Eli5: Why is there a seismic zone in a large portion of the East-Central U.S. despite there being not being a tectonic plate nearby?

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Why is there so much earthquake potential in parts of states like Tennessee, Missouri, and Illinois? They’re not near any plate boundaries

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Earthquakes can occur within a tectonic plate too. They aren’t just limited to where plates meet. The seismic zone you’re talking about is the [New Madrid zone](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Madrid_Seismic_Zone).