Geography of the Americas

• ____________________: The study of people, their environment, and their resources

• ________________: An account of what has happened in the lives of different peoples.

• ______________ of Geography

5 Themes of Geography

1. __________________– 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:

________________________

– Relative Location

5 Themes of Geography

2. ____________

– Physical features• Climate, soil, plant life, bodies of water

– Human features• Housing, transportation, economy, languages,

religions

5 Themes of Geography

3. Interaction Between People and Their Environment

– The environment affects people.

– People affect the environment.

5 Themes of Geography

4. __________________• Occurs because people and resources are

scattered unevenly around the globe.

• __________ – __________ factors of migration.

– People– Goods– Ideas

5 Themes of Geography

5. ______________

– An area of the world that has similar, unifying characteristics:

• Physical• Human and cultural

Geographical Maps

• Types of maps used when studying American History include:

– ____________________:

People-created boundaries

– __________________: Natural features

– ______________________:

People

Geographical Maps

• Types of maps used when studying American History include:

– __________________:

How people make a living

– ____________________________________:

Links between resources

and how people use the land

Maps

• Other types of maps used when studying American History include:

– Election maps– Product maps– Battle maps

• Maps show _____________________ between

___________________ and _______________

Maps

• _________________________ are mapmakers

• ________ ________________________ are ways of drawing the Earth on a flat surface

– ____________________ projection• Shows true shapes of landmasses• Distorts size, especially for places far from Equator

– ______________________ projection• Shows correct sizes and shapes of landmasses for

most parts of the world

4 Basic Types of Landforms in the U.S.

1. ____________________– High, steep, rugged– Rise to elevation of at least 1,000 feet above

surrounding land

2. ____________– Lower, less steep, more rounded

3. ______________– Broad areas, fairly level; few are totally flat– Not much higher than sea level

4. __________________– Large raised areas; flat or gently rolling– Range from 100s to 1,000s of feet above sea level– ___________ are plateaus surrounded by mountains

8 Physical Regions of U.S. & Natural Features

1. ________________ ____________– Tall mountain ranges– Cascades, Sierra Nevada

2. ____________________________– Mountain peaks, high plateaus, deep canyons, deserts– Grand Canyon, Great Salt Lake

3. ____________ ____________________– Includes some of the highest peaks in North America– A serious barrier to European settlement

4. __________________ ______________– 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. _______________________ __________________– 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

6. ________________ ______________– Gulf Plain – large deposits of petroleum– Atlantic Plain – almost flat

7. __________________ ______________– Lowland area, hills and plains (mostly in eastern Canada)– Rich in minerals; lacks topsoil for farming

8. __________________ ________________– 8 large islands and many smaller ones– Islands are tops of volcanoes (some are still active)

U.S. Rivers and Lakes

• The _________________________ and ___________________ 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 ______________________________.

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 ____________ ____________ 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

Geographical Maps

• Types of maps used when studying American History include:

– Political:

____________________________________– Physical:

____________________________________– Population:

____________________________________

Geographical Maps

• Types of maps used when studying American History include:

– Economic:

____________________________________

– Natural resource:

____________________________________

____________________________________