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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. Today’s Standard(s).
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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
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 contributedto regional growth anddevelopment. 3
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
Opening • List the major Midwestern cities and one fact about each one (even if it is the state it is in)
The Interior West • The Great Plains • The Rocky Mountains • The Intermountain West 12
The Great Plains • include: Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Texas & parts of N.M. • Semi-arid/ steppe climate dominates • Extreme temperatures • Drought is a major issue 13
Great Plains Cont. • During the Depression drought & dropping prices turned this region into “dust bowl” • Denver is region’s dominant city & economic center 14
The Rocky Mountains • Stretch from Canada through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico • 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 • Highland climate 15
Rockies Cont. • No major cities in this region, most people live in small towns • Major economic activity is tourism • Skiing destinations- Aspen • National Parks- Yellowstone • Largest landowner in Rockies is U.S. gov’t 16
Intermountain West • Includes Arizona, Nevada and Utah, southern Idaho, and the western portions of Colorado and New Mexico • Climate in south = desert/ north= semiarid • Colorado River is lifeline of this region • Home to the Hoover dam • Tourism important to economy 17
Intermountain West Cont. • Population growth most rapid in this region • Phoenix and Las Vegas are country’s 2 fastest growing cities • Large Native American pop. in AZ and NM • Spanish influence in this region is huge • Most people in NM speak Spanish 18