Social Studies Chapter 1 Study Guide
Test _______________
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The 5 regions of the United States are:
Northeast
Southeast (Louisiana is in this region)
Midwest
West
Southwest
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The following are landforms found in each region:
Northeast- Appalachian Mountains, rocky coastline in the far Northeast
Southeast- Atlantic Gulf Coastal plain rises to the Appalachian Mountains, good farmland due to the
Mississippi River Valley.
Midwest- flat plains and 4 of the 5 Great Lakes
West- Region of extremes- highest and lowest landforms (as well as highest and lowest temperatures)
Southwest- Beautiful canyons and deserts (The Grand Canyon in Arizona)
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How are regional boundaries different from state boundaries?
Regional boundaries are not set by rules or laws.
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How are regional boundaries determined?
Regional boundaries are often determined by major landforms.
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What is weather?
The condition of the air at a certain time and place (The weather today is sunny and warm). Weather
can change from place to place.

What is climate?
The weather of an area averaged over a long period of time.
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How is climate different from weather?
Climate is weather averaged over a long period of time and weather is what is happening in a certain
place at a certain moment. (The climate of Louisiana is Temperate to Tropical however the weather in
Louisiana during February can be cold and snowy).

What are the three factors that affect the climate of a place?
1. The distance a place is from the equator (the closer you are to the equator, the hotter the
climate)
2. How far a place is from a large body of water such as an ocean. (Places closer to the ocean have
a milder climate than places far away from it. Land heats and cools faster than water.)
3. Elevation (The higher the elevation the colder the climate).

Know the following climates:
1. Tropical- usually warm all year (southern tip of Florida and Hawaii)
2. Polar- the coldest climate (areas around the North and South poles; a very small part of Alaska)
3. Subarctic- warm periods in summer are short and most of the area is covered in snow the rest
of the year (most of Alaska).
4. Temperate- between tropical and subarctic. Mild temperatures, neither very hot nor very cold.

Know the following weather/climate patterns of each of the regions:
1. Northeast- cold winters, hot summers, medium precipitation.
2. Southeast- mild to warm winters, hot summer, often rainy during winter.
3. Southwest- very dry, hot or cold depending on elevation, little precipitation.
4. West- extremes, hottest and coldest temperatures.
5. Midwest- cold winters, hot summers, medium precipitation.

Know the following resources of each of the regions:
1. Northeast- fishing, coal, industries that use coal and hydropower.
2. Southeast- agriculture, cotton, corn, cattle and various crops.
3. Southwest- oil, cotton, natural gas, cattle
4. West- silver, gold and valuable metals, cattle, timber from forests, vegetables.
5. Midwest- fertile soil to grow crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat and cattle farming.

Renewable Resource- a natural resource (something grown or produced naturally) that can be
replaced. Examples include- forests, sunlight, water, soil.
Nonrenewable Resource- a natural resource that cannot be replaced. Examples include- oil, coal,
natural gas, old growth forests (forests such as the Rainforest and the Giant Redwood Forests- these
will not be able to regrow in a lifetime).
Human Resource- people who make goods or provide a service. Examples are secretaries, mechanics,
teachers, bakers, factory workers.
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Students will have 4 constructed response questions that must be answered in complete sentences
using the information from above. Topics will include the following:
 How would climate of an area affect the people of an area?
 Is it important for states to have specific borders?
 Describe the region of the United States in which you live.
 Describe climate and natural resources in each of the regions.
 Be familiar with a locator map, an inset map and a political map.