1. The Regions of the United States
Chapter 1
The Regions of the United States

2. Lesson 1: Regions and Landforms
Key Vocabulary

3. 1. region-
A large area in which places share similar characteristics

4. 2. landform -
A natural feature of the earth’s surface

5. 3. mountain-
A very high landform often with steep sides

6. 4. plain-
An area of flat land that often is covered with grass or trees

7. 5. desert-
An area that receives less than ten inches of rain in one year

8. 6. canyon-
A deep valley with steep, rocky walls

9. 7. plateau-
A large, flat raised area of land

10. 8. boundary-
A line or natural feature that separates one area or state from another

11. Places

12. 1. Northeast Region-
Region that contains the country’s oldest mountain range- the Appalachian Mountains

13. 2. Southeast Region-
Region where the Appalachian Mountains gradually flatten to the Atlantic Coastal Plain

14. 3. Southwest Region-
Region that is very dry with many deserts, canyons, and plateaus

15. 4. Midwest Region-
Region that has flat, grassy plains and large areas of forests

16. 5. West Region-
Region that has extremes both in temperatures and landforms

17. 6. Washington, D.C.-
The capital city of the U.S. located in the District of Columbia, 39◦ N 77◦W

18. Notes

19. Regions
A region is an area where places share similar characteristics, but there can be differences.
There are 5 regions in the United States (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West).
The Northeast has the Appalachian Mountains, the oldest mountains in North America, a rocky coastline, and good farmland the more west you go in this region.
In the Southeast the Appalachians gradually flatten into the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Mississippi and Red Rivers create rich farmland in this region.
The Midwest is a flat, grassy plain, with 4 of the 5 Great Lakes in this region.
The Southwest is dry, with very little rain. The Grand Canyon was carved out by the Colorado River.
The West is a region of extremes. It has the highest and lowest landforms and temperatures.

20. Borders
A border or boundary is a line or natural feature that separates one area or state from another.
State borders can only be seen on maps, are legal, and are set by the government.
Regional borders are not set by any rule or law and can be different from book to book.

21. Lesson 2: Climate
Key Vocabulary

22. 1. weather-
The condition of the air at a certain time and place

23. 2. climate-
The weather patterns in one place over a long period of time

24. 3. precipitation-
The amount of moisture that falls as rain, snow, sleet, or hail

25. 4. temperature-
A measurement telling how hot or cold something is

26. 5. humidity-
The amount of moisture in the air

27. 6. equator-
The imaginary line that circles the center of Earth from east to west

28. 7. elevation-
How high a place is above sea level

29. 8. Tropical climate-
An area that is usually very warm all year

30. 9. Polar climate-
Area around the North and South poles with the coldest temperatures

31. 10. Subarctic climate-
An area with short, warm summers and ground covered in snow for most of the rest of the year

32. 11. Temperate climate-
Moderate area between the tropical and subarctic climates

33. Notes

34. Weather and Climate
Weather is the condition of the air at a certain time and place.
Climate is the weather of a place averaged over a long period of time.
Both precipitation (rain and snow) and temperature are factors for weather and climate.

35. Water in the Air—The Rain Cycle
Energy from the sun evaporates the water from the ground into the air and changes it into water vapor.
As the water vapor rises, it cools down and forms tiny drops of water.
Millions of these tiny drops join together to form a cloud.
Inside the cloud, the tiny drops grow into bigger drops. When the cloud is too heavy the drops fall as rain/snow.
The precipitation falls to the ground and the cycle starts over again.

36. Causes of Climate Distance from the equator
The sun’s rays hit directly at the equator all year causing it to have a warm climate.
Distance from a large body of water
Land heats and cools faster than water.
Elevation of a place
The higher you go, the colder it will get.

37. Types of Climate Tropical Climate: warm all year.
Subtropical Climate: warm all year, but not as warm as a tropical.
Polar Climate: coldest climate found at the North and South Poles.
Subarctic Climate: warm periods in summer, but covered in snow most of the year.
Temperate Climate: warm in the summer, cold in the winter. (Climate we live in)

38. Lesson 3: Regional Resources
Key Vocabulary

39. 1. Natural resource-
Something in the environment that can be used

40. 2. Raw material-
Something that is changed so that people can use it

41. 3. process-
To change something so that people can use it

42. 4. harvest-
Cut for use, as a crop

43. 5. industry-
a business that makes a product or provides a service

44. 6. manufacturing-
making things to use or sell

45. 7. product-
something that people make or grow

46. 8. Capital resource-
something people make in order to produce other products

47. 9. agriculture-
the raising of crops or animals

48. 10. conserve-
to use resources carefully

49. 11. Renewable resource-
a natural resource that can be replaced

50. 12. recycle-
to use something more than once (reuse)

51. 13. Nonrenewable resource-
a resource that cannot be replaced.

52. 14. Human resources-
A person that makes products or provides services

53. 15. service-
Job that someone does for others

54. Notes

55. Regional Resources There are 3 main kinds of resources:
natural resource- something in the environment that can be used
capital resources- something people make in order to produce other products
human resources- a person that makes products or provides services
Renewable resources can be replaced and nonrenewable resources cannot.
Renewable resources: cotton, cattle, corn, fish, lumber, sugarcane, rice, wheat 
Nonrenewable resources: gold, silver, coal, oil, natural gas

56. Resources or Industries by Region
Northeast: farming, fishing, coal, factories
Southeast: Agriculture, sugar cane, cotton, rice, soil 
Midwest: corn, soybeans, wheat, cows, hogs, soil
Southwest: farming, cattle, cotton, oil, natural gas, factories
West: farming, soil, silver, gold, cattle, timber, fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables