Formation of the North American Continent

1. Pangea Assembly (~335 Ma)

North America was part of the supercontinent Pangea.

2. Atlantic Rifting (~200 Ma)

Pangea broke apart; Atlantic Ocean opened, separating North America from Africa/South America.

3. Cordilleran Mountain Building (~180 Ma)

Collision with Pacific Plate created Rockies, Sierra Nevada, Cascades; volcanic activity (e.g., Columbia River Basalts).

4. Appalachian Orogeny (~300 Ma)

Eastern continental collisions formed the Appalachians via folding, faulting, uplift.

5. Glaciations (Recent ~21 ka)

Wisconsinan ice sheets sculpted Canada, northern US, Great Lakes.

6. Ongoing Tectonics

San Andreas Fault: Pacific/North American plates sliding—earthquakes, deformation.

These processes created today's diverse landscapes and ecosystems.