American Mediterranean Sea

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/american-mediterranean-sea

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is the American Mediterranean Sea?4.319 million km²
2. How deep is the American Mediterranean Sea?2,216 meters
3. What is the location?A hydrographic designation for the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico
4. What is the key straits?Florida Straits, Windward Passage, Mona Passage, Straits of Yucatán
5. Why do scientists call it the American Mediterranean Sea?German oceanographers use the name to show that this region has special ocean features and is different from other seas.
6. Where are the islands that form the West Indies?Islands such as Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico make a natural arc that separates the basin from the Atlantic Ocean.

Hydrographic basin: A geographical area where all surface water drains into a common river, lake, or ocean.
Oceanic marginal sea: A sea that is partially enclosed by land but is connected to the open ocean.
Geopolitical: Relating to politics, especially international relations, as influenced by geographical factors.
Maritime security: The protection of a nation's interests at sea, including trade routes and territorial waters.