Geography of NC – END ppt Notes & Questions

The Geography of North Carolina How have regional variations of land, climate, and resources in NC affected patterns of settlement?

North Carolina’s Land Regions NC’s topography, or physical terrain, is divided into three geographical regions. A geographical region is described as being a large area or land with a common set of features. The three regions are the Mountains, Piedmont, and the Coastal Plain. The Coastal Plain has been divided further into the inner coastal plain and the outer, or Tidewater. Elevation is used to identify these three major regions. Q1: What is the elevation range for the Coastal Plain?

The Tidewater and the Coastal Plain The Atlantic Ocean impacts the state in various ways. There are two main currents that meet off our coast line. The Labrador Current flows south and brings cold water. The Gulf Stream is a warm water current that flows north and veers out to sea near Cape Hatteras. These two currents meet off of Cape Hatteras along the continental shelf, an underwater plain that extends out from the continent. The shallow areas along the continental shelf are called shoals. They can be tricky for ships to navigate through, causing many to run aground.

The Tidewater and the Coastal Plain The Outer Banks refers to the long chain of sandy barrier islands that form NC’s eastern coastline. These islands are ever shifting and vary in size due to tides and wind patterns. Among the barrier islands are some famous capes. A cape is a pointed piece of land that juts out into a sea, ocean, lake, or river. Places where the ocean flows between the Outer Banks toward the mainland are called inlets. The currents are very strong in these areas. The Outer Banks has often been called the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” Q2: Why is NC so dangerous for ship travel? The Tidewater Cape Hatteras Cape Lookout Cape Fear

The Piedmont The Piedmont climbs in elevation toward the mountains. The region is separated from the Coastal Plain by the Fall Line, or the point at which rocky rapids and waterfalls form, thus making movement difficult. Piedmont is a Latin word that means at the foot of the mountain, hence the region is often referred to as the foothills. Q1: How do you think Native Americans travelled around NC? Q2: Why would the fall line represent a challenge to travel? Fall Line

The Piedmont Two distinct features of the Piedmont region are red clay soil and monadnocks, a point of land that stands out due to the erosion of surrounding land. Pilot Mountain is an example of a monadnock.

The Mountains The Appalachian Mountains form the mountain region in NC. The mountains were given their name in 1540 by Hernando de Soto, who became the first European to step foot in the region. The Blue Ridge Mountains form the eastern boundary of the Appalachain Mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains form the western boundary of the Applachains. Q1: What is the elevation range of the mountain region of NC? Q2: The tallest mountain in the Appalachians is here in NC. What is it, and what is its elevation? Q3: How might the mountain region present travel difficulties?

The Mountains The Appalachian Mountain range stretches for over 2,000 miles, from Newfoundland in Canada to the state of Alabama. The eastern continental divide runs through the mountains. Rivers east of the divide flow into the sounds. Rivers west of the divide stream into the rivers that feed the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Eastern Continental Divide

Analysis Questions – answer questions as essays with full sentences in your INBs How did early explorers get here? What challenges did they face trying to land in NC? How did early explorers investigate beyond the shoreline of NC? What challenges did these explorers face in trying to travel inland? Given these challenges, why do you think NC was settled later and more slowly than the other 13 colonies?