Midwest State Capitals
Twelve states make up the Midwest, and their capitals tend to be modest places picked for a central location. Illinois is run from Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln lived before his presidency, not from Chicago. Michigan chose Lansing over Detroit in 1847, and Missouri built Jefferson City in the middle of the state, between St. Louis and Kansas City. Three capitals are also the largest city: Columbus, Indianapolis and Des Moines. Pierre, South Dakota, has about 14,000 residents and is pronounced “peer”.
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Practice in the free learnerHow to study this set
Pair the Dakotas first: Bismarck is north, Pierre is south. Then take the five states east of the Mississippi (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin) with Columbus, Indianapolis, Springfield, Lansing and Madison. Minnesota’s capital is Saint Paul, the smaller of the Twin Cities, so make a point of not saying Minneapolis.
All 12 flashcards
What is the capital of Illinois?
Springfield
Not Chicago. Springfield was chosen in 1837 with the help of a young legislator named Abraham Lincoln, who then made the city his home.
What is the capital of Indiana?
Indianapolis
Also the largest city. It was laid out in the 1820s near the middle of the state to serve as the capital.
What is the capital of Iowa?
Des Moines
Also the largest city. The capital moved here from Iowa City in 1857.
What is the capital of Kansas?
Topeka
Wichita is the largest city, and Kansas City, Kansas, is better known.
What is the capital of Michigan?
Lansing
Not Detroit. The capital moved from Detroit to the more central Lansing in 1847.
What is the capital of Minnesota?
Saint Paul
Minneapolis, its twin city across the Mississippi River, is larger.
What is the capital of Missouri?
Jefferson City
Not Kansas City or St. Louis. Jefferson City was laid out in the 1820s to be the capital and lies roughly midway between the two.
What is the capital of Nebraska?
Lincoln
Omaha is the largest city. The village of Lancaster was renamed Lincoln when it became the capital in 1867.
What is the capital of North Dakota?
Bismarck
Fargo is the largest city. Bismarck was named after the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck in the hope of attracting German investment in the railroad.
What is the capital of Ohio?
Columbus
Also the largest city in Ohio, ahead of Cleveland and Cincinnati.
What is the capital of South Dakota?
Pierre
Sioux Falls is the largest city. Pierre is pronounced “peer” and, with about 14,000 residents, is the second least populous state capital.
What is the capital of Wisconsin?
Madison
Milwaukee is the largest city. Madison sits on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona.
What to learn next
Level 3, “Southern State Capitals”, is the biggest deck in the category. It has 16 states from Delaware to Texas, including Tallahassee, Frankfort and Baton Rouge.
Continue to Level 3: Southern State Capitals →