The geographic location and size of the United States allows it to have a diverse climate. Some parts of the United States get 1.5 meters of snow on average while some parts get no snow. There are states that are mostly deserts while some are mostly mountainous. The diversity of the climate allows for many different cultures and landmarks within the United States.
As shown below, you can see there are about 5 broad regions in the United States. Those regions can be broken down even further because there is great diversity among states and cities.
Northeast Region
In the orange is the Northeast region of the United States. This region is headlined by 3 major cities: New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston. The people in the Northeast are known to talk fast, have big accents, and are a little more aggressive.
Fishing is a popular activity and the people in this region eat a lot of fish. A popular food involving fish is clam chowder soup. If you like spicy food, Buffalo, New York is the home of buffalo wings. Buffalo Wings are a chicken wing that is deep fried and dipped in a spicy “buffalo” sauce. A third major food in this region, famous in Philadelphia, is a Philly Cheesesteak. This is made of grilled beefsteak, cheese, peppers, and mushrooms on a hoagie roll.
This region is where settlers, known as the pilgrims, came from Britain to escape religious persecution. The settlers first came to Plymouth Rock in 1620. Eventually more and more pilgrims came to the United States and developed colonies. A popular landmark that symbolizes freedom in the United States is the Liberty Bell. It was rang to signal to lawmakers that a meeting was starting. Famously it rang to symbol a meeting on July 4th, 1776 for lawmakers to come together to declare their independence from Britain. This bell famously cracked and the cause of the crack is still a mystery.
Liberty Bell
The United States is known as the melting pot because it was founded on many different cultures blended together. A symbol of the melting pot is the Statue of Liberty in New York. The Statue of Liberty was given the the United States as a gift from France. At the end of the 19th century many immigrants started coming over from Europe and would have to pass by the Statue of Liberty in order to come into the United States. After passing by the Statue of Liberty on a boat, immigrants would be inspected and granted access to come into the country.
Southeast Region
Shaded in pink on the map is the Southeast region. The three major cities in this region are Washington D.C., Miami, and New Orleans. People in this region are more conservative and have a slight accent that differs from the Northeast.
This region is significantly warmer than the Northeast. There isn’t much of a winter in the southeast except for the northern part of this region. This region is mostly known for its beaches and outdoor activities.
Similar to the Northeast, fishing is a popular activity and famous food dish with fish is called Gumbo. This dish is the official state dish of Louisiana and consists of sausage or shellfish with peppers, onions, and celery in a stew. Another popular food dish in this region is fried chicken served with a side of grits (boiled cornmeal) and collard greens (mix of cabbage, broccoli, and kale).
The most famous landmark in the United States is the White House, where the president lives. An interesting fact about the White House is that it was burned down once during the War of 1812 by the British. It was the only time in history that occupied an american capital. Washington D.C. is full of famous landmarks honoring the country’s history, from Presidents such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln to civil rights activists Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks and much more Washington D.C.
Another popular place to visit in the southeast region is Disney World. Located in Orlando, Florida Disney World is a massive entertainment complex with 4 theme parks, 2 waterparks, hotels, golf courses, shopping centers, and more. It is a place for all ages, especially kids, to go for a fun vacation. In addition to Disney World, the Kennedy Space Center is located in Orlando. The Space Center is one of the locations where the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA is located. This is the main area where space crafts have been launched. People can get a tour of the complex, see historical space crafts, and experience what being an astronaut is like.
NASA Kennedy Space Center
Midwest Region
Shaded is green on the map is the midwest region. The states that make up this region are Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. Four major cities in this region are Chicago, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and St. Louis. This region’s climate has mild summers (20-25°C) and cold winters (-10 – -20°C) which includes a lot of snow.
Unlike the Northeast and Southeast, this does not border the Atlantic Ocean. The only bodies of water this region borders is the Great Lakes. As a result, this region is known for its agriculture and central location in the country.
While in Chicago, you must taste some deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s. This pizza is unique because it is baked in a large pan with cheese and tomato sauce layered on top. All over the Midwest you can get grilled hot dogs and bratwursts. Make sure if you are in Chicago not to ask for ketchup on your hot dog or you will get yelled at! In Missouri and Kansas a popular food dish is barbeque. Barbeque is a way to slowly cook meat such as pork, brisket, ribs, chicken and more over a wood oven. These meats are then topped with various homemade barbeque sauces served with french fries and coleslaw.
Lou Malnati’s Pizza
When in the Midwest you must visit Mount Rushmore National Park in South Dakota. This National Park has a massive sculpture carved into granite rock of 4 of the most famous American Presidents: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt. In Missouri there is the Gateway Arch. This is a 190 meter monument that was built as a “gateway to the west.”
West Region
The states shaded in purple are known as the Western region. This region is made up of the states: Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, and Alaska. The western region is filled with great mountains, volcanoes, rolling plains, valleys, beaches, and earthquakes.The states outlining the coast are known as the West-Coast states.
The West-Coast states are known for their advancement in technology. This is where Silicon Valley resides. Silicon Valley is in northern California and is the home to many start-up and global technology companies. Some prominent headquarters on the West-Coast include: Apple, Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Amazon. California includes the city of Los Angeles (LA) which is the second largest city in America. LA is home to Hollywood which is the center of the film and entertainment industry of America. This part of the region is warmer and the north west part of the region has a lot of rain. The West-Coast is known for its great fresh food. People in this region tend to eat a lot of sushi and other healthy seafood.
The mountain states include Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and Colorado. Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado were acquired in 1818 from France in the Louisiana Purchase. This part of the region has the least populous state in America which is Wyoming. Colorado is known for winter sports. Many people go here to ski and snowboard on the snowy mountains. A famous national park in this part of the region is Yellowstone National Park which is in Wyoming. This park has more geysers than any other geyser field in the world. This part of the region is typically colder than the rest of the region. Las Vegas which is located in Nevada is a major part of this region as well. It is the gambling strip of America and many people also come to Las Vegas to experience shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife.
Las Vegas Strip
Alaska and Hawaii are states that are not attached to America. Alaska is the largest sized state in America. The climate is very cold there, however, the views of the snow are beautiful. There are a lot of grizzly bears, dog-sledding races, Eskimos, and snow-capped mountains. Hawaii is a tropical state consisting of 8 major islands. Ethnically, Hawaiians have a Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and other Asian immigrant descent. Hawaii is the only US state to produce coffee and sugarcane, and is also well known for its pineapples and macadamia nuts. Hawaii has many beaches and is a big tourist site.
Southwest Region
The last region on the map, shaded in yellow is the southwest region. This region is made up of 4 states, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. This region is known for its dry weather and red rock landscape. Mexico is very close to these states and has a large impact on the culture.
Similar to the Midwest region, Texas is known for its barbeque. They cook similar meat to the midwest but just prepare it in a slightly different way. In Texas you can get the meat slowly cooked where it is falling off the bone, with pepper spices, or over a wood oven. A typical side dish with the barbecue in Texas is potato salad. In Arizona and New Mexico enchiladas and burritos are popular. Enchiladas and burritos are similar in that they have meat either chicken or steak with peppers and onions wrapped in a tortilla. Enchiladas have a tortilla made from corn while a burrito has a tortilla made from flour. These dishes are served with Mexican rice which is rice cooked with tomatoes and onions along with refried beans. These dishes are inspired by Mexican cuisines. This region is known for its spices and chile peppers. These peppers are added to food dishes to make them more spicy.
Texas Barbeque
The most famous tourist attraction is the Grand Canyon in Arizona is a natural landmark formed by the Earth’s erosion. The Grand Canyon is 450km long, 30km wide, and 1.6km deep. Tourists that visit here can go hiking and camping in the red rocks or go rafting down the river. Some people take helicopter tours over the canyon and get a great view of the whole canyon.
In San Antonio, Texas a famous landmark to visit is the Alamo. This is part of the Texas War of Independence from Mexico. At the Alamo the American fighters were greatly outnumbered by the Mexican fighters and the American fighters ended up winning. In New Mexico you may visit Historic Santa Fe. This town has a lot of art and culture. It looks what western cities used to look like and preserves the cowboy feel to it
Overall, the United States is a large company with 5 diverse regions. These regions have some similarities but many differences. Your interests and personality can determine where you want to visit.
