Chicago “Five Themes of Geography” “Site and Situation” Mr. Stepek

LOCATION Absolute or “Exact” location Relative location 42°N, 88°W Describes where in reference to someplace else. Chicago lies between two watersheds Chicago is on the southern tip of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes Chicago is located in the middle of the United States

Mississippi and Great Lakes Watersheds Chicago was originally “desirable” as a portage site between two watersheds for travelers by canoe. “Portage Park”

Chicago’s role was as coordinator of north-south and east-west flows lumber traveled from north to south

Chicago’s role was as coordinator of north-south and east-west flows hardware had to be directed from east to west

Early Railroad hub

Situation = “Nation’s Freight Handler”

Situation = Chicago is a major transportation hub

LOCATION Absolute or “Exact” location Relative location 42°N, 88°W Describes where in reference to someplace else. Chicago lies between two watersheds Chicago is on the southern tip of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes Chicago is centrally located within the U.S. Chicago is on the eastern edge of the agricultural heartland

Situation = “Stacker of Wheat”

Situation = “Hog Butcher to the World”

Situation = Major center of commodity exchanges

LOCATION Absolute or “Exact” location Relative location 42°N, 88°W Describes where in reference to someplace else. Chicago lies between two watersheds Chicago is on the southern tip of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes Chicago is centrally located within the U.S. Chicago is on the eastern edge of the agricultural heartland Chicago is located near abundant coal fields. Chicago is located close to the Iron Range of Minnesota (1 st )

Chicago = “the City that Works”, “the City of Big Shoulders” Situation = Chicago was a center of heavy industry!

Region : commonalities between places 3 ways to discuss region Formal or uniform Illinois, city of Chicago, wards, townships, etc. prairie, watershed Functional or nodal Transportation hub (RRs, Air travel) Meatpacking center Commodity exchanges with global hinterland (area of service) Perceptual or vernacular “Rust Belt” = decaying industrial base

Place : how can a location be described? Physical climate and vegetation prairie terrain/landform flat lake shore between two watersheds Great Lakes Mississippi Valley built terrain skyscrapers bungalows

Place : how can a location be described? People demographics 2.7 million (Chicago) 9 million + (Metro area) 3 rd largest in U.S. population/cultural stats Multiethnic Industry attracts immigrants attracted to Chicago Economic stats Situation = Diversified economic base Not a “one-trick” pony (see Detroit) Commodities, Industry, Tourism, Finance, Technology If a country, Chicagoland would have the 21 st largest economy $531b is equivalent to Switzerland or Poland or Belgium’s GDP

Interaction : the relationship between humans and their environment. Adaptation How do humans  to better fit into their environment. Modification How do humans  their environment to better suit themselves, examples: Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal Helps industry thrive (industrial center situation) Chicago city planning Burnham Plan = open lakefront Grant Park/Streeterville landfill Cities “front yard”, the “bean” Museums, McCormick Place, Navy Pier Chicago River flow reversed Drinking water and clean beaches Situation = Tourism! Chicago is beautiful/clean

Movement Industry attracts people to Chicago “Titans of Industry” George Pullman = railcars, model worker society McCormick reaper Sears catalog Germans Labor movement, 8-hour work day, anarchism, socialism Haymarket riot = May Day

Movement Industry attracts people to Chicago “Titans of Industry” George Pullman = railcars, model worker society McCormick reaper Sears catalog Germans Labor movement, 8-hour work day, anarchism, socialism Haymarket riot = May Day African-Americans Great Migration African- Americans from South move North Attracted to industrial jobs Chicago gets African-Americans from Mississippi Delta region makes Chicago the “Blues” capital of world

Movement Industry attracts people to Chicago “Titans of Industry” George Pullman = railcars, model worker society McCormick reaper Sears catalog Germans Labor movement, 8-hour work day, anarchism, socialism Haymarket riot = May Day African-Americans Great Migration African- Americans from South move North Attracted to industrial jobs Chicago gets African-Americans from Mississippi Delta region makes Chicago the “Blues” capital of world