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Opening

• List the major Southern cities and one fact about each one, even if it is just the state it is in.

Mid-West U.S.

America’s Breadbasket

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Today’s Standard(s)

• SSWG8 The student will describe the interaction of physical and human systems that have shaped contemporary Canada and the United States.

• a. Describe the location of major physical features and their impact on Canada and the United States.

• b. Describe the major climates of Canada and the United

States and how they affect Canada and the United States. • c. Explain the reasons for the population distribution in

Canada and the United States.

• d. Explain how the physical geography of Canada and the

United States contributed to regional growth and development.

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Landforms & Climate

• Lies almost entirely w/in Interior Plains

• Entire region has humid-continental climate

• Subject to tornadoes

Mississippi River• Upper part of this river

system drains the region

Agriculture• 1 of most productive regions in world b/c:

– Hot, humid summers– Fertile soil– Level land– Agricultural technology

• township and range system- system, started by U.S. gov’t in late 1780’s, by which land NW of Ohio river was divided into sections and offered to people who agreed to farm them for at least 5 yrs

– Each section of land was 1 sq. mile

The Corn Belt

• Corn Belt- the area of the Midwestern U.S., stretching mainly from Ohio to Iowa, in which raising corn is a major economic activity

• Most corn grown is for livestock

• to preserve soil farmers use crop rotation and commercial fertilizers

The Dairy Belt

• Dairy Belt- Midwestern states, north of Corn Belt, in which dairy farming is a major economic activity

• summers are cooler and soils become rocky and less fertile

• Problems incl.- surplus of product, low prices, and changing American diet

The Great Lakes

• World’s largest freshwater lake system

• Contain 1/5 of world’s fresh surface water

• economic life line of region- provide inexpensive transportation to allow products to the Atlantic to compete on the world market

Major Mid-western Cities

• Chicago– 3rd largest U.S. city– Cultural capital of

Midwest• Detroit

– Leading automobile producer in country

• St. Louis– “gateway to the

West”

Cities (Cont.)

• The Twin Cities– Minneapolis and

St. Paul, Minnesota

– Retail center for upper Midwest

• Cleveland• Kansas City

– Starting point of Oregon trial

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OpeningOpening

List the major Midwestern cities and one fact about each one (even if it is the state it is in)

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The Interior WestThe Interior West

The Great PlainsThe Rocky Mountains

The Intermountain West

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The Great PlainsThe Great Plainsò include: Oklahoma,

Kansas, Nebraska, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Texas & parts of N.M.

ò Semi-arid/ steppe climate dominates

Extreme temperaturesDrought is a major issue

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Great Plains Cont.Great Plains Cont.

ò During the Depression drought & dropping prices turned this region into “dust bowl”

ò Denver is region’s dominant city & economic center

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The Rocky MountainsThe Rocky Mountainsò Stretch from Canada

through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico

ò Continental Divide- formed in the crest of the Rocky Mts./ divides major river systems of N.A. into those that flow eastward and those that flow westward

ò Highland climate

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Rockies Cont.Rockies Cont.ò No major cities in this region, most people live in small townsò Major economic activity is tourism

Skiing destinations- AspenNational Parks- Yellowstone

ò Largest landowner in Rockies is U.S. gov’t

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Intermountain WestIntermountain Westò Includes Arizona, Nevada and Utah, southern Idaho, and the western portions of Colorado and New Mexico

ò Climate in south = desert/ north= semiarid

ò Colorado River is lifeline of this region

Home to the Hoover damò Tourism important to

economy

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Intermountain West Cont.Intermountain West Cont.ò Population growth most rapid in

this regionPhoenix and Las Vegas are country’s 2 fastest growing cities

ò Large Native American pop. in AZ and NM

ò Spanish influence in this region is huge

Most people in NM speak Spanish