VHS+History1+A+New+Land

Most archaeologists agree that the first Americans came over fromAsia during the last ice age (period when Earth's surface and atmosphere was super cold).

The ocean levels dropped and areas that had been covered by water became dry land. Ancient hunters crossed a land bridge that connected Asia to North America. When the ice melted, the water of the Bering Strait again covered the bridge.





As time passed, these Native Americans settled the area that is now the United States. Later, Europeans explored North America and started colonies. They found many unique landforms and bodies of water in the regions across the United States.





Plains and small hills form two regions, the Central Plains and the Coastal Plains. The Central Plains are in the middle of the United States.



The Coastal plains are divided into the Gulf Coastal Plain and Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Gulf Coastal Plain, to the south, borders the Gulf of Mexico.





The Atlantic Coastal Plain runs along the Atlantic Ocean where the first Europeans settled. These low, flat lands are good for farming.

Mountains, hills, and plateaus cover several other regions of the United States. The Appalachian Mountains form the largest mountain range to the east.

In the west are the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Mountains. Several different ranges make up the Pacific Mountains.

To the west of the Pacific Mountains is the Pacific Ocean.

The United States also includes many bodies of water. The Great Lakes, located in the northeastern part of the United States, borders Canada.

Several large rivers also wind through the country. These rivers were very important through the country. These rivers were very important to early settlers and explorers. They used the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, and the other rivers to travel across North America.

(Mississippi River)

(Missouri River)

Some of today's major cities are located near rivers. This is because rivers where the best form of transportation at the time the cities were built. In other places, large settlements developed because of good farmland.



Hills and mountains determined the direction of transportation routes, such as roads and railroads.

Cities were built at the ends of these routes. Through the years, geography has shaped the development of the United States and its history.