GEOGRAPHIC UNDERSTANDINGS

SS5G1 The student will locate important places in the United States.
For this standard, teachers need to keep in mind that the operative verb is locate. Students should be able to identify these places on a basic political/physical map.
a. Locate important physical features; include the Grand Canyon, Salton Sea, Great Salt Lake, and Mojave Desert.
*Grand Canyon: Carved by the Colorado River, Arizona’s Grand Canyon averages 4,000 feet in depth. The ground eroded by the river shows evidence of three eras of geologic time, and the land around the canyon contains numerous different ecosystems. At least 12,000 years’ worth of human history have been recorded at archaeological sites in and near the canyon, and modern visitors to the area number in the millions annually. For more on this National Park, visit:
*Salton Sea: Unlike the other listed features, the Salton Sea was created as a result of human mismanagement. The basin in which the sea exists was most likely formed millions of years ago, but has not remained consistently full. In modern times (1905), the sea was formed by the failure of dams and canals built to help supply California’s growing population with irrigation and drinking water, and now is one of the largest inland seas in the world. It is also one of the lowest, as it is located at 227 feet below sea level. People disagree as to what should become of it. Some would like to see it disappear, while others point to the numerous migratory species of animals now dependent upon its existence. For more, visit:
*Great Salt Lake: Part of a larger lake that existed in prehistoric times, the modern Great Salt Lake in Utah is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere. The lake has no natural outlet, and due to fluctuations in rainfall, also has constantly shifting shores. Its wetlands provide important habitats for migratory birds, but the lake itself has little life due to its high salinity. For more facts about the lake, visit:
*Mojave Desert: Found in California, with small portions in Nevada and Utah, the Mojave Desert includes Death Valley, the lowest point in the United States. Temperatures swing between hot and cold extremes, and very little rain falls in the area. Despite this, a number of unique plant and animal species thrive in the Mojave. Humans have lived in the area for over 10,000 years, depending upon current climactic conditions, which have been drier and wetter at various points. For more, visit
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b. Locate important man-made places; include the Chisholm Trail; Pittsburgh, PA; Gettysburg, PA; Kitty Hawk, NC; Pearl Harbor, HI; and Montgomery, AL.

*Chisholm Trail: (See also historical information from SS5H3a.) During the heyday of western cattle ranching, the Chisholm Trail provided a means by which ranchers could access railroad lines to get their cattle to market. The trail stretched from deep in Texas north to rail hubs at Abilene, Kansas, passing through numerous other cities and towns in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas on the way. For a simple map (excluding secondary and supply trails), visit:

*Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The explosion in American manufacturing during the late 19th and early 20th century is directly linked to the development of usable, inexpensive steel. The Bessemer Process (read here for far more information than students can use:

made steel a mainstay in American industry, particularly in the Pittsburgh area, where numerous steel foundries sprang up. The steel industry grew here because of the region’s proximity to the type of coal needed for the manufacture of steel. Many of the wealthiest Americans had an interest in steel companies and production. However, by the late 20th century, the migration of steel production out of the country (due to cheaper labor costs), and decreased demand for the heavy industries reliant on steel, caused upheaval in the Pittsburgh area’s economy. For an interesting history of Pittsburgh’s economy as linked to its geography and history, visit:

*Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: Site of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle (July 1-3, 1863), Gettysburg is also the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s famed Gettysburg Address. Lincoln delivered the address at the dedication of the battlefield’s cemetery. The battle was significant geographically, as it marked the South’s last major incursion into Union territory. Following the massive death and destruction of the 1863 battle, the South never again made a decisive attack on Northern soil. For this reason, as well as the massive casualty toll, Gettysburg is generally considered to be the turning point of the American Civil War. For more, visit:

*Kitty Hawk, North Carolina: Located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the tiny town of Kitty Hawk became famous following the Wright brothers’ successful heavier-than-air flight in 1903. Taking advantage of the swift winds on the dunes of Kitty Hawk’s beaches, the Wright brothers successfully kept their craft in the air for a matter of seconds. Those seconds changed the world, as airplanes went from fantastical ideas to practical inventions. For information about Kitty Hawk, and the Wright brothers’ flight, visit:

*Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: When Japan attacked the United States’ naval fleet in the Pacific waters of Pearl Harbor, the country was drawn into World War II. The port at Pearl Harbor was militarily and strategically significant, and the bold Japanese attack caused massive destruction and casualties. Today, Pearl Harbor contains the wreckage of several ships destroyed in the attack, and serves as a memorial to the lives lost that day and throughout the war in the Pacific. For more, visit: particularly

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*Montgomery, Alabama: As the site of Rosa Parks’ courageous stand to end discrimination in public accommodations, Montgomery is known today as an important location in the modern Civil Rights Movement. The capital of the state of Alabama, Montgomery was also home to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as he began to spread his ideas about non-violent resistance to segregation. For more, visit:

SS5G1b

What took place in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina?

A. The telephone was invented by Thomas Edison.

B. Robert Fulton invented the steam engine.

C. The cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney.

D. The Wright brothers flew their first plane. *

Where did Rosa Parks challenge segregation by choosing to give up her seat on the bus?

A. Chicago, Illinois

B. Montgomery, Alabama *

C. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

D. Los Angeles, California