The North Carolina StageThe North Carolina Stage

Before you begin to explore the Before you begin to explore the stories of North Carolina's past you stories of North Carolina's past you should get to know something about should get to know something about the state’s geography. It has been the state’s geography. It has been said that if history were a play, said that if history were a play, geography would be the stage.geography would be the stage.

North Carolina’s history would have North Carolina’s history would have been entirely different if the state been entirely different if the state were an island or a desert land. were an island or a desert land.

QuestionsQuestions

How would a countries history How would a countries history change if it were an island?change if it were an island?

How can geography affect a persons How can geography affect a persons culture?culture?

Borders of North Borders of North CarolinaCarolina

North Carolina RegionsNorth Carolina Regions

North Carolina’s North Carolina’s Geographic Geographic

RegionsRegions

1.1. TidewaterTidewater

2.2. Coastal PlainCoastal Plain

3.3. PiedmontPiedmont

4.4. MountainsMountains

TidewaterTidewater

Located along Atlantic ocean, Located along Atlantic ocean, extending 30 to 50 miles inlandextending 30 to 50 miles inland

Geographic features- Islands, Geographic features- Islands, sounds, inlets, Outer Banks, sounds, inlets, Outer Banks, Beaches, CapesBeaches, Capes

Economy- Fishing, TourismEconomy- Fishing, Tourism Key Cities- Wilmington, New Bern Key Cities- Wilmington, New Bern

Coastal PlainCoastal Plain

Location- Between Fall line and Location- Between Fall line and TidewaterTidewater

Geographic features- Flat land for Geographic features- Flat land for farming, Rich soil, Sand hills, Carolina farming, Rich soil, Sand hills, Carolina BaysBays

Economy- Tobacco, Hog farms, Military Economy- Tobacco, Hog farms, Military BasesBases

Key Cities- Fayetteville, Greenville, Rocky Key Cities- Fayetteville, Greenville, Rocky Mount, Lumberton, Wilson, Goldsboro Mount, Lumberton, Wilson, Goldsboro

PiedmontPiedmont

Location- From fall line to the Location- From fall line to the mountainsmountains

Geographic features- Rolling hills, red Geographic features- Rolling hills, red clay, swift riversclay, swift rivers

Economy- NASCAR, banking, farming, Economy- NASCAR, banking, farming, manufacturingmanufacturing

Key cities- Charlotte, Raleigh, Key cities- Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Durham, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Cary, GastoniaCary, Gastonia

MountainsMountains

Location- Between Tennessee and Location- Between Tennessee and PiedmontPiedmont

Geographic Features- Blue Ridge and Geographic Features- Blue Ridge and Great Smokey Mountains, Mount Great Smokey Mountains, Mount Mitchell, Fontana Lake and DamMitchell, Fontana Lake and Dam

Economy- Mining, Christmas tree Economy- Mining, Christmas tree Farming, Tourism Farming, Tourism

Key cities: Boone, Ashville Key cities: Boone, Ashville

North Carolina Water North Carolina Water Resource’sResource’s

Easy access to OceanEasy access to Ocean High water table allowing for plenty High water table allowing for plenty

of drinking waterof drinking water Long Navigable rivers (Cape fear, Long Navigable rivers (Cape fear,

Neuse, Roanoke) important for Neuse, Roanoke) important for transportation and shippingtransportation and shipping

Lots of natural and man made lakes Lots of natural and man made lakes for fresh water for fresh water

North Carolina’s Weather and North Carolina’s Weather and ClimateClimate

What are characteristics of What are characteristics of North Carolina’s climate?North Carolina’s climate? Temperate climate: North Carolina is Temperate climate: North Carolina is known for few extremes of known for few extremes of temperature or precipitation during the temperature or precipitation during the yearyear

Westerly winds bring warmer air in the Westerly winds bring warmer air in the winter and cooler air in the summerwinter and cooler air in the summer

Precipitation rates vary across the Precipitation rates vary across the state but piedmont is the driest region. state but piedmont is the driest region. Thunderstorms occur all over NC in Thunderstorms occur all over NC in summersummer

North Carolina’s Weather and North Carolina’s Weather and ClimateClimate

What are characteristics What are characteristics of North Carolina’s of North Carolina’s climate?climate? Hurricanes influence North Carolina’s Hurricanes influence North Carolina’s

Geography. They can cause damage Geography. They can cause damage through storm surge, wind, and floodingthrough storm surge, wind, and flooding

Hurricane season: June – November, Hurricane season: June – November, peaks in Septemberpeaks in September

Hurricane Hurricane floydfloyd video video