Chapter 2: United States and Canada

1. Chapter 2:United States and Canada

2. Landform Geography • Both are on the North American continent. • Crustal mass includes Mexico and Central America. • Many generalizations can be made also to Mexico and Central America.

3. Land Surface Regions of US & Canada

4. The Canadian Shield • Shields • Piece of Earth’s crust that is very old and geographically very stable • Probably cannot be further revised • Cultural nuclei around which mountain formation tends to occur • Canadian Shield • Extends outward from the Hudson Bay • Includes much of Quebec & Labrador • Most of Ontario & Manitoba • Substantial part of Canadian Arctic

5. Appalachian Highlands and Lowlands • Highlands • Low-lying mountains from Newfoundland down to Alabama • Six distinct landforms: • Piedmont—PA southward to GA • Fall Line—Series of river and stream rapids that mark the edge of the Piedmont where it descends on the coastal plain • Blue Ridge Mountains—NC, TN, and GA (also called Great Smokies) • Ridge and Valley province • Folded landscape of long, parallel ridges and valleys from NY to northern AL • Includes Hudson and Shenandoah Valleys • Appalachian Plateau—Western portion of Appalachian Highlands • New England • White Mountains of NH and ME • Green Mountains of VT • Continues into Canada to form a Maritimes-Newfoundland extension

6. Okefenokee Swamp, GeorgiaPikes Peak, Colorado

7. Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain • Gulf of Mexico to US Atlantic Coasts • Expanse • Cape Cod to Florida • FL • Coastal TX • Much of lower Mississippi Valley

8. Western Mountains and Plateaus • Rocky Mountains—Northern NM northward to CO and WY • Interior Plateau • West of the Rocky Mountains • Transition between Rockies and Pacific Coastlands

9. Western Plateaus—Components • Colorado Plateau—More than a mile high in SW CO, eastern UT, northern AZ, NM • Basin and Range • West and south of the CO Plateau • Much of NV and western UT, parts of southern CA and AZ • Columbia Plateau • North of Basin and Range • Eastern OR and WA • Snake River area of ID • Pacific Coastlands • Sierra Nevada Mountains • North to south in eastern CA • Eleven peaks in excess of 14,000 feet • Cascade Mountains • North of Sierra Nevada • Central OR and WA • Coast Ranges—Length of the Pacific Coast • Great Valley—Alluvial trough • Willamette Valley (OR) • Puget Sound Lowland (WA)

10. Interior Lowlands • South and west of the Canadian Shield • Between North America’s backbones of east and west • Components • Great Plains—East of the Rocky Mountains • Great Lakes—MI, NY, and Ontario • Ozark Plateau—MI • Ouachita Mountains—AK • Black Hills • Western SD • Peaks that exceed 7,000 feet

11. The Great PlainsMt. Rushmore, South Dakota

12. Climate • Several influencing factors: • Clearly defined changes in seasonal temperatures • Prevailing wind direction is west to east. • North–south mountain ranges in the west modify air masses as they move east. • Continentality—Atmosphere takes on the more extreme heating and cooling characteristics of land than water. • Winters—Cold • Summers—Hot • Gulf of Mexico—Important source of moisture for the Gulf Coast and Interior Lowlands • Characteristics: • Humid subtropics • Dry subtropics • Marine west coast • Western steppes and deserts • Humid continental • Subarctic and polar climates

13. Climate Regions in US & Canada

14. Humid Subtropics • Hot and sticky • Northward to southern Middle Atlantic and mid-western states

15. Dry Subtropics (Mediterranean) • Pacific Coast • San Diego to San Francisco • Summers relatively cool (time of drought) • Winters relatively warm • Precipitation low, but clearly defined wet and dry seasons • Snow virtually unheard of

16. Marine West Coast • Northern CA to Alaska • Winter—Warmer due to moderating effects of ocean • Summer—Cool • Cascade mountains produce a moderating effect.

17. Western Steppes and Deserts • Eastern OR and WA south to Colorado Plateau • East of Rocky Mountains—Corresponds roughly to the Great Plains • Semiarid climate • Temperatures tend toward extremes • True deserts of North America concentrated in the southwest: • Southern TX • Southern AZ • Southern CA

18. Humid Continental • Northern part of US into southern Canada • Humidity • Winter—Cool to cold • Summer—Can be very hot • Home to America’s agricultural heartland • Corn Belt • Dairy Belt

19. Subarctic and Polar • Subarctic • Wide swath of central Canada and Alaska • Precipitation levels low—Mostly as summer rain • Polar • Northern edges of Canada and Alaska • Freezing conditions most of the year • Some days without sunlight

20. Culture Cores • Geographers study settlement trends. • Several dynamics studied by geographers: • Culture hearths • Centers of cultural innovation • Take innovations across landscape through diffusion • Diffusion process—Settlers moving into new territories • Settlement frontiers—Areas where settlers develop • Spatial integration—Result of settlers transforming the settled landscape

21. US & Canada—European Core Influences • New England—MA, RI, and CT • Originally a destination for religious freedom • Artisanal work • Shipbuilding • Southern Atlantic—VA and southward • Cultivation of subtropical crops—notably tobacco • Plantation system a major aspect of work by smaller farms • Middle Atlantic—NY, PA, and parts of NJ and MD • English, Dutch, Scots–Irish, and Swedish influences • Mixed agricultural system • Manufacture of tools, guns, and wagons • Iron ore work in PA • Influential impact of American middle west and parts of Appalachians • French Canada—Quebec; St. Lawrence River area • Early settlers were French; British took over in 1763. • Some farming along St. Lawrence River • French Canadian population has remained contextual; little spatial diffusion.

22. Expansion—Manifest Destiny • View of US that all land on the continent willed by God to the US to be civilized by Americans and their ennobling institutions • Enabled by dominant international political culture • Expansion of US • Louisiana Purchase—1803 • East Florida—1819 • West Florida—1810-1813 • Texas—Annexed in 1845 • Mexican Cession—1848 • Oregon County—1848 • Gadsden Purchase—1853

23. Trends in Canada • Loyalists—Remnants of supporters of the British following the American Revolution • Created a counterweight to French-speaking Quebec • Anglicization process would eventually displace the French to minority. • July 1, 1867—Canada officially becomes a country. • American-style federalism (confederation of provinces) • British-style Parliament • House of Commons • Senate

24. Other Factors Impacting Expansion • Transformation in transportation technologies • Need to overcome friction of distance • Canal building • Railroads

25. Immigration • Both US and Canada impacted historically. • Zelinsky—Two categories of US immigration: • 1607 to 1775—European migrants and African as slaves • 1820 to present—The “national” era • 1820 to 1870—Heavily British, Irish, German, and Dutch; some Latin Americans and Asians • 1870 to 1920—“Great Deluge” • 26 million people emigrate to US • Traditional northwestern European sources • Scandinavia • Eastern and southern Europe, China, Japan, and Latin America • 1920 to present—Miscellaneous: • Wide variety of origins • Especially Asians and Latin Americans

26. Canadian Immigration • Just as intense and nation-altering as US • Started later • Prior to confederation • British • American Loyalists • French (Quebec) • 1885—Railroads to Canadian Prairies finished • Many claims on land • Eastern Europeans • Scandinavian countries • Britain and US • Population increased by one-third in the first half of the twentieth century. • After World War II, primarily immigration to urban areas (increasing concentrations of Asians and Africans)

27. Demographics • US population growth after 1800 • High birthrates (fertility rates) • Low death rates (mortality rates) • Immigration • Canadian population growth • Grew mainly by natural increase between 1867 and 1900 • But limited by a low fertility rate • Population distribution • Predominantly east of the Mississippi River • Greatest concentration in northeast quadrants • US—North central, northeast • Canada: • Within 200 miles of US border between Windsor, Ontario and Quebec City, Quebec • Vancouver, Victoria, and British Columbia

28. Population Redistribution • Changes in economies • Agrarian to industrial economies (1800s) • US • Development of manufacturing in cities • Transformation from plantation system due to mechanization of farming • Canada • Development of petroleum reserves (Alberta) • International and interprovincial migration (British Columbia)

29. Factors Influencing Success of Agriculture • Abundance of good land • 1.5 of all land in US is classified as cropland. • Canada’s small population relative to the US means the ration of farmland to people is about the same. • High level of mechanization • Tractors replace mules. • Hybrid seeds, pesticides, herbicides, biotechnology, and scientific farming techniques • Regional specialization • A variety of environmental conditions • Need for developing comparative advantage

30. Historical Agricultural Productivity in US

31. Agricultural Regions • Corn Belt • Dairy Belt • Specialty Crop and Livestock Region • Great Wheat Belts • Western farming

32. Corn Belt • Location—Central OH to eastern NB; MN to SD; southern into KS • Corn useful for multiple purposes • Food for people • Feed for animals • Area began as a mixed farming area, with equal emphasis on crop cultivation and livestock production.

33. Dairy Belt • Location—North of the Corn Belt, stretching westward from Nova Scotia and New England to WI and MN • Conditions less favorable for agriculture • Soils thinner/less fertile • Growing seasons shorter • Two types of production

34. Specialty Crop & Livestock Production • Location—Southern New England to eastern TX • Wide array of activities • City dwellers demanded fruits and vegetables. • Truck farming • High value • Land intensive • Market-oriented • South • Livestock region • Poultry farms

35. Great Wheat Belts • Winter Wheat Belt • KS, OK, CO, and north TX • What planted in fall, lies dormant in winter, and is harvested in spring. • Used for spaghetti, crackers, and pastries • Spring Wheat Belt • ND, SD, MT, and Saskatchewan • What planted in spring and is harvested in late summer • Used for bread

36. Western Farming • Water is the big issue. • Dry soils can be tilled with water from underground aquifers. • Irrigation, however, is not necessary in the Pacific Northwest. • Ranches are very large. • Many cases exceeding 100,000 acres • Typically used for livestock

37. Continuing Adjustments in Agriculture • Fewer farmers • Growth of agribusiness/vertical integration • Death of family farming • Rise of corporate farming • Fewer, larger farms • Rural geography changing • Now a coarse series of large corporate holdings • Greater increase in supply than in demand • Farm output has increased. • Demand has not kept pace.

38. Resources for Growth & Development: Energy & Power • Coal • Major energy source for industrial expansion in US, WY, KY, WV, and PA • Nova Scotia, New Brunswick in Canada • Easier to import from US Appalachian states • More emphasis on petroleum • Oil and gas • Both US and Canada are major producers and consumers. • US—Production centered in TX, LA, KS, CA, and AL • Canada—Alberta and Saskatchewan • Water • 60% energy via hydroelectricity in Canada • 8.5% in the US • Nuclear • 20% source of power in US • 12% source of power in Canada

39. Resources for Growth & Development: Metals • Iron ore • US and Canada are major producers and consumers. • Canada—Exporter • US—Importer • Aluminum • Used extensively in transportation and construction • Bauxite required • Not readily available here. • Import from Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, and Australia • Canada produces some other metals: • Nickel • Copper

40. Power Consumption in US by Source

41. Coal and Iron Ore in US & CanadaPetroleum & Natural Gas in US & Canada

42. Manufacturing in the US • New England • Waterways • Railroads • South • Remote from transportation • Produced for exporting • Coreland • Southern New England • Textile • Leather-working • Machine tools • Metro New York • Diversified manufacturing • Garment industry

43. Three Prominent Steel Industries • First • Baltimore, MD • Bethlehem, PA • Philadelphia, PA • Harrisburg, PA • Second • Erie, PA • Pittsburgh, PA • Toledo, OH • Third • Gary, IN • Chicago, IL • Milwaukee, WI

44. Automobile Manufacturing • Southern MI • Parts of IN, OH, and Ontario • Automobile production • Parts and assembly

45. Manufacturing Regions & Urban-Industrial Districts of US

46. Problems Facing Coreland Manufacturing • Intensive foreign competition • Labor costs cheaper • More modern equipment • Difficult economic conditions • Recessions • Fluctuations • Social problems • Social conflict • Air and water pollution • Residential quality • Urban water supply

47. Southern Economic Revolution • Textiles are the first major industry. • Grew to have a comparative advantage • Cheaper labor costs than in the north • Better locations • Lower power costs • Lower taxes • Other industries • Material-oriented pulp and paper • Furniture • Food processing • Forest industries • Petroleum (Gulf Coast) • Steel (Birmingham, AL and Atlanta, GA) • Grew into a significant regional market

48. Manufacturing Employment Shifts in US: 1970–2000

49. % US Workers in Manufacturing

50. Canadian Manufacturing • Location—St. Lawrence Seaway and Ontario • Industrial heartland • Montreal the center of industry—Akin to NYC • Specialization elsewhere • Hydroelectric potential—Quebec • Golden Horseshoe • Most of Canada’s steel • Great variety of other goods • Protected by tariff • Drift westward • Alberta and western provinces gain • Similar trends to US