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U.S. & Canada
U.S & Canada Physical Features, Climates, Economies, Governments
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Name 5 mountain ranges that link U.S. & Canada: | Pacific Ranges, Sierra Nevadas, Cascades, Alaska Ranges, Rocky Mountains |
What is the tallest mountain in the North American continent? | Mt. McKinley |
How do we know the Rocky Mtns. are a "young" mountain range? | have SHARP peaks |
What is the lowest point in the North American continent? | Death Valley |
What is another name for the Interior Lowlands of the U.S.? | Great Plains-gradually slope from height of 6,000 ft. to low 10 ft. elevation at Mississippi River |
What is the largest grain-growing region in the U.S.? | Bread Basket |
Appalachian Mountains are old mountains. TRUE or FALSE? | True-their peaks are worn down & rounded by glacial erosion, go from Canada to U.S. [Georgia] |
What is the area of bedrock surrounding the Hudson Bay in Canada? | Canadian Shield |
What is the area of states in U.S. along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico? | Coastal Plains |
What state is comprised of islands in the Pacific forming an volcanic archipelago [chain of islands]? | Hawaii |
What is the world's largest island that is NOT a continent? | Greenland |
What island in the U.S. is the center of U.S. and world economic activity? | Manhattan in N.Y.C. |
What is another name for the "Great Divide"? | Continental Divide-all rivers west of it flow to Pacific, and, all rivers east of it flow to Atlantic |
What is the 2,350 miles long river with headwaters in Minnesota and mouth in Gulf of Mexico? | Mississippi River System-tributaries that feed into it are Ohio and Missouri Rivers |
Which river forms part of the border between U.S. & Canada? | St. Lawrence River-this and other rivers and canals form the St. Lawrence Seaway that links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean |
What is the term for several rivers MERGING [join at one spot]? | Confluence-an example is the three rivers Allegheny, Ohio, and Monongahla Rivers merging in Pittsburg, PA |
What term describes cities with a drop off from the high elevation Piedmont region to low elevation Coastal [Atlantic} Plains so no ship travel? | Fall Line Cities-examples are Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia |
What dam border the U.S. & Canada and provides hydroelectric power to Ontario, Canada and New York, U.S.? | Niagara Falls |
What lakes were formed by glaciers share a border with U.S. & Canada? Name all 5. | Great Lakes-Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario |
Name 2 states with large oil reserves. | Texas and Alaska |
What renewable resource is 50% of Canada comprised of? | Timber-half of Canada is forest |
What non-renewable resources are found in the Rocky Mtns. and Canadian Shield? | Gold, silver, copper, and iron |
What is the primary renewable resource found in the coastal areas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico? | Fishing |
Name one of the world's richest fishing areas. | Grand Banks in the Atlantic Ocean |
What climate type comprises two-thirds of Canada? | Sub-Arctic |
What climate type brings warm winds from the Pacific Ocean? | Marine West Coast-these warm, dry winds are called "chinook" and cause wild fires |
What climate type is in the Rocky Mtns.& Pacific Ranges with high elevation? | Highland |
What is the line at which tree growth stops due to cold temperatures in the high elevation, so no trees grow above this line? | Timberline |
What effect causes an area to get little precipitation due to a mountain barrier causing winds to lose moisture? | Rain Shadow Effect |
What climate type has cold winters & mild summers and is found in the Northeast and Great Plains of U.S.? | Humid Continental |
What part of the country is prone to tornados due to grassy, but mostly treeless, plains? | Prairies in the interior of the U.S. [Kansas] |
What two states have a Tropical climate? | Hawaii & Florida |
What climate type characterizes the Southeastern U.S. with long, hot muggy summers and mild winters? | Humid Sub-tropical |
What is the term that describes people moving from place to place? | Mobility |
What is the term that describes people leaving rural [farming] areas for urban [city] areas for better job opportunities? | Urbanization |
What are outlying communities surrounding a city? | Suburbs [Roanoke County is a suburb of the City of Roanoke] |
What means "great city" | Megalopolis-examples are NYC, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., in U.S. and Vancouver in Canada]-also, are FUNCTIONAL regions |
What is the primary cause of population growth in the U.S. now? | Immigration-the U.S. has low birth rates so growth is from people coming into the country |
Name 3 U.S.cities with population growth along waterways. | Detroit [Great Lakes]; Cincinnati [Ohio River]; Minneapolis & St. Louis [Missouri River] |
What was built by immigrants in the late 1800's to transport manufactured goods across the country? | Transcontinental Railroad |
What process changed America and fueled urbanization? | Assembly Line which mass produced cars and provided jobs in cities creating urbanization |
What is the longest unfortified [not defended militarily] border in the world? | U.S./Canadian border |
When was the Dominion of Canada formed? | 1867 from Canadian colonies of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick [now 10 provinces & 3 territories] |
What is the movement called during which the U.S. expanded from the eastern seaboard of Atlantic to the Pacific Coast? | Manifest Destiny |
What 4 events caused the doctrine of Manifest Destiny? | 1-Louisana Purchase [U.S. purchased land from France];2-Texas won independence from Mexico;3-Gold Rush pushed people west; 4-1867 U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia |
What 2 factors fueled the Industrial Revolution? | 1-factories in Northeast run by coal & steam; 2-cotton production in Southeast fueled need for slaves and supplied textile factories |
What U.S. war from 1861-1865 was caused by disputes over slavery, economies and politics of the North & South? | Civil War |
What was the series of safe houses that escaping slaves used on their route North after fleeing Southern plantations? | Underground Railroad-was not a literal railroad, that was the name used for the route |
What similar type of government does U.S. & Canada share? | Federal Democracy-power divided between states [U.S.]/provinces [Canada} and national gov't Congress [U.S.]/Parliament [Canada], governed by President [U.S.]/Prime Minister [Canada] |
What are 3 common cultural characteristics that U.S. a & Canada share? | 1-religious freedom; 2-high literacy rate; 3-high standard of living |
What is a primary difference between U.S. & Canada? | U.S. has no official language vs. Canada is bi-lingual [English & French] |
What is the name of the economic system that has producers who privately own businesses that sell to consumers? | Market Economy-our system in the U.S.-also called "free enterprise" |
What type of economic activities do developed countries [U.S/Canada] derive most of their income from? | Secondary [manufacturing] & Tertiary [Service industries] |
What is PRIMARY [one level] economic activity? | Agriculture-taking products like grains, livestock, and animals and selling them [dairy milk, corn, beef]-called "agribusiness" |
What is SECONDARY [two levels] economic activity? | Manufacturing-taking raw materials and making products, such as taking iron and making steel for car manufacturing; can be exported [sold to other countries] |
What is TERTIARY [three levels] economic activity? | Service Industries-sales, technology support, high tech field, teaching, nursing, providing a service using a skill, not a product |
What is the term for what Rust Belt areas do in changing over from a secondary manufacturing economy to a tertiary service economy? | Retooling |
What is the term that describes the roads, railroads, interstate highway systems, bridges, and communication systems that allow a developed country to move people, goods and information? | Infrastructure [means "inside the structure" of a country-only developed countries have] |
When a country buys [imports] more than it sells [exports], it creates a ___________? | Trade Deficit-negative imbalance because the country owes more to creditors than the income it takes in-ex. U.S. today |
When a country sells [exports] more than it buys [imports], it creates a ____________? | Trade Surplus-positive Quebalance sheet because the country takes in more income than what it owes to other countries-ex. Canada today |
What is the organization of 3 North American countries that trade freely with no barriers? | NAFTA-North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, U.S. & Mexico that has caused many U.S. businesses to move to Mexico for cheaper workforce causing U.S. to lose jobs |
What are 3 examples of trade barriers? | 1-Tariffs/taxes on imports; 2-Embargos/punishing a country by blocking their imports; 3-Quotas/limiting amounts of imports to low levels |
What is the term that describes how people damage the environment by drilling, strip mining, & clear cutting forests? | Environmental Degradation |
What is the group of Canadians who want to separate from Canada and form their own French-speaking independent country? | Quebecois |