1. Geographic Regions of Georgia SS8G1 The student will describe Georgia with regard to physical features and location. b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia; include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain. c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

2. Georgia has 5 physiographic regions. Appalachian Plateau Ridge and Valley Blue Ridge Piedmont Coastal Plain The characteristics of each region make unique contributions to our state.

3. Appalachian Plateau also known as: Cumberland Plateau/ TAG corner Our smallest physio geographic region From Lookout Mt. to Sand Mt. with ridges of limestone & a long narrow valley in between Soil of limestone, shale & sandstone Land is used for hardwoods and pastureland Our only significant coal deposits.

4. Ridge and Valley Lower elevation than Appalachian Plateau Low open valleys and narrow ridges Soil good for forests, pastures, and crops such as grain and apples (Ellijay) Industry includes textiles and carpet (Dalton, GA is the carpet capital of the world)

5. Blue Ridge Images Brasstown Bald: You can see 3 states from this point. Can you name them? Helen, Georgia has a strong German influence. Why do you think that is? How does the town of Helen contribute to our state? Amicalola Falls Ga. Fruits & Vegetables

6. Blue Ridge Highest mts. in the state including Brasstown Bald- Georgia’s highest point. Provides water for the entire state through precipitation from trapping warm moist Gulf air Sandy loam and clay soil good for hardwoods, vegetable farming and apples Beginning of Appalachian Trail, home to Amicalola Falls, Tallulah Gorge, and Helen See it while you can. Erosion continues to wear down the height of the mountains.

7. Piedmont Images Why do you think most of Georgia’s major cities are located in the Piedmont region? Sandy loam and red clay are make good soil for agriculture.

8. Piedmont: “Foot of the mountain” Begins in the mountain foothills of N. Georgia and goes to the central part of the state. You live in the Piedmont region. Granite based foundation (What’s our largest granite outcropping?) Soil is sandy loam and red clay suitable for growing hardwoods, pine, and agriculture. Cotton belt before the Civil War, now wheat, soybeans, corn, poultry, and cattle. Some of the most densely populated cities and crossed by Chattahoochee, Flint, Ocmulgee, and Oconee rivers.

9. Coastal Plain There are two parts to Georgia’s coastal plain: The Inner Coastal Plain The Outer Coastal Plain Which color do you think represents the Inner Coastal Plain and which color represents the Outer Coastal Plain? Why?

10. The Inner Coastal Plain Good supply of underground water Major agricultural region: Vidalia Onions, peanuts, pecans, and corn Why do you think President Jimmy Carter was known as “The Peanut Farmer from Georgia” during his campaign?

11. Outer Coastal Plain Images Trees are used to produce pulp and naval stores. The processed goods are then shipped from our shores. Why do you think a British flag flies over Fort Frederica? Early map of Savannah Our shores continue to bring visitors to our state.

12. The Outer Coastal Plain Soil not good for agriculture but trees provide naval stores and pulp production (Naval Stores – originally meant wood for ship building. Now it refers to products produced from pine trees – pine old, tar, rosin, turpentine, etc..) Deep harbors and barrier islands also provide for tourism/recreation, fishing industry, and ports for importing/exporting goods. Location of the earliest visits by European explorers, first forts for protection, and Georgia’s first settlements. Why?

13. Other Important Coastal Plain Features Okefenokee Swamp: – Covers 681 square miles making it the largest swamp in North America – Freshwater wetland (wetland: low-lying land area where water lies close to the surface)

14. Another type of wetland Salt Marshes: – A wetland that is influenced by tides – Georgia ranks 4 th in the nation in wetland acres A marsh at low tide. The same marsh at high tide.

15. Georgia’s Barrier Islands “Islands of Gold” Barrier islands protect the mainland from wind, sand, and water that cause erosion. Georgia has 18 barrier islands. These islands are tourist destinations but 2/3 of the land remains wilderness sanctuaries.

16. Other Georgia Geographic Features Continental Shelf: – Where the land meets the sea The Fall Line: – Where hilly land meets the coastal plain – Runs from Columbus through Macon to Augusta – Prevented exploration but provided for settlements

17. Chattahoochee River First steamboat ran in 1828 making Columbus a thriving cotton-marketing center with river travel north and south By the late 1830’s, towns located at the Fall Line along the Chattahoochee also used the river as an industrial power source for textile mills and grist mills Played an integral role in the Civil War Present day—the river is now more valued for its drinking water and recreation activities Georgia, Alabama, and Florida are currently in a legal battle over the unrestricted right to use the river