Download Chapter One: An Introduction to “Our Country`s

Chapter One: An Introduction
to “Our Country’s Geography”
United States History
Our Country’s Geography:
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Lesson 1: Land and Regions
Lesson 2: Bodies of Water
Lesson 3: Climate and Vegetation Regions
Lesson 4: Using the Land
Lesson 5: Where People Live
and Work
Vocabulary: Lesson 1
 Landform
 Mountain Range
 Piedmont
 Plateau
 Basin
 Volcano
Land Form Regions
 Since the geography of the US is so different, it
has been divided into Landform Regions.
 Landforms are physical features on the earth’s
surface.
 Can someone give me an example of a
landform?
 Here is a hint:
America’s Largest Mountains
 The United States has two main mountain
ranges…What are they? Rocky and
Appalachians
 What is the definition of a Mountain Range?
 What is the definition of a piedmont? An area at
or near the foot of a mountain.
 On what coast would you find the Appalachian
Mountains? The Rockies?
 Why are the Rocky Mountains more sharp and
jagged while the Appalachians are worn down?
Appalachian Mountains
These Mountains were formed over 250
Million years ago, and have been worn
down over time.
The Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are 25 million years old. Peaks in the
Rockies are twice as tall as those in the Appalachian Range.
Regions of Plains
 The two largest Landform Regions in the United
States are the Coastal Plain and the Interior Plain.
 The Coastal Plain region runs from the Atlantic Ocean
in Massachusetts and runs to the Gulf of Mexico into
Texas.
 The Interior Plains stretch across the middle of North
America.
 Sea Level is the level of the surface of the oceans.
 A plateau is a broad area of high, mostly flat land.\
 Where on the Map could you find the Gulf Coastal
Plains?
Answer:
The Gulf Coastal Plains can be found in the
Southeastern Part of the United States.
A Region of Plains, Basins, &
Plateaus.
 The Great Basin is
located in Nevada
and part of 5
neighboring states
 Death Valley in
California is 280 feet
below sea level.
 Basin: Low bowl
shaped land with high
land all around it.
Volcano
 Opening in the earth
through which hot lava
gases, ash, and rocks
may pour out.
 Sometimes the lava and
ash rush up to form a
mountain.
Bodies of Water: Oceans
 From Largest to Smallest: the Pacific, the
Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, and the Artic Ocean.
 The Pacific Ocean alone covers more than 1/3
of the Earth’s surface.
 A Current is that part of a body of water flowing
in a certain direction.
 Tides are the regular rise and fall of an ocean
and of the bodies of water connected to it.
Gulfs, Bays, & Inlets
 An inlet is any area of water extending into
the land from a larger body of water.
 A sound is a long inlet that often separates
offshore islands from the mainland.
 The Great Lakes are the worlds largest
collection of freshwater lakes.
 Can you name the Great Lakes?
The Great Lakes