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Chapter 1
A Land of Diversity
Section 1 (p.5-8)
• topography
• Physical terrain
• Geographic region
• A large area of land
with similar features
• Outer Banks
• The long chain of
sandy islands along
NC’s coast.
• Primary source
• First-hand account
COASTAL PLAIN
• “Sounds”
• (channels of water
separating islands
from the mainland)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pamlico
Alberlarle
Bogue
Core
Croatan
Currituck
Roanoke
Coastal Plain
• Sounds
• Pamlico is the largest
on the eastern coast
of the US.
• B/c of sounds, NC
has more water
surface that all but 2
other states in the
continental US.
Coastal Plain
• Coastal Plain
• Running inland from
the ocean is a broad,
flat region called the
CP.
• Extends westward
100-150 miles.
• Low elevation, less
than 20 feet above
sea level.
Coastal Plain
• Coastal Plain
• Numerous swamps,
lakes, and rivers drain
the region.
• B/c of low elevations,
waters near the
mouths of rivers rise
& fall with ocean tides
= “Tidewater” of
“Tidelands”
THE PIEDMONT
• Piedmont
• Gently rolling hills
• Elevations climb from 500
feet in the east to 1500
feet in the west.
• Red clay soil
• In some places,
elevations btwn the P.
&/the CP change so
sharply that rivers spill off
the Piedmont in rocky
rapids or low waterfalls.
• “Fall Line” divides P. /CP
The Mountains
• Mountains
• Western region
• Appalachian
Mountains
• Stretches 2,000 miles
from Canada to
Alabama
• Named after the
Apalachee, a group of
Native Americans.
The Mountains
• Mountains
• The “Appalachians”
• Rise to their highest
point in NC.
• Mt. Mitchell is the
highest mountain east
of the Mississippi
River.
• Some scientists think
NC may have the
oldest mtns in the
world.
Section 2 Climate
• climate
• Main kind of weather
that a region enjoys
over an extended
period of time
• Sun Belt
• A strip of warmweather states that
runs across the
southern US
Chapter 1 Section 2
• Location
• Near enough to the
equator to have
moderate year-round
temps.
• Atlantic Ocean gives
our air moisture, and
holds the sun’s heat.
• Warm, humid
summers & cool,
damp winters
• Altitude
• (height)
•
•
•
•
Influences climate
Higher = cooler
Appalachians =barrier
They stop many
masses of cold air
from the interior.
• Precipitation
• (water released from
the atmosphere)
• (rain, sleet, hail,
snow, fog, dew)
• Type of precip goes
with temp.
• Little snow due to
warm climate
• Lgest. Amount of rain
usually falls in
July/Aug.
• Winds
• Tend to run about 13
mph along coast
• 8 mph further inland
• Played a role in our
history.
• Can be dangerous
• Cause coastal
erosion, esp. in Outer
Banks
Section 3 Natural Resources
• environment
• All the living and
nonliving things that
make up a region
• Natural resources
• The parts of nature
that people use in
some way
• Soil
• Mixture of worn down
rock and decaying
remains of plants and
animals for soil.
• Loam covers most of
the Coastal Plain
• Varies from region to
region.
• Thick, black mixture
of clay, sand, and
decaying plants can
be up to 36 inches
deep.
• Soil
• Piedmont
• More rock and less
plant life = more clay
• Rocks & rolling hills
make the land more
difficult to farm
• Soil
• Mountains
• Thinnest and rockiest
soil
• Many different types
of trees
• $$ tree industry
• Rocks and Minerals
• NC has over 300 diff.
kinds
• Emerald is official
state gem
• Brick, slate , 80% of
nation’s lithium =
Piedmont
• Mtns = marble,
limestone
• Rocks and Minerals
• Some geologists think
that some 70 to 100
million tons of lowgrade coal may be
available in the state
• Also pockets of offshore oil
• Cracks (faults) in
earth=dangerous to
mine. Too costly also.
• Plants/Wildlife
• Early settlers called
NC “paradise”
• Forests still cover
60% of all NC land.
• Water
• Long coast =$ fishing,
tourism, fertilizer, oil,
etc.
• Largest lake,
Mattamuskeet, is a
natural lake.