The Gulf Stream: A Current That Helped Win a War

The Gulf Stream is a warm ocean current that provided a strategic advantage to the United States during the Revolutionary War by _________________________________.

• allowing American ships to move faster and evade British forces.

• slowing down American ships making them less effective.

• becoming a major route for transporting British troops.

• providing a natural barrier that prevented any naval engagement.

____________________ mapped the Gulf Stream; his work was significant because it improved the understanding of its course for safer and more efficient navigation.

• Benjamin Franklin

• John Smith

• Christopher Columbus

• James Cook

The Gulf Stream flows north along the East Coast of the United States.

• True

• False

Fill in the blank: The Gulf Stream carries more than _____ million cubic meters of water per second.

• 100

• 200

• 300

• 400

The Gulf Stream begins when warm water is pushed _________ from the equator is across the Atlantic Ocean.

• toward

• away

The Gulf Stream warms coastal regions, contributing _____________________.

• warming the coastal regions, providing milder winters in Europe.

• cooling the coastal regions, leading to harsher winters in Europe.

• significantly to temperature fluctuations, with extreme swings.

When the Gulf Stream reaches New England, it

• cools and diverges, eventually merging with colder currents

• remains warm as it flows directly into the Atlantic

• speeds up and becomes more defined

• turns sharply eastward toward Europe

What direction do the prevailing winds blow near the equator?

• west to east

• east to west

• north to south

• south to north

What direction do the prevailing winds blow near the poles?

• west to east

• east to west

• north to south

• south to north

The direction of prevailing winds affects ocean currents by ________________________________________

• forcing surface water movement in the direction of the wind

• reversing the ocean currents

• influencing only deep water currents