Even the weeds in Texas are artistic.Texas author Mary Lasswell

44 ✯ Chapter 3

Texas RegionsSECTION 1 Mapping Texas Lands

SECTION 2 Identifying the Four Regions of Texas

SECTION 3 Mapping Texas People

1850 1900 1950 2000

1875 Indianola Hurricane strikes; 176 lives are lost

1886 Indianola Second hurricane destroys town,which is never rebuilt

1899 Hearne Brazos Riverfloods 12,000 milesof land

1900 Galveston Deadliesthurricane on recordkills more than 6,000

1947 White Deer,Glazier, HigginsMile-wide tornadorakes Panhandle

1979 Wichita Falls Worstsingle tornado inTexas strikes

1985 San Antonio Storm drops 13 to 15 inches of snow

1998 South Central TexasRivers flood 20 counties

VIEW THE Texas on TapeCHAPTER 3 VIDEO LESSON.

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Texas Regions ✯ 45

Before You ReadCan you think of some ways in which the envi-ronment has an impact on your life? For exam-ple, does the weather influence how you dressor what activities you participate in? How do youthink your actions affect the environment? Haveyou recently traveled in a car or planted a tree?Humans and the land interact every day.

Think about

• what the land looks like in your town or city

• the climate in your town or city

• any changes in your town or city, such asconstruction or agriculture

• the businesses located in your town or city

• your way of life, including language, foods, and clothing

As You ReadGeographers study how humans and the landaffect each other. Texas’s location and land-forms affect the kinds of businesses that arelocated in the state and even the foods thatTexans eat. On the other hand, humans haveintroduced new plants and animals into thestate, changing how Texas looks. Completingthis graphic organizer for Chapter 3 will helpyou understand the fields of physical geographyand human geography and how the two interact.

• Copy this chart into your Texas Notebook.

• As you read the chapter, note key words andphrases that describe the field of physicalgeography in the first column.

• In the second column, note key words andphrases that describe the field of human geography.

Organizing Information

Physical Geography Human Geography

GEOGRAPHY

Petrochemical plant

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Mapping Texas Lands 1

46 ✯ Chapter 3

Why It Matters NowThe land and climate will helpdetermine where you choose tolive, what jobs will be available,and the quality of your life.

TERMS & NAMES OBJECTIVES MAIN IDEAplains, physical geography,human geography, settlement,Rio Grande, tributary

1. Compare places in Texas in terms oftheir physical characteristics.

2. Compare regions of Texas in termsof their physical characteristics.

Texas is a big place. The land,weather, and climate vary a greatdeal from one part of the state toanother. This variation affects wherewe live and what we do there.

Mapping Texas Lands

plains a wide area of flat orgently rolling landphysical geography the physicalfeatures of the earth’s surfacehuman geography the featuresof the earth that are created orchanged by humanssettlement a place where peoplelive

During the 1880s some Texans believed thatTexas should be surveyed, or explored andmapped. They believed that this survey wouldhelp the state’s economic progress. Otherswould be able to use the survey to help themlocate mineral resources and find sources ofwater for irrigation. Robert T. Hill was a Texanwho devoted his life to studying the physicalgeography and geology of Texas. He believedthat it was important to survey the state. When the legislaturerefused to conduct the survey, Hill expressed his disappointment in a newspaper article.

Little did I think when, as a Texan, I [worked] . . . for the purposeof developing [the state’s] resources, . . . that I was castingpearls before swine.

Robert T. Hill, Austin Daily Statesman, March 25, 1887

Two Kinds of GeographyGeography deals with the land and its people. Things that relate to

the land—such as climate, vegetation, rivers, lakes, oceans, plateaus,plains, and mountain ranges—make up physical geography. Things thatpeople do are considered human geography. This includes economicactivities such as how we earn our living—by farming or mining, forexample. People who study human geography also analyze customs,ethnic makeup, settlements, transportation, and political systems, alongwith other ways in which humans create their own environment.Geographers look at how physical and human geography interact.

Robert T. Hill

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Texas Regions ✯ 47

Weather and ClimateHow would you describe the weather today?

Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at aspecific time and place. The weather may be typi-cal of the area, or it may be unusual. People often want to know whatthe weather will be like so they can plan their daily activities or choosewhat type of clothing to take on a trip.

Climate is the expected weather conditions at a place based on whathas happened in the past. When the weather forecaster on televisionsays, “The normal rainfall for the year is 30 inches,” she or he is talkingabout climate. People need to know what the climate is like to plant theright kinds of crops in a particular place or to ensure that the trees andplants around their home will grow.

Texas ClimateWhat kind of climate does Texas have? Texas is in the middle

latitudes, so it has warm summers and cool winters. As you would expect,winters are colder in the northwestern part of the state known as thePanhandle. Winters are milder in South Texas.

The graph below shows how temperatures vary in Texas. Perryton, inOchiltree County on the Oklahoma border, has the coldest average low

0˚10˚20˚30˚40˚50˚60˚70˚80˚90˚

100˚110˚

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CitiesPres

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Average Lows Average Highs

Across the vast land of Texas, temperatures can range from one extreme to the other. ● If you were interested in moving to Texas and looked at this graph, which city or area would youchoose? Why?

AVERAGE HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES IN TEXAS

Weather in Texas ranges from snowand freezing temperatures in thePanhandle to scorching heat in WestTexas. ● What is the differencebetween weather and climate?

▲

▲

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48 ✯ Chapter 3

RO

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Some of the most productivefarming areas in Texas get toolittle precipitation to raisecrops. Irrigation must be usedfor farming to be successful.Sometimes water for crops canbe pumped from underground,but dams and reservoirs alsohave been built all over Texasto store water for crops. Thesedams and reservoirs changethe natural flow of rivers. ● Where in Texas is irrigationmost needed?

HUMAN-ENVIRONMENTRELATIONSHIPS

Large mountain ranges cross the United States in north-south bands. ● Which region of the country is most mountainous?▲

temperature: a chilly 17°F. Although not the state’s highest point,Perryton is located in the highest part of northern Texas. Perryton’s eleva-tion is about 3,000 feet above sea level. Average temperatures decrease aselevation and distance from the equator increase.

Summer temperatures are just the opposite, as the graph shows. Thehottest temperatures tend to be in Northwest and West Texas. Presidio,on the Rio Grande, has an average July high temperature of 102°F. It isthe only place in Texas where the average high temperature in July isover 100°F. The southern and eastern parts of the state are a bit cooler.This is because South and East Texas are close to the Gulf of Mexico,where conditions are more humid. Frequent clouds and rain keepsummer temperatures from getting as high as they do in the west.

Precipitation in Texas varies from east to west. East Texas gets moreprecipitation than West Texas because it is close to a major source ofmoisture, the Gulf of Mexico. West Texas, on the other hand, is far fromany large body of water, so it gets much less rain.

The city of Orange, in East Texas, averages 58.3 inches of rain peryear, the highest precipitation in Texas. El Paso is the driest place inTexas, with an average of only 8.8 inches of rain each year. This differ-ence in precipitation explains why there are pine forests in East Texasand deserts in the western part of the state.

Landform Regions Landforms include mountains, valleys, rivers, seacoasts, lakes, plateaus,

and plains. Most of Texas is made up of plains. In fact, two U.S. plainsregions reach into Texas. The Gulf Coastal Plain extends all the way

United States Landform Regions

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Texas Regions ✯ 49

through Texas to Mexico. The Great Plains also extend into Texas. Eastof the Great Plains are the Central Lowlands, which lie along theMississippi River.

The Great Plains are bordered on the west by the Rocky Mountains,which extend into West Texas. The Central Lowlands are bordered onthe east by the Appalachian Plateau, which ends at the AppalachianMountains. In the western United States, the Colorado Plateau covers ahuge area that includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, andColorado. Farther north, the Columbia Plateau makes up a large part ofeastern Washington and Oregon. The Pacific Coast is bordered by longmountain ranges that are separated by large valleys.

Rivers of TexasRivers are important to Texas. Much of the Texas border is made up

of three rivers. The Rio Grande separates Texas and Mexico and is thelongest river in Texas. The Rio Grande begins in Colorado and flowsabout 1,900 miles southward through New Mexico before entering Texasnear El Paso. Two large dams have been built on the Rio Grande inTexas: Amistad Dam and Falcon Dam. Water stored in reservoirs behindthese dams is used to irrigate crops in Texas and Mexico.

The Sabine River separates Texas from Louisiana. The Sabine Riveris much shorter than the Rio Grande, but it has also been dammed toform Toledo Bend Reservoir. This reservoir provides water for drinkingas well as for industrial and agricultural uses.

The Red River separates Texas from Oklahoma. It begins in easternNew Mexico and flows eastward to Arkansas. It originally flowed to theMississippi. Due to construction of a flood-control system, it now alsoflows to the Gulf of Mexico. The Canadian River is the other importantriver in the Panhandle. It begins in northern New Mexico and crossesTexas to Oklahoma, where it joins the Arkansas River. The Canadian Riveris the only major Texas river that does not flow into the Gulf of Mexico.

Did you know that a moun-tain can be noisy? EnchantedRock is known to make groan-ing and creaking noises atnight. Legend says the noisesare related to sacrifices heldat the base of the mountainlong ago. However, scienceoffers a different explanation.During the day, EnchantedRock expands in the Texasheat. The weird noises aremade when the mountaincontracts in the cool of theevening.

ENCHANTED ROCK

Enchanted Rock is a 1,825-footgranite mountain on the border ofGillespie and Llano Counties in theGreat Plains region of Texas. It isone of the oldest geological forma-tions in Texas. ● Why do you think itis so round in shape?

▲

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50 ✯ Chapter 3

The names of many Texas riverscome from the Spanish lan-guage. For example, the Colo-rado River received its namefrom the Spanish word for red,colorado. The Nueces River wasnamed for the pecan trees thatgrew along its banks. In Span-ish, nueces means “nuts.” ● Find five other Texas riverswith Spanish names and re-search the meaning of eachname. Why do you think thoseSpanish names were chosen?

To Language Arts

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In Texas, most rivers flow from northwest to southeast. ● What do you think is the reason forthis geographic pattern?

▲

tributary a stream that flowsinto a larger stream or otherbody of water

The Pecos River is an important tributary of the Rio Grande. It startsin northern New Mexico and flows southward into Texas. The Pecos Riverprovides irrigation water for farms in New Mexico and Pecos, Texas.

Many Texas rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico. These rivers includethe Neches, Trinity, San Jacinto, Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, SanAntonio, Nueces, and now the Red. Many important Texas cities arelocated on these rivers. The locations, sizes, and characteristics of theserivers influence the lives of residents of the Lone Star State.

Terms & NamesIdentify:• plains• physical

geography• human geography• settlement• tributary

Organizing InformationUse a chart like the oneshown to identify the U.S.landform regions that extendinto Texas, the other parts ofthe United States that areincluded in these regions,and the physical characteris-tics of each region.

Why do you think certainareas are included in thesame region?

Critical Thinking1. If you were to move from

Houston to Amarillo, whatdifferences in climate andprecipitation might younotice? Why?

2. Look at the U.S. map onpage 48. Notice theshapes of the states.Some are almost square,while others have irregularshapes. Why do you thinkTexas is shaped as it is?Be specific.

3. If you wanted to groworanges and other citrusfruits in Texas, would youplant your orchards in theGreat Plains region or inthe Gulf Coastal Plainsregion? Why?

A Real-Life StoryReview A Real-Life Story onpage 46. How do you thinkHill thought the survey“would help the economicprogress” of Texas?

A C T I V I T YGeography Create a map that shows the physical geography of your town or city. First outline the general shape of

your city, and then show the locations of its landforms.

1

Landform Included DescriptionRegion in Region

Major Texas Rivers

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Roy Bedichek spent most of his life watch-ing and paying tribute to the Texas landscapeand its wildlife. In his works Adventures with aTexas Naturalist and Karánkaway CountryBedichek described the beauty of his environ-ment with almost childlike wonder.

Born in Cass County, Illinois, on June 27,1878, Roy Bedichek spent his childhood in thesmall farming town of Eddy, Texas, south ofWaco. He later attended the University of Texasat Austin. In 1913 Bedichek moved to Austinpermanently with his wife, Lillian Lee GreerBedichek, and their three children.

In Austin, Bedichek served as secretary ofthe Young Men’s Business League and theOrganization for Promoting Interest in HigherEducation in Texas. After serving a year as thecity editor at the San Antonio Express, he begana new project. In the fall of 1917, Bedichek wasnamed director of the University InterscholasticLeague (UIL), coordinating sporting and aca-demic competitions for Texas high schools. TheUIL grew under his instruction for over 30 years.

As the UIL director, Bedichek often traveledthroughout Texas. Instead of sleeping in hotels,Bedichek liked to camp under the stars. Theseovernight adventures seemed to fuel Bedichek’slove for nature, especially birds.

At the insistence of his friends J. FrankDobie and Walter Prescott Webb, Bedichek tooka leave of absence from his job and went intoisolation to write his first book. At the age of 68,Bedichek began writing Adventures with a TexasNaturalist. It was published in 1947. In it, hedescribes with wonder his first glimpse of a birdcalled the vermilion flycatcher:

He is a brilliant flaming gem, an outburstof gleaming color, and outshines themost brilliant scarlet flowers. . . . Poisedhigh in the crystal-clear air that morning,he seemed to me to be a star of firstmagnitude which the vanishing darknesshad failed to take with it from thedaylight sky.

His next works, Karánkaway Country andEducational Competition: The Story of theUniversity Interscholastic League of Texas,received the Carr P. Collins Award for the bestTexas books of the year in 1950 and 1956,respectively.

Roy Bedichek died on May 21, 1959. He left a legacy of respect for the beauty and natural resources of Texas. Today, he is recognized as a major contributor to Texas literature as well as a pioneer in the study of Lone Star wildlife.

LINKING TO HISTORYSkim a copy of Roy Bedichek’s Adventures with aTexas Naturalist for a passage that gives the author’spoint of view. Summarize the passage in your wordsand then identify Bedichek’s point of view on thesubject. As a class, discuss Bedichek’s points of view.

LINKING TO TODAYTexas has a larger variety of birds than does anyother state in the United States. Choose a Texasbird, and then research the region it lives in andhow it adapts to the physical geography. Write aone-page report and, then include a picture of the bird. Then, as a class, combine your reports to create a booklet on Texas birds.

Roy BedichekRoy Bedichek

Texas Regions ✯ 51

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2

52 ✯ Chapter 3

Why It Matters NowThe landforms, waterways, trees,and plants give each subregion its unique character.

TERMS & NAMES OBJECTIVES MAIN IDEAsubregion, Coastal Plainsregion, escarpment, growingseason, North CentralPlains region, steppe, GreatPlains region, aquifer,Mountains and Basinsregion

1. Identify the location of each naturalsubregion of Texas.

2. Compare the regions and subregions of Texas.

As you learned in Chapter 1, Texascan be divided into four regions.Now you will see how the landswithin each region can be furtherdivided. By analyzing similaritiesand differences, we can further classify Texas into 11 subregions.

Identifying the Four Regions of TexasIdentifying theFour Regions of Texas

subregion a smaller division of a geographic region

escarpment a cliff or abruptbreak in the land’s surface

Write your response to Interact with History in your Texas Notebook.

WHAT Would You Do? Imagine that you are a member of the Texas Film Commission. Yourjob is to persuade moviemakers to shoot their films in Texas. To dothis, you must be able to direct them to a location that matches thesetting of their story. Where in Texas might you send a film crew toshoot a horror movie about a mysterious forest creature? What if themovie were about rock climbers? What if it were about being strandedon an uninhabited planet? Explain your reasoning.

Dividing Up TexasNatural regions are determined by physical geography features such

as landforms, climate, and vegetation. Texas can be divided into fourlarge natural regions: the Coastal Plains, North Central Plains, GreatPlains, and Mountains and Basins regions. The first three natural regionscan also be divided into smaller subregions. The Mountains and Basinsregion does not have subregions.

Coastal Plains RegionThe Coastal Plains region includes about one-third of Texas. It

extends east and south from the Balcones Escarpment to the Gulf ofMexico. Most of Texas’s large cities are in the Coastal Plains. As a result,the Coastal Plains region is home to more people than any other part ofTexas. About two out of every three Texans live in the Coastal Plains.

Piney WoodsThe name Piney Woods accurately reflects this area of pine forests in

Texas. This subregion extends from the Texas-Louisiana border to the

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west for about 125 miles. It also extends from the Oklahoma state linesouth to where the coastal prairies begin, about 25 miles from the coast.The Piney Woods is the rainiest part of Texas, receiving about 45 to 60 inches of precipitation per year. Its growing season is about 230 to 265 days. Its elevation is low, only 100 to 400 feet above sea level.

Post Oak BeltThe Post Oak Belt is west of the Piney Woods. It is a long, narrow zone

where pine trees are replaced by oak, hickory, and other hardwood trees.Prairie grasslands are scattered throughout the area as well. The climate inthe Post Oak Belt is drier than in the Piney Woods, withabout 30 to 45 inches of precipitation per year. Its growingseason ranges from 230 to 280 days. The elevation is slightlyhigher than the Piney Woods—from 250 to 500 feet abovesea level.

Blackland PrairieThe Blackland Prairie, another long, narrow area, from

15 to 70 miles wide and nearly 300 miles long. The BlacklandPrairie follows the Balcones Escarpment from near theOklahoma border down to San Antonio and beyond, to theUnited States–Mexico border.

Texas Regions ✯ 53

El Paso

BeaumontAustin

San Antonio

Corpus ChristiLaredo

Brownsville

Kingsville

Orange

KilleenTemple

PineyWoods

HighPlains

RollingPlains

MOUNTAINSAND

BASINS EdwardsPlateau

LlanoBasin

SouthTexasPlain

CrossTimbers

GrandPrairie

BlacklandPrairie

PostOakBelt

Gulf Coastal Plain

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MOUNTAINS AND BASINS

Piney Woods

South Texas Plain

Post Oak Belt

Gulf Coastal Plain

Blackland Prairie

COASTAL PLAINS

Grand Prairie

Cross Timbers

Rolling Plains

NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS GREAT PLAINS

Llano Basin

High Plains

Edwards Plateau

MOUNTAINSAND

BASINS

GREATPLAINS

NORTHCENTRALPLAINS

COASTALPLAINS

N

Wichita Falls

Abilene

Fort Worth

Houston

Dallas

Odessa

Midland

Lubbock

Amarillo

growing season the averagenumber of days between the lastkilling frost of spring and thefirst killing frost of fall

Texas’s four natural regions can be divided into 11 subregions. The Mountains and Basins region has no subregions. ● In which subregionis Laredo located?

▲

Caddo Lake in the Piney Woodssubregion of the Coastal Plains isknown for its giant cypress trees,floating lotus, and plentiful fish. It is Texas’s only natural lake. ● Whydo you think this area was popularamong Native Texans?

▲

Subregions of Texas

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Spanish and Mexican settlerslived in the South Texas Plainbefore the Texas Revolution,and many families still livethere. Since then, others havecontinued to move in, creat-ing a largely Hispanic popula-tion in the area. In fact, inmost counties in the SouthTexas Plain, the population is over 75 percent Hispanic; in some counties, it is over 90 percent Hispanic. ● If youwere to visit South Texas,what languages would youmost likely hear?

PLACE

The Blackland Prairie receives 30 to 45 inches of rain per year. Thegrowing season is from 230 days in the north to 280 days in the south.Elevation ranges from 400 feet to nearly 800 feet above sea level. The soilsof the Blackland Prairie are not good for growing most trees, so the vege-tation is largely tall prairie grasses with a few hardwood trees.

Gulf Coastal PlainThe Gulf Coastal Plain forms a large arc that follows the coast of

the Gulf of Mexico from the Sabine River westward for about 260 milesto Kingsville. It extends inland about 30 to 60 miles. Elevations in theGulf Coastal Plain are generally below 100 feet, and the climate ishumid. Rainfall varies from 50 inches near Beaumont to 25 inches in theCorpus Christi area. Temperatures are warm, and the growing season islong, from 240 days near Beaumont and Orange to as much as 309 daysin Corpus Christi.

South Texas PlainIf you were to draw an imaginary line from San Antonio to

Kingsville, the South Texas Plain would fall between that line and theRio Grande. This area is about 270 miles long from north to south andabout 250 miles wide from east to west. Elevations range from sea levelto just under 1,000 feet above sea level. In this southernmost part ofTexas, the climate is warm year round. The growing season ranges from265 days near San Antonio to 341 days at Brownsville. Maximum rain-fall is about 30 inches per year near San Antonio. The minimum is lessthan 20 inches near Laredo.

North Central Plains RegionThe North Central Plains region begins at the Balcones Escarpment

and extends west as far as the Caprock Escarpment. The North CentralPlains is an area of rolling plains often covered by small oak trees, mesquite,

brush, and scattered grasses. The subregions of theNorth Central Plains are a series of land belts extend-ing north and south through the north-central partof the state. These subregions become increasinglydrier and higher in elevation from east to west.

Grand Prairie This long, narrow belt extends from near the

Red River southward almost to Temple and Killeen.Elevations range from 800 to 1,700 feet. The areagets about 30 inches of precipitation per year, withmore rainfall in the east and less in the west. Thegrowing season is from 230 to 260 days. Soils in theGrand Prairie are not good for growing trees. Thevegetation mostly consists of tall grasses and scat-tered hardwood trees, especially along streams inthe area.

54 ✯ Chapter 3

Most of the North Central Plainsregion is relatively flat and dry. ● What are the main types of vegeta-tion in this region?

▲

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Texas Regions ✯ 55

steppe a vast, treeless plain

The pecan tree, native to morethan 150 counties in Texas,has become a major source ofincome for the Lone Star State.It is the only nut grown inTexas for profit. In 1910 over5 million pounds of pecanswere produced in Texas. By theend of the 1990s,production topped35 millionpounds andbrought inmore than$52 million.

TEXAS PECANS

Cross TimbersThe Cross Timbers subregion surrounds the Grand Prairie. Because

of this, it is divided into the Eastern Cross Timbers and the WesternCross Timbers. The main difference between the Cross Timbers and theGrand Prairie is that soils in the Cross Timbers are capable of growingtrees such as post oaks, hickories, pecans, and elms. Rainfall in the CrossTimbers measures about 30 inches per year. The elevation ranges from900 to 1,500 feet, and the growing season is about 240 days.

Rolling Plains The Rolling Plains is the largest subregion of the North Central

Plains. It begins west of the Cross Timbers and ends at the CaprockEscarpment. Rainfall in the Rolling Plains varies as you travel east to west.The eastern areas get around 30 inches per year, but the western areasusually get less than 20 inches. Elevations range from 900 feet in the eastto over 2,000 feet in the west. The growing season is about 220 days.

The Rolling Plains subregion is largely a steppe. That is, the land isrelatively flat and treeless. Vegetation generally consists of mixed shortgrasses along with mesquite and other brushy plants. Much of the RollingPlains serves as grazing lands for large ranches.

Great Plains Region The Great Plains region has three subregions. Two are large

plateaus—the High Plains and the Edwards Plateau. The third subregion,the Llano Basin, is an area that is very different from any other part of Texas.

Llano Basin The Llano Basin lies almost in the center of Texas. It forms an egg-

shaped area south of the North Central Plains and east of the BalconesEscarpment. The Llano Basin is made up of granite, a very hard rockthat is formed when molten rock cools slowly under theearth’s surface. The pink granite that was used to buildthe Texas Capitol building in Austin came from theLlano Basin. The elevation of this subregion rangesbetween 1,000 and 1,800 feet above sea level.Precipitation averages about 30 inches per year, and thegrowing season lasts about 230 days. The vegetation ismade up of mesquite, live oak and post oak trees, andshort grasses. Pecan and oak trees often grow in lowareas and along streams.

Edwards PlateauThe Edwards Plateau makes up the southern part of

the Great Plains region. It lies north and west of theBalcones Escarpment. The plateau is primarily made oflimestone, which has dissolved in spots to form a number

The vast, treeless High Plains subre-gion of the Great Plains is broken byPalo Duro Canyon (at bottom ofphoto), which was formed byerosion. ● What challenges mightfarmers in this region face?

▲

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56 ✯ Chapter 3

The Edwards Aquifer extendsunder parts of 10 Texascounties and supplies waterfor communities from SanAntonio to the Gulf Coast. In 1975 the San Antoniosection of the aquifer was the first in the nation to benamed a Sole-Source Aquiferby the Environmental Pro-tection Agency. A Sole-SourceAquifer provides 50 percentor more of the drinking waterfor a particular area.

EDWARDS AQUIFER

of caves and underwater streams. The Edwards Aquifer is a large bed ofwater-bearing rock that supplies water for San Antonio and many othercommunities below the Balcones Escarpment.

The Edwards Plateau is mainly between 1,000 and 3,000 feet abovesea level. Precipitation ranges from about 18 to 30 inches per year. Thegrowing season is estimated to last from 210 to 220 days each year.

High PlainsThe High Plains, also known as the Llano Estacado, is one of the

flattest places on earth. It was once covered with vast stretches of shortgrasses, like a steppe. Today, the High Plains is a major farming area.

The High Plains subregion extends west from the Rolling Plains tothe Pecos River in New Mexico. The climate is dry, with precipitationamounting to less than 20 inches per year. The elevation of the HighPlains ranges from 3,000 feet to over 4,000 feet above sea level. Thegrowing season ranges from 220 days in the south to only about 180 daysin the north along the Oklahoma border.

Mountains and Basins RegionThis part of Texas is made up of tall mountains separated by large

basins, or closed valleys. Most of the mountains receive enough rainfallto support forests of oak, piñon, and ponderosa pine trees. In contrast,the lower elevations and basins are desert country, with cactus, shrubs,short grasses, and other kinds of vegetation that can live a long timewithout water. Overall, this region receives litttle rain, ranging from alow of 8.8 inches per year near El Paso to almost 20 inches per year inhigher areas. The growing season is usually between 220 and 245 days.

Elevations in the Mountains and Basins region vary widely. Forinstance, this region contains the highest point in Texas—GuadalupePeak, which stands 8,751 feet tall. On the other hand, some parts of thisregion reach an elevation of only about 2,500 feet.

Summing Up Texas RegionsWith so many plains, plateaus, and mountains, Texas

boasts a very diverse landscape. In fact, learning to identifythe many different regions in Texas can be difficult. Howcan you make Texas geography a little easier to understand?One way is by generalizing, or finding common character-istics among specific areas in Texas. Different parts of thestate have different kinds of landforms. By making gener-alizations, we can simplify how we study these landforms.

One generalization you might make is that some areashave lower elevations and some have higher elevations. TheBalcones Escarpment is very important because it dividesthe lowest parts of Texas from higher areas. The CoastalPlains areas east and south of the Balcones Escarpment

aquifer an underground layer of porous rock, gravel, or sandcontaining water that may reach the surface through springsor wells

The Guadalupe Mountains in theMountains and Basins Region risehigh above the surrounding desert.● What kind of climate would youexpect in this region?

▲

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Texas Regions ✯ 57

are all low and flat. West of the Balcones Escarpment the land is morevaried. Also, the North Central Plains region is higher and hillier thanthe Coastal Plains. You can see the difference right away when you crossthe Balcones Escarpment.

The Great Plains is largely an elevated plateau. It is even flatter thanthe Coastal Plains, but it contains deep canyons in some areas. Steepcliffs mark part of the plateau’s edge. Only in the Llano Basin does theland become hilly.

The Mountains and Basins region is the only part of Texas wherethere are mountains. It is a large area of land with high mountain rangesseparated by broad, flat-bottomed valleys called basins. This is the mostdistinctive landscape in Texas.

At the Balcones Escarpment, theBlackland Prairie breaks sharply intothe Hill Country. Austin, San Antonio,and other cities along Interstate 35are located on or near the escarp-ment. ● Why is the Balcones Escarp-ment an important physical landmark?

▲

Terms & NamesIdentify:• subregion• escarpment• growing season• steppe• aquifer

Organizing InformationUse a diagram like the oneshown to categorize eachsubregion as having a rela-tively high elevation or lowelevation. In the ovals, listthe common characteristicsof all the subregionscontained in each box.

Critical Thinking1. Which region of Texas is

least like the otherregions of the state?Why?

2. Which of the regions orsubregions of Texas mightbe best suited for farming?for ranching? for neither?Why?

Interact with HistoryReview your response toInteract with History in your Texas Notebook. Howwould you refine yourinstructions to eachmoviemaker? Explain indetail which area of Texasyou would choose for eachmovie location and why.

A C T I V I T YGeography Determine which region you live in. Then choose a different region, and create a chart to compare the

regions. How are they similar? How are they different?

2

SUBREGIONS OF TEXAS

Higher Elevations Lower Elevations

TXSE_1_03_p046-067 11/21/02 4:29 PM Page 57

A Personal CountryBY A.C. GREENE

Going west, through Texas, you leave Fort Worthand come out suddenly onto a rolling, bare-hilledcountry that stretches away on every side. Withoutwarning you have been set adrift on abillowy ocean of land.

Behind you have been pine forestsand tangly river bottoms and blacklandfarms that crowded the highway. But here theplow has never been. This is ranching country.You notice windmills lonely in the long, sweeping pastures,and cattle, grazing on the far slopes, are like tiny figures setthere to give some comprehensive scale to the landscape. Thereare no houses, no people, few roads, and scarcely any trees. The overwhelmingsense is solitude, and you may begin to feel naked and defenseless, moving acrossso much openness.

But there is beauty here, the beauty of space and of freedom, and the beautyof the wind feeling its way along the brown, grassy swells and ruffling the yellowridges. It is strong, stark beauty, having so few ornaments that each plane,each shadow and broken feature of the land, must play an intense part in thecomposition, subtly forcing the eye out to the horizon and up to the sky.

This stretch is the farthest eastern finger of another, broader, higherplace; a place called West Texas. Its barren grandeur, which gives way withina half dozen miles to woods and creeks again, is a suitable preview of what

lies west. The way you feel here, released by the openness or oppressed by somuch space, is a premonition of the emotion that will overtake you when youreach that larger land. . . .

You do not have to remove yourself very far from West Texas to have left it farbehind. It is not duplicated in the regions immediately surrounding it. . . .

West Texas, for example, has nothing in common with Dallas, . . . althoughDallas lies not too many miles east of where West Texas begins. On the other hand,West Texas shares even less with El Paso, and that city is hundreds of miles fartherwest in Texas than is West Texas itself. So much of West Texas is an attitudebrought on by the country and its natural forces, tempered by its history.

Texas is a land of great diversity.

Its unique physical andhuman characteristics

have left lastingimpressions on millions

of individuals living in or visiting the Lone Star State.

In the accompanyingexcerpt, A. C. Greene

shares his own impressions of the place

where he grew up—the North Central Plains

region of Texas.

58 ✯ Chapter 3

Red R.

BrazosR.

PecosR.

Caprock

Escarpm

ent

W E S T T E X A SEl Paso

Dallas

HighPlains

Fort Worth

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Texas Regions ✯ 59

Learning About the AuthorA.C. Greene was born inAbilene, Texas, in 1923.After serving in World War II,Greene graduated fromAbilene Christian College.He has reported for theAbilene Reporter-News,owned a bookstore, andheaded the journalismdepartment at Hardin-Simmons University. Hewas awarded a Dobie-Paisano fellowship from the University of Texas,which resulted in his writ-ing A Personal Country.Greene has written morethan 22 books.

Readingthe LiteratureAs you read, form a mentalpicture of the land Greenedescribes. What does thephysical environment looklike? What words and tonesdoes he use to create apicture of West Texas?

Thinking About the LiteratureAccording to Greene, howdoes West Texas compare to other places in Texas?

Writing About the LiteratureThink about the region you live in. In your TexasNotebook, write a one-pageessay describing your physical environment.

Go to www.celebratingtexas.com to research this topic.

To read more about A. C. Greene’s observations and experiences read A Personal Country, A. C. Greene, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, ©1969.

PRIMARY SOURCEAutobiography

In those adjoining regions, history wasinherited slowly and differently. . . . InWest Texas most of the people thinkmore alike.

So I would create a few boundariesfor the place, defined more by instinctthan the way it lies on the map. . . .Just about everyone in West Texas hashis own idea of where West Texasbegins and ends. So do I.

I would begin it at the BrazosRiver, on the east, and extend it westfor about four hundred miles to thePecos River. . . . There are severalparticularly good reasons for starting West Texas at the Brazos. The first ishistory. “Beyond the Brazos” was the semiofficial description of the Texas fron-tier for several decades; too many decades and generations for the distinctionnot to have entered into the legends of the land. Legends can become attitudes,and in West Texas many of them have. . . .

Marking off West Texas from north to south is a little more difficult. Thenorthern border is fairly exact along the Cap Rock, which is a tall abrupt escarp-ment rising two hundred or more feet from the rolling prairie. On top are theHigh Plains or Llano Estacado (Staked Plains), where you know very well youare in a different country. Then if you come east from the Cap Rock, along thattier of counties bordering the Red River, you have established a fairly workablenorth boundary. . . .

Beyond these geographical lines, there is the matter of elevation which con-tributes to an identity. . . . Below one thousand feet the humidity is high, theheat is sticky, and the south wind doesn’t always cool things off. Above threethousand feet—as on the High Plains and beyond the Pecos—you find distinctchanges in vegetation and in the way things are done with the land. And thewinters get blizzardy. Above the Cap Rock is a tableland with some of the finestirrigated farming in the United States. In some places, along the escarpment’sedge, these lush, green rows lie above but only a few hundred feet away fromthe roughest kind of West Texas dry ravine country, so dramatic is the change.

The Cap Rock

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Creating a Regional Tourism Guide

60 ✯ Chapter 3

GETTING Connected1. To get started, log on to www.celebratingtexas.com

and go to Chapter 3.

2. Focus your search on information and links to travel and tourism in one of the four regions of Texas.

3. Find information that answers the following questions:

• Why is this region a good place to visit?

• What makes this region unique?

• What is the climate like here?

• What are some of the interesting sites andspecial events in this region?

• Which national or state parks are located here?Where are they located?

DEVELOPING Your PresentationImagine that you work for the Tourism Division of the Texas Department of Commerce. You havebeen asked to create a tourism guide for a Texasregion of your choice. Conduct additional onlinesearches as needed to gather your information. Be sure to include several of the following in yourpresentation.

• An introductory letter that tells why theparticular region is a good tourist location

• Photographs that represent the environmentand attractions

• A monthly calendar that shows events in theregion

• A database of Texas state and national parksin the region

• A table that shows the average monthlytemperatures for the major cities in theregion

Texas RegionsEach year millions of

people visit Texas. To

promote travel to Texas,

organizations such as

the Texas Convention and Visitor Bureaus, the state

Tourism Division, and the state Travel and

Information Division produce tourism guides. Many

visitors rely on these tourism and travel guides to

learn about the Lone Star State. Visitors often

want to know about the climate, points of interest,

and special events of their destinations. Use the

Internet to find information that would be useful to

a visitor to one of the four Texas regions. Then use

this information to create a regional tourism guide.

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Mapping Texas People3 Mapping Texas People

Texas Regions ✯ 61

Why It Matters NowWhere people choose to live has a large effect on quality of life.

TERMS & NAMES OBJECTIVES MAIN IDEAcensus, metropolitan area,suburb, industry, per capitaincome, heritage

1. Analyze geographic distributions andpatterns in Texas.

2. Compare places and regions in Texas in terms of their physical and humancharacteristics.

3. Explain ways in which geographic factorshave affected the political, economic, and social development of Texas.

To understand why most Texans livein cities rather than in rural areas, it is important to study both thephysical and human geography of Texas.

metropolitan area a city and allthe areas around it that dependon the central citysuburb a smaller communityjust outside a city

Write your response to Interact with History in your Texas Notebook.

WHAT Would You Do? Sudden growth in an area’s population can have a big impact on theenvironment. City planners predict changes in population and find waysto make their city handle all the new people. Imagine that you are acity planner in a rapidly growing Texas city. What types of facilities and services must you plan for to handle the growing population?

Where People Live in TexasThe 2000 census identified about 21 million people living in Texas.

This makes Texas the second most populous state in the nation; onlyCalifornia has more people. Texas is famous for ranches and oil wells,but most Texans don’t live in rural areas—they live in cities. By 1980four of every five Texans lived in a city.

A metropolitan area is a city and the area around it, including all the suburbs and towns that rely on the city for jobs, shopping, and entertainment. Houston is the largest metropolitan area in Texas, withmore than 4.1 million people. The Dallas metropolitan area is almost aslarge, with more than 3.5 million people. Three other metropolitan areasin Texas each have more than 1 million residents. San Antonio has about1.6 million, Fort Worth has about 1.7 million, and Austin has about 1.2 million people. Over half of all Texans live in one of these fivemetropolitan areas.

Most of the large cities in Texas are east of the Balcones Escarpment.The escarpment runs in a large arc from near Waco south to Austin. Itthen curves west past San Antonio. The Balcones Escarpment is a goodplace to separate Central and East Texas from West Texas. Of the 27 major metropolitan areas in Texas, only seven are located west of theBalcones Escarpment.

046-067TXSE_1_03_p 11/15/02 5:03 PM Page 61

A city collects taxes from itscitizens to pay for the servicesit provides, such as road con-struction, public transporta-tion, and police protection. If the population of a cityexpands beyond the city limits,the city cannot collect taxesin those areas. This is trueeven if the people work in thecity and use all of its services.● What problems can becaused when many peoplelive outside of a city but workinside the city limits?

PLACE

Austin

-

San M

arcos

Beaum

ont-

Port Arth

ur

Browns

ville-

Harling

en-

San Ben

ito Dall

as

Corpus

Christi El

Paso

Fort

Worth-

Arlingto

nHou

ston

McAlle

n-

Edinb

urg-

Mission

San

Antonio

Po

pu

lati

on

(m

illi

on

s)

Metropolitan Areas

0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

19902000

POPULATION OF TEXAS’S LARGEST METROPOLITAN AREAS, 1990–2000

Texas cities and their surrounding areas have shown enormous growth in recent years. ● Whydo the populations of some areas grow faster than others?▲

industry the activity of makingor preparing products for sale

Why Cities Grow Why do so many people live in Central and East Texas and so few in

West Texas? Part of the answer is that people tend to live where the jobsare. Houston began to grow in its early years because of its oil industryand its port. Later, other industries provided jobs that made the city grow.Major industries include those that produce oil-based chemicals, oil-fieldequipment, aircraft, and computer hardware and software. The Houstonarea is also home to the Johnson Space Center, an important part of theUnited States space program.

Farther north, the city of Dallas originally grew as a financial andinsurance center. Today it is home to a great number of companiesinvolved in telecommunications, electronics, fashion,transportation, and other industries. The Dallas/FortWorth International Airport is one of thebusiest air-traffic centers in the UnitedStates. Just west of Dallas, Fort Worthis another major metropolitanarea. Fort Worth originally

Much of Houston’s economy isrelated to technology and the spaceindustry. ● How do you think theJohnson Space Center affectsHouston’s economy?

▲

62 ✯ Chapter 3

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Texas Regions ✯ 63

FORT WORTH Established in 1849 as a militarypost to mark the Western Texas frontier, Fort Worth wasnamed after General William Jenkins Worth, a hero of theWar in Mexico. The post was later incorporated as a city,but it didn’t grow much until the 1870s, when the cattleindustry began to thrive. Earning the nickname “CowTown,” the city offered a convenient place for cowhandsto rest from their cattle drives and for cattle buyers toestablish businesses. At the same time it was developingits stockyards, Fort Worth also grew into a major railroadcenter—a combination that the meatpacking industry

found hard to resist. During the Great Depression, how-ever, the meatpacking plants moved away, and the stock-yards area fell into decline. Although the stockyards havenow been restored as a historical landmark, they nolonger support the Fort Worth economy. Rather, FortWorth has shifted from a “cow town” to a high-tech city.Transportation and distribution are also important indus-tries in Fort Worth. The city’s cultural district is consid-ered to be one of the liveliest in the Southwest. ● Whatchanges do you think Fort Worth had to undergo tobecome a high-tech city?

Fort Worth stockyards in early 1900s Fort Worth today

was a railroad center with feed lots and stockyards for cattle. Later, mili-tary bases and businesses in industries such as airplane and helicopterproduction moved to Fort Worth.

San Antonio boasts a number of military bases and claims one ofthe most famous sites in Texas history, the Alamo. In addition, SanAntonio’s scenic River Walk and its many theme parks make it animportant tourist center. People visit San Antonio from all over theUnited States and the world to attend conventions, learn about Texashistory, and vacation with their families.

Austin, the state capital, is the site of many state-government offices.The state’s largest university, the University of Texas, is also located there.In addition to boosting the city’s population, university students havebeen largely responsible for the growth of the music industry in Austin.Recently, Austin has emerged as an important center for high-techindustries, which are related to computers and electronics.

West Texas has not attracted as many industries as Central and EastTexas, partly because West Texas is much farther away from major popu-lation centers such as Houston, Dallas, and Austin. The distance cantranslate into higher transportation, shipping, labor, and living costs.Another reason for the difference is climate. In dry West Texas, farm-ing is mainly restricted to those areas where there is water for irriga-tion. This means that much of the land is used for ranching. Ranchesdon’t need as many workers as farms do. They also do not earn as muchincome per acre as farms.

When you think of Texas, do you think of skyscrapersand city streets? Maybe youshould! Today, three Texascities are among the top tenlargest cities in the entirenation. Dallas appears ineighth place with an estimatedpopulation of 1,188,580 peo-ple, San Antonio ranks ninthwith an estimated 1,144,646,and Houston qualifies as thefourth-largest U.S. city, withan estimated population of1,953,631.

LARGEST TEXAS CITIES

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64 ✯ Chapter 3

In 1875 a large number ofimmigrants came to the BrazosValley from Sicily, an island offthe coast of Italy. Many of theSicilians moved to the areatogether, working on others’farms until they could affordtheir own. Today, at least 600Sicilian families still operatefarms in Brazos, Robertson, andBurleson Counties. These fami-lies have been very successfulin preserving their traditionsand way of life over the years.In fact, many parts of theBrazos Valley look and feel a lotlike Italy. ● Why do you think itis important for immigrants tohold on to some of their tradi-tions and ways of life?

Sicilian Immigrantsin Texas

per capita income the averageamount of income per person peryear in a given area

Farming in Texas Even though most Texans live in cities, agriculture is still one of the

state’s most important industries. Texas has the second-largest farm incomein the United States. Only California earns more money from agriculture.

Texas has more than 225,000 farms that turn out many different prod-ucts. The Lone Star State produces more cotton than any other state. It isthe second-largest producer of sorghum, a kind of grain grown mainly forcattle feed. Other Texas crops include peanuts, black-eyed peas, pecans,wheat, potatoes, corn, rice, cottonseed, hay, soybeans, and citrus fruit such

as oranges and grapefruit. Texas is also an importantproducer of livestock—mainly cattle, sheep, and goats.

Most of the cotton in Texas is grown in the westernpart of the state. In fact, the southern High Plains is thelargest cotton-producing region in the United States.Although corn is widely grown, most production occurs inthe West Texas Panhandle. Peanuts, potatoes, and wheatare also grown in West Texas.

Rice comes from the coastal areas south of Houston.Citrus fruit, which is very sensitive to frost, is grown in theRio Grande Valley. Although sorghum is widely grown, themain area of production is in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Rich and Poor in TexasPer capita income is often used as a measure of how wealthy people are.

If you take all the money earned by everyone living in Texas in one yearand divide it by the state’s population, you will find the per capita, or perperson, income. The per capita income in Texas in 1998 was $25,369.

Amarillo

Lubbock

El Paso

Houston

DallasFort Worth

Austin

San Antonio

N

Other Vegetables

Dairy Cattle

Sheep

Corn

Beef Cattle

Hay

Peanuts

Cotton

Grain Sorghum

Rice

Citrus Fruit

Wheat

Soybeans

Brownsville

Laredo

Odessa

Midland

Corpus Christi

Citrus and sorghumare key Texas crops.● Why would sorghumbe especially impor-tant in Texas?

▲

Agriculture in Texas

Texas produces a variety of agricultural products, from cotton to cattle and beyond. ● In which part of Texas would you find citrus crops?

▲

046-067TXSE_1_03_p 11/15/02 5:03 PM Page 64

Texas Regions ✯ 65

heritage beliefs and customs thatpeople get from their ancestors

Where are the highest incomes in Texas? Big cities tend to attractpeople who are well educated and, therefore, can get high-paying jobs.Not surprisingly, Texas’s large metropolitan areas have higher incomelevels than other areas. Earnings are above the state average in thecounties that contain Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and SanAntonio as well as in many of the counties that surround these cities.Suburban counties tend to have even higher per capita incomes. Theyare home to people who can afford to pay higher pricesfor homes that are usually larger. The second- andthird-highest income levels are in Collin County (withDallas suburbs McKinney, Frisco, and Plano) andDallas County.

The highest per capita income in Texas is not in acounty with a big city or a suburb. Sherman County, inthe northern Panhandle near the Oklahoma border, hasa per capita income of more than $38,000. ShermanCounty has oil and gas wells, farms, and ranches that produce highincomes and has a fairly low population.

The lowest per capita incomes in Texas are along the Rio Grandefrom Hudspeth County, near El Paso, to the Gulf of Mexico. The percapita income in these counties is less than $13,500. For a variety ofreasons, these areas have not been able to attract businesses that pay highsalaries. For one thing, many factories are located across the border inMexico, where labor costs are much lower than in the United States. Inaddition, many of the people in these counties work as farm laborers, a jobthat usually does not pay well. As a result, the Lower Rio Grande Valley inSouth Texas is one of the poorest places in the entire United States.

Many inner-city areas are also home to people with low incomes.Nevertheless, a city often will not have a low per capita income if enoughhigh-income people live in the rest of the city. Many low-income peoplein the inner city have had fewer years of schooling and may lack jobskills. This makes it hard for them to find good jobs that could raise theirincome and standard of living.

Diverse Names of Texas Cities and TownsTexas has a number of cities and towns whose names

reflect the various people that make up our state. ManyTexas place names are taken from Spanish words thathonor a certain place, an individual, or a characteristic ofan area. San Antonio is the largest city in Texas with aSpanish name. It is named after Saint Anthony.Hundreds of other places, from Amarillo to Zapata,also have Spanish names.

Dozens of other Texas place names reflect thestate’s varied heritage. For example, Barrett, origi-nally called Barrett’s Settlement, was named for aman who established the town after he was freedfrom slavery. Waco’s name comes from a Native

Born in Texarkana, Texas, in1930, H. Ross Perot wouldgrow up to become the wealthi-

est man in Texas. In1962, with a $1,000loan from his wife,Perot started ElectronicData Systems (EDS).Within seven years,EDS had become amajor competitor toIBM and had madePerot a billionaire. TheTexan went on to start

several other successful com-panies and ran twice forpresident of the United States.● Research to find out whichTexas city and county are hometo EDS corporate headquarters.

H. Ross Perot

Zapata was named for AntonioZapata, a cavalry officer who led a struggle for independence inNorthern Mexico after Texas won its independence. ● What is thebackground of your town’s name?

▲

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66 ✯ Chapter 3

N

0 200 Miles

300 Kilometers0

Laredo

El Paso

San Antonio

Austin

Amarillo

Waco

New Braunfels

Edinburg

San Marcos

Fredericksburg

Pampa

OdessaNacogdoches

Paris

Shamrock

Presidio

PflugervilleNederland

Sonora

Quanah

Coahoma

Eden

Aransas Pass

Midlothian

CastrovilleCestohowa

Zapata

Danevang

FrydekKosciusko

Corpus Christi

Texas’s rich ethnic heritage is illustrated in the diverse names of its cities, waterways, andlandforms. ● Which places on the map have Spanish names? Which have German names?

▲

American group in Texas. Danevang was named by people fromDenmark, and Fincastle was named by Scottish settlers. New Braunfelsis one of many places in Texas with a German name, and Frydek owesits name to Czech settlers. Kosciusko was named for a Polish generalwho fought in the American Revolutionary War. What names of placesnear you reveal Texas’s rich ethnic heritage?

Texas’s Diverse Heritage

In addition to Spanish settlers,many other ethnic groups cameto Texas seeking opportunitiesto start new lives away frompersecution and poverty. ThePolish Revolution of 1830 ledmany Poles to seek safety andstability in Texas. During the1850s a number of Czechpeople settled in Central Texas.In addition, many Dutch set-tlers came from the Nether-lands near the end of thecentury. ● Research to find onecity related to each group men-tioned above. List the cityname in the first column of athree-column chart. In thesecond column, list the lan-guage of origin. Then, in thethird column, list what the cityname means or for whom thecity is named.

CommunityOrigins

Terms & NamesIdentify:• metropolitan

area• suburb • industry • per capita

income• heritage

Organizing InformationUse a diagram like the oneshown to brainstorm aboutsome of the reasons whyhumans live where they do.On each of the spokes radiat-ing from the center circle,write one factor that mightinfluence someone to moveto a city in Texas.

Critical Thinking1. On a sheet of paper, write

three questions aboutpopulation distributionpatterns in Texas.Exchange papers with apartner and answer eachother’s questions.

2. Describe how life in theRio Grande Valley mightdiffer from life in thenorthern part of thePanhandle. How might itbe similar?

3. Explain how the WestTexas economy differsfrom that of Central andEast Texas. How do youthink these areas differ in terms of political andsocial development?

Interact with HistoryReview your response toInteract with History in yourTexas Notebook. As a class,discuss how the city will payfor all the expenses youlisted.

A C T I V I T YCulture Using a Texas map, locate your town and five surrounding towns. Research the ethnic heritage of

each town. On a map, mark each town and write this information next to it.

3

ADVANTAGESOF LIVINGIN A CITY

046-067TXSE_1_03_p 11/15/02 5:03 PM Page 66

Reading a Bar GraphLEARNING the SkillA bar graph is similar to a line graph;both compare facts that involvenumbers. Bar graphs often comparedifferent facts from the same timeperiod. Sometimes, they comparemore than one set of facts.

Bar graphs have a horizontal (x)axis and a vertical (y) axis thatconvey information about the graph,such as what each bar represents.Quantities, or totals, are representedby the lengths or heights of the bars.

To read a bar graph, use the followingsteps:

• Read the title to understand thesubject or theme of the graph.

• Read the horizontal and verticalaxes to understand what thedifferent bars represent.

• Study and compare the lengths ofthe bars in the graph.

• Interpret the information that thegraph provides and form your ownconclusions.

PRACTICING the Skill Read the following bar graph. Then answer the questions that follow.

1. What is the theme of this graph?

2. According to this graph, which metropolitan areas had the greatest increase in population during this ten-year period?

3. Why do you think the graph looks at metropolitan areas insteadof just cities?

4. Why do you think the populations of these metropolitan areasgrew over this ten-year period?

APPLYING the SkillChoose six different counties, each from a different region orsubregion of Texas. Research the population of each county. Fromyour findings, draw a bar graph comparing the population for thedifferent counties. Then exchange graphs with a partner. Read yourpartner’s graph and analyze the data. Which county has the small-est population? the highest? Why do you think some counties havea higher population than others?

Texas Regions ✯ 67

Austin

-

San M

arcos

Beaum

ont-

Port Arth

ur

Browns

ville-

Harling

en-

San Ben

ito Dall

as

Corpus

Christi El

Paso

Fort

Worth-

Arlingto

nHou

ston

McAlle

n-

Edinb

urg-

Mission

San

Antonio

Po

pu

lati

on

(m

illi

on

s)

19902000

Metropolitan Areas

0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

POPULATION GROWTH

046-067TXSE_1_03_p 11/15/02 5:03 PM Page 67

Mapping Texas Lands

Mapping Texas People

Texas can be divided intoregions of similar landforms,climate, and precipitation.

People are drawn to someregions more than othersbecause of climate, natural resources,or the availabilityof jobs.

Three of the fourregions can also

be divided intosubregions withsimilar vegetation,rainfall, and otherphysical features.

Identifying the FourRegions of Texas

68 ✯ Chapter 3

TERMS & NAMESExplain the significance of each of thefollowing:1. Rio Grande2. Coastal Plains region3. North Central Plains region4. Great Plains region5. Mountains and Basins region6. census

REVIEW QUESTIONSMapping Texas Lands (pages 46–50)1. Which is likely to change more

over a ten-year period, anarea’s physical geography or its human geography? Explain.

2. Why do you think averagetemperatures decrease aselevation increases?

Identifying the Four Regions ofTexas (pages 52–57)3. Rank the four regions of Texas

in order from largest to small-est. How might life in Texasdiffer if this order werereversed?

4. Based on your knowledge ofTexas regions, what type ofphysical geography would youexpect to see in northernMexico? in eastern NewMexico? in southern Okla-homa? in western Louisiana?

Mapping Texas People (pages 61–67)5. Why do you think a city’s main

form of industry might changeover time?

6. How have economic factors ledto the growth of Texas cities?Explain how this has changedmany Texans’ jobs and occupa-tions over time.

READING SOCIAL STUDIESAfter You ReadReview your completed chart. Usingthe information in each column,write your own definitions forphysical geography and humangeography. Then, with a partner,discuss the following questions:Which key words reflect the physi-cal geography and human geogra-phy of your town or city? How hasthe physical geography had animpact on the human geography?

CRITICAL THINKINGDrawing Conclusions1. What do you think is the value

of understanding the physicalgeography of Texas?

Drawing Conclusions2. What do you think is the value

of understanding the humangeography of Texas?

Making Predictions3. How do you think the physical

and human geography of Texaswould be different if the statedid not sit on the Gulf ofMexico?

Physical HumanGeography Geography

GEOGRAPHY

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Texas Regions ✯ 69

MAP & GEOGRAPHY SKILLSApplying Skills

1. The map above shows natural regions. How mightyou divide Texas differently to show populationregions?

2. What if the four regions of Texas were not yetnamed? Create a descriptive name for each regionbased on its unique physical geography.

SOCIAL STUDIES SKILLBUILDERReading a Bar Graph

1. What is the theme of this graph?2. Which subregion has the longest growing season?3. On the basis of these differences in growing

seasons, what might you infer about climate andprecipitation in the different subregions of Texas?

CHAPTER PROJECTVisual Presentation Divide into groups

of three or four students. Each group should selectone of the four regions of Texas. Using presentationsoftware or poster board and markers, work with yourgroup to create a visual presentation about yourassigned region. Include information about yourregion’s climate, important weather events, notablelandforms, natural resources, important cities andindustries, interesting trivia, and so on. Be sure toinclude visuals with your data. When you have finishedprofiling your region, work as a class to give a cumula-tive presentation on the four regions of Texas.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY ACTIVITYHigh-Tech Regions Silicon Valley in

California is a region known for its heavy concentra-tion of high-tech industries. Working with a partner,use the Internet and other resources to research wherehigh-tech industries are located in Texas. Indicatethese places on an outline map of the state. Thenidentify the regions where these industries seem to beconcentrated and give each region a name to describethe businesses there. Present your information to the class, explaining how you determined each regionand name.

CITIZENSHIP ACTIVITYKeep Texas CleanTexas is special because

of its variety of physical features. Sometimes people not only use the land around them but also harm it by littering and polluting. Working in groups of three or four, create a public service campaign to keep Texas clean. First,research the litter and pollution laws in Texas forbackground information. Next, think of a slogan foryour campaign. Finally, write a 30-second publicservice announcement to air on television or radio to deliver your message.

Go to www.celebratingtexas.com to research this topic.

SCIEN

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MOUNTAINSAND

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COASTALPLAINS

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ESTIMATED MAXIMUM GROWING SEASONS

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