1. Importance of key physical features on Georgia The Fall Line Okefenokee Swamp 20 mile wide boundary separating Piedmont & Coastal Regions Contains many waterfalls (caused travel trouble in olden days) Travelers stopped; cities were created Columbus, Macon, Milledgeville, & Augusta became centers of commerce because rivers ran through them Different types plants & animals on either side North & South geography different on each side:  North=crystal rocks & clay soil  South-=sedimentary rocks & sandy soil 400 species of animals Largest swamp in North America Seminole Indians called it “land of the trembling earth” 1937, Pres. Roosevelt created Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge -Protected the land & stopped logging of oldest/largest trees in the nation No roads & Healthy ecosystem Cretaceous period, swamp part of ocean floor Currently fresh water

2. Appalachian Mts Chattahoochee River Savannah River Southern most part of chain is blue ridge mts 100 miles extends through GA Brasstown Bald in Towns County States highest & wettest areas; more than 80 inches of rain per year (drinking water!) Tourists like waterfalls & scenic views (also kayakers & rafters) Crest (top) of Mts. Forms the continental divide  Divides the direction that rivers drain  Western rivers drain into Gulf of Mexico  Eastern rivers drain into Atlantic Ocean Flows SW to Alabama into Gulf of Mexico Flows through the Fall Line Steamboats went south delivering cotton North of Atlanta was creek-like & powered mills during Civil War era After WWI dams were created for hydroelectric power or to control flooding Important for drinking & recreational purposes Natural boundary between GA & SC Begins at Lake Hartwell flowing SW to Savannah-empties into Atlantic Shipping channel for Savannah; one of our nations busiest ports for ocean bound ships Hydroelectric damming provides power to surrounding areas Drinkable - pollution is a health concern

3. Barrier Islands Barriers between mainland & ocean Constantly reformed by wind, waves, & currents Golden Isles hold beaches & resorts Vacation spots: Jekyll, Sea, Tybee, & St. Simons Islands (tourism=money for economy) Other islands can only be reached by boat Other industries: paper production & fishing.