Sunday, December 8, 2013

Chapter 20: Hawaii

Hawaii is the youngest of the 50 United States and is the only state entirely made up of islands. (Wikipedia) It is the eighth smallest state as well as the eleventh least populated state in the U.S. It offers beautiful scenery, a tropical climate year round, a variety of public beaches and is home to over 1,500 miles of volcanoes. over seven million tourists visit the islands per year many of which visit for the year round mild weather the state has to offer. The tropical state is located just 2,479 miles away from Los Angeles. 

Chapter 19: California

California is a state located at the very western end of the United States. It the most populous of the 50 states with roughly 38 million people living there. It is home to eight of the fifty most populated cities which includes Los Angeles. California also houses the both the highest and lowest points in the United States with Mount Whitney and Death Valley. About 37,000 earthquakes are reported annually in the state. California is responsible for producing half of the United States fruit supply and is the leader in vegetable production. 
WELCOME TO THE GOLDEN STATE!

Chapter 17: Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is a region of western North America bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. Although there have been disagreements over the actual definition of the exact boundaries that make up the Pacific Northwest. The Northwest is highly geologically active with seven active volcanoes and geological faults. Active volcanoes include Mount Garibaldi, Mount Baker, Mount Rainier, Mount Saint Helens, Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, and Mount Shasta. Mount Saint Helens last erupted in 1980. Unlike The Pacific Northwest, Los Angeles is not home to any active volcanoes but is located just east of the San Andreas Fault. 

Chapter 16: Intermontane



Chapter 15- The Rocky Mountains

The Rocky mountains are defined as a range of mountains that stretch 3,000 miles from the northernmost part of British Columbia to New Mexico in the southern United States. The "Rockies" were formed about 80 to 55 million years ago according to wikipedia, and draw millions of tourists every year. Tourists can enjoy opportunities to hike, camp, and participate in mountain sports, when visiting the Rocky Mountains. In L.A. tourists are invited to enjoy a wide variety of activity from outdoor excursions through hiking and water sports to walking down Hollywood Blvd and visiting some of the main attractions the iconic city has to offer. Los Angeles hosts about 40 million tourists every year. 


Chapter 14: The Great Plains

Spread across ten of the United States, the Great Plains lie west of the Mississippi River and East of the Rocky Mountains. The Plains experience very cold and harsh winters as well as very hot and humid summers and suffer through a dust storm almost every year. The Great Plains also host lightning storms through the spring and summer and are also home to the famous "tornado alley" which is the most active tornado region of the world. Los Angeles, as mentioned before have four distinct seasons with summers being sunny and only reaching highs of about 90 degrees and low fifties for the winter season. Unlike the Great Plains, Los Angeles' main concern are not tornadoes, but mainly Earthquakes as it is located in the state that houses the San Andreas Fault.

Chapter 13: The Mid West 

The North Central Region, or the "Mid West" of the United States consists of twelve states including:Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Divided into two regions when collecting data for the census, the mid west is home to 65,377,684 people. The political views of those who live in this area tend to swing back and forth between Democratic and Republican thus making them crucial to the outcomes of elections. Los Angeles is home to 3.858 million Americans, however the area is majority in favor of the Democratic party as it is located in one of the most Democratic states; California. 

Chapter 12: The Ozarks

The Ozarks make up the geologic highland region of the central United States and are commonly referred to as the Ozark Mountains. The Ozarks have several large lakes that were created by dams across the White and Black rivers; the dams generate electricity. The scenic Ozarks, with forests, streams, and mineral springs, are a popular tourist region, and the construction of summer homes there has grown. Los Angeles is also home to multiple lakes including, among others, Castaic Lake, Pyramid Lake, and Malibou Lake which host tourists year round as well. 


Chapter 11- Gulf Coast Plains, Mississippi

The Gulf Coast Plains reach from the western Florida Panhandle, across Alabama while stretching over most of Mississippi while taking over some of western Tennessee, Kentucky, southwest Arkansas, Louisiana, the southeast corner of Oklahoma, and Texas. According to Landscope.org, The Gulf Plains have remained occupied by plants and animals due to the fact that it has never been glaciated and is one of the most bio diverse ecoregions in North America. The ecoregion is home to many species including vascular plants, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Various types of each of those spieces are only known to this region and remain limited even in the area. Unlike the Gulf Coast Plains ecoregion, Los Angeles, while being home to many animal species, is not home to a specific species that only inhabits particularly in this city. 



Saturday, October 12, 2013

Chapter 10: Florida

 Welcome to the "Sunshine State" Florida. This southeastern state is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida. The prevalent climate of Florida is humid subtropical, while the coastal areas have a true tropical climate. In addition, summer highs in the state rarely exceed 100*F and the maxima cold have been 30*F. Florida is known to have hurricanes which doesn't help the 20 million people that live there (uscensus.gov). Also the racial make-up consist of: 75% Whites, 16% Blacks and  2.4 Asian American. Shockingly, tourism makes up the largest sector of the state economy. Tourist visit attractions such as amusement parks and beach towns. On the same note, Los Angeles attracts tourist from all the world to places like Hollywood and Universal Studios.

Just like Florida, Hollywood attracts millions of people from all over the world.


Chapter 9: South Atlantic

The South Atlantic ecological system includes forest and marshy grasslands off the coast. The region's climate features hot, humid, rainy summers and mild winters. Its tobacco agriculture is still thriving even after the end of slavery. Other resources that are grown are cotton, rice, and indigo. When it comes to racial makeup, the population has a distinct black-white racial profile. Unfortunately, Los Angeles weather, racial make-up, and ecological systems all contrast with the South Atlantic.  L.A.'s climate features a Mediterranean climate (hot summer/ cool winters) and a melting pot of different races.

Tobacco has been a cash-crop in the South Atlantic for centuries

Madi Gras in Louisiana. The South Atlantic has culture