CHAPTER 8 – SECTION 2 REGIONS OF THE US
THE NORTHEAST
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Main, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington D. C.
Smallest and most densely populated region;1/5 of total population; mostly in urban corridor
(megalopolis)
Group of cities grown into one large, built-up area and their suburbs. Linked with other large
urban areas by highways, rail, and air routes..
Political and financial center
Most industrialized region of US; first industries developed here, using running water to power
machinery; produced textiles (cloth); Many other industries such as steelmaking developed
later. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (major early center of steel industry) Location at junction of
Susquehanna River and Monongahela River and near rich iron ore and coal deposits.
Good port sites; allowed transportation of products and people
Erie Canal completed in 1820 connecting the Great lakes and the interior US.
Late 1900s manufacturing declined; cheaper labor in other areas; factories forced to close. Area
known as the RUST BELT
Still a major industrial region; newer industries, however has lost the economic dominance it
once had.
Many cultures – history of immigration has created a culturally diverse population particularly
in urban areas.
most immigrants came from Europe (Greek, Irish and Italian) up until the mid- 1960s.
More recent immigrants from Latin American and Asia.
Parades celebrating Chinese new Year, Latin American music and people speaking Spanish.
New York City – largest metropolitan area; settled by the Dutch in the 1620s (New Amsterdam)
renamed New York by English; excellent harbor at mouth of Hudson River. American’s leading
center of commerce, banking, advertising, fashion and media.
Other commercial centers – Boston, Philadelphia (dating back to colonial times)
Baltimore (located on the fall line; major port due to rail
connections to interior coal mines, steel mills, & farming areas.
Washington , D.C. – nation’s capital. Built in 1700s; US government
is largest employer
THE MIDWEST
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Major farming region; most productive in the world; leading producer of industrial goods.
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri.
Population – slightly smaller than Northeast.
Great Lakes and Mississippi river link major cities to each other and to other regions.
Settlers moved into area in 1800s.
1915-1930 African American migrated to region from the South for jobs in cities such as Chicago
and Detroit.
CORN BELT - Nebraska to Ohio;
Illinois and Iowa leading corn-producing states.
Most of this corn used to feed livestock (beef cattle and hogs)
US world’s major exporter of corn
Soybean – another important crop of Corn Belt.
Margarine, vegetable oil and bean curd (tofu)
Dairy Belt – north of Corn Belt; Wisconsin (American’s Dairyland),; produces more butter &
cheese than other states; Michigan and most of Minnesota.
Chicago – largest Midwest city; third largest US metropolitan area; major transportation center
(located in interior of NA)Port on Lake Michigan
Largest & busiest airport – O’Hara
Cultural center; excellent universities and museums
Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Toledo – located along the Great Lakes; gave access to coal
from Appalachians and iron ore from upper Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. (each
a manufacturing center.)
Twin Cities – Minneapolis and St. Paul; upper Mississippi River; major distribution centers for
agricultural products .
St. Louis, Missouri located at junction of Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois Rivers flow together.
Began as French fur-trading post – 1764
1800s center for pioneers heading west and major river port –“GATEWAY TO THE
WEST.”
THE SOUTH
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Virginia to Texas
Virginia, North Carolina, south Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee,
Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas.
30% of US population, (more than any other region)
Historically mainly rural and agricultural; majority lived on farms’ cotton, rice and tobacco
plantations; Labor force were the enslaved Africans
Civil War destroyed economy; becoming the poorest region in the country.
Lacked industry and railroads; southerners migrated to northern cities for factory jobs.
In recent years, has attracted new industries to the region. Since 1960s people migrated back
(Space program – Houston and Cape Kennedy)
Immigrants from Latin America (Caribbean, Mexico); southern Florida Hispanics make up
majority of population (Spanish most widely spoken than English)
Primary industries based on local raw materials.
Lumber –paper, pulp, furniture.
Farm products – tobacco, cotton for textiles (textile industry concentrated in Piedmont
area (Georgia, Carolina, Virginia.)
Mineral and energy resources- Texas and Louisiana
Recent years: High-tech and aerospace industries; factories for foreign automobile
manufacturers; North Carolina – headquarters for larger banks and biotech industry
ALL DUE TO CHEAP LAND, LOWER WAGES AND FAVORABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS!
Warm climate
Favorable tourist destination – Orlando, New Orleans, Gulf Shores
Retirees – Tampa
THE WEST
INTERIOR
 Largest, most sparsely populated region; about 25% of population
 Interior West and intermountain region west of Rockies– Great Plains, Rocky Mountains
 North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming,
Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona,
 Dry plateaus, deserts, and high mountains
 Pioneers found region difficult to travel, inhospitable to live in and almost impossible to farm
 Transcontinental railroad 1869 made travel easier
 1900s aqueducts and irrigations systems opened up areas for farming
 Raising livestock major economic activity; often combined with wheat farming
 WHEAT BELT – Dakotas, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas
 Irrigation – Ogallala Aquifer to grow wheat and other crops. Overuse has lowered water table.
 Mining – key economic activity in rocky Mountains.
 Arizona, New Mexico and Utah – leading copper-producing states
 Nevada – leading gold-mining
 Interior West – lead and other ores
 Tourism –ski resorts Aspen and Vail (Colorado), Taos (New Mexico)
 National parks – Glacier (Montana), Grand Canyon (Arizona) and Grand Teton and Yellowstone
(Wyoming)
PACIFIC COAST
 Pacific States - California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii; most of the West
population lives in this area.
 California – greatest population of all states; 34 million
 Pacific coast – ranks second in economic importance
 Economy prior to WWII – Farming, forestry, and film industry – Los Angeles
Military bases boosted economy
Migrants moved to the area
 After War – dams built on Columbia River for cheap hydroelectricity for industries
Aircraft manufacturing – Seattle (Washington’s largest industry) Boeing
 Climate – warm Mediterranean climate; rainfall rare in summer; irrigate crops. Aqueducts built
to carry water from mountains to North California and the Colorado River to central
and southern California. This created boom in farming. Today – agriculture uses 80% of
California’s water supply. Urban areas must compete with farm areas for water.
 1900s – development of computer technologies brought new industries
Silicon Valley - south of San Francisco country’s leading center of computer technology
Many software companies in San Francisco Bay and Seattle
 Alaska – depends heavily on location, natural resources and scenery.
Purchased from Russia in 1867; state in 1959; largest, most densely populated state.
Economy initially based on fishing; oil most valuable natural resource (North Slope oil
deposits)
 Hawaii – state in 1959. Home to many military facilities. Tropical Rainforest climate, fertile
soils; crops pineapple and sugarcane. Tourism also major industry.
THE WEST (CONTINUED)
 Largest metropolitan area – Los Angeles (second largest in US.; Spanish settlement (1781)
 Railroad boosted economy – late 1800s
 Lack of water – further growth difficult.
 1913 – Aqueduct brought water from slopes of Sierra Nevada 250 miles – city grew rapidly
during automobile era.
 Major industries – entertainment, oil refining, chemicals, manufacturing.
 Smog – (chemical reactions with sunlight and pollutants from exhausts from automobile and
factory exhausts
 San Francisco – excellent deep-water harbor; attracted immigrants; one of the most diverse
cities in US
 Seattle – important port for trade with Asia
 San Diego - port; important Naval base