• A natural resources of tremendous significance in North America

• The focus of the industrial heartland of the continent.

• Approximately 34 million people living in the United States and Canada live in the Great Lakes, 8% of the U.S. population

• Hold about 20% of the world's freshwater surface. 

• Area: 244,100 sq km.

• W->E five lakes are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. 

• The proportion concentrated in five large cities of the U.S.: Chicago (Illinois), Milwaukee (Wisconsin), Detroit (Michigan), Cleveland (Ohio), and Buffalo (New York) -> These cities owe much of their wealth to commerce attached to the lakes.

Lake Superior:

• Area of 82,100 sq km => the largest freshwater lake in the world.

• Of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior is the highest above sea level, at 183m, the farthest north, and the coldest. 

• Lake elevations decrease to the south and east.

Lake Huron & Lake Michigan:

• Lie at 176m

• Separated by the Straits of Mackinac

• Huron is larger (59600 sq km)

• Michigan is deeper (85m) and contains more water

• Both have numerous islands

The Detroit River: 

• Connects Lake Saint Clair with Lake Erie.

• At its northeast end, Lake Erie empties into the Niagara River, which drops 99m as it flows to Lake Ontario

• Lake Ontario: the smallest of the Great Lakes at 19010 square km, is the 14th largest lake in the world.

• The Detroit River proved crucial for its industry's success, facilitating both transport and communication during its industrial boom.

• One of the world's busiest waterways, the Detroit River embodies the city's positive international ties and a future filled with hope.

• An iconic feature of Detroit, and the ongoing efforts to revitalize its shores and safeguard habitats for local wildlife promise a bright future.

• largest and most important river in North America

• longest river: Missouri River

• Largest drainage system in North America and third largest in the world

• Size and historical significance

• Nicknames: "The Fathers of Waters", "The Gathering of Waters", "The Big Muddy" etc.

• Played a central role in the exploration and economic development of the continent

• In some areas, the main channel of the Mississippi reaches the width of nearly 1.6km

• "The Major Artery" for the US

• Runs through or borders 10 states in the US

• Mark Twain's works touched on the river

• "sold down the river" - slavery. (The phrase originates from the slave trade in the U.S., where enslaved Black people were sold to plantations in the South via the Mississippi or Ohio rivers.)
  

- Forest composition: The Northern Forest is made up of a mixture of hardwood and boreal forests, with hardwood forests found in the southern areas and boreal forests extending north into Canada.

- History: The Northern Forest has long been home to Native American communities, and European settlers later took advantage of the region's rich woodlands for harvesting timber and taking furs. Lumber and papermaking industries later tapped the rich forest resources, and currently, two million people live within the Northern Forest area.

- Economic importance: The Northern Forest is a globally important supplier of hardwood trees, and recreational opportunities in the region include canoeing, hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, and wildlife watching.

- Wildlife: The Northern Forest is home to many wildlife species, including moose, black bear, pine marten, Canada lynx, peregrine falcon, and bald eagle. It is also part of an internationally important bird breeding area.

• Heartland → synonym for the Midwestern United States

• It was only in the Middle West of the US before the Louisiana Purchase in 1803

→ Now, neither in the middle nor the west of the US

• South of the northern forests → central lowland→ gently- rolling hills

• Largest population & most economic output of any U.S. region

• The most extensive area of highly productive farmland in the United States and the industrial core of the continent. 

• The Great Lakes and the Mississippi

• The Great Lakes and the Mississippi serve as vital transportation links for the region. 

• Heartland is the largest productive agricultural region and the industrial nucleus of the US => Heartland contains the largest population in the nation 

• Population (2017): 96.7 million people 

• Population density varied dramatically:

rural areas: <4 persons per sq km 

dominant metropolis: Chicago: > 4, 642 per sq km

• Chicago is the third largest city in US (after New York and Los Angeles

• Leading industrial, commercial, and transportation

• Have the 110-story Willis Tower and several of the tallest building in the world

2) The city's reputation: An international business center

--> Often referred to as the "Deep South" or simply "the South

3) Cultural Influence: The Inland South has a profound cultural influence on American society, particularly in terms of music, literature, cuisine, and dialect. It's known for its contributions to various musical genres such as blues, jazz, country, and rock and roll

4) The Inland South is famous for its hospitality and manners, often characterized by the phrase "Southern hospitality.

5) Hometown of some famous people:

• Elvis Presley (Tupelo, Mississippi) - The "King of Rock and Roll"

• Harper Lee (Moulitzer Prize-winning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird,"

• Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr

• Morgan Freeman (Memphis, Tennessee) - An Academy Award-winning actor known for his roles in films such as "Driving Miss Daisy,...

• A transition zone between the Southeastern coast and the Heartland

• Including: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia

1.2. Typography

• Consisting of rolling plains and hills

  => Main economy: agriculture

1.3. Population: