Along the border with Canada lie five huge freshwater lakes, so big that you cannot see across them. Ships sail on them, carrying iron ore, grain and coal.
Key idea
The five Great Lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Remember them with HOMES: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior. Lake Michigan is the only one entirely inside the United States; Canada shares the other four.
Why it works
Where did such big lakes come from? During the last ice age, thick sheets of ice covered this area. The moving ice scraped out deep basins, and when the ice melted, water filled them. Today the lakes drain east through the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic.
Worked example: West to east
Put the Great Lakes in order from west to east.
- Superior is the biggest, farthest north and west.
- Michigan hangs down south of it; Huron lies east of Michigan.
- Erie is south of Huron; Ontario is last, farthest east.
Answer: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario.
Common mistake
Many people think all five lakes belong to the United States. The U.S.-Canada border runs through the middle of Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Only Lake Michigan lies wholly in the U.S., with Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana around it.
| Lake | U.S. states on its shore |
|---|---|
| Superior | Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan |
| Michigan | Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan |
| Huron | Michigan |
| Erie | Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York |
| Ontario | New York |