All About the Midwest
The Midwest region of the United States includes twelve states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. These states have many things in common such as their geographic location. The Midwest is located in the central part of the northern United States. Some of the states even have borders along the country of Canada. The largest city in this region is the city of Chicago, Illinois. Other large cities in the area include: Indianapolis, Columbus, Detroit, and Milwaukee.
Climate
The climate of the Midwest United States is varied. Some states have a temperate climate and others have a humid continental climate. Temperatures in the Midwest can soar as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit and drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months. These climates have hot summers and cold winters with snowfall. Precipitation is fairly even throughout the seasons.
Famous Natural Features
The Midwest features a variety of landforms. One of these famous landforms is The Great Plains. The Great Plains stretch all the way from Missouri to Nebraska. Plains are large flat stretches of land with very few trees and fertile soil that is great for farming. The Midwest also features plateaus, such as the Appalachian Plateau in eastern Ohio, and heavily forested mountains, such as the Ozark Mountains that stretch through Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas.
Man-Made Attractions
Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Kansas
The Flint Hills Discovery Center features a 67-foot-wide movie screen that displays features of the region and its landscapes. Other than the sprawling movie screen, Flint Hills Discovery Center's employees provide many hands-on activities for the visitors.
Kings Island in Mason, Ohio
Kings Island is the largest amusement park and waterpark in the Midwest. The most popular feature of Kings Island is the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit. This exhibit takes you down a winding path in the woods where several life-size, animatronic dinosaurs move and even growl when visitors walk by.
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri
The Gateway Arch is quite possibly one of the most recognized landmarks of the Midwest. The Gateway Arch symbolizes where the United States is divided between the East and the West. The Gateway Arch is part of Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which is located in downtown St. Louis. Most programs at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial are free to the puplic.