Northeast Region of the United States

Midwest Northeast South West For purpose of collecting statistics, the government divides the US into 4 major regions – Northeast, South, Midwest & West. Regions are based on physical, economic, cultural, & historical factors.

At A Glance ► Unique combination of precipitation, type of soil, and variety of trees give New England its beauty ► Tourists often visit coast of Maine, New York’s Niagara Falls, and farmlands of Pennsylvania ► New York, Boston and Philadelphia add culture and history

Natural Resources ► Has few natural resources ► Thin, rocky soils and steep hills create challenges for farmers ► Northern reaches of Appalachian Mountains make parts of the Northeast rugged ► Coal-rich area of Pennsylvania ► One resource has turned region into center of trade, commerce and industry - water

Water ► Water is the region’s most important resource ► Northern Atlantic Ocean has yielded large and abundant harvests of fish ► Area has excellent harbors ► 1700s-1800s – helped region grow into major commercial center

Niagara Falls Located on the border of Canada and the United States between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Thousands of years ago, glaciers covered the area. When these glaciers melted, they carved out the Great Lakes and the Niagara Gorge. At the falls, the Niagara River plunges into the Niagara Gorge creating Niagara Falls. The Niagara Falls are visited by millions of tourists each year.

The Mountains of the Northeast The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountain range in North America. The mountain range begins in Canada and extends south to Alabama

Leader in Industry ► Abundant precipitation (40-60 in.) annually combined with hilly terrain gives rivers swift flow ► Industrialists harnessed this power with water wheels to convert water power to machine power ► 1800s – may factories built along rivers producing shoes, cotton cloth, and several other goods ► River valleys served as trade routes, railroad routes, and later, highway routes

The Megalopolis ► Cities along coast grew in importance as harbors of trade and centers of shipbuilding ► By mid-1800s, European immigrants were flowing into the area ► Over time coastal cities began to spread and run together ► By 1960s, area from Boston to Washington, D.C. earned a new name – megalopolis ► Over 42 million people live in this megalopolis

Problems of Megalopolis ► Concerns of water supply and facilities of waste disposal ► Also suffering decline in population from – Philadelphia shrunk by 364,000 ► Less population means less money for things such as street repairs, police protection, and garbage collection

Postal Abbreviations 1. Rhode Island= RI 2. Massachusetts= MA 3. Connecticut= CT 4. New Jersey= NJ 5. Pennsylvania= PA 6. New York= NY 7. Vermont= VT 8. New Hampshire= NH 9. Maine= ME