Physical Geography of the United States: Study Guide Questions

North America is a continent in which two hemispheres?

the Northern and Western Hemispheres.

What four places does North America include?

Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Greenland.

What two other areas are technically part of North America?

The Caribbean and Central America.

The United States can be divided into regions based on what two types of characteristics?

Based on human characteristics and climate and physical characteristics

How many major regions will we be dividing the U.S. into for this class?

Five major regions.

What three subregions are included in the Northeast?

New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Appalachian

Which major mountain range stretches from Maine into the Southeast?

The Appalachians

What are three other mountain ranges found in the Northeast?

Poconos, Catskills, and Adirondack

Name three important bodies of water in the Northeast.

Erie canal, Niagara Falls and the Hudson River

What is the primary biome of the Northeast?

Temperate forest biome

What type of climate does the Northeast have? Describe the seasons.

Humid continental climate with 4 distinct seasons which are cold winters and hot summers

The southern end of the Appalachians includes the Great Smoky Mountains and what other mountain range?

The Great smoky mountains

13. The Southeast is known for large wetlands like the Okefenokee in Georgia and what other major wetland in Florida?

The Everglades in Florida

14. The Mississippi River empties into what in Louisiana?

empties into a delta

15. What is the climate of the Southeast? Describe the summers and winters.

Humid subtropical and humid summers and short, mild winters.

What are the two major rivers in the Southwest?

Rio Grande and Colorado River

What are the two types of climates found in the Southwest?

Humid subtropical climate and arid or semi- arid climate

What three biomes are found in the Southwest?

desert, grasslands, and woodlands

The Midwest includes the Great Lakes and what other subregion?

The Great Plains

The land in the Midwest is mostly flat with rolling hills and prairies, but what two landforms are in the western part of the region?

Black hills and Badlands

What are the two most important waterways in the Midwest?

Missouri and Mississippi rivers are the most important

List the five Great Lakes that form the northern border of the Midwest.

Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, & Ontario

What is the climate of the Midwest? Describe the winters and summers.

Humid continental climate Cold in the winter hot in the summer

What allows the Midwest to be a major area for corn, wheat, and dairy production?

The fertile farmland allows for corn, wheat, and dairy production

What are the four subregions of the West?

California, the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, and Great Basin

Which mountain range dominates the eastern part of the West, and which two are in the western part?

California, the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, and Great Basin

The Great Basin is a low-lying valley that features which desert?

Mojave desert

Name three major bodies of water in the West.

Great salt lake in Utah, Lake Tahoe in California, & the Columbia River.

What type of forests stretch up the Pacific Coast?

Temperate Rain forests

Alaska has a cold polar tundra, while the Hawaiian Islands feature active volcanoes and what type of climate?

A humid, tropical climate

What two types of climates are found along the coast of the West?

Mediterranean climate and Marine climate

The biomes in the West include deserts, temperate rainforests, and boreal forests, which are also known as what?

It is also known as taiga