2. Our Goals
Identify landforms, bodies of water, and climates of
North America
Analyze the impact of resources and climate on
economic activities in the Great Plains
Explain the impact of geographic factors on economic
resources in the West
Make connections between Mexico’s geographic
features and the country’s economy
3. Physical Geography
North America = from the tip of Canada to the end of
Mexico
In the center is the forty-eight contiguous U.S. states
Alaska is northwest of Canada; Hawaii is in the Pacific
4. Highlands, Plains, &
Plateaus
Land elevation in North
America rises from east to
west
The Great Plains are east of
the Rocky Mountains
Plains = flat areas of land,
making up most of the
center of the continent
Plateaus = flat areas of
high elevation, located
between mountains in the
central U.S. and western
Mexico
5. Rivers & Lakes
Major cities have developed along North America’s
rivers
Ex. Cincinnati on the Ohio River, New Orleans on the
Mississippi, and Juarez on the Rio Grande
The St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes provide
a natural barrier between the U.S. and Canada
The Great Lakes combine to form the largest body of
fresh water in the world!
The Rio Grande provides a natural border between
the U.S. and Mexico
7. A Variety of Climates
This region includes temperate –
or mild – climates, as well as
extremes of cold and heat.
Parts of Alaska and Canada are
covered by glaciers, or large
masses of ice and snow
Much of northern Mexico is warm
and dry, and Mexico’s southern
half has warm climates and rain
all year long
8. The Great Plains
The Great Plains runs
through the center of the
continent
Enough food is produced
there to feed the population
of North America
There is also enough left
over to export, or send to
other countries for aid or
profit
We are the “breadbasket of
the world”!
9. Farming on the Great
Plains
The Great Plains are “great” for growing food for two
reasons:
1) Rich soil with lots of nutrients
2) Climate that is temperate and enough rain
Sometimes, lack of rain for a long period of time brings
drought, which kills crops
Ex. During the 1930s, the Plains became known as the “Dust
Bowl” because of soil and wind erosion
11. Farming on the Great
Plains
Today, prairie has been replaced by fields of
wheat, corn, and other grains
Huge farms where crops are planted and
harvested by machine are called commercial
agriculture, or the business of producing
crops to sell
Railways, ships, and rivers such as the
Missouri or Mississippi are frequently used to
help move grain to market
12. Energy Resources
The Great Plains have major deposits of oil and
natural gas
In the U.S., most resources are found in southern
Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas
There are also many offshore drilling rigs in the Gulf of
Mexico, although this can be dangerous
Ex. In 2010, a BP oil rig caused a huge environmental
disaster
Wind power may also be important for the Great
Plains
