Download Georgia and the American Experience

Georgia
and the American Experience
Chapter 1:
Where in the World is
Georgia?
Study Presentation
© 2005 Clairmont Press
Georgia
and the American Experience
Section 1: What is Geography?
Section 2: Geographic Regions
of Georgia
Section 3: Georgia’s Climate
Section 1: What is
Geography?
• Essential Question
• What roles do the six essential elements
of geography play in our lives?
• Where is Georgia located in relation to
region, nation, continent and hemisphere
Section 1: What is
Geography?
• What geographic terms do I need to
know?
-- geography
-- absolute location
-- relative location
What is Geography?
• Geographica (Greek origin) means
“earth’s description”.
• Science of studying Earth as the home of
humans.
• Geography helps us understand why
Georgia’s native peoples and later settlers
chose certain parts of the state for their
home.
Understanding Georgia’s
Geography
•
•
•
•
•
•
How Georgians organize their space
Georgia has five physiographic regions
18 islands
58, 910 square miles
159 counties
5 bordering states
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Tennessee
Florida
North Carolina
South Carolina
Alabama
Understanding Georgia:
Uses of Geography
• Uses of Geography: Interpret Georgia’s
past, understand its present, plan for its
future
• Location from one settlement to another
affects how each settlement develops
• Georgia’s location relative to other states
affects Georgia’s growth and economic
development
Understanding Location
• Absolute location: A precise position on
Earth’s surface
• Georgia’s absolute located is between
30°– 35°N latitude, 80°– 85° W longitude
• Twiggs County is the geographic center
Understanding Location
• Relative Location: Where Georgia is
located compared with other places
• North America
• Southeastern United States
• Atlantic coast
Click here to return to main menu.
Section 2: Geographic
Regions of Georgia
• ESSENTIAL QUESTION
-- How would you describe the
geographic regions of Georgia?
Section 2: Geographic
Regions of Georgia
• What words do I need to know?
-- Fall Line
-- Region
-- Precipitation
-- Wetland
-- Barrier Island
-- Continental Shelf
Section 2: Geographic
Regions of Georgia
• What regions do I need to know?
-- Appalachian Plateau Region
-- Ridge and Valley Region
-- Blue Ridge Region
-- Piedmont Plateau
-- Coastal Plain Region
-- Okefenokee Swamp
“ People create regions to
understand Earth’s
complexities”
Appalachian Plateau Region
• smallest physiographic region
• Located in Northwest Georgia
• Many limestone caves, deep canyons,
rock formations (Cloudland Canyon)
• TAG corner
• Home to Cumberland Plateau or
(Lookout Mountain and Sand Mountain)
• made limestone, shale, and sandstone
soils
Ridge and Valley Region
• Located Between Blue Ridge Mountains
and Appalachian Plateau
• Forests and pastures dominate the region
• Home to Dalton, (The Carpet capital of the World)
• Ellijay – Gilmer County (Apple Capital of Georgia)
• The valley is made of limestone and clay
soils
• The ridges are composed of Shale and
sandstone
Blue Ridge Region
• Northeastern part of state
• highest and largest group of mountains
• Brasstown Bald, Georgia highest mountain
is here
• Mountains provide much precipitation
(water) for the state
• Sandy loam and clay soils
• Hardwood forests, vegetable farming, and
apples
• Springer Mtn.—beginning of Appalachian Trail
Piedmont Plateau
• Begins in mountain foothills and goes to
state’s central part
• Gently sloping hills in north, flatlands in the
south
• Most densely populated region
• Hardwood timber, pine, and agriculture
• Red clay and granite base
• Business and technology center of state
Coastal Plain Region
• Largest region, three-fifths of state
• Inner Coastal Plain: Mild climate, good
underground water supply,
• It the agricultural Center
• Known for it’s Vidalia onions
• Outer Coastal Plain (southeast corner):
rich soil for peanuts, pecans, corn, and
pulp production
• Low-lying freshwater wetlands
Okefenokee Swamp
• 681 square miles
• Largest swamp
in North America
• Water lies close
to the surface
creating
Freshwater
wetland
Barrier Islands
• Spanish explorers called the barrier
islands “islands of gold”
• serve as a wilderness sanctuary
• Protects the beaches from, winds, and water
erosion
• attract thousands of tourists for recreation, &
fishing
• Provides 2 deep water ports for shipping
(Savannah and Brunswick)
Continental shelf
• Georgia’s continental shelf is a portion of
the coastal plain that extends into the
ocean
• Georgia is LESS LIKELY to feel the impact
of hurricanes b/c the continental shelf
helps to move hurricanes northward
Fall Line Features
• The Fall Line, a natural boundary, separates the
Coastal Plain from the mountainous Piedmont
Plateau
• It’s the prehistoric coast line
• Many major cities are along the fall-line b/c early
settlers could not pass the rugged terrain
• Fall Line waterfalls provide power source for
several Georgia communities
Click here to return to main menu.
Section 3: Georgia’s
Climate
• ESSENTIAL QUESTION
-- How would you describe the
climate of Georgia?
Section 3:
Georgia’s Climate
• What concepts do I need to know?
-- Difference between weather and
climate
-- Effect of weather conditions on the
state
-- Different types of weather
phenomena
Georgia’s Climate
• is consistently mild with Hot, humid
summers and mild winters
• Is the reason why businesses and industries
move to Georgia
• We experience four seasons
• July is hottest month; January is coldest
Georgia’s Precipitation
• In normal year, Georgia gets 40-52 inches
of rain in central and southern regions and
65-76 inches in the northern mountains
• July is wettest month; October is driest
• From 1998 to 2002, Georgia experienced
a major drought (little or no lack precipitation)
Winds and Ocenan
Currents
• Ocean currents like the Gulf stream, and wind currents
like the Trade winds, and prevailing westerlies aided the
early explorers and settlers to reach the New World and
Georgia.
 The Trade winds helped the early explorers on
the journey to the New World
 The Gulf Stream and prevailing westerlies aided
them on their journey back to Europe
Storms over Georgia
• Georgia averages 21 tornadoes each year,
resulting in one to three deaths
• Most tornadoes in Georgia occur from March to
May
• Georgia’s most hurricane-like storm (in terms of
lives lost) occurred in Savannah in 1893
• Called the “Sea Islands Hurricane,” the storm
resulted in 1,000 deaths.
Click here to return to main menu.
Click here to return to main menu.