commuter traffic• What is the purpose of the Office of Homeland

Security?Coordinate national efforts to protect against

terrorism• Why does urban sprawl occur?Development occurs without planned growth.• What is anthrax?Biological weapons which cause disease

CHAPTER 8

• What is the main purpose of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act?

Preserve cultural diversity• Why do governments create plans for sustainable

communities?They hope to create a place for residents to

live AND work in the community• What is one cause of Canada’s cultural “mosaic”?Immigrants were encouraged to come to

Canada and retain their cultural identities

CHAPTER 9

• What two farming techniques helped the Inca survive the Andes?

Terraces and irrigation• Why are the river systems of South America more

important than those of Central America?Central America does not have to depend on

rivers because of their location near oceans• What is the result of changes in altitude, land on

either side of the equator, and ocean currents?Varied climate and vegetation

CHAPTER 10

• What causes the shrinking of the rain forest?Slash and burnWhat is a disadvantage of tourism?Strain on local economiesWhat cultures blended to shape the development

of Mexico?Native people and SpanishWhat is the capital of the Aztec Empire?Tenochtitlan

CHAPTER 11

• What is exchanged in a debt-for-nature swap?Payment of debt for protection of part of the rain

forest• What is biodiversity?A diverse group of living things• What has contributed to the deforestation of the

Amazon rain forest?Demand for woodClearing of land for farmingClearing of land for cattle grazing

CHAPTER 11

• Why can’t Latin American citizens take advantage of the free-market economy?

Lack of education and lack of meaningful jobs• Describe an oligarchyGovernment by a few powerful rulersWhat is a goal of land reform?To divide land and wealth more fairly• What is Junta?Government under harsh, military leadership