Exploring the LandExploring the Land

Physical Geography Physical Geography of Anglo Americaof Anglo America

America the America the BeautifulBeautiful

• O beautiful for spacious skies, O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! Above the fruited plain! America! America! America! America! God shed his grace on thee God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with And crown thy good with brotherhood brotherhood From sea to shining sea! From sea to shining sea!

Coastal PlainsCoastal Plains• Atlantic Coastal

Plains – NE United States

• Gulf Coastal Plains – Southern United States

• Piedmont- rolling hills with fast streams and rivers

Appalachian Highlands

• Appalachian Mountains: mountain chain that extends 1,600 miles from Canada to Alabama.

• The Appalachian Mountains are more than 400 million years old and have been eroded down by the elements.

• Many of the peaks are only between 1,200 and 2,400 feet high.

The Great Plains

Plains of the United States

GreatGreatBasinBasin

Central P

lains

Central P

lainsGulf Coastal PlainsGulf Coastal Plains

Atla

ntic

Coa

stal

Atla

ntic

Coa

stal

Pla

ins

Pla

ins

The Great Plains = Midwest • The Great Plains is

known as “America’s Breadbasket” due to its fertile soil and vast grasslands.

• The Canadian Shield lies farther north of the Interior Lowlands. It is mostly rocky flat land near the Hudson Bay.

Mountains and PlateausC

asca

de M

ts.

Cas

cade

Mts

.

Sierra N

evada M

ts.

Sierra N

evada M

ts.

^ Mt. Whitney^ Mt. Whitney

Rocky Mts.

Rocky Mts.

^ Pike’s Peak^ Pike’s Peak

App

alac

hian

Mts

.

App

alac

hian

Mts

.

Adi

rond

ack

Mts

.

Adi

rond

ack

Mts

.

Alaskan RangeAlaskan Range^ Mt. McKinley^ Mt. McKinley

The West: The Rocky Mountains

• The Rocky Mountains extend 3,000 miles from Alaska to New Mexico.

• The Rocky Mountains are still a young mountain change (80 million years old), so the erosion process has yet to start.

• The highest peak reaches 12,000 feet high!

Continental DivideThe Continental Divide is the highest points in the Rocky Mountains. It marks the separation between rivers flowing west and east.

Islands• Canada has three

islands near the Artic circle: Ellesmere, Victoria, and Baffin

• Greenland is the largest island in North America

Victoria Is.

Ellesmere Is.

Baffin Is.

Greenland

Islands• The Hawaiian islands

lie in the central Pacific Ocean.

• The Hawaiian islands are not geographically part of North America, but are politically part of the United States

• The Hawaiian Islands are known for its lush tropical vegetation, volcanic activity, and pretty beaches….perfect vacation hot spot!

Deserts• Mohave Desert – 3,000

• Death Valley, CA - 3.3 million acres, 95% wilderness.

Bodies of Water

Chesapeake Chesapeake BayBay

LakeLakeOkeechobeeOkeechobee

Great Great Salt LakeSalt Lake

The Great Lakes

Using the Great Lakes…

Niagara Falls

US side

Canadian side

Rivers

Ohio R.Ohio R.M

ississipp

i R.

Mississip

pi R

.

Arkansas R.

Arkansas R.

Rio Grande R.

Rio Grande R.

Colorado R.

Colorado R.

Columbia R.Columbia R.

Missouri R

.

Missouri R

.

Hudson R

.

Hudson R

.

Potomac R.Potomac R.

St. L

awre

nce

R.

St. L

awre

nce

R.

The Mississippi: America’s The Mississippi: America’s Great River RoadGreat River Road

•The “Big Muddy”.• 2,350 miles.• Draining all or part of 31 states & 2 Canadian provinces.• Covers 40% of the U. S.

The Great Salt Lake

•2000 square miles.• 10’ – 28’ deep.• 6 times saltier than the oceans.

National Forests

Glacier National Park, MTMt. Rushmore

National Park, SD

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Everglades National Park, FL Yellowstone National Park, MT