usa Gographical Features Natural Resources.pptVIP

The Star-Spangled Banner Chapter One Geographical Features  Natural Resources I. Names and Positions 1. location: north: south: east: west: I. Names and Positions 2. area: 9,372,610 sq.km ---- largest coastline: 19,924km east to west: 5000km south to north: 2500km I. Names and Positions 3. geographical division: Alaska --- northwest tip Hawaii --- central Pacific The Atlantic Seacoast West to Appalachians The Mississippi River Basin The Rockies West to the Pacific The Rockies West to the Pacific ---“the backbone of the continent”, Yellowstone National Park plateau between the Rockies the Sierra Navada ranges---Death Valley Coast Ranges: fertile valleys II. Climate Northern temperate zone New England: dominated by northern oceanic type of climate The south: warm climate abundant rainfall The Midwest: typical continental type of climate States west of the Rockies III. Rivers Lakes System of the Gulf Mississippi River: “Father of waters” Missouri River Ohio River  III. Rivers Lakes system of the Atlantic Hudson River: 520Km main artery for inland waterway traffic Dalaware River: boundary of Pennsylvania New Jersey Potomac River: Washington D.C. traditional dividing line between South North St. Lawrence River: boundary between Canada the USA (international River) III. Rivers Lakes system of the Pacific Columbia River Colorado River III. Rivers Lakes the Great Lakes: largest lake group in the world, contain about half of the world’s fresh water Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario Niagara Falls: 1240m in width, 49m average drop IV. Natural Resources The United States is a land rich in natural resources. Iron, coal, oil, gas, silver gold, forestry 1783 Area west to the Mississippi River became part of America in the Treaty of Paris between Britain and the U.S. 1803 Purchased the vast area of Lousiana from Napoleon I with $15,000,000 1819 the Spanish colony of Florida became part of the