Geography Study Guide

Name: ___________________________ Test Date: _________________________ Geography Study Guide 1. Label Virginia and its 5 bordering states. Remember: Mustard With Ketchup Tastes Nasty. Maryland West Virginia Kentucky Tennessee North Carolina 2. Label Virginia’s five regions. Color the Coastal Plain dark green. Color the Appalachian Plateau purple. Color the Blue Ridge Mountains blue. Color the Piedmont light green. Color the Valley and Ridge red. Blue Ridge Mountains Valley and Ridge Appalachian Plateau Piedmont Coastal Plain 3. Label Virginia’s 4 major rivers. A: Potomac River B: Rappahannock River C: York River D: James River 4. What is a peninsula? What is Virginia’s largest peninsula? A peninsula is a piece of land bordered by water on three sides. Virginia’s largest peninsula is the Eastern Shore. 5. What body of water do all of Virginia’s rivers flow into? All of Virginia’s rivers flow into the Chesapeake Bay. 6. Describe where the following bodies or water are located and what they look like. Body of Water Location and Features Coastal Plain Region Lake Drummond Shallow natural lake surrounded by Dismal Swamp Freshwater Coastal Plain Region Misty, wet, wooded Dismal Swamp Pools of standing water Variety of wildlife 7. Describe the land of each of the following regions. Draw a picture to match the description. Region Characteristics Picture Flat land Coastal Plain Rivers are wide and flow slowly Near the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay East of the Fall Line Rolling hills Piedmont West of the Fall Line Piedmont = land at the foot of the mountains Waterfalls and rapids Blue Ridge Old, rounded mountains Mountains Source of many rivers Part of the Appalachian mountain system West of the Fall Line Valley and Includes the Great Valley of Virginia & other Ridge valleys separated by ridges Water rushes over rocks downhill Many creeks Appalachian Many plateaus (elevated land that is flat on top) Plateau Only a small part of plateau is located in Virginia 8. Complete the chart. River Major City or Cities Located on the River Potomac Alexandria Rappahannock Fredericksburg York Yorktown James Jamestown & Richmond 9. What is the Fall Line? Where is it located? The Fall Line is the natural border between the Coastal Plain and Piedmont Regions. Many cities developed along the Fall Line because the waterfalls prevented travel further west on the river. 10. What major ocean borders Virginia? Why is it important? The Atlantic Ocean borders Virginia. It is important because it provided a transportation link between Virginia and other places like Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. 11. List three facts about the Chesapeake Bay. 1. It provided a safe harbor to ships. 2. It was a source of food and transportation. 3. Virginia’s four major rivers flow into the Chesapeake Bay. 4. The Eastern Shore is a peninsula bordered by the Chesapeake Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. 12. What is relative location? Describe something using relative location. Relative location shows the connection between two places using words like: Next to Near Bordering .

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