Chapters 12 & 13 - The West Flashcards
An imaginary line that runs north and south along the highest points of the Rocky Mountains. Rivers flow west or east from this line.
Continental Divide
an opening in Earth’s surface out of which hot gases, ash, and lava may pour
volcano
hot, melted rock that comes from a volcano
lava
an opening in Earth’s surface created when a volcano erupts and begins to throw out lava
crater
a sudden shaking of the ground caused by the movement and cracking of rock deep inside Earth
earthquake
a crack in Earth’s surface
fault
on a mountain, the elevation above which the temperatures are too low for trees to grow
timberline
a region in which people use the same time
time zone
something that blocks the way or makes it hard to move from place to place
barrier
a group of wagons, each pulled by horses or oxen
wagon train
a person who went to California in 1849 to search for gold
forty-niner
a town that grew up quickly, almost overnight
boomtown
a machine that uses electricity to send messages over wires
telegraph
a railroad that crosses the North American continent, linking the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
transcontinental railroad
land that is owned by the government
public land
