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Chapter 4.1 NotesThe RegionsUnited States
Vast & varied lando Dramatic differences between its various parts
Geographers Divide these parts into regions
o Characteristics of regions Make it different from each other
Subregionso Further divided into smaller partso Has special features that make it unique
Divided into 2 regionso United States east of the Mississippi Rivero United States west of the Mississippi River
United States east of the Mississippi Rivero Divided into 4 subregions
New England Mid-Atlantic Midwest Southeast
New Englando Located in the northeastern corner of the United States
o Between Canada and the Atlantic Oceano Many of the 1st English colonists settled in this area
o During the 1600so Named in honor of their distant homelando Includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and
ConnecticutThe Mid-Atlantic
o Located along the Atlantic coasto Just south of New England
o Includes the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania
o These states were part of the original 13 colonieso Washington, D.C., our nation’s capital
o Located in this subregionThe Midwest
o Includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsino All states share order with one or more of the Great Lakes
o Nicknamed “the nation’s breadbasket”o Large percentage of America’s food crops grown here
Rich soil
The Southeasto Largest subregion in eastern U.S.o Includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginiao Some have long coastal borders
Meet Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of MexicoThe Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Coast
o Eastern U.S.o Nearly surrounded by water
Atlantic Ocean Largest body of water east of the Mississippi River Borders the states along the East Coast
o East Coast Borders the Atlantic Ocean A shoreline that stretches for more than 2,000 miles
From Maine to Florida Jagged and rocky in New England Smooth and sandy in the Mid-Atlantic and
Southeast Gulf Coast
Borders the Gulf of Mexicoo Covers an area of about 600,000 square mileso Nearly surrounded by lando Has several currents flowing through it
One of the currents flows into the Atlantic Ocean Gulf Stream
o Powerful current that flows through the Atlantic Ocean
o Extends from Florida to Texas and Mexicoo Land varies
Sandy beaches to marshes, bays, and lagoons Marshes -an area of low-lying land that is
flooded in wet seasons or at high tide, and typically remains waterlogged at all times.
Bays -a broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inward
Lagoons -a stretch of salt water separated from the sea by a low sandbank or coral reef.
Waters in the Gulf of Mexico Warmer Generally calmer
The Great LakesGreat Lakes - refers to a cluster of five huge lakes
Located in the American Midwest and central Canada Formed
o Thousands of years ago Massive glaciers
Largest group of freshwater lakes in the world.o Hold more liquid freshwater than any other location on Earth
To remember all the Great Lakes—think “HOMES”o H = Hurono = Ontarioo M = Michigano E = Erieo S = Superior
o These 5 lakes are connectedo Water flows from west to east from one lake to the next
Makes its way to the St. Lawrence RiverSt. Lawrence Seaway
o Carries water eastward for 750 mileso Empties into the Atlantic Ocean
o Great Lakeso Borders U.S. and Canada
Both nations work together to address environmental issues Population threats Health and safety of people
o U.S. and Canada (1950s)o Canal and gated passageways called locks
Between the St. Lawrence river and the Great Lakes Made it possible for ships to travel the entire length of the Great
Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. Final passageway
o Extends 2,340 miles Lake Superior to Atlantic Ocean
o Called the St. Lawrence Seaway Connects Midwest to seaports all over the world. Faster and easier for businesses in Midwest
Shipping productshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xuXIJV46yQ
o
The Mississippi Rivero “Mighty Mississippi”
o One of the longest rivers in North America Considered the most important river in the U.S.
o Source: Minnesotao Mouth: Gulf of Mexico
o Moves southward for 2,350 mileso Tributaries—a smaller body of water that flows into a larger body of water
o Missouri Rivero Ohio River
o Affected o settlement patternso economyo and lifestyles of Americans
o Transportation
o Hundreds of yearso One of the world’s busiest commercial waterwayso History of flooding its banks
o Deposited rich sediment onto flood landso Destroyed homeso Washed away crops
Government build levees—embankments to control flooding and reduce damage to homes and crops
Block sediment that used to replenish fieldso Influenced America’s history more than any other rivero Mississippi – Choctaw word
o Means “Great Water” of “Father of Waves”
Rivers as Boundarieso Rivers make natural boundaries
o Mississippi River Western border of
Wisconsin Illinois Kentucky Tennessee Mississippi
o Tennessee River Boundary for counties and cities
Lauderdale County and Colbert Countyo Examples of physical systems
o Form political boundaries As well as human made structures
Streets and roads
The Ohio Rivero Carries more water to the Mississippi River than any other tributaryo Begins
o Were the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers combine Western Pennsylvania
Flows westward for 981 mileso Separates states
o Ohioo Indianao Illinois
Lie along the north side of the rivero West Virginiao Kentucky
On the south side of the rivero Important for shipping and transportationo Connects Midwest to Mississippi River
The Atlantic Coastal PlainEast Coast
o Edge of huge continental platformo Most underwater
Forms a shelf around the Atlantic coastlineo Over time
o Large area of platform rose above sea level Ocean waves
Washed over platformo Millions of years
Leaving behind layers of sandy sediment As sediment built up
o Coastal plain formed Stretches from northeastern U.S.
to Mexico In places
Crushed under the weight of Glaciers
Pushed the land belowsea level
Often become flooded
The Appalachian Mountainso Oldest and longest chain
o east of the Mississippi Rivero begins
o Alabamao ends
o 1,500 miles awayo northeast to the Canadian border
o Stand side by side in parallel rangeso 2 of the most well-known ranges
Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee
o formedo from sedimentary rocko powerful upheavals within Earth’s crust
o Worn down over timeo erosion
o Home to many natural wonderso Old-growth forests
diverse plants and animal life
o Waterfalls thousands
fall-line—an area where waterfalls flow from higher to lower ground
o stretches for hundreds of miles between New Jersey and South Carolina
o long, low cliff that runs parallel to the Atlantic coasto forms a boundary between higher, upland area and the
Atlantic coastal plain cities sprang up by waterfalls
used as a water power
Climate in the Eastern United StatesClimate varied
o New England and Midwesto most dramatic seasonal changes
have cold winters and hot, humid summers autumn
o cool and colorful springtime
o rainy and snowy weather and strong stormso Coastal areas
o mild climates
East coast states still experience seasons
o temperatures less extreme than inland areas Southern states
experience milder season changeso Southeast
o humid subtropical climate rainy and hot summers cooler and drier winters
In general—climates in the eastern U.S.o more humid and rainy than in the western U.S.o Hurricanes—ocean storms that span hundreds of miles with winds of at
least 74 miles per houro along eastern coastline
Hurricane Katrina most damaging hurricane in history August 2005
Minerals and Energy Resourceso 2 of the most valuable materials found in this region
o Minerals—natural substances such as iron ore, gold, and zinc can be processed into metals
used in manufacturing and constructiono Energy resources
such as coal, oil, and natural gas called fossil fuels
o burning coal produces electricity
o oil processing fuel for cars and other vehicles
o Natural gas used to heat homes generate electricity
o Demand hugeo mining
major industry in this region inside of mountains deep underground
harm the environmento damages lando pollutes water, soil, and air
Farming and Industryo One of the most valuable resources east of the Mississippi River
o Farmland
o rich soil growing crops such as grains, fruits, and vegetables
o Southeast subregion soils sandy
good for growing cottono excellent growing conditions
major producer of meat, dairy foods, wood, cotton, sugar, corn, wheat, soybeans, and other food crops
Other industries throughout eastern region of U.S. logging, mining, and fishing manufacturing
o automobileso electronicso clothing
IT (Information technology) Tourism
One of the most productive regions in the world
Chapter 4.2 NotesEarly AmericaOur nation
- made up of many smaller partso people’s cultures, interacting with places and environments
over time- physical geography east of the Mississippi
o variety of climates and resourcesNative Americans
- First humans to settle in North Americao believed to have come to America by crossing a land bridge from Asia
around 14,000 to 19,000 years ago- migrated in all directions
o settled in locations throughout North and South America each group
developed a unique culture o languageo religion, o lifestyle
- East of the Mississippio Cherokeeo Iroquoiso Miamio Shawnee
these groups considered indigenous to North America
o Indigenous- “living or occurring naturally in a particular place”
- Needso used plants, animals, stones, water and soil around them.
way of life shaped by their environment.- Shelters
o built for the climates where they lived hot climates
grasses, vines, reeds to build open homes other groups
used stones, caves, earth to build solid structures and mound cities
o homes reflected their environments- Some groups
o isolated from other groupso others had contact with neighboring peoples
sometimes peacefully interacted other times wars over land and resources developed
- Had little or no contact o with people from other parts of the world
- Lived off the land for thousands of yearso resulted in only a minor impact on the natural environment
First Europeans- arrived in the Americas in the 1400s
European ColonizationEuropeans
- grew interested in the AmericasExplorers who had been to the Americas
- told of endless forests, rivers overflowing with fish, and mountains filled with gold and silver.
Kings and queens- England, France, Italy, and Spain
o wanted to claim land in North America wanted to control America’s gold and natural resources
- Spain in the 1500so priests, soldiers, and settlers
built military and religious outposts St. Augustine in Florida
o originally founded as a settlement in 1565 settlers needed protection from a series of pirate attacks
o also concerned by the arrival of English settlerso construction on a stone fort began in 1672
1st permanent European settlement- English
o began to send colonists in the early 1600s colonists- people who are sent to live in a new place and claim
land for their home countryo 1st English colonists
settled along the Atlantic coast of North America Jamestown, Virginia in 1607 Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620
built settlements on lands that were home to native peoples natives hunting grounds turned into farmland used resources that were important to the Native Americans’
survivalBy 1650
- about 52,000 colonists lived in Americao number of colonists grew to about 250,000 over the next 50 years
By 1760- about 1.7 million colonists lived in America
Large cities built along the Atlantic coast- Boston- New York City
By 1750s- 13 English colonies had been established in North America
In America- life hard for colonists
o food supplies brought from England soon ran out ppl got sick or died from starvation
o eventually learned how to plant crops and hunt for foodo also adapted the natural resources to make things they needed
candles, soap, pots, clothing, tools, and medicine
English colonies- controlled by English rulers thousands of miles away- 1707
o England and Scotland united to for Great Britain- colonists
o did not like the laws and taxes forced upon them by the British government
made plans to break away and become free from British ruleo 1776
declared their independence from British rule led to the Revolutionary War
o ended in 1781 when British surrendered
13 colonies became an independent nationo called the United States of America
colonists called themselves Americans
Settling the LandNew nation
- officially stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi Rivero land west of the Appalachian Mountains
mystery to most Americans people afraid to venture into the West
Towns along the Atlantic coast- became crowed as more Europeans settlers arrived
o people began moving west wanted land for themselves
others o looked for gold or silvero hunted animals and sold or traded the animals’ skins
stopped traveling when they found land that looked suitable for farming
built homes and planted crops no neighbors had to grow and make everything they needed
New TerritoryBetween 1700 and 1800
- thousands of settlers built homes along the Mississippi River
o Mississippi natural boundary
wide and deep and difficult to cross settlers either settled on the eastern side or turned back
U.S. Government- wanted to claim as much land as possible
o The Land Ordinance of 1785 gave the United States legal claim to lands known as the Ohio
Country located north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi
River allowed American settlers to buy sections of this land for one dollar
per acre government
divided up some land among settlers set aside land to be used for schools
Native Americans- living on this land
o forced to leaveUnited States
- slowly settling all territory east of the Mississippi River
New Technology Changes FarmingFarming east of the Mississippi River
- much of our country’s fruits, vegetables, grains, and cotton o raised on farms in this regiono agriculture
growing crops and raising livestock to sell is called commercial agriculture
- good soil and frequent rainso make this region one of the best places in the world for agriculture
Planting and harvesting- hard work
o performed mainly by hand with the help of animals- late 1700s
o people designed and built new kinds of machines to do farm work machines
some planted large amounts of seeds quickly harvested crops faster and more thoroughly
o Example Eli Whitney
invented a machine called the cotton gino made processing cotton faster and
easiero increased profits for cotton farmers
- machines began to replace human workers on farmso farmers planted and harvested more crops o farms more productive
but fewer people needed to work on farms left thousands without work
o many moved to citiesIndustrial GrowthNew technologies
- led to jobs in factories for millions of peopleIndustry
- manufacturing, making products to sell- an important part of the economy of the United States east of the Mississippi
o one of the world’s leading industrial regions for more than 2 centuries thousands of factories
built all over this region during this timeInfluence of ImmigrationPeople immigrate to America
- because they want to be fre- want jobs, education, and other opportunities
Forced Migration1830s
- gold discovered in the Southeasto word quickly spread
settlers poured into the southern states most did not find gold
o many people stayed to start cotton farms in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and the Carolinas
many of these lands home to the Cherokee Cherokee- large group of Native Americans
U.S. citizens wanted these landsU.S. government
- forced the Cherokee to leave their landso 1838
thousands of Cherokee men, women, and children were rounded up by the U.S. soldiers
forced to make the long, difficult journey to Indian Territory in Oklahoma
o far west of the Mississippi Rivero 1,000 miles from their homeland
o Thousands of Cherokee died during and after the journey became known as the Trail of Tears
one of many forced migrations for Native Americans in America’s history
o destroyed some of their cultural traditions
o lost their lands and ways of life land given to them
o dry and difficult to farm very different from the land they were forced to
leaveThe Great MigrationYears after the Civil War
- time of change in the Southeasto slavery
became illegal in all states many states
o angry that slavery was outlawedo passed laws that took away the rights the freed
Americans had recently gainedo During the late 1800s
thousands of African Americans moved to states in the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and the Midwest
the relocation of people from the South to the North was called the Great Migration
o part of the larger rural-to-urban migration occurring in the United States
increased during the 1900s millions more people left rural areas and
moved to cities to work in factories this urban-to-rural movement of people is one of the
largest migrations in America’s history
Chapter 4.3 NotesMajor Metropolitan AreasPeople in U.S.
- live in many different environmentso farmers and ranchers
live in rural areas with open land for farming and livestocko Suburbs
popular for people who want larger homes their own pieces of property
o Urban environment people who enjoy urban environments often live in large cities
called metropolitan areaso centers of culture, education, business, and recreationo large cities can be home to millions of people
New York City Boston Philadelphia Miami
o populations large and diverse Boston-Washington corridor
metropolitan areao home to about 50 million people
often referred to as a megalopolis some metropolitan areas
serve as hubs for international cooperationo United Nations (UN)
located in New York City find and share solutions to problems related to
education, science, and culture Example:
o UN’s World Heritage program
promotes and protects natural and cultural sites around the world
Everglades National Park in Florida
Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor
Tourism industry that provides jobs to people in and around metropolitan
areas provides services to people who are traveling for enjoyment
o restaurants, hotels, resorts, travel agencies, tour companies
part of tourism industry money tourists spend brings revenue to the state and local
economies on the East Coast
began as port citieso large, busy towns where ships dock and departo trade between the U.S. and the rest of the world began in
port cities Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, South Carolina, New
Haven, Connecticut, and New York CityNew York and Chicago2 of the largest metropolitan areas east of the Mississippi RiverNew York
- located on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Hudson River- most populous city in the U.S.- diverse- home to more than 9 million people- began as a Dutch colonial port city called New Amsterdam- still home to one of the busiest ports in North America- dense cluster of urban areas called boroughs
o connected by streets, bridges, trains, and water passageso 5 boroughs that make up New York
Manhattan smallest of the 5 buroughs covers an area of 22.6 square miles the cultural, political, and economic center of New York City home to people of every racial, ethnic, and religious
background in the world known worldwide as a center of finance, advertising, and
entertainment Brooklyn Queens
the Bronx and Staten Island
- more than 30 million tourists visit yearly- extensive public transportation system
o subwayso buses
to help eliminate dependency on cars
Chicago- began as a small settlement between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi
Rivero early 1800s
- developed into a thriving city- connected to rest of country by railroads and canals- mid 1800s
o became center of railroad travel in the U.S.- Chicago’s importance as a transportation center
o increased when the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in the mid-1900s- today
o an elevated train system in the center of Chicago helps move its many tourists and residents
- remains one of the nation’s most important centers of shipping, transportation, and industry
- one of America’s leading producers of steel, machinery, and manufactured products.
- several large printing and publishing companies found here- Major financial institutions also located here
o Chicago Stock ExchangeAtlanta and New Orleans2 of the most vibrant cities in the SoutheastAtlanta
- Georgia’s capital- historic city and modern metropolis- located at the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountain range
o this location made it a popular passageway for settlers and other travelers- Railroads
o grew Atlanta into a thriving economic, cultural, and political center of the South
- During the Civil Waro served as a supply depot for the Confederate armyo most of the city’s buildings
burned to the ground when Union army invaded in 1864
- After the Civil Waro Atlanta rebuilt
became a symbol of strength and rebirth to the South- Today
o a strong center of transportation, industry, trade, education, and culture called the commercial center of the modern South
New Orleans- began as a shipping town along the Mississippi River- during times of peace
o an important center of transportation and trade- In times of war
o Revolutionary Waro War of 1812o Civil War
became a major stop along supply lines that served the military and civilians
- located only 110 miles from the Gulf of Mexicoo was eventually connected to the Gulf by river channels
making it easier for ships to enter and leave the city- 2005
o Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf of Mexico’s coast raged from Louisiana to Florida levees failed in New Orleans when the storm surged
flooded low-lying areas and trapped many people thousands of people left homeless and many died one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history
- Remains an important commercial trade center in the eastern U.S.o manufacturing and transportation
still contribute to the city’s economy- Renowned for its rich cultural traditions
o spicy Cajun and Creole foodso original musical styles
one of the first centers of jazz musico colorful celebrations
Mardi Gras- bold, unique mixture of
o Frencho Spanisho Caribbeano African cultures
- Tourism
o vital to the economyThe U.S. GovernmentJuly 4, 1776
- U.S. declared its independence from Great Britain- Americans became citizens of a free and independent nation
Needed a system of government- to protect the rights and freedoms of the people- U.S. government
o designed as a representative democracy a system in which the people elect representatives to operate the
government- 1787
o representatives from each of the of the 13 states gathered to write a plan of government called a constitution
o U.S. Constitution still the law of our country today
o U.S. federal republic- national government shares power with the states government leaders must obey the Constitution
Amendments, or changes, to the Constitution have been made to meet the nation’s changing needs
o the first 10 amendments guarantee the basic rights of citizens
called the Bill of RightsThe Three Branches of GovernmentOne of the main functions of the U.S. Constitution
- make sure government power is sharedMen who wrote the Constitution
- did not want a single person or group to have all the power to make laws and decisions for the country
o divided the government into 3 separate but equal branches each branch
has important functions must work with the other two branches to govern the
countryo creates a balance of power
the 3 branches of the government executive
o office of the president of the U.S. main duties
carry out laws lead the military appoint judges to the Supreme Court
plan the national budget meet with foreign leaders appoint advisors to help make decisions
for the nation legislative
o called Congresso makes laws for the nation
Has 2 parts House of Representatives the Senate
o members elected by the people and come from all 50 states
o To pass a law the House of Representatives and the Senate
must agree on what the law states judicial
o made up of state and federal courtso role of judicial branch
to decide if laws are fair and if they follow the Constitution
o Supreme Court 9 judges called justices most powerful court in America
Government Actions Affect the LandLaws and decisions made by the 3 branches of the U.S. government
- affect our nation’s lando environment
example national parks
o protects plant and animal habitatso creates recreational areaso local governments enforce laws that reduce water
pollution and littering Superfund
o purpose of this program clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites
o implemented after the discovery of toxic waste sites Love Canal Times Beach
federal government works with state governments and communities to implement cleanup plans
Government Actions Affect People
- U.S. government actions had severe consequences that affected Native Americans
- Other government actions help people and enrich our liveso building bridges and roadso providing aid to people in needo establishing national parks
Positive U.S. government actions- Civil rights movement
o civil rights basic rights that belong to all citizens
right to be treated equally under the lawo African American civil rights
federal government made laws ending segregation some local governments
did not agree with these laws and refused to enforce them- Aid during emergencies
o Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) government agency that provides food, water, medical care, and
transportation to people affected by tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, terrorist attacks, and other disasters
saved many lives some people claim
too slow to respond and do little to helpReligion and Ethnicity
Christianityo largest number of followers in the U.S.
continued since colonial times Other religions practiced
o Judiasm, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu No religions
o 16% of Americans do not practice a religionPopulation statistics
Census Bureauo classifies people of the U.S. into different categories
2010 Census 4 most populous ethnic groups in U.S.
o Caucasiano Latinoo African Americano Asian American
Last 2 censuses Hispanic and Latin-American
o now second largest ethnic group AFTER Caucasians
EconomyAmerica
Largest and strongest economies in the worldo advancements in technology
keep industries productive has slowed in past decade
o many Americans unemployed Agriculture
o long time important industry in Americao farming and raising animals for food
changing replaced by corporate farms
o managed by people who do not own or live on the land.o Americans
some believe growth of corporate farms is bad economy and the nation’s people
o sell to large grocery-store chains at low prices
family farms can’t competeo Organic farming
Many Americans support Use only natural pesticides and fertilizers
organically grown food o safer and healthier
no harsh chemicals usedLate 1800s and early 1900s
Shift from agricultural based economy to a more industrial economyo factories
began to weaken in 1980so closed factories all across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and New England
subregions nicknamed “Rust Belt”
Recent timeso Shift from industrial economy to a service based economy
o businesses that provide services rather than products child care, restaurants, grocery stores, hair salons, electricians,
moving companies, auto repair shops, finance, insurance, educationService based economy to computer-information economy
o today we are moving from service based economy to one connected to the computer-information age
