MS Studies Chapter 1 and vocabulary

absolute location

precise location on Earth's surface.

Longitude

Distance east or west of the prime meridian

Prime Meridian

The imaginary line that runs from North Pole to South Pole through Greenwich, England.

Equator

the imaginary line that goes around the globe halfway between the North and South Poles.

Elevation

the height of land above sea level

eon

is a vast, across the plain and meadows

growing season

is the number of days between the last grilling frost in the spring and the first killing frost in the fall.

flora

the natural vegetation of a region.

fauna

the animal life of a particular area.

tornado

a dark, funnel-shaped cloud with swirling winds that can measure over 200 miles an hour.

hurricane

a violent weather pattern that forms in the Atlantic Ocean during the summer and the fall, with winds 74 mph or more the extend over several hundred miles and move counterclockwise around the an "eye".

Where in the world is Mississippi

North Western Hemisphere, North America, United States

Quick facts about the Mississippi

The capital of MS is Jackson, 82 counties, 32nd in size

Fair weather

Mississippi seemed destined to be an agricultural state, from the beginning

Growing season

Mississippi has an unusually long growing season

State averages

Averages rainfall per year is 59 inches, 62 degrees, and 81 degrees

Floods

Mississippi is especially vulnerable to it's many rivers and heavy rain. Great Flood of 1927 leave broke mounds landing and the MS River flooding almost 3 million acres of land killing the crops

Tornado

Mississippi averages around 24 tornados a year

Hurricane

Hurricane Camille August 1969 large scale destruction of property and more than 140 people died. Hurricane Katrina August 2005 is considered the greatest natural disaster in America.

Antebellum Period

of Mississippi history is the time from its establishment as an American territory in 1798 to the beginning of the Civil War in 1861

geologist

A scientist who studies the origin, history, and composition of Earth's crust

maize

corn

sharecropper

a person who farmed another man's land for a share of the crop

farm tenancy

renting farmland from another farmer and paying rent in cash or shares of produce

loess soil

windblown dust that accumulates and forms a ridge of bluffs as it approaches higher elevations

alluvial soil

soil that was deposited by running water

natural resources

those things found in nature that are useful to humans

Tributary

A smaller stream or river that flows into a larger river

drainage basin

is the area of land that drains into the subsurface and accumulated in the rock formations called aquifers

Aquaculture

water farming or fish farming

Lignite

a low grade of coal

fertile soil

Mississippi has some of the richest and most fertile soil in America

Soil regions

Mississippi was divided into 12 unique soil regions

Tennessee tombigbee hill

Highest point in MS Woodall mountain 650 ft. above sea level

Pontotoc Ridge Region

Chickasaw Indians grew their maize, red clay, and after the Civil

Flat woods regions

Not fertile due to poor drainage, therefore not

Coastal Meadows Region

Gained the industry of ship building after WWII. Gulf coast because the most populated section of the war.

Loess Bluffs Region

Extends the length of the state from Tennessee to Louisiana

The Delta

Some of the most fertile soil in the world

Water as a resources

Water is one of the most vital resources of Mother Nature drink it, bath in it, clean it.

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is almost 2,500 miles long.

reservoir

Mississippi has six large reservoir. Ross Barnett- is the largest reservoir for Jackson,MS. Pickwick- the oldest reservoir

Catfish Ponds

Leading aquaculture (water farming) industry.46% aquaculture is most half of water farming. Belzoni is known as the catfish capital of the world

timber resources

65% of the states in total land area. 3 critical growth factors. MS climate is especially favorable for timber production.

Mineral resources

MS has 13% of its reserve. MS has sand, clay,oil, and gas. The most abundant is mineral in MS.