MIDWEST

 Most of Midwest is flat  Humus is a rich soil, great for farming  Long hot summers, with adequate rainfall

 Variations contribute to what is grown  Ohio gets twice as much rainfall as S. Dakota  Kansas growing season is over 200 days  Growing season near Canadian border about 120 days

 Midwest farms are some of most productive in the world  High wheat output has led to Midwest being called nations bread basket  This output also allows for sizable amounts of exports

 Farms started out as modest family enterprises.  Today farming is big business.  Machinery has driven these changes.

 1800’s farm crops are getting larger  1834 Cyrus McCormick patented a mechanical reaper  As more technology developed food production improved

 Midwest towns grow economically due to farming  Dairies and grain elevators are center of business activity  Chicago Mercantile Exchange, world’s busiest commodities market.

 Tundra Soils-where cold year round  Northern Forest Soils-cool wet climates  Prairie Soils-cool dry climates  Mountain Soils-Topsoil usually thin  Desert Soils-dry areas with few plants  Tropical Soils-wet, tropical climates

 Many cities grew along the rivers or great lakes due to trade  Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and Minneapolis.  Railroads soon took over from water transportation.

 Snow capped peaks  Canyons  Massive glaciers  Volcanoes

 Availability of water shapes the vegetation in the west  Much of West is arid or semiarid  Washington West Coast is very wet

 Minerals: gold, silver, uranium, other metals  Other resources: Oil and Natural gas  In the gold rush of 1800’s most did not strike it rich  Other resources: lumber and commerical fishing

 Transcontinental RR contributes to Western City Growth  1880’s lower fairs to Los Angeles contributed to more growth  Huge aqueducts created to supply water to Los Angeles