Syrian Civil War

The conflict in Syria has gained national headlines as governments around the world contemplate action. The crisis began with demonstrations in 2011 as part of the Arab Spring. These demonstrators wanted President Bashar al-Assad to resign and the Ba'ath Party to relinquish rule over the nation. (The Ba'ath Party is an Arab political party that gained support in the 1960's. Saddam Hussein was also a Ba'athist.) Assad's army responded with violence to quell the uprising.

Assad is supported by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah (a terrorist organization according to the United States government). The rebels' cause is supported by the Western governments, though no direct military intervention has taken place so far. The governments, including France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have supplied the rebels with arms and non-lethal aid. The rebels have also received support from Al-Qaeda affiliated groups.

In 2013, reports were released that claimed that Assad has used chemical weapons against his own people. Many governments, especially those that were sympathetic to the rebels, denounced Assad's actions. President Barack Obama of the United States declared that this act crossed a "red line." As more reports of chemical weapons use, including from France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Upon the completion of the United States' investigation and an August 21, 2013, attack on a Damascus suburb, President Obama began to move United States destroyers toward Syria. On August 29, British Parliament votes down military intervention in Syria. Nonetheless, two days later President Obama decided that the United States should intervene militarily in Syria. However, basic "principles" to diplomatically end Syria's chemical weapons programs were brokered by Russia prior to any American strike.

Croatia

• Capital: Zagreb
• Major City: Split
• Major Geographical Features
  • Adriatic Sea
  • Dalmatian Coast
  • Brac Island
  • Zagorje Hilles
  • Dinaric Alps
  • Danube River
  • Piran Bay
• Official Name: Republic of Croatia
  • Formerly the People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia
• Religion: Roman Catholic (87.8%)
• Language: Croatian (96.1%)
• 1918: Yugoslavia is formed following World War One
• 1995: Yugoslav troops leave Croatia following the a civil war which began when Croatia declared independence
• 2013: Croatia joins the European Union
• Independence: 1991 from Yugoslavia
• Government: Presidential/Parliamentary Democracy
• Currency: kuna (HRK)
• West Virginia is slightly larger than Croatia
• Literacy: 98.1%
• Climate: Mediterranean
• Exports
  • Boats
  • Machines
  • Electrical Equipment

Tallest Mountains per Continent

The following list is in order of tallest to highest mountain. So, Mt. McKinley is larger than Mt. Kilimanjaro but smaller than Aconcagua.

1. Asia
   • Mt. Everest (Nepal and China)
2. South America
   • Aconcagua (Argentina)
3. North America
   • Mt. McKinley (United States)
4. Africa
   • Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
5. Europe
   • Mt. Elbrus (Russia)
6. Oceania*
   • Mt. Wilhelm (Papua New Guinea)

*I know, I know. OCEANIA IS NOT A CONTINENT, but the true continent, Australia's, tallest mountain (Mt. Kosciuszko) is nearly half the size of Mt. Wilhelm.

Ecuador

• Capital: Quito
• Major City: Guayaquil
• Major Geographical Features
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Andes Mountains
  • Gulf of Guayquil
  • Galapagos Islands
  • Rio Putumayo
  • Rio Napo
  • Amazon Rainforest
• Official Name: Republic of Ecuador
  • Formerly
    • the Republic of the Equator
    • Grand Colombia
• Religion: Roman Catholic (95%)
• Languages:
  • Spanish
  • Quechua
• 1830: Collapse of the Grand Colombia
• 1995: Border war with Peru
• 2013: Ecuador permits oil drilling in the Amazon
• Independence: 1822 from Spain
• Government: republic
• Currency: United States dollar (USD)
• Ecuador is slightly larger than Nevada
• Literacy: 91%
• Climate: Tropical
• Smallest Andean nation
• Largest exporter of the banana
• Cotopaxi: One of the highest active volcanoes in the world
• Member of OPEC
• Exports
  • Petroleum
  • Coffee
  • Cacao
  • Bananas
  • Shrimp

Alabama: The Heart of Dixie

• Alternate Nicknames:
  • Cotton State
  • Yellowhammer State
• Capital: Montgomery
• Major Cities:
  • Birmingham
  • Huntsville
  • Mobile
• Major Geographical Features
  • Gulf of Mexico
  • Mobile BAy
  • Mobile River
  • Alabama River
  • Chattahoochee River
  • Tennessee River
  • Cumberland Plateau
  • Gulf Coastal Plain
  • Piedmont
  • Appalachian Mountains
• National Parks: none
• 1540: Hernando de Soto explores modern-day Alabama
• 1819: Alabama becomes the 22nd state
• 1861: Alabama secedes from the Union
• 1955-56: The Montgomery Bus Boycott begins when Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat
• Motto: "We Dare Defend Our Rights"
• Name Meaning: named for the Alabama Indians
• Montgomery was the original capital of the Confederate States of America
• Industries
  • Peanuts
  • Cotton
• Famous People
  • Hank Aaron
  • Helen Keller
  • Coretta Scott King
  • Rosa Parks
  • Bear Bryant
  • Charles Barkley
  • Nat King Cole
  • Harper Lee
  • Carl Lewis
  • Jesse Owens
  • Condoleezza Rice

The Rim Fire in California

There is a large wildfire that is blazing through Yosemite National Park towards San Francisco. This fire is threatening a national park as well as major urban area. If the fire continues to spread, San Francisco's water and electricity may be at risk. In fact, the situation is so bad that California governor Jerry Brown has issued a state of emergency. The fire has been called the "highest priority fire" in the United States.

UPDATE: October 2013
The fire has been put out, and has affected over 30,000 acres. The cause of the fire has been determined to be a camper's campfire.

Switzerland

• Capital: Bern
• Major Cities
  • Basel
  • Zurich
  • Lausanne
• Major Geographical Features
  • Rhone River
  • Lake Geneva
  • Jura Mountains
  • Rhaetian Alps
  • Swiss Plateau
  • Lake Zurich
  • Lake Constance
  • Rhine River
• Official Name: Swiss Confederation
• Religions:
  • Roman Catholic (41.8%)
  • Protestant (35.3%)
• Languages:
  • German (official)
  • French (official)
  • Italian (official)
• Independence: 1291, Swiss Confederation formed
• Government: federal republic-like confederation
• Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
• 2 New Jerseys are slightly larger than Switzerland
• Literacy: 99%
• Landlocked
• Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been recognized by European powers
• Composed of cantons
• St. Gothard Pass connected Germany and Italy in World War Two
• 3rd highest life expectancy
• Not part of the European Union

Vocabulary Sheet #3

1. Geyser: hot spring that shoots hot water or steam intermittently
2. Wetland: area of land covered in water
3. International Date Line: imaginary line near 180 degrees longitude where each day begins (this line is internationally agreed upon)
4. Deposition: air, water or ice laying down sediments
5. Cold Front: boundary between masses of cold air and warm air whereas the cold air mass pushes the warm air mass upwards, thus causing a storm
6. Fauna: animals
7. Saturation: when the air can contain no mire water vapor causing the water to condense, in the form of dew
8. Loess: Sediments of clay and silt that are deposited by the wind that generally appears yellowish
9. Beaufort Scale: scale developed by Francis Beaufort (British admiral) to measure wind speeds visually. The scale goes from 0 to 12, with with 0 being rather tranquil and 12 being of hurricane strength
10. Trade Winds: Winds that blow from high pressure zones of tropical areas toward the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) or doldrums

Kenya

• Capital: Nairobi
• Major Cities
  • Mombassa
  • Kisumu
  • Nakuru
• Major Geographical Features
  • Indian Ocean
  • Lake Victoria
  • Serengeti Plain
  • Great Rift VAlley
  • Lake Turkana
  • Tara River
  • Mount Kenya
  • Kenya Highlands
• Official Name: Republic of Kenya
  • Formerly British East Africa
• Religions:
  • Roman Catholic (33%)
  • Protestant (45%)
  • Indigenous beliefs (10%)
• Languages:
  • English (official)
  • Kiswahili (official)
• 1963-1978: Revered president Jomo Kenyatta leads Kenya
• Independence: 1963 from the United Kingdom
• Government: republic
• Currency: Kenyan shilling (KES)
• Kenya is slightly larger than 2 Nevadas
• Literacy: 85.1%
• Climate
  • Tropical
  • Semiarid
• 1 of the most successful African agricultural centers
• Mt. Kenya is the 2nd highest peak in Africa
• Exports
  • Petroleum
  • Tea
  • Fruits and Vegetables
• Home to 275 endangered species

European Union

• Economically and politically unites many nations of Europe
• Members
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• United Kingdom
• Capital: Brussels, Belgium
• 1952: The European Coal and Steel Community (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, West Germany)
• Shared resources to compete with the growing United States economy
• Proposed by Robert Schuman, foreign minister of France
• 1957: Treaty of Rome creates the European Economic Community
• 1967: Becomes the European Community
• 1973: Add Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom
• 1993: Maastricht Treaty establishes the European Union, sets framework for complete economic unity
• 2002: The Euro goes into effect
• Not used by Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom
• A economic downturn hit Europe (especially Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain) in the late 2000's
• For more on the EU economy, visit http://beleuz.wordpress.com/.

Massachusetts: The Bay State

• Other nickname: The Old Colony
• Capital: Boston
• Major Cities:
  • Springfield
  • Lowell
  • Worcester
• Major Geographical Features
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Massachusetts Bay
  • Cape Cod Bay
  • Nantucket Sound
  • Buzzards Bay
  • Cape Cod
  • Nantucket Island
  • Martha' s Vineyard (island)
  • Taconic Mountains
  • Berkshire Hills
  • Connecticut River
  • St. Charles River
  • Merrimack River
• National Parks: none
• 1620: Pilgrims establish colony at Plymouth
• 1634: Boston Common is established
  • Boston Common is the oldest public park in the United States
• 1636: Harvard University established
  • Harvard is the oldest university in the United States
• 1653: 1st public library in America established
• 1775: American Revolution begins at Lexington and Concord
• 1788: Massachusetts becomes the 6th state
• 1806: The African Meeting House in Boston is built
  • It is the first church built by free African-Americans
• Motto: "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty"
• Name Meaning: "Great Mountain Place" in an unknown Native American dialect
• Industries:
  • Cranberries
    • Massachusetts yields the nation's largest cranberry crop
  • Clams, oysters, and lobsters
  • Tourism
• Salem is famous for its witch trials in the 17th century
• 1st American railroad is in Quincy, Massachusetts
• Massachusetts is home to 65 public and private colleges and univerities
• The USS Constitution in Boston is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat in the world
• Famous People
  • John Adams
  • John Quincy Adams
  • John F. Kennedy
  • George H.W. Bush
  • Samuel Adams
  • Emily Dickenson
  • Benjamin Franklin
  • John Hancock
  • Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
  • Paul Revere

Vocabulary Sheet #2

1. Steppe: plain with a lot of short grass
2. Oxbow Lake: crescent-shaped lake formed by a meander being bypassed
3. Aquaclude: underground rock layer that groundwater cannot pass through
4. Contrail: line of condensation in the sky that follows an airplane; made of water droplets and ice particles
   • AKA condensation trail
5. Soil: portion of Earth's surface that is occupied by roots and made of minerals, organisms, gas, humus, water, and rock
6. Humus: decomposed plant and animal material in the soil
7. Karst: landscape made of underground limestone caverns formed by groundwater
8. Tundra: cold region made of low-growing plants
9. Humidity: water vapor in the air
10. Canyon: deep valley with steep sides formed by a river

Republic of the Congo

• Capital: Brazzaville
• Major Cities: Pointe-Noire
• Major Geographical Features
  • Lower Guinea
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Alima River
  • Sangha River
  • Congo River
  • Ubangi River
  • Stanley Pool
• Formerly: Middle Congo
• Religions:
  • Christian (50%)
  • Animism (48%)
• Languages:
  • French (official)
  • Lingala
  • Monokutuba
  • Local dialects
• 1965-1990: Experiments with Marxism
• 1997: Civil war restores Marxist president
• 2002: New constitution
• Independence: 1960 from France
• Government: republic
• Currency: Central African Franc (XAF)
• Montana is slightly larger than Congo
• Literacy: 83.8%
• Climate: Tropical
• 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or the railroad in between
• Exports
  • Petroleum
  • Lumber
  • Plywood
  • Sugar
  • Cacao
  • Coffee
  • Diamonds

Mexico

• Capital: Mexico City
• Major Cities
  • Monterrey
  • Guadalajara
  • Puebla
  • Tijuana
  • Cancun
• Major Geographical Features
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Bay of Campeche
  • Caribbean Sea
  • Gulf of Tehuanepec
  • Gulf of California
  • Rio Grande
  • Baja California
  • Yucutan Peninsula
  • Sierra Madre Occidenals (Mountains)
  • Sierra Madre Orientals (Mountains)
  • Sierra Madre del Sur (Mountains)
• Official Name: United Mexican States
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Languages:
  • Spanish
  • Mayan
  • Nahuatl
• 1994: Economic crisis causes the severe devaluation of the peso
• Independence: 1810 from Spain
• Government: federal republic
• Currency: Mexican peso
• 3 Texases are slightly larger than Mexico
• Literacy: 91%
• Climate: Tropical desert
• The Tropic of Cancer passes through Mexico
• Exports
  • Silver
    • Mexico produces the most silver in the world
  • Oil and Natural Gas
    • makes up 1/3 of government revenues

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in North Carolina and Tennessee
• Established 1934
• These mountains are some of the oldest on Earth, about 4,567 million years ago
• Covers 521,490 acres
• One of the busiest national parks: 9 million visitors per year
• Home to an international biosphere reserve
• Open year-round
  • Many people visit in late summer and early fall to see the leaves of the deciduous plants
• The mountains are "smoky" because of water and hydrocarbons released by leaves of the deciduous plants
• Tallest Concrete Dam east of the Rockies: Fontana Dam in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=11746&picture=great-smoky-mountains-national-park

Syria

• Capital: Damascus
• Major City: Halab (Aleppo)
• Major Geographical Features
  • Mediterranean Sea
  • Orontes River
  • Euphrates River
  • Lake al-Assad
  • Tigris River
  • Abu Rujmayn Mountains
  • Mount Hermon
  • Syrian Desert
  • Golan Heights
• Official Name: Syrian Arab Republic
• Religion: Sunni Muslim (74%)
• Language: Arabic (official)
• 1919: Becomes French mandate following World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire
• 1967: Arab-Israeli War results in Syria's loss of the Golan Heights
• 1976: Sends peacekeeping forces to Lebanon
• 2011: Civil war begins
  • Rebels include some Islamic militants and al Qaeda backed groups
    • The question of aiding the rebels has become an international issue. The United States, France, and Britain are considering becoming involved in support of the rebels, but have not provided lethal weapons yet.
  • President Bashar al-Assad is backed by Iran and Russia
  • 2013: President Assad is accused of using chemical warfare
• Formerly the United Arab Republic with Egypt in opposition of Israel
• Independence: 1946 from France
• Government: republic under an authoritarian regime
• Currency: Syrian pound (SYP)
• Syria is slightly larger than North Dakota
• Literacy: 79.6%
• Climate: Desert
• Aleppo claims to be the oldest inhabited settlement
• 80 miles of Mediterranean coastline

New York: The Empire State

• Capital: Albany
• Major Cities:
  • New York city
  • Buffalo
  • Rochester
  • Syracuse
• Major Geographical Features
  • Lake Erie
  • Lake Ontario
  • Finger Lakes
  • Niagara Falls
  • Mohawk River
  • Delaware River
  • Hudson River
  • St. Lawrence River
  • Adirondack Mountains
  • Catskill Mountains
  • Long Island
  • Long Island Sound
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Allegheny Plateau
• National Parks: none
• 1664: The British seize present-day New York from the Dutch
• 1785-1790: New York City serves as the nation's capital
• 1788: New York becomes the 11th state
• 1825: The Erie Canal makes New York City a major port
• Sept. 11, 2001: The World Trade Center is destroyed in a terrorist attack
• Motto: "Ever Upward"
• Name Meaning: Named for the English Duke of York
• The Military Academy is located in West Point, New York
• The United Nations' headquarters is in New York City
• Industries
  • Publishing
  • Financing
  • Machinery
• 1st state to preserve an historic site, establish a state park, and declare land "forever wild" (all in its state constitution)
• 1st railroad in the United States connected Albany and Schenectady
• Famous People
  • Martin van Buren
  • Millard Fillmore
  • Theodore Roosevelt
  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt
  • Michael Jordan
  • Norman Rockwell
  • Walt Whitman
  • Lady Gaga
  • Lou Gehrig
  • Herman Melville
  • Colin Powell
  • John D. Rockefeller
  • Elizabeth Ann Seton

Free Market America or Corporate States of America?

steve-lovelace.com

Steve Lovelace has created a map of the United States by illustrating the largest company in that state title "The Corporate States of America". Its purpose is social commentary, but its affect is up for debate. Lovelace feels that as these companies grow, the power of the state diminishes to the point where the companies rule the state. Personally, I find this claim to be unfounded. Lovelace has showcased what makes America unique. In America, businesses thrive because of a free market economy. These businesses were built with hard work and are American success stories and must be celebrated. The notion that they are taking over the government is as crazy as a fear that aliens will kill us all.

What do you think? Comment below!

Vocabulary Sheet #1

1. Aa: Hawaiian word for sharp, pointy lava flow (opposite of pahoehoe)
2. Yazoo: tributary that is parallel to the river into which it flows until the confluence (named for the Yazoo River of Mississippi)
3. Stream: small body of water similar to a river
4. Flora: plants
5. Isobar: lines used to show atmospheric pressure on a map; each line symbolizes a different level of pressure
6. Reg: rocky desert (opposite of erg)
7. Abrasion: eroding of rock by the rock being hit with sand from the wind or being carried away by a stream or river
8. Eye: calm center of a storm or hurricane; very low pressure
9. Mesa: flat-topped hill with steep sides; bigger than a butte (the Spanish word for "table" is mesa)
10. Abyssal Plain: flat area of the ocean floor

5 New World Heritage Sites

UNESCO has announced 5 new World Heritage Sites! They include Mount Etna, Xinjian Tianshan Mountain range, Namib Sand Sea, and El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere reserve. Click the link for pictures and more information!

Iowa: The Hawkeye State

• Capital: Des Moines
• Major Cities:
  • Sioux City
  • Cedar Rapids
  • Davenport
  • Waterloo
• Major Geographical Features
  • Missouri River
  • Big Sioux River
  • Des Moines River
  • Mississippi River
  • Great Plains
  • Northwest Iowa Plains
  • Southern Drift Plains
  • Des Moines Lobe
  • Paleozoic Plateau
• National Parks: none
• 1803: Present-day Iowa acquired in the Louisiana Purchase
• 1833: 1st settlement in Dubuque
• 1846: Iowa becomes the 29th state
• Name Meaning: "The Beautiful Land" in the language of the Iowa Indians
• Motto: "Our liberties we price and our rights we maintain"
• The red delicious apple was developed in East Peru, Iowa
• Capitol building dome is covered in 23 karat gold leaf
• 92% of Iowa is farm land
• Industries
  • Corn
  • Hogs
  • Soybeans
• Famous People
  • Buffalo Bill
  • Herbert Hoover
  • Johnny Carson
  • Zach Johnson
  • Lolo Jones
  • Ashton Kutcher

Portugal

• Capital: Lisbon
• Major City: Porto
• Major Geographical Features
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Gulf of Cadiz
  • Tagus River
  • Guadiana River
  • Douro River
  • Serra da Estrela
  • Algarve
  • Cape of St. Vincent
• Official Name: Portuguese Republic
• Religion: Roman Catholic
• Language: Portuguese
• 1755: Earthquake destroys Lisbon
• 1807-1822: Portugal loses much of its wealth during the Napoleonic Wars and the independence of Brazil
• 1910: Revolution overthrows monarchy and establishes a republic
• 1975: Grants independence to all its African colonies
• 1985: Joins European Economic Community (later becomes the European Union)
• 2011: Negotiates a loan with the International Monetary Fund and the European Union to help with a large government debt
• Independence: 1143, the Kingdom of Portugal recognized
• Government: republic, parliamentary democracy
• Currency: euro (EUR)
• Indiana is slightly larger than Portugal
• Literacy: 93.5%
• Climate: Maritime Temperate
• Home to 1/3 of the world's cork oak trees resulting in producing 1/2 of the world's cork
• Westernmost nation on the European mainland
• 1/3 of Portugal's population lives in Lisbon or Porto

YouTube Channel

We are proud to to announce that Average Geo's has a YouTube channel! We will be posting videos periodically. The videos that we will post will have better, more in-depth maps than that on our site. Our first video is on Massachusetts. Enjoy!

Australia

• Capital: Canberra
• Major Cities
  • Sydney
  • Birsbane
  • Alice Springs
  • Perth
  • Darwin
  • Adelaide
  • Melbourne
• Major Geographical Features
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Great Australian Bight
  • Coral Sea
  • Indian Ocean
  • Lake Eyre
  • Murray River
  • Darling River
  • Tasmania
  • Uluru
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Great Dividing Range
• Official Name: Commonwealth of Australia
• Religions:
  • Anglican
  • Roman Catholic
  • Other Christian denominations
• Languages:
  • English
  • Native languages
• 1788: Penal colony established in Australia
• 1945-2000: 6 million people immigrated to Australia
• 2014: Australian police carry out the largest anti-terrorism operation in Australian history, arresting 15 ISIS-linked terrorists who planned to attack innocent civilians in Australian cities
• Independence: 1901 from the United Kingdom
• Government: federal parliamentary democracy
• Currency: Australian Dollar
• The 48 contiguous states are slightly larger than Australia
• Literacy: 99%
• Climate: arid and semi-arid
• Smallest Continent
  • 6th Largest Nation
• Population centered along east and southeast coast
  • 70% of the population lives along a coast
• "The Doctor": tropical sea breeze along the west coast that blows all summer
• Major contributor to the United Kingdom's cause in both World Wars
• over 130 species of marsupials
  • 30 million kangaroos
• Uluru: sacred to the Aborigines
• Nickname: Land Down Under
• Great Barrier Reef: largest reef in the world
• Australian Desert: 2nd largest desert in the world
• Australia has one of the highest living standards in the world
• Murray-Darling river basin occupies 14% of the land

Largest Nation per Continent

• Largest Nations in Africa
  1. Algeria
  2. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  3. Sudan
  4. Libya
  5. Chad
• Largest Nations in Asia
  1. Russia
  2. China
  3. India
  4. Kazakhstan
  5. Saudi Arabia
• Largest Nations in Europe
  1. Russia
  2. Ukraine
  3. France
  4. Spain
  5. Sweden
• Largest Nations in North America
  1. Canada
  2. United States
  3. Mexico
  4. Nicaragua
  5. Honduras
• Largest Nations in South America
  1. Brazil
  2. Argentina
  3. Peru
  4. Colombia
  5. Bolivia
• Largest Nations in Oceania*
  1. Australia
  2. Papua New Guinea
  3. New Zealand
  4. Solomon Islands
  5. Fiji

*I KNOW. I KNOW. Oceania is a REGION, NOT A CONTINENT. Australia is the true continent, but it wouldn't be any fun if there was only one nation in a continent in these lists!

Missouri: The Show Me State

• Alternate Nickname: Gateway to the West
• Capital: Jefferson City
• Major Cities:
  • St. Louis
  • Kansas City
  • Columbia
  • Springfield
  • Independence
  • Branson
• Major Geographical Features
  • Mississippi River
  • Missouri River
  • Lake of the Ozarks
  • Ozark Plateau
  • Osage Plains
  • St. Francis Mountains
• National Parks: none
• 1803: Present-day Missouri is acquired through the Louisiana Purchase
• 1820: Missouri Compromise allows slavery to be legal in Missouri Territory despite being north of the 36 degree, 30 minute north parallel because Maine would become a free state
• 1821: Missouri becomes the 24th state
• 1863: The Pony Express begins in St. Joseph, Missouri
• 2014: National attention turns to Ferguson, Missouri for the death of Michael Brown and the ensuing riots
• Motto: "The Welfare of the People Shall Be Supreme Law"
• Name Meaning: "Large Canoes" in the Missouri tribe dialect; the state's name honors this tribe
• Despite being a slave state, Missouri did not secede from the Union
• The Santa Fe and Oregon Trails began in Independence, Missouri
• The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is the tallest monument in the United States
• Branson resort is a popular destination for country music fans
• Bagnell Dam crosses the Osage River. It creates one of the largest man-made lakes in the world
• Present-day Missouri has belonged to 3 nations:
  • Spain (1767-1800)
  • France (1800-1803)
  • United States (1803-present)
• Famous People
  • Harry S. Truman
  • Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)
  • George Washington Carver
  • Maya Angelou
  • Rush Limbaugh
  • Langston Hughes
  • James C. Penny

Michigan: The Wolverine State

• Alternate Nicknames: Great Lakes State
• Capital: Lansing
• Major Cities:
  • Detroit
  • Grand Rapids
  • Flint
  • Saginaw
  • Ann Arbor
  • Sault Ste. Marie
  • Sterling Heights
• Major Geographical Features
  • Upper Peninsula
  • Lower Peninsula
  • Lake Superior
  • Lake Huron
  • Lake Michigan
  • Lake Erie
  • Grand River
  • Saginaw Bay
  • Green Bay
  • Mackinac Strait
  • Hiawatha National Forest
• National Parks: Isle Royale National Park
• 1796: Britain finally agrees to give up Michigan following the American Revolution (they had previously refused
• 1837: Michigan becomes the 26th state
• 1903: Henry Ford establishes the Ford Motor Company in Detroit
  • Michigan is the United States' leading auto producer
• 1906: Kellogg's is founded in Battle Creek, Michigan
• 1997-2003: Michigan attracts 10,229 business projects (best in the nation)
• 2013: Detroit becomes the largest city in the United States to file for bankrupcy
• Motto: "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around you."
• Name Meaning: "Great Lake" in Ojibwa
• Industries
  • Automobiles
  • Dairy
  • Cereal
  • Minerals
• 2nd longest coastline (after Alaska)
• Borders all the Great Lakes except for Lake Ontario
• Mackinac Bridge connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas and is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world
• Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake completely within the United States
• 500,000 jobs in Michigan are connected to motor vehicles
• The Upper Peninsula is primarily lakes and forests
• Famous People
  • Henry Ford
  • Magic Johnson
  • W. K. Kellogg
  • Jack Kevorkian
  • Charles Lindbergh
  • Kid Rock
  • Mitt Romney
  • Chris Van Allsburg

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

• Located in western North Dakota in the badlands
  • 130 miles from Bismarck
• Established on November 10, 1978
• 1883: Teddy Roosevelt first arrives in North Dakota
• Covers 70,447 acres
• Named after President Theodore Roosevelt
• Home to scenic cliffs, gullies, and hills formed by deposition
• The rainy spring creates bright wildflowers
• The Little Missouri River runs through the national park
• Home to various types of wildlife, including bison, elk, and eagles
• Open year-round but parts may be closed during the winter
• Other Attractions:
  • Elkhorn Ranch
  • Peaceful Valley

Climate Types

When you see a climate heading in some of the other posts, this page is the best to refer to to understand what they mean.

• Tropical Moist (rainforest): high humidity and rainfall
• Wet-Dry Tropical (savannah): characterized by a wet season and a dry season
• Tropical Monsoon: characterized by high temperatures and a lot of precipitation year-round
• Dry Tropical (desert): intense heat, arid
• Dry Mid-latitude (steppe): dry, semiarid, cold winters
• Mediterranean (chaparral): characterized by a wet winter and a dry summer
• Dry Mid-latitude (grassland): dry, characterized by cold winters and warm summers
• Marine West Coast: characterized by a lot of rain year-round and few temperature extremes
• Moist Continental (deciduous forest): characterized by large temperature changes between seasons
• Boreal Forest (taiga): characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers; rather humid
• Tundra: characterized by long, severe winters
• Highland (alpine): found in mountain ranges and generally take on the characteristics of the next-closest climate