NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Appalachian Mountain

The Appalachian Mountains (French: les Appalaches) are a vast system of North American mountains, partly in Canada, but mostly in the United States, forming a zone, from 100 to 300 miles wide, running from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, 1,500 miles south-westward to central Alabama in the United States (with foothills in northeastern Mississippi), although the northernmost mainland portion ends at the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec. The system is divided into a series of ranges, with the individual mountains averaging around 3,000 ft (900 m). The highest of the group is Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina (2,040m, 6,684 ft.), which is the highest point in the United States east of the Mississippi River as well as the second highest point in eastern North America. Image File history File links Smokies3517. ... Image File history File links Smokies3517. ... A rainy day in the Great Smoky Mountains, Western North Carolina Appalachian Mountain system The Great Smoky Mountains are a major mountain range in the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains, the second ridge line forming a north-south running mountain chain from the eastern seaboard and bordering the western... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Motto: Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei (Latin: Seek ye first the kingdom of God) Official languages None Capital St. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area Ranked 30th - Total 52,423 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Area Ranked 32nd - Total 48,434 sq. ... NASA satellite image of the GaspÃ© Peninsula. ... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Official languages French Flower White garden lily Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Lieutenant-Governor Lise Thibault Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Parliamentary representation - House seat - Senate seats 75 24 Area Total - Land - Water (% of total) Ranked 2nd 1,542,056 kmÂ² 1,183... For other mountains named Mitchell, see Mount Mitchell. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude this page lists lengths between 1 km and 10 km (103 and 104 m). ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest river in the United States; the longest is the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi. ...

The term Appalachia is used to refer to different regions associated with the mountain range. Most broadly, it refers to the entire mountain range with its surrounding hills and the dissected plateau region. However, the term is often used more restrictively to refer to regions in the central and southern Appalachian Mountains, usually including areas in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina, and sometimes extending as far south as northern Georgia and western South Carolina, as far north as Pennsylvania, and as far west as southeastern Ohio. Appalachian Region of the U.S., as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission Appalachian zones of the US - USGS Appalachia is a term used to include a region stretching from the state of New York to Alabama that surrounds the Appalachian mountains. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area Ranked 37th - Total 40,444 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 kmÂ² 195 km 710 km 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Area Ranked 40th - Total 34,726 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Columbus Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area Ranked 34th - Total 44,825 sq. ...

Regions

The whole system may be divided into three great sections: the Northern, from Newfoundland, Canada to the Hudson river; the Central, from the Hudson Valley to that of New River (Great Kanawha), in Virginia and West Virginia; and the Southern, from New River onwards. The northern section includes the Shickshock Mountains and Notre Dame Range in Quebec, scattered elevations in Maine, the White Mountains and the Green Mountains; the central comprises, besides various minor groups, the Valley Ridges between the Front of the Allegheny Plateau and the Great Appalachian Valley, the New York-New Jersey Highlands and a large portion of the Blue Ridge; and the southern consists of the prolongation of the Blue Ridge, the Unaka Range, and the Valley Ridges adjoining the Cumberland Plateau, with some lesser ranges. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (432x613, 55 KB)The Appalachians - USGS http://3dparks. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (432x613, 55 KB)The Appalachians - USGS http://3dparks. ... Download high resolution version (800x784, 472 KB)Relief Map: Cumberland Plateau, West Virginia and Ridge and Valley region of Virginia Image is Shaded Relief Imagery, derived from the US Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset, modified by Pollinator. ... Download high resolution version (800x784, 472 KB)Relief Map: Cumberland Plateau, West Virginia and Ridge and Valley region of Virginia Image is Shaded Relief Imagery, derived from the US Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset, modified by Pollinator. ... Appalachian geologic fault Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Pollinator 05:52, Sep 19, 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Appalachian geologic fault Image copyleft: Image taken by me, released under GFDL Pollinator 05:52, Sep 19, 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Map Location in Pennsylvania Political Statistics Founded c. ... Shickshock Mountains, range of the Appalachian system, E Que. ... The Notre Dame Mountains are a portion of the Appalachian Mountains extending into Canada off the Green Mountains. ... This article is about the White Mountains of New Hampshire. ... The Green Mountains may refer to: The Green Mountains in Vermont in the United States extending into southern Quebec in Canada. ... The Allegheny Plateau is a large, dissected plateau area in southern New York, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. ... Among the locations known as The Great Valley is one in the eastern United States of America, lying behind the first ridge of mountains (the Blue Ridge) extending from New York to Georgia. ... Blue Ridge Mountains, Shinning Rock Wilderness Area Blue Ridge Mountains (NPS) Most of the rocks that form the Blue Ridge Mountains, United States, are ancient granitic and metamorphosed volcanic formations, some exceeding one billion years in age. ... The Unaka Range is a southern mountain range of the Appalachian Mountains that follows the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. ... The Cumberland Plateau includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia in the United States. ...

The major ranges comprising the Appalachian system include the Long Range Mountains and Annieopsquotch Mountains in Newfoundland, the Notre Dame Mountains in New Brunswick and Quebec, the Longfellow Mountains in Maine, the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the Green Mountains in Vermont, the Taconic Mountains in New York and Massachusetts, the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts, the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians in The Poconos Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia, and the Blue Ridge Mountains that run from southern Pennsylvania to northern Georgia. The Long Range Mountains are a series of mountains along the west coast of the Canadian island of Newfoundland. ... The Annieopsquotch Mountains are located in the southwestern interior of Newfoundland, east of Bay St. ... The Notre Dame Mountains are a portion of the Appalachian Mountains extending into Canada off the Green Mountains. ... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope restored) Official languages English, French Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Lieutenant-Governor HermÃ©nÃ©gilde Chiasson Premier Bernard Lord (PC) Parliamentary representation - House seat - Senate seats 10 10 Area Total â€¢ Land â€¢ Water (% of total) Ranked 11th 72 908 kmÂ² 71 450 kmÂ² 1 458 km... The Longfellow Mountains, named after the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1959, are a interrupted Mountain range in the state of Maine, running from the western Maine, north of Fryeburg to the east of Maine. ... Official language(s) None Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 39th 33,414 sq mi 86,542 kmÂ² 190 miles 305 km 320 miles 515 km 13. ... This article is about the White Mountains of New Hampshire. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area Ranked 46th - Total 9,359 sq. ... The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. ... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area Ranked 43rd - Total 9,620 sq. ... The Taconic Mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State, United States. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area Ranked 27th - Total 54,520 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Boston Largest city Boston Area Ranked 44th - Total 10,555 sq. ... The Berkshires (pronounced as berk-shurs) are a branch of the Appalachian Mountains, centered in Western Massachusetts (with portions located in the adjacent states of Vermont, New York, and Connecticut), often referred to as the Berkshire Hills. ... The Allegheny Mountains are a part of the Appalachian mountain range of the eastern United States. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area Ranked 42nd - Total 12,417 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq. ... The Ridge-and-valley Appalachians are a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from northern New Jersey westward into Pennsylvania and southward into Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. ... The Poconos, or the Pocono Mountains region, is a mountainous region of about 2,400 square miles (6,200 kmÂ²) located in northeastern Pennsylvania, approximately 30 miles north of Allentown. ... Blue Ridge Mountains, Shinning Rock Wilderness Area Blue Ridge Mountains (NPS) Most of the rocks that form the Blue Ridge Mountains, United States, are ancient granitic and metamorphosed volcanic formations, some exceeding one billion years in age. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ...

The Adirondack Mountains are sometimes considered part of the Appalachian chain but, geologically speaking, are a southern extension of the Laurentian Mountains of Canada. Eagle Lake, Adirondack region The Adirondack mountain range is a group of mountains in the northeastern part of New York that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, and Warren counties. ... The Laurentian mountains (French: Laurentides) are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. ...

In addition to the true folded mountains, known as the ridge and valley province, the area of dissected plateau Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania) to the north and west of the mountains is usually grouped with them. This includes the Catskill Mountains of southeastern New York, and the Allegheny Plateau of southwestern New York, western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia. This same plateau is known as the Cumberland Plateau in southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, western Virginia, and eastern Tennessee. The Ridge-and-valley Appalachians are a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from northern New Jersey westward into Pennsylvania and southward into Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. ... Shaded relief map of Cumberland Plateau and Ridge and Valley Appalachians on the Virginia/West Virginia border A dissected plateau is an area that has been uplifted, then severely eroded so that the relief is sharp. ... The Blue Mountain area ; Not shown to the west is Hawk Mountain area . Blue Mountain, is the prominent, most southeastern Appalachian ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley Province of Pennsylvania. ... Catskill Escarpment and Blackhead Range as seen from Overlook Mountain The Catskill Mountains (also known as simply the Catskills) a natural area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are not, despite their popular name, true geological mountains, but rather a mature dissected plateau... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area Ranked 27th - Total 54,520 sq. ... The Allegheny Plateau is a large, dissected plateau area in southern New York, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. ... Official language(s) None Capital Largest city Columbus Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area Ranked 34th - Total 44,825 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq. ... The Cumberland Plateau includes much of eastern Kentucky and western West Virginia in the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area Ranked 37th - Total 40,444 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 kmÂ² 195 km 710 km 2. ...

The dissected plateau area, while not actually made up of geological mountains, is popularly called "mountains", especially in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia, and while the ridges are not high, the terrain is extremely rugged. In Ohio and New York, some of the plateau has been glaciated, which has rounded off the sharp ridges, and filled the valleys to some extent. The glaciated regions are usually referred to as hill country rather than mountains. Mount McKinley (Denali) in Alaska (USA) has the largest visible base-to-summit elevation difference on Earth. ...

The Appalachian region is generally considered the geographical dividing line between the eastern seaboard of the United States and the Midwest region of the country. The Eastern Continental Divide follows the Appalachian Mountains from Pennsylvania to Georgia. Categories: US geography stubs ... The Midwest is a common name for a region of the United States of America. ... The Eastern Divide or Eastern Continental Divide is a continental divide in the United States that separates the Gulf of Mexico drainage from the watersheds that flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ...

Before the French and Indian War, the Appalachian Mountains lay on the indeterminate boundary between Britain's colonies along the Atlantic and French areas centered in the Mississippi basin. After the French and Indian War, the Proclamation of 1763 restricted settlement for Great Britain's thirteen original colonies in North America to east of the summit line of the mountains (except in the northern regions where the Great Lakes formed the boundary). This was strongly resented by backcountry settlers, especially in Virginia and the Carolinas, who desired to move into the celebrated lands of Kentucky. The Proclamation should be seen as one of the grievances which led to the American Revolutionary War, in so much as it made England seem like a distant tyrannical ruler indifferent to the reality of its colonists. The backcountry settlers who fought in the Illinois campaign of George Rogers Clark were motivated to fight largely because they desired to settle in Kentucky and north of the Ohio river, in direct violation of the colonial law and any number of treaties between Britain and Native American nations. The conflict resulted in Frances loss of most of its possessions in North America. ... The conflict resulted in Frances loss of most of its possessions in North America. ... The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued October 7, 1763 by the British government in the name of King George III to prohibit settlement by British colonists beyond the Appalachian Mountains in the lands captured by Britain from France in the French and Indian War/Seven Years War and to... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States-Canadian border. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Netherlands, Spain, Native Americans Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, Native Americans Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene William Howe, Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775â€“1783), also known as the American War of Independence,[1] was a conflict that... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area â€“ Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 kmÂ² Population â€“ Total (mid... Clark as painted by Matthew Harris Jouett in 1825 George Rogers Clark (November 19, 1752 â€“ February 13, 1818) was the preeminent American military leader on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. ...

With the formation of the United States of America, an important first phase of westward expansion in the late 18th century and early 19th century consisted of the migration of European-descended settlers westward across the mountains into the Ohio Valley through the Cumberland Gap and other mountain passes. The Erie Canal, finished in 1825, formed the first route through the Appalachians that was capable of large amounts of commerce. Manifest Destiny, meaning obvious (or undeniable) fate was a belief originally held by Democratic Republicans, specifically Warhawks during the presidency of James Madison, that stated the United States had a divinely-inspired mission to expand itself and its system of government to the western frontier. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ohio River viewed from Liberty Hill in Ripley, Ohio. ... Cumberland Gap in winter The Cumberland Gap is a pass across the Cumberland Mountains region of the Appalachian Mountains, famous in American history for its role as the chief passageway through the mountains for early settlers. ... The Erie Canal (currently part of the New York State Canal System) is a canal in New York State, United States, that runs from the Hudson River to Lake Erie, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. ...

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,175 mile hiking trail that runs all the way from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia, passing over or past a large part of the Appalachian system. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A.T., is a 2,174 mile (3500 km) marked hiking trail in the eastern United States, extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. ... Mount Katahdin is the highest mountain in Maine. ... Springer Mountain (3,280 feet), located in the Chattahoochee National Forest in northern Georgia, is the southernmost point on and southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. ...

The Chief Summits

The Appalachian belt includes, with the ranges enumerated above, the plateaus sloping southward to the Atlantic Ocean in New England, and south-eastward to the border of the coastal plain through the central and southern Atlantic states; and on the north-west, the Allegheny and Cumberland plateaus declining toward the Great Lakes and the interior plains. A remarkable feature of the belt is the longitudinal chain of broad valleys--the Great Appalachian Valley--which, in the southerly sections divides the mountain system into two subequal portions, but in the northernmost lies west of all the ranges possessing typical Appalachian features, and separates them from the Adirondack group. The mountain system has no axis of dominating altitudes, but in every portion the summits rise to rather uniform heights, and, especially in the central section, the various ridges and intermontane valleys have the same trend as the system itself. None of the summits reaches the region of perpetual snow. Mountains of the Long Range in Newfoundland, Canada reach heights of nearly 2,000 ft. In the Shickshocks the higher summits rise to about 4,000 ft. elevation. In Maine four peaks exceed 3,000 ft., including Katahdin (5,200 ft.). In New Hampshire, many summits rise above 4,000 feet, including Mount Washington in the White Mountains (6,288 ft.), plus Adams (5,771), Jefferson (5,712), Clay (5,533), Monroe (5,380), Madison (5,367), and Lafayette (5,260). In the Green Mountains the highest point, Mansfield, is 4,364 ft.; Lincoln (4,078), Killington (4,241), Camel's Hump (4,088), and a number of other heights exceed 3,000 ft. The Catskills are not properly included in the system. The Blue Ridge, rising in southern Pennsylvania and there known as the South Mountains, attains in that state elevations of about 2,000 ft.; southward to the Potomac its altitudes diminish, but 30 miles beyond again reach 2,000 ft. In the Virginia Blue Ridge the following are the highest peaks east of the New River: Mount Weather (about 1,850 ft.), Mary's Rock (3,523), Peaks of Otter (4001 and 3875), Stony Man (4,031), and Hawks Bill (4,066). In Pennsylvania the summits of the Valley Ridges rise generally to about 2,000 ft., and in Maryland Eagle Rock and Dans Rock are conspicuous points reaching 3,162 ft. and 2,882 ft. respectively. On the same side of the Great Valley, south of the Potomac, are the Pinnacle (3,007 ft.) and Pidgeon Roost (3,400 ft.). In West Virginia, more than 150 peaks rise above 4,000 ft., including Spruce Knob (4863 ft.), the highest point in the Allegheny Mountains. A number of other points in the state rise above 4,800 ft. Thorny Flat (4,848 ft.) and Bald Knob (4,842 ft.) are among the more notable peaks in West Virginia. In the southern section of the Blue Ridge are Grandfather Mountain (5,964 ft.), with three other summits above 5,000, and a dozen more above 4000. The Unaka Ranges (including the Black and Smoky Mountains) have eighteen peaks higher than 5,000 ft., and eight surpassing 6,000 ft. In the Black Mountains, Mt. Mitchell (the culminating point of the whole system) attains an altitude of 6684 feet. In the Smoky Mountains, Clingman's Dome (6,643 ft.) is the highest peak, with several others above 6,000 and many higher than 5,000. The Long Range Mountains are a series of mountains along the west coast of the Canadian island of Newfoundland. ... Newfoundland (French: Terre-Neuve; Irish: Talamh an Ã‰isc; Latin: Terra Nova) is a large island off the northeast coast of North America, and the most populous part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. ... Official language(s) None Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 39th 33,414 sq mi 86,542 kmÂ² 190 miles 305 km 320 miles 515 km 13. ... Mount Katahdin is the highest mountain in Maine. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area Ranked 46th - Total 9,359 sq. ... Mount Washington (formerly Agiocochook) is, at 6,288 ft. ... This article is about the White Mountains of New Hampshire. ... Mount Adams is the second highest mountain in New Hampshire, after Mt. ... For other mountains named Mount Jefferson, see Mount Jefferson. ... In 2003, New Hampshire changed name to Mount Reagan, U.S. Board on Geographic Names recognizes Mount Clay name, see #Mount Reagan name change Mount Clay is located in Coos County in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. ... Mount Monroe is one of the tallest mountains in the state of New Hampshire. ... Mount Madison is a mountain in the Presidential Range of New Hampshire in the Unitred States. ... Mount Lafayette is a 5,260 mountain on the northern end of Franconia Ridge in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. ... The Green Mountains may refer to: The Green Mountains in Vermont in the United States extending into southern Quebec in Canada. ... Catskill State Park as seen from Overlook Mountian The Catskill Mountains are an extension of the Appalachian Mountains into New York State. ... Blue Ridge may refer to any of the following: Blue Ridge, Georgia Blue Ridge, Virginia The Blue Ridge Mountains The US Navy Command ship USS Blue Ridge The passenger train Blue Ridge Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq. ... The New River may refer to: The New River, a man-made watercourse in England The New River that flows into the Atlantic Ocean in southeastern North Carolina in the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area Ranked 41st - Total 24,244 sq. ... Spruce Knob, at 4,863 feet (1482 m), is the highest point in the state of West Virginia, U.S., and the tallest mountain in the Allegheny Mountains. ... Bald Knob is the highest point on Back Allegheny Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia and is part of Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. ... The Grandfather Mountain mile high swinging bridge Grandfather Mountain is a mountain near Linville, North Carolina. ... The Black Mountains are a part of the great Appalachian Mountain range. ... For other mountains named Mitchell, see Mount Mitchell. ... The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park that straddles the ridgeline of the Appalachian Mountains. ... Clingmans Dome (or Clingmans Dome) is, at an elevation of 6,643 feet or 2,025 meters, the highest point both in the state of Tennessee and on the Appalachian Trail. ...

In spite of the existence of the Great Appalachian Valley, the master streams are transverse to the axis of the system. The main watershed follows a tortuous course which crosses the mountainous belt just north of New river in Virginia; south of this the rivers head in the Blue Ridge, cross the higher Unakas, receive important tributaries from the Great Valley, and traversing the Cumberland Plateau in spreading gorges, escape by way of the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers to the Ohio and Mississippi, and thus to the Gulf of Mexico; in the central section the rivers, rising in or beyond the Valley Ridges, flow through great gorges (water gaps) to the Great Valley, and by south-easterly courses across the Blue Ridge to tidal estuaries penetrating the coastal plain; in the northern section the water-parting lies on the inland side of the mountainous belt, the main lines of drainage running from north to south.

Geology

Main article: Geology of the Appalachians The geology of the Appalachians dates back to more than 480 million years ago. ...

The Appalachians are aging mountains. A look at rocks exposed in today's Appalachian mountains reveals elongated belts of folded and thrust faulted marine sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks and slivers of ancient ocean floor, which provides strong evidence that these rocks were deformed during plate collision. The birth of the Appalachian ranges, some 680 million years ago, marks the first of several mountain building plate collisions that culminated in the construction of the supercontinent Pangea with the Appalachians near the center. Because North America and Africa were connected, the Appalachians form part of the same mountain chain as the Atlas mountains in Morocco. Image File history File links Applachianmap. ... Image File history File links Applachianmap. ... Old fault exposed by roadcut near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. ... Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... Ignimbrite is a deposit of a pyroclastic flow. ... Map of Pangæa Pangaea (Greek for all lands) is the name Alfred Wegener used to refer to the supercontinent that existed during the Mesozoic era, before the process of plate tectonics separated the component continents. ... Map showing the location of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in northwest Africa extending about 2400 km (1500 miles) through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and including The Rock of Gibraltar. ...

During the middle Ordovician Period (about 495-440 million years ago), a change in plate motions set the stage for the first Paleozoic mountain building event (Taconic orogeny) in North America. The once-quiet Appalachian passive margin changed to a very active plate boundary when a neighboring oceanic plate, the Iapetus, collided with and began sinking beneath the North American craton. With the birth of this new subduction zone, the early Appalachians were born. Along the continental margin, volcanoes grew, coincident with the initiation of subduction. Thrust faulting uplifted and warped older sedimentary rock laid down on the passive margin. As mountains rose, erosion began to wear them down. Streams carried rock debris downslope to be deposited in nearby lowlands. The Taconic Orogeny was just the first of a series of mountain building plate collisions that contributed to the formation of the Appalachians (see Appalachian orogeny). The Ordovician period is the second of the six (seven in North America) periods of the Paleozoic era. ... Illustration of the Taconic orogeny The Taconic orogeny was a great mountain building period that perhaps had the greatest overall effect on the geologic structure of basement rocks within the New York Bight region. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Iapetus was a Titan in Greek mythology. ... A craton is an old and stable part of the continental crust that has survived the merging and splitting of continents and supercontinents for at least 500 million years. ... Subduction zones mark sites of convective downwelling of the Earths lithosphere. ... The Appalachian orogeny is a geological event that formed the Appalachian Mountains. ...

By the end of the Mesozoic era, the Appalachian Mountains had been eroded to an almost flat plain. It was not until the region was uplifted during the Cenozoic Era that the distinctive topography of the present formed. Uplift rejuvenated the streams, which rapidly responded by cutting downward into the ancient bedrock. Some streams flowed along weak layers that define the folds and faults created many millions of years earlier. Other streams downcut so rapidly that they cut right across the resistant folded rocks of the mountain core, carving canyons across rock layers and geologic structures. The Mesozoic is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... The Cenozoic or Cainozoic era (sometimes Caenozoic Era) is the most recent of the four classic geological eras. ... A river which is said to be rejuvenated when the base level that it is flowing down to, is lowered. ... Erosional downcutting by the San Juan River in Utah. ...

The Appalachian Mountains contain major deposits of Anthracite coal as well as Bituminous coal. In the folded mountains the coal is in metamorphosed form as anthracite represented by the Coal Region of northeastern Pennsylvania and discovered by Necho Allen. The Bituminous coal fields of western Pennsylvania, southeastern Ohio, eastern Kentucky, and West Virginia is the sedimentary form. Some plateaus of the Appalachian Mountains contain metallic minerals such as iron and zinc. The mountains are vast and stretch out for hundreds of miles. Anthracite coal Anthracite (Greek Î‘Î½Î¸ÏÎ±ÎºÎ¯Ï„Î·Ï‚, literally a form of coal, from Anthrax [Î†Î½Î¸ÏÎ±Î¾], coal) is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster. ... Bituminous coal Bituminous coal is a soft coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen. ... Anthracite coal Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster. ... Counties of the Coal Region of Pennsylvania, known for anthracite mining. ... Bituminous coal Bituminous coal is a soft coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... General Name, Symbol, Number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Atomic mass 65. ...

Flora and fauna

Much of the region is covered with forest yielding quantities of valuable timber, especially in Canada and northern New England. The most valuable trees for lumber are spruce, white pine, hemlock, juniper, birch, ash, maple and basswood; all excepting pine and hemlock, and poplar in addition, are ground into wood pulp for the manufacture of paper. In the central and southern parts of the belt oak and hickory constitute valuable hard woods, and certain varieties of the former furnish quantities of tan bark. The tulip-tree produces a good clear lumber known as white wood or poplar, and is also a source of pulp. In the south both white and yellow pine abounds. Many flowering and fruit-bearing shrubs of the heath family add to the beauty of the mountainous districts, rhododendron and kalmia often forming impenetrable thickets. Bears, mountain lions (pumas), wild cats (lynx) and wolves haunt the more remote vastnesses of the mountains; foxes abound; deer are found in many districts and moose in the north. This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Species About 35; see text. ... White Pine may refer to: Trees within the Pinus classification Eastern White Pine, a tree native to North America. ... Species Eastern Hemlock Carolina Hemlock Taiwan Hemlock Northern Japanese Hemlock Himalayan Hemlock Forrests Hemlock Western Hemlock Mountain Hemlock Southern Japanese Hemlock Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the family Pinaceae. ... Species See text. ... Species Many species; see text and classification Birch is the name of any tree of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: ash // Ash may refer to: Sciences The unburnable solid remains of a fire Volcanic ash, rocky powder material ejected from a volcano Fly ash, a coal combustion product Ash (analytical chemistry), one of the components in the proximate analysis of biological materials, consisting... The MAPLE (Multipurpose Applied Physics Lattice Experiment) dedicated isotope-production facility is a current project jointly undertaken by AECL and MDS Nordion. ... Basswood is the common name of timbers of Tilia species. ... Species Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl. ... This article is about the plant. ... Species See text Kalmia is a genus of about 7 species of evergreen shrubs from 0. ... For other meanings, see Bear (disambiguation). ... Puma may refer to: Puma (large cat) Puma AG, a brand of shoes and sportswear Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly Puma is the codename for Mac OS X version 10. ... The range of the lynx. ... Binomial name Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 Wolf redirects here. ... A red fox The foxes comprise 23 species of omnivorous canids, found worldwide. ... Subfamilies Capreolinae Cervinae Hydropotinae Muntiacinae A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map Alces alces, called the moose in North America and the elk in Europe (see also elk for other animals called elk) is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from other members of Cervidae by the form of the...

Influence on History

For a century, the Appalachians were a barrier to the westward expansion of the British colonies; the continuity of the system, the bewildering multiplicity of its succeeding ridges, the tortuous courses and roughness of its transverse passes, a heavy forest, and dense undergrowth all conspired to hold the settlers on the seaward-sloping plateaus and coastal plains. Only by way of the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys, and round about the southern termination of the system were there easy routes to the interior of the country, and these were long closed by hostile aborigines as well as French colonists to the north and Spanish colonists to the south. For the magazine, see Hudson Valley (magazine). ... The six-county Mohawk Valley Region of the USA includes the industrialized cities of Utica and Rome, along with other smaller commercial centers. ...

In eastern Pennsylvania the Great Appalachian Valley, or Great Valley, was accessible by reason of a broad gateway between the end of South Mountain and the Highlands, and here between the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers settled many Germans and Moravians, whose descendants even now retain the peculiar patois known as "Pennsylvania Dutch". These were late comers to the New World forced to the frontier to find unclaimed lands. With their followers of both German and Scots-Irish origin, they worked their way southward and soon occupied all of the Virginia Valley and the upper reaches of the Great Valley tributaries of the Tennessee. Among the locations known as The Great Valley is one in the eastern United States of America, lying behind the first ridge of mountains (the Blue Ridge) extending from New York to Georgia. ... The South Mountains, known locally as simply South Mountain, is a mountain range in central Arizona in south Phoenix, Arizona. ... A Moravian can be: an ethnic group a Christian denomination This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Pennsylvania Dutch (perhaps more strictly Pennsylvania Deitsch or Pennsylvanian German) are descendants of German speaking immigrants who came to Pennsylvania in the early 1700s. ... Scots-Irish Americans are Americans of Ulster-Scots descent who formed distinctive communities in the New World and had distinctive social characteristics. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area - Total - Width - Length - % water - Latitude - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 kmÂ² 195 km 710 km 2. ...

By 1755, the obstacle to westward expansion had been thus reduced by half; outposts of the English colonists had penetrated the Allegheny and Cumberland plateaus, threatening French monopoly in the transmontane region, and a conflict became inevitable. Making common cause against the French to determine the control of the Ohio valley, the unsuspected strength of the colonists was revealed, and the successful ending of the French and Indian War extended England's territory to the Mississippi. To this strength the geographic isolation enforced by the Appalachian mountains had been a prime contributor. The confinement of the colonies between an ocean and a mountain wall led to the fullest occupation of the coastal border of the continent, which was possible under existing conditions of agriculture, conducing to a community of purpose, a political and commercial solidarity, which would not otherwise have been developed. As early as 1700 it was possible to ride from Portland, Maine, to southern Virginia, sleeping each night at some considerable village. In contrast to this complete industrial occupation, the French territory was held by a small and very scattered population, its extent and openness adding materially to the difficulties of a disputed tenure. Bearing the brunt of this contest as they did, the colonies were undergoing preparation for the subsequent struggle with the home government. Unsupported by shipping, the American armies fought toward the sea with the mountains at their back protecting them against British leagued with the Aboriginals. The few settlements beyond the Great Valley were free for self-defence because debarred from general participation in the conflict by reason of their position. Carl D. Perkins Bridge in Portsmouth, Ohio with Ohio River and Scioto River tributary on right. ... The conflict resulted in Frances loss of most of its possessions in North America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jackson Largest city Jackson Area Ranked 32nd - Total 48,434 sq. ... Location Location in Cumberland County, Maine Government Counties Cumberland County Mayor Jim Cohen Geographical characteristics Area - City - Land - Water 52. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area Ranked 35th - Total 42,793 sq. ...

Name pronunciation and origin

The primary standard pronunciation of the range is with a long-A, as [æ.pəˈleɪ.ʃən]. The alternative pronunciation, with a short-A, [æ.pəˈlæ.tʃən], is often used east of the range in the Piedmont region, such as in North Carolina. The short-A pronunciation is used for Appalachian State University of Boone, North Carolina. Symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq. ... Appalachian State University (sometimes referred to as ASU or simply App) is the sixth-largest university in the system of the University of North Carolina. ... Boone is a town located in the northern mountains of North Carolina and in Watauga County, North Carolina, for which it is the county seatGR6 and market town. ...

When the Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and his crew were exploring the Florida coast in 1528, they found a Native American town which they transliterated as Apalachen [a.paˈla.tʃɛn]. This name and its short-A pronunciation were applied to a nearby body of water, now spelled Apalachee Bay, to the Apalachicola River and the Apalachicola Bay, and to the city known as Apalachicola, Florida. The word "Apalachen" was also applied to an inland mountain range, and through the course of time it became applied to the entire range and its spelling was changed. Although the long-A pronunciation for the mountain range is standard, it is at odds with its origin. Ãlvar NÃºÃ±ez Cabeza de Vaca (c. ... An Atsina named Assiniboin Boy Photo by Edward S. Curtis. ... View of the Apalachicola River near Fort Gadsden, Florida. ... The mouth of the Apalachicola River, looking towards the Bay. ...

Contents

Regions

The Chief Summits

Geology

Flora and fauna

Influence on History

Name pronunciation and origin

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Contents

Regions GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

The Chief Summits

Geology

Flora and fauna

Influence on History

Name pronunciation and origin

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Regions