North America

​NorthAmerica

By SINDHU [2221]

​There are ten countries on the continent of North America, and about 13 different nations and territorial islands in the Caribbean Sea. This lesson focuses on the three largest continental nations: Canada, the United States and Mexico. There are four other countries on the North American continent to the south of Mexico: Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. These are often referred to as Central America. The Panama Canal was constructed and opened in 1914 and allows ships to pass from the Caribbean Sea on the Atlantic Ocean side of the continent and to cross the narrow isthmus into the Pacific Ocean. Panama is the end point of the North America and where South America begins. The island nations in the Caribbean Sea, include the larger island countries of Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Another group of smaller island nations are in the Caribbean Sea along with islands that are territories of other countries including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.

Multiple Choice

How many continental countries are focused on in this lesson?

• 3
• 7
• 10
• 5

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is not one of the three largest continental nations in North America?

• Cuba
• Canada
• Mexico
• Jamaica

Multiple Choice

Countries such as Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica belong to which region?

• South America
• North America
• Caribbean
• Central America

​At one point in early 1998, some prisoners voted to withdraw from negotiations, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland took the unprecedented step of talking directly to the prisoners herself and reaching a settlement with them. However, agreement still seemed so unlikely that the talks’ chairman decided that a deadline was needed to secure an agreement. Midnight on Thursday, 9 April was set as the deadline. In the final days leading up to the agreement, negotiations became so difficult that the Prime Ministers from Britain and Ireland joined the negotiating parties. Agreement was finally reached on Friday, 10 April. The Belfast Agreement established a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland and ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity in the region.

Multiple Choice

What did the Belfast Agreement of 1998 achieve?

• The Belfast Agreement achieved a framework for peace and political cooperation in Northern Ireland.
• The Belfast Agreement created a new currency for Northern Ireland.
• The Belfast Agreement mandated the disbandment of all political parties.
• The Belfast Agreement established a military alliance in Northern Ireland.

Multiple Choice

Who took the unprecedented step of talking directly to the prisoners in early 1998?

• The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

• The chairman of the talks

Multiple Choice

What was the deadline for the negotiations?

• Midnight on Wednesday, 8 April 1998

• Midnight on Thursday, 9 April 1998

Multiple Choice

What was one major outcome of the Belfast Agreement?

• Implementation of a new currency for Northern Ireland.
• Creation of a peacekeeping force in Northern Ireland.
• Establishment of a devolved government in Northern Ireland.

• Formation of a joint government with the Republic of Ireland.

​The Appalachian mountain range stretches from the Northeast to the South, where it gives way to a large coastal plain that spans from the Atlantic Ocean across the northern areas of the Gulf of Mexico into the Great Plains. The Great Plains are a rich agricultural area with topsoil that extends from Southern Canada down through the middle of the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The Western United States is divided from the Great Plains by the Rocky Mountains. Northern California has long agricultural valleys and forests that stretch up the northwest coastal mountain ranges with the Cascade Mountain Range extending toward British Columbia in Canada.

Multiple Choice

The Appalachian Mountain Range stretches from:

• The Northeast to the South

• New York to Florida
• Ohio to Tennessee
• Canada to Alabama

Multiple Choice

Why do some areas in the arctic north have months of darkness and months of sunlight?

• The Arctic has constant temperatures that prevent sunlight.
• Polar regions have no atmosphere to scatter light.
• Some areas in the Arctic experience months of darkness and sunlight due to the tilt of the Earth's axis.
• The Earth's rotation is faster in the Arctic regions.

Multiple Choice

The Great Plains extend from Southern Canada to:

• New York
• The Gulf of Mexico

• Florida
• Texas

Multiple Choice

Northern California is known for its:

• Urban sprawl, industrial zones, and agricultural fields.
• Mountain ranges, tropical beaches, and historic ruins.
• Flat plains, desert regions, and fishing villages.
• Agricultural valleys and forests