Bodies of Water

Guiding Question
How do the bodies of water in the United States
affect people’s lives?
Bodies of Water

Main Ideas
• Oceans, lakes, and rivers have helped make the
United States prosperous.
• The United States is bordered by the Atlantic (east)
and Pacific (west) oceans, and the Gulf of Mexico
(south). These bodies of water connect the country
to other regions for trade.
• The Great Lakes form the largest group of
freshwater lakes in the world.
• The Mississippi River System has affected the
settlement patterns, economy, and lifestyles of
Americans for hundreds of years.
Bodies of Water

Reading Progress Check

What landform is crossed by the rivers that flow
from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi
River?