Introducing
The
United States
Social Science
McFarland
Physical Geography
of the
United States
Landforms
Coastal Plains

The Coastal Plains extend from New
York to the border with Mexico along
the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of
Mexico.
Piedmont

The Piedmont is a rolling plateau
region, inland from the Coastal Plain
that begins in New Jersey and
stretches to Alabama.
Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains extend
from Maine to Alabama,
Interior Plains

The Interior Plains are located
between the Appalachian Mountains
and the Rocky Mountains and extend
from Canada to Mexico.
Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains extend from
Canada to New Mexico and from the
Great Plains westward to the
Intermountain Region.
Intermountain Region

The Intermountain Region is between
the Rocky Mountains on the east and
the Cascade and Sierra Nevada
ranges on the west.
Pacific Coast Region

The Pacific Coast Region is
characterized by two major mountain
ranges and a series of valleys
between the mountains.
• The Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges
are on the eastern side.
• Alaska and Hawaii are the two
westernmost states.
• Part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” with
active volcanoes and earthquake faults.
Climate

The United States has 11 climate
types, the greatest variety of any
nation in the world.
Human Geography of
the United States
Early Settlements




Native Americans were the first
inhabitants of North America.
The Vikings were the first Europeans
to arrive (1100A.D.).
The Spanish arrived about 500 years
ago.
The French made claims to the
interior of North America.
Early Settlements
(Cont.)




The British became a major influence in
the nation’s early history establishing the
13 colonies.
Millions of Africans were brought to the
U.S. and sold as slaves.
After independence, many immigrants
came from Europe.
By the mid-1800’s, the U.S. stretched
from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Population Diversity


The U.S. ranks 3rd in world
population, but comprises less than 5
percent of the world’s population.
The U.S. is predominantly Christian
in religion.
Population Diversity
(Cont.)





European American – 75%
African American – 12%
Hispanic (Latino) – 9%
Asian – 3%
Native American – 1%
Population Distribution



Today, most of the population is
along the East Coast and in
California.
As the nation developed into a
technological society, many people
have moved to the Sunbelt states
(California, Texas, Florida, Arizona).
The U.S. is highly urbanized.