Social Studies Day (12/11)

How Are You?

a. Good b. Okay C. Bad d. I'd like to meet with you --> Book a 1:1 with me <--

Social Studies Day

Class will be in Ms. Flaherty's room today. Use the link on the calendar or --> click here <--We’ll be finishing up Module 5, Lesson 2, and then diving into a fun Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?-style review game! 💵🎉Get ready to test your geography skills and see if you have what it takes to reach the (virtual) million-dollar question! Let’s make it an awesome class! 🏆✨

Attention, 7th graders! 🌍

NEXT

Next

Lesson Objectives: Describe the physical geography of the United States.Summarize the history of the United States and its government.Describe the culture of the United States.Explain the role of the United States as one of the world's most important powers.

Lesson 1: The United States

The United States stretches across the North American continent.The United States is a large country that stretches across the North American continent. Because of its size and its diverse geography and climates, the United States is often divided into four regions: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West.Much of the United States has a temperate climate, but in parts of the Northeast and the Midwest, winters can be very cold. In parts of the South, the climate is subtropical, while the West has both temperate and dry climates.

Tips

Info

Reminder

Check Your Understanding Attempt 1 of 2

The United States is a large country with varying climates and weather patterns. The country is often divided into four regions: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West.

Hint ->

a. b. c. d.

A B. C. D.

Lakes

The United States has one of the most varied climates of any country in the world, and with this diversity comes a rich supply of natural resources. The country's large mineral deposits, fertile soil, and fresh water have been incredibly important to the ongoing strength of its economy.

Natural Resources

Mountains

Rivers

Geographic Features

Plains

The United States is the third-largest country in the world in terms of the amount of land it controls. The country has many different geographic features.

View

The features of the United States include some of the world's biggest lakes, longest rivers, and largest mountain ranges. These features help define life for people living near them.

Learn MoreThe United States is rich in oil and natural gas deposits, which are regularly drilled and extracted. Oil drilling is particularly common in states like Texas, California, and Alaska. The production of natural gas and oil contributes to the United States' strong economy.

Learn More The United States has many different types of environments, which makes its lands particularly good for agriculture. The warm climates in the Southeast and Southwest are ideal for growing tobacco, cotton, and tropical fruits. The more temperate parts of the country are good for growing apples, peaches, and potatoes. Much of the land in the Midwest is used for farming corn and wheat and raising livestock like cows.

b. Learn MoreThe United States, particularly the West, offers vast stretches of forests that are used for the production of lumber, paper, and other wood products. Northwestern states like Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are home to cedar, fir, and spruce trees, which are all commonly used for construction materials. In some places, forests are disappearing because of overuse, although people have made some efforts to preserve them.

Learn MoreThe United States is a leading producer of such metals and minerals as coal, copper, iron, bauxite, and nickel. Gold and silver are also regularly mined, particularly in the western part of the country.

Explore these images to learn more.

Home // Quiz

Check Your Understanding

The United States has a wide variety of geographic features. It is also home to several important natural resources.

Let's go!

Match each geographic feature to its description.

Match each geographic feature to its description. (Answers)

Identify three statements that accurately describe the natural resources of the United States.

Identify three statements that accurately describe the natural resources of the United States. (Answers)

The United States Before Colonization

Groups of indigenous peoples built civilizations across the United States.The United States was home to many Indigenous groups for tens of thousands of years. A number of these communities grew to be large and complex. Among them were the Ancestral Puebloans , the Mississippians, the Iroqu ois , and the Lakotas.

Iroquois

Lakotas

Ancestral Puebloans

Mississippians

Social Studeis Day 12/11

Lesson completed!

The Mississippi River is the longest river in the United States, stretching nearly 2,400 miles from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. It is the fourth-largest river in the world and either passes through or borders 10 states. The Mississippi has been an important waterway for trade and industry for much of the last two centuries, and it helped create some of the most fertile areas in the region. Other important rivers in the United States are the Hudson, Rio Grande, Colorado, Missouri, Yukon, and Columbia rivers. All have helped people survive in the United States' varied territories by providing fresh water for drinking, farming, and fishing.

The Mississippi River valley was home to ancient groups of indigenous people now generally known as the Mississippians. Historians believe they thrived in the region as early as the year 800. They were not a single tribe, but rather a collection of settlements and villages that were linked through trade. The Mississippians lived in large towns and cities surrounding central squares, where they built large mounds of earth. These mounds probably played an important role in the Mississippians' religion.

The Iroquois were a large, powerful group of American Indian tribes located in what is now the northeastern United States. The Iroquois expanded their population during the 1100s through warfare, especially by conquering smaller tribes. They also grew by offering shelter to those without homes. They supported their growing population by using agriculture to grow corn, squash, and beans. By the 1400s, the Iroquois had officially formed a powerful league of tribes that waged war on neighboring groups like the Algonquin.

--> Complete your study guide as you work through this activity. Taking good notes can help you remember important ideas. Reviewing your notes before quizzes and tests will help you succeed. <--

More than 1,500 years ago, the Ancestral Puebloans were known to have lived in the southwestern United States. The Ancestral Puebloans built homes called pueblos, which were constructed in cliffs out of stone and mud. These apartment-like buildings could house hundreds of people. The Ancestral Puebloans were skilled at making baskets, pottery, and objects out of turquoise. Turquoise jewelry and other ornaments became a big business for the Ancestral Puebloans. Evidence of turquoise objects made during this period has been found in Central America, suggesting they even traded their goods with distant cultures.

Located in the Midwest, the Great Lakes are the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world. There are five Great Lakes: Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Superior. People sometimes consider Michigan and Huron to be separate lakes. However, geographers consider them to be one body of water because they are connected. When taken together, Michigan-Huron is the largest freshwater lake in the world. Lake Superior, however, is larger than either Michigan or Huron on its own. The Great Lakes were formed by glaciers over 14,000 years ago. The lakes are connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Saint Lawrence River. They have long played an important role in trade and transportation in North America.

The United States is home to many mountain ranges. Two of the largest are the Rocky Mountains in the West and the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. The Appalachian mountain range stretches over 1,500 miles from Alabama to Maine. The tallest peak is Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina. The Rocky Mountains stretch over 3,000 miles from Canada to New Mexico. The Rockies are known for their diverse climate with distinct seasons. Mt. Elbert in Colorado is the highest peak. Other notable mountain ranges in the United States include the Sierra Nevadas in California and Nevada, the Cascades in Oregon and Washington, the Ozarks in Missouri and Arkansas, the Adirondacks in New York, and the Alaska Range, which includes Denali, the tallest mountain in North America.

The Lakotas were a band of American Indian tribes that lived in the Great Plains, especially in what is now North and South Dakota. It is possible that the Lakotas migrated from the Mississippi region and settled in the plains. After they were introduced to horses in the 1700s, they used the animals to improve their skills hunting bison. The population of the Lakotas grew rapidly through the 1700s, until European settlers arrived in the 1800s.

The Great Plains are a large stretch of flat prairie land in the Midwest. They are located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains and extend about 2,000 miles from north to south and 500 miles from east to west. The Great Plains are widely used for cattle farming and certain forms of agriculture. The region is subject to high winds, hot summers, and very cold winters. It receives little rain, but water deep underground has been used for farming.