exploring the land physical geography of anglo america
TRANSCRIPT
Exploring the LandExploring the Land
Physical Geography Physical Geography of Anglo Americaof Anglo America
America the America the BeautifulBeautiful
• O beautiful for spacious skies, O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! Above the fruited plain! America! America! America! America! God shed his grace on thee God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with And crown thy good with brotherhood brotherhood From sea to shining sea! From sea to shining sea!
Coastal PlainsCoastal Plains• Atlantic Coastal
Plains – NE United States
• Gulf Coastal Plains – Southern United States
• Piedmont- rolling hills with fast streams and rivers
Appalachian Highlands
• Appalachian Mountains: mountain chain that extends 1,600 miles from Canada to Alabama.
• The Appalachian Mountains are more than 400 million years old and have been eroded down by the elements.
• Many of the peaks are only between 1,200 and 2,400 feet high.
The Great Plains
Plains of the United States
GreatGreatBasinBasin
Central P
lains
Central P
lainsGulf Coastal PlainsGulf Coastal Plains
Atla
ntic
Coa
stal
Atla
ntic
Coa
stal
Pla
ins
Pla
ins
The Great Plains = Midwest • The Great Plains is
known as “America’s Breadbasket” due to its fertile soil and vast grasslands.
• The Canadian Shield lies farther north of the Interior Lowlands. It is mostly rocky flat land near the Hudson Bay.
Mountains and PlateausC
asca
de M
ts.
Cas
cade
Mts
.
Sierra N
evada M
ts.
Sierra N
evada M
ts.
^ Mt. Whitney^ Mt. Whitney
Rocky Mts.
Rocky Mts.
^ Pike’s Peak^ Pike’s Peak
App
alac
hian
Mts
.
App
alac
hian
Mts
.
Adi
rond
ack
Mts
.
Adi
rond
ack
Mts
.
Alaskan RangeAlaskan Range^ Mt. McKinley^ Mt. McKinley
The West: The Rocky Mountains
• The Rocky Mountains extend 3,000 miles from Alaska to New Mexico.
• The Rocky Mountains are still a young mountain change (80 million years old), so the erosion process has yet to start.
• The highest peak reaches 12,000 feet high!
Continental DivideThe Continental Divide is the highest points in the Rocky Mountains. It marks the separation between rivers flowing west and east.
Islands• Canada has three
islands near the Artic circle: Ellesmere, Victoria, and Baffin
• Greenland is the largest island in North America
Victoria Is.
Ellesmere Is.
Baffin Is.
Greenland
Islands• The Hawaiian islands
lie in the central Pacific Ocean.
• The Hawaiian islands are not geographically part of North America, but are politically part of the United States
• The Hawaiian Islands are known for its lush tropical vegetation, volcanic activity, and pretty beaches….perfect vacation hot spot!
Deserts• Mohave Desert – 3,000
• Death Valley, CA - 3.3 million acres, 95% wilderness.
Bodies of Water
Chesapeake Chesapeake BayBay
LakeLakeOkeechobeeOkeechobee
Great Great Salt LakeSalt Lake
The Great Lakes
Using the Great Lakes…
Niagara Falls
US side
Canadian side
Rivers
Ohio R.Ohio R.M
ississipp
i R.
Mississip
pi R
.
Arkansas R.
Arkansas R.
Rio Grande R.
Rio Grande R.
Colorado R.
Colorado R.
Columbia R.Columbia R.
Missouri R
.
Missouri R
.
Hudson R
.
Hudson R
.
Potomac R.Potomac R.
St. L
awre
nce
R.
St. L
awre
nce
R.
The Mississippi: America’s The Mississippi: America’s Great River RoadGreat River Road
•The “Big Muddy”.• 2,350 miles.• Draining all or part of 31 states & 2 Canadian provinces.• Covers 40% of the U. S.
The Great Salt Lake
•2000 square miles.• 10’ – 28’ deep.• 6 times saltier than the oceans.
National Forests
Glacier National Park, MTMt. Rushmore
National Park, SD
Grand Teton National Park, WY
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Everglades National Park, FL Yellowstone National Park, MT