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World Geography
The United States
Physical Geography
The Big Idea
The United States is a large country with diverse physical features, climates, and
resources.
Main Ideas
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Major physical features of the United States include mountains, rivers, and plains.
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The climate of the United States is wetter in the East and South and drier in the West.
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The United States is rich in natural resources such as farmland, oil, forests, and minerals.
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World Geography
The United States
Main Idea 1: Major physical features of the United States include mountains, rivers,
and plains.
The United States is the third largest country. Physical features from east to west include:
Atlantic Coastal Plain
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Flat, close to sea level
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Rises to a higher level called the Piedmont
Appalachian Mountains
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Main mountain range in the East
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Millions of years of erosion so that highest peak is about 6,700 feet
Interior Plains
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Filled with hills, lakes, and rivers
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World Geography
The United States
Physical Features {continued}
Great Lakes
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The largest group of freshwater lakes in the world
Important for trade between the United States and Canada
Mississippi
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North America’s longest and most important river
Has many tributaries, or smaller streams or rivers that flow into a larger stream or river
E.g., the Missouri and Ohio rivers which help drain the entire Interior Plains.
These rivers deposit rich silt that creates the fertile farmlands of the Interior Plains.
Great Plains
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At higher elevation has vast areas of grasslands
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World Geography
The United States
Physical Features West of the Rockies
Rocky Mountains
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Enormous rugged mountain ranges that rise above 14,000 feet
Continental Divide
• A line of high peaks in the Rocky Mountains
• A continental divide is an area of high ground that divides the flow of rivers towards
opposite ends of a continent. Rivers to the east empty into the Mississippi River and to
the west into the Pacific Ocean.
Alaska and Hawaii
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At 20,320 feet, Alaska’s Mount McKinley is the highest mountain in North America.
Hawaii formed by volcanoes millions of years ago.
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World Geography
The United States
Main Idea 2: The climate of the United States is wetter in the East and South and
drier in the West.
East and South
Interior Plains
West
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Most of the region: A
humid continental
climate
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West: Mostly dry
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Pacific Northwest coast: A
wet, mild coastal climate
Great Plains: Hot and dry
summers
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Alaska: Sub-arctic and
tundra climates
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Hawaii: A warm, tropical
climate
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Northeast: Humid
continental climate with
snowy winters and warm,
humid summers
South: Humid subtropical
climate with milder
winters and warm, humid
summers
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Florida: Warm all year
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World Geography
The United States
Main Idea 3: The United States is rich in natural resources such as farmland, oil,
forests, and minerals.
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Alaska, California, or Louisiana: oil
– The U.S. is a major oil producer but uses more oil than it produces.
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Appalachians and Rockies: minerals including coal
– Coal supplies the energy for more than half of the electricity produced in the
U.S.
– The U.S. has about 25 percent of the world’s coal reserves.
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Forests: lumber
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Farmlands: wheat, corn, soybeans, cotton, fruits, and vegetables
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World Geography
The United States
History and Culture
The Big Idea
Democratic ideas and immigration have shaped the history and culture of the United
States.
Main Ideas
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The United States is the world’s first modern democracy.
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The people and culture of the United States are very diverse.
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World Geography
The United States
Main Idea 1: The United States is the world’s first modern democracy.
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1500s: Europeans settlers established colonies, or territories inhabited and controlled by
people from a foreign land.
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Mid-1700s: The British Empire included more than a dozen colonies along the Atlantic coast.
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Boston and New York became major seaports.
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Plantations, or large farms that grow mainly one crop, harvested tobacco, rice, or cotton
using enslaved Africans.
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July 1776: The colonial representatives adopted the Declaration of Independence, which
did not give rights to everyone, but was a great step toward equality and justice.
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1781: General George Washington's army defeated the British in the Revolutionary War,
which had started in Massachusetts and spread west and south.
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Britain recognized the independence of the U.S. and granted the U.S. all its land east of
the Mississippi River.
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World Geography
The United States
Expansion and Industrial Growth
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These first settlers who traveled west for land and plentiful resources were called pioneers.
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Groups of families undertook the harsh trip along the 2,000-mile Oregon Trail.
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Late 1840s: Discovery of gold brought tens of thousands of people to California.
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1850: More than 23 million people
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Late 1880s: Major steel, oil, and textile production
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Most industrial cities in Northeast and Midwest.
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The development of waterways and railroads helped industry and expansion into interior.
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Late 1800s/early 1900s: Immigration from Europe creates a culturally diverse nation.
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World Geography
The United States
Wars and Peace
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The United States fought in several wars during the 1900s.
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Many Americans died in World Wars I and II.
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The United States and the Soviet Union became rivals in the Cold War.
– 1950s: War in Korea
– 1960s and 1970s: War in Vietnam
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Early 1990s: The collapse of the Soviet Union marked the end of the Cold War.
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1991: The United States fought Iraq in the Persian Gulf War.
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2003: United States invaded Iraq and is helping Iraqis rebuild their country today.
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Today the United States is one of the most powerful members of the United Nations.
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World Geography
The United States
U.S. Government and Citizenship
Government
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A limited, democratic government with an elected president and
Congress
The Constitution defines the powers of the federal government.
The federal government handles issues affecting the whole country.
States, counties, and cities have their own governments that provide
state and local services, such as trash collection, road building,
electricity, and public transportation.
Rights and Responsibilities
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U.S. citizens have the right to vote from age 18.
Citizens are encouraged to participate in their government.
Participation is essential to democratic government.
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World Geography
The United States
Main Idea 2: The people and culture of the United States are very diverse.
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Many came from Mexico, Cuba, and other Latin American countries.
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Most live in the southwestern states that border Mexico.
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For thousands of years, Native Americans were the only people in
the Americas.
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Today most live in the west, particularly in Arizona and New Mexico.
African Americans
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African Americans live in every region, but southern states and many
large cities have a higher percentage.
European Descendents
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About 7 out of every 10 people
Asian Americans
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Live mostly in California
Hispanic Americans
Native Americans
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World Geography
The United States
Language and Religion
Language
Religion
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After English, Spanish is the most widely spoken language.
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About 17 million Americans speak Spanish.
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Over 50 million are bilingual, or speak two languages.
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Most people are Christians. Some are Jewish or Muslim. A small
percentage is Hindu or Buddhist.
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Many religious holidays: Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah, Yom Kippur,
Rosh Hashanah, Ramadan and the feast called ‘Id al-Fitr
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African Americans also celebrate Kwanzaa, a holiday that is based on
a traditional African festival.
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World Geography
The United States
Food, Music, and Popular Culture
Food and Music
Popular Culture
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Diverse ethnic foods like Mexican tacos, Italian pasta, or Japanese
sushi are now part of the American diet.
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Music from around the world have also influenced American culture.
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American musical styles include blues, jazz, rock, and hip hop.
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American culture, such as movies, television programs, and sports,
are popular abroad.
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E.g., Star Wars seen by millions, baseball in Japan, Starbucks in
almost every major city, and an MTV channel in Asia
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World Geography
The United States
The United States Today
The Big Idea
The United States has four main regions and faces opportunities and challenges.
Main Ideas
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The United States has four regions—the Northeast, South, Midwest, and West.
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The United States has a strong economy and a powerful military but is facing the challenge
of world terrorism.
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World Geography
The United States
Main Idea 1: The United States has four regions—the Northeast, South, Midwest,
and West.
The Northeast
The South
• Industrial and financial centers
• Rich farmlands grow cotton, tobacco, and
citrus fruit.
• Economy: banks, investment firms, insurance
companies, respected universities
• This region is becoming more urban and
industrialized.
• Rich farmland, coal, steel production, and fishing
– Atlanta metropolis has grown from 1
• Most densely populated region in the U.S. with
million in 1960 to 4 million today.
40 million people
• Cities from Boston to Washington, D.C. form a
megalopolis, or a string of large cities that have
grown together.
• Cities founded in colonial era became important
seaports.
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– Research Triangle in North Carolina is
growing high-tech area.
– Texas Gulf Coast and lower
Mississippi Rover areas have huge oil
refineries and petrochemical plants.
• Important trade centers with Mexico and
Central and South American countries.
E.g., Miami
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World Geography
The United States
The Midwest and the West
The Midwest
• One of the most productive farming regions in
the world
• Crops: corn, wheat, and soybeans
• Dairy farms in Wisconsin, Michigan, and
Minnesota
• Major cities are located near the Mississippi and
Ohio Rivers and the Great Lakes because
products are easily shipped to and from these
centers.
– Detroit, Michigan, is the country’s
leading automobile producer.
– Chicago, Illinois, is the third largest city in
the nation.
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The West
• Large open spaces with major cities on the
Pacific Coast
• More than 10 percent of the nation lives in
California, where farming, technology, and
entertainment are important industries.
• Economy of other states: ranching and
growing wheat
• Mineral resources: coal, oil, gold, silver,
copper, and others
• Oregon and Washington: forestry and
fishing
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Seattle: Washington’s largest city with
many industries.
• Alaska: oil, forests, and fish
• Hawaii: pineapple, sugarcane, and tourism
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World Geography
The United States
Main Idea 3: The United States has a strong economy and a powerful military but is
facing the challenge of world terrorism.
Economy
Military
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Largest economy in the world
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Many natural resources, modern technologies, and jobs
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Beneficial trade with Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, and Europe
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1992: The North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, has made
trade easier with Mexico and Canada.
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A powerful military to protect the U.S.
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Helps other countries defend themselves
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World Geography
The United States
Terrorism
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September 11, 2001: Terrorists hijacked four American jets and crashed them into the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
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The hijackers wanted to disrupt the U.S. economy with terrorism, or violent attacks that
cause fear.
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President George W. Bush declared war on terrorism and established the Department of
Homeland Security.
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The U.S. sent forces to Afghanistan to kill or capture members of al Qaeda, a terrorist
group, and established a new democratic government in the country.
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2003: Bush believed Iraq was another threat and ordered an invasion of Iraq.
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World leaders are working with the U.S. to combat terrorism.
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World Geography
The United States
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The United States
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