The Changing South

          This section is about the states and people whom make up the south. History tells us that slavery made up the southern states, mainly made up of Africans. The damage done by keeping blacks secluded in the south has now caused racial segregation.



How does this relate to Nevada you might ask? Well, in the 1860 presidential election, Abraham Lincoln was campaigning against slavery. Since the south didn't want to abolish slavery this led to the Civil War. The U.S. knew that in order to officially abolish slavery, the U.S. Constitution needed to be revised. This would be allowed with 3/4 of the States. The initiation of Nevada as a state made it finally possible to do this!

Source:  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-the-state-of-nevada.html

Appalachia and the Ozarks

          The Appalachian Mountains played a major role in the settlement history of the United States. It is said to have acted as a barrier to overland travel from the Atlantic Coast. Although Nevada isn't part of the Appalachian Mountains and Ozark regions, the Sierra Nevada regions could be compared to the Appalachian Mountain and Ozark regions. The Sierra Nevada mountains are so highly elevated, that it too acts like a barrier that sits in front of the state of Nevada, that faces California. The Appalachian mountains are known for mining coal, and the Sierra Nevada region is known for mining gold and silver.



A map showing the Appalachia regions



A map showing the location of the Sierra Nevada region that goes from California and connects to parts of Nevada.

The Bypassed East

The Bypassed East is an area that encompassed the upper northeastern portion of North America. This includes the likes of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. They use the ocean mainly for fishing as its resource and for transportation of goods across places. Mineral production is another characteristic these places have. These places in the Bypassed East have low density populations, with cold and damp weather. When compared to Nevada, it is not near the ocean, and the climate is far from cold and damp. Its climate is hot and dry during the summer months, and cold to freezing during the winter months.

The North American Manufacturing Core

          Agriculturally, potatoes, onions, and cattle are most important in terms of revenue for the state. With the vast amount of land in Nevada, farmers take full advantage for herding cattle and selling them to other local states such as California and Idaho. The most important crop in Nevada is hay, and this is because this is the main source of food for the animals. Mining is also very important in the state of Nevada. Gold is the most valued mined product. In fact, 75% of gold produced in the United States is done in Nevada. They also lead in the production of the second most valued mined product, silver! The first Transcontinental Railroad was built in the mid 19th century that extended from Sacramento to the Sierra Nevada region, and to the Great Basin region that would connect to the rail lines from the East.



Source: http://www.netstate.com/economy/nv_economy.htm

Megalopolis

          The French geographer Jean Gottmann is known to have created the term Megalopolis. Megalopolis means a very large, heavily populated city or urban complex. It originally formed along the northeastern coast of the United States. States include Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and parts of Virginia, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.

Nevada, although growing in population steadily, is not considered a member of Megalopolis. However, the Megalopolis regions in Southern California does include the city of Las Vegas.

With a low population density throughout the state, Megalopolis is not a possibility. There are far too many areas across Nevada where populations are scarce simply because cities have yet to be developed. It also doesn't help that the economy along with the housing crisis is making it even less attractive for people interested in moving to the state of Nevada.

Foundations of Human Activity

The earliest recordings of human habitants in Nevada were that of the Paiute tribe as shown here below


These people were fishermen, hunters, food gatherers and they settled along the Great Basin. The Great Basin is a region known for its famous lakes and large game. Not till the late 18th century is where we first hear about the first white explorers entering the state. The first person to enter the State is said to be Francisco Garces, who was a spanish priest. With him, came his religious beliefs of Catholicism. He built missions in the area around the Mojave Desert (where Las Vegas is eventually founded), but they failed. The reason was that the soldiers were given the power of the administration and not the friars. This lead to soldiers abusing the Native Americans and eventual clash. Soon after, Mormons from Utah settled in Nevada and tried to spread their religion, but that too failed. Settlers from the East continued to pour into Nevada and the other Western states in the mid-19th century. The discovery of silvery in Nevada, made it become a hot spot for mining. To help jumpstart Nevada's economy, people were encouraged to mine by incresing the value of silver. California had its Gold Rush, but Nevada had its Silver Rush!



A statue of Father Francisco Garces



Mining for silver in the early years of the states history

Source: http://www.city-data.com/states/Nevada-History.html

Geographic Pattern of the Physical Environment

          When it comes to Nevada's physical environments, it is quite special. The different regions of Nevada, as mentioned in my previous post, all carry a unique physiology. The Southern Region where the Mojave Desert extends from California (includes cities such as Las Vegas) is an area of harsh climate. Having an elevation of 2-5 thousand feet above sea level, this area receives no more than 1 foot of rainfall a year. It has two extremes of temperatures throughout the seasons. During ther winter, temperatures at night fall could reach 0 degrees Fahrenheit, and during the summer temperatures can reach as high as 130 degrees Fahreheit! No wonder few people occupy this area.

The Sierra Nevada region's elevation varies. It ranges from 5,000 to 9,000 feet, the higher areas being further up North, where Lake Tahoe is. Mountains with elevations this high mean they receive ample snowfall during the winter months. Temperatures are fairly moderate during the summer months which make vacation spots like Lake Tahoe very popular all year around!



This is a picture of the Sierra Nevada mountains


Lake Tahoe during the winter months

Regions and Themes

          When people think about the state of Nevada, I'm sure most of them have the thought of Las Vegas pop up in their mind. However, Nevada has so much more to offer than that of a region where you go to blow your hard earned money away! Situated between California and Utah, Nevada has an elevation of about 5,500 ft. The total population in the state is roughly 2.7 million. The state is divided into 4 distinct regions, them being the Mojave Desert (south side), Sierra Nevada where Lake Tahoe is situated (West Side), the Columbia Plateau where the Humboldt and Snake River lie (Northern Nevada), and my personal favorite, the Great Basin, situated in the center of Nevada, also known as the "heart" of Nevada!

          The picture above is The Great Basin National Park. This area is one of the most popular places for tourists. There are a lot of fun activities you can do here! You can go fishing, mountain climbing, and river rafting. There are a lot of camp grounds to meet the demand of tourists who stop by here. The area is an estimated 10,000 square miles long, and it extends into The Great Salt Lakes in Utah.

          How can I forget to mention this place? Beautiful Las Vegas! An area that carries the slogan "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!" Las Vegas is known as the capital of the gambling world. Interestingly, Nevada is ranked 12th out of the 50 states in terms of gambling revenue. The reason being is because they don't have a state lottery! The city didn't become famous until the 1950s, when the Mob began funding the city money to begin building hotels and casinos in order to attract tourists across the country.
Source: http://united-states-canada.factoidz.com/facts-about-the-city-of-las-vegas/