3.2.1 Regions of the United States

Regions of the United States

Learners can: 

• identify at least one physical characteristic of places and regions

• identify at least one human characteristic of places and regions

• describe the common elements that geographers use to divide the United States into regions

​The United States can be divided into four major regions.

• West

• Midwest

• Northeast

• South

Multiple Choice

Which region of the United States do you think you live in?

• Northeast

• Northwest

• South

• West

Regions

Geographers, or people who study Earth's places and people, have grouped places in the world based on similarities in physical and human characteristics.
The physical characteristics of a place include natural features like: landforms, bodies of water, animals or plants, climate or weather, or natural resources.
The human characteristics of a place comes from human ideas and actions and include culture, tradition, food, language, or religion.

​Learning about a place's physical and human characteristics will help you understand its features. how people interact with the environment, and how a community is formed.

Geographers use the similarities of physical and human characteristics to group similar places into regions.

Match

A group of learners are going on a field trip to visit a local limestone cavern in Pennsylvania.

When they get there, they will learn about the Susquehannock Native American tribe and how they used the cavern and the nearby land to survive.

• 
  

  limestone cavern in Pennsylvania

• 
  

  the Susquehannock Native American Tribe

• blank

physical characteristic

human characteristic

blank

• physical characteristic

• human characteristic

• blank

A Closer Look

One of Earth's physical characteristics is its large areas of land.

The large areas of land have been grouped into seven different regions called continents.

Geographers have grouped Earth's land masses, or continents, into regions.

Within each continent, many countries, because of their similarities in physical and human characteristics, can also be grouped into regions.

There are also ways to group places within a country, like the United States, into regions. Move on to the next page to learn how the United States is divided into regions.

​Identifying Regions of the United States

You may recall that regions are areas of land that are divided based on similarities in their physical and human characteristics.

Geographers use the similarities of physical and human characteristics to group similar places into regions.
For example, geographers might study population density to gather information about how humans interact with their environment.

The population of different places can affect how regions are grouped in the United States.

​The Frost Belt

The Frost Belt is a region in the United States known for its heavy snowfall and very cold winters.

​The Sun Belt

The Sun Belt is a region in the United States known for its hot summers, mild winters, and, of course, the plentiful amount of sun the region receives throughout the year.

​Farming Industry Belts

The United States can be divided into belts based on different farming industries, such as corn, rice, and wheat.

The industries create jobs for people who live in those regions.

​The Bible Belt

The Bible Belt is a region in the United States known for its higher rate of people who consistently attend church.

Regions of the United States

Using the information that they gather about the similarities of physical and human characteristics of places, geographers have divided the United States into four major regions.

The Southern region can be separated into two parts, the:

• Southeast; and

• Southwest.

EDIO VIDEO PAGE 6

Multiple Choice

Compare the maps below. Then, answer the question. What physical feature is most prominent in the Midwest region?

• Coastlines

• Hills

• Mountains

• Plains

Multiple Choice

Compare the maps below. Then, answer the question. Which region is the least populated?

• Midwest

• Northeast

• South

• West

Word Cloud

What common elements do geographers use to group places, like the United States, into regions?

Geographers use physical and human characteristics to group places into regions.

Earth's land masses, a physical characteristic, have been grouped into regions called continents.

The same characteristics are used to group places within a country, like the United States, into regions.

The United States has four main regions, which are grouped together because of their similarities in physical features, climate, wildlife, natural resources, and human interactions.

Great work today!