Chapter 1
The United States and Canada
Physical Geography

Vocabulary

agribusiness		A large company hat runs huge farms to produce, process, and distribute agricultural products
alluvial		Deposited by water, relating to the fertile topsoil left by rivers after a flood
Continental Divide		The boundary that separates rivers flowing toward oposites sides of a continent; in North America, in the Rocky Mountains
glacier		A huge, slow-moving sheet of ice
hydroelectricity		Electric power produced by moving water, usually generated by releasing water from a dam across a river
irrigation		Watering farmland by artificial methods
permafrost		Permanently frozen layer of ground below the top layer of soil
prairie		A region of flat o rolling land covered with tall grasses
rain shadow		An area the side of a mountain away from the wind that receives little rainfall
tributary		a stream or river that flows into a larger river
tundra		A cold, dry Arctic region covered with snow for more than half the year; a vast, treeless plain where the subsoil is always frozen

 

Sample Essay Questions

1. Think about the landforms that act as natural divisions between the United States and Canada. What conclusions can you draw about the effect of these natural divisions on the relationship between the two nations?

The two landforms are the St. Lawrence River and the Great lakes. Since these waterways are important transportation and manufacturing centers for both countries, the United States and Canada would be more likely to work together as trade partners.

2. Consider what you have learned about the geography and climate of Canada and the United States. Why do you think the United States has 10 times more people than Canada?

Canada's geography and climate make vast areas of the country difficult for people to live in. The Canadian Shield, a huge region of ancient rock, is very rugged. As a result, more than half of the country's population lives in the smallest land region, the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Also the very cold climate in much of the country limits population growth.

3. If you looked down at the United States and Canada from outer space, what major landforms common to both countries would you see?

The Rocky Mountains extend north to south along the western section of the continent; in the East, the Appalachian Mountains stretch about 1,500 miles. The Appalachians become the Laurentian Highlands in Canada. Between these two mountain systems lies huge plains area, called the Great Plains and the Central Plains in the United States and the Interior Plains in Canada. You would also the Great Lakes.

4. Imagine that you are a farmer from England who comes to Canada or the United States to live in the 1800's. In what area of Canada or the United States will you settle and start a farm? Explain your choice.

The eastern and southern coastal plain or the Great Plains: A farmer in the United States would have settled in an area with rich soil, a mild climate, and access to rivers or other bodies of water.

In Canada, a farmer would probably have settled in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, where the soil is fertile and there is access to water routes for trade and shipping.