The Great Plains are located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains spreading across ten states, three Canadian provinces, and into Mexico. The area, categorized by its geological makeup, has a history of Native American tribes, settlement and modern day technology.
Geography
The Great Plains are located across Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, and Colorado. Canadian provinces Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba and parts of Mexico are also within the Great Plains.
Features
Characterized by large expanses of flat and hilly prairie land and steppe, the Great Plains measure approximately 2,000 miles (3,200 km) north to south and 500 miles (800 km) east to west.
History
The Plains were home to 27 Native American tribes, mostly nomadic and known for their tipi shelters and bison hunting. The Great Plains were settled after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the Homestead Act of 1862.
Effects
Pioneer settlement of the Plains brought near extinction to the American bison in the 1800s. American expansion also resulted in the relocation of 46,000 Native Americans by 1837, known as the Trail of Tears.
Benefits
Today the Plains area is known for farming, herding and implementation of new technology. The region has experienced some economic revitalization from advancements in wind power development.
Tags: Great Plains, American tribes, Canadian provinces, Great Plains located, Native American, Native American tribes, Plains located
