States of the Midwest Lesson

Let's get ready to learn our states and capitals!

Are you up for a challenge?

Can you learn all 50 states and capitals? What about their abbreviations? Do you know where each state is located?

Ready? Get set...let's learn!

Midwest Region

12 states and capitals

States and capitals are capitalized.

State abbreviations are two capital letters taken from the state name. There are no spaces or punctuation in state abbreviations.

Ohio

capital: Columbus

abbreviation: OH

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Ohio is referred to as the Buckeye State due to the prevalence of Ohio Buckeye trees within the state. The tree is called the buckeye tree because its nuts resemble the shape and color of a deer's eye.

Indiana

capital: Indianapolis

abbreviation: IN

​Christ of the Ohio is a 23-foot statue of Jesus Christ in Troy, Indiana which overlooks the Ohio River.

Illinois

capital: Springfield

abbreviation: IL

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• The first McDonald's was built in Des Plaines, IL.

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Michigan

capital: Lansing

abbreviation: MI

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Michigan is called the Great Lakes State because its shores touch four of the Great Lakes.

1. Lake Erie

2. Lake Huron

3. Lake Superior

4. Lake Michigan.

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​Almost half of this state is made of water.

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Wisconsin

capital: Madison

abbreviation: WI

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Where is the most cheese produced in the world?​

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IWisconsin leads the world in cheese production at 11.1 billion pounds.

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Minnesota

capital: Saint Paul

abbreviation: MN

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TWIN CITIES

SAINT-PAULS AND MINNEAPOLIS 

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The two cities make up the largest metropolitan area of Minnesota and are the most populated area of the whole state.​

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Iowa

capital: Des Moines

abbreviation: IA

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THE HAWKEYE STATE

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Iowa is known as the Hawkeye State in honor of Chief Black Hawk who was the leader of the native American Sauk tribe.

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Missouri

capital: Jefferson CIty

abbreviation: MO

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​The Gateway Arch, monument in St. Louis, Missouri, that sits along the west bank of the Mississippi River. It takes its name from the city’s role as the “Gateway to the West” during the westward expansion of the United States in the 19th century.

North Dakota

capital: Bismarck

abbreviation: ND

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North Dakota was named after the Sioux people who once lived in the territory. The Sioux called themselves Dakota or Lakota, meaning allies or friends.​

South Dakota

capital: Pierre

abbreviation: SD

Nebraska

capital: Lincoln

abbreviation: NE

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• Kool-Aid was invented in Nebraska.

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Kansas

capital: Topeka

abbreviation: KS

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Kansas is called the

Sunflower State

because of the wild sunflowers that grow in Kansas.​

Match

Match the states with their capitals.

• Illinois

• Indiana

• Iowa

• Kansas

• Michigan

Springfield

Indianapolis

Des Monies

Topeka

Lansing

• Springfield

• Indianapolis

• Des Monies

• Topeka

• Lansing

Match

Match the states with their capitals.

• Minnesota

• Missouri

• Nebraska

• North Dakota

St Paul

Jefferson City

Lincoln

Bismarck

• St Paul

• Jefferson City

• Lincoln

• Bismarck

Match

Match the states with their capitals.

• Ohio

• South Dakota

• Wisconsin

Columbus

Pierre

Ma

• Columbus

• Pierre

• Ma