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Show 8 BASIS OP AMERICAN HISTORY [ 1500 of California. North of the Sierras lies the Cascade range of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. This chain is of volcanic structure, m$ ny of its peaks still retaining their crater formation. Reaching Alaska, the Cordillera breaks into a confusion of groups and irregular ridges, and presents the highest peaks of the continent, Mount McKinley, at the head of Cook Inlet, attaining an altitude of 20,464 feet. South of the United States the Cordillera extends through Mexico and Central America, preserving the general character of the northern system- that is, a table- land of considerable height with detached ranges and peaks; and in this region are many active as well as extinct volcanoes. The highest of them are Orizaba ( 18,250 feet) and Popo-catapetl ( 17,520 feet). Eastward from the Cordillera stretches the great central basin of the continent, which reaches the Atlantic at Hudson Bay, and is bordered throughout the United States by the Appalachian or Eastern mountain system. The only elevation of prominence which breaks the monotony of this expanse is made by the geographically unimportant Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Missouri, and Indian Territory, rising but slightly over three thousand feet. \ The Appalachians, ( on the other hand, have played a most important part in the history of the nation: they ^ extend from Nova Scotia in a southwesterly direction through the eastern states to Alabama and |
