The Appalachian Mountains have a long history that dates back to the early 1500s. The birth of these mountains began about 480 million years ago. Scientists have found that a collision of continents is what formed these mountains. When the mountains were first formed, they were much more higher than they are now. In the last million years, erosion has been carving away at the Appalachian Mountains. Erosion has even altered the landscape of the Southern Appalachians. This system of mountains is located in eastern North America and it extends to southeastern Canada. In this system of mountains there is a trail that is 2,175 miles long that people use to hike and explore. This trail is called the Appalachian Trail.
At the end of the Mesozoic Era, the Appalachian Mountains were eroded to a flat plain. These mountains were uplifted during the Cenozoic Era and when this happened, streams flowed along faults and folds and created canyons. Plateaus that surround the region are rich in minerals like iron and zinc. Scientists who have researched rocks of the Appalachian Mountain system have found evidence of an ancient ocean floor. The Appalachian Mountain range extends for 1,500 miles. These mountains were named by Spanish explorers who named them after an Indian village.
The mountains can be crossed easily in today’s modern society by cars, trains and airplanes. During the 1700s and 1800s, these mountains were traveled by foot, wagons and horseback. Canals and railroads is what improved the travel through these mountains. In Ohio, coal and iron produced by the mountains increased industries in the state during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Appalachian Mountains encompass eighteen states in the United States. They reach from the state of Maine to the state of Georgia. These mountains have played a very important part of America’s volcanic past.
Many people who lived in the Appalachian region were surrounded by rugged mountain terrain and they relied on nature for survival. Many people in the region were isolated and had little exposure to medicine. There was often a fourteen mile distance for some to go to work and they had to walk. There were miles of remote places and this made it extremely hard for families to keep in touch. People who lived in the region also lacked education because there was a long distance travel to schools. Today, the region thrives with housing, food supplies, medical care, educational centers and more.
