Geography 321- Chicago : Ch. 8 Great Lakes and Corn Belt

Mostly known as the “heartland” of North America, and associated with having true “American” values. Chicago is ethnically and racially diverse. The Great Lakes and Corn Belt is composed of almost eight states; Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Southern Ontario from Canada. The landscape has been drastically modified by humans, and by glaciers. Much of the region is lowland, and slightly rolling hills. Its elevation is lower than the rest of North America. Chicago engineers reversed the water flow, to use it to their needs. In terms of climate the region is affected by strong winter storms, which affects residents. Prior to European settlement much of the land was inhabited by Native American. Today, a significant amount of Native Americans live in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The region is a good productive area for farming. Most farms are owed by families, rather than by corporations. Corn is a major crop of the region and Iowa and Illinois are leading states of corn production. Dairy farming is heavy in Wisconsin were the weather is cooler. The Great Lakes and Corn Belt was known for having a great industrial sector. However, in recent years they have become the Rust Belt. Most of the steel mills and auto manufactures have been placed outside the U.S. In recent years the Industrial sector has been replaced by tertiary & quaternary sectors. Health care and high-tech is now becoming a huge part of the region’s economy. The region is large, well-educated and diverse. Chicago is visited by almost 40 million people yearly. Their location adjacent to Lake Michigan has maintained Chicago an important city in North America. The city is an important educational, commercial and financial center.

Book used:
Hardwick,Shelley, Susan Wiley. The Geography of North America 2nd Edition. Pearson College Div. 2012.