North American Geography Quiz 1

transform plate boundary

moving across one another

human geography

the study of various aspects of human life that create the distinctive landscapes and regions of the world

physical geography

the study of the earth’s physical process including how they work, how they affect humans, and are affected by humans

topography

the nature and description of local landforms that are both natural and human made

land form

any natural formation of rock and dirt found on earth

geomorphology

the study of how land forms are created, and how they interact with one another

endogenic

forces that affect the surface of the earth’s surface

plate tectonics

movement of rigid “plates” of rock over a weak layer in the upper mantle

\-rising of mountains

\-generates earthquakes

\-triggers tsunami

\-fires volcanoes

divergent plate boundary

moving away from one another

convergent plate boundary

moving towards one another

volcanoes

the rise of magma and its cooling on the earths surface

shield volcano

gently sloping, shield shaped cone

composite cones

large and explosive, multiple vents, death and destruction if in a populated area, also called strato volcanos

cinder cones

most common, usually 1 vent, steep-sided cones

glaciation

thick layers of moving ice, transports large amounts of material to new locations

\-v shaped valley

\-u shaped valled

v shaped valley

created by running water

u shaped valley

created by glaciers

karst

landscaped found in areas that have high concentrations of water-soluable rock, such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum

stream drainage

streams collect water from groundwater and overland flow

drainage basin

area drained by a river and its tributaries, it makes:

\-drinking water

\-transportation routes

\-settlement patterns

\-sediment

\-run-off

fluvial landscapes

both erosion and depositional forces from moving water from distinctive land forms

costal fluvial process

energy is concentrated on the shorelines from pounding waves

aeolian landscapes

landscapes formed through wind erosion and deposition, ex. dunes

dunes

where sediment is deposited when wind velocities are lower

physiographic provinces

environmentally defined parts of north america that feature interrelated patterns of landforms, vegetation, soils, and hydrology, ex. canadian shield and appalachian highlands

canadian shield

massive glaciers shaped land forms, scraped surface (thin soil)

appalachian highlands

lower relief than western mountains, recreation and resource rich

indigenous patterns

aboriginal people came on the bering land bridge (ice bridge from asia to north america)

effects of european settlements on indigenous people

\-mobility

\-infectious diseases

\-relocation

\---trail of tears

\---indian relocation

repatriation

the process whereby human remains and certain types of cultural items and returned to lineal descendants

l’anse aux meadows

\-early norse explorers

\-fish (cod)

\-fur

french settlements

\-st. lawrence river

\-trading furs for goods

\-crown granted land (long lot system)

-british later colonized eastern areas

spanish settlements

\-missions and forts

\-lasting footprint?

british settlements

\-entered late, but made biggest impact

\-encouraged families to settle

\-maifest destiny

african settlements

\-transatlantic slave trade (triangular trade)

ongoing migration

\-passages over appalachian mountains

\-reasources in west

\-lewis and clark

\-cultural herbs (diffusion of culture)

\-louisiana purchase

\-treaty of guadalupe hidalgo

\-ellis island

\-pier 21 (canada)

political economy

a set of economic and political institutions governing the production, distribution, and composition of goods and services

\-varies from place to place

\-has changed drastically over the course of history

economic base

a set of economic activities the community relies on to generate income from elsewhere (basic and non-basic)

\-rust belt

\-wine country (napa valley)

\-silicon valley

basic

industries that produce economic base

non-basic

provide goods and services to employees in the basic industries

economic sectors

the economy is divided into 4 distinct sectors, some feeding others

\-primary sector

\-secondary sector

\-tertiary sector

\-quarternary sector

primary sector

extraction of raw materials

\-agriculture

\-fishing

\-forestry

\-mining

secondary sector

transformation of raw materials into finished product

\-manufacturing

\-industry

tertiary sector

selling goods and services

\-sales

\-merchants

\-physicians

\-attorneys

\-mechanics

\-tourism

\-entertainment

quarternary sector

management, planning, research, and development

\-communication

\-financial services

\-education/ research

\-government

\-journalism

19th century urban trands- urbanization

the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change

\-manufacturing belt in the midwest and northeast

\-most cities tied to ports, rivers, canals, or railroad hubs

20th century urban trends

key developments in transportation

\-stream and diesel trains connect more cities and points farther west

\-the interstate network is established in the 1950s

\-communication networks are installed

\-engines and infrastructure

\-cities expanded

ethnoburbs

a suburban high density cluster where one or more ethnic or racial groups dominate the economic, political, and residential landscape

\-specific trades

\-language

\-foods

\-goods and services

political institutions in north america

both u.s. and canada are federal states

federal state

governmental power is shared formally between the federal government and the state or provincial governments

similarities between u.s. and canada governments

\-legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government

\-voters elect representatives to federal, state or provincial, or local legislative bodies

differences between u.s. and canada governments

\-canadian governmental system modeled after u.k. (prime minister vs president)

\-in canada the queen is the head of state (still a part of commonwealth, but has independence to govern)