1. Chapter 1 Notes By: Mrs. Smalls
Our Land, Your History
Chapter 1 Notes
By: Mrs. Smalls

2. Lesson 1: The Land and Its Resources

3. Geography of the United States
The geography of the United States includes many kinds of landforms and major bodies of water.
Landforms such as mountains, canyons, valleys, and plains help to shape the U.S.
Bodies of water include lakes, rivers, and oceans. Water covers 75% of the Earth.

4. The Nation's Resources
A resource is something people use to produce goods and services.
Examples of resources are
Natural
Renewable
Non-Renewable
Flow

5. Natural Resources
Natural Resources are useful or necessary resources that are found in nature.
There are three types of natural resources: renewable, non-renewable, or flow
Examples: Gold or coal

6. Renewable Resources
Renewable resources are natural resources that can be replaced.
Example: Water or fisheries

7. Non-Renewable Resources
Non-Renewable resources are natural resources that cannot be replaced once they are used.
Example: Oil or gas

8. Flow Resources
Flow resources are natural resources that can be used where and when it is found.
Examples: Wind or sunlight

9. Capital Resources
Capital Resources are resources that are made by people.
Examples: tools, machines, and buildings

10. Human Resources
Human resources are people combined with their skills and knowledge.
Examples: students, teachers, and principals

11. Scarcity
Scarcity means not having enough resources to provide all the things people want.
Scarcity forces people to make choices and give up one thing you want for another. This is known as opportunity cost.

12. Economic Systems
In order to make sure our country has enough resources for everyone, we have an economic system.
An economic system is a set of rules that guides the use of resources and production of goods in a country.
The U.S. allows private businesses to make decisions on how goods will be made and what will be made in an economic system.

13. Why all this matters?
The resources and geography of the U.S. affect people’s lives every day.
It is important to understand how the resources around you affect your everyday life.

14. Lesson Two: Regions of the U.S.

15. What is a Region?
A region is an area that has one or more features in common.
The United States can be divided into four regions: Northeast, South, Midwest, and West.
Regions can be determined by climate, the goods produced, and areas where most people speak the same language or share the same customs.

24. Regions and the Economy
The resources in a region help people decide which crops to grow and which goods to produce.
When a region makes a lot of one product, it is called specialization.
People in different regions trade with each other to get what they want.
Trade is the buying and selling of goods. Trade allows consumers to buy a variety of goods.

26. Connected Regions All regions of the United States are interdependent.
Interdependent means to depend, or rely, on each other.

27. Why it Matters?
Understanding regions helps people see what places have in common and what makes them different.
Being able to trade with regions provides people with a variety of goods.

28. Lesson 3: People and the Environment

29. How Land Affects People
The land and its resources affect where and how people live. Example: New York
People settle in places where they can make money and enjoy their environment.
The environment is the surroundings in which people, plants, and animals live.

31. Changing the Environment
Natural forces and human activities change the environment.
Earthquakes and volcanoes changes the land quickly, whereas wind and rain changes the land slowly. Example: Mountains
Human activities changes the land to benefit people. Example: Interstates

34. The Environment and Conservation
The environment is made up of ecosystems.
An ecosystem is a community of plants and animals, along with nonliving things such as soil, air, and water.
The way we use natural resources affects the environment and its ecosystems.
Conservation is the way we protect the use of natural resources.

37. The End!