Unit 1 Study Guide
Natural Texas and Its People – A study of the geographic regions and the people who lived here
HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS:
• Population density in the regions of Texas today closely resembles the settlement patterns of Native Americans – both are related to the natural resources available
• COASTAL PLAINS – most developed region of Texas; Major cities include Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston; Landmarks include Big Thicket National Forrest, Galveston beach, Historic San Antonio and NASA; Population is dense with a number of large urban and metropolitan areas
• NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS – Major cities include Ft Worth and Abilene; Landmarks/Points of Interest include Ft Worth Stockyards, Ballpark and AT&T Stadium; Population is dense in the eastern part of the region then becomes more rural as you move west
• GREAT PLAINS – Major cities include Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland and Odessa; Landmarks include Palo Duro Canyon, Edwards Plateau, and Caprock Escarpment; Population is mostly rural with the exception of the few major cities
• MOUNTAINS AND BASINS – least developed region of Texas; Major City is El Paso; Landmarks include the Guadalupe and Davis Mountains, Upper Rio Grande Valley, and Big Bend National Park; Population is predominantly rural with the exception of El Paso
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
• COASTAL PLAINS – many kinds of landforms (including plains – vast grasslands); abundant water resources; numerous types of natural vegetation; mild climate with abundant rainfall; lowest elevation in the state
• NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS – flat prairies and plains with little other vegetation; moderate water sources; mild climate with moderate rainfall
• GREAT PLAINS – flat prairies and plains (vast grasslands) with little other vegetation; few water resources; cold winters (especially in the panhandle) and mild summers
• MOUNTAINS AND BASINS – desert, mountains, basins, plateaus; limited water resources; hot and arid (dry) – nights are cold - days are hot; highest elevation
DEFINTIONS:
• Era – time period in history
• Artifacts – tools and weapons that belonged to ancient civilizations and help us to understand their lifestyles in modern times NATIVE AMERICANS – all tribes adapted to their environment and used what sources were available without depleting the land of all its natural resources NATIVE AMERICANS:
Adapted to their environment and used all they had without waste
GREAT PLAINS TRIBES: Nomads – followed the Buffalo; lived in tepees; hunters; fighters
o Comanche
o Apache
o Kiowa
• NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS: - Nomads - followed the Buffalo; lived in tepees; hunters; fighters
o Wichita
• MOUNTAINS AND BASINS – Sedimentary – lived in the same place all year; adobe homes; grow food with water from the Rio Grande; ate food natural to the region
o Jumano
o Tigua
GULF COASTAL PLAINS – in the northern interior portion of the region – Sedimentary – lived in grass huts; farmers; - down around the coast – Nomads – followed the animals from place to place; lived in portable huts
o CADDO(Sedimentary)
o ATAKAPAN(Sedimentary)
o TONKAWA(Nomads)
o KARANKAWA(Nomads)
o COAHUILTECAN(Nomads)
TEXAS BORDERS:
o Northern border – Red River
o Eastern Border – Sabine River o South/Western Border – Rio Grande River