The Midwest

Refers to the north-central states of the USA, specifically Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Chicago is the largest city in the region and the third largest in the nation. It is sometimes unofficially called the "capital of the Midwest".Geography - these states are generally perceived as being relatively flat, but there is a measure of geographical variation. In particular, the eastern Midwest lying near the foothills of the Appalachians, the Great Lakes basin. Prairies cover most of the states west of the Mississippi River. History: European settlement of the area began in the 17th century along the Mississippi River system and the Great Lakes. Following the American Revolutionary War, the rate of settlers coming from the eastern states increased rapidly. In the 20th century – a high level of African American migration. The region's fertile soil made it possible for farmers to produce abundant harvests of cereal crops such as corn, oats, and wheat. In the early days, the region was soon known as the nation's "breadbasket". Two waterways have been important to the Midwest's development-the Ohio River which flowed into the Mississippi River. The river inspired two classic American books written by a native Missourian Mark Twain: “Life on the Mississippi” and “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. The second waterway is the network of routes within the Great Lakes. Religion: Catholicism is the largest single religious denomination in the Midwest. Economy: according to the fields of economy the Midwest is divided into Corn Belt, Wheat Belt (which comprise agriculture) and Rust Belt (industrial – Great Lakes area). The region contains numerous highly-regarded universities, both public and private. Another big city is Detroit, often called “motor city” for it’s the centre of car production (Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler)

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 1158