The Good Country: A History of the American Midwest 1800–1900

Believe it or not, the US Midwest is one of the most fascinating regions in the country, and its history deserves more attention. Many of us midwesterners do not agree with the myriad of stereotypes that peg us as mundane, empty, or happy to reject progress, and we are usually thrilled when someone provides an accurate and fresh midwestern perspective. For this reason, Jon K. Lauck's book The Good Country: A History of the American Midwest 1800–1900 is a welcome addition to midwestern historiography. As founding president of the Midwestern History Association, the associate editor and book review editor of the Middle West Review, and adjunct professor of history and political science at the University of South Dakota, Lauck is a key participant in the midwestern historical discourse. Through meticulous, exhaustive research, well-organized and well-supported arguments, and enjoyable readability, Lauck confirms what many of us in the Midwest have known for some time: our region is and has been one of the most democratically advanced and uniquely cultivated hotbeds of human activity throughout United States history. While the book's scope is broad, it still leaves us wanting to know more, with some topics needing further attention and investigation. Overall, Lauck has opened the conversation for future midwestern scholars and has piqued our curiosity about what else is lying in wait behind the “dull” facade of midwestern history.The Good Country explores the dynamic nineteenth-century developments that shaped the Midwest and then rippled throughout the rest of the country. Lauck boldly argues that the region's historical value lies in its being “the most advanced democratic society that the world had seen to date” (3), mainly because of the common values shared by the region's mostly white, European, Christian population. Unlike Europe and the American South, Lauck argues, which had a history of feudalism and aristocracy, the yeoman farming system that developed in the Midwest in the 1800s bred a new variety of individuals who embodied the American democratic spirit. Midwesterners prioritized equitable education and democratic culture, according to Lauck, and he highlights as evidence the Grange, founded in Minnesota; the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which helped to start the Civil War; the Northwest Ordinance, which fostered the Midwest's overall dedication to abolitionism; the emergence of Abraham Lincoln and the founding of the Republican Party; and the establishment of hundreds of free libraries and opera houses, which were seen as the “crowning achievement” (40) of many midwestern towns.In many ways, Lauck accomplishes his overall goal of creating an introductory “big picture” that mostly highlights the achievements of the Midwest; yet there are some topics that need further exploration for this to truly be a “broadly focused” history (20). For instance, Lauck continually emphasizes how the widespread influence of Christian morality led to many benevolent reforms, such as founding the YMCA and collective action by women to elevate childhood education; yet he shies away from some of the darker outcomes they wrought, such as the many nineteenth-century midwestern Native American boarding schools. Also, some readers who are less versed in critical historical perspectives may come away believing that, for the most part, the experiences of Black people in the region were predominantly pleasant, which is not entirely accurate. However, he repeatedly argues that the book is about the history of the “good country,” not the “perfect country”; does not deny the existence of the “wicked and profane”; and fully admits that more details need investigation (121).Although The Good Country might initially seem like a one-sided presentation of Lauck's nostalgia-tinted viewpoint, it is a valuable addition to the field of midwestern history. It revives the conversation on what else might be out there in the largely overlooked, surprisingly nuanced center of the United States. Mostly, Lauck convinces us that midwestern history is American history, making it a must-read for anyone wanting a more well-rounded perspective on how the United States developed during its formative years.