LANDFORMS AND RESOURCES CH 5 SECTION 1 I

LANDFORMS AND RESOURCES CH 5 SECTION 1

I. LANDSCAPE INFLUENCED DEVELOPMENT • CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES SHARE A CULTURAL CONNECTION AS WELL AS PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONNECTIONS EXIST ALSO. • CANADA IS THE SECOND LARGEST COUNTRY IN AREA, AND THE UNITED STATES IS THIRD. • THEY BOTH HAVE ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES INCLUDING WATER, FERTILE SOILS, AND MANY TYPES OF MINERALS.

II. MANY AND VARIED LANDFORMS • ALL MAJOR TYPES OF LANDFORMS EXIST IN NORTH AMERICA. THE MOST PROMINENT ARE THE EASTERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAIN RANGES AND THE PLAINS • THE EASTERN LOWLANDS ARE A PLAINS AREA EAST OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS THAT STRETCH FROM NEW YORK TO THE GULF COAST. • THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS ARE LOWER THAN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, AND EXTEND 1600 MILES FROM NEWFOUNDLAND TO ALABAMA.

II. MANY AND VARIED LANDFORMS • THE INTERIOR LOWLANDS OF THE U. S. ARE DIVIDED INTO THE GREAT PLAINS AND THE INTERIOR PLAINS. IT HAS SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST FERTILE SOIL. THE GREAT PLAINS RISE TO ABOUT 4000 FEET. • WEST OF THE PLAINS ARE THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. THEY ARE YOUNGER THAN THE APPALACHIANS, SO THEY ARE TALLER AND MORE JAGGED. THE LINE CALLED THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE RUNS THROUGH THEM, WHICH IS THE LINE THAT SHOWS THE DIVISION OF RIVERS THAT FLOW EAST OR WEST.

II. MANY AND VARIED LANDFORMS • BETWEEN THE ROCKIES AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT LANDFORMS. THERE ARE THE SIERRA NEVADA AND CASCADE MOUNTAIN RANGES, DESERTS, AND MANY FAULTS BRINGING EARTHQUAKES. • THERE ARE ISLANDS, THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS IN ALASKA AND THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, CAUSED BY VOLCANIC ACTIVITY.

• III. RESOURCES SHAPE WAYS OF LIFE THERE ARE MANY WATERWAYS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. THOSE ALLOW FOR TRANSPORTATION AND FISHING. THERE IS ALSO A LARGE HYDROELECTRIC POWER AND IRRIGATION COMPONENT. • THE GREAT LAKES ALLOW FOR TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS IN AND OUT OF THE MIDWEST, AND THE MISSISSIPPI IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST RIVERS IN THE WORLD. IT IS CONNECTED TO THE MISSOURI AND THE OHIO WHICH REACH MOST OF THE U. S. EAST OF THE ROCKIES.

III. RESOURCES SHAPE WAYS OF LIFE • THERE ARE VAST FORESTS AND FERTILE SOIL FOR FARMING, MAKING THE U. S. ONE OF THE LEADING AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES IN THE WORLD. • THERE ARE FOSSIL FUELS AND COAL THAT THE U. S. EXPORTS, BUT IT IS ALSO IS THE BIGGEST USER OF ENERGY PRODUCTS SO MUCH OF THAT IS IMPORTED. • THERE ALSO MINERALS SUCH AS GOLD, SILVER, URANIUM, AND COPPER THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY.

IN YOUR NOTEBOOKS • LIST THE TOP 10 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY THE UNITED STATES, THEN THE TOP 10 MINERAL PRODUCTS PRODUCED BY THE U. S.