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Missouri History
Chapter 2 A Rich Land
P.25-44
Locating Missouri in the World and
in the nation
Missouri’s Four Geographic
Regions
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The Northern Plains
The Western Plains
The Ozark Highland
The Southern Lowland
The Northern Plains
• A large part of the Central Lowland in Missouri constitutes a section
called the Northern Plains. This section occupies almost all of the state
north of the Missouri River.
• The Northern Plains are gentle plains composed of rock and soil
particles and fragments left behind by retreating glaciers. In Missouri,
continental glaciers once reached approximately as far south as the
Missouri River, which marks the southern edge of the Northern Plains.
After they retreated, the glaciers left behind the gentle surface of a till
plain.
• The vegetation prior to European settlement in the Northern Plains
consisted of both forest and prairie. The flat floodplains of the rivers
and the adjacent belts of hills were the most wooded sections, with oa
especially prominent. Areas at some distance from the major streams
tend to be covered with prairie grasses interspersed with patches of
woodland.
Western Plains
• The Osage Plains form another section of Missouri’s Central
Lowland. They are often called the Western Plains. This
section lies south of the Northern Plains and west of the
Ozark Upland.
• These plains in southwestern Missouri lay south of the limit
of glaciations. Their surface, having received no glacial
deposits, reflects the results of erosion of the underlying
bedrock and is generally smoother than that of the
Northern Plains. Occasional lines of low hills have been
formed where a relatively hard layer of rock has resisted
erosion and stands out above the rest of the terrain.
However, the relief is not impressive in this section of
Missouri, nor do the streams cut the wide shallow valleys.
Ozark Highland
The Ozark Highland, occupies most of Missouri south of the Missouri River. The region
is also called the Ozark Mountains and sometimes the Ozark Hills or simply the Ozarks.
Most of the Ozark Highland is composed of sedimentary rocks, principally soluble
limestone's and dolomites, also known as carbonate rocks. Over many thousands of
years surface and underground waters have burrowed the uplands into a labyrinth of
thousands of caves, springs, and sinkholes
Before the time of white settlers, forests covered most of the Ozark Highland. These
forests consisted of many species of trees, most of which were deciduous hardwoods.
Oaks were the most widespread. Mixed with the hardwoods were stands of softwoods,
including cedar and pine. In most areas the forest was relatively open, with abundant
grasses growing among the trees, and could be considered a woodland or savanna. In
the west the forest was thinner than in the east and was interspersed with large areas
of prairie grasses. Almost all of this Ozark forest is gone, but large areas are covered
with small second-growth timber and scrub. In national and state forests and other
managed lands the forest has returned in dense stands.
The Southern Lowland
• This section is known as the Mississippi Alluvial Plain or simply as the
Southeastern Lowland. It is also called the Bootheel because of its shape.
• The Southeastern Lowland is the lowest, flattest, wettest, and most fertile
part of Missouri.
• The lowest point in Missouri, at 70 m (230 ft), is in the Southeastern
Lowland where the Saint Francis River exits the state.
• Before settlement much of the region was covered with standing water
and a dense, swampy forest. It is now largely cleared and artificially
drained.
• The Southeastern Lowland was the focus of some of the highest
magnitude earthquakes in U.S. history. In 1811 and 1812 several
earthquakes of magnitudes above 8 on the Richter Scale shook the region
around New Madrid, causing some lands to sink, others to rise, and
affected the course of the Mississippi River. The threat of severe
earthquakes continues in the region.
Locating Missouri’s Cities
Missouri’s Rivers and Lakes
Ozark National Scenic
Riverway
Missouri’s Climate
Summers are generally hot and humid while
winters are mild with periods of very cold
weather and possible ice storms. Spring and
Fall are especially pleasant. Thunderstorms
are frequent and sudden in the summer
months and a downpour can ruin an
otherwise enjoyable outing. Flash floods are a
risk at all times of the year.
Review
• CHAPTER 2 QUIA-MO THEN AND NOW
• Missouri History Chapter 2 Vocabulary