GEOG 2RU3 Midterm: Us Geography Midterm 3.pdf

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Geography
• Course: GEOG 2RU3
• Professor: Michael Mercier

Document Summary

!states:! ( nd! ( sd! ( nebraska! ( kansas! ( oklahoma! ( montana! ( wyoming! ( colorado! ( minnesota,"texas,"new"mexico! !features:! ( rocky!mountains! ( ozark!mountains! ( missouri!river! ( platte!river! ( arkansas!river! ( red!river! ( sand!hills!of!nebraska! ( black!hills! !physiography:! ( central!lowlnads! ( generally!flat,!but!some!topography!variation!(e. g. !black!hills)! ( low!plains!&!high!plains! (500(1000!ft!vs!5000!ft)! !climate:! ( variability:!humid!subtropical,!humid!continental,!mid(latitude!steppe! (semi(arid)! ( variation!between!summer!&!winter! ( variation!between!places!(north!vs. !contemporary!population!&!urbanism:! ( the!great!plains!is!an!inherently!rural!region: economics!and!demographic!changes:!rural!de(population!and!aging, small!towns:!insufficient!population!for!their!services! ( many!of!the!cities!in!the!great!plains,!while!relatively!small,!are!growing!rapidly, the!larger!cities!are!on!the!periphery!of!the!region! !cities:: oklahoma!city! !1. 2!mil! (14. 4%+), tulsa! !937k! (+9. 1%), wichita! !523k! (9. 1%+)! In!the!us!as!a!whole:!an!economic!transition!from!primary!&!secondary!activities!to! service! ( great!plains! !transition!has!been!more!muted:: service!in!us! !70(80%, service!in!gp! !50(60%! ( agriculture!&!extractive!still!key!to!economy&culture!of!region! Mining!&!mineral!exploration:! ( oil!&!natural!gas! ( southern!plains! (texas,!oklahoma,!kansas)! ( northern!plains!(montana!&!nd)! ( fracking! !hydraulic!fracturing:!energy!self(sufficient! ( coal! (wyoming!&!montana)! !extensive!reserves:: easier!to!extract!&!cleaner! (less!sulphur)!than!appalachian!coal,!but!further!from! key!markets! ( wind!energy! !features:! ( no!cities!over!500,000! ( denver!&!colorado!springs!belong!in!the!great!plains! ( several!cities!are!on!the!margins!of!the!rocky!mountains! (denver,!colorado!springs,! !other!features:! ( northern!rockies! (idaho)! ( middle!rockies! (wyoming)! ( southern!rockies! (colorado)! ( wyoming!basin! !climate:! ( highland!climate,!mountains!create!much!of!the!climatic!variability! ( temperature!varies!based!on!elevation! ( precipitation!varies!by!east(west!orientation! (orographic):!western!slopes!are!rainy,! eastern!slopes!are!arid! ( winter!snowpack! Double!tree!line ! ( too!arid!for!trees!at!low!elevation! ( too!cold,!windy,!too!short!a!growing!season!at!high!elevations! ( abrupt!climatic!changes!in!short!horizontal!distances!results!in!narrow!bands!of! plant!environments!on!mountain!slopes! !historical!settlement:! ( sparsely!populated:!harsh!environment! ( american!indians:: few!american!indian!groups:!mostly!settled!in!the!lower!elevations!&!valleys! ( euro(american!settlement:! !lewis!&!clark! (1804(06)! ( thomas!jefferson!wanted:: navigable!route!to!the!pacific!for!economic!benefit, explore!the!lands!acquired!via!the!louisiana!purchase, impose!american!sovereignty! (land!ownership)!over!the!american!indian!&!