Transcript Notes from 09/09/2016

Chapter 3 Regions
Great Plains
• Also called the “bread basket of the world”
due to it’s fertile land.
• It’s bounded on the east by the Mississippi
River and on the west by the Rocky
Mountains.
• Covers most of the Texas Panhandle
• Little rainfall
Great Plains
Land Use
• Great herds of bison roamed the area, followed by
Native Americans.
• Europeans and farmers moved in and used the area
for farming crops such as corn and wheat.
• Oil discovered in the 1920s.
• Drought, high winds, and poor farming practices
contributed to the Dust Bowl.
• The federal government established national
grasslands in the area to preserve the land.
Great Plains
Climate
• Dry, so irrigation from aquifers is necessary
• Higher elevations, but not as high as the
Mountains and Basins.
• Cooler summers and winters
• Rich grasslands attracted farmers for wheat
and cotton
Llano Basin
High Plains
Edwards Plateau
Great Plains--Subregions
The High Plains
• Mostly flat
• The Caprock Escarpment
provides a natural border
between the North Central
Plains
• The Canadian River and the
Red River run through the
High Plains.
• Both rivers cut through the
Caprock Escarpment causing
the Palo Duro Canyon.
• The Llano Estacado
stretches from across the
High Plains
Great Plains--Subregion
The High Plains
• Wildlife include: turkey, deer
• Plants: yucca, mesquite, cedar
Great Plains--Subregion
The High Plains
• The High Plains are split into two: the North Plains and
the South Plains
• The North Plains economy includes petroleum, cattle
ranching, and farming wheat and sorghum (grain for
cattle). Amarillo is the largest city in the North Plains.
Oil field equipment is also manufactured.
• The South Plains economy focuses on farming cotton.
Cottonseed processing is a big business for Lubbock. Oil
is important for cities like Midland and Odessa.
Palo Duro Canyon
Great Plains--Subregion
Edwards Plateau
• High-level land rising from escarpment
which separates the subregion with the
Gulf Coast Plains region
• Thin soil and vover of mesquite, cedar,
small oak trees make this area suitable
for grazing livestock that for farming.
• Ranchers have adapted to rocky
environment by raising cattle, sheep,
goats
• Mostly ranchlands with few cities
• Largest city is Del Rio and trade with
Mexico is important
• Hill Country—Fredericksburg, Kerrville,
are bigger cities and the area has a high
area of natural game (white-tailed deer)
Great Plains--Subregion
Llano Basin
• Rolling plains and hills crossed by two rivers: Llano and
Colorado which has caused lots of erosion
• State’s smallest geographic region
• Dams on the Colorado River have caused the reservoirs
known as the Highland Lakes with Lake Buchanan being
the largest.
• Economy relies on tourism, hunting, and livestock
production
• Pecans are important crops
Great Plains
Question to consider…
How has geography affected the economy of the
Edwards Plateau?
North Central Plains
• Hills and valleys are covered with grasses,
brush, and weathered trees.
• More rainfall than Great Plains equals a
variety of crops
• Cattle ranching dominates the economy
• Rural area with low populations.
• Largest city: Fort Worth
Rolling Plains
North Central Plains--Subregion
The Rolling Plains
• Also known as the Lower Plains
• Dry in the winter with little rain and snow
• Thunderstorms are widespread causing frequent tornados
• Rolling landscape with hills, mesas (small plateaus), and
buttes (smaller flat-topped hills)
• Cattle grazing
• Crops include: cotton, grain sorghum, wheat, peaches,
pecans
• Largest cities: Wichita Falls (military, manufacturing),
Abilene (oil, marketing), and San Angelo (agribusinesslarge scale commercial farming)
Cross Timbers and the Grand Prairie
North Central Plains--Subregion
Cross Timbers
Two separate belts make up the Cross Timbers
• Eastern Cross Timbers and Western Cross Timbers
• Woodlands gave Native Americans shelter from enemies.
• Soils are important for draining rainfall
• Cotton, corn, vegetables, various oak, cedar, elm pecan
trees grow here. Livestock and dairy farming also popular
• Eastern Cross Timbers: Arlington (manufacturing and
tourism)
• Western Cross Timbers: Brownwood (regional trade and
distribution)
• The Eastern Cross Timbers cuts the Metroplex in half.
North Central Plains--Subregion
The Grand Prairie
• Area includes mainly short and bunched grasses
• Rain quickly drains through the limestone and clay soil
• Difficult for trees to grow anywhere but near streams
• Livestock and farming are important
• Crops include: cotton, grain sorghum, wheat, peanuts,
and corn
• Fort Worth is the largest city
• Other industries include: aircraft, manufacturing, and
military (Ft. Hood) in addition to farming
North Central Plains
Question to consider…
How do the landscape and rainfall of the North
Central Plains compare to those of the Great
Plains?