Texas History
Fort Burrows
Chapter One, Section Four – 1.4
The Four Regions of Texas – READ pgs 18 – 23
Borders of Texas
• North: Red River & Oklahoma
• East: Sabine River & Arkansas &
Louisiana
• South and West: Rio Grande &
Mexico
• West: Balcones Fault & New
Mexico
• Southeast: Gulf of Mexico
Major mountain ranges of Texas:
• The Guadalupe
• Davis
• Chalk
• Glass Mountains.
Main Idea:
Vocabulary:
Texas’ Borders:
North:
Red River and Oklahoma
South:
Rio Grande and Mexico
West:
New Mexico and Mexico
East:
Sabine River and Louisiana
Southeast: Gulf of Mexico
Main Idea: Geographers divide the State of Texas into Four regions:
↑ North Central Plains
← ↑ Great Plains
↕Coastal Plains
←Mountain & Basins
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Texas History
Fort Burrows
Vocabulary:
- drought – a long period of time in which rain falls at a much lower rate than normal
- escarpment – a steep cliff
- butte ( BYOOTS ) – steep-sided hills
- mesa ( MAY – suhz ) – landforms with flat tops ( a result of erosion )
Four Regions of Texas
Texas Climate
Texas generally has hot summers and mild winters
Snow may fall in many parts of Texas
Climate differs greatly across the state
Rainfall varies greatly across the state
Even in the wetter areas, Texas has had problems with drought
Drought is a long period in which rain falls at a much lower rate than usual
The Coastal Plains
Borders
North: Red River
South and West: Rio Grande
West: Balcones Fault
Southeast: Gulf of Mexico
Land
Western Edge: nearly 1000 ft above sea level
Along the Coast: low and marshy land
Vegetation
Gulf Coast area: Coastal Prairie supports Rice Industry and Eastern Cross Timbers
East Texas: Pine Forests of the ‘Piney Woods’
West of the ‘Piney Woods’: Forests of the Post Oak Belt
The North Central Plains
Borders
North: Red River
South: Edwards Plateau
East: The North Central Plains Region
West: Caprock Escarpment
Land
Elevation: decreases from west to east
Much of the region’s land is rolling and hilly
In the South:
• buttes (steep-sided hills) and mesas (larger; similar landforms with flat tops)
Vegetation
East: the Grande Prairie
Central: forests of the Western Cross Timbers
West: grasslands of the Rolling Plains
Farming and ranching dominate the North Central Plains
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Texas History
Fort Burrows
The Great Plains
Borders
North: Oklahoma
South: Edwards Plateau
East: Caprock Escarpment
West: Edwards Plateau
Land
Northern High Plains: mostly flat; some canyons
Southern High Plains: The Llano Estacado is smooth and level
South: The Edwards Plateau has hilly terrain
Vegetation
The Great Plains region is dry and has very few trees
Much of the region is grassland
Parts of the region are important farming areas
The Mountains and Basins
Borders
North: New Mexico
South and West: Rio Grande River
East: Edwards Plateau
Land
This region includes scattered mountain ranges
and flat desert basins
Major mountain ranges include the Guadalupe,
Davis, Chalk, and Glass Mountains
Big Bend National Park is in the Mountains
and Basins region
Vegetation
Desert: cactus, mesquite trees, and other desert
plants
Mountains: some forest growth
El Capitan
El Capitan seen from Guadalupe Peak
Elevation
8,085 feet (2,464 m)
Range
Guadalupe Mountains
Coordinates
31°52′38″N, 104°51′27″W
1.
Which region has rolling and hilly land with many mesas and buttes ?
A. North Central Plains
B. Mountains & Basins
C. Coastal Plains
D. Great Plains
2.
Which region has low and marshy land and includes the pine forests of the ‘Piney Woods’ ?
A. Coastal Plains
B. Great Plains
C. Mountains & Basins
D. North Central Plains
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