1. 5/8/2019
North America
The United States

2. Physical Geography
Much of the physical landscape of the US was caused by shift
Tectonic plates moving each other, pushing upwards
Rocky Mountains & Appalachian Mountains
Mount McKinley-20,320 ft
Great Plains
Located at the center of the tectonic plate
Cold Winters/Hot Summers, violent Spring/Summer storms

3. Physical Geography The Mississippi River
Headwater is located in Minnesota, flows 2,350 miles to the Gulf of Mexico
Tributaries feed it from across North America
A Divide in the west & the Fall Line in the east determine the direction the water flows in
The Great Lakes
Lakes Superior (#2), Huron (#5), Erie, Ontario, & Michigan
St. Lawrence Seaway System

4. Physical Geography The U.S. has diverse climates Natural Disasters
Southeast- Humid Subtropical
Great Plains- Semiarid Steppe, Humid Continental
Rocky Mountains/Sierra Nevada/Cascades- Highland (alpine)
Southwest- Midlatitude desert, Mediterranean
Natural Disasters
Hurricanes
Tornados
Snow
Flooding
Earthquakes

5. Physical Geography Natural Resources Minerals Water Timber
Fossil Fuels
Petroleum (Crude Oil, Oil Sands)
Coal
Natural Gas
Minerals
Gold, Silver, Copper, Iron, Lead, Nickel
Zinc, Tungsten, Mercury, Uranium, Phosphates
Water
Abundant fresh water (Humans, Livestock, Crops)
Ports and Rivers
Seafood
Timber