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The United States
Chapter 4 – Section 1 –
pages 115-119
The Land
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48 contiguous states, with Alaska
and Hawaii make up the 4th largest
country in the world.
5 main physical regions on the
mainland. Alaska and Hawaii are
have unique characteristics.
Coastal Plain
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Atlantic Coastal Plain spans from MA to FL.
Gulf Coastal Plain is north of the Gulf od
Mexico.
Soil is thin and rocky in ACP, better in
GCP.
Good harbors = big port cities.
Megalopolis is a large stretch of settled
land. Suburbs and cities on the ACP make
one.
The Appalachian Mountains
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2nd longest mountain range in the
US.
Run from Canada to Alabama down
the east coast.
Oldest mountains in the US.
The area east of the Appalachian
Mountains is called the Piedmont,
and it is good farming soil.
The Interior Plains
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Central Lowlands
• Fertile farms and important waterways.
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Mississippi River
• Flows from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico
• 2,340 miles long
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Great Lakes
• Largest group of freshwater lakes in the world.
• Formed by glaciers.
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Great Plains
• Rich grasslands that start west of the Mississippi River.
• Fertile farms and livestock grazing.
Mountains & Basins
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Rocky Mountains
• Longest mountain range in North America.
• Starts in Alaska and ends in Mexico.
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Continental Ridge
• Separates rivers that flow west and east.
• Formed by plate tectonics.
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Plateaus (west of the Rockies)
• Columbia
• The Great Basin (Great Salt Lake)
• Colorado
The Pacific Coast
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2 mountain ranges: The Cascade and
Sierra Nevada.
Cascade mountains range from WA
to CA, and were volcanic in nature.
Areas west of the Cascades and the
Sierra Nevada are fertile farmlands.
Alaska & Hawaii
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Alaska
• The tallest mountain in the US is Mount
McKinley.
• Borders on the Artic Circle.
• Most people live in the Yukon River
Valley.
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Hawaii
• 8 main islands and 120 small islands.
• Coral reefs and underwater volcanoes
Climate
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Most of the US is in the middle
latitude region, so there are a variety
of climates.
There are 7 main climate zones in
the contiguous US.
Alaska and Hawaii have their own
distinctive climates.
Mid-Latitude Climates
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Marine West Coast
• Pacific Coast
• Mild temperatures & rainy
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Mediterranean
• Southern California
• Dry warm winters
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Humid Subtropical
• Southern US
• Mild winters, hot summers, violent weather
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Humid Continental
• Northern US
• Cold winters, hot summers
Dry Climates
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The western US, along the Rocky
Mountains and plateaus, is a steppe
climate.
Pacific Mountain ranges block the moisture
from the Pacific Ocean.
Rocky Mountain keeps the hot dry air
trapped.
The southwest US is a desert climate with
high daytime temperatures and less rain
than the steppe climate to the north.
High Latitude Climates
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Most of Alaska is a sub-arctic
climate.
Cool summers and frigid winters.
Sparse vegetation.
Heavy rainfall on coast, drier inland.
Tropical Climates
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Southern Florida and Hawaii are the
only tropical climates in the US.
Heavy rainfall and humid
temperatures.
Florida is warmer on average than
Hawaii because of the Pacific Ocean.