1. Geographic features that shaped the identity of the United States US History

2. Size: 3,700,000 sq miles 4,000 mile border with Canada 1,900 mile border with Mexico

3. Mountain Ranges: Appalachian 1,500 miles long Runs from New England to Georgia and Alabama

4. Mountain Ranges: Rocky Mts. Northern New Mexico to Northern Canada. Continental Divide runs through the Rockies.

5. Rivers: Mississippi It runs north –south and the delta is very fertile for farming.

6. River Systems Delaware, Hudson, Connecticut and Potomac are shorter rivers located in the East Columbia and Colorado Rivers – west of the Rockies. Flow through desert and semi-arid lands on their way to the Pacific. Dams have been constructed

7. Great Lakes & Seaway Canal Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway and canals connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.

8. Great Plains: between the Rockies and Mississippi River. OHIO R. Valley OHIO RIVER VALLEY- Area that is extremely fertile along the river. Great PLAINS

9. Natural Resources Gold, silver – set off rushes to California and Alaska Petroleum, Gas – found in Texas, Louisiana, California and Alaska coal, copper, lead, zinc and uranium are all mined in the United States.

10. Geography cause differences NORTHERN COLONIES- Have a very DIVERSE economy based not only on farming but trade and manufacturing. SOUTHERN COLONIES- Based on the SINGLE CASH CROPS: tobacco, rice, & cotton for export. Used indentured servant then later slaves.