north america/ longitude + latitude

prime meridian

runs north to south (0 degrees)

equator

circles the globe halfway between the north and south poles (0 degrees)

latitude

parallel to equator

longitude

connect the poles

the tropics of cancer and capricorn are 23 degrees meaning anything located in those areas are __

hot

the arctic and antarctic circles are 63 degrees. anything located in those areas are __

cold

north america is the ___ largest of the world continents and is between the _______ and the __*____*__

3rd, arctic circle and the tropic of cancer

coastal plains: located along the ________ and ____

atlantic ocean and gulf of mexico

appalachian highlands/mountians: located along the ________ and ____ 

* old eroded mountains, oldest mountain range in north america, located west of the coastal plain extending from eastern canada to western ________, includes ____

atlantic ocean and gulf of mexico

* Alabama, Piedmont

____ lowlands: located west of the Appalachian Mountains and east of the Great Plains

* ____ ____ with many rivers, broad river valleys, and grassy hills

interior, rolling flatlands

Great Plains: located west of ___ ___and east of the ___ ___

interior lowlands, rocky mountains

rocky mountains: located west on the great plains and east of the ___ and the range

basin

(Rocky Mountains) rugged mountains stretching from ___ *almost to* ______;__ high ____

alaska, mexico, elevations

determines the directional flow of rivers

continental divide

basin & range: located west of rocky mountains and east of the ___ ___ and the ___

sierra nevadas and the cascades

___ range: rugged mountains along the pacific coast that stretch from ____ to ____

coastal, cali to canada

_____ sheild: wrapped around the Hudson Bay in a horseshoe shape

Canadian

USA, Canada have mountains, long, coastlines, coastal islands,___ __*,*__ ______, and ____

rivers, plains, and plateaus

the rockies are so tall in some places that a “___ __” is created when the tops of the mountains block moisture coming in from the ___ ___

“rain shadow”, pacific ocean

this “rain shadow” effect makes the western side of the mountains very wet (_____ side) and causes the eastern side of mountains to be very dry (_____ side)

windward, leeward

(6) Rivers….

mississippi, st. lawrence, colorado, columbia, snake, rio grande

(6) bodies of water…

gulf of mexico, the great lakes, arctic ocean, pacific ocean, atlantic, hudson bay,

(12) landforms…

great plains, aleutian islands, hawaiian islands, appalachian mts, rocky mts, pacific coastal ranges, atlantic and gulf coastal plains, canadian shield, grand canyon, columbia plateau, colorado plateau

weather and climate is also dominated by maritime, humid subtropical and humid ____ _________- natural hazards include ____ _________

continental climates, hurricanes, tornadoes

“Tornado Valley” is found in the ….

midwest

nickname for the southern US

dixie

breadbasket: the granary of a country is a region which, because of richness of soil and/or advantageous climate produces an ____ _________

agricultural surplus

____ ______:__ the broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland, that lies west of the ____ ______ and east of the rocky mountains in the US and Canada

great plains, missouri river