1. Midwest (Plains States)‏ WisconsinMinnesotaIowa North DakotaSouth Dakota NebraskaKansas

2. Motto : Forward Nickname : Badger state, America's Dairyland Origin of Name ; From a Native American word for the principal river of the region, which French explorers spelled Miscous, Miskonsing, Mesconsin, and then finally Ouisconsin. It means "gathering of the waters." Capital : Madison Population : 5,363,675 Wood Violet Wisconsin Cheese Badger Wisconsin Dells Cranberry Farm

3. Motto : Fatti L'Etoile du Nord (The North Star) Nickname : North Star State, Gopher State, Land of 10,000 Lakes Origin of Name : From a Dakota Indian word meaning "sky-tinted water" Capital : St. Paul Population : 4,919,479 Pink and White Ladyslipper Common Loon Walleye Minneapolis Skyline Paul Bunyon - Bemidji Boundary Waters Canoe Area

4. Herman the German – New Ulm Headwaters of the Mississippi River - Itasca State Park Big Ole - Alexandria

5. Motto : Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain Nickname : Hawkeye state Origin of Name : Probably from an Indian word meaning "the beautiful land" Capital : Des Moines Population : 2,929,324 Iowa Cornfield Wild Rose The Grotto of the Redemption - West Bend

6. Motto : Liberty and union, now and forever: one and inseparable Nicknames : Sioux State, Flickertail State, Peace Garden state Origin of Name ; From the Sioux tribe, meaning allies Capital : Bismarck Population : 642,200 Wild Prairie Rose International Peace Gardens The Badlands - Medora Medora

7. Wounded Knee Memorial Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Pasque flower Minuteman Missile National Park - Phillip, SD Motto : Under God the people rule Nickname : Mount Rushmore State; Coyote state Origin of Name : From the Sioux tribe, meaning allies Badlands National Park

8. Crazy Horse Memorial Mount Rushmore Rapid City Downtown Deadwood Sturgis Motorcycle Rally - Sturgis Ringneck Pheasant Great Faces, Great Places South Dakota Capital : Pierre Population : 754,844

9. Motto : Equality Before the Law Nickname : Cornhusker State Origin of Name : From an Oto Indian word meaning flat water Capital : Lincoln Population : 1,711,263 Platte River Oregon Trail Ruts – Made in the 1850's Sand Hills of Nebraska Nebraska State Capitol Chimney Rock

10. Motto : Ad astra per aspera (To the stars through difficulties) Nicknames : Sunflower State, Jayhawk State, Breadbasket of America Origin of Name : From a Sioux word meaning "people of the south wind" Capital : Topeka Population : 2,688,418 Sunflower Kansas Wheat Field Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center - Hutchinson Boot Hill Museum Dodge City Flint Hills of Kansas