The Midwest Partnership is a relic of the early days of the American Collapse. Originally formed as a pandemic coordination system in early 2020, it quickly faced defections from some of its members and was the location of some of the earliest citizen revolts against the lockdown. Eventually, once most of its members had "rejoined" the federal government in reopening, Kentucky was left as the last official member, despite its questionable status as a "midwestern" state. As the political situation in the US worsened, multiple states that had been part of the pandemic pacts would start coordinating again (many denouncing the government or seceding outright), but the Midwest Partnership remained inactive, with Kentucky "answering" to it as a symbolic protest.