world geo ch 5 study guide
________ is an environmental problem in the United States because it corrodes stone and metal buildings, damages crops, and pollutes the soil.
Acid rain
What U.S. state includes areas that have a subarctic climate that supports a variety of wildlife, including grizzly bears, bald eagles, wolves, and bobcats?
Alaska
a channel or pipeline for moving large quantities of water
Aqueduct
the dry area between the Pacific Ranges and the Rocky Mountains
Columbia Plateau
Why is the environmental condition of the Gulf of Mexico important to the U.S. economy?
Commercial fishing provides jobs and a domestic food source for Americans.
a physical feature that determines the direction of river flow
Divide
the eastern United States boundary where the elevated Piedmont area drops to the lower Atlantic Coastal Plain
Fall Line
a region in the northeastern and midwestern United States characterized by its heavy industrial concentration
Manufacturing Belt
In what city did the building of levees damage the natural landscape that once protected it from flooding?
New Orleans
Why is the United States one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world?
Over centuries, immigrants have arrived from many different countries.
haze caused by the interaction of ultraviolet solar radiation with chemical fumes from pollution sources
Smog
a community lying on the fringes of a metropolitan area
Suburb
Since the 1960s, the population of the Manufacturing Belt has declined while the number of businesses moving to the ________ has increased.
Sunbelt
Describe one physical process that has shaped the landscape of the United States.
The Great Lakes were formed when glacier basins filled with water after the last ice age.
Which of the following statements accurately describes changes in the U.S. economy since the 1950s?
The number of jobs in manufacturing has declined.
Why were the first factories in the United States located along the fall line in the Northeast?
The waterfalls provided power for factories.
Why is it important to protect wetlands and swamps such as Florida's Everglades?
They provide habitats for a great variety of vegetation and wildlife.
a smaller river or stream that feeds into a larger river
Tributary
What was the major cause of the 2008 economic downturn in the United States?
a crisis in the home mortgage banking sector
What is a foreclosure?
a procedure in which a borrower gives up rights to a property due to the inability to repay the loan
Which of the following is an economic activity characteristic of a postindustrial economy?
biotechnology
How do aqueducts help support California's large population?
by bringing freshwater from far away
How did the Great Lakes form?
by glacier basins filling with water
The United States lacks significant deposits of fossil fuels.
false
The state of Hawaii consists of one major island formed by a hotspot on the seafloor.
false
California's Silicon Valley; Seattle, Washington; and Austin, Texas are urban areas that have become leaders in the
high-tech industry.
What type of music developed in the United States during the early 1900s that combined African rhythms with European harmonies?
jazz
It is important to conserve fossil fuels because they are
nonrenewable energy sources.
What region of Florida providing rich habitats for a variety of animals and plant species is threatened by environmental degradation?
the Everglades
What major river flows some 2,350 miles (3,782 km) from its source in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, making it an important route for trade?
the Mississippi River
What was the series of safe houses that helped thousands of African Americans escape slavery before the Civil War?
the Underground Railroad
What are the Great Plains of the United States?
the flat landscape east of the Rocky Mountains
Why did the thirteen colonies fight a war for independence from Britain?
to escape Britain's taxes and limits on colonists' freedoms
Eutrophication occurs when too many dissolved nutrients enter bodies of water, encouraging the overgrowth of small plants, especially algae.
true
Iron ore and coal are two important natural resources found in the Great Lakes region.
true
The Continental Divide in the Rockies separates the flow of water to the Pacific or to the eastern United States.
true
a place on the ocean floor through which magma vents to create an underwater volcano that may grown into an island
Hot Spot
a powerful tropical storm that forms over warm ocean waters
Hurricane
If you could take a vacation anywhere in the United States, where would you choose to visit based on enjoying the climate? Explain the characteristics of the climate that you find appealing.
I would choose to visit Hawaii because it has a tropical climate that is warm year-round.
How was geography important to the colonial New England economy?
It had excellent natural harbors and an abundant supply of timber.