The United States of America

Mr. WomackGeography

Geography Statistics of the U.S.

Population: 310,303,221 Area in square miles: 3,717,796 Length of coastline: 12,373 Length of Roads: 4.08 million miles Longest river: Mississippi River

(3,710 miles) Highest Mountain: Mt. McKinley

(20,320 ft.) Major Cities: Washington D.C. (the

capital), New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Boston, Atlanta

Map Activity

Open your book to page 33 and answer these questions together as a class.

What is the relative location of the United States of America?

What latitude and longitude range is the United States in?

What are the four regions of the United States?

Northeast Region

This area has a lot of people. There are a lot of big cities. It is the smallest region in land size. There are a lot of big businesses

located here. The biggest city in the country, New

York City, is located in this region. Other important cities include

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Boston, Massachusetts.

New York City

The South

It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The land is flat along the coast, but there are more hills and forests away from the coast.

The South used to be all about growing cotton, but is more diversified today.

Important Cities in the South include: Atlanta, Georgia; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Miami, Florida.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Midwest Region

This is a huge farming region because of the good soil.

Most of the grain produced in the U.S. comes from the Midwest.

Farmers also raise corn, soybeans, and pigs.

The biggest city in the Midwest is Chicago, Illinois.

Other major cities include: Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Kansas City, Missouri.

Chicago, Illinois

The West

This is the largest region in land size. It includes 3 of the four biggest

states in land size. This region includes the Rocky

Mountains which have peaks as high as 20,000 feet.

The biggest and driest deserts are also in the West.

Most of the population in the west live in California.

Los Angeles, California

What are the main physical features of the United States?

Appalachian Mountains- In the Eastern United States from Maine to Alabama.

Rocky Mountains-In the Western United States from Alaska to New Mexico.

Cascade Mountains-Near the Pacific coast from Washington to Oregon.

Great Plains-Area of flat land or gentle rolling hills between the Appalachians and the Rockies.

Great Basin-A low area of land that is surrounded by the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade Range.

Topographic Map of the U.S.A.

AppalachianMountains

Great Plains

Great Basin

Rocky

Mounta

ins

Casca

de

Range

The Ice Age and Lakes North America has more lakes than any

other continent. During an ice age thousands of years ago,

huge glaciers covered most of the continent. As the glaciers moved, they dug deep

craters in the earth. When the ice melted, lakes formed in the

craters. The last ice age created the Great Lakes,

which hold the largest freshwater supply in the world.

The Great Lakes

Ice Age and the Mississippi River

When the glaciers melted, water ran off in large streams that became great rivers.

They formed the Mississippi River system. A river system is a group of rivers that are

joined together. The Mississippi River with its many tributaries, drains the middle of the U.S.A.

Two major tributaries to the Mississippi are the Missouri and Ohio Rivers.

The Mississippi River empties near New Orleans, Louisiana into the Gulf of Mexico and creates a delta.

Mississippi River System

How does water affect the U.S.?

Every state in the U.S. has lakes and rivers.

Often they supply cities with necessary water.

They are also used for recreation. Dams are built to store water and to

create hydroelectric power. Many of the goods from other

countries are shipped in ships across ocean.

Oceans are also a major source of oxygen and are responsible for our weather.

Water in the Ogden Area

What influences climate?

Climate is the average of weather conditions over a period of time.

Earth is tilted as it rotates in space. The Earth’s position to the sun determines

climate. The tropics is the area between the Tropic of

Cancer and Capricorn. This area gets direct sunlight so it has

warmer climates than other areas on earth. Areas north and south of the tropics only get

indirect sunlight and have colder climates.

The Tropics

What influences climate?

Temperature and precipitation also influence the earth’s climate.

Precipitation means how much rain, snow, sleet, or hail falls from the sky.

Temperature is measuring how hot or cold a region is.

Being near water or locked in by land can influence climate too.

Water can keep an area cool in the summer and warmer in the winter.

Climatic Map of the U.S.A.

What climates can be found in the U.S.A.?

The U.S. has many different climates. The Northeast and Midwest regions have a humid

continental climate. The great plains area has a steppe or semi-arid

climate with very hot summers and very cold winters.

The South has a subtropical climate with summers that are hot and humid, and mild winters.

Mountains have a big influence on climate in the west.

The higher up in the mountain, the cooler the temperature.

Orographic Lifting (Rain Shadow)

Winward Side

Leeward Side

How does Geography affect people in the U.S.A.?

People adapt to their physical environment. People in Florida do not need to buy winter

coats. People in North Dakota do. The soil in the Northeast makes it very

hard to farm. The soil in the Midwest in ideal for farming. People along some coastlines are

fishermen for a living. Where trees grow they are cut down for

lumber to build houses, ships, etc.

Culture in the U.S.A.

Culture is a way of life for a group of people.

The U.S.A. blends many different cultures.

We call this multiculturalism. We have people from all over the

world who bring their different cultures.

To understand this just look at the food that we eat and the music we listen too.

Pizza, tacos, hamburgers, and egg rolls.

Jazz, Salsa, Rap, Hip-Hop

Religions in the U.S.A.

About 92% of Americans are Christians. Christianity includes the following

religions: I. Roman Catholic II. Protestant A. Lutheran, Methodist, Anglican,

Presbyterian B. Mormon (LDS) Judaism Islam (Muslims)

Map of Religions in the U.S.A.

Languages in the U.S.A. Language is a big part of culture. The dominant language in the U.S.A. is

English. Spanish is second and increasing because

the majority of immigrants coming in are Spanish speakers.

Immigrants are people from other countries. Many immigrants adopt the English

language when they move here. Some do not, and they stick together to keep

their language and culture alive.

Where do people live in the U.S.A.?

Nearly 80% of people in the U.S.A. live in metropolitan areas.

Metropolitan areas include the city and the suburbs.

The 40 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.A. all have over a million people.

When cities run into other cities with no break we call it a megalopolis.

Most major cities are near the ocean or important rivers.

Population Map

Population trends for the U.S.A.

Our population is becoming much more diversified.

Many different people from different countries live in the U.S.A. today.

The population of the South and Southwest are growing faster than the rest of the country.

States in the Northeast and Midwest are losing population.

Population Growth-U.S.A.

Natural Resources in the U.S.A. People in the U.S.A. live better than a

lot of other people in the world because of our natural resources.

Natural resources are materials that come from nature.

There are two very important resources.

The first is rich farmland. The second in water. We grow enough food to feed

ourselves and other nations as well.

Other natural resources

Forests-which can be renewable if managed carefully.

Forests provide material for homes and wood is used make paper as well.

Coal, natural gas, and oil are important. They are non-renewable, meaning that once

they are gone we will not have them anymore.

Coal is found in the Appalachian Mountains and in Utah.

Alaska, Texas, and Louisiana have lots of oil.

Other jobs in the U.S.

Manufacturing is where something is made in a factory.

Often an assembly line is used to produce many different types of goods.

Service industry provide a service to customers.

Examples include: restaurants, tourism, car repair shops, grocery stores etc.