Do Now 1. Would you move to a place no one lived if others were moving there? Explain your answer. 2. Where are the Great Plains? 3. What are the Great Plains like?

Great Plains Challenges Before the Civil War, the Great Plains were considered a "treeless wasteland". The winters were bitter cold. There were few rivers and streams for water, and few trees for wood. Low rainfall caused drought and dust storms. Fierce winds and frequent dust storms eroded and blew away the soil. The remaining tough soil was thought to be unsuitable for farming.

How did people’s perceptions and use of the Great Plains change after the Civil War? Before 1860, those who crossed the Mississippi generally traveled all the way to the west coast. Few settled in the Great Plains. “Treeless wasteland”

The Great Plains Because of new technologies People saw the Great Plains not as a "treeless wasteland" but as a vast area to be settled.

Great Plains Physical Features Between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains

Great Plains Physical Features 2. Flatland that rises from EAST to WEST

Great Plains Physical Features 3. Dry land eroded by wind and rain.

Great Plains Physical Features 4. Low rainfall with frequent dust storms.