The Appalachian Mountains: A Short Story

The Appalachian region is one of the most valuable areas of the United States. It is rich in many natural aspects and is home to some of the hardest working citizens in this country. Unfortunately, Appalachia is also home to a variety of harsh social problems including severe drug abuse and a gripping poverty facing a large portion of Appalachian citizens. The two of these issues seem to go hand in hand in many cases, so the solution of one could also lead to the solution of the other. Appalachians have always had a history of handling their own problems, these drastic social problems are no different.

The first Region is the Blue Ridge Mountains this region is located in the North Eastern part of Georgia. This region is home to The Blue Ridge Mountains, which is the southernmost point in The Appalachian Mountain Chain. It is home to Georgia’s highest point, Brasstown bald at 4,784 feet above Sea Level. The First American Gold Rush took place here in 1828.

The Appalachian plateau is the smallest and northern most region in Georgia as well as being home to many superb physical features. Its abundance of natural beauty attracts visitors far and wide to the peach state. It showcases many natural attractions including, infamous Lookout Mountain, Sand Mountain, Cloudland Canyon State Park, Pigeon Mountain, and many more throughout the area stretching from Alabama to New York. The expanse has many natural resources consisting mostly of sedimentary rock-limestone, sandstone, and shale. It also contains resources such as ironstone and is the only known source of coal in Georgia. The Plateau is of great economic significance due to the many coalfields

The Appalachian Region stretches from the northern part of New York, through Pennsylvanyia, all of West Virginia, the West side of Kentucky, Mississippi, and the southern parts of Maryland, S.Carolina, N. Carolina, and Alabama. The immigrants who settled in the Appalachian Region were made-up of three main ethinic backgrounds; Scot-Irish, English, and German. “Appalachian people are considered a separate culture, made up of many unique backgrounds—Native Americans, Irish, English and Scotch, and then a third descendants of German and Polish immigrants—all blended together across the region”(“Appalachian Culture”, 2015). The immigrants came to the Appalachian Region either in search of land at cheaper prices or to get away from the Quacker Leaders. The Appalachian Region has proven to create a hard way of life for those who settled the region. “The people who settled in the Appalachian region were known as hearty people who lived in an often difficult environment”(“What is Unique”, 2015). Those who live in the Appalachian Region today may not face the same challenges as his or her ancestors who settled the region, but there is no doubt the Appalachians still brings a set of challenges. However, no matter the challenges there is one thing those who live in Appalachia share, tradition. It is these traditions that assisted the first settlers, our ancestors, in living life and are still getting present day Appalachians through.

Appalachia may be the most misconceived region in the United States. To many Americans, Appalachia has been thought of as a poverty stricken, backwards, violent region, and to some it still is perceived as such. Often it has been labeled with titles such as hillbilly, redneck, moonshiner, and feudists. Appalachia?s residents are seen as lazy, non-trusting, drunk, illiterate, and in need of a savior to pull them out of the darkness into the light. This research paper will seek to challenge the myth of a violent Appalachia by describing documented proof that violence in Appalachia is not, as most thought, a product of its geographical location, or because its people are isolated. Violence in Appalachia was, just as in other areas of America, a result of tensions and frustration that was deep seeded in the fabric of all American society.

Pennsylvania is a state situated in the middle-Atlantic regions and north eastern part of United States. The Appalachian Mountains passes in the middle of Pennsylvania. It is the sixth densely populated, 33rd largest and 6th known state from 50 united states. It is one of original 13 colonies, William Penn was the one founded Pennsylvania as a haven for his associated Quakers. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania capital, was the location of the both first and the second Continental Congresses in the year 1774 and 1775, the end of which brought the Announcement of Independence, leading to the American Revolution. Pennsylvania became the second state after the war, where Delaware was the first, to approve the United States Constitution. Pennsylvania

The Culture of honor existing in the Appalachian mountains is when a man’s reputation is at the center of his self worth and his livelihood. Its when everything he does makes up who he is and what he is worth to himself and others. The cultural legacies go after each generation of a family intact in any condition that is thrown at them. Without them no one can make sense of the world. These legacies play a role in attitudes and behavior of others and their self. They are significant to understand when dealing with people because everyone is built from their “legacies and honor”. The way people act and hold themselves is what you have to understand when you are dealing with someone, they are not going to act like you because what they were

The mountains of central Appalachia have always been known for, almost exclusively, the booming coal deposits that inhabit it, as well as the controversy that comes with the industry. The controversy that involves the wildlife, ecosystems, and residents of the area is one with fine lines, gray areas, and more than simply a good and evil side. The mountains of Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee are also home to some of the most extensive biodiversity in our country, as well as rich cultural heritage that extends to the earliest years of our nation. Everything that makes central Appalachia unique and identifiable is exactly what they might be in jeopardy of losing.

The Appalachian region lies in the Humid Continental Climate region, located between 35 and 55 N in North America. In continental air masses, westerlies dominate the climate, bringing cold continental winters and warm summers from the interior of continents. Also, the westerly wind belt brings frequent weather changes, migratory pressure systems, especially in winter. Therefore, Appalachia has four distinct seasons, including a long cold winter, a short warm/hot summer, and transitional periods in spring and fall. The average summer temperatures are warm (around mid 70’s average) while the average winter temperatures are below freezing (around 25 degrees). Summer is the wettest time of year (convective rains,) and the average precipitation

To understand Appalachian culture one has to look at the culture’s traits, customs, nomenclatures, strengths, and the weaknesses. While the Appalachian region is large, 1,500 miles of land that reaches Quebec, Canada to northern Alabama (Pollard, 2003), the culture discussed will be considered “coalfields.” The coalfields consist of West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, and south western Virginia. Some of the traits of coalfields Appalachian culture is being family orientated and having large families (Jude & Jude, 2015; Baghbad, 1984). Being family oriented means that family is always the center of importance. No matter how hard times may be, there is always family to be support. While Jude and Jude (2015) can remember a time were family sizes could be between 5 to 12 children, today the number had decreased. According to Pollard (2003), families in Appalachia more slightly higher in amount of children than the

The United States is the 3rd largest nation in the world and is 2nd largest nation on the North American continent. The United States houses some of the most premier land for agriculture and mining in the world. The lowest point in the United States is Death Valley at -86 meters, and the highest point in the United States is Mount Denali, formerly Mount McKinley, at 6,190 meters. The eastern United States towards the Atlantic Ocean is characterized as coastal plains, and it is in this area that most of the population of the United States is located. Just west of the coastal plains is the Appalachian Mountain chain that stretches from Northern Georgia to Maine. The Appalachian Mountains is a mineral rich region that houses one of the biggest

The major industries of the Appalachian Region are mining, agriculture, and fishing. Mining in this region is well known to be found in Quebec particularly asbestos, zinc, iron, and lead. While in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia the minerals potash and gypsum are found there. In both Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island the vegetable crops carrots, potatoes, cabbage and rutabagas are harvested yearly. The Appalachians are rich in fish such as salmon, cod, halibut, herring and pollock.

Many different ages of people hike the Appalachian Trail. There are 3 million visitors per year who enjoy hiking the Appalachian trail. “The trail conservancy claims that the Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only trail in the world.” Nancy Gowler hiked the Appalachian Trail at the age 71 in 2007. In 2014 Christian Thomas hiked the appalachian trail at five years old. Thru hikers average in their 20s, section hikers average in their 40s. Some families hike the trail together, at the beginning the parents carry most of the gear, by the end most kids carry their own gear. If the family finishes the trail together it makes them stronger.

The Appalachian Mountains spans from the state of Georgia all the way through the maritime within the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Eastern portions of Quebec. The land is primarily made up of sedimentary rock that was lifted up and folded, because of the collision of North America with Europe and northern Africa during the formation of Pangaea, creating mountains. These sheets of sedimentary rock are wealthy in non-metallic minerals such as coal. In addition, volcanic action and faulting formed igneous and metamorphic rock in specific space in the Appalachians. Plateaus made of this rock carry metallic material, because of this such as iron and zinc. Many land forms that may located here are

“The water reaches my thighs, pulls my legs, I turn to face the wall and stretch my arms wide”. (p293) This would be the last act of a man who fought for so much in his life for everything he loved. Denise Giardini’s “Unquiet Earth” is the epitome of Appalachian culture, true grit and undying perseverance in the heart of the mountains.