The Land How does the nation’s geography differ as you travel across the 50 states?

Landform Regions A region that has similar landforms throughout Landforms are physical features like plains, mountains, plateaus, hills, and valleys Climate-weather over a long period of time Environment-surroundings in which people, plants, and animals live

The Appalachians The oldest mountains in the United States Peaks worn down by glaciers, wind, and rain (erosion) Made up of many smaller mountain ranges, groups of connected mountains, including: the Great Smoky, Blue Ridge, Catskill, and White Mountains

The Coastal Plain Flat, low land along the Atlantic Ocean Begins in Massachusetts and stretches past Florida and west into Texas and Mexico

The Interior Plains Flat land in the center of the country between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains Called the Central Plains in the east Also called a prairie, flat rolling land covered with grass Called the Great Plains in the west Flatter with fewer rivers and almost no trees

The Rocky Mountains Largest and longest U.S. mountain range Much younger than Appalachians so they are more jagged Cover much of western U.S.

The Intermountain Region Area between the Rockies and other mountains to the west Large area of dry land Includes the Great Basin, a low, bowl-shaped land with higher land around it, in Nevada