Unit 7: The West

Volcanoes, a tropical rain forest, islands, hot deserts, bubbling mud flats, glaciers, and tall mountains make the West a land of extreme environments. The Rocky Mountains stretch from Alaska to New Mexico. The Great Salt Lake is fed by many rivers and streams that deposit large quantities of salt. There are several earthquakes in this region, due to the movement of Earth's plates. Hot spots and geysers occur in several areas, including Yellowstone National Park. The Hawaiian Islands were formed because of hot spots and volcanic activity under the ocean's surface. The economy of the West is dependent on natural resources like oil, lumber, and minerals to provide jobs. Ranching and farming are also important to the economy. Hollywood, California, is famous for the entertainment and movie industry. California is also known for computer technology. Several areas in the West are known for advances in the telecommunications industry. Since there are many beautiful areas to visit, and several National Parks, tourism is important to this region.

Today, there are people from every continent that live in the eleven states of the West. The Native Americans who lived in this region had different ways of life depending on their environment. Native Americans from the mountains and plains hunted for survival. Along the Pacific coast, the people fished for salmon and built sturdy homes of cedar that grew by the coast. The Inuit further north survived the Arctic by hunting and fishing. The people who settled in Hawaii came from the South Pacific Islands about 1,000 years ago. A diverse group of people came to the West coast looking for gold. When the first transcontinental railroad was finished in 1869, more people were able to move to the west. Today, the West is one of the nation's fastest growing regions.