The Appalachians

The Appalachians are an ancient mountain chain that stretches more than 1,500 miles along eastern North America. This range of mountains is among the oldest in the world. Worn down by erosion, the Appalachian Mountains are known for their forest-covered slopes and farmlands in fertile valleys. Students will read about Hernando de Soto's explorations during the 1540s, and how Daniel Boone built the Wilderness Road and the Cumberland Gap. Today, it has a rich heritage of music and storytelling that reflects the lives of the European and African American people who settled there.