Regents Vocabulary - Geography

Geography - the study of the physical features of the earth and how human act affected human populations, resources, land use, and industries.
Demographic - a type of map that shows where different groups of people are by categories such as age, income level, or education.
Great Plains - a relatively flat, grassy region of the U.S. between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains known for producing grain crops.
Midwest - the north-central states of the US.
Mississippi River - a river that cuts through the Central Plains, allowing traders to transport their p goods to markets throughout the country.
Appalachian Mountains - a mountain range that limited westward movement of colonists until the 18th century.
Rocky Mountains - the longest mountain chain in North America, which slowed the westward expansion of settlers in the U.S.
Population density - a measure of how many people live in one area; the Northeastern U.S. has a very high population density.
New England - the Northeastern part of the U.S. where early English settlements were located; its geography encouraged small farms and commercial fishing.
Manifest Destiny - a 19th-century belief that the United States had a mission to expand its borders to incorporate all land between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Middle Atlantic Region - located between New England and the South Atlantic States (e.g., Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York); many factories developed here due to waterfalls providing water power.