More than any other state, the midwestern state of Iowa is strongly agricultural. Its 56,290 sq mi of rolling prairies between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers contain some of the world's most fertile soil; Iowa is among the largest producers of corn, soybeans, oats, hay, wheat, and barley in the U.S. Manufacturing in cities such as Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and the capital and largest city of Des Moines also plays a role.

First settled by the Mount Builders, then the Sac, Fox, and Dakota peoples, Iowa came under the control of the French, British, and Americans. Its large rural population gave rise to a number of movements, such as the Pietists at Amana, the Grange, and the Populist Party. As home to the first presidential caucuses in the U.S., and as a bellwether for agricultural states, it retains a prominent place in American politics.