Starting in the late 19th century, as the Industrial Revolution unfolded across North America, the region stretching from the northeastern United States across the southern shores of the Great Lakes became the largest complex of manufacturing firms in the world. Scores of industries flourished there, fueled by waves of immigrant workers and a rich infrastructure of rail lines, iron ore, and coal deposits. [Source: Encyclopedia of Human Geography; Rustbelt]
rural development
rustbelt
concepts