Communities are built near resources Why do you think cities and towns are built near resources?

1. Unit 2 Lesson 5 Communities are built near resourcesWhy do you think cities and towns are built near resources?

2. Crops • The first settlers leaving St. Louis headed west across the Great Plains. They began to farm the land and raise chickens, hogs, and cows. • Crops are plants used by people for food or other needs.

3. Natural Resource • A natural resource is something found in nature that people can use. • Trees, water, animals, and soil are natural resources.

4. Growing Season • The months in which crops can grow are called the growing season. • Growing seasons depend on the climate of a place. • The growing season is short in places with long and cold winters. The growing season is long in places with short and warm winters.

5. Omaha, Nebraska • Omaha, Nebraska is in the Great Plains. • The city grew because there were many resources for farming.

6. Minerals • A mineral is a resource found inside the Earth. • Some examples are: silver, gold, or iron. • Minerals can be used to make metal tools, glass, or jewelry.

7. Fuels • Fuels are also found inside the Earth. • Some examples are: coal and oil. • Fuels can be burned for heat and power to make machines work.

8. Mines and Oil Wells • People dug mines and drilled oil wells to get the resources from the Earth. • They sold minerals and fuels to make money. • They built communities near these resources. Towns near places with underground resources grew fast.

9. Ghost Towns • When the minerals and fuels ran out in towns, people left and the towns turned into ghost towns. • Ghost towns had buildings but no people.

10. Agriculture • Agriculture is the raising of crops and farm animals. • Many people make their living in agriculture.