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The American Journey
(History of Our Nation)
A Meeting of Different Worlds
Unit 1: Geography, Early Americans,
Exploration, and Colonization
SECTION 1 – Geography of the Americas
• Geography: The study of people, their
environment, and their resources
• History: An account of what has happened in
the lives of different peoples.
• 5 Themes of Geography
5 Themes of Geography
1. Location
2. Place
3. Interaction Between People
and Their Environment
4. Movement
5. Region
Forward
5 Themes of Geography
1. Location
–
Longitude: Lines measuring distances east and
west from the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) which
runs through Greenwich, England.
–
Latitude: Lines measuring distances north and
south from the Equator (0° latitude)
–
Exact Location
•
–
Ste. Genevieve, MO is located at: 38°N/90°W
Relative Location
Next
Themes
Themes
5 Themes of Geography
2. Place
–
Physical features
• Climate, soil, plant life, bodies of water
–
Human features
• Housing, transportation, economy, languages,
religions
Themes
5 Themes of Geography
3. Interaction Between People
and Their Environment
–
The environment affects people
–
People affect the environment
Themes
5 Themes of Geography
4. Movement
•
Occurs because people and resources are
scattered unevenly around the globe.
–
–
–
•
People
Goods
Ideas
Push-Pull factors of migration
Themes
5 Themes of Geography
5. Region
–
An area of the world that has similar, unifying
characteristics:
•
•
Physical
Human and cultural
Themes
Geographical Maps
• Types of maps used when studying
American History include:
– Political
– Physical
– Population
– Economic
– Natural resource
Maps
Political Map
(people-created boundaries)
Physical Map
(natural features)
(more)
Physical Map
(natural features)
Population Map
(people)
Economic Map
(how people make a living)
Natural Resource Map
(links between resources & how people use the land)
Maps
• Other types of maps used when studying
American History include:
– Election maps
– Product maps
– Battle maps
• Maps show connections between
geography and history.
Maps
• Cartographers are mapmakers
• Map projections are ways of drawing the Earth
on a flat surface
– Mercator projection
• Shows true shapes of landmasses
• Distorts size, especially for places far from Equator
– Robinson projection
• Shows correct sizes and shapes of landmasses for
most parts of the world
4 Basic Types of Landforms in the U.S.
1. Mountains
– High, steep, rugged
– Rise to elevation of at least 1,000 feet above
surrounding land
2. Hills
– Lower, less steep, more rounded
3. Plains
– Broad areas, fairly level; few are totally flat
– Not much higher than sea level
4. Plateaus
– Large raised areas; flat or gently rolling
– Range from 100s to 1,000s of feet above sea level
– Basins are plateaus surrounded by mountains
8 Physical Regions of U.S. & Natural Features
1. Pacific Coast
– Tall mountain ranges
– Cascades, Sierra Nevada
2. Intermountain
– Mountain peaks, high plateaus, deep canyons, deserts
– Grand Canyon, Great Salt Lake
3. Rocky Mountains
– Includes some of the highest peaks in North America
– A serious barrier to European settlement
4. Interior Plains
–
–
–
–
Large lowland area
Some parts rich in coal and petroleum; others have fertile soil
Great Plains (western part – dry)
Central Plains (eastern part)
8 Physical Regions of U.S. & Natural Features
5.
Appalachian Mountains
–
–
–
–
6.
Lower and less rugged than Rockies
Heavily forested
Early European settlers had difficult time crossing
Has different names in different areas
• Green Mountains, Alleghenies, Blue Ridge,
Great Smokies
Coastal Plains
–
–
7.
Gulf Plain – large deposits of petroleum
Atlantic Plain – almost flat
Canadian Shield
–
–
8.
Lowland area, hills and plains (mostly in eastern Canada)
Rich in minerals; lacks topsoil for farming
Hawaiian Islands
–
–
8 large islands and many smaller ones
Islands are tops of volcanoes (some are still active)
Physical Regions of the U.S.
U.S. Rivers and Lakes
• The Mississippi and Missouri rivers make up the
longest and most important river system in the U.S.
• This river system flows through the Interior Plains into
the Gulf of Mexico.
• Many tributaries (streams and smaller rivers) flow into
this river system.
– Among them are the Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas, and
Platte rivers
• The Mississippi carries moisture across the Interior
Plains and serves as a means of transportation.
U.S. Rivers and Lakes
• Borders between nations
– Rivers sometimes serve as political boundaries, forming parts of
borders
• Rio Grande (between U.S. and Mexico)
• St. Lawrence (between U.S. and Canada)
– The Great Lakes form part of the border between the U.S. and
Canada – today, canals connect the 5 lakes, forming a major
inland waterway
• Superior
• Michigan
• Huron
• Erie
• Ontario