Unit 2: The United States & Canada

Show What You Know...Read each statement & decide if the statement is true or false based on your knowledge of the United States & Canada. Hold up “True” or “False” to show what you know.

1. Justin Bieber is from Canada.

2. Canada has more states than the United States.

3. Drake and Rihanna are both from Canada.

4. The United States had more deaths per capita from WWII than Canada.

5. In Canada, a popular food is poutine which is fries with gravy and cheese curds.

6. Canada was colonized by both the French and the English.

7. Ice hockey was created in Greenland and ultimately spread to Canada.

8. An estimated 1 in 10 U.S. citizens could be a blood relative to Christopher Columbus.

9. 71% of the world’s maple syrup is produced in Canada.

10. Canada’s Immigration Minister declared in 2012 that Santa Claus was a Canadian citizen.

The United States and Canada are located on the North American continent.

Canada is located north of the United States of America.

What about Mexico???

Label the following countries using BLACK:

● United States

● Canada

● Mexico

● Greenland

The physical features of North America have influenced the development of the United States and Canada.

Appalachian MountainsPhysical Features:

● Mountains, highlands, rivers and valleys

● From Newfoundland and Labrador south to Alabama

Pacific Coastal RangesPhysical Features:

● Mountains and valleys along the ocean

● From Alaska, south through Canada and California

Rocky MountainsPhysical Features:

● Mountains, rivers and lakes

● Alberta/British Columbia south to New Mexico.

Canadian ShieldPhysical Features:

● Mostly flat land

● Some icy mountains with basins filled by lakes and swamps

● Some uplift (see bottom) but mostly depression of land due to ice movement and erosion

● Centered around the Hudson Bay

Great PlainsPhysical Features:

● Arid (dry), flat land● Covers 3,000 miles

of land in the United States and Canada.

Interior LowlandsPhysical Features:

● Rolling grasslands● Many rivers and lakes

formed from glacier movement

● East of the Great Plains and west of the Appalachian Mountains

Basin and RangePhysical Features:

● Primarily desert land with varied elevations

○ Lowest elevation in U. S. is Death Valley

● Isolated mountain ranges● West of the Rockies and east

of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada

Atlantic Coastal PlainPhysical Features:

● Lowland with many water features

○ Harbors, rivers, estuaries

● In the United States along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico

Summarize what you’ve just learned:

Identify the North American landform represented by each image shown above?

Label the following mountain ranges using BROWN:

● Rocky Mountains● Appalachian Mountains

Label the following landforms using GREEN:

● Canadian Shield● Great Plains● Pacific Coastal Ranges● Atlantic Coastal Ranges

Draw a line to represent the Continental Divide and label using RED.

SSR (10/23)

Pick a city from the map I just gave you. Do research using your iPad to determine what major waterways are there, what region the city is in, and any other interesting facts

about the cities physical geography.

Be ready to present what you have learned.

Major Cities of North America

● Washington, D.C.

● New York City

● Los Angeles

● Chicago

● Houston

● Miami

● Toronto

● Montreal

● Ottawa

● Québec City

● Vancouver

The physical features of North America have influenced the development of the United States and Canada.

● Major physical and environmental features○ Rivers

■ St. Lawrence■ Mackenzie■ Mississippi■ Colorado■ Rio Grande

○ Other water features■ Gulf of Mexico■ Great Lakes■ Arctic Ocean■ Pacific Ocean■ Atlantic Ocean■ Hudson Bay■ Niagara Falls

Bell Ringer (10/24)

Name the colony that was settled in Virginia. Who settled it? Why did they want to create colonies?

Exploration & ColonizationEuropean colonization of North America brought settlers from several countries and permanently changed life on the continent.

● 1492: Columbus sailed from Spain to the Caribbean

● By the late 1500s, Europeans had begun to colonize the continent (i.e. St. Augustine in Florida; Jamestown in Virginia; Plymouth in Massachusetts; and New France along the St. Lawrence River)

● European powers began to compete for land

○ The British and French fought numerous times; eventually the British became the major colonial power north of Mexico

WHY EXPLORE?

What are some ways British culture

influenced life in North America?

New France● In 1534, Jacques Cartier sailed into the Gulf of

St. Lawrence and claimed the area as New France. He later explored more of the St. Lawrence River.

New France● This exploration opened a profitable fur trade with Native Americans

and led to the settling of Quebec in the early 1600s

● The French generally got along better with Native Americans

● Britain had gained control of New France/conquered Quebec in 1760

Settling Quebec ● As tensions grew in the colonies, Britain needed

to ensure loyalty from its French subjects

● The Quebec Act (1774) strengthened elements of French culture

○ established a French system of law

○ allowed the mostly Catholic population freedom to practice their religion.

● Some Loyalists migrated to Quebec following the American Revolution. Quebec has both French and English influences today.

Model of Quebec around 1635

Impact of Exploration & Colonization● Native Americans suffered from diseases, such as

smallpox, brought to the continent by Europeans

● Native Americans were also pushed off of their traditional lands as more settlers arrived

● Eventually, cash crops were grown on plantations in the South.

● Africans were brought to the colonies and forced into slavery to serve as a labor force on plantations

Exit Ticket (10/24)

Tell me one thing you totally get and one thing you think we might need to go over again.

Bell Ringer (10/25)Answer each of the following questions as true or false.

1. The major colonial powers in North America were Britain, France, and Spain.

2. Britain was first to control New France, then the territory was overtaken by the French.

3. One major impact of colonization is that African slaves died of diseases such as smallpox.

4. Britain controlled much of North America in the 1700s.

SSR (10/25)Visit https://www.mrnussbaum.com/13int/

Please click on and read about each of the 13 colonies. Write down at least 13 things that you learned.

Be prepared to present.

If you finish, create a venn diagram comparing the colony you are from, Virginia, to one of the others.

The Birth of America● Starting in the 1760s, the British government began

taxing the colonists which angered the colonists

Why were the colonists upset???

● Many colonists felt the taxes were unfair and they did not have representation in British government

● Growing tensions between the British and the colonists eventually ended with the American Revolution which was fought between 1775 and 1781

● The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 which formally ended the conflict and recognized American independence

Why are we learning about

this in Geography?

Label the following:

● Rocky Mountains● Appalachian Mountains● Great Plains● Interior Lowlands● Atlantic Coastal Plain● Pacific Coastal Range● Basin and Range ● Canadian Shield ● Continental Divide ● Rio Grande River ● Hudson Bay ● Arctic Ocean● Gulf of Mexico ● Vancouver● New York ● Houston

The Birth of America - Quick Check● What document, written by Thomas

Jefferson and signed in 1776, proclaimed America’s independence from Britain?

● What were some effects worldwide of the American Revolution?

● Complete the following graphic:

Cause EffectThe American

Revolution

Review Major Historical Events - Sequencing ActivityPlace the events below in the correct order according

to how they occurred in history.

● Westward Expansion● Louisiana Purchase● American Revolution ● WWII● WWI● 9-11● Colonization ● The Great Depression ● The Cold War● Treaty of Paris

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.

Expansion ● The Treaty of Paris expanded U.S.

territory to include land east of the Mississippi River

● President Thomas Jefferson doubled the size of the U.S. with the Louisiana Purchase

● The concept of Manifest Destiny became popular and many pioneers began moving westward

○ Settlers faced many hardships

○ Forced removal of Native Americans onto reservations through the Trail of Tears

Industrialization● After the American Revolution, industry grew

quickly in the east, especially textiles. This time period became known as the Industrial Revolution.

○ Machines produced goods rather than by hand

● Canals, such as the Erie Canal, were made to provide water routes for transporting manufactured goods

● Railroads were built which allowed goods and people to travel long distances

○ The transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869

Sequencing ActivityWhat came first…? (Circle it.)

● CANALS or RAILROADS

● WWI or WWII

● AMERICAN REVOLUTION or COLONIZATION

● INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION or AMERICAN REVOLUTION

● WESTWARD EXPANSION or LOUISIANA PURCHASE

World Conflict & the Great DepressionIn the 20th and 21st centuries, the U.S. became increasingly involved in world affairs and conflicts.

● World War I

○ War broke out in Europe in 1914

○ The U.S. remained neutral until 1917 after the sinking of the Lusitania by a German submarine (joined with the Allied Powers)

○ With the help of the United States., the Allied Powers won the war

● The Great Depression

○ The U.S. stock market crashed in 1929 which set in motion a series of events that led to a worldwide economic downturn

World Conflict● World War II

○ Started with Adolf Hitler’s invasion of Poland in 1939

○ The U.S. stayed neutral until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941

○ The Axis Powers were eventually defeated by Allied forces in 1945, first in Normandy, France, then in Japan

○ The war had a great human cost

■ Holocaust - Hitler’s organized murder of Jews and other groups (killed an estimated 6 million people)

■ Overall, an estimated 50 million people were killed, mostly in Europe and the Soviet Union

World Conflict ● Cold War - “fought” between the United

States and the Soviet Union after WWII

○ Both countries were allies in WWII, but there was conflict between them afterward

● The Cold War was a long period of political tension without fighting (ended in 1991)

○ United States - promoted global democracy and freedom

○ Soviet Union - promoted communism

World Conflict ● In the 21st century, a new type of

warfare has become more common

○ Terrorism - uses violence to achieve political results

Firefighters George Johnson, Dan McWilliams and Billy Eisengrein

raise a flag at ground zero

9/11 Memorial in NYC

Review Major Historical Events - Sequencing ActivityPlace the events below in the correct order according

to how they occurred in history.

● Westward Expansion● Louisiana Purchase● American Revolution ● WWII● WWI● 9-11● Colonization ● The Great Depression ● The Cold War● Treaty of Paris

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.

Bell Ringer 10/31What nation attacked Pearl Harbor?a. Indiab. Germanyc. Great Britaind. Japan

What country used atomic weapons in Hiroshima, Japan?a. Germanyb. Great Britain c. United Statesd. Italy

The stock market crash in 1929 caused what?a. The Great Depressionb. WWIc. WWIId. The Cold War

What country was blamed entirely for WWI?a. Indiab. Great Britain c. Germanyd. Italy

The abundance of natural resources helped the US & Canada develop diversified economies.

Economic Characteristics● What does North America export?

○ Technology, information systems, and foodstuff

● Highly developed infrastructures○ Infrastructure - the basic

physical and organizational structures and facilities (buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society

● Rich supply of mineral, energy, and forest resources

The United States & Canada have a wide variety of natural resources.Major Natural Resources

● Forestry● Petroleum● Minerals● Fertile soil● Water● Natural Gas

Economic CharacteristicsWhat is a multinational corporation?

● North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - created trade agreements between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. ○ It was created in the 1990s, and is still in

operation today. ● Multinational corporations● A key center of world financial markets

(New York Stock Exchange)

In North America there is…● a high distribution of income ● a high literacy rate● a high overall standard of living

Economic CharacteristicsWhat does this mean?

Export of culture via the global marketplace ● Global marketplace - the global buying community

Economic CharacteristicsWhat is one major way culture is exported?

Exit Ticket 10/31What is a major natural resource found in North America?a. Gold b. Saltc. Diamondsd. Natural Gas

The economy in the United States is characterized by what?a. Low standard of livingb. High literacy ratec. Low literacy rated. Low distribution of income

Which of the following is true about NAFTA?a. Created trade deals between

Canada, the U.S., and Mexicob. Ended the Cold Warc. Was created in the early 2000sd. Was a response to 9-11

What is the global marketplace?a. The Stock Marketb. What caused the Great Depressionc. The global buying community d. Document that created free trade

Bell Ringer 11/1What does North America export?a. Textiles b. Technology c. Natural Gasd. Furniture

What is a multinational corporation?a. A corporation that exists in many

different nationsb. A corporation that was created by

NAFTAc. A corporation that has stock d. A really large type of corporation

What are the basic physical and organizational structures needed for a society to function?a. NAFTAb. Culturesc. Infrastructured. Diversified economies

What is one major way culture is exported in today’s world?a. Culture b. Stock Marketc. Shippingd. Internet

Europeans had major cultural influences on the US & Canada

Canada was initially settled primarily by the

French and British.

Western Europeans from Britain, France, Spain, Ireland,

and Germany settled in the United States.

By the 1800s, immigrants were coming from Eastern Europe as

well from countries such as Italy, Poland, and Romania.

● North America was colonized by Europeans beginning in the 1500s

● After years of colonization and immigration, the cultures of North America grew very diverse.

● Increasingly diverse populations through immigration today

(Historic vs Contemporary)

Cultural Influences

Diverse cultures created diverse neighborhoods and cities filled with various ways of life.

Cultural Influences Where in the United States

would you expect to see

signs like these?

Democratic forms of government

Cultural Influences What is a democratic

form of government?

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) - a military alliance of European and North American democracies founded after World War II to strengthen international ties between member states—especially the United States and Europe—and to serve as a counter-balance to the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact.

Cultural Influences

World’s longest unfortified border divides the United States & Canada

Cultural Influences

Every country has cultural landscapes that help define the national identity.

Canada is known for Parliament Hill

in Ottawa and CN Tower in Toronto.

Click on the pic to take a walk on the CN Tower

● U.S. Capitol Building● Golden Gate Bridge/Angel

Island● Washington Monument● Statue of Liberty

Cultural Landscapes of the United States

There are rural, suburban, and urban landscapes in North America.

Influence of the AutomobileAfter the car was created, people no longer had to leave in overcrowded cities.

People moved to the suburbs, and drive up services revolutionized the country.

Eisenhower saw the efficiency of the Autobahn when he was in

Germany and wanted to replicate it to ease transportation for

civilians and military in the U.S.

The interstate highway system made it

possible for a lot of towns to pop up on

the map (remember the movie

Cars)

How did interstate highways impact American culture? You may create an organizational web or a bulleted list. You should have no less than 3

ideas written down. Be prepared to share your ideas with the class.

Major Cultural Regions of North America

● Atlantic Periphery● Megalopolis● Inland South● Coastal South● Great Lakes / Corn Belt● Great Plains● Rocky Mountains● Intermontane West● California● Mex America● Pacific Northwest● Far North● Quebec

Show What You Know…Draw a Venn Diagram. In the overlapping space, list several ways Canada and the U.S.

are alike. In the other sections, list the differences between Canada and the U.S. Consider government, language, religion, geography, etc. Be prepared to share.