North America

Introduction

North America is the third largest continent in the world, covering approximately 9.5 million square miles. It is located in the northern and western hemispheres and is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and South America to the southeast.

Physical Features

North America is home to diverse physical features, including the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, the Mississippi River, the Great Lakes, and the coastal regions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The continent also includes the Arctic tundra in the northern regions and the deserts of the southwest.

Countries and Territories

North America is comprised of 23 countries and numerous territories, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and several Caribbean islands. Each country and territory has its own unique culture, history, and geography.

Native Peoples

Before European colonization, North America was inhabited by a diverse array of Indigenous peoples, including the Inuit in the Arctic, the Plains Indians in the central region, and the Mayans and Aztecs in present-day Mexico and Central America. These societies had rich cultures and established civilizations long before the arrival of European explorers.

Colonization and Independence

European colonization of North America began in the 16th century, leading to the establishment of colonies by countries such as Spain, France, England, and the Netherlands. Over time, many of these colonies gained independence and formed the countries that exist today. The United States, for example, declared its independence from Britain in 1776, while Canada gained its independence from Britain in 1867.

Study Guide Questions

What are the major physical features of North America?
How many countries and territories are there in North America?
Who were the Indigenous peoples of North America?
Which European countries established colonies in North America?
When did the United States declare its independence?

◂Social Studies Worksheets and Study Guides Fifth Grade. Middle Western Region US

Study Guide

Middle Western Region US

Worksheet/Answer key

Middle Western Region US

Worksheet/Answer key

Middle Western Region US

Worksheet/Answer key

Middle Western Region US

The resources above cover the following skills:

National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (NCSS)

TIME, CONTINUITY, AND CHANGE

SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAMS SHOULD INCLUDE EXPERIENCES THAT PROVIDE FOR THE STUDY OF THE PAST AND ITS LEGACY.

KNOWLEDGE - Learners will understand:

The origins and influences of social, cultural, political, and economic systems.

PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS

SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAMS SHOULD INCLUDE EXPERIENCES THAT PROVIDE FOR THE STUDY OF PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS.

KNOWLEDGE - Learners will understand:

Concerts such as: location, region, place, and migration, as well as human and physical systems.

The concept of regions identifies links between people in different locations according to specific criteria (e.g., physical, economic, social, cultural, or religious).

Patterns of demographic and political change, and cultural diffusion in the past and present (e.g., changing national boundaries, migration, and settlement, and the diffusion of and changes in customs and ideas).

PROCESSES - Learners will be able to:

Ask and find answers to geographic questions related to regions, nations, and the world in the past and present.

National Center for History in Schools (NCHS)

World History Content Standards

Era 8: A Half-Century of Crisis and Achievement, 1900-1945

The search for peace and stability in the 1920s and 1930s.

The student understands the interplay between scientific or technological innovations and new patterns of social and cultural life between 1900 and 1940.