Umecit

American History and Culture 1

U.S. Physical and Human Geography -

Cultural and economic regions.
By:
Rodolfo Rodriguez 8-950-2013
Ainhara Rosas 1-755-688
Yailyn Cortes 8-978-1181
Vicente Arauz 4-760-811
Ana Cedeño 3-748-568
Paola Medina 9-759-421
Mayerlys González 9-762-181
Hermes Aguilar 9-759-1926
Nayesli Mirones 8-972-1302
 Physical Geography
Characteristics of the physical geography of
the United States
The United States of America is one of the
largest countries on Earth. Its surface area is
9,828,675 km² including Alaska and Hawaii
km². 9,261.94 km² (land), 469,496 km² (water);
they place it in third place, after Russia and
Canada. Its territory spans most of North
America, with Alaska, and the Pacific.It covers
five time zones from -5 to -10 UTM.

The Great Basin: It is an endorheic basin; its

geographical limits are: the Sacramento-San Joaquín
and Klamath (O) basins; Columbia-Snake Basin (N);
Colorado-Verde basin (S and E). Administratively, the
Great Basin comprises most of the state of Nevada, the
western half of Utah, and part of California, Idaho,
Oregon, and Wyoming. Cuenca y Cordillera Province"
(Basin and Range Province), is a geological region that is
the most recognizable in the Great Basin and that
extends well into the deserts of Sonora and Mojave.
Other basins, in Nevada: the Big and Little Smoky valleys,
Diamond, Dixie, Dry Lake.Nevada / California: Lake
Crowley, Lake Honey, in California: Lakes Buena Vista,
Elsinore, Eagle, Owens among others.
Physical Geography

Deserts
Mojave Desert: It occupies an area of 124,000 km² and is
bounded to the north by the Great Basin moor; to the south,
through the Sonora desert; to the east, through the Colorado
Plateau and to the west, through the Colorado Desert.
. America's Major Deserts: Death Valley, Mojave Desert, Route
66, Grand Canyon of the Colorado, Bryce Canyon, Monument
Valley, Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, and
Canyonlands. Great contrasts, even with negative
temperatures and ice and snow at various points. The Wild
West lived up to its fame.

Vegetation
The tundra occurs on the coast of Alaska, both north and
south. It develops in a narrow strip very close to the coast; The
mixed flatland and coniferous forest develops all the way east
of the Mississippi, all the way to the coast, from the Great
Lakes and down far south through the Appalachian
Mountains. The desert, to varying degrees, appears in the
interior of the lower valleys from the southern half of the
Rockies, and along the border with Mexico.
 Mountains - USA
The relief of the USA is very varied, its main characteristic is that it is located on the
North American plate that changes its relief from west to east. In the west, its coast
borders the Pacific plate causing it to be a mountainous area that is also
characterized by the frequent presence of volcanic phenomena and earthquakes. So
then, as it moves away from the Pacific plate, the terrain becomes more stable,
presenting large plains in the center and plateaus in the east of the country.
In the relief of the United States there are a series of mountain ranges of at least
2,000 km in length, which are known as the coastal mountain ranges of the Pacific.
Then the Great Valley of California appears which is a pre-littoral depression that
later rises towards the Rocky Mountains.
Mountains - USA
The highest mountains in the United States.
1.Denali- Alaska – The Highest Mountain in the United States:
Rising 20,310 feet (6,190 meters) , Denali is the United States’
highest mountain. Denali is also the highest mountain in North
America and is the third highest mountain of the Seven
Summits (a hiking term for the tallest mountain on each
continent) after Mount Everest and Aconcagua.

2. Mount Saint Elias – Alaska Yukon: Mount Saint Elias

straddles the Alaska/Canadian border in the Saint Elias
Mountain Range in northern southeast Alaska. At 18,009 feet
(5,489 meters), it is the second highest mountain in the United
States and in Canada behind Mount Logan.

3.Mount Foraker – Alaska: On a clear day, Mount Foraker can

be seen in tandem with Denali in the Alaska Range. Mount
Foraker is the third highest peak in the United States with an
elevation of 17,400 feet (5304 meters).
 Hydrography- USA
Main lake and river systems:

The Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Ontario, Erie, Huron) are the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world.
The Mississippi River is the main eastern US system.
Colorado and Columbia are the main western systems.
Missouri River the longest in North America and the main tributary of the Mississippi River.
The longest Yukon River in Alaska with relevant historical importance.

Characteristics:
1.The Mississippi River is an important waterway that crosses the central part of the United States, has a length of
3,734 km and crosses ten states of the country.
2.Missouri River Measuring approximately 4,090 km, it is the longest river in North America and the 4th longest in
the entire continent.
3.Tennessee River is an important hydroelectric source for the region where it is located. It crosses the states of
Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky.
4.Saint Lawrence River This body of river forms a natural border with Canada, that is, it passes through both
countries. On the Canadian side, it borders the cities of Ontario and Quebec.
5.Yukon River shared between Canada (Yukon) and the United States, specifically in the state of Alaska. The Yukon
River has a very relevant historical importance since it served as a gateway for populations from Asia.
6.Detroit River also connects the United States and Canada, naturally delimits the border of these two countries.
Thanks to its privileged geographical location, this river has become an important commercial and cultural medium
for both nations.
Lakes Characteristic from United States
1.Lake Erie: this lake is the smallest of the five; It is not as deep as the rest of the great lakes and therefore it warms more in
summer and spring, on the contrary in winter we can find it completely frozen thanks to the fertility of the soils that are
located around the lake, agriculture can be exploited without However, these activities generate certain impacts on the
water and the soil, generating pollution that degrades the lake. Its extension includes locations such as Ohio, New York,
Ontario, Indiana and Pennsylvania.

2.Lake Huron: It is the third largest lake; it is linked to Lake Michigan by a hydraulic space known as the Strait of Mackinac.
It is a place with a lot of tourist attractions since it has sandy and rocky beaches with a large surface. Its extension includes
towns such as Michigan and Ontario. The main tributary is the Saginaw River.

3.Lake Michigan: It is the second largest of these 5 Lakes. It is located in the United States and does not have a border with
Canada. Its dimensions are 307km long and more than 1600km of coastline. It is located in an area with a very cold climate.
The southern part is the most visited as it is warmer and contains two major metropolitan areas.

4.Lake Ontario: This lake is the deepest of all. In size it is like the Erie, smaller, but deeper. It has great tourist importance
like Toronto and Hamilton. It spans parts of Ontario, New York, and Pennsylvania. Its environment is more fertile than
normal, so agriculture is also exploited. Only in the part of New York is neither agriculture nor urbanization exploited.

5.Lake Superior: It is the largest and longest lake of all. It has so much water that it would be able to fill the other 4 lakes,
and on top of it leave even more water available to fill more lakes. It is the coldest of all and covers the towns of Michigan,
Minnesota, Ontario and Wisconsin. As it belongs to such a cold climate, it is not very inhabited.
 Climate - U.S.A.
As one of the largest countries in the world, the United States has many
different climate zones. To give you an in-depth understanding of the various
climates in the United States, we have summarized the following typical
weather patterns in different parts of the country.

The Northeast:
The northeastern part the states that make up this region are many in
number. Some of them are: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington
DC, Massachusetts, Delaware, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island. The
weather in the northeastern United States is characterized by warm and
fairly moderate temperatures in the summer. Overall, the northeastern states
are moderately rainy, and in the winter the region experiences heavy snowfall
and freezing rain. Average annual precipitation, which includes rain and
snow, is approximately 46 inches per year. Precipitation generally comes in
the form of large storm systems that may be composed of rain and snow or ice
and rain.
The South
We are essentially talking about two distinct regions: The South Central
region includes the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and
Oklahoma. January tends to be the rainiest month of the year in the South
Central region. Summers in the South Central United States are hot and
extremely humid. Like many Midwestern states, parts of Texas and Oklahoma
also fall within "tornado alley," which poses a threat of tornadoes, especially
in May and June.
 Climate - U.S.A.
The Southwest
The southwestern region of the United States consists of California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and parts of
Colorado and Utah, and its climate varies widely from state to state and season to season. In general, the desert
regions of the Southwest, found in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and even parts of California, remain relatively
warm throughout the year.
The opposite extreme, cold, is often the norm for winters in the more northerly states of the Southwest, such as
Colorado and Utah. What rain does fall during the summer season tends to be mostly in the mountains, usually in
the form of rainstorms in the afternoon and before dark.
Fall and spring are arguably the most pleasant seasons in the southwestern United States, with mild temperatures
ranging from 60F (16C) to 75F (24C) degrees depending on the state or region

The Northwest
The Northwest is made up of a number of very beautiful states, including: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Idaho,
Montana, Wyoming, and parts of Utah and Colorado. Rain tends to fall during every season along the coast, however,
the winter and spring months collect by far the most precipitation.
Summer months are pleasant and warm, but rarely hot. Winters on the Pacific coast are generally very cold and wet.
These regions also receive ample snowfall during the winter months each year, and are recognized as excellent
places for skiing. Summers are characterized by beautiful sunny mornings, afternoon thunderstorms and clear, cool
nights.
Hawaii
It has a climate that is unlike any other in the continental U.S. The weather in Hawaii is very stable and safe, with
only negligible changes in temperature throughout the year. Generally speaking, there are really only 2 seasons in
Hawaii: summer, which runs from May through October, and winter, which runs from November through April. The
average daytime temperature during the summer months is 85F (29C) degrees, while the average daytime
temperature in winter is 78F (26C) degrees. The nighttime temperature in both summer and winter is about 10
degrees Fahrenheit less than the daytime temperature.

Alaska
During the fall, winter and spring, Alaska can only be characterized as cold, with temperatures that can dip well
below freezing, even during the day. Temperatures are much colder in the interior and mountain regions than they
are along the coast, as the Pacific Ocean tends to moderate the frigid temperatures.
In late spring to early summer, temperatures begin to rise gradually.
 Human geography- U.S.A.
Society
It is a highly consumerist class society. The differences between classes are very marked. The state
hardly helps the neediest, so helplessness and misery are frequent in the lower classes. The public
supply of services is very scarce and of poor quality.
Population
The population of the USA is about 265,000,000, which means an average population density of 28
h/km2.
As a developed country it has a modern demographic regime, with very low infant mortality rates, very
low fertility (2 children per woman), a natural increase of 1%, and a life expectancy at birth of about 77
years.

The U.S. is a society of immigrants, where almost all 'races' and people from all countries of the world
are represented. The dominant race is white Anglo-Saxon and Protestant, followed by blacks, Latinos,
Chinese, etc. Native Indians are almost a curiosity. This diversity is a source of creativity, but also of
social and racial conflicts on the part of the dominant majority.
Dual Nationality
The U.S. government recognizes the existence of dual nationality and allows Americans to have other
nationalities; however, they also recognize the problems it can cause, and therefore do not encourage it
as a matter of policy.