The History
What were 2 reasons for the major population boom in the mid-1800s?
The Oregon Trail and the Gold Rush
Describe the climate for the contiguous 9 states in the West region.
Lower coastal areas: warm summers, mild winters
States like Washington and Oregon do not have extreme temperatures, but do get a lot of precipitation
Inland states with mountains: get quite cold in the winter
Utah and Nevada: dry desert, very little precipitationWhat is the largest mountain range in the West, and how long is it?
Rocky Mountains: Over 3,000 miles long!
List 3 natural resources found in the West.
Gold, silver, copper, oil, timber, water
What is the capital of Hawaii?
Honolulu
What brought about 300,000 people to the West?
California Gold Rush
Describe the climate in Alaska.
It is the coldest state since it is so far from the equator. Receives a lot of rain and snow throughout the year. Alaska has short summers and very long winters.
Describe what lies between the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains.
The Great Basin. It is a very large, mostly dry area. It is about 200,000 square miles of desert!
Describe a West region landmark.
Juneau is the capital of which state?
Alaska
What were the people who went to California during the Gold Rush called?
forty-niners
It is warm all year round since it is closest to the equator. Receives a lot of rain during the wet season, which is from October until April.
How is the location of many states along the Pacific Ocean important here?
What is another name for water power?
Hydropower
What is the capital of Nevada?
Carson City
How did the forty-niners in California get their name?
The Gold Rush happened in 1849
Which two contiguous states receive a lot of precipitation?
Oregon and Washington
List two states, and the agricultural products that they ship to other places.
Alaska: seafood
Washington: cherries, apples, raspberries
Idaho: potatoes
California: dairy, grapes
Hawaii: Coffee, pineapple, sugarcane
What is found underground and under the sea in Alaska?
oil
What is the capital of Washington?
Olympia
What were the forty niners hoping to find in the West?
Gold.. they mined and panned for gold, hoping to strike it rich
Which Western state has many different types of climates and landscapes throughout the state?
California
Name 2 large businesses found in the West region.
Boeing airplanes and Microsoft (Seattle, Washington)
large technology companies (Silicon Valley, CA)
movie/TV industry: Los Angeles, CA
Tourism: CA and Hawaii
Where is the Golden Gate Bridge located?
San Francisco, CA
What is the capital of California?
Sacramento