The 5 Regions of the
United States
Chapter 11
6th Grade Social Studies
Sec 1. The Northeastern U.S.

Smallest but most
populated
 Founded during the
colonial era (except
Washington DC)
 2 subregions
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New England
States
Mid Atlantic States
6 states in each
Guess the States / Abbreviations

New England
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CT
ME
MA
NH
RI
VT

Mid Atlantic

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Delaware
Maryland
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
West Virginia
Megalopolis
String of cities that have grown together
(in this case, along the Atlantic coast)
 N.Y. City, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Washington D.C., and Boston

40 million people
 Grew because they were major seaports

Question?

Why do you think this region’s population
grew to be so large?


(hint) Think about the forms of
transportation that were used during
colonial days.
They are all major seaports.
Landforms of the New England States

The Appalachian
Mountains cross
much of Northern
New England


Actually a system of
many small ranges
Southern New
England is hilly
Climate of the New England States

Humid continental
climate

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
Autumn – brightly
colored leaves
Winter – snowy,
good for winter
sports
Summer – foggy
and possible
hurricanes from the
Atlantic
History of the New England States

Pilgrims landed

New England was
the center of the
Revolutionary War
Economy of the New England States

Dairy Farming
 Crops include
cranberries and
potatoes
 Ship building
 Fishing – cod,
shellfish
Economy (cont.)

Respected universities
and colleges


U.S.’s first Industrial
Area

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
Harvard and Yale
Textile mills
Shoe factories
Today – many banks,
investment and
insurance companies
Landforms of the Mid Atlantic States

3 Regions

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Chesapeake
Coastal Plain
The Piedmont
Landforms of the Mid Atlantic States

3 Landform Regions

Chesapeake

Fed by the
Susquehanna River


Largest Estuary
Coastal Plains


Stretches across the
mid Atlantic states
(except West Virginia)
Does not rise much
above sea level
Landforms (cont.)

The Piedmont

Region that slopes
down from the
Appalachian Mts. to
the Plains

rivers and waterfalls
supplied water
power to early
towns
Climate of the Mid Atlantic States

2 major types
 North


South

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Humid Continental
Humid Subtropical
Summers in both are
hot and humid
 Possible hurricanes
Economy of the Mid Atlantic States

Good soil for farming

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Expanding cities take
land
Coal mining in
Appalachians
Manufacturing and
service industries
Tourism


Niagara Falls
(NY,Canada)
Gettysburg (PA)
Sec 2. The South
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Everglades
Okefenokee Swamp
Mississippi Delta
Blue Ridge Mts.
Great Smoky Mts.
Cumberland Plateau
Ozark Plateau
X
X
X
X
The South (cont.)

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High Plains
Atlanta
Houston
New Orleans
Miami
Dallas
X
States of the Southern Region

12 States

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Virginia
N. Carolina
S. Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Alabama
Mississippi
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Tennessee
Kentucky
Arkansas
Louisiana
Texas (shares border
with Mexico)
Landforms of the Southern Region

Coastal Plain


Major landform of the
south
Barrier islands

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Long narrow sandy
islands
Along the shore from
the Atlantic Ocean to
the Gulf of Mexico
Wetlands

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Everglades
Okefenokee Swamp
Landforms (cont.)

Piedmont
Inland from Coastal Plain
 Rolling hills cover Carolinas and Georgia


Appalachain Mts
Blue Ridge
 Great Smokey Mts.
 Cumberland Plateau

Landforms (cont.)

Ozark Plateau
Mainly in Arkansas
 Rugged hilly region
 Arkansas River


Interior Plains
Cover most of Kentucky and Tennessee
 Eastern Texas

Economy of the Southern U.S.

Major Cities

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Agriculture

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Dallas-Fort Worth (4th largest U.S.)
Atlanta
Miami
New Orleans
Cotton, tobacco, citrus fruits
Resources

Ocean life (coastal waters)

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Shrimp, oysters, other seafood
Minerals

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Coal, sulfur, salt, oil (Texas, Louisiana) , natural gas
Phosphates (used to make fertilizer)
Economy (cont.)

Industry
Textile factories (Piedmont)
 Oil Refineries

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Computer, software, publishing co.

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Texas Gulf Coast, lower Mississippi River
Austin, Texas
Tourism

Warm weather and beautiful beaches
Climate of the South

Humid Subtropical Climate
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Texas has several climates

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Mild winters = snowbirds
Long, hot, humid summers
Humid
Subtropical
Desert
Highland
40”-60” of rain per year

Thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes
Sec 3: The Midwest

Major Cities

Detroit

Chicago
Sec 3: The Midwest

Includes 8 States
Ohio
 Michigan
 Indiana
 Illinois
 Wisconsin
 Minnesota
 Iowa
 Missouri

Michigan
Wisconsin
Indiana
Illinois
Ohio
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
Climate and Landforms

The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater
lake system in the world
 Most of the Midwest lies in the Interior Plains
 The entire Midwest has a humid continental
climate with 4 distinct seasons.
Economy of the Midwest

Agriculture


Corn Belt – core of
the corn-growing
region
Dairy Belt – major
producers of milk,
cheese, and other
products
Economy (Cont.)

Industry

Chicago – busy ship
port
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Steel mills, meatpacking plants
3rd largest city of the
U.S.
Cleveland, Detroit,
Milwaukee

Major transportation
routes for distribution
of iron, steel, farm
products, coal, iron
ore, autos
The Great Lakes (18:05)
Sec 4: The Interior West
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Badlands
National Parks
Rocky Mts.
Phoenix
Las Vegas
Denver
X
Landforms of the Interior West

3 landform regions
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Great Plains
Rocky Mts.
Intermountain West
Badlands
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Areas eroded by
wind and water into
gullies
Little vegetation or
soil
Picture from U.S. Dept. of the Interior
Climate of the Interior

Most of the region
has a steppe climate
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Semiarid, drier
toward the west
Droughts
Chinooks – dust
storms
Rocky Mountain
region

Highland climates
Economy of the Interior

Ranching and wheat farming

Wheat Belt – stretches across the Dakotas,
Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma,
Colorado, and Texas
Center-pivot irrigation – sprinkler system
on wheels
 Mining and Industry – gold, silver, copper
 Tourism – natural beauty

Sec 5: The Pacific States
Washington
 Oregon
 California
Can you guess what the last two are?

Alaska and Hawaii
Landforms of the Pacific States

California is divided into 4 landform
regions
Coast Ranges
 Sierra Nevada
 Central Valley
 Desert basins and ranges

Landforms

Washington and Oregon have 4
landform regions
Coast Ranges
 Puget Sound Lowland
 Willamette Valley
 Cascades – volcanic mt. range

Landforms

Alaska
Huge peninsula
 Aleutian Islands

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More than 3 million lakes are found in the state
Hawaii
Chain of 8 major volcanic islands
 Only one has an active volcano

Climate

California
Marine west coast - along the coasts
 Mediterranean – southern and central areas
 Summers are dry with hot winds
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Oregon and Washington

Cascades divide into 2 climate zones
West – marine west coast
 East – drier desert and steppe climates

Climates

Alaska
Southern coast – marine west coast
 Most of the state has a subarctic climate
 Summers are short and dry
 Winters long and severe


Hawaii
Coldest month average temp is 72*
 Warmest month 81*
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Economy

California

Leading agricultural producer

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Leading industrial state
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Cotton, nuts, vegetable, and fruit
Aerospace, construction, entertainment,
computers, software, and tourism
Oregon and Washington
Forests and fish
 Computer software

Economy

Alaska


Economy based on oil, forests, and fish
Hawaii
Natural beauty
 Fertile volcanic soil – good for growing
sugarcane, pineapples, and coffee
