Patterns of human settlement follow certain rules. To exist humans need food, water, and a source of income. These must be found in their environments. The Midwest has attracted people for a long time. Where these people settled have been greatly determined by the physical geography of the region and the ability for the people to obtain food, water and wealth. The Midwest has seen four major, and different, phases of settlement throughout history. First the native peoples, second the French traders, third the early American settlers, and finally the growth of industry. The communities in each of these phases looked for different things from the land. Be it natural resources or the access of water ways, humans have found what they need in the Middle West.

Native American Inhabitance

During the last Ice Age, glaciers covered much of the Midwest. This pressed and flattened the area, leaving...