1. Georgia’s Geographic Regions

3. What makes a region?
A region can be defined by common characteristics that are usually- cultural, human or physical
The five regions in Georgia include:
Appalachian Plateau
Ridge and Valley
Blue Ridge
Piedmont
Coastal Plain

4. What makes a region?
SS8G1: a. Distinguish among the five regions of Georgia in terms of:
Location
Climate
Agriculture
Economic Contribution
Locate key physical features of Georgia and explain their importance:
Fall Line
Okefenokee Swamp
Appalachian Mountains
Savannah and Chattahoochee Rivers
Barrier Islands

5. Appalachian Plateau Location: Northwest Corner
AKA- Tag region (Ga, AL, Tenn.)
Physical Characteristics:
Sloping land above surrounding valleys
Economic:
Tourism
Forestry
Coal- only known source of coal in the state
Limestone
Climate:
Cooler temps due to high elevations
Summer temps 80’s and 90’s
Winter temps 20’s to 40’s w/ some ice and snow
Interesting features:
Cloudland Canyon
Lookout Mountain
No Rivers
Agriculture:
Limited due to poor soil
Corn and soybeans

6. Appalachian Region

7. Ridge and Valley Region
Location:
Northern Georgia
Between Appalachian Plateau and Blue Ridge.
Physical Characteristics:
Long Ridges separated by fertile valleys
Economic:
Textiles and carpets
Mining
Climate:
Cooler temps due to high elevations
Summer temps 80’s and 90’s
Winter temps 20’s to 40’s w/ some ice and snow
Interesting features:
Dalton, Georgia is the “carpet capital of the world”
Agriculture:
4% of the valleys are farmed or pastured
Soybean, wheat, and cotton
Harwood and pine timber harvested

8. The Blue Ridge Region Location: Northeast corner of Georgia
Physical Characteristics:
Blue Ridge Mnts are highest in the Appalachian highlands
The Appalachian Trial begins in this region
Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers originate in this region
Economic:
Mining
Tourism
Harvesting of timber
Climate:
Cooler temps due to high elevations
Highest precipitation in the state with 80 inches of rain per year
Interesting features:
Brasstown Bald is Georgia’s highest peak
Appalachian Trail brings tourists
Dahlonega is home to the first gold rush in the U.S.
Agriculture:
Small farms in the valleys
Apples, corn and vegetables
Pastures large animals

9. Appalachian Mountains
The southern end of the Appalachian Mountains are in Georgia's Blue Ridge region.
The site of the first American gold rush, today tourism is this region's most important industry.
Highest point is Brasstown Bald.

10. Chattahoochee River Georgia's most important river
Begins in the Blue Ridge region and forms part of the border between Georgia and Alabama
Due to the fall line it becomes difficult to navigate between the Piedmont and Coastal plains
Major transportation route that carries cotton and other freight, furnishes hydroelectric power to factories and mills.
Today it is a primary water source and is used for industry and recreation

11. Piedmont Region Location: Central Georgia 30% of the land of the state
Fall Line separates Piedmont and Coastal plains
Physical Characteristics:
Rolling hills
Flowing rivers w/ waterfalls and rapids
Red Clay
Economic:
Timber is harvested
Highly industrialized w/ carpet, milling, aircraft and automobile, and poultry processing.
Climate:
Steamy and hot in the summer w/ temps in the 90’s
As low as the 20’s in winter
Agriculture:
Cotton
Soybeans
Wheat
Poultry/ Eggs, hogs, cattle, and beef
Interesting features:
Urban cities of Atlanta, Columbus, Macon, and Augusta
Stone Mountain Mountain

12. Coastal Plains Location: Southernmost region in the state
Physical Characteristics:
Covers 60% of Georgia
2 sections: Inner and Outer Coastal
Economic:
Pulp and paper industry
Commercial fishing and seafood
Tourism due to coastal towns
Deep-water ports of Savannah and Brunswick create global shipping
Climate:
Hot steamy summers
Cool winters w/ little chance of snow
Agriculture:
Agricultural heartland
Inner coastal: Peanuts, peaches, soybeans, Vidalia Onions, and pecans
Outer Coastal: Less fertile. Pine trees and some row crops.
Interesting features:
Barrier islands protect mainland Georgia
Okefenokee Swamp
Major Rivers flow to coast

13. The Fall Line
The Fall Line is a dramatic drop in elevation that runs through the middle of Georgia. It divides the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions.
The dramatic drop in location created a line of waterfalls making boat travel difficult or impossible to go further upstream, so trading posts developed along the Fall Line where materials brought up from Coastal Plain rivers could be traded for material from the Piedmont region.
Later, as industrialization progressed, the same cities had the advantage of water power from the “Falls” where they were established.
Many people believe that, millions of years ago, the Fall Line was Georgia's pre-historic coast line. Evidence of this includes shark teeth and sea shells found throughout the Coastal Plain, many miles from the Ocean.

14. Cities on the Fall Line Columbus- Chattahoochee River
Macon- Ocmulgee River
Milledgeville- Oconee River
Augusta- Savannah River

15. The Barrier Islands 14 islands off the coast of Georgia
Called barrier islands because the protect the mainland from wind and water erosion.
During colonial and antebellum periods, plantations were set up to grow rice and indigo.
Some are wild life refuges or state parks, and others are developed for tourism.
Tourism, fishing and paper industries are important economic activities today.

16. Savannah River
The Savannah River was extremely important to Georgia's first European settlers.
Forms border between Georgia and South Carolina
Begins in Hart County, forms Lake Hartwell, then flows to the Atlantic.
The river is used for shipping, drinking water, cools TWO nuclear power plants in South Carolina, and generates hydro electric power.

17. Okefenokee Swamp Located in southeastern Georgia
Named by the Choctaw Indians, meaning “land of the trembling earth”
Largest freshwater swamp in the entire U.S.
Hundreds of animal species live in the area including the American alligator

18. Which pictures belong to which region???K A D D I F G C E J H

19. What do you remember about… Georgia’s physiographic regions???
Lesson Two (SS8G1b) – Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia; include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
What do you remember about… Georgia’s physiographic regions??? D.
1. Contains GA’s highest peak, Brasstown Bald
A. Piedmont C.
2. Contains most of GA’s peanut and cotton farms
B. Valley & Ridge E.
3. The smallest physiographic region
C. Coastal Plain D.
4. Has GA’s highest amount of annual rainfall
D. Blue Ridge A.
5. The most populated of GA’s regions.
E. Appalachian Plateau B.
Contains mountain ridges with valleys between
Contains GA’s only source of a fossil fuel (coal)
The location of GA’s capital and largest city E. A. C.
9. The largest of GA’s regions, in terms of land area
SS8G1 – The student will describe Georgia with regard to physical features and location.

20. What do you remember about… Georgia's physical features???
Lesson Three (SS8G1c) – Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.
What do you remember about… Georgia's physical features??? C
1. This feature flows along GA's eastern border.
A. Fall Line E
2. Gold was found in this area in the early 1800s.
B. Okefenokee Swamp F
3. Forts were built here to defend GA's early settlers.
C. Savannah River B
4. This area is a wildlife refuge for over 1000 species.
D. Chattahoochee River A
5. This geographical boundary separates the Coastal Plain from the Piedmont.
E. Appalachian Mtns. D
F. Barrier Islands
6. This major river provides drinking water and forms part of the state's western border with Alabama.
SS8G1 – The student will describe Georgia with regard to physical features and location.