Chapter One: An Introduction to Our Countrys Geography

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Chapter One An Introduction to Our Countrys
Geography

• United States History

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Our Countrys Geography

• Lesson 1 Land and Regions
• Lesson 2 Bodies of Water
• Lesson 3 Climate and Vegetation Regions
• Lesson 4 Using the Land
• Lesson 5 Where People Live
  and Work

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Vocabulary Lesson 1

• Landform
• Mountain Range
• Piedmont

• Plateau
• Basin
• Volcano

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Land Form Regions

• Since the geography of the US is so different, it
  has been divided into Landform Regions.
• Landforms are physical features on the earths
  surface.
• Can someone give me an example of a landform?
• Here is a hint

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Americas Largest Mountains pg19

• Read the selection on pages 19-20 and answer the
  following questions.
• The United States has two main mountain
  rangesWhat are they? Rocky and Appalachians
• What is the definition of a Mountain Range?
• What is the definition of a piedmont? An area at
  or near the foot of a mountain.
• On what coast would you find the Appalachian
  Mountains? The Rockies?
• Why are the Rocky Mountains more sharp and jagged
  while the Appalachians are worn down?

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Appalachian Mountains
These Mountains were formed over 250 Million
years ago, and have been worn down over time.
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The Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are 25 million years old.
Peaks in the Rockies are twice as tall as those
in the Appalachian Range.
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Regions of Plains

• The two largest Landform Regions in the United
  States are the Coastal Plain and the Interior
  Plain.
• The Coastal Plain region runs from the Atlantic
  Ocean in Massachusetts and runs to the Gulf of
  Mexico into Texas.
• The Interior Plains stretch across the middle of
  North America.
• Sea Level is the level of the surface of the
  oceans.
• A plateau is a broad area of high, mostly flat
  land.\
• Where on the Map could you find the Gulf Coastal
  Plains?

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Answer
The Gulf Coastal Plains can be found in the
Southeastern Part of the United States.
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A Region of Plains, Basins, Plateaus.

• The Great Basin is located in Nevada and part of
  5 neighboring states
• Death Valley in California is 280 feet below sea
  level.
• Basin Low bowl shaped land with high land all
  around it.

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Volcano

• Opening in the earth through which hot lava
  gases, ash, and rocks may pour out.
• Sometimes the lava and ash rush up to form a
  mountain.

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Bodies of Water Oceans

• From Largest to Smallest the Pacific, the
  Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, and the Artic Ocean.
• The Pacific Ocean alone covers more than 1/3 of
  the Earths surface.
• A Current is that part of a body of water flowing
  in a certain direction.
• Tides are the regular rise and fall of an ocean
  and of the bodies of water connected to it.

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Gulfs, Bays, Inlets

• An inlet is any area of water extending into the
  land from a larger body of water.
• A sound is a long inlet that often separates
  offshore islands from the mainland.
• The Great Lakes are the worlds largest collection
  of freshwater lakes.
• Can you name the Great Lakes?

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The Great Lakes
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