Chapter 7 Quiz

Know how the abundance of scarcity of water resources affect natural vegetation in the West

-Abundance or scarcity of water affects natural vegetation, economic activity, and population density -Much of the West has a semiarid or arid climate, with short grasses, shrubs, sagebrush, and cactuses for vegetation. -The western side of the cordillera receives much more rainfall, and it contains deciduous and coniferous forests at lower elevations. -Hawaii has a wet tropical climate and dense tropical vegetation -The tundra of Alaska is a dry, treeless plain that sprouts grasses and mosses only when the top layer of soil thaws in the summer

Linking Farms to Cities

-Agriculture dominates the Midwestern economy. -Business activities focus on dairies or on grain elevators. -Large Midwestern cities are closely linked to the countryside -The Chicago Mercantile Exchange is the world's busiest market for many farm products

Know how geography and distance affected where people live and work in the West

-Completion of the first transcontinental railway in 1869 spurred the growth of towns and cities along its length -Because of the harsh landscape and climate, few people settled in the region's countryside, and most in the West still prefer to live in cities. -L.A., the second-largest city in the United States, began as a cattle town that provided beef for prospectors during the Gold Rush. -To support its growing population, L.A. needs to obtain water through aqueducts, large pipes that carry water long distances. -Alaska is an immense but sparsely populated state with few roads through its rugged mountains.. -Hawaii is an island chain more than 2,000 miles from the mainland, it was annexed in 1898 to provide a refueling station for naval vessels.

Know what were some of the push-and-pull factors that stimulated immigration to the Northeast

-Europeans attracted by the job opportunities -Many Europeans came to escape political oppression and economic hardships

Know how the Sunbelt has experienced a growing population over the past few decades

-Thanks to the South's mild climate, it has grown enormously as a retirement and tourism center. -Beaches along the Gulf of Mexico and the southern Atlantic provide welcome relief from northern winters.

Know how the climate of the Midwest supports agriculture

-The Midwest contains fertile soil that is rich in a dark-colored organic material call humus -The Midwestern climate favors agriculture with its long, hot summers -There are many regional variations, such as precipitation, growing season, and quality of soil, that affect the type of agriculture possible -Midwestern farms are the most productive, which earned the nickname "the nation's breadbasket."

Know how resources and transportation promoted inndustry in the Midwest

-The Midwest has a large supply of natural resources. -Minnesota is a leader in iron ore production, while sizable coal deposits are found in Indiana and Illinois. -Easy access to minerals spurred the development of steel mills, which encouraged the region's automobile industry. -Many of the major cities in the Midwest are located on the shores of the Great Lakes or along major rivers, and water transportation aided the growth of heavy industries -The growth of the railway system brought farm products to Chicago from the West to be process and shipped east.

Know what major natural resources have influenced economic activity in the western United States

-The Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada are rich in minerals such as gold, silver, uranium copper, and tin. -Most of the mineral wealth of the region is deep underground, out of the reach of the fortune seeking prospectors who swarmed into the area in the 1800s -Discovery of a major oil field in Alaska in the 1960s transformed the state's economy. -The Trans-Alaska pipeline carries crude oil from northern Alaska to the southern coast -Forestry and commercial fishing are also important to the economy of the region

Know how warm climates and rich soils affected vegetation in the South

-The South's warm, wet climate produces thick mixed forests and stands of mangrove trees. -Marshy inlets of lakes and rivers in Louisiana are called bayous. -Rich soils, ideal for agriculture, attracted Europeans, some of whom built large plantations. -Farming is still important to the South's Economy. -Some parts of the South, such as Appalachia, are deeply impoverished.

humus

The organic material that results when plants and animals that live in the soil die and decay.

Sunbelt

The southern and southwestern states of the United States, front the Carolinas to southern California, characterized by a warm climate and, recently, rapid population growth.

aqueducts

large pipes that carry water over long distances

grain elevators

tall buildings equipped with machinery for loading, cleaning, mixing, and storing grain

growing season

the average number of days between the last frost of spring and the first frost of fall..

Mangroves

tropical trees that grow in swampy ground along coastal areas

tundra

a dry, treeless plain that sprouts grasses and mosses only in summer when the top layer of soil thaws.

bayous

a marshy inlet or outlet of a lake or a river.

grain exchange

a place where buyers and sellers deal for grain

fall line

an imaginary line between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic coastal plain

Farming Technology

- Cyrus McCormick's invented the mechanical reaper allowing vast amounts of wheat to be harvested in less time -As more tasks became mechanized, farmers could produce more crops. -Push-and-pull migration factors have helped reduce the number of farm workers. -Farm output has increased dramatically.

Know how the the Northeast had become an early leader in Industry

- The Northeast's rivers have been vital to its history - Abundant precipitation and hilly terrain helped early industrialists harness water power by building water wheels that powered machines. - Factories were built at waterfalls along many of the region's rivers. -The factories produced goods that were sold across the United States and exported to markets around the world. -The rivers also served as trade routes, railroad routes, and highway routes.

Know what key natural resources have influenced industrial development

- In the 1840s, entrepreneurs built water-powered textile mills along the Fall Line, the region where rivers and streams form waterfalls s they descend from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. - Many cities sprang up along waterfalls on the Fall Line in both the Northeast and the South -Textile mills were built close to farms that grew cotton. -Oil was discovered in east Texas in 1901, and for decades the petroleum and the petrochemical industries brought great wealth to the region. -A large band of manufacturing facilities borders the Gulf of Mexico, with ready access to raw materials and ocean ports.

megalopolis

"a very large city"

Know how the physical characteristics and resources of the Northeast affected its economy

• Millions of people visit the Northeast every year to experience the scenery, culture, and history of the region • The Northeast has relatively few natural resources. • The Appalachian Mountains make some areas quite rugged. • Northeast has few mineral resources. • The Northeast has been a center of trade and fishing since Colonial times.

Know what changes in the South led to the growth of cities

• Old and new industries have flourished in the South in recent decades • The South attracted business for several reasons: a. Southern industrial plants were newer and more efficient b. New factories could be built on much cheaper land. c. Labor unions were less common in the South, so labor was cheaper. • The south is part of the sunbelt region, so many people moved to the South because of the milder climate • The South has diverse population

Know why the Northeast coastal region became a megalopolis

• The Atlantic coast is now the center of industry that attract many people from the countryside and overseas. • Over time, the coastal cities spread and ran into each other, creating a megalopolis, meaning "very large city." • The east coast megalopolis remains one of the dominant centers of American business and industry. • There are now concerns that the megalopolis might run short of water or waste disposal facilities • Some cities in the Northeast are declining in population.