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USA & Canada are rich in natural resources.

farmland of Midwestern USA & central provinces of Canada have rich soil.

Resources : forests, coal, oil

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It affects where people and industry are located.

Settlers in North America followed rivers to areas where freshwater and rising cattle.

We can use rivers to ship natural resources such as timber and coal and as trade and travel routes.

Rivers and lakes supply: water, power, recreational activities

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Weather: the state of the atmosphere near Earth at given time and place

precipitation: rain or snow that falls to Earth

Climate: the typical weather in a region over a long period of time

Vegetation: trees, shrubs, grasses, and other plants

In North America, it is warmer in the south, and colder in the north(but physical features can also affect the climate).

Biomes

1. Polar and Tundra

Northern Canada & Alaska have cool summers, very cold winter.

Precipitation varies. (4 to 20 inches/year)

Ground is frozen all year except surface, which thaws in summer

2. Forest

Canada, northwestern, northeastern, southeastern USA are forests of evergreen and broadleaf trees

Precipitation: (between 10 and 80 inches annually)

Temperature: vary from mild to cold in different forested areas

3. Rain Forest

Along the Pacific Coast

Precipitation: can reach 167 inches each year

Rain forests with trees 300 feet tall.

Ground is covered Moss and Lichen(smallest vegetation).

An acre have 6,000 pounds of these tiny plants

Temperature: moderate even in the north, seldom falling below 32F in winter

4. Grassland

Grasslands cover the center of North America

Precipitation: get 30 inches or more each year

Grasses are tall and thick

Farther west it gets less rainfall(15 inches in Alberta), grass is shorter

People grow grain and raise cattle

5. Desert

Precipitation of the American Southwest: less than 10 inches a year

Plants must be able to endure harsh sun, high temperature, and little rain

Able to survive plants: a few small trees, cacti, the hardiest bushes, shrubs

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More than 200m people across the U.S. and Canada every year,

Trade between the two countries exceeds $1 billion a day

They cooperate on national security and defense, the environment, air traffic, and fishing regulations.

"Geography has made us neighbors, history has made us friends, economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies."- J.F.Kennedy

They both have: strong economies, leaders in world trade

Economy: owners use resources to provide the goods & services that people want

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USA, Canada, Mexico signed it at 1992 to eliminate trade barriers between them.

Before NAFTA, no one knew how free trade would affect the U.S. economy(many people thought Americans would lose jobs and They predicted more companies would move factories to Mexico after NAFTA).

Most economists: NAFTA would be good for each country. (believed free trade helps businesses and keeps prices low for consumers.)

After NAFTA passed: clear North American trade has grown.(1993 to 2001, total trade between Canada, Mexico, USA *2)

Leaders have been pleased by the increase in trade

But NAFTA has not helped to create enough jobs

Other countries may seek similar deals if NAFTA succeeds.

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Immigrant: Someone chooses to move to a new country

the United States called:"melting pot", "salad bowl", patchwork quilt" (because U.S. society combines aspect of many culture)

Immigrants come to the U.S. for reasons of: discrimination, persecution, war

first immigrants: native

Europeans: Spanish British/French

Duties of citizens

1. Pay Taxes

2. Cast an Informed Vote

3. Serve on Juries

4. Serve in the Military

5. Obey Laws

6. volunteer for Activities that Promote the common Good

Citizenship: A combination of the duties and rights of a citizen

Democracy: rule by the majority (of the people)

Republic

representative democracy

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Constitution:

The basis for all U.S. law

written by founding fathers who believed in "limited government"

Limited government:

restrict the power of the government

laws that give power to the people

Constitutional amendment(change):

change to the constitution

Bill of rights:

list specific freedoms guaranteed to every U.S. citizen

written after the constitution

first 10 amendments

list specific rights of citizens

Limiting powers of Government

state -> country(need territory, citizens, institution, resources)

Federal government

Leaders wanted to limit government & preserve each state's right to govern itself

National Central

Executive: enforce laws

execute means to do,

President(Cabinet)

Legislative: make laws

legislate means to make laws

ratify, treaties

Congress

Senate

House of Representative

Judicial: judges

Supreme Court

Federal Courts

State Courts

District Courts

Interpret laws

Regional states

Republic headed by president

things the government can do

The national government

sets up an army & navy

issues money

sets up postal service

regulated trade between states

A state government

sets up schools

organized local government

runs elections

regulated trade within the states

Both

collect taxes

pass laws

set up courts

borrow money

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Economy: system that manages how a country or region produces, distributes, and consumes goods and services

The USA's economy is based on freedom of choice about what to buy and sell

Business openings and closings, changes in consumer and investor confidence, and shifts in unemployment are all part of the economy. People make daily choices that affect the economy. People usually meet basic needs first, then use extra money for other goods and services. The government also makes choices, using tax money for essentials.

good: physical object

service: action

Nation produces goods to -> grow their economy

expanding economy, people get better-paid jobs, so the government collects more tax

--> A strong economy can satisfy more wants for both people and the government

To sustain a growing economy, owners should keep goods and services high.

Resources: Something that is used to produce goods or services

The four Factors Of Production: the ingredients or elements needed for production to occur

Natural Resources

Raw materials are used to make goods

Ex) land water forests minerals soil climate

Labor Resources

Workers are needed with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience to make goods or services

Unskilled can also be the labor resources (ex. street cleaner)

Capital Resources

Machines, Factories, and Supplies are needed

Entrepreneurs

people who bring natural resources

Labor resources and capital resources together to produce goods and service

The United States Economy

The U.S. economy is one of the wealthiest in the world.

GDP, or gross domestic

:One way to measure a country’s economy product.

GDP: shows the total value of all goods and services a country produces in a year and allows comparisons between different countries’ economies.

The Free Enterprise or Market Economy

In a free enterprise or market economy, like in the U.S., citizens and businesses make most economic decisions with little government involvement. Business owners control production and compete in the market. The government does not decide what to produce, set prices, or assign jobs. Other countries like Canada, Japan, and many in Western Europe also have market economies

Free enterprise = Market economy

-> buyers & sellers make all decisions

vs.

Command Command

-> The government decides

Supply and Demand

explain how price and availability are affected by how much consumers are willing to pay for an item & how much the seller decides

Consumer - who uses goods and services

In a free enterprise or market economy, consumer helps decide what will be produced

Profit - the money that remains after all the costs of producing a product have been paid

Sellers(all entrepreneurs) wants to increase profit

If the supply of the goods is greater than the demand, the seller must reduce the price

In a free enterprise or market economy,

-> similar goods or services

it causes Competition, which means rivalry among businesses to sell goods to consumers and make the greatest profit

The company offer an improved product, manufactures it more cheaply or sells it at a better price

Other Economic Systems

3 types of economic systems

market economies

command economies

traditional economies

command economies

The government decides the amount of goods to produce and sets the price

North Korea, Cuba, China(some parts)

Traditional economies

Social roles & culture determine what goods and services will be produced, and price and individual incomes are, who is allowed to buy certain goods

The Global Economy

Communication & transportation are fast and dependable -> trade easier among countries

Movement of people, goods, ideas of the world ->(built) global economy in the U.S. is a leader

Expanding trade

open new market

keep price low, quality hight for comsumers

Trade Barriers

Tariffs(taxes) - imported goods raise the price to the consumer and make it more difficult for other countries to compete

Establish barriers to restrict trade because they prefer to produce their own goods & services

Countries can support free trade

Example: NAFTA(free trade among the U.S., Canada, Mexico

Many economists believe free trade benefits all of those countries