Ch. 10 The Coastal South

     The Coastal South is growing rapidity even though it's prone to many natural disasters. You can find people from Latin America, Europe, the Caribbean and Africa. The region is composed of Florida, parts of Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The place has a great amount of water, which has resulted in many swamps, lakes, and marshes. The Coastal South is very prone to thunderstorms, which sadly kills around 200 people annually. This region is also vulnerable to hurricanes, and the most known was Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It has long, hot raining summers, while winters being mild and wet. 

     ​This part of North America has so much diversity in its people, just like Chicago. The culture has been greatly influenced by various ethnic groups, such as African Americans in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. African American music has influenced much parts of New Orleans, where jazz and blues is favored. 

​     The lands’ soil is not well suited for agriculture due to poor drainage. Yet, the weather has allowed Tropical fruits, as well as vegetables to be grown. Florida produces a great amount of oranges, and grapefruits, yet the international competition has caused a decrease in production.  Another production in the Coastal South is sugar, which is produced in Louisiana and Florida. The economy also thrives due to their mineral productions of petroleum and natural gas. Tourism is an important contributor to the region's economy. The most known attraction is Disney World, in Orlando, Florida. Beaches along the Coastal South also bring a great number of tourists yearly. A famous celebration is Madri Gras, which is a major tourism attraction in New Orleans. Miami is very diverse and influenced by Haitians, Jamaicans, Dominicans, and Cubans. Despite being prone to natural disasters the Coastal South is a place many people enjoy living and visiting.

Book Used:

Hardwick,Shelley, Susan Wiley. The Geography of North America 2nd Edition. Pearson College Div. 2012.

Swamps in Louisiana

Disney World in Orlando, Florida

Madri Gras in New Orleans 

Miami Beach

Ch 9. The Inland South

     Parts of Virginia, West Virginia, North & South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, South part of Missouri, northern Louisiana, western Texas and eastern Oklahoma are a part of the Inland South. The climate is typically humid subtropical, where summers are hot and humid, winters are mild. Floods are very common, and the region has lots of forest due to large amount of rainfall. Tornadoes are prone in the Inland South especially in Alabama and Mississippi, because the land is flat. 
     In early settlement the Inland South was a common place to settle due to its large amount of natural resources. Not surprisingly Europeans colonized the region and forced Natives out their land. The most known tragic event was the Trail of Tears. Thousands of Natives were removed and relocated from their land, along the way hundreds died. Slavery was common in the Inland South during the 1800’s, due to large numbers of plantations, which needed slaves to work the lands.
     Agriculture is important in the Inland South. Cotton is the crop that is associated to the region, as well as moon shining productions. North Carolina and Kentucky produces tobacco, which has been a health controversy. The Inland South’s economy is strong in tertiary and quaternary sector, due to Military bases in the region. Some attractions to the region are the Shenandoah National Park, the Skyline Drive, and other monumental places. The Inland South has grown in the last half-century, and it’s an important region of North America.

Book used:

Hardwick,Shelley, Susan Wiley. The Geography of North America 2nd Edition. Pearson College Div. 2012.

Cotton plantation

Trail of Tears

Tornado that devastated Alabama in 2011

 Shenandoah National Park

Ch. 8 Great Lakes and Corn Belt

     Mostly known as the “heartland” of North America, and associated with having true “American” values. Chicago is ethnically and racially diverse. The Great Lakes and Corn Belt is composed of almost eight states; Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Southern Ontario from Canada. The landscape has been drastically modified by humans, and by glaciers. Much of the region is lowland, and slightly rolling hills. Its elevation is lower than the rest of North America. Chicago engineers reversed the water flow, to use it to their needs. In terms of climate the region is affected by strong winter storms, which affects residents. Prior to European settlement much of the land was inhabited by Native American. Today, a significant amount of Native Americans live in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The region is a good productive area for farming. Most farms are owed by families, rather than by corporations. Corn is a major crop of the region and Iowa and Illinois are leading states of corn production. Dairy farming is heavy in Wisconsin were the weather is cooler. The Great Lakes and Corn Belt was known for having a great industrial sector. However, in recent years they have become the Rust Belt. Most of the steel mills and auto manufactures have been placed outside the U.S. In recent years the Industrial sector has been replaced by tertiary & quaternary sectors. Health care and high-tech is now becoming a huge part of the region’s economy. The region is large, well-educated and diverse. Chicago is visited by almost 40 million people yearly. Their location adjacent to Lake Michigan has maintained Chicago an important city in North America. The city is an important educational, commercial and financial center.

Book used:
 Hardwick,Shelley, Susan Wiley. The Geography of North America 2nd Edition. Pearson College Div. 2012.

                                     

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You will fall in love with the city!

Great Lakes & Corn Belt region

Corn field in Iowa

Native American Tribes in Wisconsin