The American Midwest is a large region in the north-central part of the United States, stretching from Ohio in the east to the Dakotas in the west, and from the Canadian border down to Kansas and Missouri. The twelve Midwestern states include Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas.

This region earned its nickname America's Heartland because it sits near the geographic center of the country and because it produces much of the nation's food. The Midwest contains some of the most productive farmland on Earth, with endless fields of corn, wheat, and soybeans. Farmers here feed America and much of the world. The region also includes major cities like Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, and St. Louis, which became industrial powerhouses in the 1800s and 1900s.

The landscape is mostly flat or gently rolling, shaped long ago by glaciers that left behind rich soil. The Great Lakes, five enormous freshwater lakes, form much of the region's northern border. Winters can be brutally cold with heavy snow, while summers can be hot and humid.

People often describe Midwesterners as friendly, hardworking, and down-to-earth. The region's culture values practicality, neighborliness, and getting things done without fuss. When someone displays Midwestern hospitality, they're being genuinely welcoming and helpful, offering food and conversation to visitors and strangers alike.