United States and Canada

Beringia

A prehistoric land bridge connecting Asia and North America across the Bering Strait.

St. Lawrence Seaway

North America's vital deepwater ship route connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.

Columbian Exchange

The movement of plants, animals, and diseases between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 sale of vast French territory to the U.S., doubling its size.

Frontier

The free, open land in the American West available for settlement and exploration.

Representative democracy

A government system where citizens elect officials to make decisions on their behalf.

Service industry

Economic sector providing intangible services like healthcare, education, and finance rather than goods.

Postindustrial economy

An economy where manufacturing is replaced by high-tech and service-based industries.

Multinationals

Large corporations that operate and own facilities in many different countries worldwide.

Megalopolis

A continuous, heavily populated urban region formed by several large cities growing together.

Parliamentary Government

A system where legislative and executive functions are combined in a central parliament.

First Nations

Canada's indigenous peoples who are neither Inuit nor Métis.

Metis

People of mixed Indigenous and European (specifically French and Scottish) descent in Canada.

Reserves (reservations)

Public lands set aside by the government for the use of Native peoples.

Terrorism

The use of violence or intimidation against civilians to achieve political or social goals.

Urban sprawl

The rapid, poorly planned spread of cities and suburbs into surrounding rural areas.

Mosaic

A cultural model where different ethnic groups coexist while maintaining their unique identities.

Melting Pot

A model where different cultures blend together to form a single, unified identity.

N.A.F.T.A. / U.S.M.C.A.

Trade agreements between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. designed to increase economic cooperation.

Sun Belt

A region of the southern and southwestern U.S. known for warm climate and growth.