US History II - Geography Vocabulary

A part of an ocean or sea that is surrounded by a lot of land

• gulf

• river

• delta

• desert

Land made of silt left behind as a river drains into a larger body of water, such as a gulf

• gulf

• river

• delta

• desert

Lands that are covered with tall grass and very few trees

• deserts

• prairies

• forest

• ocean

Large areas of nearly flat land

• forest

• delta

• prairies

• plain

A heavily eroded dry region with colorful, sculpted rock formations

• badlands

• redrocks

A large area of elevated flatland

• grassland

• mountain

• plateau

• mesa

A hill with a flat top. These are smaller than plateaus.

• mesa

• mountain

• grassland

• plateau

A small, flat-topped hill that is smaller than a mesa or a plateau

• mesa

• butte

• plateau

• grassland

A deep, narrow valley with steep sides, often with a stream or river running through it

• mesa

• plateau

• grassland

• canyon

An extremely dry environment, but some plants and animals have adapted to i

• desert

• grasslands

• prairie

• piedmont