Understand

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Ohio is the 35th largest state by size, but 7th by population (11,459,011 residents in 2004 according to the US Census Bureau). Ohio's nickname is "The Heart of It All", purportedly because of its shape (kind of like a heart), its central location to the densely populated areas of the US, its mosaic of big commercial cities, small towns, industry and farmland, and its critical role in "America's Heartland" (which can refer to the Midwest agricultural sector and the Great Lakes industrial base).

Ohio has always played and continues to play a critical role in the development of the United States history and government. One of Ohio's contributions to history was the Underground Railroad network which helped escaped slaves move to the free northern states and Canada. Many Ohioans, most notably Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe and John Brown campaigned against slavery.

Ohio has also been home to eight American Presidents, giving it the nickname Mother of US Presidents. American Presidents from Ohio were Ulysses Grant (18th, born in Point Pleasant), Rutherford Hayes (19th, Delaware), James Garfield (20th, Orange), Benjamin Harrison (23rd, North Bend), William McKinley (25th, Niles), William Taft (27th, Cincinnati), and Warren Harding (29th, Corsica/Blooming Grove). William Henry Harrison (9th), born in Virginia but settled (and buried) in North Bend.
Ohio is considered one of the most important states in Presidential elections due to its 20 electoral votes and is often one of the few states that can go to either party. Unlike California, Illinois, New York that lean Democratic and Texas which almost always votes Republican, Ohio's voting tendencies changes from election to election.

The Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, inventors of the airplane, were from Dayton in Ohio, giving the state one reason to call itself the Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers (though the brothers actually flew the airplane first in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, which claims to be the "First in Flight"). Ohio, however, has other claims to the nickname. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk the moon was an Ohioan, as was former U.S. Senator and astronaut John Glenn, who was the first American in space. Ohio has also been home to 23 other astronauts, the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center, and National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Eat

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Not only are there great places to dine and things to eat throughout Ohio, but these cuisines, several of which define American Food, were born in Ohio:

Banana Split - Ernest Hazard of Wilmington is one of the supposed inventors of the banana and ice cream treat

Maple Syrup go to Geauga County in Northeast Ohio, the Village of Burton is the heart of maple country, but maple syrup is produced and is available throughout most of the State.

Roasted Buckeyes where else would you go for this delicious snack but the Buckeye State?

Salisbury Steak created by and named for Clevelander Dr. James H. Salisbury who desired to perfect the meat curing process (you can pay homage to him at Lakeview...