North America Test Flashcards
Mexican civilization that studied stars, had a calendar, and a system of writing
Mayan
Besides Cortes’s army, what else caused the defeat of the Aztecs
Disease
What advantage did Cortes’s army have over the Aztecs?
Horses, armor, better weapons
Herman Cortes’s Goal
Explore and conquer the Americas
What caused the Dust Bowl?
Period of drought and soil erosion
What is the true Climate of all of North America?
Varies from very cold to moderate to tropical
How do the U.S. And Canadian Economies differ?
Canadian government plays larger role in its economy
Which factor contributed the most to cultural diversity in Canada and the United States?
Immigration
Why do so few people live in the Great Basin?
Too dry and sandy
What does the Day of the Dead honor in the Mexican Culture?
Ancestors
Where is the Mexican Plateau
Between the two ranges of the Sierra Madres
What is the difference between the eastern and western mountains of North America?
Eastern- Flatter, less steep, (Appalachian Mountains)
Western- Steeper, (Rockies)
Where are glaciers found in the U.S.? Why not other places?
Alaska, everywhere else is too warm
What is an Export?
Sending products to other countries?
What is a commercial agriculture?
Producing crops to sell
What is a drought?
Long period of time without rain
What does contiguous mean?
48 states that are part of the mainland U.S., all connected
What does temperate mean?
Mild climate
What are glaciers?
Large masses of ice and packed snow?
What products are made from wheat and/or corn
Bread
Why was the region called the breadbasket?
Lots to grains grown there for bread to be made
Cordillera
System of several mountain ranges separated by valleys and plateaus
Dam
Barrier controlling the flow of water
Hoover Dam
Large dam on Colorado river supplying electricity to the surrounding states in Southwest USA
Great Basin
desert area between Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada mountains in Nevada
Rain Shadow Effect
Process by which moist air dries as it descends on the interior side of the mountain
Grand Canyon
Large canyon in Arizona
Rocky Mountains
Large mountain range in western US and Canada
What cultures combined to make modern Mexican culture?
Mexican culture developed from cultures of Europe, especially Spain, native Mexican people, and Africans
How is the physical geography of Mexico SIMILAR to Canada’s and the United States’s
Mountains, bordered by oceans