1. Geography SS8G1 The student will describe Georgia with regard to physical features and location.
a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.
Georgia is in the southeastern region of the United States of America. Georgia is in the western and northern hemispheres.  
b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia; include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
A region is the basic unit of study in geography
A region can be defined by common physical or cultural characteristics.
The five regions in Georgia include:
Appalachian Plateau
Ridge and Valley
Blue Ridge
Piedmont
Coastal Plain

2. Appalachian Plateau Tourism Forestry
Location: extreme northwest corner
Physical Characteristics:
Sloping land above surrounding valleys
Climate:
Cooler temps due to high elevations
Summer temps 80’s and 90’s
Winter temps 20’s to 40’s w/ some ice and snow
Agriculture:
Limited due to poor soil
Small family farms (corn and soybeans)
Economy:
Tourism
Forestry
Coal- only known source of coal in the state
Limestone
Interesting features:
Cloudland Canyon
Lookout Mountain
Chickamauga (Civil War site

3. Ridge and Valley Region
Location: Northwest Georgia
Between Appalachian Plateau & Blue Ridge.
Physical Characteristics:
Long Ridges separated by fertile valleys
Climate:
Cooler temps due to high elevations
Summer temps 80’s
Winter temps 20’s-40’s w/ some ice and snow
Agriculture:
Soybean, wheat, and cotton
Hardwood and pine timber harvested
Economy: “Carpet Capital of World”
Textiles and carpets
Mining
Chicken processing
Interesting features:
Dalton, Georgia is the “carpet capital of the world”
New Echota (former Cherokee capital)

4. The Blue Ridge Region Agriculture: Small farms in the valleys
Apples, corn and vegetables
Pastures large animals
Economic:
Mining
Outdoor Rec & Tourism
Harvesting of timber
Interesting features:
Brasstown Bald-highest peak
Appalachian Trail
Dahlonega home to first gold rush in U.S
Location: Northeast corner of Georgia
Physical Characteristics:
Highest elevation
Appalachian Trail begins/ends in region
Chattahoochee & Savannah Rivers originate in region
Climate:
Cooler temps due to high elevations
Highest precipitation in the state with 80 inches of rain per year

5. Piedmont Region Location: “Foot of the mountain” Central Georgia
30% of the land of the state
Physical Characteristics:
Rolling hills
Flowing rivers w/ waterfalls and rapids
Red Clay & granite
Climate:
Steamy and hot in the summer w/ temps in the 90’s
As low as the 20’s in winter
Agriculture:
Cotton
Soybeans
Wheat
Poultry/ Eggs, hogs, cattle, and beef
Economic:
Granite mining
Timber harvesting
Highly industrialized
Poultry processing
Interesting features:
Urban cities of Atlanta, Columbus, Macon, and Augusta
Stone Mountain

6. Coastal Plains Location: Southernmost region in the state
Physical Characteristics:
Covers 60% of Georgia
2 sections: Inner and Outer Coastal
Climate:
Hot steamy summers
Cool winters w/ little chance of snow
Agriculture:
Agricultural heartland
Inner coastal: Peanuts, peaches, soybeans, Vidalia Onions, and pecans
Outer Coastal: Less fertile. Pine trees and some row crops.
Economic:
Pulp and paper industry
Commercial fishing and seafood
Tourism due to coastal towns
Deep-water ports of Savannah and Brunswick create global shipping
Interesting features:
Barrier islands protect mainland Georgia
Okefenokee Swamp
Major rivers flow to Atlantic or Gulf

7. 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. 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.
The Fall Line
Divides Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions.
Archaeologists believe this marked Georgia's pre-historic coast line.
Dramatic drop in elevation created a line of waterfalls making boat travel difficult or impossible.
Trading posts between Europeans and indigenous occurred along Fall Line.
Offered a source of water to travelers. Settlements grew along Fall Line. European settlers utilized the water power to establish mills which led to towns growing up along Fall Line.
Columbus, Macon, and Augusta are located on the fall line.
Chattahoochee River
Begins in the Blue Ridge region and forms part of the border between Georgia and Alabama.
Major transportation route that carries cotton and other freight, furnishes hydroelectric power to factories and mills.
Today it is a primary water source for north Georgians and Atlanta metro area and is also used for industry and recreation
Savannah River
Extremely important to first European settlers.
Forms border between Georgia and South Carolina
Used for shipping, drinking water, cools TWO nuclear power plants in South Carolina, and generates hydro electric power.
Okefenokee Swamp
Located in southeastern Georgia
Named by the Choctaw Indians, meaning “land of the trembling earth”
Largest freshwater swamp in the entire U.S.
Hundreds of animal species live in the area including the American alligator.
The Barrier Islands
14 islands off the coast of Georgia
Called barrier islands because the protect the mainland from wind and water erosion.
During colonial and antebellum periods, plantations were set up to grow rice and indigo.
Some are wild life refuges or state parks, and others are developed for tourism.
Tourism, fishing and paper industries are important economic activities today.
Southern end of Appalachian Mountain range is located in Georgia's Blue Ridge region.
Site of America’s first gold rush.
Tourism is region's most important industry.
Brasstown Bald is Georgia’s highest elevation.

8. Cities developed along the fall line near rivers.
d. Analyze the importance of water in Georgia’s historical development and economic growth.
Rivers are major sources of drinking water, navigation, and recreation.
Georgia has close to twenty thousands miles of rivers and streams, which often define county lines and the state borders.
Cities developed along the fall line near rivers.
Rivers also help form many of Georgia’s boundaries with neighboring states, especially South Carolina and Alabama.
(Reid McCallister GeorgiaInfo)

9. Weather vs. Climate
The condition of a particular day (ex., rain, snow, thunderstorms, etc..) is called weather.
Weather over a long time is called climate.
Georgia’s location causes it to have a temperate climate (mild).
In the North Georgia Mountains, summers are cool and winters are cold.
The growing season is 180 days in the northern regions.
In South Georgia, summers are HOT and winters are mild..
The growing season is 270 days along the coast.
So….
1. Georgia has a longer growing season than most northern states. It receives enough annual rainfall to support farming of tobacco, peanut, cotton and lumber, etc.. As a result, Georgia’s economy has been built on agriculture (historically.)
2. Georgia’s climate attracts tourists. Cool summers and cold winters attract hikers and skiers to Georgia’s mountains.
3. Georgia’s climate impacts its businesses. Georgia and its neighbors in the South are part of a warm region of the United States called the Sun Belt. Our warm climate attracts many major corporations to relocate to Georgia

10. SS8E1 Explain how the four transportation systems (road, air, water, and rail) of Georgia contribute to the development and growth of the state’s economy.   a. Evaluate the ways in which the Interstate Highway System, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, deep water ports, and railroads interact to support the exchange of goods and services domestically and internationally.   b. Explain how the four transportation systems provide jobs for Georgians.
Transportation is a huge part of our economy. The four systems work together to move people and cargo. Road--Moving cargo employs over 100,000 Georgians. Air– Atlanta’s airport is one of the busiest passenger airports in the world. Water--Savannah is the third largest port in the U.S. Rail--Georgia has over 4,500 miles of rail to move freight. Over 30,000 companies in Georgia rely on cargo movers and those private companies employ over 700,000 people in Georgia contributing over a half trillion dollars of annual revenue. Transportation is a huge part of our state and it’s ever growing economy.