0.2 Geographic reliefs

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1 Unit 0: Canadian Geography The world s second largest country Geographic relief Physical setting of Canada Rivers and Lakes Natural Resources Climate Peoples of Canada Knowledge to be acquired Intellectual operations Questions 0.1 The world s second largest country Canada is the second largest country in the world with a land size of approximately square kilometers and with a population of 36 million. The world s eight largest countries according to geographic size are listed below. Country Area in km 2 Population (August 2016) 1. Russia Canada United States of America China Brazil Australia India Argentina Geographic reliefs In geography, relief refers to the elevation points in an area, such as mountains, ridges, and valleys. Some types of reliefs are more suitable for human settlement. There are five basic relief types. 1. Mountain: A mountain is a natural elevation of the earth s surface that rises fairly abruptly from the surrounding land and which attains noticeable altitude. Mountains are created by tectonic forces (the movement of the earth s crust) or volcanism. Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 1 of 14)

2 2. Hill: A hill is a moderate elevation relief characterized by its gentle slope which usually rises above a plain or plateau. 3. Plain: A plain is a vast stretch of flat land characterized by a low altitude and low height differences. People often use these land areas for agricultural (farming) purposes. 4. Plateau: A plateau is a piece of land that is flat and located above nearby land. It is a vast stretch of relatively flat terrain that is slightly higher than other surrounding land and surrounded by slopes. People will often use these land areas for agricultural or livestock (raising of animals such as cows) purposes. 5. Valley: A valley is a low area of land between hills or mountains, often with a river or stream flowing through it. Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 2 of 14)

3 0.3 Physical setting of Canada What is a physical setting? A physical setting (a.k.a. geographic region or physiographic region) is a means of defining Canada s landforms into distinct regions based on features and characteristics of the earth's land surface. Distinctions are often based on the type of sediment, the age of the rock, the erosion cycle, and fertility. These differences can often be seen from powerful satellite imagery. The physiographic regions of Canada Based on its landforms of unique physical features, Canada can be divided into seven physiographic regions. 1. Arctic Lands: This region is found north of the tree line and is composed soilless islands and permanently frozen water. It has large barren (infertile and bare) areas. The land is mostly composed of permafrost, making construction below ground next to impossible. There is not much precipitation in this region and since the environment is harsh and the growing season is too short, vegetation is scarce. Moss, small flowers, and short shrubs can be found during the summer. Summer is brief and sunny 24/7, while winters are cold, frozen and dark 24/7. 2. Cordillera: Created by the collision of the North American and Pacific plates, this region covers most of Yukon, British Columbia, and western Alberta. It has continuous sharppeaked mountains separated by plateaus (flat terrain) and valleys, running north to south. High altitudes houses herbs, lichens, and shrubs. Lower elevations is home to coniferous (fir, spruce, pine) forest and grasslands. Animals living this region include the black bear, grizzly bear, gyrfalcon, mountain goat, mule deer, rocky mountain elk, rosy finch, stone Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 3 of 14)

4 sheep, water pipit, white-tailed ptarmigan, and willow ptarmigan. Since the mountains make it difficult to travel, the population is light. 3. Interior Plains: This region was created when sediments from the Shield and the Rocky Mountains were deposited in shallow inland seas and compressed into layers of sedimentary rock. The region covers mid-canada including most of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and some of Northwest Territories. The land is very flat, with deep, fertile soil suitable for farming. The northern part of the region is home to boreal forests (thick coniferous trees). The southern part of the plains is called Canada s bread basket since there are many farms that grow grain such as wheat. Resources include coal, oil, gas deposits, and potash (salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form used for fertilizers). The area is home to bear, caribou, deer, ducks, elk, geese, moose, swans, and wolves. Sometimes the Interior Plains can be without precipitation for extended periods. The winters are cold and the summers are hot. 4. Canadian Shield: Covering more than half of Canada, this geographic region was hollowed and worn by glaciers during the last ice age that began to melt years ago. It is made up of two billion year-old foundation of metamorphic rock with little soil and many small lakes and rivers. It is home to boreal forests (thick rich vegetation) in the south, tundra (treeless area) in the north, as well as beavers, black bears, caribou, fox, grizzly bears, lynx, mink, moose, muskrat, otters, weasels, wolverines, and many types of fish. Rock and thin soil make farming difficult. The rock has great quantities of copper, gold, lead, nickel, uranium, and zinc. Diamonds can also be found in this area. This region is not very populated. 5. Hudson Bay Lowlands: This flat low area is composed of a layer of sedimentary rock which sit on top of the underlying Shield and is 90% covered by frozen swamps (called muskeg) and dotted with ponds, lakes and streams. Muskeg is formed when living and dead vegetation fills the rivers and lakes. When the surface snow melts, this region gives way to summer-like weather. There are few animals and humans that live here but is home to the Canadian geese, arctic fox, caribou, loons, and weasel. 6. St-Lawrence Lowlands: Glaciers deposited large amounts of fertile soil, sand and gravel in this region which created a landscape of flat land, small hills, and deep river valleys. The long rocky cliffs in this region are known as escarpments. The area was originally composed of large mixed forests and warm climate suitable for farming. Today, much of this land is deforested and is home to coyotes, deer, moose, wolves, migrating birds, and about 50% of Canada s population. 7. Appalachian Region: Covering part of Quebec and most of the Atlantic Provinces, this region was formed by the uplifting and folding of sedimentary rock caused by the collision of the North American, European, and African plates about 300 million years ago. Over time, erosion as left behind rolling hills and rugged coastlines. The region benefits from good fishing in the shallow waters, and is home to grey seals, harbor seals, cod, haddock, flounder, halibut, large hardwood trees, deer, rabbits, and squirrels. It is also abundant in coal, iron, potash, salt, and zinc. 0.4 Rivers and lakes Canada has many rivers, lakes and streams that provide important aquatic ecosystems and transportation routes. Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 4 of 14)

5 Canada s rivers and lakes According to Environment Canada (2016), our country holds 20% of the worlds freshwater. Because freshwater is hard to come by in many countries, this valuable resource is often referred to as blue gold. Most rivers in the west flow into the Pacific Ocean. The huge lakes (Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake, Lake Athabasca) are fed or drained by large rivers such as the Piece River, Athabasca River, and the Mackenzie River (Canada s longest river). Other rivers include the St-Lawrence River, the North Saskatchewan River, the South Saskatchewan River, the Nelson River, and the Fraser River. Rain and melting snow from the Canadian Shield and from parts of the Interior Plains flow into Lake Winnipeg, Lake Winnipegosis, and Lake Manitoba. The five Great Lakes form the beginning of the St-Laurence River as it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The Great Lakes The five Great Lakes include Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. Since these lakes are at different elevations, a series of locks (man-made water elevators) and canals (man-made water channels) have been built to allow ships to navigate from one lake to another and to and from the St-Lawrence River. This allows water transport vehicles to deliver produce and cargo to different parts of Canada and the United States. Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 5 of 14)

6 0.5 Canada s natural resources Canada has many natural resources which make the country very appealing to many. It extracts from nature and then refines many minerals and ores such as nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, titanium, iron. It also has a large amount of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal. Finally, Canada has abundant quantities of soft and hardwood trees, as well as fresh and saltwater fish. Although we utilize many of these natural resources for our own use, much of them are sold and exported to other countries for profit. This helps provide jobs for many citizens and boosts our Canadian economy. Freshwater (another natural resource) is used to produce hydroelectricity. According to BP Statistical Review of World Energy (2014), hydropower is the largest contributor of all renewable energy sources and accounts for 6.7% of worldwide electricity production. The major hydroelectric stations are located on the St-Lawrence River, the Fraser River, and in James Bay. In the province of Quebec, there are over 70 major generating stations owned by Hydro Québec. 0.6 Climate Climate is the weather pattern of a given region over many years. It is measured by the temperature and the amount of precipitation (rain, hail, sleet or snow). Climate is affected by ocean currents and winds. Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 6 of 14)

7 World climate zones In the early 1900s, Wladimir Köppen created a method of classifying world climates. He divided the climates into five groups and assigned each a capital letter. A (humid tropical)... defined by temperature B (dry)...defined by its precipitation C (humid middle-latitude, mild winters)... defined by temperature D (humid middle-latitude, severe winters)... defined by temperature E (polar)... defined by temperature Canadian climate zones Canada is divided into six climate regions. 1. Arctic (Tundra): In the north, the cold climate is created by continental air masses from over the North Pole. The land is mostly composed of permafrost, making construction below ground next to impossible. Winters are extremely cold and extremely wet while summers are cool and dry. 2. Subarctic (Subpolar): This area is influenced by the Arctic air masses and Pacific Ocean currents. Winters are very cold and dry while summers are warm and wet. 3. Humid Continental: This region is influenced by continental air masses modified by the Great Lake air masses. Winters are cold and wet while summers are hot, wet, and humid. Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 7 of 14)

8 4. Steppe (Semiarid): Warm dry winds that blow off the Rocky Mountains towards the east (known as Chinooks) into this region generally interrupt the cold winters. This is often damaging to wheat farming since the seeds are planted in the fall and the warm air prematurely takes them out of hibernation thus exposing them to future potential freezing. 5. Highland: This area is influenced by the continental air masses and pacific air streams. The winters are cold and wet while the summers are warm and dry. 6. Marine West Coast (Humid Oceanic): The western part of Canada is affected by prevailing (widespread) winds known as westerlies and warm water current known as the Japan Current. These conditions create a region with mild and extremely wet winters and summers that are cool and dry. 0.7 Peoples of Canada As we will discover in Unit 1 of this course, the First Nations Peoples migrated from Northeast Asia to Siberia then to North America over years ago to eventually settle in the Canadian Shield and St-Lawrence Lowlands regions. About years ago, the Inuit migrated from Siberia to North America to settle in the Arctic. There are three main groups of indigenous (original) peoples of Canada: Iroquoian, Algonkian, and the Inuit. Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 8 of 14)

9 Iroquoian In Canada, this group of First Nations peoples included the following tribes. Cayuga Huron Mohawk Oneida Onondaga Putun Seneca Algonkian (a.k.a. Algonquian) The word Algonkian or Algonquian is a general linguistic/anthropological (study of mankind) term used to refer to the Algonquin tribe and dozens of distinct Native American tribes who speak languages that are related to each other. It is important to note that this is a name given to many tribes related by language and so, there is no Algonkian or Algonquian tribe. In today s Canada, there are many Algonkian tribes. Abenaki Algonquin (a.k.a. Algonkin) Attikamek Cree Maliseet (Malicite) Mikmaq Montagnais Innu Naskapi Innu Ojibwa Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 9 of 14)

10 The United States is home to many Algonkian tribes such as the Yurok, the Powhatans, the Cheyennes, the Wecquaesgeek, the Mohegan, the Mahicans, the Munsee Delawares, the Wampanoag, the Mohegans, the Wabanaki tribesand, the Lumbee, and the Shawnee. Inuit: The Inuit are not related to the First Nations peoples because they arrived much later and are more Asian in appearance. Their bodies are typically short and compact and all speak different dialects of the same language. They typically live in the Arctic where the climate is cold and harsh. Aboriginals living in Canada today Land claims: When the French were in power, and later when the British took over the present day Canada, First Nations were moved off their land. They were often relocated to reserves (land set aside for their use but owned by the government). Land deals were made between the aboriginals and the governments and to this day, there are disputes regarding those deals. Economic problems: Canada and many provinces, create projects on or near reserves which reduces the size of the land in exchange for the promise of creating more jobs for the people. Unfortunately, many aboriginals are unemployed and are poor. Social problems: Socially (how people live and interact), there are many problems for the aboriginals. Since many aboriginals are unemployed, crime is widespread. Most teens drop out of school in order to find work to help support their families. The lack of jobs, low hope for the future, family violence, gambling, alcohol and drug addictions often lead to youth suicides. There are eight times as many suicides in aboriginal communities than in the rest of Canada. Many of the reserves are rundown with poor sewage, electrical, and water infrastructure. Homes are also in need of repair and since most aboriginals lack money, things get progressively worst. Political problems: Although there are some aboriginals working for the government, there is not enough representation from this community in order for their problems to be heard at the provincial and federal governments. Even though the governments are aware of the problems facing the First Nations people, little seems to be done to address the issues. Canada s population and settlement About three quarters of our Canadian population live within 150 km of the United States border. Quebec and Ontario are the most populated provinces while few people live in Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Canada is considered to be a pluralistic society in that it is multicultural it s made up of many ethnic groups from around the world. Prior to World War 1, most immigrants were European, Ukrainian, Italian, and British. After WW2, immigrants came from the United Kingdom, Italy, Greece, and Portugal. After 1970, immigrants came from the Caribbean, Haiti, Asia, Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East. 0.8 Knowledge to be acquired The Ministère de l'éducation et de l'enseignement supérieur (MEES) is responsible for promoting education in Quebec. They develop the courses that are taught in schools and for each course, they ask that certain topics be covered. For this reason, teachers follow the prescribe curriculum guide which lists all the knowledge that students should acquire. This list includes a breakdown of each of our chapters that will be Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 10 of 14)

11 taught this year. The detailed Knowledge to be acquired list is posted on our class website and the chapter summaries are listed below. Unit 0: Canada s Geography Unit 1: The experience of the Native peoples and the colonization attempts ( BCD to 1608) Unit 2: The evolution of colonial society under French rule Unit 3: The conquest and the change of empire (1760 to 1791) Unit 4: The demands and struggles of nationhood (1791 to 1840) 0.9 Intellectual operations Iintellectual operations are performed from documents that provide historical information. These documents could be short paragraphs, maps, graphs, pictures, or images. To achieve these intellectual operations, various skills come into play which students will develop during this course. These intellectual operations are translated into concrete actions. The eight intellectual operations that grade 9 students will develop are listed below. Characterize a historical phenomenon Determine elements of continuity and change Determine explanatory factors and consequences Establish causal connection Establish connections between facts Establishes facts Make comparison Situates in time and space The student characterizes the historical phenomenon that took place The student correctly determines an element of continuity and change between two or more events. The student correctly determines the explanatory factors of why an action or event took place. The student correctly establishes all the causal connection. That is, the student can show that there exists a link between the causes of certain historical events. The student establishes connections between all the facts of the historical events presented. The student can establish facts about a certain historical event, person, or phenomenon. The student makes correct comparisons between two or more events or facts The student can situates all the facts in time or place events in chronological order. For example, the student can place many events in the correct order on a timeline. Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 11 of 14)

12 NOTES: Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 12 of 14)

13 Name: Group: SCORE: /40 Unit 0 Questions: Canadian Geography On this paper, answer the following questions. Be sure to pay attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Also make certain to use your own words do use the same words written in this handout. 1. List the four largest countries in the world along with their approximate population size. /8 i. #1: Population: ii. #2: Population: iii. #3: Population: iv. #4: Population: 2. Describe a mountain relief. /1 A mountain is 3. Describe a hill. /1 A hill is 4. Describe a plain. /1 A plain is 5. Describe a plateau. /1 A plateau is 6. Describe a valley. /1 A valley is 7. Name the five Great Lakes. /5 i. ii. iii. iv. v. 8. Describe Canada s six climate regions. /6 i. Arctic (Tundra): Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 13 of 14)

14 ii. Subarctic (Subpolar): iii. Humid Continental: iv. Steppe (Semiarid): v. Highland: vi. Marine West Coast (Humid Oceanic): 9. Describe the Chinooks and their effect on the steppe region. /3 10. Name the three main groups of indigenous peoples of Canada. /3 i. ii. iii. 11. List five (5) problems that aboriginals are facing today. /5 i. ii. iii. iv. v. 12. If you were Prime Minister of Canada and could improve things for the aboriginals living on reserves, what would you do? Assume that money is not an issue and that you don t need to have your ideas approved by the House of Commons or other government agencies. /5 Mr. Mansour s G9 History of Québec and Canada class Unit 0: Canadian Geography (page 14 of 14)