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Mid-Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland

level. The region’s rivers and creeks feed coastal estuaries , swamplands, and freshwater lakes. Among the major rivers are the Nanticoke, Choptank, and Pocomoke Rivers, which flow westward into the Chesapeake Bay. But most of Delaware’s rivers, including the

This boundary line was originally cre- ated as a 12-mile (19 km) measure- ment from the courthouse in the city of New Castle. Almost all of Delaware, except for its northern tip, lie within the Atlantic Coastal Plain . The land is mostly flat, and lies at an elevation close to sea

Words to Understand in This Chapter

Algonquian— describing the language spoken by early Native American tribes living along the Atlantic Coast. Atlantic Coastal Plain— a lowland, level region along the eastern seaboard extending 2,200 miles from New York to Florida. constitution— a written document that contains the rules of a government. Delmarva— a peninsula separating the Chesapeake Bay from the Atlantic Ocean that contains all of Delaware and parts of Maryland and Virginia. estuary— the place where a freshwater stream or river meets the ocean; the mixing of fresh and ocean water results in slightly salty or brackish water. mill— a building with machinery that grinds grain into flour or that is used in manufacturing processes. peninsula— a strip of land surrounded on three sides by water. plain— a large area of flat land with few trees. proprietor— governor or holder of land. ratify— to formally consent to a treaty or agreement, making it officially valid. semiautonomous— having some, but not complete, self-government.