The Relief of the Country

The Eastern part of the country is occupied by the Appalachian Mountains. West of the Appalachians stretch the Central Plains, the Great Plains and the Mexican Lowland. The western part of the country (including the whole of Alaska) is made up of high mountain ranges, tablelands and plateaus of the Cordillera system. In Alaska there are the Brooks ranges, the Yukon tableland and the Aleutian ranges. Mount McKinley is the highest peak of the US.

On the territory of the US Proper the mountain ranges stretch in the North-South direction. The first from the East are the Rocky Mountains. West of the Rockies lie vast plateaus and tablelands with deep depressions and canyons. Farther West is a narrow belt of the Cascade Mountains and Sierra Nevada ranges. Father West lies an area of the valleys.

The Rivers and Lakes

The longest river in the USA is Mississippi with its east tributary Missouri. The other main tributary of the Mississippi flowing into it from the East is the Ohio River. The Mississippi flows to the South and empties (runs) into the Gulf of Mexico at New Orleans.

Another important river of the USA is the Hudson River which flows across the North-Eastern part of the country and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at New York.

The rivers in the West of the country are unsuitable for navigation because they flow through deep canyons and are cut by numerous rapids. The largest rivers in the West are the Columbia and the Colorado.

World famous is the region of the Great Lakes situated in the North-East of the US bordering Canada. It is a system of five lakes (See list #4) joined together by natural channels.

The Niagara Falls are the great rapids situated on the Niagara river joining lakes Erie and Ontario.

Climate

The USA occupy a large territory. That’s why it is natural that a great diversity of climatic conditions can be observed in different parts of the country. As mountain rangers run from North to South the country is unprotected from blasts of cold air from the North and warm air from the South. This is the cause of great fluctuation of temperature.

Alaska lies in subarctic and arctic zones. The Southern part of Florida and Hawaii are situated in the tropical zone. The Northern part of the Pacific Coast enjoys a moderate climate. California has a mediterranean climate. The climate of the Atlantic Coast is continental marine. The plains of the Appalachian Mountains have a continental climate. The plateaus and tablelands of the Cordilleras have an extreme continental climate.

Early America

The first Americans

Native Americans were the first Americans. Thousands years ago the Bering Strait was dry land. The earliest Americans crossed over from Asia to America on this narrow strip of land. They did not just stay in one place. For some time they lived where hunting was good. If the animals moved on the hunters would follow them. Sometimes after many years a group might get too large. It was hard to find food for everyone. So a part of that group would move to another place. Sometimes a tribe moved to avoid war with another group.

But who was the first explorers from Europe to discover America? They were probably the Vikings. They called the new land Vinland. The Viking’s great discovery went almost unknow -n -tist??.