The Northeast

Region

What are the BIG IDEAS about the environment

of the Northeast?• From the mountains to the

coast• Forests and farms• Seaways and cities

Along the Atlantic Coast

What are the 2 major landforms of the

Northeast?•Atlantic Coastal Plain•Mountain Ranges

The Atlantic Coastal Plain•Landform that is shared with the Southeast region•Flat land along the Atlantic coast with many deep harbors•Allows cities such as Philadelphia and NYC to easily trade with other regions and countries•**This has helped make the Northeast an important trading center.**•Many bays that border the jagged Atlantic coast—provide seafood

Quick check!What features make up the

Atlantic Coastal Plain?Flat land

Deep harborsMajor cities

Bays

Mountain RangesAppalachian Mountains—mountain chain that runs through Northeast and SoutheastMade up of several smaller groups of mountain chains (Green Mountains, White Mountains, Catskill Mountains, and Allegheny Mountains)

Not very high due to wind, water, and ice wearing them down

Appalachian Trail—longest marked footpath in the world

*stretches from Maine to Georgia for more than 2,000 miles

Trees and forests•Trees grow well due to closeness to ocean and lots of precipitation.•Two types of trees: Broadleaf—wide leaves, change color in autumnNeedleleaf—long, thin, needle-like leaves that do not change color in autumn; also called “evergreens”

A Colorful Environmen

t

Why four seasons?

•Earth spins on a tilt as it circles the sun•Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun in July, making it warmer•Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun in December, making it colder

Fall Foliage•Leaves stop making green pigment when the temperature falls in autumn•Without the green pigment, other colors in the leaves show through.

Natural ResourcesSoil

*Best soil for growing crops found in Middle Atlantic states*Lettuce, sweet corn, tomatoes, and onions*New England soil is rockier*Most farmers raise animals

Trees*Important natural resource*Used to make paper and pencils

Water*Atlantic Ocean—important!*Thousands of freshwater lakes and underground springs inland

Rock and Stone*Large deposits of granite in VT and NH*Rocks and stone are mined from quarries

Seaways and Cities

St. Lawrence River•1959—St. Lawrence Seaway was completed•Made it possible to travel from Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes•Connects northeastern cities such as Buffalo to cities in Canada, like Montreal, Quebec•A system of canals was built so it was easier for large ships to travel on the St. Lawrence River.• Locks on the canal help ships move from one level to another

Cities Rise in the Northeast•Construction of buildings, highways, bridges, and tunnels as people moved to the region• Largest cities in the Northeast and the country—Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, D.C.•Suburbs sprung up close to the large citiesNew forms of transportation allowed people to move away from the city (subways, buses, cars)

People could commute to work•Suburbs and urban areas (cities) make up a metropolitan areaNortheast has more metropolitan areas than any other region