Virginia's

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Virginia's Five Geographic Regions
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Virginia is divided into five geographic regions
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What are the characteristics of the Coastal Plain?

• Also known as Tidewater
• Located near the Atlantic Ocean and the
  Chesapeake Bay
• Includes the Eastern Shore, a peninsula between
  the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay
• Flat land
• East of the Fall Line
• Major product seafood
• Major industries shipbuilding, tourism, federal
  military installations

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The Coastal Plain is east of the Fall Line.
This satellite image clearly shows the fall line.
Can you see it?
The Fall Line
Coastal Plain
Piedmont
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Characteristics of the Coastal Plain
The land is flat. There are many waterways. There
is easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. People
make their livings from fishing, shipbuilding, US
military installations, shipping, and tourism.
This is what the Atlantic Ocean looks like, right
on the beach.
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
Rivers in the Coastal Plain are wide and flow
slowly. They empty into the Chesapeake Bay. The
place where the river joins the Chesapeake Bay,
is the mouth of the river.
Sunset on the mouth of the James River at Newport
News
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Many people make their living in the shipping
industry.
This is a freighter near the mouth of the James
River in the Hampton Roads area of Tidewater. A
freighter carries manufactured goods and raw
materials to be sold.
Can you tell how big this freighter is?
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
Shipbuilding is an important industry.
This is the Newport News Shipyard, where a huge
ocean-going ship is being built.
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Another major industry of the Coastal Plain is
federal military installations.
A federal military installation is often called a
military base.
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A federal military installation belongs to the
United States government. The military includes
the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast
Guard. Many people in the Coastal Plain region
work for the military.
Do you know someone who is in the military?
An air traffic controller
Cutting the ribbon for a new Navy base building
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Seafood is the major product of the Coastal
Plain.
The fishing industry produces seafood. People
fish for a living. They sell their catch to
seafood companies that process, package, and
distribute the seafood. This means many jobs for
workers in the Coastal Plain. Here we see shrimp
boats at the dock.
Do you like fish and shrimp? How about oysters?
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
Many people make their living from tourism.
This is Virginia Beach, where many tourists go
for vacations.
Do you like to go to the beach?
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
The Chesapeake Bay, in the Coastal Plain, borders
Virginia on the east.
Here is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, which
connects Hampton Roads with the Eastern Shore.
Is this a big bridge, or what!
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
The Chesapeake Bay is a source of seafood for
Virginia and the United States. Water sports
contribute to the economy of the region.
What is the name of this water sport?
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
Maryland
Delaware
The Chesapeake Bay is very large. It is several
miles from one side to the other. The bay has
12,000 miles of shoreline.
Virginia
Chesapeake Bay
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Here is a photo of the Chesapeake Bay, taken from
a satellite.
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The Chesapeake Bay gets very high waves, just
like the ocean, when the wind blows hard.
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
The James River, in the coastal plain, is the
southernmost river that empties into the
Chesapeake Bay. Huge freighters can come up the
James River to the natural barrier at the Fall
Line.
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
The mouth of the York River is north of the
James River, in the Coastal Plain.
The York River
Atlantic Ocean
This is a bridge over the mouth of the York
River, at Yorktown.
The James River
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
The mouth of the Rappahannock River is in the
Tidewater, or the Coastal Plain, emptying its
waters into the Chesapeake Bay.
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
Fredericksburg is an old city on the Rappahannock
River, at the Fall Line.
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
The mouth of the Potomac River is also located in
Virginias Coastal Plain. The Potomac is
Virginias northernmost river. It is a border of
Virginia. It divides Virginia from Maryland and
from Washington, D.C.
Maryland
Virginia
Chesapeake Bay
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater)
Alexandria, an old city, is located on the
Potomac River. This is an old painting of
Alexandria in the old days of sailing ships.
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Here is a modern-day view of Alexandria, on the
Potomac River.
This river is really wide in the Coastal Plain,
isnt it?
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The Coastal Plain (Tidewater) contains the
Eastern Shore.
The Eastern Shore is a peninsula. A peninsula is
a piece of land that is bordered on three sides
by water. A peninsula sticks out into the water.
Here is a road map of the Eastern Shore. See all
the water? There arent many roads, are there?
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The Eastern Shore is bordered by the Chesapeake
Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the
east.
The Eastern Shore gets its name because it is is
the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay.
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There are no major cities on the Eastern Shore.
People live in small towns and fish for a living.
Wildlife is plentiful, including wild ponies.
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Lets review the Coastal Plain

• Also called Tidewater

• Flat land

• Location near the Atlantic Ocean and the
  Chesapeake Bay

• Includes the Eastern Shore, a peninsula east of
  the Chesapeake Bay

• East of the Fall Line

• Product seafood

• Industries shipbuilding, tourism, federal
  military installations

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Virginia is divided into five geographic regions
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What are the characteristics of the Piedmont?
Footbridge over the Dan River in Danville, VA
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What are the characteristics of the Piedmont?

• Means land at the foot of the mountains
• Rolling hills
• West of the fall line
• 4. Products tobacco products and information
  technology
• 5. Industries technology, federal and state
  government, farming, and textiles

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The Piedmont region is between the Coastal Plain
and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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The Piedmont Region is separated from the Coastal
Plain by the Fall Line.
This satellite image clearly shows the fall line.
Can you see it?
The Fall Line
Coastal Plain
Piedmont
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The Fall Line got its name because thats where
the waterfalls start. There are no waterfalls in
the Coastal Plain because the land is too flat.
The land rises sharply at the Fall Line. There
are small waterfalls in the Piedmont because the
Piedmont has hills for the water to fall down.
Waterfalls are bigger in the mountains, because
the mountains are steeper and higher.
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Rapids are places in a river where rocks and the
downward slope of the land make the river run
very fast. Rapids make the river dangerous for
boats. River traffic cannot move past the rapids.
The Piedmont Region has rapids.
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This is the Rappahannock River, near
Fredericksburg. See the rocks in the river? You
are looking at rapids on the Fall Line, between
the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont regions.
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The Piedmont region is west of the Fall Line.
Danville is also west of the Fall Line. There
are rapids in the Dan River. Have you seen them?
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Piedmont means land at the foot of the
mountains.
From this view, in the Piedmont, you can see the
mountains. You are at the foot, or the bottom,
of the mountains.
Pied means foot. Mont means mountain.
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The Piedmont Region has rolling hills.
Have you ridden your bike up and down the
Piedmonts rolling hills? Which do you like
better, up or down?
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The Piedmont region is famous for growing
tobacco. Tobacco is a major product of the
Piedmont.
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Information technology is another product of the
Piedmont.
Information technology means the technology we
use to get and send information. Computers and
satellites are part of this industry. Many
technology companies are located in Northern
Virginia.
What is this? How is it part of information
technology?
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Northern Virginia, in the Piedmont, is also
famous for federal government jobs.
Many northern Virginians work for the Federal
government, because Washington, D.C., our
nations capital, is just across the Potomac
River. They go across the Potomac River every
day to work. There are also some federal
government buildings in northern Virginia itself,
where Virginians are employed. Federal
government jobs are a major industry of the
Piedmont.
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Richmond is in the Piedmont. Many people in
Richmond work for the state government. State
government is a major industry of the Piedmont.
Why is state government a major industry of the
piedmont?
Virginias state capitol building, where state
senators and delegates meet to make our states
laws.
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Many people in the piedmont farm. Farming is a
major Piedmont industry.
Have you ever helped to do farm work? Is it easy
or hard?
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Textiles are also a major industry of the
Piedmont. The textile industry is found in and
near Danville.
Here we see, on both sides of the Dan River, the
factory buildings of Dan River, Inc., Danvilles
textile mill. This picture was taken about 50
years ago, but some things still look exactly the
same. Do you recognize anything in this picture?
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Danville is in the Piedmont Region.
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Lynchburg is also in the Piedmont region.
This is a postcard of Lynchburg. Do you think
the card is old or new? Why do you think that?
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Lets review the Piedmont

• Land at the foot of the mountains

• Rolling hills

• West of the Fall Line

• Products tobacco products and information
  technology

• Industries technology, federal and state
  government, farming, and textiles

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Virginia is divided into five geographic regions
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What are the characteristics of the Blue Ridge
Mountains?

• Old, rounded mountains
• Part of the Appalachian mountain system
• Located between the Piedmont and the Valley and
  Ridge regions
• Source of many rivers
• Product apples
• Industry recreation

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The Blue Ridge Mountains are located between the
Piedmont and the Valley and Ridge Region.
Valley and Ridge
Piedmont
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The Blue Ridge Mountains are old, rounded
mountains.
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The Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the
Appalachian mountain system.
The Appalachian mountain system stretches from
Maine to Georgia.
Recreation is a major business in the Blue Ridge
Mountains. People come to drive on the Blue
Ridge Parkway and look at the beautiful views.
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The Blue Ridge Mountains are located between the
Piedmont and the Valley and Ridge regions.
Have you seen one of Virginias caverns? Which
one?
Tourists come to the Blue Ridge Mountains to see
the interesting underground caverns there.
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The Blue Ridge Mountains are the source of many
rivers.
Trout fishing is another recreational attraction
that brings tourists to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The many streams where the trout are found, are
sources of many of Virginias rivers.
Source the beginning
Do you like fishing for recreation?
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The major industry in the Blue Ridge Mountains is
recreation.
Skiing is a popular recreation in the Blue Ridge
Mountains. Ski Resorts are part of the tourist
industry.
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Recreation brings many tourists to the Blue Ridge
Mountains. People like to hike the mountain
trails and climb on the rocks. This is Natural
Bridge, which many tourists come to see.
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Apples are the major product of the Blue Ridge
Mountains.
Workers climb ladders to pick the apples at
harvest time in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
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Apples are the major product of the Blue Ridge
Mountains.
The apples are packed in wooden crates and
shipped all over the world.
Do you eat apples from the Blue Ridge Mountains?
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Lets review the Blue Ridge Mountains

• Old, rounded mountains

• Part of the Appalachian mountain system

• Located between the Piedmont and the Valley and
  Ridge regions

• Source of many rivers

• Product apples

• Industry recreation

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Virginia is divided into five geographic regions
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What are the characteristics of the Valley and
Ridge Region?
Fog hangs over the valley, as the surrounding
ridges peek through the clouds.
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The Valley and Ridge Region is west of the Blue
Ridge Mountains.
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The Valley and Ridge Region includes the Great
Valley of Virginia and other valleys separated by
ridges.
Water rushing over rocks, tumbling downhill, is a
common sight along the Valley and Ridge Regions
numerous creeks.
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The Valley and Ridge Region contains the Great
Valley of Virginia and other valleys.
Roanoke is a major city in Virginias Valley and
Ridge Region. Roanoke grew because it became a
railroad center.
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The Valley and Ridge Region
Another city of the Valley and Ridge Region is
Harrisonburg. This is a bed and breakfast hotel
in Harrisonburg. Can you see that the Valley and
Ridge Region gets quite a bit of snow in the
winter?
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Farming is the important industry in the
Shenandoah Valley, in the Valley and Ridge Region.
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Poultry is an important farm product in the
Shenandoah Valley.
Chickens and turkeys are poultry. Much of the
chicken you eat is raised in the Valley and Ridge.
What is this person holding?
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Apples are also an important farm product of the
Valley and Ridge.
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Lets review the Valley and Ridge

• Includes the Great Valley of Virginia and other
  valleys separated by ridges

• The Blue Ridge Mountains and the Valley and Ridge
  regions are part of the Appalachian mountain
  system

• Located west of the Blue Ridge Mountains

• Products poultry and apples

• Industry farming

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Virginia is divided into five geographic regions
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What are the characteristics of the Appalachian
Plateau?
What is a plateau?
A coal mining town in the Appalachian Plateau,
around 1900
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A plateau is an area of elevated (up high) land
that is flat on top.
What is a plateau?
Would you like to go four-wheeling in the
Appalachian Plateau?
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The Appalachian Plateau is located in southwest
Virginia.
The Appalachian Plateau extends into other
states, like Kentucky and Tennessee. Only a
small part of the Appalachian Plateau is in
Virginia.
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The major product of the Appalachian Plateau is
coal.
This is what coal looks like. It is a seam of
coal in between other rock.
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Coal is a mineral found in the earth. It is like
a rock, but it will burn, giving off very hot
heat.
Here a coal seam has caught fire and burns in the
mountain.
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People used to use coal a lot to heat their
houses.
Today, however, its major use is in coal-fired
power plants, where electricity is generated.
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The major product of the Appalachian Plateau is
coal.
This railroad car will carry coal from the mine
to the power plant.
Have you seen coal cars like this on the train
tracks?
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The major product of the Appalachian Plateau is
coal.
Coal miners use very heavy, dangerous equipment.
You have to be very careful.
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The major industry of the Appalachian Plateau is
coal mining.
Here we see miners in the mine in 1901.
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The major industry of the Appalachian Plateau is
coal mining.
Inside a coal mine today, a miner checks a roof
for safety. Why are mines still very dangerous
today? Do you see any safety equipment?
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Lets review the Appalachian Plateau

• Plateau an area of elevated (high) land that is
  flat on top

• Only a small part of the Appalachian Plateau is
  located in Virginia

• Located in southwest Virginia

• Product coal

• Industry coal mining

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Virginia is divided into five geographic regions