R. Scott Peoples, Fairview HS, Boulder, CO Adapted from “The Geography of the United States” by Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS, Chappaqua, NY; available at R. Scott Peoples, Fairview HS, Boulder, CO Adapted from “The Geography of the United States” by Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS, Chappaqua, NY; available at

US Geography Basics Third largest country in the world. Half the size of Russia. One third the size of Africa. Half the size of South America. 2 ½ times the size of Western Europe.

Topography of the US

Topography of the Northeast

Topography of the Southeast

Topography of the Midwest

The Great Plains

Topography of the West

Bodies of Water Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay Great Salt Lake Lake Okeechobee

RiversRivers Hudson R. Potomac R. Mississippi R. Ohio R. Missouri R. Arkansas R. Colorado R. Columbia R. Yukon R. Rio Grande R. St. Lawrence R.

The Mississippi: America’s Great River Road The “Big Muddy”. 2,350 miles. Draining all or part of 31 states & 2 Canadian provinces. Covers 40% of the U. S.

Lake Okeechobee, FL

The Gulf of Mexico

Mountains & Plateaus Appalachian Mts. Rocky Mts. Cascade Mts. Sierra Nevada Mts. Alaskan Range ^ Mt. Whitney ^ Mt. McKinley ^ Pike’s Peak Adirondack Mts.

The Contour of the US

The Continental Divide

PlainsPlains Central Plains Atlantic Coastal Plains Gulf Coastal Plains Great Basin

The Great Plains

PlateausPlateaus Cumberland Plateau Colorado Plateau

Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’ AL, KY, TN, VA, WV 24,640 sq. mi. Natural passage [Gap] through the Cumberland Mts., formed in part by a meteor strike 300m ya

DesertsDeserts Mohave Desert Death Valley Sonoran Desert

Mohave Desert – 3,000’

Death Valley, CA 3.3 million acres. 95% wilderness. 282’ below sea level, less than 100 miles from Mt. Whitney (14,505’) highest recorded temp: 134° in 1913

Completed Map Lake Okeechobee Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay Appalachian Mts. Rocky Mts. Cascade Mts. Sierra Nevada Mts. Alaskan Range ^ Mt. Whitney ^ Mt. McKinley ^ Pike’s Peak Adirondack Mts. Central Plains Atlantic Coastal Plains Gulf Coastal Plains Great Basin Cumberland Plateau Hudson R. Potomac R. Mississippi R. Ohio R. Missouri R. Arkansas R. Colorado R. Columbia R. Yukon R. Rio Grande R. St. Lawrence R. Great Salt Lake Mohave Desert Death Valley Sonoran Desert Colorado Plateau

The American Landscape

US Wetlands

Seismography Data: Earthquakes!

Tornadoes Per Year:

Hurricane Camille: The Storm of the Century August 17, 1969 Category 5; mouth of Mississippi R Killed 259 people; $9.1b damage (2014 USD)

Andrew: The Most Expensive Hurricane of the 20 th Century August 24, 1992 Category 5; South Florida Killed 65 people Cost $30,000,000,000

Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Costliest natural disaster in US history $81 billion (3x Andrew) 1836 confirmed deaths

National Parks

US National Parks (1) Glacier National Park, MT Grand Teton National Park, WY Mt. Rushmore National Park, SD

US National Parks (2) Everglades National Park, FL Yellowstone National Park, MT Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

US National Parks (3) Yosemite National Park, CA Acadia National Park, ME Natural Bridges National Park, UT