Pacific Ocean

• Largest and deepest ocean in the world.

• Named by Ferdinand Magellan.

• Means “tranquil” in Spanish.

Atlantic Ocean

• 2nd largest ocean in world

• Varies from cold rocky coasts of New England to warm sandy beaches of Florida

Gulf of Mexico

• Oil deposits have been found in the continental shelf

• Offshore oil wells are along the shore of the gulf

Great Lakes

• Group of 5 freshwater lakes.

• Make up largest body of freshwater in world

• Connected to St. Lawrence River—can navigate all the way to Atlantic Ocean

• Formed by melting glaciers.

Great Salt Lake

• Largest body of salt water in N. America

• Salt and minerals are mined in region around Salt Lake

• Salt Lake City founded on shores by Bringham Young. Mormons trying to escape persecution

Chesapeake Bay

• 200 mile long inlet to the Atlantic Ocean

• Calm waters protect ships from Atlantic

• Popular area for settlement—1st permanent settlement in the United States

• Capt. John Smith explored.

Chesapeake Bay

• 200 mile long inlet to the Atlantic Ocean

• Calm waters protect ships from Atlantic

• Popular area for settlement—1st permanent settlement in the United States

• Capt. John Smith explored.

San Francisco Bay

• 50 miles long, 3-13 miles wide; mouth to Pacific Ocean, known as Golden Gate due to Gold Rush prospectors coming to SF

• Discovered by Sir Francis Drake in 1579

Hudson River

• New York City at mouth of Hudson

• Erie Canal links Hudson to Great Lakes

• Benedict Arnold betrays Americans—tries to give West Point to British—would have cut off New England colonies

Mississippi River

• Principal water route in central U.S.

• Major shipping route—floating highway

Ohio River

• Natural boundary.• Highly visible

landmark—made fewer boundary disputes

• Settlement after Revolution

• Boundary for slavery—underground railroad

Missouri River• 2,265 miles long

flows across Great Plains

• “Big Muddy”• Lewis & Clark follow

Missouri River on their journey across N. America to Pacific Ocean

Colorado River

• Flows from Rocky Mtns southwest through CO, UT, AZ, NV and CA before entering Mexico emptying into Gulf of CA

• 1000 miles of canyons

• Fights over H2O rights

Colorado River

• Hydro-Electric Power—Hoover Dam--Las Vegas

Rio Grande River

Rio Grande

• Many small border towns called paired towns—Mexico and U.S.

• Claimed by U.S. as proper border in 1840’s. Caused War with Mexico 1846-1848.

• War gave U.S. most of what is now southwestern United States and California

St. Lawrence River

St. Lawrence River

• One of the most important rivers in N. America

• Important source of hydroelectric power• Canals along the river make navigation

easy. Can travel all the way from Atlantic Ocean to Duluth, MN

• Area once controlled by French. Canadian Areas retain French customs and lang.

Columbia River

Columbia River

• 1210 miles long. Flows from Canada through Wash. & Oregon.

• One of the great drainage basins of N. America. Large amounts of silt & sediment created shallow areas.

• Explored by Lewis & Clark. Focus of settlement and “end of the line” for the Oregon Trail.

Great Plains

Great Plains

• Extensive grassland region from northern Canada to Texas between Rocky Mtns. And Mississippi River

• Once a vast inland sea—sediments from ancient sea make soil rich for farming.

• “America’s Breadbasket”

• Expansion of wheat during WWI led to Dust Bowl during Great Depression

Great Basin

Great Basin

• Lowland desert region in western U.S. bordered by Sierra Nevada range and Rocky Mountains.

• Dominated by short, steep mountains amidst gradual depressions in the earth called basins.

• Rare rainfall—dry lakes and riverbeds. Rainfall flows fast to low areas—flash floods.

Cape Cod

Cape Cod

• Created by glacier around 17,000 years ago.

• Fishhook or elf’s shoe shape• Canal allows boats from Boston to cut

through to New York• 1620-first Pilgrims landed at Plymouth and

established one of the first permanent European settlements in N. America--Mayflower

Gulf Coastal Plain

Gulf Coastal Plain

• Extends from Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, along Texas coast to western Florida

• Low, sandy & marshy shoreline. Marshy areas known as bayous. Land is prone to flooding. Cajuns

• Battle of New Orleans—Andrew Jackson defeated British

Atlantic Coastal Plain

Atlantic Coastal Plain

• Run from Nova Scotia to Florida

• Generally flat lowlands-prone to flooding

• Areas of good farmland

• Barrier Islands along Carolina coast provide smooth water for ships and harbors

Central Valley

Central Valley

• Extends 450 miles through California. 50 miles wide between Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges

• Rich soil & a perfect climate for growing agricultural products. Largest concentration of fruit farms & vineyards in the U.S.

• Uninhabited until 1848—gold in Sierra

Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada

• 400 miles long.

• Largest peak is Mt. Whitney-14,494 ft elev.

• Melting snowpack is a major source of water for rivers, lakes & streams in California

• Spectacular scenery—Yosemite, Lake Tahoe and other St. & Nat’l. Parks are sources of recreation for millions of visitors

Appalachian Mountains

Appalachian Mountains

• Extend in a broad belt 1600 miles from St. Lawrence River to Gulf Coastal Plain in Alabama

• Most of the mountains are below the “timberline”

• Soil at base good for farming

• Very few passes—created a natural barrier to early westward expansion

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

• Extend more than 3000 miles from central New Mexico to NW Alaska

• Many peaks exceed the timberline making settlement and transportation virtually impossible

• Form the Continental Divide: separates rivers flowing to Atlantic & Arctic Oceans from those draining to the Pacific

Mount McKinley

Mt. McKinley

• Elevation is 20,320 feet high. Highest point in North America.

• Permanent snowfields cover more than half the mountain and are a source of numerous glaciers. Terrain is rough and hazardous.

• American explorer Hudson Stuck was 1st to successfully scale Mt. McKinley in 1913

Mount Whitney

Mt. Whitney

• 2nd highest peak in N. America 14,494’ elevation

• Elevation of area around Mt. Whitney make transportation & settlement impossible. Mountain peaks play crucial role in surrounding areas: water from snow pack make valleys near base good for agriculture. Act as windbreak for farmlands

Cascade Range

Cascade Range

• 700 miles long, stretch from British Columbia, Canada to northern California

• Highest peaks are volcano cones—incl. Mt. St. Helens

• Highest mountain is Mt. Rainier at 14,440’

• Great logging area, most mountains are below timberline

Coast Range

Coast Range

• Runs along Pacific Coast from Alaska to Baja; range from 2,000’ to 20,000’

• Rocky coasts, sheer cliffs; settlement limited to few areas where bays or small plains have been created. (San Diego, Los Angeles, SF, and Seattle)

• Faulting & folding of Coast Range due to friction from tectonic plates; earthquakes

Brooks Range

Brooks Range

• Natural barrier between Arctic Ocean coastal plain & Yukon River basin in s. Alaska

• Vast reserves of oil. Trans-Alaskan pipeline to Valdez

Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa

• Volcanic forces created Hawaiian Islands

• Island of Hawaii continues to grow each year

Mauna Loa Lava Flow