By Carol Fahringer

II.II. Geography of the US:Geography of the US:Divided Into 8 Different Divided Into 8 Different

Physical RegionsPhysical Regions

A.A. The Appalachian Mountains:The Appalachian Mountains: 1.1. Political Political

Regions: New Regions: New England & Middle England & Middle Atlantic StatesAtlantic States

2.2. Physical Physical Regions: Older, Regions: Older, moderate height moderate height ranges run along ranges run along eastern US from ME eastern US from ME to GA to GA

• Features Several Features Several Clustered Ranges:Clustered Ranges:

Catskills in NY,Catskills in NY, Green Mts. in VT,Green Mts. in VT,

• Poconos in PA,Poconos in PA, Allegheny - PA to Allegheny - PA to

VA, VA, Great Smoky Mts. Great Smoky Mts.

between TN & NCbetween TN & NC

3.3. Vegetation: Vegetation: Conifer and deciduous Conifer and deciduous treestrees

4.4. Weather: Mild Weather: Mild Continental - mild Continental - mild summers, cold winters, summers, cold winters, adequate rainfalladequate rainfall

B.B. The Coastal Plains:The Coastal Plains: 1.1. Political Region: Southeastern Political Region: Southeastern

& South Central States& South Central States

2.2. Physical Regions: Atlantic Plain Physical Regions: Atlantic Plain & the Gulf Plain. Fairly flat lowland & the Gulf Plain. Fairly flat lowland area.area.

• Features:Features: a. Piedmont where mountains meet a. Piedmont where mountains meet

plainsplains b. Coastal Plains - many marshes, b. Coastal Plains - many marshes,

slow riversslow rivers

3.3. Major Cities: Major Cities: New Orleans, LA and New Orleans, LA and Houston, TXHouston, TX

4.4. Vegetation: Vegetation: Conifer and Conifer and deciduous treesdeciduous trees

5.5. Weather:Humid Weather:Humid Subtropical –Subtropical –

* Summers - hot & * Summers - hot & humid, humid, * Winters - mild & moist; * Winters - mild & moist; Florida more tropicalFlorida more tropical

C.C. The Interior Plains:The Interior Plains:

•1. Political Region: North Central States

•2. Physical Regions: Great Plains (West), Central Plains (East)

* Features: Flat but rise

gradually toward Rocky Mts.

3.3. Important Cities: Important Cities: Chicago, IL & Dallas, TXChicago, IL & Dallas, TX

4.4. Vegetation: Prairie Vegetation: Prairie grasses, few treesgrasses, few trees

5.5. Weather: Great Weather: Great Plains - steppe with hot Plains - steppe with hot summers & cold winters, summers & cold winters, limited rainfalllimited rainfall

• Central Plains - Humid Central Plains - Humid Continental -Continental -

• mild summers, cold mild summers, cold winters with adequate winters with adequate rainfallrainfall

D.D. Canadian Shield:Canadian Shield:•1. Political Region: North Central States

•2. Physical Region: Lowland area of hills & plains bordering E Canada, rich in minerals

3.3. Weather: Weather: Humid Humid ContinentalContinental

- mild summers - mild summers & cold winters & cold winters with adequate with adequate precipitationprecipitation

E.E. Rocky Mountains:Rocky Mountains:

1.1. Political Regions: Political Regions: Alaska & Rocky Alaska & Rocky Mountain StatesMountain States

2.2. Physical Regions: Physical Regions: High, rugged peaks High, rugged peaks stretch from Alaska to stretch from Alaska to MexicoMexico

*Three Large Ranges *Three Large Ranges include:include:

a. Bitterroot Range a. Bitterroot Range (ID, MT) (ID, MT)

b. Big Horn Mts. b. Big Horn Mts. in in WYWY

c. Sangre de c. Sangre de Cristo Cristo (CO & (CO & NM)NM)

3.3. Important City: Important City: Denver, CODenver, CO

4.4. Weather: Weather: * Highland - * Highland -

cooler temps cooler temps w/altitudew/altitude

* Alaska (N & * Alaska (N & W Coast) Tundra - W Coast) Tundra - Cold year-round,Cold year-round,

*(Remainder) *(Remainder) Sub Sub arctic - arctic - Long cold Long cold

winters, short winters, short summerssummers

F.F. The Intermountain Region:The Intermountain Region:

1.1. Political Political Region: Rocky Region: Rocky Mountain StatesMountain States

2.2. Physical Physical Regions: Rugged Regions: Rugged & high Mts., high & high Mts., high plateaus, deep plateaus, deep canyons & desertcanyons & desert

3.3. Important Cities: Important Cities: • Phoenix, AZ & Salt Phoenix, AZ & Salt

Lake City, UTLake City, UT

4.4. Vegetation: Vegetation: Deciduous trees (low Deciduous trees (low altitude), Conifers altitude), Conifers (high altitude)(high altitude)

5. Weather: Desert - 5. Weather: Desert - hot days, cold nights, hot days, cold nights, almost no rainfallalmost no rainfall

* Borders steppe * Borders steppe - - hot summers, hot summers, cold cold winters, limited winters, limited

rainfall rainfall

G.G. The Pacific Coast:The Pacific Coast: 1.1. Political Region: Political Region:

Pacific Coast StatesPacific Coast States

2.2. Physical Physical Regions: Pacific Regions: Pacific Coastal Ranges, Coastal Ranges, Interior Ranges Interior Ranges

• (Cascades, Sierra (Cascades, Sierra Nevada)Nevada)

*High mts. with *High mts. with valleys & hills in valleys & hills in between. between.

(Ex.: Mt. St. Helens -(Ex.: Mt. St. Helens -Cascades, Willamette Cascades, Willamette Valley)Valley)

3.3. Important Cities: Important Cities: Seattle, WA; Portland, Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; OR; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CALos Angeles, CA

4.4. Vegetation: Vegetation: Deciduous & conifer Deciduous & conifer trees, rich farmlandtrees, rich farmland

5.5. Weather: Pacific Weather: Pacific Northwest - Marine - mild Northwest - Marine - mild moist climate,moist climate,summers warm & humid, summers warm & humid, winters mild & moist winters mild & moist • California: Mediterranean - California: Mediterranean -

winters mild & wet, winters mild & wet, • summers hot & drysummers hot & dry

H.H. Hawaiian Islands:Hawaiian Islands:

1.1. Political Region: Political Region: Hawaiian Islands Hawaiian Islands

2.2. Physical Physical Region: Island chain Region: Island chain of 8 lg. islands & of 8 lg. islands & many small islands many small islands in Pacific Oceanin Pacific Ocean

* Volcanic origins - * Volcanic origins - Mauna Loa still Mauna Loa still activeactive

3.3. Vegetation: Vegetation: Tropical - Tropical - Pineapple & Pineapple & Citrus grownCitrus grown

4.4. Weather: Weather: Tropical - hot & Tropical - hot & humid year-humid year-roundround

The EndThe End