Download Physical Regions of the United-States

Name _____________________________________________________ Period _________
Unit: Geography and Native Americans
Date __________
REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES
Region name
ATLANTIC
COASTAL PLAIN
APPALACHIAN
MOUNTAINS
CENTRAL
LOWLANDS
GREAT PLAINS
WESTERN
MOUNTAINS
BASINS
Describe how the regions’ physical features influenced human activity and/or
settlements.
THE ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN
The Atlantic Coastal Plain stretches along the coast from Maine to Florida and wraps around to
include the coastline to Texas. Much of this area was forest before early European settlers
turned it into farmland. At the coastline, the many natural harbors allowed early settlers to
establish cities that became centers of trade and commerce (business). As a result, early
European settlements were concentrated in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region. The Atlantic
Coastal Plain rises up to a hilly area, known as the Piedmont, as it approaches the Appalachians.
THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
The Appalachian Mountains cover much of the eastern part of the United States. They extend
from Maine in the north to Alabama in the south. The ancient Appalachian Mountains were
formed by the folding and wrinkling of the Earth’s crust. Thousands of years ago, the
Appalachians were higher than they are today. Over time, their peaks eroded and became
rounded instead of jagged peaks. The Appalachian Mountains are almost entirely forested.
Early European immigrants made good use of the valuable timber by building homes or selling
this natural resource. However, these mountains were difficult for the early European settlers
to cross because they presented an almost unbroken chain with few gaps. Settlements were not
made on the mountains but in the valleys such as the Mohawk Valley in upstate New York and
the Lebanon Valley in Pennsylvania.
THE CENTRAL LOWLANDS
To the west of the Appalachians are the Central Lowlands. The northern part of this region was
once scraped by glaciers (huge moving sheets of ice). This area is like a sheet of rock and
contains many mineral deposits, such as iron, silver, gold and other metals. Farther south,
where the elevation is lower, glaciers and winds deposited soil and silt, making the land well
suited for farming. In fact, this area of the Central Lowlands is among the most fertile regions
of the United States. After the French and Indian War in the 1750s and again after the
American Revolution in the 1780s, Americans pushed westward to reach this area known as the
Ohio River Valley. They desired to leave the crowded coast and start their own farms. The
eastern part of the Central Lowlands is grasslands and wildflowers known as prairies. The
Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers run through this vast region.
THE GREAT PLAINS
West of the Mississippi River, the grasslands become drier and hillier. This region is known as
the Great Plains. These plains were once covered with sod and grasses. Today, the Great
Plains, along with the Central Lowlands, have some of the most productive farmland in the world.
These two regions provide vast amounts of staple crops such as corn and wheat. Livestock such
as cattle and hogs are also raised in these regions. In the early 1850s Americans pushed west
in record numbers. At first, the Great Plains was simply seen as an area to cross in order to
reach the west coast. But by the 1860s, Americans began settling the Great Plains for farming.
THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS
To the west of the Great Plains, the land rises sharply forming the Rocky Mountains. These
mountains extend from Canada in the north to Mexico in the south. Farther west are the
Cascade and Sierra Nevada Ranges and finally the Pacific Coastal Ranges. Some of these
mountains were formed by volcanoes. Most of them, like the Appalachian Mountains, were
formed by the shifts and folds of the Earth’s crust. Much of this region receives little rainfall.
Settlers moving west endured harsh and even deadly conditions crossing these mountain ranges.
THE BASINS
The Great Basin lies between the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Sierra Nevada Mountains
to the west. Because it is dry and desert-like, the Great Basin is sparsely populated. By
contrast, the valleys that run between the Sierra Nevada and the Pacific Coastal Ranges from
Washington to central California are basins that have excellent soils, moderate rainfall, almost
continuous sunshine, and a temperate climate. These conditions make for a long growing season.
As a result, these areas are more densely populated than the Great Basin with both people and
farms