Ch.4, Sec.4 – The Backcountry

- the Backcountry was a region of dense forests and streams in or near the Appalachian Mountains

Geography of the Backcountry

- the Backcountry began in the South at the fall line or the line where waterfalls prevent upriver movement

- beyond the fall line was the piedmont, or the large plateau at the base of the Appalachians

Ch.4, Sec.4 – The Backcountry

- the settlers in the Backcountry mostly traded with the Native Americans, but had to be careful about which land they used

Backcountry Settlers

- settlers and farmers sheltered their families in log cabins, which were cold, dirty, and provided little living space

- by end of the 1600s, many families moved to the Backcountry to escape plantation owners

Ch.4, Sec.4 – The Backcountry

- many Scots-Irish moved into the Backcountry to escape the poverty and crop failures in England

The Scots-Irish

- these settlers also brought over their clan systems to help them band together in the hostile environments

- moving goods was very difficult, so they had to be self-reliant

Backcountry Life

- women were also very involved in the hunting, fishing, and farming

Ch.4, Sec.4 – The Backcountry

- the push to settle further west was to acquire more land

Other Peoples in North America

- settlers came into contact with wild horses, hostile Native Americans, and French trappers

- the Spaniards also controlled large areas of North America: present day California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, & Utah