The Midwestern States

1
The Midwestern States

• of the United States

2
The States and their Capitals

• Ohio.
• Michigan.
• Indiana
• Illinois.
• Missouri.
• Iowa
• Kansas..
• Nebraska..
• South Dakota
• North Dakota...
• Wisconsin.
• Minnesota.

• Columbus
• Lansing
• Indianapolis
• Springfield
• Jefferson City
• Des Moines
• Topeka
• Lincoln
• Pierre
• Bismarck
• Madison
• St. Paul

3
An Agricultural Economy

• Flat land and Fertile soil
• Humus Organic material that results when plants
  and animals that live in the soil die and decay.
  Combines with bedrock to help build more soil
• Climate favors agriculture
• Winters cold
• Summers hot and long
• Approximately 20 inches of annual rainfall

4
Regional Variations

• Variations in soil and climate affect farming
• Warmer wetter parts of mid-west grow corn and
  soybeans and are leading producers of livestock
  (mainly hogs)
• Great plains states are drier, suitable for
  growing wheat, oats or sunflowers
• Northern mid-western states have cooler climates
  and poorer soil allowing for growth of hay and
  raising dairy cattle
• Growing season average number of days between
  the last frost of spring and the first frost of
  fall
• 200 days per year in Kansas
• 120 days per year along Canadian border

5
The Nations Breadbasket

• Midwestern farms are among the most productive in
  the world
• High wheat production nations breadbasket
• Mid-western productivity
• Allows average American to be well fed
• U.S exports allow it to be affluent

6
American Farms

• Farming is big business
• Technology revolutionized farming
• 1834 mechanical reaper - Harvest vast amounts
  of wheat in short amount of time
• Number of farms has decreased over the years but
  size and output have increased
• Push and pull migration reduce of workers
• Lower incomes have pushed people off farms
• Higher paying jobs in cities

7
Linking Farms to Cities

• Agriculture dominates economy
• Business activities center on dairies or
• Grain elevators tall buildings equipped with
  machinery for loading, cleaning, mixing and
  storing grain
• Corporate headquarters for many big farming
  companies located in large cities
• Mercantile Exchange worlds busiest market for
  eggs, hogs, cattle, and other farm products
• Board of Trade largest grain exchange place
  where buyers and sellers deal for grain

8
Linking Industry to Resources

• Rich supply of natural resources
• Home to heavy manufacturing
• Iron ore (MN), Coal (IN, IL)
• Steel Mills (IN, OH) Auto
  manufacturing (MI)

9
Linking Transportation to Industry

• Many mid-western cities located on the shores of
  the Great Lakes or along major rivers
• Cleveland
• Chicago
• Minneapolis
• St. Louis
• Detroit
• Cincinnati
• Omaha

• Water transportation aided growth of many
  industries
• Railway system
• brought livestock and agriculture from farms out
  west in mid-west
• Shipped products eastward

10
Summary

• Midwest is the breadbasket, which means that
  because of rich soil and good climate there is a
  surplus in agricultural production which makes
  the United States more affluent and its citizens
  well fed.
• The midwest has a rich supply of natural
  resources which allows its economy to be diverse,
  with agriculture and manufacturing.
• Family farms have declined but farming is still
  big business, output has increased because of
  technology.

11
Questions

• How has technology changed farming into a big
  business?
• How have natural resources had an impact on the
  economy of the Midwest?
• Why has manufacturing thrived in the Midwest?
• How do variations in climate affect agricultural
  production in the Midwest?