The Northeast Region

Part 1:

States of the Northeast,

Geographic Characteristics,

and Why People Settled There

States of the Northeast Each state is it’s own political region.

• Maine - ME• Vermont - VT• New Hampshire - NH• Connecticut - CT• Massachusetts - MA• Rhode Island - RI• New York - NY• New Jersey - NJ• Pennsylvania – PA

The Northeast Region of the U.S.• Geographic regions have

distinctive characteristics.• distinctive – a quality or

characteristic that sets something apart from other things.

• The Northeast and New England have features making them excellent places for ports and harbors, as well as rivers for inland entry, and flatland for farming.

NE Region Physical Characteristics

• Coastal Plains

– Located along the Atlantic Coast.

– Broad lowland provides many excellent harbors.

NE Region

• The Northeast has resources and features which can support large communities.

• The Northeast is located on the Atlantic Ocean. This facilitates transportation by sea.

Why did people move there?

• Farming and fishing are an important industry in New York and New England.

Why did people move there?

• Rivers such as the Hudson River facilitate transport inland.

Why did people move there?

New York is the center of immigration.

Why did people move there?

• Industry and jobs were established in the Northeast.

The Northeast – Part 2

Natural Resources, Its Development as a Trade Center, and Reasons for

Development of Cities

Natural Resources

• The presence of rich natural resources and the uses to which they have been put have made the Northeast not only a strong collection of communities, but a vibrant region for trade and development.

Transportation of Resources

• Moving iron ore deposits to sites of steel mills – Pittsburgh.

Transportation of Resources

• Shipping on the Erie Canal, Great Lakes, and Hudson River make New York the trading capital of the United States.

Natural ResourcesExamples of

manufacturing centers:• Textile – New

England• Iron/steel – Pittsburgh• Lumber – New

England• Fishing and shipping –

New England and New York.

Development of Cities

• Cities serve as centers of trade and have political, economic, and cultural significance.

• New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia.

Transportation of ResourcesRole of Railroads

• Moving natural resources (copper, lead, and coal) to eastern factories.

• Moving iron ore deposits to sites of steel mills (Pittsburgh).

• Transporting finished products to national and international markets.

• Advances in transportation linked resources, products, and markets.

Examples of Manufacturing Areas

• Manufacturing areas were clustered near centers of population, and major transportation hubs.

• New England – Textile industry

• Pittsburgh – Steel industry

• New York - Multiple Industries

Levels of Economic Activity

• Primary – dealing directly with resources (fishing, farming, forestry, and mining)

• Secondary – manufacturing and processing (steel mills, automobile assembly, sawmills)

• Tertiary – services (transportation, retail trade, informational technology)

• Resources are not distributed equally.

Effects of Unequal Distribution of Resources

• The location of resources influences economic activity and patterns of land use.

• Interdependence of nation/trade in goods, services, and resources.

• Uneven economic development.• Energy producers and consumers.• Imperialism.• Conflict over control of resources.• A GOOD ECONOMY HAS EQUAL

DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES!

Patterns of Land Use

• Proximity of economic activity and natural resources.

• Examples:– Coal & steel– Grain & cattle– Fishing & the ocean

Reasons for Developmentof Northeast Cities

• Better Opportunities

• Religious Freedom

• Escape from Oppressive Governments

• Adventure

Why did cities develop?

• Specialized industry – steel industry in Pittsburgh

• Immigration from other countries

• Movement to urban settings for better jobs

• Transportation hubs

The Northeast – Part 3

Ports, Physical Features, Importance of Rivers, and Uniqueness of the

Region

Major Bodies of Water

• Atlantic Ocean• Great Lakes• Hudson River• Connecticut River• Ohio River• Erie Canal• Susquehanna River

Important Understanding About Waterways

• The United States has access to numerous and varied bodies of water.

• These bodies of water support interaction among regions and among countries.

• They also form borders between states and even other countries. (Canada)

Why are these bodies of water important?

• Trade, transportation, and settlement.

• Connection between port of New York and inland states.

Why are these bodies of water important?

• Atlantic Ocean

– Provides access to other areas of the world for trade.

– Highway for explorers, early settlers, and immigrants.

Physical Characteristics

• Coastal Plains located along Atlantic Coast.

• Broad lowland provides many excellent harbors.

– Bays and harbors in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia.

– Farming in New York state and New England is productive.

Importance of Rivers

• Hudson and Connecticut Rivers

– Link to the Great Lakes and ports.

– Trade and settlement.

– Access to the Atlantic and the world.

Regions

• Regions are areas of Earth’s surface which share unifying characteristics.

• Regions may be defined by physical or cultural characteristics.

• Regions are used to simplify the world for study and understanding.

Regions

• Geography of the Northeast, and its economy, influenced the development of the population and industry of the region.

• Regional landscapes reflect cultural characteristics of their inhabitants.

Why is the Northeast unique?

• Physical Regions – ex. New England

• Cultural Regions

• Cultural Characteristics

Cultural Regions

• Language

• Ethnic

• Religion

• Economic

• Political

Cultural Characteristics

• Architecture – religious buildings and dwellings influenced by Europeans.

• Statues and Monuments of local, national, or global importance – Statue of Liberty, Liberty Bell, etc.

• European influence in art, music, education.