SS8G1 SUMMARY: GEORGIA’S GEOGRAPHY

SS8G1a Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, SS8G1b Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia; include and hemispheres. the Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

APPALACHIAN PLATEAU BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS •Smallest region in northwest •Northeast corner of the state corner of the state •Origin of Georgia’s rivers due to mountains •Source of coal deposits that cools the warm, moist air from the Gulf •Location of Lookout Mountain •Brasstown Bald at 4,784 feet above sea level Ruby Falls, and Cloudland •Known for marble production, recreational Canyon with high elevations tourism, hardwood forests, and farming of as part of the Appalachian vegetables and apples Mountain range. •Site of beautiful waterfalls such as Amicalola •Poor soil for farming Falls, Toccoa Falls, and Tallulah Gorge b/c the region receives the most precipitation

VALLEY and RIDGE PIEDMONT •Located between the •Piedmont Appalachian Plateau and means ‘foot of Blue Ridge Mountain mountain’ and Regions and the site of contains rolling Several Civil War hills battlefields •Soil is fertile for •Forests and fertile farming; crops valleys provide land for such as wheat cattle and crops and soybeans. •Known for textile and Also famous for carpet manufacturing Georgia red such as the Carpet clay and granite capital of the world in rock such as Dalton, Georgia. Stone Mountain •Contains ½ of the state’s population primarily in the

COASTAL PLAINS capital city Bordered by the Fall Line to the north this region of Georgia Atlanta as well as Columbus, makes up 3/5ths of the state and was once covered by the Atlantic Ocean. As the major agricultural region this area Macon, and produces crops such as world famous Vidalia onions, Augusta; plenty tobacco, peanuts, pecans, and sweet potatoes. This region of industries and jobs is home to the Okefenokee Swamp the largest freshwater wetland in Georgia. In addition, there are about 100 miles •Once known of flat land bordering the Atlantic Ocean with the barrier as the cotton belt during the islands within site from the coast. Rivers in this region are navigable (good for boats) and help transport goods to pre-civil war cities inland or to the sea port for trade. The land is history of sparsely populated with small cities and towns. Georgia

SS8G1c Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical SS8G1d Evaluate the impact of climate on Georgia’s development. features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS SAVANNAH RIVER Oldest mountains in North Forms the boundary between Georgia and America and once the home of South Carolina. The river begins at Lake Cherokee Indians. Site of the Hartwell and flows southeast to Savannah 1st gold rush in Dahlonega. before depositing into the Atlantic Ocean. The high elevation provides Since colonial times the river is used for travel much of Georgia’s rain and and trade in the Coastal Plains region. From source of drinking water. Its the Fall Line and further north the river is used beauty attracts tourists during for hydroelectric purposes and serves as a all seasons and the deposits of source of water for many people. coal and marble mineral are in abundance. Georgia has a mild humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot and humid, BARRIER while winters are cool. Moist air from ISLANDS the Gulf of Mexico provides much of Islands the state’s rainfall. The Atlantic CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER protect the Ocean provides rainfall for the coastal Begins in the Blue Ridge mainland areas and barrier islands. Mtns and flows southwest from storms through the city of Atlanta and waves; The northern part of the state is and eventually becomes attract a lot of cooler and receives the most part of the boundary tourists due precipitation, which explains why the between Georgia and to excellent Blue Ridge region gets snow in the Alabama. South of the Fall climate, winter season due to higher elevation Line the river is used for beautiful and latitude. trade and boat travel. resorts, nice North of the Fall Line the beaches, and river is used to generate recreational hydroelectric power and is activities; a source of drinking water provide jobs AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT TOURISM DEVELOPMENT for many Georgians. In for the fishi ng Georgia’s mild climate and rainfall Georgia’s climate varies from the cool addition, the rive offers industry and allow farmers to work the land to mountains in the north to the sunny many recreational activities paper grow a variety of crops during a beaches in the southeast. Tourists from Georgia and abroad flock to for tourists. production. longer growing season than farmers in the north. A variety of crops different areas of the state for vacation. include apples and vegetables in the Some families spend days in the Blue Ridge region; wheat soybeans, Appalachian Mtns camping , whitewater rafting, or even enjoying the snow falls FALL LINE and corn in the Piedmont; to peanuts, in Blue Ridge region. Georgia’s Natural boundary separating the pecans, peaches, and onions in the climate allows people to visit plenty of Piedmont and Coastal Plains regions. OKEFENOKEE SWAMP Coastal Plains region. Agriculture local, state, and natio nal parks, even Columbus, Macon, and Augusta were Located in the southeast corner of also includes raising animals such as amusement parks like Six Flags and built along this lin e due to the ending of the state in the Coastal Plains cattle in the Valley and Ridge region Whitewater. Families can vacation on navigable rivers from the south going region. It is the largest freshwater for dairy farms like Mayfield and the one of the many barrier islands off the northbound because of the elevation wetland (swamp) in North America. raising of poultry (chickens) in the coast of Georgia as there are golf drop. Because of this there hydroelectric Became a national wildlife refuge in Piedmont. The impact of climate on courses, beaches, parks, and resorts. power has been harnessed for industries. 1937 by President Franklin agriculture is huge b/c it provides a Tourism brings a lot of money to the The soil is perfect for the growing of Roosevelt because loggers were lot of jobs for Georgia citizens, not state, mainly because Georgia has a peaches and the mineral kaolin is destroying the natural habitat. just farmers, but transportation, food warm climate. Georgia’s largest natural resource. Today, the swamp is home to over processors, and stores.

400 species of animals. Study Applications