In the land of the free and the home of the brave, there is one state that stands freer and braver than the rest: Iowa. We have even been named the most patriotic state in the country. If you love bald eagles, cherry pie and exercising your God-given rights and freedoms, you probably belong in Iowa. Take a look at these 11 reasons why Iowa is the most American state in the country.

  1. Iowa was recently named “The Most American State.”

Anomie/Wikimedia Commons According to Estately.com, Iowa is the most American state in the country. The list isn’t super scientific, and was created based on these factors: Bald eagles per square mile, Olympic gold medals won per capita, astronauts born per capita, fast food restaurants per capita, major league baseball players born per state, percentage of homes with firearms, percentage of Facebook users expressing interest in the “United States of America," and number of google searches for “Bin Laden dead.” Whether or not it’s scientific, it’s still awesome.

  1. We are pretty much the center of the political universe.

DonkeyHotey/Flickr Because of the Iowa Caucus, our vote is extremely important, and will pretty much determine if a presidential candidate will succeed or fail.

  1. And we take our responsibilities seriously.

marsha*morningstar/Flickr We Iowans don’t take our duties lightly; we had the third highest votership rates during the last presidential election.

  1. Our nickname is “America’s Heartland.”

Denise Krebs/Flickr I mean, what more do I have to say?

  1. We have good old-fashioned American values - like hard work.

United Soybean Board/Flickr We Iowans live by the good, old-fashioned values of hard work, responsibility, and duty to our state, country and our neighbors. We work hard to produce more corn and raise more hogs than any other state in the country, and we’ve dedicated over 90% of our land to agriculture.

  1. And being a farmer is pretty much the most American job out there…

Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Health/Flickr What’s more American than being a farmer? The answer is nothing.

  1. We have, by far, the most American state flag and motto.

Fry1989/WIkimedia Commons Our flag is wayyyy more American than any other state’s flag, just look at it! And our motto? It doesn’t get more American than that.

  1. Iowa produces the most bacon in the country. You’re welcome guys.

Didriks/Flickr Iowa easily produces more hogs than any other state, and that means more bacon.

  1. Cherry pie wasn’t American enough for us, so we fried it.

jeffreyw/Flickr If you made it to the Iowa State Fair this year, you probably stumbled across one of the newest additions to the food line-up: Fried cherry pie. The most American food ever invented, right here in Iowa.

  1. All of our counties have commissioned a beautiful, patriotic freedom rock.

David Casteel/Flickr Ray Sorenson has made a big splash in Iowa with his Freedom Rocks, and now every county has commissioned one of Sorenson’s patriotic, hand painted rocks.

  1. We only decorate with red, white and blue.

Cali4beach/Flickr Because America, that’s why.

God bless America, and God bless Iowa. Who else is proud to be from the most American state in the country?

Anomie/Wikimedia Commons

According to Estately.com, Iowa is the most American state in the country. The list isn’t super scientific, and was created based on these factors: Bald eagles per square mile, Olympic gold medals won per capita, astronauts born per capita, fast food restaurants per capita, major league baseball players born per state, percentage of homes with firearms, percentage of Facebook users expressing interest in the “United States of America," and number of google searches for “Bin Laden dead.” Whether or not it’s scientific, it’s still awesome.

DonkeyHotey/Flickr

Because of the Iowa Caucus, our vote is extremely important, and will pretty much determine if a presidential candidate will succeed or fail.

marsha*morningstar/Flickr

We Iowans don’t take our duties lightly; we had the third highest votership rates during the last presidential election.

Denise Krebs/Flickr

I mean, what more do I have to say?

United Soybean Board/Flickr

We Iowans live by the good, old-fashioned values of hard work, responsibility, and duty to our state, country and our neighbors. We work hard to produce more corn and raise more hogs than any other state in the country, and we’ve dedicated over 90% of our land to agriculture.

Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Health/Flickr

What’s more American than being a farmer? The answer is nothing.

Fry1989/WIkimedia Commons

Our flag is wayyyy more American than any other state’s flag, just look at it! And our motto? It doesn’t get more American than that.

Didriks/Flickr

Iowa easily produces more hogs than any other state, and that means more bacon.

jeffreyw/Flickr

If you made it to the Iowa State Fair this year, you probably stumbled across one of the newest additions to the food line-up: Fried cherry pie. The most American food ever invented, right here in Iowa.

David Casteel/Flickr

Ray Sorenson has made a big splash in Iowa with his Freedom Rocks, and now every county has commissioned one of Sorenson’s patriotic, hand painted rocks.

Cali4beach/Flickr

Because America, that’s why.

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