Southeast Region

1. Southeast Region By: Allison Loth

2. Location Latitude: Between 33 degrees North and 37 degrees North. Longitude: between 75 degrees West and 85 degrees West. Major Cities- • Jacksonville • Charlotte • Memphis • Miami • Atlanta • Orlando • Tampa Landforms- • Appalachian Mountains (A large mountain range that stretches from Canada to northern Alabama.) • Piedmont (Is hilly, rolling land, borders the Coastal Plain. The Piedmont extends from Virginia to Alabama.) • Coastal Plain (Is low, flat to gently sloping land that extends along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Much of the Southeast lies within in the Coastal Plain. )

3. Location Continued Why do people live here? I think that most people live in the southeast region because of the weather. People don’t have to shovel snow all of the time, they get to vacation and sit on the beach all day where the weather is nice. Southeast= 12 states. Location in Relation to Compass Just north of the Equator; in the Southeastern part of the United states; and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (east) and the Gulf of Mexico (south).

4. . Place Customs- The south is called the “Bible Belt” because of their dedication to their religion. The first settlers down south began to hunt and create new types of music and musical instruments. That is why down south, music is really expressed as well as hunting, religion, and other hobbies that have been carried through generations by families. Resources- Most resources are those of bodies of water for drinking, transportation, and food. But there are caves and mountains that can provide stone and become a tourist attraction. Weather Patterns- It is usually very warm in this southern part of the United States. It is uncommon for snow to fall down here and it is warm all year round. Because most of the states are near water, hurricanes can occur often.

5. PlaceContinued What effect does the weather have on settlement? Most people like to live down south so that they don’t have to deal with the snow and they can have fun in the sun all of the time. But they might also go there because of some of the cool tourist attractions such as Disney World in Florida or Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.

6. Human- Environmental Interactions Economic Issues- • Projected increases in air and water temperatures will cause heat-related stresses for people, plants, and animals. • Decreased water availability is very likely to affect the region’s economy as well as its natural systems. • Sea-level rise and the likely increase in hurricane intensity and associated storm surge will be among the most serious consequences of climate change. • Ecological thresholds are likely to be crossed throughout the region, causing major disruptions to ecosystems and to the benefits they provide to people. • Quality of life will be affected by increasing heat stress, water scarcity, severe weather events, and reduced availability of insurance for at-risk properties. This all causes lots of damage that must be paid for!

7. Effects of Pollution- Because of pollution, water is not clean for some people to use or drink. The water is so dirty at times, people are not allowed to swim in that body of water until it is clean again. This clean-up can take a long time, too. Plus, with oil occasionally washing up of shore, it will pollute the beaches and cause sea animals to lose their lives. There are more clean-up teams and more people who will have to save the animals. Plus, runoff from the mountain along with all of the pollutants can make things a lot more dangerous. Climate change may result in abrupt changes to these ecosystems, such as hurricane-induced sudden loss of landforms that serve as storm surge barriers and homes for coastal communities. Human-Environmental Interaction Continued

8. Movement Pollution- If one of the rivers became severely polluted, people would not be able to travel by boat at all. It would be a lot harder to transport items in and out of the region. They would have to drive a car and waste more money on gas when you have to go a longer distance. Plus, people would not be able to travel around bodies of water for fishing. They would not take in as many resources and life would be a lot harder for residents. How are goods transported? Goods can be transported by train, car, or most-commonly plane to the outside of the region. But inside of the region, boat is used commonly because of the large amounts of water all over the place. But car can also be used as well as walking and biking in all of the communities. Roads and highways are also used and built, especially in and near large cities. Traditions- are moved and celebrated throughout the south usually because of the family traditions. Most of the traditions that people do in the south usually take on what their ancestors have done. Such as hunting, fishing, storytelling, and other religious celebrations occur.

9. Regions Major Tourist Attractions- In Florida, one of the main tourist attractions for families is Disney World, where you can have fun hanging with some popular Disney characters. Recreation areas in North Carolina include the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Forests, and 36 state parks and recreation areas. Park facilities include more than 60 public campgrounds. In addition, North Carolina has more than 300 private camping facilities. The North Carolina Zoological Park, the nation's first state operated national-habitat zoo, is located in Asheboro. Other attractions include Carowinds theme park and the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

10. Regions Continued What economic impact does the southeast have on the United States government? Well, I believe that since at least half of the states in this region border bodies of water, it would affect the United States’ economy. I think this because there is a huge possibility that a hurricane can occur, causing lots of damage that would need to be replaced. For example, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico also caused damage in Florida and Louisiana, in which the government had to help pay for. Fast Fact: North Carolina is the nation's variety vacation land, ranking eighth in the nation for visitation.

11. Sources • http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/socialstudies/elementary/studentsampler/20geography • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_the_Southern_United_States • http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/us-impacts/regional-climate-change-impacts/southeast • http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/nacwcp/southeast_us.html • http://cg043.k12.sd.us/regions%20of%20the%20US%20webquest/southeast_region.htm