Middle West States

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Middle West States
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History of the Midwest
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The Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, over 900,000 square miles was purchased
for 15 million dollars by the United States from
France. This purchase doubled the size of the
United States and initiated the expansion of the
West.
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The Homestead Act of 1862
If you were a male or female citizen of the
United States ( or an intending citizen) and the
head of the household or over 21 years of age,
you could be given l 160 acres of land as long as
you agreed to stay on it and make improvements
for 5 years.
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The Pony Express
April 3,1860- October 1861
The purpose of the Pony Express was to provide
the fastest mail delivery between St. Joseph,
Missouri and Sacramento, California.
Horses traveled an average of 10 miles per hour.
The official end of the Pony Express was due to
the completion of the TELEGRAPH.
Riders got a fresh horse every 10-15 miles.
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The land in the central United States is the best
breeding ground for the storms which produce
tornadoes. The land in the Great Plains is
relatively flat, which allows cold dry polar air
from Canada to meet warm moist tropical air from
the Gulf of Mexico. It's along the front between
the two air masses that most tornadoes form.
Known as Tornado Alley, the states involved are
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas,
Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and
Texas.
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The Plains States
The Great Plains are the most important land
feature in the western part of the region. Iowa,
Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and
North Dakota are the called the Plains States.
The land is flat, although it does rise gradually
to eventually meet the Rocky Mountains.
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Ozark Plateau
Like the rest of southeast Kansas, the Ozark
Plateau averages more than 40 inches of
precipitation a year, making it one of the
wettest places in the state.
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Upper Peninsula
The Upper Peninsula is located in the Northern
1/3rd of Michigan.  The state of Michigan has
roughly a population of over 9 million, yet the
U.P. only has 300,000 residents.  The Upper
Peninsula also comprises 1/3rd of the total land
mass of the state of Michigan.  
A "Peninsula" is an area of land whose three
sides are bordered by water.  The U.P. is
surrounded by Lake Superior to the north, Lake
Michigan to the South, and Lake Huron to the
east.  The U.P. also is bordered to the west by
our neighboring state of Wisconsin.  
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Lake Itasca
Lake Itasca is located in Minnesota. It is the
origin of the Mississippi River.
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Badlands
Badlands
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Central Lowlands
The only landforms in the Central Lowlands are
rivers and hills.
Black Hills
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Black Hills
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Mount Rushmore
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Visit the Golden Arch
Golden Arch
The Golden Arch stands 630 feet and spans 630
feet along the Mississippi riverfront.
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Natural Resources
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Black Hills Gold Black Hills gold, the state
jewelry, is created and manufactured exclusively
in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Each design
incorporates the traditional motif of grapes and
leaves in tri-color combinations of green, rose
and yellow gold.
GOLD
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Other Natural Resources
Coal
Iron Ore  Used to manufacture steel.
Oil and Natural Gas
Water
soil
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Agriculture and Industry
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Agricultural Products
Dairy and beef cattle
hogs
wheat
corn
soybeans
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Industry
Vehicle Manufacturing