Geography of the West
"EL Capitan" is a massive ______ located in National Park ________. pg.4
rock, California
What are "boomtowns"? pg. 7
Small towns that "boomed" or grew very quickly.
What is the purpose of logging?
to use wood for products such as paper and lumber.
** What is the imaginary line that divides the eastern and western parts of the U.S called? pg.2
The Continental Divide
When was the Homestead Act signed? pg.7
In 1862
** Why are dams important to the West? pg.9
They are used to create Hydroelectricity
** Which landform forces rivers to flow toward the Pacific Ocean? pg.5
The Rocky Mountains
* Why was the Transcontinental Railroad important to the development of the West? pg.7
It made the trip from East to the West quicker.
(without it, the trip took 6 months.)
Why do Salmon swim back to rivers from the ocean? pg.9
How hot does a rock have to be in order to melt? pg.5
1,200-2,200 degrees Fahrenheit
Why did the U.S want to control Hawaii? pg.7
to increase the sugar trade
Wat does "public land" mean? pg.9
land belongs to the people of the U.S and the government manages how the land is used.
** What are the highest and lowest points in the West? pg.5
Denali (a mountain in Alaska 20,310 ft.)
Death Valley ( 282 ft below sea level)
*** Why was it a good idea to buy land in Alaska in the 1870s? pg.7
People believed this land was worthless but overtime, gold and oil were discovered there and made many people rich.
What is the purpose of the luau? pg.8
an event to raise money to buy back a privately owned beach