1. Midwest
By: Lauren Orheim

2. Location Landforms/resources: Mt. Rushmore
Relative location: The upper-middle part of the United States
Latitude/Longitude of largest city: 41° N/87° W 
3 Top cities: Chicago, Illinois. Indianapolis, Indiana. Columbus, Ohio.
Why would someone want to live there: To go sledding/skiing in the winter because of all the snow.

3. Place
Customs, religions, ethnic groups: Christianity, Non/Religious, Hinduism, and Buddhism 
Major recourses: beef cattle, beets, wheat, dairy cows, sorghum, corn, grain, poultry, hogs, flower seeds, hay, oats, sheep, oil, coal, gold, copper, iron, lead, crushed stone, natural gas , and limestone
Climate and weather patterns: It is very cold and snowy in the winter. It can become very warm in the summer.
What effect does climate have on settlement patterns in the region?: People don't tend to live as populated in the upper parts because it can become very frigid in the winter up there.

4. Human and Environmental Interactions
Economic issues: There have been uses of coal, so it is starting to cost the place.
What effect does climate have on settlement patterns in the region?: People don't tend to live as populated in the upper parts because it can become very frigid in the winter up there.
How has pollution affected the lives of people in this area?: In this area, like all other areas, pollution damages things in many ways. One of the ways is making the drinking water not as good. Or the lake everyone used to swim in isn't as clean, so no one wants to swim in it anymore.

5. Movement
Identify why people have chosen to live where they have in the region: Some people live in places in the Midwest because they want their children to go to a certain school, or one that is really great compared to others. Others come and live here just to be around great cities with wonderful neighbors and activities to do when they are bored.
How are goods transported to, within and out of region: Car, truck, plane, boat, or train.
Any interesting traditions or customs present in region: In the winter, they have an annual Polar Bear Plunge into Lake Michigan. At Six Flags Great America in Illinois, they have annual "days", where you do things that normally you wouldn't such as riding one of their rides backwards.
What might happen if one or more of the major transportation
routes within the region were interrupted?: This region just uses another type of transportation if one of them is interrupted, because whatever they are transporting has to be transported, so they will do anything they can to do that.

6. Regions
Tourist attractions: Abraham Lincoln's house, Big Spring, Indianapolis Motor Speed Way, Chimney Rock, St. Louis Arch, and the Football Hall of Fame.
Any OTHER unique characteristics in region: It is known for the farming.
What economic impact does the region have on the U.S. economy?: The unemployment rate was 8.5 in December of 2011.

7. Bibliography
"Chicago, Illinois latitude/longitude." Trip Calculator - TravelMath.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb <
"Major Religions Ranked by Size." World Religions Religion Statistics Geography Church Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb <
"Midwest." ThinkQuest : Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb <
"?." ?. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb <
"Lindencroft Farm ~ Ben Lomond, California." Lindencroft Farm ~ Ben Lomond, California. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Feb <