Chapter 1

A Land of Diversity

Section 1 (p.5-8)

• topography • Physical terrain

• Geographic region • A large area of land with similar features

• Outer Banks

• Primary source

• The long chain of sandy islands along NC’s coast.

• First-hand account

COASTAL PLAIN

• “Sounds” • (channels of water

separating islands from the mainland)

• Pamlico• Alberlarle• Bogue• Core• Croatan• Currituck• Roanoke

Coastal Plain

• Sounds • Pamlico is the largest on the eastern coast of the US.

• B/c of sounds, NC has more water surface that all but 2 other states in the continental US.

Coastal Plain

• Coastal Plain • Running inland from the ocean is a broad, flat region called the CP.

• Extends westward 100-150 miles.

• Low elevation, less than 20 feet above sea level.

Coastal Plain

• Coastal Plain • Numerous swamps, lakes, and rivers drain the region.

• B/c of low elevations, waters near the mouths of rivers rise & fall with ocean tides = “Tidewater” of “Tidelands”

THE PIEDMONT

• Piedmont • Gently rolling hills• Elevations climb from 500

feet in the east to 1500 feet in the west.

• Red clay soil• In some places,

elevations btwn the P. &/the CP change so sharply that rivers spill off the Piedmont in rocky rapids or low waterfalls.

• “Fall Line” divides P. /CP

The Mountains

• Mountains• Western region

• Appalachian Mountains

• Stretches 2,000 miles from Canada to Alabama

• Named after the Apalachee, a group of Native Americans.

The Mountains

• Mountains• The “Appalachians”

• Rise to their highest point in NC.

• Mt. Mitchell is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River.

• Some scientists think NC may have the oldest mtns in the world.

Section 2 Climate

• climate • Main kind of weather that a region enjoys over an extended period of time

• Sun Belt • A strip of warm-weather states that runs across the southern US

Chapter 1 Section 2

• Location • Near enough to the equator to have moderate year-round temps.

• Atlantic Ocean gives our air moisture, and holds the sun’s heat.

• Warm, humid summers & cool, damp winters

• Altitude• (height)

• Influences climate• Higher = cooler• Appalachians =barrier• They stop many

masses of cold air from the interior.

• Precipitation• (water released from

the atmosphere)• (rain, sleet, hail,

snow, fog, dew)

• Type of precip goes with temp.

• Little snow due to warm climate

• Lgest. Amount of rain usually falls in July/Aug.

• Winds• Tend to run about 13

mph along coast• 8 mph further inland

• Played a role in our history.

• Can be dangerous• Cause coastal

erosion, esp. in Outer Banks

Section 3 Natural Resources

• environment • All the living and nonliving things that make up a region

• Natural resources • The parts of nature that people use in some way

• Soil• Mixture of worn down

rock and decaying remains of plants and animals for soil.

• Loam covers most of the Coastal Plain

• Varies from region to region.

• Thick, black mixture of clay, sand, and decaying plants can be up to 36 inches deep.

• Soil• Piedmont

• More rock and less plant life = more clay

• Rocks & rolling hills make the land more difficult to farm

• Soil• Mountains

• Thinnest and rockiest soil

• Many different types of trees

• $$ tree industry

• Rocks and Minerals • NC has over 300 diff. kinds

• Emerald is official state gem

• Brick, slate , 80% of nation’s lithium = Piedmont

• Mtns = marble, limestone

• Rocks and Minerals • Some geologists think that some 70 to 100 million tons of low-grade coal may be available in the state

• Also pockets of off-shore oil

• Cracks (faults) in earth=dangerous to mine. Too costly also.

• Plants/Wildlife • Early settlers called NC “paradise”

• Forests still cover 60% of all NC land.

• Water • Long coast =$ fishing, tourism, fertilizer, oil, etc.

• Largest lake, Mattamuskeet, is a natural lake.