Physical Geography of the United States
Landforms
• At over 3.5 million square miles, the United States
is the third-largest country in the world.
• Glacial activity and tectonic plate movement
created the many landforms of the United States.
• The Pacific Ranges and the Rocky Mountains
mark the western region, with some elevations over
20,000 feet.
• The flat landscape of the Great Plains lies in the
center.
• Going east, the geologically older, but shorter
Appalachian Mountains extend to the Piedmont’s
fertile plateau, then the Atlantic Coastal Plain
hems the shore.
Physical Geography of the United States
Water Systems
• The many lakes, rivers, and tributaries helped
encourage economic develop along their shores.
• The Mississippi River in the east and the Colorado
River and Rio Grande in the west form two major
waterways.
• The Continental Divide, a high ridge in the Rockies,
determines the direction of river flow.
• Formed when glacier basins filled with water, the
Great Lakes are part of the St. Lawrence Seaway
System, a series of waterways that connect to the
Atlantic Ocean.
Physical Geography of the United States
Climate, Biomes, and Resources
•
The large size of the United States leads to
many variations in climate and vegetation.
•
The oceans moderate temperature in coastal
regions, while the interior experiences more
extreme conditions.
•
Rich in natural resources such as water,
timber, fish, minerals, and fossil fuels, the
United States helped speed industrialization
and became one of the most prosperous
countries in the world.
Human Geography of the United States
History and Geography
• The physical environment played a significant role in
the development of the United States.
• Native Americans, descendants of the first waves of
migrations, occupied North America until the
Europeans began immigrating in the 1500s.
• After gaining independence, the country nearly
doubled in territory, gaining valuable land and
resources.
• Industrialization and the great waves of
immigrants who came to work in the United States
made the population more mobile and urbanized.
Human Geography of the United States
Population Patterns
• More than 315 million people live in the United
States.
• The aging of the population will cause challenges in
government and health care costs.
• Population is increasing in Sunbelt states as
manufacturing has declined in the North and Great
Lakes region.
• Densely populated urban areas like the megalopolis
between Boston and Washington, D.C. attract
residents with economic opportunity.
Human Geography of the United States
Society and Culture Today
•
With its long history of immigration, the population
of the United States is one of the most diverse
countries in the world.
•
This diverse population, coupled with the core
value of religious freedom, contributed to the wide
range of religions practiced today.
•
The family remains important but the role of
women is changing as more women seek
employment and continue to outpace men in
earning college degrees.
•
Art and music, like jazz, developed by blending the
influences of the country’s vast immigrant
communities.
Human Geography of the United States
Economic Activities
•
The free market economy in the United States
helped establish its great economic power.
•
The economy has evolved from its agricultural
origins to manufacturing to the postindustrial
economy of today.
•
Good transportation and reliable communications
networks are critical pieces that enable the economy
to function.
•
The downturn beginning in 2008 caused by the
subprime mortgage crisis is improving, but more
growth is needed to return the United States to robust
health.
JOB-GROWTH CHANGE, 2009–13
People and Their Environment: The United States
Managing Resources
• Modern life poses a threat to the abundant natural
resources in the United States.
• Conservation efforts by citizens and from all levels of
government have increased to ensure resources will
continue to flourish in the future.
• Resource management includes understanding and
respecting the balances that exist in natural
ecosystems.
• Efforts to reverse the damage have begun but more
is needed to achieve sustainable levels.
People and Their Environment: The United States
Human Impact
• Acid rain and smog are consequences of human
pollution of the air and water.
• Water pollution speeds eutrophication, which
encourages the excessive algae growth that depletes
water’s oxygen and suffocates fish.
• Projected water shortages could turn into droughts
that cause billions of dollars in crop and livestock
losses.
People and Their Environment: The United States
Addressing the Issues
•
The United States is continually improving its protection
of the environment by using clean-air practices,
searching for renewable sources of energy, and
reducing waste.
•
Federal legislation, such as the Clean Water Act and
the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, has
helped restore water quality throughout the country.
•
The government is working to curb environmental
damage by encouraging the use of renewable energy
sources and offering incentives for companies to limit
emissions.