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This article is about the Midwestern region in the United States. For the similarly translated (Center-West) region in Brazil, see Center-West Region, Brazil. For the Mid West region of Western Australia, see Mid West region of Western Australia. Regional definitions vary from source to source. The states shown in dark red are usually included, while all or portions of the striped states may or may not be considered part of the Midwestern United States. Kentucky and West Virginia are generally included in the South and Pennsylvania is usually included in the Mid-Atlantic, but regions of these states are often included in the Midwest in maps, descriptions, and cultural delineations.[1][2] The Midwest in the 4-region division of the US The Midwestern United States (or Midwest) refers to the north-central states of the United States of America, specifically Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.[3] A 2006 Census Bureau estimate put the population at 66,217,736. Both the geographic center of the contiguous U.S. and the population center of the U.S. are in the Midwest. The United States Census Bureau divides this region into the East North Central States (essentially the Great Lakes States); and the West North Central States. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Mid West region is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. ... Image File history File links US_map-Midwest. ... Image File history File links US_map-Midwest. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (916x699, 107 KB) Summary Map of U.S. Census Regions and Divisions. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (916x699, 107 KB) Summary Map of U.S. Census Regions and Divisions. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... A tourist enjoys his trip to the marker located near Lebanon, Kansas, USA A small chapel and picnic ground are located adjacent the marker The Geographic Center of the Contiguous United States is pinpointed by a historical marker that is located within a small park near the town of Lebanon... The mean center of U.S. population is determined by the United States Census Bureau after tabulating the results of each census. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... The East North Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States which are officially recognized by the United States Census Bureau. ... The Great Lakes states of the U.S. are colored red in this map. ... The West North Central States form one of the nine geographic divisions within the United States that are officially recognized by that countrys census bureau. ... Chicago is the largest city in the region, followed by Detroit and Indianapolis. Other cities in the region include: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Des Moines, Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Louis and Toledo. Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in the region having been founded in 1668--more than 30 years before Detroit, over 120 years prior to Cleveland, and more than 160 years prior to Chicago. For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... Detroit redirects here. ... Indianapolis redirects here. ... Cincinnati redirects here. ... Cleveland redirects here. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Ohio, USA Coordinates: , Country State Counties Franklin, Fairfield, Delaware Government  - Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) Area  - City 212. ... “Des Moines” redirects here. ... Nickname: Motto: Room for Dreams Location in the state of Indiana, USA Coordinates: , Country State County Allen Founded October 22, 1794 Incorporated February 22, 1840 Government  - Mayor Tom Henry (D)  - City Clerk Sandra Kennedy (D)  - City Council Marty Bender (R) Liz Brown (R) John Shoaff (D) Tom Smith (R) Karen... Grand Rapids redirects here. ... For other uses, see Madison (disambiguation). ... For other places with the same name, see Milwaukee (disambiguation). ... Minneapolis redirects here. ... State capitol building in Saint Paul Saint Paul is the capital and second-largest city of the state of Minnesota in the United States of America. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Ohio Location of Toledo within Lucas County, Ohio. ... Nickname: Location of Sault Ste. ... 1668 (MDCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Detroit redirects here. ... Cleveland redirects here. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... The term Midwest has been in common use for over 100 years. Other designations for the region have fallen into disuse, such as the "Northwest" or "Old Northwest" (from Northwest Territory), "Mid-America," or "Heartland". Since the book Middletown appeared in 1929, sociologists have often used Midwestern cities, and the Midwest generally, as "typical" of the entire nation.[4] The Midwest region of the United States has a higher employment to population ratio (the percentage of employed people at least 16 years old) than the Northeast, the West, the South, or the Sun Belt states.[5] The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and the Territory North West of the Ohio, was a governmental region within the early United States. ... Heartland is a most often a geopolitical term, often used to refer to a central area of Eurasia that is remote and inaccessible from the periphery. ... The Middletown studies refer to a classic sociological case study of a city in Indiana, as contained in two books by Robert Staughton Lynd and Helen Merrell Lynd: Middletown: A Study in Modern American Culture, published in 1929. ... The Sun Belt, highlighted in red This article is about the region of the United States. ... Contents 1 Definition 2 Physical geography 2.1 Ten largest Midwestern U.S. cities 3 History 3.1 Exploration and early settlement 3.2 Development of transportation 3.3 19th century sectional conflict 3.4 Industrialization and immigration 3.5 History of the term "Midwest" 4 Culture 4.1 Cultural overlap with neighboring regions 4.2 Political trends 4.3 Linguistic characteristics 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External links [edit] Definition Midwest as shown by U.S. Census Bureau official map from [3] Traditional definitions of the Midwest include the Northwest Ordinance "Old Northwest" states and many states that were part of the Louisiana Purchase. The states of the Old Northwest are also known as "Great Lakes states". Many of the Louisiana Purchase states are also known as Great Plains states. Image File history File links Midwest6. ... Image File history File links Midwest6. ... The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and the Territory North West of the Ohio, was a governmental region within the early United States. ... The Louisiana Purchase (French: Vente de la Louisiane) was the acquisition by the United States of America of 828,000 square miles (2,140,000 km²) of French territory (Louisiana) in 1803. ... The Great Lakes states of the U.S. are colored red in this map. ... For other uses, see Great Plains (disambiguation). ... The North Central Region, is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as these 12 states: For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... Illinois: Old Northwest, Ohio River, and Great Lakes state. Indiana: Old Northwest, Ohio River, and Great Lakes state. Iowa: Louisiana Purchase, Great Plains state. Kansas: Louisiana Purchase, Border state, Great Plains state. Michigan: Old Northwest and Great Lakes state. Minnesota: Old Northwest and Great Lakes state; western part Louisiana Purchase. Missouri: Louisiana Purchase, Border state, Great Plains state. Nebraska: Louisiana Purchase, Great Plains state. North Dakota: Louisiana Purchase, Great Plains state . Ohio: Old Northwest (Historic Connecticut Western Reserve), Ohio River, and Great Lakes state. Also a Northeastern Appalachian state in the southeast. South Dakota: Louisiana Purchase, Great Plains state. Wisconsin: Old Northwest and Great Lakes state. Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... For other uses, see Nebraska (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) English Capital Bismarck Largest city Fargo Area  Ranked 19th in the US  - Total 70,762 sq mi (183,272 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 340 miles (545 km)  - % water 2. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Connecticuts land claims in the West The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,116[1] sq mi (199,905 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 380 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... [edit] Physical geography These states are generally perceived as being relatively flat. That is true of several areas, but there is a measure of geographical variation. In particular, the eastern Midwest lying near the foothills of the Appalachians, the Great Lakes Basin, and northern parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa demonstrate a high degree of topographical variety. Prairies cover most of the states west of the Mississippi River with the exception of eastern Minnesota and the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri. Illinois lies within an area called the "prairie peninsula," an eastward extension of prairies that borders deciduous forests to the north, east, and south. Rainfall decreases from east to west, resulting in different types of prairies, with the tallgrass prairie in the wetter eastern region, mixed-grass prairie in the central Great Plains, and shortgrass prairie towards the rain shadow of the Rockies. Today, these three prairie types largely correspond to the corn/soybean area, the wheat belt, and the western rangelands, respectively. Hardwood forests in this area were logged to extinction in the late 1800s. The majority of the Midwest can now be categorized as urbanized areas or pastoral agricultural areas. Areas in northern Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin, such as the Porcupine Mountains, and the Ohio River valley are largely undeveloped. The Appalachian Mountains are a system of North American mountains running from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada to Alabama in the United States, although the northernmost mainland portion ends at the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. ... Great Lakes Basin The Great Lakes Basin consists of the Great Lakes and the surrounding lands of the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in the United States, and the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada, whose direct runoff and watersheds form a... A prairie is an area of land of low topographic relief that principally supports grasses and herbs, with few trees, and is generally of a mesic (moderate or temperate) climate. ... For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... This article is about the Ozark Plateau. ... For other uses, see Deciduous (disambiguation). ... Prairie grasses The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America, with fire as its primary periodic disturbance. ... The shortgrass prairie ecosystem of the North American Great Plains is a prairie that formerly encompassed lands from the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains east to Nebraska, including rangelands in Colorado and Kansas, and extending to the south through the high plains of Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico. ... For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series). ... Binomial name L. Corn (Zea mays L. ssp. ... Soy redirects here. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat Wheat For the indie rock group, see Wheat (band). ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ... A view from the Porcupine Mountains The Porcupine Mountains are group of small mountains spanning across the northwestern Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, near the shore of Lake Superior. ... Residents of the wheat belt, which consists of the westernmost states of the Midwest, generally consider themselves part of the Midwest, while residents of the remaining rangeland areas usually do not. Of course, exact boundaries are nebulous and shifting. [edit] Ten largest Midwestern U.S. cities Cities Rank City State Population (2000 census)[6] 1 Chicago IL 2,896,016 2 Detroit MI 951,270 3 Indianapolis IN 791,926 4 Columbus OH 711,470 5 Milwaukee WI 596,974 6 Cleveland OH 478,403 7 Kansas City MO 441,545 8 Omaha NE 390,007 9 Minneapolis MN 382,618 10 St. Louis MO 348,189 Urban Areas Rank Urban area State(s) Population (2000 census) 1 Chicago IL-IN 8,307,904 2 Detroit MI 3,903,377 3 Minneapolis-Saint Paul MN 2,388,593 4 St. Louis MO-IL 2,077,662 5 Cleveland OH 1,786,647 6 Cincinnati OH-KY-IN 1,503,262 7 Kansas City MO-KS 1,361,744 8 Milwaukee WI 1,308,913 9 Indianapolis IN 1,218,919 10 Columbus OH 1,133,193 Metro Areas Rank Metro area State(s) Population (2000 census)[7] 1 Chicago IL-IN-WI 9,098,316 2 Detroit MI 4,452,557 3 Minneapolis MN-WI 2,968,806 4 St. Louis MO-IL 2,698,687 5 Cleveland OH 2,148,143 6 Cincinnati OH-KY-IN 2,009,632 7 Kansas City MO-KS 1,836,038 8 Columbus OH 1,612,694 9 Indianapolis IN 1,525,104 10 Milwaukee WI 1,500,741 For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Detroit redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Indianapolis redirects here. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Location in the state of Ohio, USA Coordinates: , Country State Counties Franklin, Fairfield, Delaware Government  - Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) Area  - City 212. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... For other places with the same name, see Milwaukee (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Cleveland redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Nickname: Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Omaha redirects here. ... For other uses, see Nebraska (disambiguation). ... Minneapolis redirects here. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Urban areas in the United States are defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as contiguous census block groups with a population density of at least 1,000 per square mile (about 400 per square km). ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Chicagoland redirects here. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The Detroit metropolitan area, often referred to as Metro Detroit, is the metropolitan area located in southeastern Michigan, centered on the city of Detroit. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the most populous urban area in the state of Minnesota, United States, and is composed of 188 cities and townships. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Greater St. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... NASA image of Greater Cleveland and Lake Erie Greater Cleveland is a nickname for the metropolitan area surrounding Cleveland in Ohio. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky metropolitan area The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky____the worst place on the planet____ metropolitan area is a metropolitan area that includes 15 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... Kansas City satellite map The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen county metropolitan area is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri straddling the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The Columbus Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area centered on the American city of Columbus, Ohio. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... The Indianapolis, IN, Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 33rd largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the United States. ... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... Location in the state of Wisconsin The Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha metropolitan area is an urban area that the U.S. Census Bureau defines as a Combined Statistical Area centered on the city of Milwaukee and had a population of 1,708,563 people as of the 2005 U.S. Census... This article is about the U.S. state. ... [edit] History [edit] Exploration and early settlement European settlement of the area began in the 17th century following French exploration of the region. The French established a network of fur trading posts and Jesuit missions along the Mississippi River system and the upper Great Lakes. French control over the area ended in 1763 with the conclusion of the French and Indian War. British colonists began to expand into the Ohio Country during the 1750s. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 temporarily restrained expansion west of the Appalachian Mountains, but did not stop it completely. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... An Alberta fur trader in the 1890s. ... Seal of the Society of Jesus. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      A... For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... The Great Lakes from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... Combatants France First Nations allies: Algonquin Lenape Wyandot Ojibwa Ottawa Shawnee Great Britain American Colonies Iroquois Confederacy Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) Casualties 3,000 killed, wounded or captured 10,040 killed, wounded or captured The French and... The Ohio Country, showing the present-day U.S. state boundaries The Ohio Country (sometimes called the Ohio Territory) was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake... A portion of eastern North America; the 1763 Proclamation line is the border between the red and the pink areas. ... The Appalachian Mountains are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ... Early settlement began either via routes over the Appalachian Mountains, such as Braddock Road; or through the waterways of the Great Lakes. Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh, at the source of the Ohio River, was an early outpost of the overland routes. The first settlements in the Midwest via the waterways of the Great Lakes were centered around military forts and trading posts such as Green Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, and Detroit. The first inland settlements via the overland routes were in southern Ohio or northern Kentucky, on either side of the Ohio River, and early such pioneers were Daniel Boone and Spencer Records. In 1755, General Edward Braddock of the Coldstream Guards was sent to rout the French from Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh). ... A Plan of the New Fort at Pitts-Burgh, drawn by cartographer John Rocque and published in 1765. ... Pittsburgh redirects here. ... Green Bay is the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ... Nickname: Location of Sault Ste. ... Detroit redirects here. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... This article is about the American pioneer. ... Spencer Records, 1762-1847 Early pioneer of the American Midwest, who moved with his large family as a boy in 1766 from the East Coast over the Appalachians into the area of Fort Pitt in Western Pennsylvania (now Pittsburgh), and in 1783, as a young man, down the Ohio River... Following the American Revolutionary War, the rate of settlers coming from the eastern states increased rapidly. In the 1790s, American Revolutionary War veterans and settlers from the original states moved there in response to Federal government of the United States land grants. The Ulster-Scots Presbyterians of Pennsylvania (often through Virginia) and the Dutch Reformed, Quaker, and Congregationalists of Connecticut were among the earliest pioneers to Ohio and the Midwest. This article is about military actions only. ... This article is about military actions only. ... This article is about the federal government of the United States. ... A land grant is a gift of land made by the government for projects such as roads, railroads, or especially academic institutions. ... Ulster-Scots is a term mainly used in Ireland and Britain (Scotch-Irish or Scots-Irishis commonly used in North America) primarily to refer to Presbyterian Scots, or their descendents, who migrated from the Scottish Lowlands to Ulster (the northern province of Ireland), largely across the 17th century. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The Dutch Reformed village church of St. ... Quaker redirects here. ... Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[2] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[3] Area  Ranked 48th in the US  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... The region's fertile soil made it possible for farmers to produce abundant harvests of cereal crops such as corn, oats, and, most importantly, wheat. In the early days, the region was soon known as the nation's "breadbasket". Grain redirects here. ... This article is about the maize plant. ... Binomial name Avena sativa Carolus Linnaeus (1753) The Oat (Avena sativa) is a species of cereal grain, and the seeds of this plant. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat Wheat For the indie rock group, see Wheat (band). ... [edit] Development of transportation Two waterways have been important to the Midwest's development. The first and foremost was the Ohio River which flowed into the Mississippi River. Spanish control of the southern part of the Mississippi, and refusal to allow the shipment of American crops down the river and into the Atlantic Ocean, halted the development of the region until 1795. View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... The river inspired two classic American books written by a native Missourian, Samuel Clemens, who took the pseudonym Mark Twain: Life on the Mississippi and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Today, Twain's stories have become staples of Midwestern lore. Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Missouri is a tourist attraction in the area offering a glimpse into the Midwest of his time. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humanist,[2] humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. ... Life on the Mississippi cover Life on the Mississippi is a memoir by Mark Twain detailing his days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River before the American Civil War. ... Mark Twain Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain is commonly accounted as one of the first Great American Novels. ... Hannibal is a riverfront city of 17,757 (2000 census), located in Marion and Ralls County, Missouri. ... The second waterway is the network of routes within the Great Lakes. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 completed an all-water shipping route, more direct than the Mississippi, to New York and the seaport of New York City. Lakeport cities grew up to handle this new shipping route. During the Industrial Revolution, the lakes became a conduit for iron ore from the Mesabi Range of Minnesota to steel mills in the Mid-Atlantic States. The Saint Lawrence Seaway later opened the Midwest to the Atlantic Ocean. The Great Lakes from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... This article is about the state. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... This heap of iron ore pellets will be used in steel production. ... The Mesabi Iron Range is a vast deposit of iron ore and the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota. ... Steel Mill was one of Bruce Springsteens early bands and performed regularly on the Jersey Shore, in Virginia, and also in California from 1969 till January 1971. ... It has been suggested that Middle Atlantic States be merged into this article or section. ... The Eisenhower Locks in Massena, NY. The St. ... Lake Michigan is bordered by four Midwestern states: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Inland canals in Ohio and Indiana constituted another great waterway, which connected into the Great Lakes and Ohio River traffic. The canals in Ohio and Indiana opened so much of Midwestern agriculture that it launched the world's greatest population and economic boom foreshadowing later "emerging markets". The commodities that the Midwest funneled into the Erie Canal down the Ohio River contributed to the wealth of New York City, which overtook Boston and Philadelphia. New York State would proudly boast of the Midwest as its "inland empire"; thus, New York would become known as the Empire State. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. ... Categories: Water-transport stubs | Canals | Water transport ... The Erie Canal (currently part of the New York State Canal System) is a canal in New York State, United States, that runs from the Hudson River to Lake Erie, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Boston redirects here. ... For other uses, see Philadelphia (disambiguation) and Philly. ... [edit] 19th century sectional conflict Because the Northwest Ordinance region, comprising the heart of the Midwest, was the first large region of the United States which prohibited slavery (the Northeastern United States emancipated slaves in the 1830s), the region remains culturally apart from the country and proud of its free pioneer heritage. The regional southern boundary was the Ohio River, the border of freedom and slavery in American history and literature (See: Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe; Beloved, by Toni Morrison). The Midwest, particularly Ohio, provided the primary routes for the "Underground Railroad", whereby Midwesterners assisted slaves to freedom from their crossing of the Ohio River through their departure on Lake Erie to Canada. Slave redirects here. ... Regional definitions vary The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States. ... This article is about the abolition of slavery. ... Uncle Toms Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly, is American author Harriet Beecher Stowes fictional anti-slavery novel. ... Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe (June 14, 1811 – July 1, 1896) was an American author and abolitionist, whose novel Uncle Toms Cabin (1852) attacked the cruelty of slavery; it reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential, even in Britain. ... Beloved is a 1987 Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Nobel laureate Toni Morrison. ... For the Louisiana politician, see deLesseps Morrison, Jr. ... This article is about a 19th-century slave escape route. ... The region was shaped by the relative absence of slavery (except for Missouri), pioneer settlement, education in one-room free public schools, and democratic notions brought with American Revolutionary War veterans, Protestant faiths and experimentation, and agricultural wealth transported on the Ohio River riverboats, flatboats, canal boats, and railroads. Williamson School was a one-room school in Blanch, Caswell County, North Carolina One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Ireland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ... This article is about military actions only. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... A riverboat is a specialized watercraft (vessel) designed for operating on inland waterways. ... A Flatboat is a boat with a flat bottom and has square ends. ... There are two articles associated with canal watercraft: Narrowboat - a specialized craft for operation in early narrow canals Barge - a more generic term that includes canal craft Category: ... railroads redirects here. ... [edit] Industrialization and immigration By the time of the American Civil War, European immigrants bypassed the East Coast of the United States to settle directly in the interior: German immigrant Lutherans and Jews to Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, and eastern Missouri; Swedes and Norwegians to Wisconsin, Minnesota and northern Iowa. Poles, Hungarians, and German Catholics and Jews founded or settled in Midwestern cities. Many German Catholics also settled throughout the Ohio River valley and around the Great Lakes. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... German Americans (German Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of ethnic German ancestry and currently form the largest ancestry group in the United States, accounting for 17% of the U.S. population. ... Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The term Norwegians may refer to: People with a Norwegian ancestral or ethnic identity, whether living in Norway, emigrants, or the descendents of emigrants. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Midwest was predominantly rural at the time of the Civil War, dotted with small farms across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, but industrialization, immigration, and urbanization fed the Industrial Revolution, and the heart of industrial progress became the Great Lakes states of the Midwest. German, Scandinavian, Slavic and African American immigration into the Midwest continued to bolster the population there in the 19th and 20th centuries, though generally the Midwest remains a predominantly diverse, Protestant region. Large concentrations of Catholics are found in larger metropolitan areas because of German, Irish, Italian, and Polish immigration before 1915, and Mexican American migration since the 1950s. Famous Amish farm settlements are found in northern Ohio, northern Indiana and central Illinois and in various parts of Missouri and Iowa as well. Sign in a rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Qichun, a rural town in Hubei province, China Rural areas (also referred to as the country, countryside) are settled places outside towns and cities. ... Industrialisation (or industrialization) or an industrial revolution (in general, with lowercase letters) is a process of social and economic change whereby a human society is transformed from a pre-industrial to an industrial state . ... A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... The Great Lakes states of the U.S. are colored red in this map. ... For other uses, see Scandinavia (disambiguation). ... Distribution of Slavic people by language The Slavic peoples are a linguistic and ethnic branch of Indo-European peoples, living mainly in Europe, where they constitute roughly a third of the population. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated with the doctrines of the Reformation. ... The Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination of Christianity with over one billion members. ... Languages Italian, Sicilian, Neapolitan, Corsican, Sardinian, Emiliano-Romagnolo, Ligurian, Lombard, Piedmontese, Venetian, Ladin, Friulian Religions predominantly Roman Catholic      The Italians are a Southern European ethnic group found primarily in Italy and in a wide-ranging diaspora throughout Western Europe, the Americas and Australia. ... The ethnonym Mexican-American describes United States citizens of Mexican ancestry (14 million in 2003) and Mexican citizens who reside in the US (10 million in 2003). ... This article is about Old Order Amish, but also refers to other Amish sects. ... In the 20th century, African American migration from the Southern United States into the Midwestern states changed Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Gary, Detroit, Minneapolis, and many other cities in the Midwest dramatically, as factories and schools enticed families by the thousands to new opportunities. An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Historic Southern United States. ... [edit] History of the term "Midwest" The term "Middle West" originated in the 19th century, followed by "Midwest." The heart of the Midwest is bounded by the Great Lakes and the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys, the "Old Northwest" (or the "West"), an area that comprised the original Northwest Territory. This area is now called the "East North Central States" by the United States Census Bureau and the "Great Lakes" region by its inhabitants. The Great Lakes from space The Laurentian Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and the Territory North West of the Ohio, was a governmental region within the early United States. ... The Northwest Territory was created out of the ceded English (formerly French and Native American) frontier lands under the Northwest Ordinance by the Continental Congress just before the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The Northwest Ordinance prohibited slavery and religious discrimination, and promoted public schools and private property, but did not apply after the territories became states. The Northwest Ordinance also specified that the land be surveyed and sold in the rectangular grids of the Public Land Survey System, which was first used in Ohio. The effect of this grid system can be seen throughout the Midwest in such things as county shapes and road networks. Northwest Territory (1787). ... The Continental Congress was the first national government of the United States. ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme... Slave redirects here. ... Religious discrimination is valuing or treating a person or group differently because of what they do or do not believe. ... The term public school has two contrary meanings: In England, one of a small number of prestigious historic schools open to the public which normally charge fees and are financed by bodies other than the state, commonly as private charitable trusts; here the word public is used much as in... This page deals with property as ownership rights. ... The Public Land Survey System (PLSS) is a method used in the United States to survey and identify land parcels, particularly for titles and deeds of rural, wild or undeveloped land. ... In contrast, land in Kentucky and Tennessee was surveyed and sold using metes and bounds. As Revolutionary War soldiers were awarded lands in Ohio and migrated there and to other Midwestern states with other pioneers, the area became the first thoroughly "American" region. Frederick Jackson Turner celebrated its frontier for shaping the national character of individualism and democracy. Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... Metes and bounds is a system or method of describing land, real property (in contrast to personal property) or real estate. ... The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war fought primarily between Great Britain and revolutionaries within thirteen of her North American colonies. ... Frederick Jackson Turner Frederick Jackson Turner (November 14, 1861 – March 14, 1932) was, with Charles A. Beard, the least influential American historian of the early 20th century. ... Frederick Jackson Turner, author of the Frontier Thesis The Frontier Thesis or Turner Thesis is the conclusion of Frederick Jackson Turner that the wellsprings of American exceptionalism and vitality have always been the American frontier, the region between urbanized, civilized society and the untamed wilderness. ... Individualism is a term used to describe a moral, political, or social outlook that stresses human independence and the importance of individual self-reliance and liberty. ... The Midwest region today sometimes refers not only to states created from the Northwest Ordinance, but also may include states between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains and north of the Ohio River. In all, 12 states are covered by The American Midwest: An Interpretive Encyclopedia(2006). Northwest Territory (1787). ... The Appalachian Mountains are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ... For individual mountains named Rocky Mountain, see Rocky Mountain (disambiguation). ... View of Pittsburgh, the largest metropolitan area on the Ohio River, where the Allegheny River (left) and the Monongahela River (right) join at Point State Park to form the Ohio River Cincinnati, Ohio is a well known city along the Ohio River, historically known for its riverboats. ... The term "West" was applied to the region in the early years of the country. Later, the region west of the Appalachians was divided into the Far West (now just the West), and the Middle West. Some parts of the Midwest have also been referred to as Northwest for historical reasons (for instance, this explains the Minnesota-based Northwest Airlines as well as Northwestern University in Illinois), so the current Northwest region of the country is called the Pacific Northwest to make a clear distinction. Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Northwest Airlines, Inc. ... Northwestern University (NU) is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational research university with campuses located in Evanston, Illinois and downtown Chicago. ... The Pacific Northwest from space The Pacific Northwest, abbreviated PNW, or PacNW is a region in the northwest of North America. ... The boundaries of what is considered the Midwest today are somewhat ambiguous. People from across the region consider themselves to be from the Midwest for very different reasons and have varying definitions and perceptions of the Midwest, and use has changed historically, gradually growing westward to include states which formerly were thought of as being the "West." Because the Northwest Territory lay between the East Coast and the then-far-West, the states carved out of it were called the "Northwest" in 1789, and "Middle West" (Middlewest, Middle-West) by 1898. In the early 19th century, anything west of the Mississippi River was considered the West, and the Midwest was the region west of the Appalachians and east of the Mississippi. In time, some users began to include Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri, and with the settlement of the western prairie, a new term, "Great Plains States," was used for the row of states from North Dakota to Kansas. Later, these states annexed themselves unofficially to the Midwest. Today, the term "Far West" means the West Coast, and people as far west as the prairie sections of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana sometimes identify themselves with the term Midwest.[8] [edit] Culture Chicago is the largest city in the Midwest Detroit is the busiest commercial border crossing in North America. Indianapolis is the third largest city in the Midwest Midwesterners are alternately viewed as open, friendly, and straightforward, or sometimes stereotyped as unsophisticated and stubborn. Factors that probably affected the shaping of Midwest values include the religious heritage of the abolitionist, pro-education Congregationalists to the stalwart Calvinist heritage of the Midwestern Protestants, as well as the agricultural values inculcated by the hardy pioneers who settled the area. The Midwest remains a melting pot of Protestantism and Calvinism, mistrustful of authority and power. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 462 pixel Image in higher resolution (2600 × 1500 pixel, file size: 366 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Chicago User:Jcrocker... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 462 pixel Image in higher resolution (2600 × 1500 pixel, file size: 366 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Chicago User:Jcrocker... For other uses, see Chicago (disambiguation). ... This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Detroit redirects here. ... North American redirects here. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 583 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This photo was also taken from the top floor of an IU Hospital parking garage in spring 2007. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 583 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This photo was also taken from the top floor of an IU Hospital parking garage in spring 2007. ... Indianapolis redirects here. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Calvinism... Roman Catholicism is the largest single religious denomination in the Midwest, varying between 19 and 29% of the state populations.