Mesozoic Era (235 million years ago) plate tectonic process reversed Pangaea began to break apart Atlantic Ocean Began to form Avalonia was firmly attached to North America Rift Basins began to form on each side of the breakup The Newark terrain in central Connecticut is the eroded remains of one of these basins Contains 200 million year old sedimentary rocks and intrusion basalt from lava flows

As Pangaea broke apart rift basins began to form

Sediments form the local western and eastern eroded into the basin

Sedimentary rock- Is formed by the deposition and consolidation of sediments and organic material that settle out of solution and is laid in layers Rt. 9 Middletown Layers of sediment

Intrusive Basaltic rock - molten rock magma that moves from inside the earth to the surface into present rock

Sleeping Giant is located just north of New Haven in Hamden Connecticut Sleeping Giant State Park

Named by Native Americans of the Quinnipiac Tribe Mt. resembles a sleeping giant 2.75 miles long Highest point 739 ft (225m) Over 30 miles of hiking trails Observation tower built at the peak in 1936 by WPA ( Works Progress Administration) (CT D.E.P. 2009)

Fault Block Mt. that formed over 200 million years ago Composed of trap rock (Basalt)

Cliff at Giant’s Head 400ft Bottom of Cliff Close up view of Basaltic rock at bottom cliff

Larger Basaltic RockView from the Giant’s Chin

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Write a paragraph and explain the three steps of how the Connecticut river was formed