芝加哥市在塑造美国19世纪的历史中有特别重要的区位优势,它坐落于两个主要流域之间的分界线上,东边是五大湖流域,连接着芝加哥市和东北部各州繁荣的工业和资本市场;西边是密西西比河流域,满载农产品、高效而廉价的货船通过伊利诺伊运河和密歇根运河顺流而下,经过全国最大的河 The city of Chicago has a particularly significant geographical advantage in shaping the nineteenth century American history. It is located on the dividing line between two major river basins, east of the Great Lakes Basin, connecting the thriving industrial and capital markets of Chicago and the northeastern states ; West of the Mississippi River Basin, full of agricultural products, efficient and cheap cargo ship through the Illinois Canal and the Michigan Canal downstream, after the country’s largest river