Transcript North Carolina- A Land of Diversity

North Carolina- A Land of
Diversity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouiGr1cQ
R7c&feature=em-share_video_user
 NC has three main
geographic regions
(large area of land with
common set of
features). In NC,
elevation identifies the
regions. They are the
Coastal Plain,
Piedmont, and
Mountains.
 Moving east to west
across the state, the
land rises from sea
level to rolling hills
to the highest peaks
in the Appalachian
Mountain range.
Coastal Plain
 The Outer Banks, a
long chain of barrier
islands along the
coast, and the
Tidewater/Tidelands,
are parts of the
Coastal Plain.
 The Outer Banks are
constantly
changing/shifting.




100-150 miles wide
Land here is less than 20ft above sea level.
Many swamps, lakes, rivers.
B/c of low elevations, the water near the
mouths of rivers rise and fall with the ocean
tides, known as the Tidewater/Tidelands.
Piedmont
 Rolling Hills distinguishes the Piedmont
area.
 500ft-1,500ft.
 Soil-Red clay that turns into thick, sticky
mud when it rains. When dry, it becomes
powdery dust or hard earth.
 Rivers and streams.
 Fall line -imaginary line where rivers drop
suddenly from highlands to lowlands,
forming waterfalls or rapids.
Mountains
 The highest elevation in N.C is in this
region.
 Appalachian Mountains runs through this
region.
 Highest mountain east, Mt. Mitchell.
 Perhaps oldest mountains in the world????
 NC’s mild climate
comes from its position
in relation to the
equator and from its
nearness to the
Atlantic Ocean.
– Warm, humid summers,
cool, damp winters.
– Growing
seasons(agriculture)
are long
 The Appalachian Mountains affect climate
by contributing to cooler temperatures in the
mountains and by acting as a barrier to cold
air moving east across the continent.
 All parts of the state receive roughly the
same amount of precipitation throughout the
year.
– Rain, sleet, hail, snow, fog, or dew.
 Coastal winds are
constantly reshaping
the state’s coastline.
– Sea Captains have to
be careful with
winds/barrier islands.
 The soil in NC varies from region to region
with the thickest, most fertile soil in the
Coastal Plain and the thinnest, rockiest soil
in the Appalachian Mountains.
– Coastal Plain- Black loam (clay, sand, &
decaying plants)-few rocks & well drained
– Piedmont-less fertile b/c of rocky soil & less
plant life-Red Clay
– Mountains-Thinnest & rockiest soil (but many
trees).
 North Carolina’s rich natural resources
include rocks and minerals, a wide variety of
plants and animals, and vast saltwater and
freshwater resources.
Mica
Quartz
 Coastal Plain-Clay, sand, gravel, phosphate
rock, peat, lime(rich fertilizer).
 Piedmont-building materials such as slate,
granite, good clay for bricks, mica, quartz for
glass and insulation, copper, iron, titanium,
etc.
 Mountains- more rocks and minerals such
as marble, limestone, talc, rubies, garnets, Marble
sapphires, & diamonds.
 Black bears, opossums, wildcats, deer, birds
and rabbits, flowers, berries, herbs, trees
(making NC the nations leading producer of
furniture), water for fishing and for fresh
drinking water.
The tribes in N.C. lived in all three
regions, why???
 Coastal
–
–
–
–
Soil (loam) was very fertile for growing food
Large trees provided building materials for shelter and canoes
Rivers and Atlantic Ocean to fish
Wildlife
 Piedmont
– Slash and Burn method of clearing land (burning to clear land)
– Fishing in rivers
– Large meadows were perfect for hunting wild game
 Mountain
– Collected minerals and rocks (some believed quartz foretold
the future)
– A famous tribe known as the CHEROKEE lived here
– Rocks used for tools and hunting
– Rivers to fish