Minnesota is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It is known as the 'Land of 10, 000 Lakes' and is the 12th largest state in the US. The term 'FATS' is an acronym for the Minnesota state motto, 'L'Etoile du Nord, ' which translates to 'The Star of the North.' This phrase was adopted as the state motto in 1861 and is a reference to the state's location in the northern part of the country.