INSTRUCTOR RESOURCE MANUAL
Innisfree McKinnon
University of Oregon
The Geography
of North America
Second Edition
Hardwick • Shelley • Holtgrieve
, Contents
CHAPTER 1 – Introduction………………………………………………………………………1
CHAPTER 2 – North America’s Environmental Setting………………………………..8
CHAPTER 3 – Historical Settlement of North America……………………………….16
CHAPTER 4 – The North American Political Economy………………………………..24
CHAPTER 5 – The Atlantic Periphery………………………………………………………33
CHAPTER 6 – Quebec.....................................................................................40
CHAPTER 7 – Megalopolis……………………………………………………………………..47
CHAPTER 8 – The Great Lakes and Corn Belt……………………………………………54
CHAPTER 9 – The Inland South………………………………………………………………61
CHAPTER 10 – The Coastal South……………………………………………………………67
CHAPTER 11 – The Great Plains……………………………………………………………..73
CHAPTER 12 – The Rocky Mountain Region……………………………………………..80
CHAPTER 13 – The Intermontane West…………………………………………………..86
CHAPTER 14 – MexAmerica……………………………………………………………………93
CHAPTER 15 – California………………………...…………………………………………….99
CHAPTER 16 – The Pacific Northwest……………………………………………………105
CHAPTER 17 – Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands……………………………………….110
CHAPTER 18 – The Far North………………………………………………………………..116
CHAPTER 19 – The Future of North America…………………………………………..122
, Chapter 1: Introduction
Overview
Chapter 1 introduces students to both the geography of North America and
geography as a field of study. Students are introduced to North America’s place
within the larger global system through the concepts of globalization and colonialism.
The cultural diversity of Canada and North America is introduced and put into
historical context.
Students are also introduced to some of the basic geographical concepts that will be
important in the rest of the text. Some students may not be familiar with the unique
perspective that geographers bring to their work. The geographic perspective
maintains that studies of the Earth’s physical systems, studies of the Earth’s people
and cultures, and studies of the Earth’s political economies need to be studied in
conjunction. The chapter also introduces thematic and regional geography. In
particular, it focuses on the many scales at which the world can be divided into
regions and the distinct types of regions that can be created.
Outline
1. Why Study North America?
2. Putting Geography Back on the Map
3. Why Study Regional Geography?
4. Approaches Used in This Book
5. Review Questions
6. Group Activities
7. Suggestions for Further Reading
Student Learning Outcomes
• Understand the importance of applying the geographic perspective to solve
“real-world” problems and issues.
• Summarize the impacts of colonialism on the current politics, cultures, and
cultural landscapes of Canada, the United States, and Greenland.
• Define basic concepts and themes in geography such as scale, region,
globalization, and human–environment interaction.
• Provide a list of reasons why the term cultural diversity is often used to
describe the cultures, peoples, and societies of both Canada and the United
States.
• Summarize some of the similarities and differences between the political
systems that govern Canada as compared to the U.S. system of government.
• Explain the difference between thematic geography and regional geography.
• Distinguish between the two primary types of regions: functional region and
formal region.
• Learn why Canada is referred to as a Commonwealth country as compared to
the United States.
1
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
, Teaching Strategies for Chapter 1: Introduction
In Chapter 1 students are introduced to North America and to the study of
geography. The concepts in this chapter are key to students’ understanding of the
rest of the course. Students may be unfamiliar with the field of geography, and so
basic concepts such as regions, scale, and studying physical and cultural systems in
tandem may seem strange to them.
1. Why study North America?
Students will likely be familiar with the geopolitical influence of North America on the
world stage. However, they may be less aware of the physical, political, and cultural
diversity of the region. Understanding North America’s place on the global stage
requires an understanding of this diversity. The current diversity of the region
emerges from the history of colonialism within North America and increasing
globalization. While this history will be covered in greater detail in Chapter 2, it is
worth emphasizing these two concepts here. Because this is the introductory chapter,
a good way to begin would be through a discussion of the places in North America
that your students have visited or are familiar with through media representations.
This discussion could use Figure 1.1 as a reference map. Ask students to volunteer
places they have lived or visited. Then follow up with questions about the cultures
and ethnicities associated with those places. Responses could be noted on a board to
build up a class-brainstorming list. This list would serve the dual purpose of
encouraging students to contribute to the class discussion and giving the instructor a
chance to begin the process of building students’ mental maps of North America.
During this session the instructor can mention some of the major groups that settle
cities of North America and/or cities that have become major settlement centers for
migrants in recent decades. The discussion can be used to begin the breakdown of
stereotypes of North America as a region settled by English-speaking Protestants,
because the instructor can mention cities or regions (such as the Southwest or
Quebec) that were settled by groups of other ethnic and religious backgrounds.
In discussing this chapter it is also important to emphasize the different political
systems in Canada and the United States. Figure 1.4 shows the differing
governmental structures. More important for students’ understanding of the region
than simply memorizing the governmental differences, is how these reflect
significantly different colonial histories. Canada made a peaceful transition from
British rule in 1867, almost 100 years after the American War of Independence.
Canada also retains ties with Britain as a Commonwealth country. The Queen of
England serves as the symbolic head of state for Commonwealth countries, which are
former British colonies such as Belize, Jamaica, Australia, and Canada.
2. What is the geographic perspective?
An easy way to approach teaching the geographic perspective is to ask students
about their previous experiences with geography. This has the additional benefit of
allowing you to assess the level of instruction your particular class will need. Then
follow up by asking students about their definition of geography. This could be done
in a discussion with the entire class or by having students each write their own
definition and then compare them in small groups. Small group discussion often has
the benefit of allowing students to gain some confidence in their ideas before having
to volunteer in front of the entire class.
2
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
Innisfree McKinnon
University of Oregon
The Geography
of North America
Second Edition
Hardwick • Shelley • Holtgrieve
, Contents
CHAPTER 1 – Introduction………………………………………………………………………1
CHAPTER 2 – North America’s Environmental Setting………………………………..8
CHAPTER 3 – Historical Settlement of North America……………………………….16
CHAPTER 4 – The North American Political Economy………………………………..24
CHAPTER 5 – The Atlantic Periphery………………………………………………………33
CHAPTER 6 – Quebec.....................................................................................40
CHAPTER 7 – Megalopolis……………………………………………………………………..47
CHAPTER 8 – The Great Lakes and Corn Belt……………………………………………54
CHAPTER 9 – The Inland South………………………………………………………………61
CHAPTER 10 – The Coastal South……………………………………………………………67
CHAPTER 11 – The Great Plains……………………………………………………………..73
CHAPTER 12 – The Rocky Mountain Region……………………………………………..80
CHAPTER 13 – The Intermontane West…………………………………………………..86
CHAPTER 14 – MexAmerica……………………………………………………………………93
CHAPTER 15 – California………………………...…………………………………………….99
CHAPTER 16 – The Pacific Northwest……………………………………………………105
CHAPTER 17 – Hawai’i and the Pacific Islands……………………………………….110
CHAPTER 18 – The Far North………………………………………………………………..116
CHAPTER 19 – The Future of North America…………………………………………..122
, Chapter 1: Introduction
Overview
Chapter 1 introduces students to both the geography of North America and
geography as a field of study. Students are introduced to North America’s place
within the larger global system through the concepts of globalization and colonialism.
The cultural diversity of Canada and North America is introduced and put into
historical context.
Students are also introduced to some of the basic geographical concepts that will be
important in the rest of the text. Some students may not be familiar with the unique
perspective that geographers bring to their work. The geographic perspective
maintains that studies of the Earth’s physical systems, studies of the Earth’s people
and cultures, and studies of the Earth’s political economies need to be studied in
conjunction. The chapter also introduces thematic and regional geography. In
particular, it focuses on the many scales at which the world can be divided into
regions and the distinct types of regions that can be created.
Outline
1. Why Study North America?
2. Putting Geography Back on the Map
3. Why Study Regional Geography?
4. Approaches Used in This Book
5. Review Questions
6. Group Activities
7. Suggestions for Further Reading
Student Learning Outcomes
• Understand the importance of applying the geographic perspective to solve
“real-world” problems and issues.
• Summarize the impacts of colonialism on the current politics, cultures, and
cultural landscapes of Canada, the United States, and Greenland.
• Define basic concepts and themes in geography such as scale, region,
globalization, and human–environment interaction.
• Provide a list of reasons why the term cultural diversity is often used to
describe the cultures, peoples, and societies of both Canada and the United
States.
• Summarize some of the similarities and differences between the political
systems that govern Canada as compared to the U.S. system of government.
• Explain the difference between thematic geography and regional geography.
• Distinguish between the two primary types of regions: functional region and
formal region.
• Learn why Canada is referred to as a Commonwealth country as compared to
the United States.
1
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
, Teaching Strategies for Chapter 1: Introduction
In Chapter 1 students are introduced to North America and to the study of
geography. The concepts in this chapter are key to students’ understanding of the
rest of the course. Students may be unfamiliar with the field of geography, and so
basic concepts such as regions, scale, and studying physical and cultural systems in
tandem may seem strange to them.
1. Why study North America?
Students will likely be familiar with the geopolitical influence of North America on the
world stage. However, they may be less aware of the physical, political, and cultural
diversity of the region. Understanding North America’s place on the global stage
requires an understanding of this diversity. The current diversity of the region
emerges from the history of colonialism within North America and increasing
globalization. While this history will be covered in greater detail in Chapter 2, it is
worth emphasizing these two concepts here. Because this is the introductory chapter,
a good way to begin would be through a discussion of the places in North America
that your students have visited or are familiar with through media representations.
This discussion could use Figure 1.1 as a reference map. Ask students to volunteer
places they have lived or visited. Then follow up with questions about the cultures
and ethnicities associated with those places. Responses could be noted on a board to
build up a class-brainstorming list. This list would serve the dual purpose of
encouraging students to contribute to the class discussion and giving the instructor a
chance to begin the process of building students’ mental maps of North America.
During this session the instructor can mention some of the major groups that settle
cities of North America and/or cities that have become major settlement centers for
migrants in recent decades. The discussion can be used to begin the breakdown of
stereotypes of North America as a region settled by English-speaking Protestants,
because the instructor can mention cities or regions (such as the Southwest or
Quebec) that were settled by groups of other ethnic and religious backgrounds.
In discussing this chapter it is also important to emphasize the different political
systems in Canada and the United States. Figure 1.4 shows the differing
governmental structures. More important for students’ understanding of the region
than simply memorizing the governmental differences, is how these reflect
significantly different colonial histories. Canada made a peaceful transition from
British rule in 1867, almost 100 years after the American War of Independence.
Canada also retains ties with Britain as a Commonwealth country. The Queen of
England serves as the symbolic head of state for Commonwealth countries, which are
former British colonies such as Belize, Jamaica, Australia, and Canada.
2. What is the geographic perspective?
An easy way to approach teaching the geographic perspective is to ask students
about their previous experiences with geography. This has the additional benefit of
allowing you to assess the level of instruction your particular class will need. Then
follow up by asking students about their definition of geography. This could be done
in a discussion with the entire class or by having students each write their own
definition and then compare them in small groups. Small group discussion often has
the benefit of allowing students to gain some confidence in their ideas before having
to volunteer in front of the entire class.
2
Copyright © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc.
