World Geography Unit 5: North America | Notes and practice

Notes

The Rocky Mountains (west), Appalachians (east, older), Great Plains, Canadian Shield, Mississippi River, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River are key features. Denali is the highest peak.
Climates range from Arctic tundra and boreal forest in the north to humid subtropical in the Southeast, desert in the Southwest and Mediterranean in California. Hazards include hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and wildfires.

U.S. regions: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, West. The Northeast has the Boston-to-Washington megalopolis; the Midwest is the Corn Belt; the Sun Belt grew rapidly after 1950.
Canada has 10 provinces, 3 territories and its capital is Ottawa. French is official and strongest in Quebec; most people live near the southern border.

Both countries are diverse, mostly urban, wealthy and shaped by Indigenous peoples and immigration.
Services dominate; the US leads in finance and technology; Canada exports energy and minerals; USMCA links the US, Canada and Mexico.

Each topic has its own short notes and practice.

Which feature is the largest group of fresh-water lakes shared by the US and Canada?

Southern California has dry summers and mild, wet winters. This climate is

Which region of the United States has the Corn Belt and large manufacturing cities such as Chicago?

Which statement about Canada is correct?

A resident of Calgary and one of Montreal both live in Canada. Which is most likely true?

Why is the Great Plains region important to the economy?

Write your answer first, then open the scoring guide.

Free-response question

The United States and Canada share a long border, many trade links and a common continent, but they differ in several ways.

(a) Name two physical features that are found in both countries or shared by them.

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The Rocky Mountains and the Great Lakes (also the Great Plains).

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(b) Explain why most Canadians live near the southern border.

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The south has a milder climate, more farmland and easy access to trade with the United States; the far north is cold and remote.

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(c) Describe one way the two countries are economically connected.

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They trade goods across the border and with Mexico under USMCA, and Great Lakes shipping and the St. Lawrence Seaway link their ports.

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