The Great Lakes and Corn Belt

The "heartland" of North America is in the Great Lakes and Corn Belt Region. The region includes Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and some parts of Canada. The Great Lakes and Corn Belt regions nearest bodies of water are the lakes while in Los Angeles is the Pacific Ocean. The climate is affected by the lakes. The summers are hot and winters are cool with rainfall throughout the year. Areas south and east of the lakes are very cloudy and humid, with cooler summers and milder winters. The Great Lakes and Corn Belt region joined the U.S. through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 while Los Angeles became a part of the U.S. in 1848 through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo from Mexico. Both places have primary sector activity. In the Great Lakes region tourism does not help the region economically unlike the City of Angels. The largest city on the Great Lakes and third in North America is Chicago.

Source: 

The Geography of North America, 2nd Edition

Hardwick, Shelley, Holtgrieve