R. Scott Peoples, Fairview HS, Boulder, CO The Geography of the United States R. Scott Peoples, Fairview HS, Boulder, CO Adapted from “The Geography of the United States” by Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley HS, Chappaqua, NY; available at http://www.pptpalooza.net/

US Geography Basics Third largest country in the world. Half the size of Russia. One third the size of Africa. Half the size of South America. 2 ½ times the size of Western Europe.

Topography

Topography of the US

Topography of the Northeast

Topography of the Southeast

Topography of the Midwest

The Great Plains

Topography of the West

Bodies of Water Great Salt Lake Chesapeake Bay Lake Okeechobee

Rivers St. Lawrence R. Columbia R. Missouri R. Hudson R. Potomac R. Mississippi R. Ohio R. Colorado R. Arkansas R. Rio Grande R. Yukon R.

The Mississippi: America’s Great River Road The “Big Muddy”. 2,350 miles. Draining all or part of 31 states & 2 Canadian provinces. Covers 40% of the U. S.

Lake Okeechobee, FL

The Gulf of Mexico

Mountains & Plateaus Cascade Mts. Adirondack Mts. Rocky Mts. ^ Mt. Whitney Sierra Nevada Mts. Appalachian Mts. ^ Pike’s Peak ^ Mt. McKinley Alaskan Range

The Contour of the US

The Continental Divide

Atlantic Coastal Plains Great Basin Central Plains Atlantic Coastal Plains Gulf Coastal Plains

The Great Plains

Plateaus Cumberland Plateau Colorado Plateau

Cumberland Plateau & ‘Gap’ AL, KY, TN, VA, WV 24,640 sq. mi. Natural passage [Gap] through the Cumberland Mts., formed in part by a meteor strike 300m ya

Deserts Death Valley Mohave Desert SonoranDesert

Mohave Desert – 3,000’

Death Valley, CA 3.3 million acres. 95% wilderness. 282’ below sea level, less than 100 miles from Mt. Whitney (14,505’) highest recorded temp: 134° in 1913

Atlantic Coastal Plains Completed Map St. Lawrence R. Columbia R. Cascade Mts. Adirondack Mts. Missouri R. Hudson R. Rocky Mts. Great Basin Potomac R. Great Salt Lake Mississippi R. Ohio R. Chesapeake Bay Central Plains Sierra Nevada Mts. ^ Mt. Whitney Appalachian Mts. Death Valley Colorado R. ^ Pike’s Peak Cumberland Plateau Colorado Plateau Arkansas R. Atlantic Coastal Plains Mohave Desert SonoranDesert Gulf Coastal Plains Lake Okeechobee Rio Grande R. Yukon R. ^ Mt. McKinley Alaskan Range

Climate

Vegetation

The American Landscape

US Wetlands

Geographic Problems

Seismography Data: 1977-1997 Earthquakes!

Tornadoes Per Year: 1950-1997

Hurricane Camille: The Storm of the Century August 17, 1969 Category 5; landfall @ mouth of Mississippi R Killed 259 people; $9.1b damage (2014 USD)

Andrew: The Most Expensive Hurricane of the 20th Century August 24, 1992 Category 5; South Florida Killed 65 people Cost $30,000,000,000

Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Costliest natural disaster in US history $81 billion (3x Andrew) 1836 confirmed deaths

The Geographic Diversity of America!

National Parks

US National Parks (1) Grand Teton National Park, WY Glacier National Park, MT Mt. Rushmore National Park, SD

US National Parks (2) Everglades National Park, FL Yellowstone National Park, MT Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

US National Parks (3) Yosemite National Park, CA Acadia National Park, ME Natural Bridges National Park, UT