Regions

Answers the question “How are places similar or different?” Regions Answers the question “How are places similar or different?” A region is an area of the earth’s surface with similar characteristics. Regions usually have more than one characteristic that unifies them. These may include physical, political, economic, or cultural characteristics. Perceptual Regions have characteristics that are perceived to be similar. They are defined by popular feelings and images Functional Regions are organized around interactions between places. Like a city and its suburbs. Formal Regions are defined by related characteristics. The textbook has broken the earth into regions based on continental area & cultural styles.

The Northeast The region’s coastal and inland waters turned it into the heart of trade, commerce, and industry for the nation. The Northeast is one of the most heavily industrialized and urbanized areas in the world. Coal, iron ore, and oil fueled industrialization. Traditional industries still play a role in the region’s economy, but most Northeasterners are now employed in manufacturing and service industries.

The Midwest Because of its central location, the Midwest is called the American heartland. Vast, largely flat plains are a distinctive feature of the region. So are numerous waterways, including the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. The Midwest is the nation’s “breadbasket.” Fertile soil, adequate rainfall, and a favorable climate enable Midwesterners to produce more food and feed more people than farmers in any comparable area in the world.

The South The South is often referred to as the “sunbelt” because of its climate. Agriculture was the South’s first economic activity, and cotton, tobacco, fruits, peanuts, and rice are still grown there. Livestock production is important, too. The introduction of air conditioning in the 1950s and the region’s vast stores of energy resources encouraged industrialization. In recent times, the South has attracted many manufacturing and service industries.

The West The West is the most rapidly growing region in the United States. The region’s growth was helped by the introduction of air conditioning and by irrigation. Mining has always been important to this region. It began with the first Gold Rush miners. It continues today in many of the region's states. Alaska and Hawaii are two of the region's states that have extreme climates.

Corn Belt Sun Belt …traditional area in the Midwestern United States in which corn (maize) and soybeans are the dominant crops. Soils are fertile, and rich in organic material, and the land is relatively level. …region comprising 15 southern states in the United States. Large in-migration, along with a high birth rate and a decline in out-migration, all contributed to rapid growth of both the Sun Belt’s population and manufacturing activities. The regions warm-temperate climate with extended summers and short, mild winters make it a highly populated region.

Bible Belt / Cotton Belt Rust Belt Bible Belt / Cotton Belt …parts of the northeastern and Midwestern US that once experienced large-scale industrial and manufacturing growth. Declining industry, and aging factories, make this a post industrial society which has lead to a falling population The Bible Belt is an informal region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which the church plays a strong role in society and politics, and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average. The Cotton Belt is an economic region of the southern United States where cotton was the predominant cash crop from the late 18th century into the 20th century.