South
Vocabulary
Mangroves trees
Mangroves are tropical trees that grow in swampy ground along coastal areas.
Bayou
Bayous is a marshy inlet or outlet of a lake or a river.
Sunbelt
The sunbelt is where the southern and southwestern states of the United States, from the Carolina, characterized by a warm climate and, recently, rapid population growth.
Fall line
The fall line is an imaginary line between the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic coastal plain.
Soil in the South
What two climate characteristics have led to dense vegetation in the South?
The warm wet and semiarid climate have led to dense vegetation in the South. As a region, the South stands out from the rest of the country because of its humid, subtropical climate and the lush, mixed forests that are common to most of its areas. Since the South's location is closer to the Equator it makes it warmer than other regions in the United States farther north. In addition, weather systems moving north from the Golf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea bring ample precipitation to most of the region.
What role has water power played in the southern economy? How have oil resources affected the economy of the region?
Water takes the role of helping grow trees and making the soil fertile in the South. Water has played a role in the southern economy because cities sprang up along the waterfalls on the fall line in both the Northeast and the South. Textile mills were built close to farms that grew cotton when the United States was just started. The oil industry in the South began in eastern Texas in 1901. Some of the United States' largest oil reserves are located in the region. By the 1960s and 1970s, that industry was bringing great wealth to the region.
Why have businesses and people from other countries or parts of the United States migrated to the South?
Businesses and people from other countries or parts of the Unites States migrate to the South because industrial plants are newer, land cheaper, the labor costs cheaper, and because of the job opportunities.
How was the geography and history of the South helped to create a diverse population that contiues to grow?
During the 1970s the South's population increased in number more than that of any other region of the country-an approximate increase of 7 million, or about 20 percent. By 1990, three of the largest cities in the nation were located in the South-Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. By 1995, Texas was second only to California as most populous state in the United States. In present day over half of the nation's African American population lives in the South. Slavery was abolished after the Civil War, during which thousands of African American migrated to the Northeast from the South in search of jobs. Another large percent of population is Hispanics who have moved from Mexico and Latin American countries. Cubans have settled in the Miami area since 1960, after the Communist takeover of their homeland.