G u i d e
t o
R e a d i n g
N o t e s
2 A Vast, Varied Land: Physical Features of the United States
Missouri R.
R
upe
ke S rior
La
NS
OU
M
R.
N
io
Oh
CH
NS
AI
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
A
P
Mississippi R.
S
A I N
P L
NT
CENTRAL
PLAINS
LA
OU
NT
k
La
PA
M
ie
r
eE
AI
Lake Michigan
Y
a
lor
Co
A
PA C I F I C
OCEAN
.
R
do
Lake
Ontario
n
T
EA
GR
K
AD
SIERRA NEV
GREAT
BASIN
ro
Hu
C
Lak
e
IA
lu m bia R.
O
Co
N
Ri
o
E
a nd
Gr
W
e
S
Gulf of
Mexico
0
0
250 500 mi.
500 km
0
0
100
0
200 mi.
0
200 km
250
250
500 mi.
500 km
Challenge 2
1.
A.39Appalachian Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada
TCI7
U.S. Physical
USH_LG_03_GRN-1.eps
B. See map labels.
Second proof
2. A. Ohio R., Colorado R., Missouri R., Rio Grande, Columbia R., Mississippi R.
B. See map labels.
3. A. Central Plains, Great Plains
B. See map labels.
4. A. Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario
B. See map labels.
5. A. Great Basin
B. See map labels.
6. The varied landforms of the United States attracted new settlers but were also barriers to the country’s expansion. The rivers of the United States allowed for increased transport of goods and people. The Great Plains were thought of as a desert at first, but as settlers moved west, they began to farm there.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Setting the Geographic Stage
1 G u i d e
t o
R e a d i n g
N o t e s
3 A Land of Plenty: Natural Resources of the United States
1
:
(
6
KEY
0
250 500 mi.
0
500 km
0
0
100
200 mi.
200 km
Trade and manufacturing
Commercial farming
Coal
Precious metals
0
0
250
250
500 mi.
500 km
Challenge 3
1.
TCI7A.
40The Northeast, around the Great Lakes, along the southern Pacific coast, along the
U.S.Economy
Gulf Coast in Texas
USH_LG_03_GRN-2.eps
Second proof
B. See map.
2. A. Through the Midwest and Southeast, as well as parts of all other regions
B. See map.
3. A. Along the Appalachian Mountains or along the Mississippi River
B. See map.
4. A. In the Southwest states of Arizona and New Mexico
B. See map.
5. Early colonists came, hoping to find the mineral riches that had been reported to the south in Mexico and Peru. When they found none, they turned to farming. As settlers moved west, they found America’s many minerals and fossil fuels. This led to a prosperous mining industry and eventually helped the United States become an industrial giant.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Setting the Geographic Stage
2 G u i d e
t o
R e a d i n g
N o t e s
4 A Growing Population: From Farms to Cities
Boston
Minneapolis
Detroit
Pittsburgh
Chicago
New York
Philadelphia
Washington, D.C.
San
Francisco
St.
Louis
Kansas City
Los Angeles
Atlanta
Dallas
1
(
:
0
250 500 mi.
0
500 km
0
0
100
200 mi.
6
New Orleans
Houston
KEY
More than 8,000,000
4,000,000–8,000,000
1,000,000–4,000,000
200 km
0
0
250
250
500 mi.
500 km
Challenge 4
TCI7
41 Chicago, Los Angeles,
1 A.
U.S. Population
USH_LG_03_GRN-3.eps
B. See map.
Fourth proof
New York
2. A. San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit, Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia
B. See map.
3. A. Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Kansas City, Minneapolis, St. Louis
B. See map.
4. A. Mid-Atlantic region
B. See map.
5. The country’s population is not spread evenly throughout its borders. Large urban areas are usually located in lower elevations and along major waterways.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Setting the Geographic Stage
3 G u i d e
t o
R e a d i n g
N o t e s
5 United and Divided: Regions and American History
U.S. Postal Codes
ME
New
England
VT
NH
MA
WA
MT
OR
Pacifict
Pacific
ND
ID
MN
WI
SD
NY
MidAtlantic
PA
MI
WY
NV
Rocky Mountains
UT
IA
NE
Midwest
IL
CO
KS
CA
MO
OH
IN
WV
KY
RI
CT
NJ
DE
MD
VA
NC
TN
AZ
OK
NM
AR
Southwest
Southeast
MS
TX
AL
SC
GA
N
LA
W
FL
E
AL
LA
OH
AK
ME
OK
AZ
MD
OR
AR
MA
PA
CA
MI
RI
CO
MN
SC
CT
MS
SD
DE
MO
TN
FL
MT
TX
GA
NE
UT
HI
NV
VT
ID
NH
VA
IL
NJ
WA
Pacific
IN
NM
WV
AK
IA
NY
WI
KS
NC
WY
KY
ND
Pacific
0
0
250 500 mi.
500 km
0
0
100
S
HI
200 mi.
200 km
0
0
250
250
500 mi.
500 km
TCI7 42
U.S. Regions
Challenge
5
USH_LG_03_GRN-4.eps
Second proof
1. See map.
2. See map.
3. Because each region of the United States has its own characteristic foods, speech patterns, culture, and economic activities, the country has become a unique blend of customs, economies, and cuisine.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Setting the Geographic Stage
4 G u i d e
t o
R e a d i n g
N o t e s
6 One Continent, Two Oceans: The United States and the World
Canada
EUROPE
NORTH
AMERICA
Mexico
MEXICO
Gulf of
Mexico
PA C I F I C
OCEAN
ASIA
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
PA C I F I C
OCEAN
AFRICA
SOUTH
AMERICA
AUSTRALIA
1
(
:
6
0
0
1,500
3,000 mi.
1,500 3,000 km
ANTARCTICA
Challenge
6
TCI7 43
World Outline
1.USH_LG_03_GRN-5.eps
A. Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean
Third proof
B. See map.
2. A. Gulf of Mexico
B. See map.
3. A. Canada, Mexico
B. See map.
4. A. Africa, Asia, North America, South America, Australia, Antarctica, Europe
B. See map.
5. In the early years of U.S. history, the oceans isolated Americans from the rest of the world, and it took weeks and months for news to travel across the seas. The United States fought and negotiated with other nations to expand its borders. Today the United States trades with almost every country in the world. Immigration also links us to many other countries and cultures.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Setting the Geographic Stage
5