ATLANTIC OCEAN
Gulf of Mexico Mississippi R.
NC SC
VA
DE PA NJ
MD
GA LA
MS MO
OK AR
TX
AL TN
KY IL
FL
200 mi 0
200 km 0
N E W
S
Location
Our Land and Regions
Geography is the study of Earth. This study can be divided into five themes that help you understand why Earth has such a wide variety of places. Each theme reveals something different about a place.
Five Themes of Geography
The United States has a variety of regions. A region is an area that shares physical or human characteristics. The Coastal Plain in the southeastern United States is one such region.
Some parts of the Coastal Plain result from physical
characteristics. They have similar landforms, vegetation, and climate. A landform is a natural feature of the Earth. Climate is the usual pattern of weather in a place over a period of time.
Other parts of the Coastal Plain result from patterns of human activity. For example, the Coastal Plain has many areas of high population. It also has parts that share economic characteristics, such as what kinds of businesses are located there.
Vocabulary
region landform climate
TEKS 6.A, 6.B, 7.A, 7.B, 7.C, 7.D, 24.C
Where can the Coastal Plain be found?
The Coastal Plain runs along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It begins in New Jersey and extends all the way through Texas.
Human/Environmental Interaction
Movement Region
Place
How is this area different from others?
Inland areas of the Coastal Plain in Texas are prairies. Prairies are a landform good for raising cattle. The hot, rainy summers of the Coastal Plain are also good for raising crops.
How have people changed the place?
The Coastal Plain in Texas is rich in oil. Today, thousands of people work on oil rigs, and the oil industry is an important part of the state’s economy.
How has movement changed the region?
The Coastal Plain in Texas is home to many of Texas’s largest cities, including Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio.
What else is special about the Coastal Plain in Texas?
The Coastal Plain in Texas is wet and swamp-like along the Gulf Coast. Fishing is an important industry there.
1. Describe the characteristics of the Coastal Plain region in Texas. Be sure to discuss population, economics, landforms, climate, and vegetation.
Reading Maps
Reading maps is an important skill for learning about the world, past and present. If you want to read, construct, or interpret a map, you’ll first need to learn to apply certain geographic tools.
A compass rose looks a bit like an arrow and shows the directions north, south, east, and west. A legend helps readers interpret the symbols that appear on maps. A symbol is a mark, a drawing, or a color that stands for something else.
Look at the legend on the next page. You can see that a black star symbol marks the state capital. The scale on a map shows distance. A map might show a scale in which 1 inch on the map represents 100 miles. A grid system is made up of rows of imaginary squares. The rows of squares are numbered and lettered along the edges of the map. You can find places where rows of numbers and letters cross.
Some maps are marked with latitude and longitude lines.
Latitude lines run east and west and measure distance north and south of the equator. Longitude lines, or meridians, run north and south and measure distance east and west of the prime meridian. A locator map is a simple map set in the corner of a larger one. It shows the location of the larger map in the country or the world.
2. What line would you find at 0° longitude?
South America
Africa Europe
Asia
20°E
PRIME MERIDIAN
40°E 60°E
60°W 40°W 20°W 0°
Longitude
South America North
America
20°S
40°S 60°S 60°N 40°N 20°N
0°
EQUATOR
Latitude
Political Maps
Political maps show political information, such as the location of state or national borders or the location of capitals and other cities. By applying geographic tools, you can interpret the map below and locate the state capital of Texas. You can also locate other important cities. The areas that are not part of the subject of the map are sometimes tinted a shade of gray or brown.
On this map, for example, New Mexico is tinted tan. The locator map on the lower right shows where Texas is located in the United States.
Vocabulary
compass rose legend
symbol scale grid system latitude longitude locator map political map 3. Use a map symbol to find the
capital city of Texas. Write its name on the line.
4. What geographic tools tell you that San Antonio is not the state capital?
5. Use the grid system and write what box the city of Houston is located in.
6. Estimate the distance between Amarillo and Lubbock.
7. Use the compass rose and fill in the blank: El Paso is of Fort Worth.
8. On a separate sheet of paper, construct a political map that includes your city or town. Include some of the surrounding cities and towns. Be sure to apply what you’ve learned about geographic tools and include a grid system, a legend with symbols, a map scale, and a compass rose.
New Mexico
Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma
MEXICO
N E W
S
Arlington WorthFort
Amarillo
Dallas Plano
Corpus Christi Lubbock
El Paso
Laredo Austin
San Antonio Houston
Gulf of Mexico 0
0
200 mi 200 km
LEGEND
Capital city City
Texas, Political
A B C
1
2
3
areamap
HI 150 mi 0
150 km 0 Mt. McKinley 20,237 ft (6,168 m) Aleutian Islands
AK 400 mi
0 400 km 0
PACIFIC OCEAN
ATLANTIC OCEAN
MichiganLake SuperiorLake
HuronLake
Lake Erie OntarioLake
Great Salt Lake
OkeechobeeLake Gulf of
Mexico Ohio River
Mississippi River Missou
ri Riv
er
Rio G rande Colorado River
St. Lawrence River Columbia
River
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS GR
EA TPLAINS RO
CK Y M
OU NTA
INS
C e n t r a l P l a i n s Sierra
Nev ada
Atlant ic Co
astal P lain
Colorado Plateau G r e a t B a s i n Cas
cad e Ra
nge
G ulf Coastal P la in Death
Valley -282 ft.
(-86 m)
CANADA
MEXICO
CUBA
BAHAMAS WA
OR
CA NV
ID
UT CO
WY
NE IA
MN WI
MI
IL IN OH PA
KY VA
NY VT ME
MDDE NJ CT RI
MANH
WV
TN NC
MS AL
FL GA KS
OK
TX LA
AR MO
MT ND
SD
AZ SC
NM
400 mi 0
400 km 0
N W E
S
United States, Physical
LEGEND
National border State border Highest point Lowest point
Physical Maps
A physical map shows the physical characteristics of a place. It can show mountains and valleys. It can also show rivers, lakes, and oceans. For example, the physical map below shows the location of the Mississippi River.
A physical map shows the relief of an area. Relief shows high and low places through different colors and shading. On the map below, the relief shows the high mountains. The flat plains have no relief. A plain is an area of flat land that is often covered with grass or trees. Blue areas of most maps are bodies of water.
This physical map includes labels for important landforms.
A landform is a natural feature of the Earth, such as a peninsula. A peninsula is an area of land that is almost completely surrounded by water.
9. Locate the Rocky Mountains on the map and draw a row of triangles over them. Then locate the Great Plains and circle them.
Finally, locate the Mississippi River and draw a line along its path.
10. Interpret the map and list the mountain ranges that would have made it difficult for pioneers to travel from east to west during the settlement of America.
Rio G ran
de R
io G rande
Sabine R.
Colora do River Pecos
River
Red River
Mountains and
Basins Edwards
Plateau
Balcones Escarpment
Coastal Plains
Barrier Islands Gulf of Mexico
Austin Houston Galveston San Antonio
Fort Worth Amarillo
PasoEl
Lubbock
Corpus Christi
Dallas
Beaumont Guadalupe
Peak
N E W
S
200 mi 0
200 km 0
Texas, Elevation
LEGEND Meters 1,524
610305 152 Feet 5,000 2,000 1,000 500
Elevation
State capital Other city Peak
Elevation Maps
An elevation map also shows physical characteristics of a land area. Elevation is the distance or height above sea level.
Using an elevation map, you can compare and contrast different landform regions, such as mountains, river valleys, and plains.
The map below uses different colors to show the differences in elevation. Areas shaded dark orange are the highest.
An elevation map may help engineers decide where to build roads, bridges, and tunnels. For example, look at the map of Texas. It shows where flatter areas run into steep areas. When people plan ways to improve travel, they use elevation maps to find the right spots to build tunnels for railroads and highways.
11. Interpret the map by applying what you know about geographic tools, like color shading. Then write which area of Texas has the highest elevations, the eastern part or the western.
Vocabulary
physical map relief
plain landform elevation map elevation
Regions
Recall that a region is an area that shares physical or human characteristics. A regions map shows areas that have common features. Regions might result from patterns of human activity, such as population or
economic activity. They might be areas that share similar physical characteristics, such as landforms, vegetation, or climate. A map describing five political regions of the United States is shown below. The regions are political because they are based on their geographic location.
The map also shows the location of the 50 states. To learn about the location of each state’s capital city, turn to pages R28–R29 of the Atlas at the back of your book.
12. Locate on the map the Northeast, the Midwest, and the Southwest. Circle each region.
13. Work with a partner and locate on the map the ten largest urban areas in the United States. Read them aloud.
14. Why are the five regions in the map described as political regions?
15. Locate the 50 state capitals on the political map in the Atlas at the back of the book. Then draw a small star for each capital on this map. Do your best to draw the stars in the correct places.
HI AK
CANADA
MEXICO
CUBA
BAHAMAS Great
Lakes
PACIFIC OCEAN
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Gulf of Mexico
Washington, D.C.
New York Philadelphia Chicago
Houston Dallas
San Antonio Los Angeles
San Jose
Phoenix San Diego
WA
OR
CA NV
ID
UT CO
WY
NE IA
MN
WI MI
IL IN OH
PA
KY VA
NY VT ME
MDDE NJ
CT RI NHMA
WV
TN NC
MS AL
FL GA KS
OK
TX LA
AR MO
MT ND
SD
SC
AZ NM
400 mi 0
400 km 0
N E W
S
Regions of the United States
Northeast region Midwest region Southeast region Southwest region West region Capital city Largest urban areas
LEGEND
A Variety of Regions
As you have learned, the United States can be divided into a variety of regions. Political regions are based on their geographic location. They are made up of states or groups of states. Other regions result from patterns of human activity.
For example, a region that has numerous big cities is called a population region. A region that has similar industries and businesses is an economic region.
Certain regions in the United States result from physical characteristics. Those characteristics can include landforms, vegetation, or climate. Climate is the pattern of weather in a place over a period of time.
You’ve already learned about the characteristics of the Coastal Plain region in Texas. Two other regions of the United States that result from physical characteristics are the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains.
Great Plains and Rocky Mountains
Turn to the United States physical map on page 16 and locate the Great Plains. The Great Plains is a major farming region.
The Great Plains has a good climate for growing crops like wheat, oats, and barley. Summers are warm, and winters are cold. Because the Great Plains does not get a lot of rain, farmers have to irrigate, or bring water to, their farms in order to grow other crops, like corn and soybeans.
On the physical map, locate the Rocky Mountains in the western United States. The Rocky Mountains, or “Rockies,” are a region characterized by a particular landform: spectacular, majestic peaks. The Rockies are the largest mountain system in North America. The main vegetation found in the Rocky Mountains is forests. The dry, cool Rocky Mountain climate is perfect for growing thousands of acres of trees.
16. On a separate sheet of paper, describe the landform, climate, and vegetation of the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains.
Vocabulary
region climate irrigate
Great Plains
Rocky Mountains
Special-Purpose Maps
A special-purpose map gives information related to a certain theme. For example, a resources map, like the one of Texas on this page, shows a state’s major natural and economic resources and where they’re located. You could use this map in preparing a report on the state’s economy. There are many other kinds of special-purpose maps. A satellite map shows a picture of the land and cities from space. An immigration map could show which states have the highest rates of immigration. Weather maps are used to track storms. Knowing the path of a storm helps people be prepared.
17. Identify what special information this map shows. 18. Which resource is located near El Paso?
19. Identify how the special-purpose map on this page is different from a physical map of Texas.
Texas
Galveston
Laredo El Paso
Ft. Worth Dallas
San Antonio
Corpus Christi Houston Odessa
Tatum Amarillo
Austin Lubbock
Crystal City
Nacogdoches Wichita
Falls
Sweetwater
Christine Jewett Quanah
200 mi 0
200 km 0
Texas Resources
N E W
S
LEGEND
Shrimp Fish
Forest Products Wind Power
Oil Natural Gas Coal Gypsum
MA ME
NH VT
VA NJ NY
NC PA
RI
SC
CT DE
GA
MD DC
FL NM AR
IN SD
NV
KS WV
NE WY
LA MT ND
MI
OK
KY
AZ
IA OH
TX
HI AK
OR
AL CO
TN WA
IL ID
CA
MS WI
UT
MN
MO
2012 Presidential Election Results
LEGEND
Voted for Barack Obama Voted for Mitt Romney
Current-Events Maps
Some special-purpose maps deal with current events. They help people decide what laws to make or how to work for change. They can also show the outcome of an election. The map below shows the results of the 2012 presidential election.
Vocabulary
resources map satellite map
20. On a separate sheet of paper, translate the geographic data presented by the map into a bar graph. The graph should show how many states voted for Mitt Romney and how many states voted for Barack Obama.
21. Look at and interpret the information in the current-events map above. On a separate sheet of paper, describe the similarities and differences between the way each region voted.
Geographic Data
The maps you’ve learned about so far are based on raw geographic data. The Texas resources map was created by translating economic and geographic data (the names and locations of key resources) into symbols. The names of key cities were then added. The completed map tells about Texas’s economy and geography.
Consider the following raw geographic data, presented in a paragraph from an encyclopedia:
Now look at the map, based on the geographic data presented in the text.
Geographic data can be organized and translated into other formats, such as graphs. Consider the raw data about average monthly high temperatures in Houston shown at right.
Route 66 was a national highway that connected Chicago to Los Angeles.
It crossed through eight states. After leaving the Oklahoma town of Texola, Route 66 entered eastern Texas. It passed through the towns of Shamrock, McLean, Jericho, and Conway on the way to Amarillo. From Amarillo, Route 66 continued west through Bushland, Vega, and on to Glenrio before crossing into New Mexico.
Average Monthly High Temperatures, Houston
January 63°
February 66°
March 72°
April 79°
May 85°
June 90°
July 92°
August 93°
September 88°
October 81°
November 72°
December 65°
Amarillo Bushland
Glenrio Vega Texola
Shamrock
OKLAHOMA
NEW MEXICO TEXAS
McLean Jericho Conway
ROUTE
66
Historic Route 66 in Texas
Consider the following raw data about Texas monuments and landmarks and their locations.
22. Use a separate sheet of paper to organize and translate the data about Texas’s monuments and landmarks into a map. Use symbols to represent each monument.
Now read the following paragraph that contains raw data about San Antonio’s average yearly rainfall.
23. On a separate sheet of paper, organize and translate the data about San Antonio’s yearly rainfall into a bar graph.
San Antonio has seen wild swings in its average yearly rainfall since 2004.
That year, the city’s average rainfall was 45.32 inches. The following year, it was only 16.54 inches, and in 2006 and 2007, it was 21.34 inches and 47.25 inches, respectively. In 2008, it was 13.76 inches; in 2009, it was 30.69 inches; in 2010, it was 37.39 inches. In 2011, it dropped to just 17.58 inches, and in 2012, the average rainfall was 39.40 inches.
Landmark or Monument City in Texas
The Alamo San Antonio
San Jacinto Monument Houston
State Capitol Austin
Sam Houston Statue Huntsville 100o
80o 60o 40o 20o 0o
Temperature
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Average Monthly High Temperatures, Houston
The temperature data can be translated into a bar graph.
