The Kings Mountain Study Site provides an excellent example of how
landscapes and landforms can affect historical events. When the British
and American armies met at Kings Mountain during the Revolutionary War,
the British forces were not used to fighting in this type of landscape,
while the American troops took advantage of their knowledge of the terrain
to gain a quick victory. The landscape has also figured prominently in
the development of the trails and monuments which were later constructed
within the national park. As the population of the Piedmont region grew
larger, the Kings Mountain area became part of a national transportation
route between Charlotte and Atlanta. The Kings Mountain Belt is also known
for its distinctive geology and economically valuable mineral deposits.
Several surface mining sites illustrate both the benefits and potential
environmental hazards associated with resource extraction. Many of the
inactive mines have been reclaimed, although some have not, providing a
comparative framework for analyzing and discussing a variety of environmental
issues.
Background Information Description of Landforms Characteristic Landforms
of the Piedmont
Geographic Features of Special
Interest
Piedmont Rock Types
Geologic Belts of the Piedmont
Influence of Topography
on Historical Events and Cultural Trends The Catawba Nation
Catawba Tales
Catawba Pottery
Immigration into the Piedmont
Settling the Piedmont:
Act of 1743
Farming in Colonial Times
South Carolina Regulators
Battlegrounds in the Piedmont
The Naming of Rock Hill
Cotton Mill Towns Become
Part of Industrial Region
The Anderson Car
The Interstate 85 Corridor
Natural Resources, Land
Use, and Environmental Concerns Climate and Water Resources
Piedmont Reservoirs
Soils and Red Clay
Agriculture and Erosion
Reforestation and Soil Conservation
Establishment of National
Forests
Unique Natural Habitats
in the Piedmont
Underground Storage in Granite
Gold Mining
Study Site 3C--Kings Mountain (Historical Battleground) Brief Site Description Introduction
