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The second chapter in Cronon’s book starts with a focus on the natural benefits that the land around Chicago has. Cronon talks on the transportation helped Chicago become the large city it is. As peterrossi1 talked about in their post a geographical location will help a city boom and Chicago’s waterways were helpful. Though Cronon does not let us forget that the waterways and land surrounding Chicago that were its boon were also its bane. Cronon states that “nearly half the year, ice and storms, on Lake Michigan closed shipping,” and the river had sandbars causing the water to be too shallow. He also talks on how the rain caused the ground around the city to just become mud as the streets were just dirt roads.  The citizens tried a few things to help combat this problem like using canals or putting wood planks over the mud to make the area easier to traverse, yet still most of the businesses were slow until better weather arrived. The development of the railroad systems helped make traveling into the city easier, at first the railroad did not have a hub in Chicago yet it still helped boost the economy. As the railroad system grew in Chicago so did the economy of the city. It became easier for people to come to trade and sell their wares and helped Chicago become a railroad hub. How Cronon talks of the railroads helps to convince the reader that not only the natural resources of the land helped Chicago become a great city but also people helped by making more artificial ways of transportation.