North America

Chapter 3-1: GEOGRAPHY

Our Goals

Identify landforms, bodies of water, and climates of North America

Analyze the impact of resources and climate on economic activities in the Great Plains

Explain the impact of geographic factors on economic resources in the West

Make connections between Mexico’s geographic features and the country’s economy

Physical Geography North America = from the tip of Canada to the

end of Mexico

In the center is the forty-eight contiguous U.S. states

Alaska is northwest of Canada; Hawaii is in the Pacific

Highlands, Plains, & Plateaus

Land elevation in North America rises from east to west

The Great Plains are east of the Rocky Mountains

Plains = flat areas of land, making up most of the center of the continent

Plateaus = flat areas of high elevation, located between mountains in the central U.S. and western Mexico

Rivers & Lakes

Major cities have developed along North America’s rivers

Ex. Cincinnati on the Ohio River, New Orleans on the Mississippi, and Juarez on the Rio Grande

The St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes provide a natural barrier between the U.S. and Canada

The Great Lakes combine to form the largest body of fresh water in the world!

The Rio Grande provides a natural border between the U.S. and Mexico

St. Lawrence River & Seaway

St. Lawrence Seaway Locks (1:43)

A Variety of Climates

This region includes temperate – or mild – climates, as well as extremes of cold and heat.

Parts of Alaska and Canada are covered by glaciers, or large masses of ice and snow

Much of northern Mexico is warm and dry, and Mexico’s southern half has warm climates and rain all year long

The Great Plains

The Great Plains runs through the center of the continent

Enough food is produced there to feed the population of North America

There is also enough left over to export, or send to other countries for aid or profit

We are the “breadbasket of the world”!

Farming on the Great Plains

The Great Plains are “great” for growing food for two reasons:

1) Rich soil with lots of nutrients

2) Climate that is temperate and enough rain

Sometimes, lack of rain for a long period of time brings drought, which kills crops

Ex. During the 1930s, the Plains became known as the “Dust Bowl” because of soil and wind erosion

The “Dust Bowl”

Farming on the Great Plains

Today, prairie has been replaced by fields of wheat, corn, and other grains

Huge farms where crops are planted and harvested by machine are called commercial agriculture, or the business of producing crops to sell

Railways, ships, and rivers such as the Missouri or Mississippi are frequently used to help move grain to market

Energy Resources

The Great Plains have major deposits of oil and natural gas

In the U.S., most resources are found in southern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas

There are also many offshore drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, although this can be dangerous

Ex. In 2010, a BP oil rig caused a huge environmental disaster

Wind power may also be important for the Great Plains

The BP Oil Disaster