Welcome to the Midwest!

Transcription

1 Welcome to the Midwest! Why do we call the Midwest "America's Heartland"? Farm State St. Louis 3

2 St. Louis, Missouri "Gateway to the West" Frontier: the beginning of unexplored land Pioneers: first people to settle the West The settlement of the West began in St. Louis French settlers first settled here because of the two major river (Missouri and Mississippi River) location The Gateway Arch was built in honor of the pioneers that started their journey by heading west of St. Louis It is also why St. Louis is nicknamed "Gateway to the West" The Farm State of Iowa Words to know: Prairie Fertile Livestock Iowa is a mostly flat prairie (a flat or gently rolling land that is covered with tall grasses and wildflowers) land. Farmers plant crops in fertile (soil that is able to produce good crops) soil. Iowa used the rivers and trains to help transport their crops to market. Nowadays, some of Iowa's major crops are corn, soybeans, oats, and hay. Much of the crops are fed to livestock (animals that are raised on farms, such as cattle, hogs, and chickens)

3 Dodge City, Kansas: Where the Cattle Once Roamed Feedlot: an area or a building where livestock are kept while being fattened for slaughter Meatpacking: the preparing of meat for sale Dodge City is famous for wheat and cowboys. Kansas produces more wheat than any other state. Cowboys used to herd their cattle to Dodge City, which were eventually shipped East for sale. Meatpacking is one of the largest industries in the Midwest. South Dakota's Mount Rushmore Reservation: public land set aside by government for use by American Indians Two monuments are carved into the Black Hills: Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial Mount Rushmore honors four American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln Crazy Horse honors the chief of the Sioux tribe, who fought to save his tribe's land against white settlers.

4 Michigan's Soo Locks: Linking the Great Lakes The Soo Locks are the two largest locks in the world. The Great Lakes are part of the water highway that runs from the Midwest to the Atlantic Ocean. Since the lakes are different water levels, locks are used to raise and lower ships. Lake Huron has a 21 feet difference between Lake Superior. Detroit, Michigan: America's Motor City Assembly Line: a process in which each worker assembles one part of a product before passing it to the next worker down the line. In 1896, Henry Ford made the first car. Ford wanted to make cars that were available to most people in America. In 1908, Ford started a factory in Detroit Michigan. Due to Ford's assembly line, the time to make a car dropped from 12 hours to 93 minutes. Since the time frame had dropped, the cost of cars also dropped. Many carmakers traveled to Detroit, which created its nickname "Motor City" or Motown" for short.

5 O'Hare International Airport: The Midwest's Transportation Hub Transportation Hub: a city that serves as a center for moving goods and people O'Hare is one of the busiest airports in the USA. Originally, trains would move goods from factories to farms in and out of Chicago. Today, we have railroads, highways, airports, rivers and lakes that move products and people from Chicago to other American cities. Chicago's Wrigley Field Chicago's Wrigley Field is home to the Chicago Cubs. Sports are big in the Midwest. Wrigley Field is the second oldest baseball park in America.

6 Minnesota's Mall of America! Minnesota's Mall of America is the largest mall in the USA. It was built in 1992, including 520 stores, an amusement park, 14 movie theaters, and 50 restaurants. In 1956, the nation's first mall with a roof was built. Its purpose was to allow shoppers to have a more enjoyable experience shopping. In the Midwest, shoppers have to be careful of the weather. In the winter, they may see blizzards that bring heavy snow and freezing rain. Spring brings hailstorms and tornados.

7