Download Virginia`s Regions Unit Interactive Notes

Virginia’s Regions Unit Interactive Notes
Virginia’s Regions Unit Interactive Notes Table of Contents….1
Illustrations: Virginia’s Relative Location….2
Notes: Virginia’s Relative Location….3
Illustrations: Coastal Plain (Tidewater) Region….4
Notes: Coastal Plain (Tidewater) Region….5
Illustrations: Piedmont Region….6
Notes: Piedmont Region….7
Illustrations: Blue Ridge, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau….8
Notes: Blue Ridge, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau….9
Illustrations: Industries and Products of Virginia….10
Notes: Industries and Products of Virginia….11
Virginia’s Regions Unit Dump Your Brain….12
Virginia’s Relative Location
The relative location of places can be described in relative terms.
Relative terms show connections between two places. The following are
relative terms: next to, near, and bordering. In order to describe
Virginia’s relative location, we use these terms. For example, Virginia is
located next to the Chesapeake Bay. The Atlantic Ocean is located near
Virginia. Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North
Carolina are all states bordering Virginia.
Now, we need to locate each of Virginia’s bordering states and their
location in relation to Virginia. We use the following sentence to do so:
Mustard (Maryland) with (West Virginia) ketchup (Kentucky) tastes
(Tennessee) nasty (North Carolina). Maryland is northeast, West
Virginia is northwest, Kentucky is west, Tennessee is southwest, and
North Carolina is south. You can remember these bordering states and
their locations because these states form a letter C around Virginia.
Coastal Plain (Tidewater) Region
The Coastal Plain region of Virginia is also known as the
Tidewater region. It is an area of low, flat land that lies along large
bodies of water, the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The
Chesapeake Bay separates mainland Virginia and the Eastern Shore.
The Chesapeake Bay provided a safe harbor and was a source of food and
transportation for early settlers. Located to the east of the Eastern Shore
is the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean provided transportation links
between Virginia and other countries of the world.
The Coastal Plain region has 4 peninsulas, or pieces of land
bordered by water on three sides. These peninsulas are the Northern
Neck, the Middle Peninsula, the Peninsula, and the Eastern Shore.
The peninsulas lie between and separate 4 well-known rivers of Virginia
that flow into the Chesapeake Bay. From northern Virginia to southern
Virginia these rivers are the Potomac River, the Rappahannock River,
the York River, and the James River. We can easily remember these
rivers in order from north to south with this sentence: Please (Potomac)
remember (Rappahannock) your (York) jacket (James)! Each of these
rivers was a source of food and provided a pathway for exploration and
settlement for early settlers.
There are several important cities that are located along these
Virginia rivers: Alexandria is located on the Potomac River,
Fredericksburg is located on the Rappahannock River, Yorktown is
located on the York River, and Richmond and Jamestown are located
along the James River.
There are two other water features found in the Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
region of Virginia. Lake Drummond is a shallow, natural lake
surrounded by the Dismal Swamp. The Dismal Swamp is an area of low
lying land that provides a variety of wildlife. George Washington explored
and surveyed the Dismal Swamp.
Piedmont Region
The Piedmont, also known as the land at the foot of the
mountains, is located west of the Coastal Plain (Tidewater). It is an area
of land covered with rolling hills. The Piedmont is separated from the
Coastal Plain by the Fall Line, the natural border between the Piedmont
and the Coastal Plain regions, where waterfalls prevent further travel on
the river. Due to the waterfalls, the land in the Piedmont is at a higher
level than the land in the Coastal Plain. The cities of Richmond and
Fredericksburg are located along the fall line.
The Potomac, Rappahannock, and James Rivers all flow downhill
across the Piedmont towards the Chesapeake Bay. Located just outside
of the Piedmont, to the northeast, is the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.
separated from the Piedmont by the Potomac River.
Blue Ridge, Valley and Ridge, and
Appalachian Plateau
The Blue Ridge region is a narrow strip of high land, located west
of the Piedmont. The Blue Ridge Mountains lie in the northern part of the
Blue Ridge. They are old, rounded mountains that are part of a much
larger mountain range known as the Appalachian Mountains. The
Appalachian Mountain range stretches from northern Alabama to Canada.
Due to the high land in the Blue Ridge, this region is the source of many
rivers which flow downhill, east towards the Chesapeake Bay.
The Valley and Ridge region, also known as the Ridge and
Valley, is located west of the Blue Ridge. As its name states, the Valley
and Ridge region is made up of ridges and valleys. Located to the far
west of the Valley and Ridge are the Allegheny Mountains. Similar to
the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Allegheny Mountains and the ridges in the
Valley and Ridge are part of the mountain range known as the
Appalachian Mountains. Within the Valley and Ridge region is a large
valley known as the Great Valley or the Shenandoah Valley. The
Great Valley provides excellent farmland because of its nutrient-rich,
fertile soil. Located in the southwest corner of the Valley and Ridge
region is the Cumberland Gap, a passage through the mountains for the
early settlers.
The Appalachian Plateau, also known as the Allegheny
Plateau, is Virginia’s smallest physical region. It is located in the
southwestern part of the state. Only a small part of the plateau is located
in Virginia. A plateau is an area of elevated land that is flat on top,
however; the Appalachian Plateau is a mountainous area covered with
thick forests. Over millions of years, streams have cut deep, narrow
valleys into the land.
Industries and Products of Virginia
An industry is a business or way of making money. A product is
an item that is produced in a certain location. Each region of Virginia has
different industries where Virginians can make money and various products
that are produced in those regions.
Some of the Coastal Plain’s industries are determined by its
closeness to the ocean. Some people have jobs on fishing boats, fishing for
seafood, such as crab. Other people work in the shipbuilding yards in
Norfolk, building new ships. On farms, peanuts are produced and then
sold. Tourism is very important here also. Tourism is the business of
helping people have fun when they are visiting a new place. Finally, this
region is known for its military bases for the Army, Navy, Marines, Air
Force, and National Guard.
Since the northern part of the Piedmont region is near Washington,
D.C., many of its industries are big city industries. Many people who work
for the federal government and in information technology live in the
northern part of the Piedmont. Closer to Richmond there are many people
working for the state government. In the southern part of this region,
there is quite a bit of farming, in which tobacco products are produced
to be sold. This region of Virginia is also known for its horse industry.
In the Blue Ridge, many people make money by farming. Apples
are produced on these farms. Recreation activities, like hiking, fishing,
camping, and canoeing are also popular here.
The biggest industry in the Valley and Ridge is farming. There are
poultry farms which produce birds we can eat, like chicken and turkey.
There are also many dairy and beef farms that are full of cows, providing
us with milk, cheese, hamburgers, and steaks. Last we have the farms that
produce apples. Many of our apples actually come from a town in the
Valley and Ridge region called Winchester.
The most important industry in the Appalachian Plateau is coal
mining. Miners go deep underground into coal mines to dig out the
black coal rocks, which can be burned to provide heat energy.