1. Aim: How have geographic factors influenced the history of the United States?
Do Now: Can you label each of the following geographic features on a blank map?
Atlantic Ocean
Pacific Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Mississippi River
The Great Lakes
Appalachian Mountains
Rocky Mountains
Great Plains

3. Do Now: Can you label each of the following important locations on a blank map?
New York
Washington D.C.
Chicago
Los Angles
Louisiana Purchase
New Orleans
Canada
Mexico
The Caribbean
Proclamation Line of 1763

4. Key Vocabulary Neutrality Isolationism Precedent Commerce
the quality or state of not supporting either side in an argument, fight, war, etc
Isolationism
the belief that a country should not be involved with other countries : a policy of not making political agreements or working with other countries
Precedent
a similar action or event that happened at an earlier time : something done or said that can be used as an example or rule to be followed in the future
Commerce
the exchange or buying and selling of commodities on a large scale involving transportation from place to place
Manufacturing
the process of making products especially with machines in factories
French & Indian War
the American phase of a worldwide nine-years’ war (1754–63) fought between France and Great Britain
Climate
the usual weather conditions in a particular place or region
Topography
the features (such as mountains and rivers) in an area of land

5. Atlantic and Pacific Ocean
Two large oceans on each coast encouraged U.S. government to pursue a foreign policy of neutrality or isolationism throughout much of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

6. Isolationist Foreign Policy
President George Washington set the precedent for an isolationist foreign policy but it became a difficult challenge for later presidents to follow this policy.

7. Influence of Geography: Colonial Development
America’s original 13 colonies developed near the coast line where rivers and natural harbors contributed to the development of commerce.

8. Appalachian Mountains
Served as the western boundary for British colonial settlements prior to the Revolutionary War.

9. Proclamation Line of 1763
Border established along the Appalachian Mountains by Great Britain after the French & Indian War
Purpose was to avoid conflicts between American colonists and Native Americans.

10. New England Colonies
Influenced by good harbors, abundant forests, rocky soil, and a short growing season.
Geographic factors influenced the economy of New England by promoting the growth of trade and manufacturing.

11. Southern Colonies
The climate and topography of the southeastern U.S. had a major impact on the history of the U.S. before 1860 because the region provided agricultural products that were processed in the North and in Europe.

12. Southern Colonies
Slavery became more widespread in the South than in the North because geographic factors (fertile land and long growing seasons) contributed to the growth of the southern plantation system.

13. Great Plains
The relatively flat, grassy region of the U.S. between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains is known as the Great Plains.
The states with the largest percentage of land used for agriculture are located in areas with relatively flat terrain.
Known for producing grain crops (aka food).

14. Louisiana Purchase:
U.S. purchases territory from France which doubles the size of the nation.

15. Secured control of the Mississippi River.
Since the late 1700s, the Mississippi River has been a vital waterway because it provided farmers and merchants an outlet to the Gulf of Mexico in order to transport farm goods to markets.

16. A geographic and economic motivation for the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 was the desire to control the Port of New Orleans.
Farmers in the Ohio River valley gained the greatest economic benefit from the Louisiana Purchase