<P> Agricultural associations joined the nineteenth century Grange, which in turn generated the agricultural cooperatives that defined much of rural political economy and culture throughout the region . Fraternal, ethnic, and civic organizations extended cooperatives and supported local ventures from insurance companies to orphanages and hospitals . The region was the political base, and provided much leadership political parties in the region . </P> <P> The region's greatest institutional contributions were major corporate, labor, educational and cooperative organizations . It hosted some of the most influential national and international corporations of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century monopoly age, including John Deere Plow, McCormack Reaper, New York Central and Erie railroads, Carnegie Steel, U.S. Steel, International Harvester and Standard Oil . In part to balance democratic representation against the economic and political power of these corporations, the region hosted industrial labor organization, consolidated agricultural cooperatives and state educational systems . The Big Ten Conference memorializes the nation's first region in which every state sponsored major research, technical - agricultural, and teacher - training colleges and universities . The Congress of Industrial Organizations grew out of the region's coal and iron mines; steel, automobile and rubber industries; and breakthrough strikes and contracts of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan . </P> <P> During World War II, the region became the global epicenter of motorized land vehicles, including cars, trucks and jeeps, as well as a major supplier of engine, transmission, and electrical components to the wartime aeronautics industry . Despite extreme labor shortages, the region increased mechanization, and absorbed large numbers of women and immigrant labor, to increase its food production . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Great Lakes region State or Province </Th> <Th> 2008 GDP millions of USD </Th> <Th>% </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New York </Td> <Td> 7006114108800000000 ♠ 1,141,088 </Td> <Td> 25.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Illinois </Td> <Td> 7005633697000000000 ♠ 633,697 </Td> <Td> 14.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ontario </Td> <Td> 7005584460000000000 ♠ 584,460 </Td> <Td> 12.9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pennsylvania </Td> <Td> 7005553301000000000 ♠ 553,301 </Td> <Td> 12.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ohio </Td> <Td> 7005471508000000000 ♠ 471,508 </Td> <Td> 10.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Michigan </Td> <Td> 7005382544000000000 ♠ 382,544 </Td> <Td> 8.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Minnesota </Td> <Td> 7005262847000000000 ♠ 262,847 </Td> <Td> 5.8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Indiana </Td> <Td> 7005254861000000000 ♠ 254,861 </Td> <Td> 5.6 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wisconsin </Td> <Td> 7005240429000000000 ♠ 240,429 </Td> <Td> 5.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> TOTAL </Td> <Td> 7006452812800000000 ♠ 4,528,128 </Td> <Td> 100.00 </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Which two states are separated by one of the great lakes