Chapter 6 Geography Study Guide for Apollo
Chapter 6
Study Guide for Apollo Students
For use with
textbook pages 133–151
Population Patterns
This section focuses on the population patterns of the people of the
United States and Canada.
Chapter 6, Section 1
Terms to Know
immigration -The movement of people into one country from another (page
133)
Native Americans-Descendants of the first immigrants to North America
who probably came from Asia (page 134)
Sunbelt - The American South and Southwest, named because of its mild
climate (page 135)
urbanization -The concentration of population in cities (page 135)
metropolitan area - A large urban center (page 135)
suburb - An outlying community located near a city (page 135)
megalopolis - A chain of closely linked metropolitan areas (page 136)
mobility - The ability to move from place to place (page 137)
Introduction (page 133) The United States and Canada have been shaped by
immigration. This is the movement of people into one country from another.
1. What has shaped the
United States and Canada?
The People (page 133) All the people in the United States and Canada are
immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Some came to the region recently.
Others have ancestors who came many, many years ago. North America’s first
immigrants probably came from Asia thousands of years ago. Their descendants
are known as Native Americans. Other immigrants have come from all parts of the
world. This makes the populations of the United States and Canada among the
most diverse in the world.
There are many reasons that immigrants have come to the United States
and Canada. Some reasons include:
A. People wanted religious or
political freedom.
B. People were fleeing wars or
natural disasters.
C. People wanted greater economic
opportunities.
D. People sought the rich natural
resources of the region.
2. Why are the populations
of the United States and Canada very diverse?
Population Density and Distribution (page 134) Canada is slightly larger
than the United States in land area. Canada has an average population density
of 8 people per square mile. Rugged terrain and cold climate make human
settlement difficult in many parts of Canada. About 90 percent of Canada’s
population lives in a narrow strip of land along Canada’s border with the
United States.
Population centers in Canada are located near the fertile land and
industrial resources of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence lowlands. Other population
centers include the farming and ranching areas of the Prairie Provinces and the
Pacific coast of British Columbia. The
United States has an average population density of 75 people per square mile.
The Northeast and the Great Lakes regions are the most densely populated areas.
They are the historical centers of American commerce and industry. The fastest
growing region is the South and Southwest United States, known as the Sunbelt
because of its mild climate. This area has growing manufacturing, service, and
tourism industries.
Some areas of the United States have difficult climate conditions and
small populations. These areas include subarctic Alaska, the Great Basin, and
dry areas of the Great Plains.
3. In what areas do most
people in Canada and the United States live? Why are these areas centers of
population?
The Cities (page 135) Both the United States and Canada have experienced
urbanization, the migration of population into cities. About 75 percent of
Americans and 60 percent of Canadians live in metropolitan areas—large cities
together with outlying communities called suburbs.
Many population centers of the United States and Canada lie in coastal
areas. Along the northern Atlantic coast of the United States a chain of
closely linked metropolitan areas form a megalopolis. Four of the cities that
make up this megalopolis—Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore—are
important world trade centers because of their coastal or near coastal
location. Along the Pacific coast, a developing megalopolis includes the port
cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego in California. Vancouver is
an important shipping center for western Canada.
Inland cities have developed near rivers, lakes, and other waterways. In
Canada, ships use the St. Lawrence River, the Ottawa River, and the Great Lakes
to reach Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. A developing megalopolis links
the U.S. Great Lakes cities of Chicago and Milwaukee. Minneapolis, St. Paul,
St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans are important Mississippi River cities.
Winnipeg and Edmonton are important river cities in Canada.
The United States and Canada have low birth rates. Most population
growth comes from immigration. Mobility, or the ability to move from place to
place, is important to the people of the United States and Canada. Many people
in the region frequently relocate.
History and Government
In the last section, you read about the geography of the United States
and Canada. This section focuses on the history and government of these two
countries.
Chapter 6, Section 2
Terms to Know
republic - A government in which the people elect their own officials
(page 142)
Underground Railroad - An informal network of safe houses that helped
escaping enslaved people make their way to freedom (page 143)
dry farming - Cultivating the land so that it catches and holds
rainwater (page 143)
Constitution - The plan of government of the United States (page 144)
amendment - A change in the Constitution (page 144)
Bill of Rights - First 10 amendments to the Constitution guaranteeing
the basic rights of citizens (page 144)
cabinet - A group of special advisers to the president (page 144)
dominion - A partially self-governing country with close ties to Great
Britain (page 144)
Parliament - The national legislature of Canada made up of the Senate
and the House of Commons (page 145)
Introduction (page 140) Native Americans once lived throughout North
America. Then Europeans colonized the region. Finally, the region developed
into the United States and Canada.
1. Who lived in North
America before the Europeans came?
History (page 140) There are two theories about the first people to
settle North America. One theory is that thousands of years ago, nomads crossed
a land bridge from Asia to Alaska and settled North America. Another theory is
that nomads from Central and South America may have settled North America at
the same time as those people from Asia.
By the late 1500s, Europeans began to migrate to North America looking
for farmland, valuable minerals, or trade. Others were searching for political
and religious freedom. Three main European groups came to North America:
A. The Spanish controlled Florida
and a large area west of the Mississippi River.
They set up military posts, missions, farms, and large cattle ranches.
B. The French came for the fur
trade along rivers. Some settled permanently along the St. Lawrence River and
the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico.
C. The English had colonies or
land along the Atlantic coast and around the Hudson Bay. The northern colonies made their living by shipbuilding,
trade, and fishing. The middle colonies
had level land and fertile soil, so English settlers raised cash crops. In the
southern colonies the mild climate, rich soil, and open land encouraged
plantation farming.
In 1763 France gave up much of its land in North America to Great Britain.
English settlers migrated to the west, pushing out Native Americans and almost
destroying their cultures. The United States was created in 1776 after the 13
British colonies fought a war for independence. The Americans set up a
republic, a government in which the people elect their own officials.
Some American colonists who were loyal to Great Britain moved north to
other British colonies. In 1867, four of the colonies united to form the
Dominion of Canada.
During the 1800s the United States and Canada expanded into western
North America. Westward expansion caused Native Americans to lose land and
their way of life.
In the 1800s, industrialization changed the United States and Canada.
The northeastern United States developed many textile factories, because its
waterfalls and coal deposits could be used to generate power. United States and
Canadian cities expanded along the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River to
transport factory goods. Cotton was needed for northern textile mills, so it
became the major cash crop in the southern United States.
Enslaved Africans provided most of the labor on southern cotton
plantations. Many people objected to the practice of slavery. The Underground
Railroad, a network of safe houses, helped many escaped enslaved people make
their way north to freedom. Disputes over slavery between Northern and Southern
states led to the American Civil War. The Northern states defeated the Southern
states, and the practice of slavery ended.
During the late 1800s, the United States and Canada encouraged
settlement of the Great Plains. Settlers on the dry lands of the Great Plains
developed dry farming. This was a method of preparing the land so that it
caught and held rainwater. Transcontinental railroads were completed in the
United States and Canada during the late 1800s. The railroads transported goods
and people from east to west.
During the early 1900s assembly lines allowed the mass production of
goods. This cut the cost and time of making goods. The automobile made it
easier for people to travel from place to place. Two world wars in the 1900s
led to economic growth in the Untied States and Canada. After 1940 the two
countries developed a close trade partnership. By the 1990s high- tech
industries were important in both countries.
2. How did technology and
industrialization affect the United States and Canada?
Government (page 144) The United States and Canada are both democracies
with federal systems. The national government shares power with state or
provincial governments. The United States’ plan of government is called the
Constitution.
Chapter 6, Section 2
Changes in the constitution are called amendments. The first 10 amendments,
called the Bill of Rights, guarantee the basic rights of citizens. The United
States government has three branches—the executive, legislative, and judicial.
The President heads the executive branch. The heads of the executive
departments make up the president’s cabinet—a group of special advisers.
Congress is the legislative branch. The Supreme Court and lower federal courts
make up the judicial branch.
Canada was created as a dominion, a partially self-governing country
with close ties to Great Britain. Canada gained full independence in 1931.
Canada’s government includes a governor-general, appointed by the British
monarch who still serves as head of state. The head of Canada’s government is
the prime minister. The national legislature is called Parliament. Canada’s
highest court is the Supreme Court.
Cultures and Lifestyles
In the last section, you read about the history and government of the
United States and Canada. This section focuses on the types of cultures and way
of life of people in these two countries.
Chapter 6, Section 3
Terms to Know
bilingual - Having two languages (page 148) jazz A form of music that
blends African
rhythms - with European harmonies (page 148)
socioeconomic - Based on level of income and education (page 150)
literacy rate - The percentage of people who can read and write (page
150)
patriotism - Loyalty to one’s country (page 151)
Introduction (page 146) The immigrant roots of the United States and
Canada give them a respect for diversity.
1. Why do the people of the
United States and Canada respect diversity?
Cultural Characteristics (page 146) The United States and Canada share
some cultural characteristics, but differ in others.
Freedom of religion has always been important in the United States and
Canada. Many of the people who migrated to the region came in search of
religious freedom. This right is guaranteed in both countries. Today most
Americans and Canadians are Christians, but a variety of religions are
practiced in both countries.
The major language in the United States is English. Canada has two
official languages—English and French. Immigrants from Great Britain brought
English to the United States and much of Canada. French is the official
language of Quebec because most of the province’s population are descendants of
French settlers.
Many people in the Southwestern United States speak Spanish. In New
Mexico, communication with the government can be in Spanish or English, so the
state is bilingual.
2. Why are there many
different religions practiced and languages spoken in the United States and
Canada?
The Arts (page 148)
The arts of the United States and Canada reflect the culture and
traditions
of Native Americans, Europeans settlers, enslaved Africans, and present-
day North Americans. Native American music used drums, flutes, whistles, and
voices in chant. Europeans brought folk and religious music to the region.
African Americans developed jazz in the early 1900s by blending African rhythms
with European harmonies. By the late 1900s, country music and rock and roll
were popular.
By the early 1900s, painting and sculpture in the United States and
Canada moved away from European themes to new ideas. A group of American
artists known as the Ashcan School painted the realities of city life.
Canadians called the Group of Seven painted landscapes of Canada’s far north.
Architects in the United States and Canada developed new ideas such as the
skyscraper and buildings that blend with their surroundings.
Early literature in the two countries had European historical and
religious themes. Later writers wrote about life in North America. More
recently, writers have focused on the region’s cultures and on the experiences
of immigrants.
Today the United States and Canada strongly influence the rest of the
world in the areas of popular entertainment. This includes popular fashions,
movies, theater, and television programs.
3. What themes are used in
the arts of the Untied States and Canada?
Lifestyles (page 150) Most people in the United States and Canada enjoy
a high standard of living. Their socioeconomic status, or level of income and
education, is high. This allows them many choices and opportunities. Food is
plentiful and inexpensive.
Most people in the United States and Canada can expect to live long
lives. In Canada the government pays for all health care. In the United States,
most people pay for their own health care through private health insurance
programs. Some people who do not have health insurance are able to get help
from federal and state governments. Still, many people cannot purchase
insurance or cannot afford necessary care even with insurance.
Both the United States and Canada have public and private schools. The
literacy rate, or the percentage of people who can read and write, is 97
percent in the United States and 96 percent in Canada.
People in the United States and Canada enjoy watching and participating
in sports such as baseball, football, hockey, tennis, and golf. The landscape
of North America is ideal for camping and hiking. Both the United States and
Canada have large national parks.
Both countries celebrate holidays and occasions for public display of
patriotism, or loyalty to one’s country.
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