US Geography and Regions — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The Mississippi River is the longest river in the United States.
Stretching more than 2,300 miles from Minnesota down to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi is the longest river in the country and a major waterway for shipping crops.
2. The Rocky Mountains are found in the West region of the United States.
Running from New Mexico up into Canada, the Rocky Mountains pass through states like Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, all of which sit in the West region.
3. The five Great Lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.
Saying the names in order — Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie — leaves only Ontario, the smallest of the five and the one that flows out toward the Atlantic.
4. The Southwest region is known for hot deserts and the Grand Canyon.
Hot deserts, dry land, and the famous Grand Canyon in Arizona are all features of the Southwest, which includes states like Arizona and New Mexico.
5. The Colorado River carved out the Grand Canyon over millions of years.
Over millions of years, the Colorado River slowly cut down through layers of rock to create the Grand Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world.
6. States like New York and Massachusetts are part of the Northeast region.
New York and Massachusetts both sit in the upper-right corner of the country along the Atlantic coast, which is the Northeast region.
7. The Appalachian Mountains run from Alabama to Maine along the eastern side of the country.
The Appalachian Mountains run almost the whole length of the eastern United States, stretching from Alabama in the south up through Maine in the north.
8. The Ohio River flows through several Midwest states before joining the Mississippi.
Flowing west out of Pennsylvania through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky, the Ohio River is one of the largest tributaries that joins the Mississippi.
9. Hawaii and Alaska are both part of the West region.
Even though Hawaii and Alaska are not connected to the rest of the country, geographers still group them with the West region.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Texas
→ Southwest
Midwest
Maine
→ Northeast
Southwest
Kansas
→ Midwest
Northeast
California
→ West
West
Texas is in the Southwest, Maine is way up in the Northeast corner, Kansas sits in the Midwest farmland belt, and California runs along the Pacific in the West.