Final answer:
The term for the sections of the Northeast and Midwest that used to be centers of heavy industry but have experienced severe decline is the Rust Belt. The Rust Belt refers to the area encompassing the northeastern United States, extending from St. Louis to Chicago and across Ohio to Pittsburgh.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for the sections of the Northeast and Midwest that used to be centers of heavy industry but have experienced severe decline is the Rust Belt. The Rust Belt refers to the area encompassing the northeastern United States, extending from St. Louis to Chicago and across Ohio to Pittsburgh. It gained its name due to the rust that accumulated on the abandoned factories in the region.