Iowa was first settled by Europeans c. 1673 though still having a Native American majority population. The area was incorporated to the French colony of Louisiana.Trade of lead and furs between the Natives and the settlers flourished. In 1763 it was ceded to Spain. The Spanish allowed the establishment of trading posts by British and French traders in their area. In 1800, the entire Louisiana was ceded back to France. In 1803, Louisiana was sold to the United States. American military presence in Iowa was only established in 1808.

In practice Iowa was still mostly inhabited by Native Americans. In 1829, the United States government forced the Sauks and Meskwaki tribes to move out of Illinoisand into Iowa. Since the two tribes were later involved in the Black Hawk War (1832), attempting to reclaim their old areas in Illinois, the Americans retaliated by reclaiming Iowa. From 1833 onwards, Iowa received a wave of American settlers, establishing the first real European settlements in the area. In 1842, most of the Native Americans were forced to move out, heading towards Kansas. Meskwaki hunters would remain in the area but as a minority population. In 1846, Iowa became the 29th state of the Union.

Modern Iowa is the 26th largest state and the 30th most populous. The capital and largest city is Des Moines. Iowa borders Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin.