TExES Social Studies 7-12 (232) Questions
With Solutions
The Earth can be divided into two primary categories of physical features: land masses
and bodies of water
There are two major types of land masses: continents and islands.
Continents: The world's major continuous masses of land. There are seven continents on Earth.
Islands: Small land masses not connected to any continent and surrounded on all sides by water.
The terrain of land masses are shaped by four major types of landforms. Mountains: an
area of land that rises abruptly and steeply above the land surrounding it.
Hills: An area of land that rises higher than the land surrounding it. Hills are typically smaller
than 1000 feet.
Plateaus: An area of land that is relatively flat and that is higher than the land surrounding it.
Plains: An area of land that is flat and lies at a low elevation.
Some other minor landforms include valleys, canyons, and basins: all of which are areas that lie
below the area surrounding them.
Bodies of Water Ocean: A body of water that covers the Earth
, TExES Social Studies 7-12 (232) Questions
With Solutions
Usually subdivided into five oceans: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean,
and the Southern Ocean
Sea: A part of the ocean surrounded partially by land
Stream: Any body of flowing water
River: A large stream that flows over land, usually carrying a large amount of water
Lake: Any collection of fresh water surrounded by land
Pond: Small lakes
True or False: All bodies of water are natural False: Not all bodies of water are natural.
Throughout history, humans have altered the direction, size, and speed of flowing water, used
dams to create lakes, and constructed their own bodies of water. The most significant of these are
canals, artificial waterways designed to allow boats to get to areas via a shortcut or areas
previously blocked by land.
Appalachian Mountains: A mountain range running north-south in Eastern North America.
The range forms a barrier inhibiting east-west travel along the entire length of the eastern side of
the continent. The Appalachians contain large deposits of coal, leading to a booming coal
industry that can have serious environmental consequences.
, TExES Social Studies 7-12 (232) Questions
With Solutions
Mississippi River: Starting in Minnesota, the Mississippi River runs slowly down to the
Gulf of Mexico. The waterways of 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces drain into the Mississippi.
The Mississippi River has served as host to several significant populations and civilizations, a
barrier to travel, and a significant avenue for trade. In the 1700s and 1800s, the world's powers
all vied to control the river because by doing so, they controlled the continent's trade
Rocky Mountains: Stretching north-south over 3000 miles from British Columbia in
Canada to New Mexico, the Rockies are the tallest mountain chain in North America. The
Continental Divide is located in the Rockies. All water to the west of the divide flows to the
Pacific, while all water to the east flows to the Atlantic.
Erie Canal: Built between 1817 and 1825, the Erie Canal cuts across New York State,
creating a navigable water route from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean (via New York City).
It quickly became a central trade route in the United States.
Panama Canal: Cutting across the Isthmus of Panama, the Panama Canal connects the
Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. When it was finished in 1914, it greatly decreased the time it took to
cross between the two oceans as boats no longer had to travel all the way around the tip of South
America.
With Solutions
The Earth can be divided into two primary categories of physical features: land masses
and bodies of water
There are two major types of land masses: continents and islands.
Continents: The world's major continuous masses of land. There are seven continents on Earth.
Islands: Small land masses not connected to any continent and surrounded on all sides by water.
The terrain of land masses are shaped by four major types of landforms. Mountains: an
area of land that rises abruptly and steeply above the land surrounding it.
Hills: An area of land that rises higher than the land surrounding it. Hills are typically smaller
than 1000 feet.
Plateaus: An area of land that is relatively flat and that is higher than the land surrounding it.
Plains: An area of land that is flat and lies at a low elevation.
Some other minor landforms include valleys, canyons, and basins: all of which are areas that lie
below the area surrounding them.
Bodies of Water Ocean: A body of water that covers the Earth
, TExES Social Studies 7-12 (232) Questions
With Solutions
Usually subdivided into five oceans: Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Arctic Ocean,
and the Southern Ocean
Sea: A part of the ocean surrounded partially by land
Stream: Any body of flowing water
River: A large stream that flows over land, usually carrying a large amount of water
Lake: Any collection of fresh water surrounded by land
Pond: Small lakes
True or False: All bodies of water are natural False: Not all bodies of water are natural.
Throughout history, humans have altered the direction, size, and speed of flowing water, used
dams to create lakes, and constructed their own bodies of water. The most significant of these are
canals, artificial waterways designed to allow boats to get to areas via a shortcut or areas
previously blocked by land.
Appalachian Mountains: A mountain range running north-south in Eastern North America.
The range forms a barrier inhibiting east-west travel along the entire length of the eastern side of
the continent. The Appalachians contain large deposits of coal, leading to a booming coal
industry that can have serious environmental consequences.
, TExES Social Studies 7-12 (232) Questions
With Solutions
Mississippi River: Starting in Minnesota, the Mississippi River runs slowly down to the
Gulf of Mexico. The waterways of 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces drain into the Mississippi.
The Mississippi River has served as host to several significant populations and civilizations, a
barrier to travel, and a significant avenue for trade. In the 1700s and 1800s, the world's powers
all vied to control the river because by doing so, they controlled the continent's trade
Rocky Mountains: Stretching north-south over 3000 miles from British Columbia in
Canada to New Mexico, the Rockies are the tallest mountain chain in North America. The
Continental Divide is located in the Rockies. All water to the west of the divide flows to the
Pacific, while all water to the east flows to the Atlantic.
Erie Canal: Built between 1817 and 1825, the Erie Canal cuts across New York State,
creating a navigable water route from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean (via New York City).
It quickly became a central trade route in the United States.
Panama Canal: Cutting across the Isthmus of Panama, the Panama Canal connects the
Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. When it was finished in 1914, it greatly decreased the time it took to
cross between the two oceans as boats no longer had to travel all the way around the tip of South
America.
