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North America

North America. RHS- World Geography Anderson. Physical Characteristics. USA, Canada have mountains, long coastlines, coastal islands, rivers, plains, & plateaus

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North America

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  1. North America RHS- World Geography Anderson

  2. Physical Characteristics • USA, Canada have mountains, long coastlines, coastal islands, rivers, plains, & plateaus • The Rockies are so tall in some places, that a “rain shadow” is created when the tops of the mountains block moisture coming in from the Pacific Ocean. (Remember that weather patterns flow W to E due to Jet Stream) • This “rain shadow” effect makes the western side of the mountains very wet (windward side) and causes the eastern side of the mountains to be very dry (leeward side).

  3. ROCKY MOUNTAINS There is an imaginary line of high elevation that runs northwest to southeast through North America. This is the dividing line that separates any water that flows west towards the Pacific and water that flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. This line follows the Rocky Mountains and is called the Continental Divide Appalachians Cascades/ Coastal Ranges

  4. RAIN SHADOW EFFECT Windward side of the mountains Leeward Side or “protected” side of the mountains ANDES Pacific Ocean Even the Andes Mountains in S. America create rain shadows on leeward slopes and cause moisture to be blocked. That’s how we see such dry areas in Latin Am. The Andes are so high that they block moisture from the ocean and create grasslands and deserts on the other side of the mt. http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/simblob/rain-shadow.png

  5. Weather and Climate is also dominated by Maritime, Humid subtropical & Humid Continental Climates- natural hazards include hurricanes & tornadoes • “Tornado Alley” is found in the Midwest- especially throughout the wide fertile area called the Great Plains.

  6. Regional Labels • These are areas that share similar characteristics and have been given “nicknames” like the: • Dairy Belt Corn Belt • Tornado Alley The West • Dixie Bible Belt • Breadbasket Great Plains

  7. Economics • Economics are very similar to Europe: • Developed World: Have many industries • "Clean Industries“ (don’t give off much pollution/by-products)- computer manufacturing, financial services, information & communication • "Dirty Industries“ (may give off heavy pollution)- manufacturing automobiles, power, textiles, petroleum processing, paper

  8. Agriculture in North America (farming and herding): Grains= major wheat producing area, tobacco, fruits & vegetables as well as cattle ranching • US is known for AGRIBUSINESS: any large-scale farming enterprise • The US and Canada are major exporters of: • Technology • Consumer goods • Information Systems • Foodstuffs

  9. Trade: NAFTA and global • NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) • It promotes trade and economic growth by allowing free trade between the 3 member countries (US, Canada, Mexico) • Supports trade and business around the world Multinational Corporations: • Nike Microsoft IBM Coca-Cola

  10. And what’s the world’s largest store? WAL-MART!!!

  11. Commonalities (shared items) in North America • European based majorities (English, Irish, German, Scot- among others) • Majority is Christian religion- then Islam & Judaism • Democracy- strong political thinkers • European traditions mixed with Native Americans along with Middle Easterner and S/SE Asian

  12. But even with major similarities, there are cultural differences in the region. Would any of these be found in North America? YES! THEY ALL WOULD

  13. Canada’s province of Quebecis French speaking (Francophone) and wants to separate from the rest of English-speaking Canada. This is causing a lot of conflict with Canada’s national identity. Bi-lingual signs like this one make some people mad. (see page 201 in your text)

  14. There are regional differences between the US states. • New Englanders sound, eat, & act different from states in the South. • For example, no one from Yonkers, NY eats grits or biscuits & gravy! • Likewise, people from the Midwest certainly don’t sound like people from the Valley in Southern California!!

  15. EVEN MAJOR CITIES HAVE DIFFERENCES AMONG THEM… OR SEAFOOD PREPARED IN SAN FRANSICO VS. SEAFOOD PREPARED IN WASHINGTON DC OR COFFEE IN SEATTLE PREPARED IN STARBUCKS VS. COFFEE PREPARED IN DALLAS (OK- IT’S STILL STARBUCKS) LIKE CHICAGO’S DEEP DISH PIZZA VS. NEW YORK’S PIZZA PIE… CAN YOU GUESS THESE CITIES? REMEMBER YOUR “MENTAL MAPS” Seattle Chicago San Francisco New York City Los Angeles Washington DC St. Louis Dallas

  16. US Culture around the world? YES! • Cultural diffusion: the spreading of a cultural trait (i.e. material object, idea, or behavior pattern) from one society to another. • When cultures join and merge (like a hybrid) it is called cultural convergence.

  17. What’s the evidence of cultural interaction? • Diffusion of US culture to other regions- foreigners wearing denim jeans and chewing gum, eating at McDonald’s, drinking Coke. • Popular culture traditions done in the US from other countries: Americans celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Mardi Gras, having a luau, or playing with a piñata at a party. • The spread of any culture traits around the world can be very evident in pictures. What culture traits are represented?

  18. In Australia, it’s NOT Burger King….it’s Hungry Jack’s!! 

  19. We are a "Melting Pot" of peoples • European and Asian Immigration since 1840s • English colonization on the east coast (orig. 13 colonies)- spread to West coast over time. (Manifest Destiny) • Major push in 1910s and post WWII from all over the world • Modern immigration from Latin America (esp. Mexico)

  20. Impacts of migration on the region • Originally from overseas, foreign cultures have migrated to the United States/ Canada. • Language- places have become bi-lingual • Religious freedoms and different religions enter the areas. • Multiple customs/traditions= blending of cultures • Changes of the cultural landscapes (monuments, buildings, different styles of homes, businesses, places of worship)

  21. Human Impacts?(think back to Unit 3 and the 4 De-s) Acid rain, ozone depletion Water pollution (esp. Chicago on Lake Michigan, Detroit with the auto productions, & other urban centers with heavy pollution. There are even industrial spills like the Exxon Valdez along the Alaskan Coast or the oil refineries explosion in Texas. Increased population on the coasts "Eastern Megalopolis" from Boston to Va. Beach. Urban areas have large employment opportunities(Why do you think there are so many commuters here!!)

  22. The Future of the region?: We’re Post-Industrial!! We’ll have increasing "Clean Industries" (NAFTA labor) • Will we maintain a World presence?: YES through UN, NATO, military presence • What do YOU think will happen in the future?

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