Eastern United States Geography   Term Paper ID:44937 Click to get this paper

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Paper Introduction: Geography-Unit Two-Five Assignments Assignment Seven-The Bypassed East The geographic location called the bypassed east is north andeast of Megalopolis It includes northern New England and the Adirondacksas well as the Atlantic Provinces of Canada This region is referred to as the bypassed east because it hasbeen bypassed by much of the development which characterizes megalopolisand surrounding areas There are major transportation routes nearby butthis region is not located directly on those routes Ocean traffic favorsthe excellent harbors of Megalopolis farther south rather Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. 1 . The island of Hawaii is more rural and hasconsiderable lands dedicated to ranching and agriculture as well astourism. Aside benefit of these dams is the control of erosion. Despite this, discussions of ethnicity andethnic grouping are generally not applicable to Hawaii because of theintegration and the assimilation of all immigrants into the culture. John's in Newfoundland and SaintJohn in New Brunswick had populations well over 1 , . Appalachia extends from the southernmost part of eastern New Yorkin a southwesterly direction through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, easternKentucky, western Virginia, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.The region terminates in northeastern Alabama and northern Georgia. Facilities have developed over thepast century that encourage international trade; this follows a longhistory of international trade that started with the Spanish and French. There was a continued sensethat the South was different from the rest of the country, and that thoseoutside the South simply did not understand or appreciate thesedifferences. Inaddition, Honolulu is unique among North American cities in that 8 percentof the state's entire population lives within its confines; no other statehas such a high concentration of population in a single city. The region is part of the northeastern extension of theAppalachian Highlands; the Adirondack Mountains in upper New York are partof the Canadian Shield's southern structure rather than the Appalachians,however. Stock car racing, frame houseswith wide porches, and distinctive foods set the region apart, as well. 8. While simply declaring segregation illegal did not end racism inthe South, it did open the way for increased interaction between the races. Today, the transformation mixes these newer influenceswith the region's traditional heritage. California is the nation's most agricultural in terms of totalfarm income, although it is generally not thought of in that regard becauseof other economic activity in the state. As roads became better, farmers in the region were able totransport their goods farther and thus gained access to larger markets andstockyards that were well past the boundaries of the local village or town. 4. Molokai was formerly the pineapple center of the islands, andremains heavily agricultural in the form of ranches, but it is alsomountainous. Even in Canada, it is more cost effective to shipthe raw timber and lumber rather than finished goods because of thetransportation costs. This is the wave of the future for farms, as data management becomesan increasingly important part of the farm's future. In thisway, the reasoning goes, each area could focus on its specialization andcritical success factors. 7. Because ofthis, the Lake Champlain Lowland region is one of the most important'milksheds' in North America. However, it was able to command two rail lines,although no major highways traverse it, and it serves as a service andmarket center for nearby farms. There is a large amount of acculturation which hastaken place and continues to take place in the southwest. Acculturation is the process by which cultures are borrowed andshared among groups. Seattle is the most populous city in the Northern Coast, and was theheadquarters of the Boeing Company which resulted in both being dependenton, and benefiting from, the aerospace industry. The overwhelming majority ofSoutherners embraced the Baptist denomination, however, which has only aloosely formed confederation of churches that lacks a strong centralauthority. Rather than outmigration, this was internalmigration. At a timewhen the "west" began at the Appalachian Mountains and extended to the far-off and largely unsettled Rockies, this region was indeed in the "middle"of the western territory. The region as a whole islikely to continue to suffer from lower than average incomes, and while oiland natural gas production may provide some stimulus to the region'seconomy, it may damage the region's fishing industry. 6b. Outmigration occurred in thisregion, along with a general lack of urbanization, and today, poverty isstill rampant even as the area becomes more diverse economically. Accidents, particularly in shaft mines,are deadly and not infrequent. There isalso greater urbanization as the delta-and the South as a whole-goesthrough a long-term transformation. Hogs and cattle werethen raised in the core, with feed grains grown to support them. 13. Lawrence is an excellent waterway,but traffic flows up to Montreal rather than stopping at ports closer tothe ocean. The delta was initially difficult to settle, but itis rich agricultural land that was eventually conquered through swampdrainage and the arrival of large planters. Yosemite Valley in California is aglacial valley. The marine airfrom the Gulf of Mexico typically moves up the Mississippi Valley and thuscan miss the western plains entirely. These sinkholes maybe small or large-an entire automobile dealership was swallowed by one-butcause havoc on a local level and need to be addressed to eliminatepotential long-term issues. Ship masts and lumber were inshort supply in England, for example, making the white pines highlyattractive for export. Sugarcane requires largeamounts of water, which is supplied naturally by rainfall in Louisiana, butFlorida growers must irrigate their sugarcane crops. 5b. Coal helped the region economically by providing jobs, but thosejobs come at a steep health cost. 2c. Unlike other areas of the United States which were settled basedon their geographic attractiveness and proximity to previously settledareas, California is well-removed from the rest of the eastern settlements. 6f. Recently, there has been significant growth insome of the cities within the Plains, with Denver, Fort Worth, andMinneapolis-St. 5. It is this organic component that accounts for the darkcoloration of mollisols. Initially, this was a slow exodus, but itgained speed in the first part of the twentieth century as those who wentbefore reported good wages and somewhat easier living conditions. 9. Slavery impacted the South in terms of the region's attitudesbetween and among blacks and whites. The Canadian government has sought to encourage economicgrowth through planned intervention, but those efforts were largelydiscontinued in the 198 s. The pluralistic society that exists in the region comes about inpart from isolation. 11. 2. These valleys are excellent farmlandand have a limestone sedimentary layer. Despite the changes that haveoccurred economically to the region, the long isolation that the regionenjoyed means that today its culture remains relatively intact and its long-held beliefs are still strong. Discovered by the British, the islands were able to keep theirseparate monarchies until they were united by King Kamehameha in the lastdecade of the 18 . Mauihas focused on developing its tourist industry, but remains sparselypopulated. Because the region lacks significant agricultural activity,which can drive isolated settlements, it is not surprising that most peoplein the region live in villages, towns and cities. Permanent settlements in the region were first established bythe Russians who engaged in fur trading as far south as NorthernCalifornia. 5c. The Northlands is the largest region in North America, extendingsouth to the Great Lakes, and including most of interior Canada and Alaska. Onshore, iron, coal and building stoneare commonly found, but iron is not a major part of the region's economyalthough there are substantial reserves. In addition to makingthe river passable for barges, dams along the river which were constructedto control the water flow also provide hydroelectric power. In addition, the efficiencies that have been realized on the farmhave made this an attractive activity for large corporations which are ableto return a reasonable rate to their shareholders while still being able toobtain the requisite financing to be successful. Temperaturesare also more mild in the north, while the south has a Mediterraneanclimate characterized by mild winters and hot summers. Inshore fishingfaces pressures, particularly pollution. This, in turn, has attractedmanufacturers of goods whose production process is power-intensive.Extensive power projects have been undertaken in both Canada and the UnitedStates, with the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River the earliest andamong the largest of these. The Polynesians were the first human settlers on the islands,arriving approximately 1 years ago in boats. The Ozarks-Ouachita uplands are similar to the Appalachians, butthe grain in the western region is east-west rather than north-south. The river had been allocated nearly in its entirety toArizona and California by the early part of the twentieth century. While this has helpedcreate a significant agricultural base in the region, it also placesadditional demand on the region's limited water supply. Even those miners not affected by accidentsare affected by black-lung disease, which results from breathing coal dustover many years. In addition, when the United States took control of formerlyMexican territory, the once-Mexican citizens now found themselves living ina new country with a new language of power and limited economicopportunities as a result. Land speculation and developerschemes were a critical part of the development of Southern California, butthe area was eventually successfully promoted for its healthy climate andattractive physical amenities. Part ofthis was due to the expansion of Megalopolis northward, which meant thatpeople were also moving northward. 4. 9. At the same time, those ofJapanese and Chinese ancestry tend to have higher economic success thanother groups. Although not the provincial capital, Vancouver is nonethelessthe hub of economic activity in British Columbia. As with other regions, Native Americans were the first to settlethis region, and they participated in a hunting-gathering economy thatcentered on fishing and hunting. However, thelarge agricultural activities in regions that do not receive large amountof precipitation create the greatest demand for surface water in order touse it for irrigation. Today, increased industrial practices and influences from otherparts of the country are shaping the way the South is developing. Today, Native Americans and Hispanic Americans face higher levels ofpoverty in the region than their Anglo neighbors. Northern New England saw increases in population at a time whenthe rest of the northeast was experiencing population declines. Appalachia is no longer as isolated as it once was. Demand has fluctuated as concerns about pollution have competedwith demand for power across the country, but coal-burning power plants arein common use today. The relief of the agricultural core is moderateand gently rolling with some hills and some flat areas. Arizona has securedwater for its expanding population, effectively marketed the area tocompanies and thus to the employees that follow, and promoted its healthbenefits and quality of life even as it exists in the middle of the desertwith extreme summer and winter temperatures. 5. In addition, there is a high level ofpolitical activity among the Mexican-Americans in San Antonio. Because the islands are situatedcloser to the equator than any other region in the United States, theyenjoy greater evenness in daytime/nighttime throughout the year, and onlyslight differences in temperature from winter to summer. As the West Coast home to the Navy, San Diego inparticular has benefited from this trend. This front moves northin the winter and south in the summer. In addition to the geography that attracted Europeans, theregion also had an abundance of fish and trees, which are key for survival. In addition, there is significant industrial andmanufacturing activity in the state that also demands water. Unlike the eastern states, which originated from the originalcolonies, the agriculture core used a regular series of surveys andessentially urban planning to lay out towns and cities in a rectangulargrid pattern. The islands also served to asa station for servicing American whalers later on. 6b. In addition, Japanesetourists tend to spend more than their American counterparts, making theman especially attractive market segment. Frost also poses a problem for sugarcane, which is grown in theregion, particularly in Louisiana and Florida. While agriculture is still an important part of thestate's economy, it has lessened in its central role. 8. Paul all thriving. American politicians quickly shifted the powerstructure in their favor, and Hispanic Americans have struggled ever since. Assignment Ten-the Southern Coastlands 1. It is through these fissures that the veryislands themselves were formed. Hispanic immigrants and their succeeding generations nowaccount for significant proportions of the region's population. 4a. In addition, the TVAalso created recreational areas along the rivers. Geology is an instantly recognizable feature of Hawaii in thatthe islands were formed and continue to be shaped by volcanic activity.This is not the violent eruptions of Mt. 3b. While many regions are happy to accommodate immigrants fromother parts of the continent, the same cannot be said for the North PacificCoast. Thuscities relied on their rural regions to the point that isolation was themainstay of the region well into the twentieth century. Overall, theinflux of tourists to the region causes infrastructure and managementproblems for both man-made and natural attractions. This led to a largeinflux of immigrants from the east that settled in the San Francisco area,and the region became a state. As a result, the cost of living in Hawaii canbe very high since even most of the islands food is imported. Mountains are also an important part of California. Hawaii has elements of paradise, and elementsof urban chaos. Air transportation is commonly used in this region and, as alreadynoted, the state capital is not accessible by road from the interior of thestate. The personal automobilemakes it possible for people to live well removed from where they work orshop, and that was the way that the Southern part of the state developed.Residential areas with few services emerged with individuals commuting towork. At the same time,because the frosts are intermittent, there are persistent problems withinsects which can also cause problems for farmers. It is not clear how the state will replace theagricultural industry if water continues to be an issue, or how the nationand the rest of the world will deal with the loss of agriculture that thestate provides. 8c. There isconsiderable diversity in the Great Plains region both in the area'stopography as well as in the backgrounds of the people who live there.Nonetheless, the concept of the area as a "region" has remained, andeconomic and environmental issues continued to be lumped together whendiscussing the region. Fishing is a major component of the region in both Canada andthe United States. Citrus is labor intensivebecause the fruit must be harvested from trees, and migrant workers are thenorm in the citrus industry. 3g. Settlements are found in valleys and lowlands, including along theConnecticut River Valley in New Hampshire, the Aroostook valley in Maineand the Lake Champlain lowlands in northern Vermont. This came about because the landdid not have the agricultural appeal of other regions that were settledpreviously, and by the time that special interests-such as lumber andmining interests-recognized the potential of the region, the governmentswere re-examining their policies in other parts of the country and modifiedtheir policies in the empty interior as a result. This region is referred to as the "bypassed east" because it hasbeen "bypassed" by much of the development which characterizes megalopolisand surrounding areas. 9c. This isolation meant that even during the GreatDepression, few left for more attractive economic opportunities, and theregion continues to suffer some of the greatest poverty in the country. The climate in the islands is directly affected by its oceanlocation. Wolves are viewed suspiciously because they prey on theanimals of farms and ranches. Redwoods, firs and cedars are commonlyfound, and forests covered nearly the entire region at one time in thelower elevations. Meanwhile, thegeography proved attractive both for agriculture and grazing. The South maintained and relied on its culture during thelong, long road to recovery. Reforestation is difficult because of theshort growing season and thus the slow growth of trees. Besides Northern and Southern California, there are importantcities in the interior of the state; these are found in the Central Valley. There are other natural resources found in the region, includingoil and natural gas. Coal is the other reason that there is a large rural populationin the region. The wildlife in the region is both varied and sometimescontroversial. The Southern Coastlands extend east from the Rio Grande to theeast coast of Florida and up to South Carolina. In the late 18 s, textile manufacturers in New England began toappreciate the underemployment situation in the South and many movedproduction to the South to take advantage of the ready labor pool.However, since African-Americans tended to live in rural areas, they didnot necessarily receive the full benefit of having this new manufacturingbase relocate. This included buildingdams, which are used both for flood control and hydroelectric power. Because there were already many blacks living in the South and day-to-dayinteraction was already common, interracial interaction is sometimes lessself-conscious in the South than in other regions. The hydroelectric projects extendinto the Shield, and resulted in cheap power that is readily available foruse by Canadians. Statehood was actively soughtby Hawaiian officials during the twentieth century, but opposed by thosewho did not see the economic or strategic benefit, particularly in the wakeof World War II. Thisleft areas upstream without access to the river that flowed through theirdistricts. When water tables are depleted, they weaken the structure of thesurface above and the earth may collapse as a result. The region is also known as the Middle West or Midwest, a termthat derives from the continent's settlement from east to west. 2d. Large cities are notlocated along the coast north of San Francisco where large safe harbors aresimply not available. Outmigration affected the South in that blacks began to movenorth following the Civil War. 7. If the region were to be divided in half, the dividing pointwould most likely be New Orleans, which serves both as anindustrial/shipping center and a cultural/tourist center. Precipitation is found primarily in the southern portions of the region,with less precipitation found in the north and interior. Plentiful precipitation and the region's rugged topography makeit ideal for hydroelectric power, and several projects have resulted ininexpensive power for the region. Native Americans have maintained their cultural identity in partbecause of the isolation forced on them by the reservations. Rivers do not form the estuaries that are found elsewhere; theysimply dump suddenly and wholesale into the ocean. 4. Grasslands ranching lasted for only about 2 years, spreadingnorth from Texas. Geography-Unit Two-Five Assignments Assignment Seven-The Bypassed East 1. 3b. There areSpanish and Native American place names, influences of Spanisharchitecture, and the Anglo language (English) binds the three culturestogether. Mollisols areparticularly well-suited for grain production and have high levels oforganic content. Deeper drilling is one solution, but this is expensive. Literature related to the Great Plains can paint the region asstark and desolate, with weather that is violent and even malevolent. Oranges and grapefruit arethe most common citrus crops grown in Florida. But overall, the relief is smooth, notrugged, and not even experiencing the rolling hills of the agriculturalcore. The terrain is flat orrolling, but permafrost causes difficulty not only for agriculture, butalso for construction. Withthe exception of Hawaii, this is the wettest region on the continent. 2b. Farther south, along theborder of North Carolina and Tennessee, the Blue Ridge widens to almost 95miles. The primary natural resources of the region are the oil andnatural gas deposits found in the Gulf of Mexico where the continentalshelf extends as far as 5 miles from the shore. Cities and farmers try to build to withstandor minimize the impact of hurricanes, but such precautions can be expensiveand not always effective. This also inhibits agriculture. Alfisols have a thin surfacethat is deficient in humus, but the lower layer is generally rich inminerals important to agriculture. In the north, the Cascades extend downfrom Oregon and Washington. This increasesthe cost of mining and has given rise to conflict among mining companiesand those with environmental concerns. Soybeans are an attractive substitution in the region in partbecause they replenish the soil's nitrogen by virtue of being a legume.They are also hardier than other crops and can survive with as little as 2 inches of rain. The traditional lack of economic opportunity outside ofagriculture meant that many young people left the Plains and did notreturn. The region is likely to remain the "bypassed East" for some timeto come due to its long history of isolation. Since other immigrantgroups from Europe did not settle in the South, there were not the sameinfluences (such as Eastern Orthodox) that affected religion in other partsof the country. Individuals who live in this region are likely to beindependent and fiercely loyal to the region even as they face high levelsof unemployment. The transformation in the South traces its roots back to thepost-Civil War era, but the transformation was relatively slow untilrecently. The plantation system required significant amounts of labor,which encouraged the slave system. Lanai and Kahoolawe are both very dry being on the lee sideof Maui; Kahoolawe is used exclusively by the military while the onlyeconomic activity on Lanai is pineapple growing. 14. Mollisols are found in the westernreaches of the region as well as throughout Illinois. Many farmers supplement their incomes withother activities so that the farms are operated on a part-time basis withno single crop dominating. Mineral exploitation, particularly in the form of oil andnatural gas, has become an increasingly important part of the region'strade in the twentieth century. 6. Petroleum is an important part of the region's economicactivity, particular in Alaska and the Trans-Alaska pipeline wasconstructed above ground to avoid melting the permafrost. 9d. Today, legal migration from Mexico is an important source ofmigration to the region; illegal immigration garners many more headlines,however, and is the source of much controversy. 9. The earthquake zone runs in a general north-south direction andfollows the state's Coast Ranges. The Yazoo-Mississippi Delta serves as a representative model forthe South in general. This has affected the way that urban areas are developedbecause the landowners tend to lease, not sell the land, and when theleases are renewed, they tend to renew at higher rates. The concept of a divided California stems from the cultural andpolitical differences among the major regions of the state. The Southwest Border Area extends along the border with Mexicobeginning in Texas in the east (extending up to San Antonio) and continuingto include most of New Mexico and Arizona as well as most of SouthernCalifornia. The southern area's climate alsoattracted early filmmakers who were drawn to the region's lack of rain (noclouds) and mild temperatures. This isolation is found on a wide scale in placessuch as Santa Fe, New Mexico, where there is a large Hispanic populationand a city that cherishes its Hispanic heritage. John-Aroostook Valley is a relative newcomer toagriculture in the region, but it is now one of the key potato regions inNorth America. Railroads were important in movingAmericans west to Oregon and Washington, and while Alaska also endured agold rush to the Klondike region, permanent resettlement failed to takeroot as it did in California. All of Idaho, Utah,Arizona and nearly all of Nevada are included in the region, as is theeastern half of Oregon, the easternmost parts of Washington, westernMontana, western Wyoming and western Colorado, and most of New Mexico. The Bay area residents considerthemselves cosmopolitan and sophisticated, particularly in comparison toSouthern Californians. The third significant wave of immigrants came from Asia as cheaplabor to work in the sugar cane fields. California was seized by the United States in 1846, and gold wasdiscovered in the northern part of the state in 1848. 2a. East of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades and in SouthernCalifornia, sage and creosote is most common along with chaparral. Althoughthere was racism in the north, segregation was not institutionalized, andjob/earning opportunities far outpaced what was available in the South.Those who participated in the outmigration were typically in their peakearnings years, which was detrimental for the South. 2. Severe weather can also be found in the region, with storms thattransform into tornados occurring as the cool air from the north hits thewarm air from the south. Today numbering approximately 42, , anInuit from the eastern part of the region can easily understand and feel athome with Inuit from the west. 6. 2. Tourism plays an important part in the region's development.The forest along the southern border is particularly popular amongAmericans seeking to experience the wilderness, for example, and Canadiansflock to the vacation spots located north of Toronto. That this area is considered a single "region" is due in largepart to the need to define how the area was affected by various events-particularly the Great Depression-during the 2 th century. Ruralwhites also became sharecroppers, but the numbers of blacks in thissituation far outstripped the whites. More than 9 percent of the state's population lives within 25 miles of majormetropolitan areas (defined as Statistical Metropolitan Areas). Nearly all ofthis mining is done within the Northlands, and oil exploration in Alaskahas proved particularly fruitful. At the same time, purely flat areas can be prone toflooding and soil erosion. The climate is mild year-round due to the influenceof the large San Francisco bay and the northern location of this area. 2. Balancing the short-term economic benefitwith the long-term ecosystem needs (which can also have long-term economiceffects), is something that occurs regularly-if not always successfully-inthe region. However, theregion is combating increased competition, particular with regard to itsseed potatoes, and the result is that today, most of its agriculturaloutput is consumed locally rather than used in trade. Northern NewEngland overcut its forests and paid scant attention to reforestation withthe result that forestry is an unimportant part of the area's economydespite being heavily forested. Tundra is found above the treeline, and although someforests have been cleared as a result of human settlement, the regionremains the primary lumber and timber region on the continent. 14. A joint effortto transport the oil across Canada failed when the two countries could notreach agreement on environmentally friendly ways to accomplish the task. While neither are asvaluable as oil and natural gas, both are used in large quantities and theregion is a significant supplier of these resources. 3. However, Hawaii came into the union as the 5 th state in1959. There is a natural network of waterways throughout the regionthat facilitated economic growth from the earliest times. 3. 2b. Assignment Fourteen-The Southwest Border Area: Tricultural Development 1. 5. 8e. 5c. In addition, California is able to take advantage of longergrowing seasons and can compete directly in some cases with agriculture ofthe region. The Lake Champlain Lowland is known for dairy farming and forassociated milk products. TheOzarks are located 3 miles west, and encompass southern Missouri, thenalso extend in a southwesterly direction into western Arkansas and easternOklahoma. These immigrants were absorbed intothe commerce of Florida, particularly Miami, and maintained ties with theirheritage. Mining is also important to the region, with nickel, zinc,asbestos, potash, copper, lead and iron the key minerals. Unlike many immigrants whocome from unskilled trades, Cuban immigrants were often professionals andwhite-collar workers who brought a variety of skills and talents with them,as well as a commitment to education. The latter half of the nineteenth century also saw anincrease in cigarette manufacturing (based on the large tobacco crops), andon iron and steel works. Coal-burning iron and steelmills at first provided the demand for coal; today, coal-burning powerplants supply power not only within the region, but well beyond itsborders. Major cities in this region have evolved wherethere is relatively easy accessibility both to transportation and to water,and where there is a natural attractiveness in terms of quality of life. 3a. Airplanes are the primary way in which tourists travel to theislands, and also the primary way that they travel among the islands,although cruise ships also ply the waters of Hawaii. On the other hand, this is a region ofspectacular beauty and natural contrasts, with lush tropical forests, anddry arid regions and a climate that is mild yet which can produce hundredsof inches of rain in places. 1 d. Light industry followed this expansionas companies sought out the attractive quality of life and access to aready workforce that the area provided. 7. The Canadian-Alaskan border was a decision accompanied bypolitical upheaval, and the result is a noncontiguous American coastlinebroken by Canada's British Columbia. The South is overwhelmingly Protestant with Methodist andEpiscopalians along with Pentecostals. In the United States, theremay continue to be some migration north from Megalopolis, but this maydecline as the best home sites are purchased and developed. Formed in the east, the religion's founder,Joseph Smith, and his followers gradually moved west as local residentstook issue with their interpretation of Christianity. 3c. Oil is found in Southern California, and offshore oil drillingis common. Throughout thetwentieth century, employers in the north have found ways to attract cheaplabor from the south, while Mexico has also sought to encourage Americanfactories built in the northern part of Mexico to provide employment.Cross-border trade, and the allure of cheap labor and a ready market, alsomade possible the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA), which opened up trade and the borders to trade among Canada, theUnited States and Mexico. Mechanization has made it possible for farmers to expand theirfarm size by producing more yield without having to significantly increasetheir labor force. Because the farms are small and owners can supplementtheir incomes-and because they are not able to use the large farm equipmentthat also requires significant capital investment, many in the region havebeen able to keep their land when other farmers have been losing theirs. The boreal forests along the southern edge of the region has thelargest area of uncut forest in North America, but this resource remainedlargely untapped until recently. Railroads and shipping terminals were destroyed,investments were hard to come by, there was a new labor supply that neededpaying jobs, the agricultural opportunities still existed, but a newbusiness model would need to be found in order to support them. Initially, the sparse population led to the creation ofrailroad towns whose primary purpose was to service the rail lines runningthrough. Hawaii is perhaps the most integrated of any region. Although volcanic soil can be very fertile, it is also highlypermeable so that water often drains lower than many plants can reach.Thus there are areas of arid land even amid moderate precipitation. Gaps in the mountainsare often the only passages inland, and Juneau, the state capital ofAlaska, is completely cut off from the interior of the state. The American Indians are now most concentrated in this region.Eastern tribes have died out or been moved west to what the Europeansettlers in the east considered less desirable lands. If built, they would be used on an irregularbasis, but would require maintenance and support. To the west, theeconomic emphasis has been on natural resources and industry, with citiessuch as Houston building on the oil industry to build its economy. Las Vegas may be the most well-known man-made tourist attraction inthe region; it also draws millions of visitors each year, but not for itsnatural beauty so much as its casinos and entertainment. There are a variety of interest groups seeking to direct howthe region is developed, and government policy often reflects powerfulinterests at one time or another. This permits gooddrainage, promotes pasture and prevents the accumulation of swamps. 5b. Independence, confidence, andthe ability to live perhaps a simpler way of life than is typicallyassociated with urban environments comes through. 2. Halifax, Nova Scotia is more traditionally urban, witha population of more than 33 , and St. 1 . Given the precipitation and the dominance of mountains in theregion's topography, it is not surprising that there are numerous forestsand trees throughout the region. New Mexico has also seen an increase inpopulation, but not in the same numbers as Arizona. 3. Although only a small percentage of peoplein the region are employed in the film industry today, it remains closelyassociated with the region. Northern Maine, where pulpwood is animportant industry, is an exception, but even there, conflicts arisebetween those who would preserve the forests and those who would use themfor economic benefit. It monitors pricesand weather conditions, as well, and can track which machinery is where viaGPS. 9. People rarely moved out of the area, so the ethnic mix ofGerman, English and Scots-Irish remained, with a heavy conservativeProtestant influence. This sectionalism continued well after changes had occurredelsewhere rendering the foundation for the sectionalism obsolete. The South's emphasis on agriculture set it apart from other regionsof the country that were more industrial. On theCanadian side, there has been no such migration. Farmers have now shifted to produce and dairy farming. Frost is a persistent hazard in the region for agriculture. Overgrazing andcompetition from farmers and their barbed wire lands made this a short-lived reality, although the image and myth of grasslands ranching remains apart of American folklore. This was finewhen the fire was relatively small, but it eventually grew to massiveproportions, fueled by years of deadwood, a dry season and hot weather.When the fire threatened tourist sites and developed areas outside thepark, officials were blamed for not managing the fire better. The topography of the region is mountainous. 2e. Today, those jobs have been replaced by those who service thetruck and auto routes. Additional pressure on the region's fisheries comes frompollution from the petroleum and natural gas industries since there arereserves of both located offshore. Theeast Bay is largely middle-class with a rich cultural and ethnic mix, whilethe South Bay is largely white, middle-class and more typically suburban.The North Bay is more rural with smaller towns and less manufacturing.Although San Francisco remains the center of this area in the popular imageelsewhere in the country, other cities in the region, including Oakland andSan Jose, are regionally important. 11. 16. There are more Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians in thenorth, for example, and few fundamentalist churches. Because the region was originally settled by the Spanish andlater much of it was part of Mexico, there is a rich Hispanic character tothe area. Citrus is grown primarily in Florida, which outproduces therest of the country with regard to this crop. 3a. This uniformity gives the region its chief vegetation-grass-which,similar to the relief, is more diverse upon closer inspection than it firstappears. Roads, parking lots and highways thus became important landscapefeatures based on the needs of the automobile-equipped Southern Californianand low-density housing is the norm. In the United States, the Great Plains include the Dakotas,most of Nebraska and Kansas, nearly all of Oklahoma and central Texas, andeastern Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Montana. It is typically dumped down the slope of the mine which, overtime, leads to the step appearance of strip mines. 2d. At the sametime, there is a high-pressure front usually off the coast of Mexico whichpushes against the colder air and pushes it east. Other mining activities take place in the region, particularlyin the Ozarks where lead mining is common. 11. Foreign investorsprovide a significant amount of the capital used by Canada's lumber andpaper industries, and this has caused irritation for locals whose interestsmay run counter to the outsiders'. Dams, canals and hydroelectric systems are also found in thisregion where irrigation projects can claim as much as 8 percent of thewater generated. Transhumance also takes place inthe region; this is the practice of moving animal flocks from their winterlow pastures to higher elevations and mountain pastures and meadows in thesummer. 4c. Oahu is similar to other places in urban America with congestionand an urban setting as well as cultural and ethnic diversity and a largeinflux of tourists. At the same time, the military was alsothe largest civilian employer in the islands. The vegetation pattern in the state follows the climacticpattern. The region's geography meant that it was settled before regionsfarther south. In some parts of NewMexico, entire towns are composed of Hispanic individuals, which alsopromotes a pluralistic society. In Western Canada,the mountains have pushed against the sea with the result that there arefjords and islands formed and separated by glaciers. Assignment Thirteen-The Empty Interior 1. The governments of both Canada and the United States controlmuch of the land in the empty interior. Shipping is a large part ofthe economy of New Orleans, and for many years, goods destined for theMidwest used New Orleans as the primary entry point since the Mississippiwas passable far north. As a result, the area has astrong Latin American cultural influence and has become a center of tradebetween the United States and Latin America. In addition,government intervention in terms of segregation helped move blacks from therural areas to the cities. Currently, itis used to calculate optimum seed spacing, analyze soil, and determinewhich and how much fertilizer and pesticide to apply. This region is called the "empty interior" because there isextremely low population density across the region. But this was followed by otherEuropeans, including Eastern Europeans in the late 18 s and early 19 s.This led to more diversity and a less homogeneous culture than in thesouth. Coal is also found in the area and is minedextensively. Agriculture in the region is characterized by small owner-occupied farms that are barely able to meet the needs of the owners, letalone provide excess for trade. Although there are many variations in the culture of the South,there are commonalities across the region as a whole to set it apart fromthe north and west. Thetransportation infrastructure is designed to carry goods and people acrossor away from the Plains in an east-west fashion, not through the Plains ina north-south orientation. The highest pointon the continent is contained within this region in Alaska. 4. Half of the land is farmed, and half of that is for crops. However, the Southern Coastlands also containlarge deposits of rock salt as well as sulfur. Above the highest treeline, there isonly tundra. The very natural resources that draw a certain type of person tothe region-timber, fishing, mountains-also make the region attractive forexploitation. 5a. As aresult, the region has developed a strong tourist infrastructure and alsodraws permanent migrants who are no longer tied economically to a singlelocation. As a result, fur trading posts were the norm in the Canadianprairie for many years. Finally,water transfer projects carry financial and environmental costs which areproving unpalatable to some Californians who question how long theactivities can be continued without long-term consequences. 3. Deep sea fishing facescompetition from other countries, including Europe and Japan, andoverfishing plagues the region with dramatic drops in key fish stock beingseen in recent years. Companies seeking to do business in Latin America establishedoperations in South Florida both because it is close to the destinationmarket and because there was a ready supply of Spanish-speakingprofessionals who understood finance and business and who could beimmediate assets to these organizations. This is possible inthe empty interior because of the long growing season and the ability forcrops to mature in time for both to be harvested. 4b. Transportation in the empty interior initially focused on movinggoods and people through the region rather than within the region.Highways and railroads follow an east-west pattern not unlike that in theGreat Plains. Atthe time the book was written, Burlington, Vermont and Bangor, Maine werethe two largest American cities in the region, and both had populations offewer than 4 , . When the resource is depleted, the settlements often shrinkor disappear entirely. Later, the water flow was reallocated so that half went tothose in the upper basin and half to states in the lower basin. Mineral exploration and extraction has ledto the large growth of cities, particularly Houston, in recent years. Plate tectonics gave rise to the mountains andvalleys that are critical factors in the state, and the continued drift ofthe plates that come together in California continues to shape thelandscape. There are major transportation routes nearby, butthis region is not located directly on those routes. Oil platforms, some of which are attractively landscaped, canbe seen from many California beaches. The Ozarks are similar to the AppalachianPlateau and are hilly with irregular plateaus. For these people, this was a desert, and theimage stuck. 12a. As a result, these landsare now used for recreation, for preservation, national parks, rationednatural resource exploitation and a limitation on how the land can be used. 6c. 8. The automobile was introduced just as Southern California wasbeginning its growth and the two evolved together. It extends from the northernmost part ofCalifornia up the Oregon and Washington coasts, through the coast ofBritish Columbia and into Alaska, wrapping around Anchorage and ending atKodiak Island 2. Without manufacturing, there was littlereason for urban centers to evolve since there was a lack of employmentopportunities for those who would otherwise move to the cities. Agriculture was not part of their primaryactivities. The result is a tricultural mix that includes aspects of thecultures of the Native Americans, the Spanish and the Anglos. The Piedmont is a rolling upland plain along the eastern side ofthe Blue Ridge. 7. There were alsosmaller farms, but these were mainly subsistence and did not lead tosignificant amounts of trade. 12. 2b. Most of these are shipped to Megalopolis sincemilk remains a commodity that must be handled carefully and that cannot beshipped long distances without incurring significant cost. Recognized as a strategically important link between Europe and the Asianmarkets, interest in the islands increased. Uranium and coal are also mined in theregion. The oldplantations were unsustainable with high taxes, or they were broken upaltogether. 3d. East ofNew Orleans, the emphasis has long been on travel and tourism, with bothforming the focus for cities such as Miami. 9. San Antonio is called the Mexican-American cultural capital inpart because its Mexican-American population cultivates the Spanishlanguage in their day-to-day lives and maintains Mexican traditions. TheOuachita Mountains are in the south and are similar to the Ridge and Valleysection of the Appalachians. 4d. 6. In addition, when land transportation is required, theregion's significant railheads provide easy access to that option, as well. 6d. There is also controversy surrounding thebison and whether they pose a threat to domesticated cattle. Although mostthink of the state as having two areas-northern and southern-many outsideCalifornia are surprised to learn that nearly one-third of the state islocated north of San Francisco and is very rural. The Changing South extends from eastern Virginia along theeastern seaboard to northern Florida, west along the Gulf Coast to easternTexas (but not including Houston), and north as far as Tennessee andKentucky. The North Pacific Coast, as its name implies, is located in thenorthwest part of the continent. 8. 4. In Canada's Atlantic Provinces, on the other hand,forests also abound and forestry remains a strong industry. Mostof the nation's strawberries, walnuts, grapes, figs, almonds, artichokes,avocados and much of its citrus comes from California. The coal is then easily extracted. The region continues toattract immigrants from other parts of the country as well as other partsof the world, making immigration a key issue in the state as well as one ofits defining characteristics. Population in the region has spread from the California coastinland, particularly to Arizona. Hydroelectricity generated along the Shield generates nearly 7 percent of all of Canada's electricity. 4. Nonetheless,there are sizable Native American populations in southwest cities where theculture is kept alive by individuals. Rainfall issteady between 3 and 4 inches, with larger amounts found in the southernreaches of the region. Initially, mining permits were easy and cheap to obtain.Recognizing the impact that mining has on the environment, severaldifferent strategies have been implemented to mitigate those consequences.Reclamation requires that companies demonstrate that they can restore theland to its previous condition before a permit is issued. There arefew clear ethnic majorities in most parts of Hawaii, intermarriage iscommon, and it is difficult for any one person to claim to be entirelyJapanese or Chinese or native Hawaiian. 6d. The Yellowstone Fire generated controversy because parkofficials initially let the fire burn without interference. In this way, California's future is not just its own, buthas far-reaching consequences. At the same time, cities wereable to attract more service industries, including financial services, andnon-agricultural wages increased to the point that cities drew populationfrom rural areas. 12b. The climate can vary considerably from the coast to the inlandareas, with particular influence from the cold Labrador Current that movesin a southerly direction along the coast. Sharecropping, in which the farmers owed the landowner for theland they farmed, became the norm and the debts were significant. 2a. Most reservationsare contained in this region, and some Native American tribes remainrelatively populous, including the Navajo, the Apache, the Hopi and theUtes. The Appalachian region cuts a swath into the Changing Souththrough western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Irrigation is the most common use of this surface waterdiversion. 9. As already noted, the border between the United States andMexico separates not only two countries, two languages and two cultures,but also two starkly different standards of living. The attitude of the government affects the development of theregion by providing the framework in which development is balanced withconservation. There region also receives a high level of rainfall each year. Alaska is a political island in the sense that it isdisconnected from the United States. Coal is found in abundance inNova Scotia, but it is not easily accessible, and the cost of extracting itmakes it uncompetitive even when priced against coal that travels longerdistances. 5a. While 1 percent of Canada's population lives in British Columbia, only threepercent of Americans live in the Pacific Northwest. This is because the investment required to maintaina farm today can be significant and lenders are wary of lending to smallfarmers. There has been some debate over the proper name for HispanicAmericans. Water tables are being reduced, and more expensive options, suchas drawing water from far away sources, are being considered andimplemented, but drilling locally is still the most common way to addressthis issue. Oil is also extracted inPennsylvania; this is used primarily for high-quality oils and lubricantsrather than for oil and gas. 5. The Great Plains are flat. Farther north, the treelineseparates the forest from the tundra. 9. Strip mining is safer for miners, but has negativeenvironmental consequences. 8c. Some family-run dairies survive, butmechanization, credit needs and the need to farm large amounts acreage meanthat most farms are not family-owned. American planters exerted politicalinfluence, and geographic proximity (such as it is) to the Americanmainland made annexation all but inevitable. This is due to the relatively small investmentrequired to participate in the industry whereas deep sea fishing requireslarger boats and heavier (and more expensive) equipment. As a result,farmers moved west to take advantage of better land, climate andinfrastructure. Anthracite coal was the first coal mined in the region. Moreover, Europeans likely happened onthe region in their earliest explorations, which took place hundreds ofyears before Columbus sailed to the Caribbean. Double-cropping, as its name implies, is the practice ofharvesting two crops during a single growing season. Residents there recognize that while tourism is good for theregion, new permanent residents threaten the very qualities of the areathat make it unique and which provide the high quality of life thatresidents cherish. The Annapolis Valley is a long narrow valley known for its appleorchards. Earthquakes happen along fault lines,including the famous San Andreas fault, but have not precluded settlementin some of the most earthquake-prone areas. Initially, thesewaterways helped transport European settlers to the region; later, thesewaterways were used to bring goods into the region and take goods -primarily agricultural products - elsewhere for trade. While half of the region's population lives in urban areas,"urban" in this region does not equal "urban" in more populous regions. 2b. Agriculture struggles in this region because of competition fromother regions for the same crops. Today, the region is finding some success in growingpotatoes for the frozen food industry. 3a. In addition, there are largeconcentrations of private landholdings concentrated among just a fewlandowners. The key specialty crops of the region are citrus, rice andsugarcane. The region was once sheeted in blankets of ice which carved v-shaped valleys and caused some erosion. Using this system, townships set up into six mile by sixmile grids; each grid was one square mile, and further divided into 64 acres. 13. Fishermen make aliving by harvesting from the sea; overharvesting can lead to a decline notonly in the direct fish population, but in the ecosystem as a whole.Similarly, clear cutting not only destroys trees, but also can destroyecosystems affecting flora and fauna in the region, as well. The Appalachian Plateau is found on the western side of theregion. 12. The area'sisolation was one reason for this; another was the lack of manufacturingthat developed in the region. There is more fresh water in the Arctic ice pack than in all ofthe lakes of the world combined, but the ice pack has lost one percent ofits mass over the last century. This is due to the relocation ofNative Americans to reservations, which both preserved and isolated thosecultures. 3c. Even large cities such as Los Angeles haveneighborhoods that have thousands or hundreds of thousands of Hispanicsliving together and maintaining their cultural and linguistic ties toMexico. Demand for water is driven by the fact that the state is thecountry's most populous. The most controversial wildlife arethe wolves that roam the region and often encroach (or are encroached upon)human development. The result was a regular rectangular pattern that extended toroads, farms and towns and which persists to this day in the region. Theliterature also portrays the region as vast and, if not empty, then stark.It reinforces the idea that it takes a special type of individual tosurvive, let alone thrive, in this region. Agriculture remains an important force for Prince Edward Island. In this way, thefuture is uncertain for the region, but any growth is likely to be slow. 2. 8. In short, Hawaii is not a paradise, but it hascharacteristics which can render it highly desirable for certainindividuals to live, and even more desirable for other individuals tovisit. Lawrence estuary also serves to enhance access to theinterior of the continent rather than encouraging activity along the coast. 5. The Spanish claimed the region in the15 s, but did not actively settle in California until a string of Catholicmissions was built in the 17 s. When the Anglos (northwestEuropean Americans) arrived, they, in turn, were thrown into the culturalmix, as well. 3f. There is significant cultural diversity as large numbers ofpeople from other countries have settled in Southern California to thepoint that the second largest populations outside their home countries isin this area. Areas that have sharp relief can be difficult for machines tonavigate with the result that it can be difficult to farm or even cleartracts of land. Wood processing is also a key part of the area'seconomy. New Orleans serves as the Mississippi River control point inthat it is located at the mouth of the river. Fishing was once a critical part of the region's economy, but apoorly managed fishing industry led to overfishing of whales and salmon.In addition, salmon populations dwindled as dams were built forhydroelectric power plants and for flow control. Frosts are also slow to arrive and early to leave, whichmeans that crops face only minimal frost damage. Language and traditions have been maintained along the shores ofthe region over long periods. Rice is less susceptible to the weather than citrus andsugarcane, but does require sufficient amounts of water. 13. The Potomac, the James the Roanoke and the New rivers allprovided such gaps, but the fact that they were far apart limitedpopulation expansion across the Blue Ridge. 1 . Captain James Cook discovered Hawaii and was eventually killedthere, but news of his discovery reached European in the late 18th century. Urban centers were slow to develop in this region. The empty interior is home to bison, elk, antelope andwhite-tailed deer as well as bears. 9a. 6. As with the lumber trade, it is theeasily accessible areas that are mined first, with more difficult-to-reachareas left pristine until prices and technology make it economicallyattractive to move in. 7. The native and natural grasses had extensive root systems thatwere quite strong and were used as building materials by the first settlersto the area. Harbor facilities in the region tend to be in close proximity tomouths of rivers or on large estuaries. 12c. 1 . So far, efforts to split the state have notsucceeded, despite the regional differences, but efforts are likely to betried again if the differences do not become more blurred with time. Economic and urban reorganization in the New South took placeafter World War II when more industrialization occurred in the South andwhen the region became far less dependent on cotton, in part due toincreased competition from cotton grown elsewhere. Between 4 and6 inches of precipitation falls across the region throughout each year,with as much as half of this from snow. Alfisols are found east of central Iowa with the exception ofcentral Illinois and south-central Wisconsin. Thousands of years ago, this region was settled by multipletribes of Native Americans who spread over the region extending the reachof their cultures and ways of life. The future of the region may be less tied to agriculture thanits past in that water use will be a significant issue for the state. The issue of how to manage fisheries brings to light theconflict between economics and ecosystems in the region. 1 . The state ismuch longer than it is wide, and its eastern border generally follows thebroad contours of the western coast. 11. The first settlers to California were Native Americans who werehunter-gatherers living in small communities that lacked large tribal unitsfound elsewhere in the country. As commerce died in the smallest of these towns, job opportunities andincome potential did as well, and residents moved to where there was betteropportunity. The city isattractively landscaped, largely middle class, and is regularly cited asone of the best urban centers to live not only in the region, but in theUnited States as a whole. Citrus is also susceptible to frost, someasures must be taken to prevent frostbite of fruit during the winterseason. Located at the far north of Spain'sholdings, California was divided into ranchos to encourage migration, butthe future state remained largely neglected by Spain and Mexico except as away to keep the Russians contained as they moved down from Alaska. Cultural integration took place in the New South following the193 s as more people from the north moved south to growing metropolitanareas. Industrial development thus was supported by ready transportation forgoods. The Europeans alsointroduced disease, liquor and Christianity; these quickly changed thenature and character of the native culture, with traditional ways yieldingto technology and economic pressure. 3e. The St. Latin Americans, primarily Cubans, settled in the Miami areaover several decades beginning in the 195 s. Theseare passed on to succeeding generations by virtue of the practice ofmarrying within their ethnic group. It is simplistic to categorize Hawaii as an island paradise.Its inhabitants endure high costs of living, high unemployment, and extremecongestion in the largest city. Younger and more militant individuals prefer the term "la raza"or "Chicano." Chicano is also favored by recent immigrants from Mexico.Those with Spanish surnames (as opposed to Indian) may prefer Hispano.Many of these individuals in Texas use the term Texano. Although some expertsbelieve that the mountains may have at one time been higher than Mt.Everest is today, erosion has caused them to lose most of that height. In the lower elevations,sagebrush is common. 4. Many belong to the new class ofagribusiness while others are members of part-time co-operatives or tenantfarming arrangements. The region's landscape is also important sincemechanized farm equipment cannot be used in rugged terrain, but insteadrequires relatively flat or gently rolling terrain. The opening of Asian markets is largely responsible forthis shift, and the city itself benefits from being close to the coast tofacilitate this activity. 8b. 15. Honolulu faces many of the same problems as other urban areas,but with a much higher cost of living and significant congestion. 6a. Assignment Sixteen-The North Pacific Coast 1. Climate is the primary amenity in the Southern Coastlands; withthe advent of air conditioning, the region is attractive year-round. This inhibits ocean transport inthe winter, and even summer transport depends on the ice returning laterrather than earlier in order that access to southern routes are notblocked. 8d. Salts from the ColoradoRiver used for irrigation are deposited in the soil and must be flushed outwith more water to eliminate them. Disneyland isperhaps the best known of the regional man-made attractions; the area'sbeaches, mountains and deserts also are natural attractions. 3. However, competition in recent years from areas that are morefavorably located has resulted in the area shifting from growing apples toapple processing. Valleys are found between theridges, typically several miles wide. 4e. Immigration has been the way that California grew through muchof its history. It is not connected to the contiguous48 states except by a road that crosses through Canada, and individualsliving on the Alaskan panhandle are squeezed betweens mountains and thecoast. Although counter-intuitive, given the region's proximity to theocean and its annual rainfall, the water supply often fails to meet waterdemand. Assignment Eleven-The Agricultural Core 1. At the same time, slavery itselfdiscouraged immigration from other European regions and the north sincethere were fewer opportunities for these individuals to compete against"free" slave labor. Geography-Unit Three-Seven Assignments Assignment Twelve-The Great Plains and Prairies 1. "Relief" in this context refers to the way the landscape issculpted. Nonetheless, thecontinued isolation of the region and the lack of reliable and efficienttransportation may inhibit economic exploitation on the same scale that hasaffected other geographic regions in North America. The strategic importance of the islands came into focus during World WarII, and at the time the book was written, one-quarter of all Hawaiianworkers was a military employee. This isdespite the large amount of agriculture and is possible because theagriculture of California is highly mechanized and dependent on seasonalworkers when labor is required. In fact, so much energy is produced in Canada thatexcess is sold to the United States, and powers cities as far away as NewYork. They established ahierarchical hereditary social organization that lasted until the arrivalof the Europeans. Anglos enjoy the highest standard of living and,generally, the greatest political power. Erosion occurs rapidly as moving watershapes the new lava, and the islands are rugged with only small areas offlat land. Cities grew uparound the major waterways and used the waterways both for transportinggoods and people as well as to support the water needs of the growing urbanareas. 7. Strip mining, as its name implies, uses large machinery to striprocks away from a horizontal coal seam. Smith was killed bya mob in Illinois, and his followers continued moving west, eventuallysettling in Utah around the Great Salt Lake. There are a numberof state and national parks that attract millions of visitors each year,including Yellowstone and Yosemite. That changed, however, with the completionof the Erie Canal and competition from Indiana and Ohio where the growingseason was longer and the area more hospitable to farming. Niihau is privately ownedby a ranch company that employs primarily native Hawaiians. 7a. 13. 1 . Northern California has pine and fir forests mixed with sequoiaand coastal redwoods. TheCoast Range provides a natural barrier for the marine air, keeping thecoasts themselves relatively mild. Rail connections are an important part of trade in the regionsince once the goods arrive at port, they need a way to move inland, andsimilarly, goods from the interior need ways to be transported to port.Railroads terminate at the major harbors in the region, furtherfacilitating trade. The wide expanse of the Northlands and the sparse populationpatterns means that traditional transportation models using railroads andhighways are of little use. Appalachia and the Ozarks are actually two distinct geographiclocations that share enough common characteristics to be considered as oneregion. 11. Most cities have asingle dominant economic activity, such as mining or transportation. Overburden is the "waste" rock left over in the process of stripmining. Factors affecting the future of the region include its continuedtransportation isolation as well as its emphasis on primary occupations.The rural nature of the region also suggests that it may continue tostruggle with lower per capita incomes than the rest of the two countrieswhen taken in aggregate. The region sits on a large underground aquifer which has beenexploited to the point that the water table has been significantly lowered. They settled theregion, which was eventually claimed by the United States and which stillshares a border with Mexico, a former colony of Spain. 4b. Not uniformly so-there is anelevation gain from east to west, and there are some hills and mountainscontained within the region; certainly the Black Hills and the Badlandsdefy the "flat" description. Isolation meant that there was little interaction with othercultures, even those in the neighboring South, with the result that theculture of Southern Appalachia remained relatively unchanged for most ofits history. 3. At thesame time, the isolation has resulted in unique plant and bird spe If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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