Life East of the Mississippi

Life East of the Mississippi

Physical Features ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How does geography influence the way people live? ~The United States can be divided into regions based on physical characteristics. Learning about each region will help you better understand our nation s geographic diversity. The Regions The most basic way to divide the United States is into two regions: the United States east of the Mississippi and the United States west of the Mississippi. The Mississippi River is the dividing line between the two regions. Geographers can further divide regions into smaller parts called subregions. Like a region, a subregion has special features that make it unique. The United States east of the Mississippi is made up of four subregions: New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, and the Southeast.

New England New England is the subregion located in the northeastern corner of the United States, between Canada and the Atlantic Ocean. Many of the first English colonists who came to America during the 1600s settled in this area. The settlers named the area New England in hopes to create a new England in the New World.

The Mid-Atlantic The Middle Atlantic map includes the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, as well as the southern New England states, southern New York, and eastern Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. This historic region, where the first colonists settled, the Declaration of Independence was signed, and many of the Revolutionary War battles were fought, is the birthplace of America. The Mid-Atlantic region is comprised of the Appalachians and their foothills, as well as the Atlantic Coastal Plain. To the north and northwest, it is bordered by the easternmost Great Lakes.

The Midwest The states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin are part of the subregion called the Midwest. All five of these states share borders with one or more of the Great Lakes. The Midwest is nicknamed the nation s breadbasket because a large percentage of America s food crops are grown in its rich soil.

The Southeast The Southeast is the largest subregion in the eastern United States. The Southeast is made up of 11 states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Some Southeastern states have long coastal borders where they meet the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.

The Atlantic Ocean The eastern United States is nearly surrounded by water. The largest body of water east of the Mississippi is the Atlantic Ocean. The East Coast is a shoreline that stretches for more than 2,000 miles (3,219 km), from Maine in the north to Florida in the south. The Atlantic Ocean affects the region s land, weather, economy, and people in many ways.

The Gulf of Mexico The Gulf Coast borders a smaller body of water called the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico covers an area of about 600,000 square miles and is nearly surrounded by land. Several currents flow through the Gulf of Mexico like giant underwater rivers. One of the currents feeds into the Gulf Stream, a powerful current that flows through the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf Coast extends from Florida to Texas and Mexico. Waters in the Gulf of Mexico are warmer and generally calmer than those of the Atlantic.

The Great Lakes The term Great Lakes refers to a cluster of five huge lakes located in the American Midwest and central Canada. These lakes were formed thousands of years ago when massive glaciers carved out the ground and melted over time. The Great Lakes form the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world. Together, the Great Lakes hold more liquid freshwater than any other location on Earth. Moving from west to east, the Great Lakes are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. The five lakes are connected. Water flows west to east from one lake to the next, eventually making its way to the long St. Lawrence River.

The St. Lawrence Seaway The St. Lawrence River carries the water eastward for 750 miles, until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. During the 1950s, the United States and Canada worked together to build canals and gated passageways called locks between the Great Lakes and into the St. Lawrence River. The locks and canals made it possible for ships to travel the entire length of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. The final passageway, extending 2,340 miles from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean, is called the St. Lawrence Seaway. The St. Lawrence Seaway connects the Midwest to seaports all over the world. This has made it faster and easier for businesses in the Midwest to ship their products to buyers worldwide.

The Mississippi River The Mighty Mississippi is one of the longest rivers in North America; From its source in Minnesota, the Mississippi River winds its way southward for 2,350 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. Since early settlers arrived in America, the Mississippi River has affected the settlement patterns, the economy, and the lifestyles of countless Americans. In the past, the Mississippi would often flood its banks, dumping millions of tons of water and sediment onto the land; the sediment enriched the soil in farm fields, but the floods also destroyed homes and washed away entire fields of crops. The government built levees embankments to control the flooding and reduce the damage to homes and crops; Unfortunately, levees also block the sediment that used to replenish farm fields. The powerful Mississippi River has influenced the nation s history more than any other river. The river s importance, and the respect humans have for it, is shown in its name: Mississippi is a Choctaw word meaning Great Water or Father of Waters.

The Ohio River The Ohio River carries more water to the Mississippi River than any of the other tributaries. The Ohio River begins in western Pennsylvania. From Pennsylvania, the Ohio River flows westward for 981 miles, forming a wide, watery border that separates the states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois that lie along the north side of the river from West Virginia and Kentucky on its south side. Like the Mississippi, the Ohio River has long been an important shipping and transportation route. The Ohio River connects much of the Midwest to the Mississippi River.

Rivers as Boundaries Rivers make natural boundaries. The Mississippi River forms much of the western border of the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Rivers are boundaries for counties and cities, too. For example, the Tennessee River in northwest Alabama forms the border between Lauderdale County and Colbert County. Rivers are examples of physical systems that form political boundaries. Mountains and lakes are other physical features that may be used as political boundaries.

Physical Landscape Guiding Question: What characteristics make the physical landscape east of the Mississippi unique? The Atlantic Coastal Plain The East Coast of the United States sits at the edge of a huge continental platform. Most of this platform is underwater, forming a shelf around the Atlantic coastline. But over time, a large area of the platform rose above sea level and ocean waves washed over the platform for millions of years, leaving behind layers of sandy sediment. As the sediment built up, a flat lowland called the coastal plain formed. The coastal plain stretches from the northeastern U.S. to Mexico. In places, the coastal plain was crushed under the weight of glaciers, pushing the land below sea level and these areas often become flooded by fierce storms and heavy rains.

Atlantic Coastal Plains

The Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountain system is the oldest, longest chain of mountains in the United States east of the Mississippi River. It begins in Alabama and continues 1,500 miles (2,414 km) northeast to the Canadian border. Dense forests cover much of the Appalachian Mountains, which are known for their rugged beauty. The mountains of the Appalachian system stand side by side in parallel ranges. Two of the most well-known Appalachian Mountain ranges are the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee.

Appalachians ctd. These mountain ranges were formed from sedimentary rock by powerful upheavals within Earth s crust. The mountains have worn down over time because of natural erosion. Compared to younger mountain ranges such as the Rockies in the western United States, the Appalachian Mountains show their age in their worn, rounded appearance. Old-growth forests are filled with diverse plant and animal life.

Appalachian Mtns. Some of the most spectacular features of the Appalachians are the thousands of waterfalls that decorate the landscape. The many waterfalls are evidence that a fall line runs through the region. A fall line is an area where waterfalls flow from higher to lower ground. In this region, a fall line stretches for hundreds of miles between New Jersey and South Carolina. The fall line forms a boundary between higher, upland areas and the Atlantic coastal plain. Many cities originally located along the fall line because waterfalls provide water power, a renewable resource.

Climate in the Eastern U.S. The climate of the eastern United States is as varied as the landscape. The changing seasons in most places east of the Mississippi are quite noticeable. New England and the Midwest see the most dramatic seasonal changes. These regions have cold winters and hot, humid summers. Autumn is cool and colorful as the leaves change color. Springtime brings rainy and snowy weather and strong storms.

Climate in Coastal Areas In general, climates of the eastern United States are more humid and rainy than climates of the West. Coastal areas tend to have mild climates: States along the East Coast still experience seasons, but temperatures are less extreme than they are inland. States located farther south experience milder changes in seasons. Much of the Southeast has a humid subtropical climate. Summers are rainy and hot, and winters are cooler and drier. In late summer and early autumn, hurricanes ocean storms that span hundreds of miles with winds of at least 74 miles per hour - can pound the coastline. One of the most damaging hurricanes in history, Hurricane Katrina, struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005. More than 1,800 people died, and hundreds of thousands lost their homes.

Minerals and Energy Sources A wealth of resources is hidden below the surface of the region, and two of the most valuable materials are minerals and energy resources. Minerals are natural substances such as iron ore, gold, and zinc. Energy resources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, are called fossil fuels. Burning coal can produce electricity. Oil is processed into fuel for cars and other vehicles. Natural gas is used to heat our homes and to generate electricity. Mining resources is a major industry in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River. Minerals and energy resources are mined from inside mountains and from deep under the ground. Some mining methods harm the environment by damaging the land and polluting the water, soil, and air.

Farming and Industry One of the other most valuable resources east of the Mississippi River is farmland. The rich soil is excellent for growing crops such as grains, fruits, and vegetables. Sandy soils in the Southeast are good for growing cotton. Excellent growing conditions have helped the region become a major producer of meat, dairy foods, wood, cotton, sugar, corn, wheat, soybeans, and other food crops. Industries such as logging, mining, and fishing are a way of life throughout the region. Products such as automobiles, electronics, and clothing are made in factories in these cities.