Ronald Regan was the 40th President
of the United States. He began his
political career as Governor of
California. In 1937 he took a screen
test and received a contract in
Hollywood where he starred in many
motion pictures. He was a sports
radio announcer in Davenport and
Des Moines. He graduated from
Eureka College in 1932. As a young
man he was a
lifeguard, and
played high school
football and
basketball in Dixon.
He was born in
Tampico on
February 6, 1911
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th
president of the United States during
the Civil War. He was born in a log
cabin. His mother died when he was
young of milk fever. (The cows ate
weeds called snake root and it made
the milk poisonous.) He walked three
and half miles to school each day
when he was 8 years old. His first job
was rowing a flat boat across the Ohio
River. He became a
lawyer and
practiced law in
Springfield before
entering politics.
John Deere was born in Vermont in
1804. He became a blacksmith and
moved from the northeast region to
Grand Detour. In 1837 he developed
a self scouring plow that did a better
job of turning over the thick black
fertile soil. He moved to Moline and
with his son Charles started a farm
implement business as settlers were
beginning to move west.
William Cody was raised in this
region where you can still visit his
homestead and see some of his
namesakes in the pasture nearby. His
father died when he was young, and
he supported his mother and brother
and sisters by riding
for the Pony Express.
He was a scout for
the army and wagon
trains heading west.
He became the
ringleader and owner
of a western "circus"
known as the Buffalo
Bill's Wild West
Show.
A state in this region ranks number
one as the largest producer of corn in
the world. Almost one-half of its
cultivated land is in corn production.
Corn is a North American plant. The
Indians called corn "maize" which
means "that which sustains life".
The United States produces 40% of
the world supply of soybeans.
Soybeans are a bushy green legume
closely related to clover, peas, and
alfalfa. It is called the "miracle crop"
because is it the foremost provider of
protein and oil. It is used in tofu, soy
sauce, oil, and animal foods.
The Dust Bowl of the 1930's was an era
of sustained drought. Poor agricultural
practices, lack of rain water, and strong
winds whipped through fields raising
billowing clouds of dust. Homes had
thick layers of dust. Many of the people
living in this area moved west to find a
new job and begin a new life. John
Steinbeck wrote about this time period in
his book The Grapes of Wrath.
This famous fire began in Chicago on
October 8, 1871 at 9:00 P.M. The
blaze has been blamed on Mrs.
O'Leary's cow of 13 DeKowen Street.
The fire spread east and north and
lasted for two days until rain fell. The
devastation was greatest in the heart
of the city. 300 people died, 100,000
people were left homeless, and $200
million dollars of property was
destroyed.
Frank Lloyd Wright showed American new ways to
design and build homes and community buildings.
He was born on
June 8, 1867. He
is the most
influential architect
of the 20th
century. He used
natural materials in
his buildings that
blend in with the
environment. He
was an inspiration
to Prairie School
architects. Many
examples of his
homes are found in
Chicago and the
Peoria area.
Grant Wood was born in Anamosa in
1892. He was a regionalist painter
(He painted pictures of the people and
area in which he lived). He
established a studio for other artists at
Stone City which is located near
Cedar Rapids. One of his most
famous paintings is the American
Gothic which he painted in 1930. He
was a teacher and mentor to John
Bloom who lived and worked in
Davenport.
The Great Lakes consist of five fresh
water lakes: Huron, Ontario,
Michigan, Erie, and Superior. An
acronym to help remember these five
lakes is HOMES. With lakes, locks
and dams, and canals this fresh water
system can move a drop of water from
Duluth to the Atlantic Ocean.
Samuel Clemons was born in 1863
and grew up in Hannibal. He loved
his life along the Mississippi River.
He became a riverboat captain after
he memorized
the entire flow
of the
Mississippi
River from St.
Louis to New
Orleans. He
took the pen
name Mark
Twain when he
began writing.
He wrote about his adventures in his
famous books The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.
The St. Louis Arch has been
nicknamed the Gateway Arch. It
commemorates the western expansion
of the United States between 1893
and 1890. It is a stainless steel
structure rising 630 feet into the sky
and having a base of 630 feet across.
In 20 mph winds the structure will
sway one-half to one inch and can
sway up to 18 inches. The arch was
completed in 1966.
Mount Rushmore is in Rapid City.
Gulton Borlum chose four presidents:
George Washington, Thomas
Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and
Theodore Roosevelt to immortalize in
stone as a symbol of the United States
struggle for independence.
"Fancy yourself on the hottest day in the
summer in the hottest spot of such a place
without water-without an animal or scarce
an insect aster-without a single flower to
speak pleasant things to you and you will
have some idea of the utter loneliness of the
Badlands." The Badlands occupies 244,000
acres of prairies and buttes and is the home
to the black footed ferret (the most
endangered land mammal in North
America). Fossils from creatures living 2325 million years ago can be found in this
area.
The Mississippi River is the longest
river in North America. Its name
comes from the Indians which means
"Big Water". It drains water from an
area between Rocky Mountains and
Appalachians. A raindrop of water in
Lake Itasca will arrive in the Gulf of
Mexico in 90 days. It runs through or
borders ten states. There are 260
species of fish, 50 species of
mammals, and 145 species of
amphibians and reptiles make this
river their home.
The Great Flood of 1993 was the most
devastating flood in modern United
States history. It is surpassed only by
the Flood of 1927. It was the most
costly and devastating to many large
cities such as Minneapolis,
Davenport, St. Louis, Memphis, and
New Orleans.
Long, golden, slender stalks of
wheat are called "the staff of life".
Some of your favorite foods began
with a handful of wheat kernels: pizza
crust, bread, crackers. Wheat can be
planted in the spring or fall. It is
stored in tall grain silos called "prairie
skyscrapers". Two-thirds of each
crop is exported to other countries.
Limestone can lie beneath soil, shade,
and overburden from a few feet to
several hundred feet. It was formed
from beds of mineral calcite from
beds of evaporated seas and sea
animal shells that had been cemented
together under pressure. Geologists
can determine limestone in rocks by
using an acid test (it fizzes in
vinegar). When crushed, it can be
used to make cement, plaster, and
chalk.
An assembly line is a process of using
interchangeable parts that can be
added to a product in sequential order
to create an end. The first one was
developed by Eli Whitney to create
muskets for the U.S. Government.
Henry Ford made the assembly line
practical to make cars at the Highland
Park Ford. An assembly line cuts
costs and delivers a cheaper product
for consumers.
The Rock Island Arsenal began as
Fort Armstrong in 1816. Settlements
developed around the fort for
protection from Indians especially the
Fox and Sac Indians. During the
Civil War it was used as a POW camp
for Confederate soldiers and a burial
site for both the Union and
Confederate soldiers. It is now an
arms storage and manufacturing plant
of military equipment.
Milk does not magically appear in the
dairy case at the local grocer. It
comes from cows and the hard work
of dairy farmers. There are several
kinds of dairy cows: Holstein, Brown
Swiss, Jersey and many more. The
dairy farmer milks each cow two
times each day, 365 days each year.
Milk provides a variety of products
for you: yogurt, ice cream, and
cheese. It is important for building
strong bones and teeth.
The Louisiana Purchase took place in
1803. Thomas Jefferson, as President
of the United States authorized the
purchase for $15 million dollars from
France. The land stretched from the
Mississippi River to the Rocky
Mountains. President Jefferson was
interested in discovering an easy route
to the Pacific Ocean. With this
purchase he doubled the size of the
United States. Do you think it was a
good
idea?
The Chicago Cubs franchise has
continuously represented the same
city since 1870. However, they were
not always known as the Cubs.
Earlier names included White
Stockings, Colts, and the Orphans.
They joined the National League and
became known as the Cubs in 1907.
Some famous ball players include:
Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, Ryne
Sandberg, and Sammy
Sosa.
Wrigley Field is the oldest baseball
field in the National League. It is the
second oldest in baseball history. It
was built in 1916 and renamed
Wrigley Field for the William
Wrigley of chewing gum fame. It
only hosted day games until 1988
when lights were placed in the
ballpark.
The Bears have won nine NFL titles
and rank behind only the Green Bay
Packers in overall league titles. The
team was founded in 1920 by A.E.
Stanly. They were the most dominant
team in football during the 1930's and
1940's. Some famous
players are: Sid Luckman, Red
Grange, Walter Payton, Dick Butkus,
and Gale Sayers.
The St. Louis Brown Stockings
(Browns) baseball team was
established in 1882. The team joined
the National League in 1892 and was
renamed the Perfectos in 1899. Their
name was changed in 1900 when the
new uniforms were cardinal red and
white. They won the 1926 World
Championship. Some famous players
include: Steve Carlton, Lou Brock,
Mark McGuire, and Stan Musial.
What was the team's new name?
The Black Hawk War was fought in
1832. The Sac and Fox Indians under
the leadership of Chief Black Hawk
were upset over land that the tribes
had lost under a treaty signed in St.
Louis in 1804. The uprising sparked
panic among white settlers and the
governor called up militia including
Abe Lincoln to control the Indian
troubles. "I have fought the Big
Knives and will
continue to fight them till
they are off our lands."
Chief Blackhawk