Midwest

Ester Baková, Johana Jakubíková 2.D

Midwest
Also called Middle west or
North central states
Northern and central part of the
US
Consists of 12 states
Population: about 68 million
The largest city of this region:
Chicago
States forming Midwest

North Dakota Minnesota

Wisconsin
South Dakota
Michigan

Iowa
Nebraska
Ohio
Illinois Indiana

Kansas
Missouri
Geography
Lies midway between Appalachian
and Rocky mountains
Bounded by Canada on the North
and four of the five Great Lakes on
the east
Important waterways, including the
Ohio river, Missouri and Mississippi,
are used for transporting goods
Lowlands and vast rolling plains
west to Mississippi – The Great
Plains
Geography
Fertile farmland - dominates in corn
production – The Corn Belt
Soy and wheat
Black Hills – a mountain range from The
Great Plains to Wyoming, highest summit is
Black Elk Peak, 2,208 m high
Badlands are a part of Black Hills, they were
created by erosion – Badlands national park
The Great Plains

Flat lands covered in prairie and grassland

Located east to Rocky mountains
Much of the region was home to Native
American tribes
American Bison – its herds were reduced
from about 30 million to about 1,000
individuals due to hunting
Prairie dogs, prairie chickens, coyotes and
pronghorns
The Great Lakes

Formed by glacial action 3,000 years

ago
Hold about 90% of the fresh water of
the US
The biggest and the deepest one is
Lake Superior
Are home to numerous species, such as
gray wolf, moose, beaver and bald
eagle
The lakes are quite different from each
other so different fish and other aquatic
wildlife can be found in each one
History
European settlement in Midwest region began in
17th century – the French had the dominance
The Great lakes and Mississippi river were
frequently used for trading goods
The north-west area of the region became a part of
the United States in 1783 as the conclusion of
American Revolution, the French were defeated
The Great Plains entered US as a part of the
Louisiana purchase in 1803
During the 1930s, Nebraska and Kansas were the
most affected states by dust storms from this
region
Mount Rushmore
South Dakota
Symbolic of the freedom and democracy that the country represents
The faces of four American presidents
Gutzon Borglum - they represented the most
important events in the history of the US
The carving took 14 years

Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln

Willis Tower Skydeck
Chicago, 443 meters high
On a clear day, you can see four states – Illinois,
Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan from the top
Willis Tower - twelfth-tallest building in the world
110 stories tall
Witches Gulch Wisconsin Deer Park
A 'slot canyon' located at Wisconsin Has been in business for over 50 years
River
Visitors can walk through the exhibit to feed,
Formed when water rushes through rock pet and take photographs of the animals
at high flow
Music
Chicago is a major center for music
20th century - blues, jazz, and gospel
Nowadays - known as the home of hip-hop
artists (Kanye West) and rock artists
Midwestern Literature
Set in rural areas or small towns, with a focus on community and family
The best at illustrating place, capturing it vividly, whether it is the geography or its
inhabitants
Tracks - Louise Erdrich
Beloved - Toni Morrison
Fun facts
The world’s tallest man, Robert Wadlow, was from Alton, Illinois. He reached
8’11.1” and was still growing when he died at the age of 22
The zipper, Twinkies, Ferris Wheel and vacuum were
invented in the Midwest
The first form of softball was invented in Chicago
Quiz
1. What is the name of the region this
presentation was about?

Midwest
2. Name at least five countries of
Midwestern region.
North Dakota Wisconsin
South Dakota Illinois
Nebraska Indiana
Kansas Michigan
Minnesota Ohio
Iowa
Missouri
3. Is Missouri river flowing through
Midwestern region?

Yes
4. Which of these animals doesn’t live
on The Great Plains? Coyotes, beavers
or pronghorns?

Beavers
5. Which of these presidents isn’t
depicted on Mountain Rushmore?
Truman, Jefferson or Roosevelt?

Truman
6. What is Witches gulch?

It’s a canyon located at Wisconsin River.

7. Which music genre was played in
Chicago during 20 century?
th

Blues, jazz, and gospel.

8. Who was Robert Wadlow?

He was the tallest man on Earth, born in Alton,

Illinois.
Thank you for your attention!
Sources
https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/freshwater/great-lakes-ecoregion
https://www.britannica.com/place/Great-Plains
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Great_Plains#Flora_and_fauna
https://study.com/academy/lesson/geography-of-the-midwestern-united-states.html
https://www.britannica.com/video/72885/landscapes-American-Midwest
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Wild-Places/Great-Lakes
https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/dust-bowl
https://www.triphobo.com/places/wisconsin-dells-united-states/witches-gulch
https://www.nps.gov/moru/learn/historyculture/why-these-four-presidents.htm
https://theskydeck.com/for-kids/fun-facts/
https://midwestwanderer.com/12-fun-facts-you-may-not-know-about-the-midwest/
https://www.haikudeck.com/chicago-illinois-uncategorized-presentation-4d0d37d37b#slide12
https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/books/ct-prj-rust-belt-midwestern-literature-20140919-story.html