Download United States: Chapter 6.1

Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
The United States
Section 1
MAIN IDEAS
1. Major physical features of the United States include mountains, rivers, and
plains.
2. The climate of the United States is wetter in the East and South and drier in
the West.
3. The United States is rich in natural resources such as farmland, oil, forests,
and minerals.
Key Terms and Places
Appalachian Mountains
Great Lakes
the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world
Mississippi River
tributary
the main mountain range in the East
North America’s longest river
a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or river
Rocky Mountains
an enormous mountain range in the West
an area of high ground that divides the flow of rivers towards
opposite ends of a continent
continental divide
Section Summary
PHYSICAL FEATURES
The United States is one of the largest countries in
the world. On the eastern coast of the United States,
the land is flat and close to sea level. This area is
called the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Moving west, the
land rises to a region called the Piedmont. The land
rises higher in the Appalachian Mountains, the
main mountain range in the East. The highest peak
in the Appalachians is about 6,700 feet (2,040m).
West of the Appalachian Mountains are the
Interior Plains. The plains are filled with rolling
hills, lakes, and rivers. The main physical features
of the Interior Plains are the Great Lakes. The
Great Lakes are the largest freshwater lake system
in the world. They are also an important waterway
for trade between the United States and Canada.
The Mississippi River lies west of the Great
Lakes. It is the longest river in North America.
Where is the Atlantic
Coastal Plain?
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What is special about the
Great Lakes?
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What is special about the
Mississippi River?
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Guided Reading Workbook
Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Section 1, continued
Tributaries of the Mississippi River deposit rich
silt that produces fertile farmlands. These farmlands
cover most of the Interior Plains.
West of the Mississippi River lie the Great
Plains. These are vast areas of grasslands. Further
west, the land begins to rise, eventually leading to
the Rocky Mountains. Many of these mountains
reach higher than 14,000 feet (4,267m). Along the
crest of the Rocky Mountains is a ridge that divides
North America’s rivers. This is called a continental
divide. Rivers east of the divide mostly flow
eastward, and most rivers west of the divide flow
westward.
Farther west, mountain ranges include the
Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevada. Mountains
also stretch north along the Pacific coast. Mount
McKinley in Alaska is the highest mountain in
North America.
CLIMATE
The eastern United States is divided into three
climate regions. The Northeast has a humid
continental climate. To the south, the climate is
humid subtropical. Farthest south, in the tip of
southern Florida, the climate is tropical savanna.
The climate in the Interior Plains varies. It is hot
and dry in the Great Plains. But in most of the
Midwest, the climate is humid continental. In the
West, climates are mostly dry. Alaska has subarctic
and tundra climates, while Hawaii is tropical.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Our lives are affected by natural resources every day.
Much of our paper, food, gas, and electricity come
from natural resources in the United States.
About how high are the
highest mountains in the
Rockies?
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What is the highest
mountain in North
America?
______________________
______________________
Circle the names of the
three climate regions in the
eastern United States.
List four products that
come from natural
resources found in the
United States.
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CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
Critical Thinking: Drawing Inferences Write
three paragraphs describing what makes the
physical geography of the United States so diverse.
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Guided Reading Workbook
Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Section 1, continued
Appalachian Moutains
continental divide
Great Plains
Rocky Mountains
Great Lakes
Mississippi River
tributary
DIRECTIONS Read each sentence and fill in the blank with the word
in the word pair that best completes the sentence.
1. Grasslands cover most of the __________________________, making the region
a good place to grow wheat and other grains. (Rocky Mountains/Great Plains)
2. The Missouri and Ohio Rivers are two major tributaries of the
__________________________. (Great Lakes/Mississippi River)
3. The __________________________ separate(s) the flow of North America’s
rivers, sending some water east into the Mississippi River and some water west
into the Pacific Ocean. (tributary/continental divide)
DIRECTIONS On the line provided before each statement, write T if a
statement is true and F if a statement is false. If the statement is false,
write the term from the word bank that would make the statement
correct on the line after each sentence.
_____ 4. The Rocky Mountains are the main mountain range in the East.
___________________________________________________________
_____ 5. The Mississippi River is (are) an important waterway for trade between
the United States and Canada.
___________________________________________________________
DIRECTIONS Write three words or phrases that describe the term.
6. tributary _________________________________________________________
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
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Guided Reading Workbook