History Focus #2

In paragraph form, describe the location of Georgia in relation to hemispheres, continent, country, and region.

Unit 1- Georgia’s Geography

Standard: 8G1- Describe Georgia with regard to physical features and location

A. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres

B. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia; include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain

C. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and Barrier Islands

D. Evaluate the impact of climate on Georgia’s development

Georgia’s Physical Georgia’s Physical GeographyGeography

Georgia Land RegionsGeorgia Land Regions

Where Do You Live?Where Do You Live?

You live on Planet Earth You live on Planet Earth in the Western in the Western Hemisphere, on the Hemisphere, on the continent of North continent of North America, in the America, in the country of the United country of the United States of America. States of America. More specifically, you More specifically, you live in the live in the southeastern region in southeastern region in the state of Georgia.the state of Georgia.

Where We AreWhere We Are

Bordered by South Bordered by South Carolina, North Carolina, North Carolina, Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, and the Alabama, and the Atlantic Ocean.Atlantic Ocean.

Georgia also has Georgia also has small barrier small barrier islands on its coastislands on its coast

Where We AreWhere We Are

Georgia is a southern state and considered a part Georgia is a southern state and considered a part of the deep south. of the deep south.

It is also a part of the It is also a part of the SUNBELTSUNBELT (a group of (a group of southern states that stretch from the East Coast southern states that stretch from the East Coast to California).to California).

It is very popular for people and businesses due It is very popular for people and businesses due to the moderate climate.to the moderate climate.

Georgia’s Natural RegionGeorgia’s Natural Region

Georgia is divided Georgia is divided into natural into natural regions: the regions: the Coastal Plain, Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Piedmont, and Appalachian Appalachian Mountain Region.Mountain Region.

Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains This region is the This region is the

highest and most highest and most rugged area. The rugged area. The mountains stretch mountains stretch from Canada to from Canada to Alabama. Alabama.

The region also The region also includes several includes several smaller regions: the smaller regions: the Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains, the Ridge and Valley the Ridge and Valley Region, and the Region, and the Appalachian Plateau Appalachian Plateau Region.Region.

Appalachian MountainsAppalachian Mountains The highest point in Ga The highest point in Ga

is Brasstown Bald is Brasstown Bald Mountain at 4,784 feet Mountain at 4,784 feet above sea level.above sea level.

Contains a fault line, Contains a fault line, called the Brevard called the Brevard Fault, that can result in Fault, that can result in earthquake activityearthquake activity

Many counties in this Many counties in this region have region have commercial forests or commercial forests or marble quarriesmarble quarries

The PiedmontThe Piedmont This is an area of This is an area of

gently rolling hills. It gently rolling hills. It is at the bottom of is at the bottom of the Appalachian the Appalachian Mountains.Mountains.

Elevations range from Elevations range from 600 feet to over 2000 600 feet to over 2000 feet above the sea feet above the sea level.level.

It divides the It divides the mountains from the mountains from the coast and the species coast and the species of plants found in Ga.of plants found in Ga.

Piedmont RegionPiedmont Region

Stone Mountain is Stone Mountain is a large mass of a large mass of granite granite

About 300 million About 300 million years oldyears old

Large supply of Large supply of granite in this granite in this regionregion

Coastal PlainCoastal Plain

The Coastal Plain The Coastal Plain makes up about makes up about 60% of the state.60% of the state.

It is the It is the southernmost southernmost region.region.

It is divided into It is divided into the Inner Coastal the Inner Coastal Plain and the Outer Plain and the Outer Coastal Plain.Coastal Plain.

Outer Coastal PlainOuter Coastal Plain

Includes the Okefenokee Swamp, the Includes the Okefenokee Swamp, the marshes of Glynn, and the Golden Isles marshes of Glynn, and the Golden Isles (barrier islands).(barrier islands).

Outer Coastal PlainOuter Coastal Plain Importance- Importance-

• Okefenokee Swamp Okefenokee Swamp is a habitat for is a habitat for wildlife wildlife

• Marshes of Glynn Marshes of Glynn filters out pollutants filters out pollutants from rivers that from rivers that discharge into the discharge into the ocean ocean

• Barrier islands Barrier islands protect the coastal protect the coastal zone from storms and zone from storms and waves of the Atlantic waves of the Atlantic OceanOcean

Inner Coastal PlainsInner Coastal Plains Most farmland is found in Most farmland is found in

the Inner Coastal Plain.the Inner Coastal Plain. The region contains level The region contains level

land to gently sloping, land to gently sloping, sandy soilsandy soil

One of the most productive One of the most productive farming regions in America farming regions in America due to the warm sun and due to the warm sun and moisturemoisture

Land gradually rises to a Land gradually rises to a system of hills known as system of hills known as the Fall Linethe Fall Line

The Fall ZoneThe Fall Zone

The fall line The fall line stretches from stretches from Augusta to Augusta to Columbus. It is Columbus. It is several miles wide several miles wide and marks the and marks the transition between transition between the Coastal Plain to the Coastal Plain to the Piedmont the Piedmont Region.Region.

The Fall ZoneThe Fall Zone Rivers flow over the Rivers flow over the

granite beds in the granite beds in the higher elevations and higher elevations and drops down into the drops down into the lower elevation of the lower elevation of the coastal plain. The coastal plain. The water forms rapids or water forms rapids or waterfallswaterfalls

It is home to many It is home to many important mining important mining operationsoperations

Georgia has the Georgia has the world’s largest deposit world’s largest deposit of kaolinof kaolin

Georgia’s Weather and ClimateGeorgia’s Weather and Climate

WeatherWeather• Difference between weather and Difference between weather and

climate?climate?• Affected by winds that blow from the Affected by winds that blow from the

west towards the eastwest towards the east• Results in snow, rainstorms, Results in snow, rainstorms,

thunderstorms, tornadoes, and thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricaneshurricanes

Georgia’s Weather and ClimateGeorgia’s Weather and Climate

ClimateClimate• Year-round warm, moist climate with Year-round warm, moist climate with

hot summers and mild wintershot summers and mild winters• GA’s climate is called Humid-GA’s climate is called Humid-

SubtropicalSubtropical• Depends on regionsDepends on regions

Georgia’s Weather and Climate Georgia’s Weather and Climate

Affects of climate on GA’s economyAffects of climate on GA’s economy• Climate has greatly benefited Climate has greatly benefited

agricultureagriculture• Because of our calm climate GA has Because of our calm climate GA has

saved revenue that many other states saved revenue that many other states have to spend on weather damagehave to spend on weather damage

• Attracted many businesses to the stateAttracted many businesses to the state

Geography Quiz*Use the atlas on page 534 of your textbook to

answer the following questions.

1. What is the capital city of Georgia?

2. What two states border Georgia on the north?

3. What state borders Georgia on the west?

4. What state borders Georgia on the south?

5. What state borders Georgia on the northeast?

6. What ocean borders Georgia on the southeast?

7. What is the name of the river that forms Georgia's eastern border?

8. What is the name of the river that flows across part of Georgia and then forms much of Georgia's western border?

9. What is the name of the swamp in southern Georgia?

10. In which part of the USA is Georgia located: northeast, northwest, southeast, or southwest?