Geography terms

America

It’s confusing. There are 35 countries in the Americas. If we mean the United States (U.S.), we should say United States (U.S.)

North America

Canada, the United States, and Mexico

South America

12 countries; most speak Spanish (Brazil = Portuguese)

Central America

Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, etc. Close to the U.S. through trade, migration, tourism; many former colonies.

Latin America

Mexico through South America; mostly Spanish, Brazil = Portuguese

Caribbean

Many islands; major colonial wealth; key site of Atlantic slave trade

Atlantic Coast

Original colonies; early trade with Europe

Pacific Coast

California, Oregon, Washington; trade with Asia

Gulf of Mexico

Southern outlet for river trade; shipping/energy hub

Appalachian Mountains

North–south barrier; slowed early westward expansion

Great Lakes

Five lakes; U.S.–Canada border; major shipping route

Erie Canal

Linked Great Lakes to Atlantic via Hudson River (directly to New York)

Mississippi River

Major north–south trade route connecting the Midwest to Gulf. Mississippi + Missouri + Ohio + Mississippi River System: backbone of inland commerce

Missouri River

Key tributary; route for westward expansion (Lewis & Clark)

Rio Grande

U.S.–Mexico border river

Great Plains

Flat land between Mississippi and Rockies; farming/ranching

Rocky Mountains

Major barrier. Harder to cross than Appalachians. Runs north-sourth from Canada to New Mexico. Great skiing!

New England

Northeast; oldest colonies; education, shipping, early history

Mid-Atlantic

New York, Pennsylvania; cities, trade, diversity

South

Large region; historically agricultural. Enemy of the north. Still exists today. Americans will tell you I'm from the South. But that doesn't usually happen with "the North."

Deep South

Georgia, Mississippi, etc. Core plantation states; slavery most concentrated here

Midwest

Chicago, hello. Originally the “west” (gateway to expansion). Now “middle,” but closely tied to the East. Reachable from the 13 Colonies via the Great Lakes → Erie Canal → Hudson River route. Became a major population center in the early–mid 1800s

Southwest

Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc

Northwest

Washington, Oregon, etc

Mississippian Culture

Early Native civilization in the Midwest/South. Built large mound cities (e.g., Cahokia)

Ancestral Puebloans

Early Native culture in the Southwest. Built cliff dwellings (e.g., Mesa Verde)

Navajo Nation

Large Native American territory in the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah). One of the biggest and most well-known Native nations today

Haudenosaunee Confederacy

Should be called Haudenosaunee Confederacy. A powerful union of Native nations in the Northeast that existed for hundreds years and influenced the Founding Fathers.

The 13 Colonies

British colonies on the East Coast; became the United States

The Union

Union, The North, Northern States, Free States, Federals. The "North" doesn't exist any longer. Just the United States.

Confederate States of America (the Confederacy)

The South. The Confederacy. 11 Southern states that seceded during the Civil War: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina

Canada

“Upstairs” neighbor; strong ties to Britain and France

Mexico

“Downstairs” neighbor; Spanish language + colonial history; part of North America, often grouped with Latin America

Oregon Territory

Joint U.S.–Britain control; later divided

California Territory

Taken from Mexico after the Mexican-American War; Gold Rush

Florida

Bounced between Spain and Britain before becoming U.S.

Louisiana

French/Spanish past; joined via the Louisiana Purchase

Texas

Spain → Mexico → independent → joined the U.S.

Alaska

Bought from Russia (1867); not connected to lower 48

Hawaii

Independent kingdom; annexed by the U.S. (1898)

States won during Mexican-American War

California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico (plus parts of Colorado and Wyoming)

Baja California

Still Mexico!

Ohio River Valley

Key battleground of the French & Indian War (1754-1763); strategic route connecting the Great Lakes and Mississippi River

Louisiana Purchase

Bought from France (1803) and that's basically where we got Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and parts of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana

Texas (annexation)

First Spain, the Mexico, then independent (Republic of Texas), then U.S.

Oregon (division)

Split with Britain; U.S. gets present-day Oregon/Washington

America

It’s confusing. There are 35 countries in the Americas. If we mean the United States (U.S.), we should say United States (U.S.)

North America

Canada, the United States, and Mexico

South America

12 countries; most speak Spanish (Brazil = Portuguese)

Central America

Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, etc. Close to the U.S. through trade, migration, tourism; many former colonies.

Latin America

Mexico through South America; mostly Spanish, Brazil = Portuguese

Caribbean

Many islands; major colonial wealth; key site of Atlantic slave trade

Atlantic Coast

Original colonies; early trade with Europe

Pacific Coast

California, Oregon, Washington; trade with Asia

Gulf of Mexico

Southern outlet for river trade; shipping/energy hub

Appalachian Mountains

North–south barrier; slowed early westward expansion

Great Lakes

Five lakes; U.S.–Canada border; major shipping route

Erie Canal

Linked Great Lakes to Atlantic via Hudson River (directly to New York)

Mississippi River

Major north–south trade route connecting the Midwest to Gulf. Mississippi + Missouri + Ohio + Mississippi River System: backbone of inland commerce

Missouri River

Key tributary; route for westward expansion (Lewis & Clark)

Rio Grande

U.S.–Mexico border river

Great Plains

Flat land between Mississippi and Rockies; farming/ranching

Rocky Mountains

Major barrier. Harder to cross than Appalachians. Runs north-sourth from Canada to New Mexico. Great skiing!

New England

Northeast; oldest colonies; education, shipping, early history

Mid-Atlantic

New York, Pennsylvania; cities, trade, diversity

South

Large region; historically agricultural. Enemy of the north. Still exists today. Americans will tell you I'm from the South. But that doesn't usually happen with "the North."

Deep South

Georgia, Mississippi, etc. Core plantation states; slavery most concentrated here

Midwest

Chicago, hello. Originally the “west” (gateway to expansion). Now “middle,” but closely tied to the East. Reachable from the 13 Colonies via the Great Lakes → Erie Canal → Hudson River route. Became a major population center in the early–mid 1800s

Southwest

Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc

Northwest

Washington, Oregon, etc

Mississippian Culture

Early Native civilization in the Midwest/South. Built large mound cities (e.g., Cahokia)

Ancestral Puebloans

Early Native culture in the Southwest. Built cliff dwellings (e.g., Mesa Verde)

Navajo Nation

Large Native American territory in the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah). One of the biggest and most well-known Native nations today

Haudenosaunee Confederacy

Should be called Haudenosaunee Confederacy. A poweful union of Native nations in the Northeast that existed for hundreds years and influenced the Founding Fathers.

The 13 Colonies

British colonies on the East Coast; became the United States

The Union

Union, The North, Northern States, Free States, Federals. The "North" doesn't exist any longer. Just the United States.

Confederate States of America (the Confederacy)

The South. The Confederacy. 11 Southern states that seceded during the Civil War: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina

Canada

“Upstairs” neighbor; strong ties to Britain and France

Mexico

“Downstairs” neighbor; Spanish language + colonial history; part of North America, often grouped with Latin America

Oregon Territory

Joint U.S.–Britain control; later divided

California Territory

Taken from Mexico after the Mexican-American War; Gold Rush

Florida

Bounced between Spain and Britain before becoming U.S.

Louisiana

French/Spanish past; joined via the Louisiana Purchase

Texas

Spain → Mexico → independent → joined the U.S.

Alaska

Bought from Russia (1867); not connected to lower 48

Hawaii

Independent kingdom; annexed by the U.S. (1898)

States won during Mexican-American War

California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico (plus parts of Colorado and Wyoming)

Baja California

Still Mexico!

Ohio River Valley

Key battleground of the French & Indian War (1754-1763); strategic route connecting the Great Lakes and Mississippi River

Louisiana Purchase

Bought from France (1803) and that's basically where we got Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and parts of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana

Texas (annexation)

First Spain, the Mexico, then independent (Republic of Texas), then U.S.

Oregon (division)

Split with Britain; U.S. gets present-day Oregon/Washington

America

It’s confusing. There are 35 countries in the Americas. If we mean the United States (U.S.), we should say United States (U.S.)

North America

Canada, the United States, and Mexico