US states. US states and their capitals - Georgia -

US states on the map

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What is a "state" and how many are there in the US?

The United States of America is a federation of 50 states US states).

The state is the basic state-territorial unit of the United States. Since 1959 there have been 50 of them. Each of them has its own flag and motto.
Word state(state) appeared back in the colonial period (about 1648). This word was sometimes used to refer to individual colonies. It began to be used everywhere after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The state has its own constitution, legislative, executive and judicial powers.

Each US state is divided into districts - administrative-territorial units of the second level. They are smaller than a state, but larger than or equal to a city. The exception is the five counties (boroughs) within New York City. There are 3,140 counties in the country, according to the Census Bureau.

The third level of administrative-territorial division are city municipalities and townships, which manage the local life of settlements. In 2002, there were 19,429 city municipalities and 16,504 townships in the United States, according to the National League of Cities.

50 US states borrowed their names from many languages. The names of half of them came from the languages of the North American Indians. The remaining states received names from European languages: Latin, English and French.

In addition to the states, the country includes and is administered by administrative-territorial units with the status of a federal district or federal territory - the District of Columbia and a number of islands.

District of Columbia(The District of Columbia, D.C.) is not part of any state. Just in it is the capital of the country Washington.

The US island territories include: Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa.

51st state

There is such a term as "51st state". This term refers to the territories that claim to receive the status of a US state in addition to the already existing fifty states. Among the possible candidates for the title of "fifty-first state" are the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, Puerto Rico. The question of granting statehood to the City of New York has also been repeatedly raised.

There is one curious fact in history. In 2012, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, in support of American colonization of the moon, said: "When we have 13,000 Americans living on the moon, they can petition to become a state." However, in accordance with Article II of the Outer Space Treaty, outer space, the Moon and other celestial bodies are not subject to national appropriation, either by claiming sovereignty, by use or occupation, or by any other means.

How are they part of the United States

In order for any territory to become part of the United States, a lengthy procedure is required. The territory must adopt its own constitution. The constitution must satisfy the US Congress, which decides whether to admit the territory to the US.

States cannot secede from the United States unilaterally.

USA(USA), often used the United States, or simply America (eng. United States of America, USA, U.S., America) is a state in North America. It is one of the largest countries in terms of area (9.5 million km², 4th in the world) and in terms of population (325 million people (2016), 3rd in the world).

Device shape - federal.

Administrative division - 50 states and federal district Colombia; they also have a number of island territories under their control.

Capital - city Washington(Located in non-state District of Columbia)

The USA does not have an official state language. Most people in the country speak American English.

State is an administrative-territorial unit in America. From 1959 to the present, they 50 . Each state has its own state symbols - the flag and the motto. Each state has its own Constitution and system of government (legislative, judicial and executive). Each state has its own districts (smaller than the state). The life of the local population in the areas of residence of citizens is managed by city municipalities and townships(one of the administrative-territorial units of the third level in the United States, included in the districts along with city municipalities, is one of the types of small units of civil division).

Most of the state names come from the names of Indian tribes and the names of the kings of England and France.

Over the years, the central cities were the following: Philadelphia. New York. Baltimore. Trenton. Lancaster. York. Princeton. Annapolis.

List of states with their capitals

State	Capital
Idaho	Boise Center
	Des Moines Main Center
Alabama	Montgomery
	Juneau Center
Arizona	Phoenix metropolitan area
Arkansas	Little rock
Wyoming
Washington	Olympia
Vermont	Montpelier
Virginia	richmond
Virginia West	Charleston
Wisconsin	Madison metropolitan area
Hawaii	Downtown Honolulu
Dakota North	Bismarck Center
Dakota South	Center Pierre
	Dover
Georgia	Center Atlanta
Illinois	springfield
Indiana	Downtown Indianapolis
California	Sacramento
Kansas
Carolina North	Roles
Carolina South	Columbia Center
Kentucky	Frankfort Center
Colorado	Downtown Denver
Connecticut	Hartford core area
Louisiana	Downtown Baton Rouge
Massachusetts	Downtown Boston
Minnesota Mississippi
	Jefferson City
Michigan	Center Lansing
	Helena
Maine	Augusta Center
Maryland	Annapolis metropolitan area
Nebraska	Lincoln Center
	Carson City
New Hampshire
New Jersey	Trenton
New York	downtown Albany
New Mexico	Santa Fe
Ohio	Columbus
Columbia region	Washington
Oklahoma	Oklahoma City
	Salem metropolitan area
Pennsylvania	Harrisburg
Rhode Island	Providence
Tennessee	Nashville Center
	Center Austin
Florida	Downtown Tallahassee
	Capital District Salt Lake City

Confederate States of America

During the Civil War, the Confederate states were slave territories, while the northern part of America was free from slavery. Confederate states include: Mississippi, Florida area, Georgia area, Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina area, Louisiana, Virginia, Arkansas area, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky area, Arizona.

Republic of Texas

It ranks 2nd in terms of territory in the United States (696,241 km²) after Alaska and 2nd after California in terms of population (26,956,958 people). Texas is one of the centers of American agriculture, cattle breeding, education, oil and gas and chemical industries, and financial institutions. State capital - Austin; administrative division - districts (254).

The state of Texas is a wealthy region with its own deep history. In 1836, the state seceded from Mexican territory and declared its independence. After independence, this territory became known as the Republic of Texas. This status lasted until 1845. Then Texas becomes the 28th state of America and gets a new name - the state of Texas. Thus, Texas was the only territory that entered the Union while remaining sovereign. During the American Civil War, the state of Texas was out of the Union, re-entering the Union in 1970. Today, Texas is one of the wealthiest areas in the country, with its own developed economy and high standard of living.

Kingdom and Republic of Hawaii

Hawaii (English) Hawaii) is a US state. Located on the Hawaiian Islands in the Central Pacific Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere at a distance of 3700 km from the continental United States. Hawaii joined the federation on August 21, 1959, becoming the 50th state in a row. Population - 1,419,561 people (as of 2014). The urban population is about 70%. The official language is English; partially (in everyday life), among various ethnic groups, other languages are also preserved, including Hawaiian. Capital and largest city - Honolulu. Other major cities are Hilo, Kailua-Kono, Kaneohe. Oahu is the most economically developed island. Official nickname - aloha state.

Hawaii, along with four US states, was briefly considered an independent territory. In 1795 - 1810, the territory of Hawaii, previously ruled by several chiefs, was proclaimed a kingdom. July 4, 1894 The Kingdom of Hawaii becomes a republic. On July 7, 1898, the Republic of Hawaii falls under the protectorate of the United States and becomes dependent on America. Between 1939 and 1945 Hawaii is becoming an important strategic target for military operations. Only in 1959 they became part of the US as the 50th state. Hawaii is the US sugar monopoly. Pineapples are grown in Hawaii for export to other countries. The islands are an attractive object for tourists.

Let's highlight the main points:

America is made up of fifty states.
The administrative authorities are municipalities and townships.
Each state has its own basic law - the Constitution.
The concept of "state" appeared during the period of aggressive wars from England, around the 40s of the 17th century, and it meant the name of individual colonies.

The United States of America plays a leading role in the world community. Researchers call this state an empire that influences the politics of Western countries. Tourists who plan to visit the American states should familiarize themselves with the history of its formation.

The United States of America is easy to find on the map - they are located on the continent called North America and occupy a large part of it. A state in the United States is a territorial unit, by joining them over a number of years, the United States of America was formed.

The exact answer to the question of how many states there are in the United States can be given to those who are seriously engaged in the study of this state. To be precise, today the USA consists of 50 states. Colombia, sometimes listed as the 51 states, is actually a federal district, an independent federal unit. In addition to this, the United States has several island territories that also have sovereignty, they are not subordinate to any state. Each state is divided into districts administered by city municipalities. Rural areas may consist of townships.

Each state is a federation, and they all have equal rights. There is nothing unusual in this, a similar structure can be found in other large states. It is interesting that all states are equal, but they have their own branches of government and their own constitution. Therefore, for the same crime in each state, there may be a different punishment.

US state names, detailed alphabetical list

When studying the United States, questions may arise from a person who knows English well. The thing is that the word "state" can be translated not only as "states", but also as "state". In the middle of the 17th century, when the United States was in the formative stage, individual colonies were considered states.

Each state has not only its own capital, but also a flag and a motto. Next, we list the US states and their capitals.

#	State name (in Russian)	State name (in English)	State capital (in Russian)	State capital (in English)
1	Idaho	Idaho	boise	Boise
2	Iowa	Iowa	Des Moines	Des Moines
3	Alabama	Alabama	Montgomery	Montgomery
4	Alaska	Alaska	Juneau	Juneau
5	Arizona	Arizona	Phoenix	Phoenix
6	Arkansas	Arkansas	Little Rock	little rock
7	Wyoming	Wyoming	Cheyenne	Cheyenne
8	Washington	Washington	Olympia	Olympia
9	Vermont	Vermont	Montpelier	Montpelier
10	Virginia	Virginia	richmond	Richmond
11	Wisconsin	Wisconsin	Madison	Madison
12		Hawaii	Honolulu	Honolulu
13	Delaware	Delaware	Dover	Dover
14	Georgia	Georgia	Atlanta	Atlanta
15	West Virginia	West Virginia	Charston	Charleston
16	Illinois	Illinois	springfield	Springfield
17	Indiana	Indiana	Indianapolis	Indianapolis
18	California	California	Sacramento	Sacramento
19	Kansas	Kansas	Topeka	Topeka
20	Kentucky	Kentucky	frankfort	frankfort
21	Colorado	Colorado	Denver	Denver
22	Connecticut	Connecticut	Hartford	Hartford
23	Louisiana	Louisiana	baton rouge	Baton Rouge
24	Massachusetts	Massachusetts	Boston	Boston
25	Minnesota	Minnesota	Saint Paul	St. Paul
26	Mississippi	Mississippi	Jackson	Jackson
27	Missouri	Missouri	Jefferson City	Jefferson City
28	Michigan	Michigan	Lansing	Lansing
29	Montana	Montana	Helena	Helena
30	Maine	Maine	Augusta	Augusta
31	Maryland	Maryland	Annapolis	Annapolis
32	Nebraska	Nebraska	Lincoln	Lincoln
33	Nevada	Nevada	Carson City	carson city
34	New Hampshire	New Hampshire	Concord	Concord
35	New Jersey	New Jersey	Trenton	Trenton
36	New York	New York	Albany	Albany
37	New Mexico	New Mexico	Santa Fe	Santa Fe
38	Ohio	Ohio	Columbus	Columbus
39	Oklahoma	Oklahoma	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma city
40	Oregon	Oregon	Salem	Salem
41	Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania	Harrisburg	Harrisburg
42	Rhode Island	Rhode Island	Providence	Providence
43	North Dakota	North Dakota	Bismarck	Bismarck
44	North Carolina	North Carolina	Roles	Raleigh
45	Tennessee	Tennessee	Nashville	Nashville
46	Texas	Texas	Austin	Austin
47	Florida	Florida	Tallahassee	Tallahassee
48	South Dakota	South Dakota	Pyrrhus	Pierre
49	South Carolina	South Carolina	Colombia	Columbia
50	Utah	utah	Salt Lake City	Salt Lake City

Moreover, the state capital is not necessarily the largest city. The word "state" has been used in its modern sense since 1776, after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. At that time, the United States consisted of 46 states. Although you can still find indications that these were separate states. For example, the official flag of California has the inscription "Republic of California".

Confederate States of America

There was a period in the history of the United States when the state was practically divided into two parts. And although this lasted only 4 years, the fact remains: in 1861, the Confederate States of America (CSA) appeared. This is a self-proclaimed independent state, which was also called "Confederation" or "Dixie". It existed until 1865. What was the reason for its occurrence?

It is sometimes believed that the Confederation was formed as a result of the abolition of slavery in the United States, which started the Civil War. This is not entirely correct, because the CSA appeared after Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election. As a result, 6 southern states announced their withdrawal from the United States. A month later, Texas joined them. And when Abraham Lincoln announced that he intended to achieve the preservation of the Union, 4 more states announced that they would join the Confederacy.

Sometimes it is believed that the Confederation included not 11, but 13 American states. This is partly correct. The fact is that Kentucky and Missouri turned out to be “border states” between the USA and the CSA. For a while, there were two governments, one on the side of the United States, and the second supported the Confederation. Basically, the CSA included states that did not want to abandon the slave system. Although Maryland was a slave state, martial law was introduced in time, so it remained part of the United States. Delaware remained neutral until the very end of the war. In 1865, the Confederation, having suffered a defeat in hostilities, ceased to exist. These states changed the constitution and abolished slavery.

Texas is a state in the southern United States. It is in second place in terms of territory (only Alaska is larger) and in second place after California in terms of population. At first, this territory belonged to Mexico, and then there was a separate state that existed for almost 10 years - from 1836 to 1845. It appeared as a result of the war in the north-east of Mexico.

Several reasons are given as to why problems in Mexico led to war. On the one hand, the dictatorship of the Mexican president, on the other hand, the adoption of a new constitution in the country, thanks to which slavery was abolished in 1835. As a result, Texas gained independence in 1836. The state was recognized by the international community as a separate state. But the hostilities did not stop.

Clashes between Mexico and Texas continued for another 10 years. And only as a result of the US victory in the war with Mexico (1846-1848), the issue of territorial claims was settled - Texas received freedom. But most Texans have wanted to join the United States before. Texas is the only independent state in the United States recognized by other countries. Although the separatist movements seeking the independence of this state of America are still active. They believe that Texas was annexed by the United States.

Kingdom and Republic

are islands located in the Pacific Ocean. They are located at a distance of 3700 km from the continental part of America. This is the most recent state that became part of the United States, and this happened already in the 20th century - in 1959. But at first it was a kingdom, and then a separate republic. Why did the islands, located far from the USA, become part of this state as one of the states?

In the 18th century, Hawaii had several semi-state structures. Then King Kamehameha I managed to unite the islands by force and establish a single kingdom. Since 1810, for 85 years, one dynasty ruled here. In 1893, a coup d'état took place in Hawaii with the support of American sailors. But the United States refused to annex the islands, believing that it was contrary to the popular will of the Hawaiians. As a result of the coup, a republic appeared instead of a kingdom. But in 1898 they fell under the protectorate of the United States, and already in the middle of the 20th century they became one of the states. It is considered to be the “sugar” state of the USA.

The most amazing states in the US

What American states can be distinguished and what should you pay attention to? It is difficult to find an unambiguous answer to this question, because each of them has a “zest”. The absence of a state language is also a hallmark of America.

The names of many states have unusual origins.

As the researchers note, 25 or 26 names have Indian roots.
The name of the northernmost state of Alaska is taken from the language of the Eskimos.
Only 20 states have names of European origin: 11 are English, 6 are Spanish and 3 are French.
There is an assumption that Rhode Island is a Dutch toponym.

But what about the Americans, did they really not give a name to a single state? It turns out that there is one, and we are talking about the state of Washington. It is named after President D. Washington.

There are states that are distinguished by their extraordinary beauty.

Florida is the southernmost part of North America. It is often referred to as the "Sunshine State".
Oregon is full of contrasts and variety of landscapes. He could easily compete with the panoramas presented in the film "The Lord of the Rings".
Michigan is known for its natural beauty. In addition, there are many large lakes.
Colorado is famous for rocky mountains and unusually beautiful canyons. This state is often called the home of wonderful national parks.
stands out for its richness of flora and fauna.
Arizona has amazingly beautiful canyons. They are visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

The United States was formed in 1776 when 13 British colonies signed the Declaration of Independence. From that moment on, England lost power over them. In order to regain the colonial territories again, troops had to be sent in. This provoked the war, thanks to which the United States gained independence. But some of the colonies still remained loyal to the English crown. In 1787, the Constitution was adopted, which was ratified by 9 of the 13 states. During the late 18th and throughout the 19th century, other states joined. In the 20th century, the United States included the remaining five: Oklahoma (1907), New Mexico (1912), Arizona (1912), Alaska (1959) and (1959).

Why is the District of Columbia (Washington) not part of any state

The District of Columbia is the capital city of the United States of Washington, as well as the territory adjacent to it. Repeated attempts were made to make it a separate state, but American legislators have not come to an unequivocal decision. The last time this issue was submitted for discussion in Congress was in 1993. But the project was rejected. This is also due to the fact that only one person is delegated to the House of Representatives from the district. Yes, and without the right to vote.

Conclusion

Can it be argued that the number of US states will remain the same tomorrow? There is no specific answer to this question. For more than 100 years, this figure has been unstable. Today, several territories and states would not refuse to join the United States as separate states. The most likely candidate is Puerto Rico. It is quite possible that the 51st state under this name will soon appear. The Philippines, Haiti, and Yucatan are also candidates.

You can meet me on the channel https://www.youtube.com/user/4langru

Administratively, the United States consists of 50 states and the District of Columbia. The states have quite a lot of internal sovereignty, having their own flag, laws, and so on. In the external arena, they are inferior to federal bodies, having no powers at the state level.

The United States occupies a vast territory and therefore the states located in different parts of the country can differ significantly from each other in various parameters: population, area, income level, and so on. Various statisticians classify US states according to certain criteria.

Thus, the Census Bureau subdivides 4 macro-regions:

Northeast;
Midwest;
West.

In turn, each macro-region includes from 2 to 3 sub-regions, with a total of 9 units:

New England;
Mid-Atlantic states;
Northeast Central States;
Northwest Central States;
South Atlantic states;
Southeast Central States;
Southwest Central States;
mountain states;
Pacific states.

In this case, the main criterion for dividing the United States into regions and subregions is the geographical principle.

In addition, the states of the United States can be distinguished on other grounds.

Population

The largest US state by population is California. Almost 40 million people live here, which is comparable to Spain and other large states.

In addition to California, Texas (27 million people), Florida (21 million people), New York (20 million people) and Illinois (13 million people) can also be distinguished.

The smallest state by population is Wyoming. 600 thousand inhabitants live here, as in a large regional center of Russia.

Square

In terms of territory, there are real giants among the US states. The clear leader is Alaska. This state covers an area of 1.7 million square kilometers. If Alaska were a separate state, then according to this parameter it would be included in the Top 20 countries of the world.

At the other end of the ranking is the state of Rhode Island, it occupies only 4 thousand square kilometers, of which only 67% is land, the rest is water. The area of Rhode Island is comparable to the territory of Moscow (with its suburbs).

Not far from Rhode Island is Delaware (6.5 thousand square kilometers). Delaware is considered the first state to sign the 1787 US Constitution.

GDP per capita

The level of GDP per capita, an indicator that economists use to determine the development of a state or a separate territory, allows the states to be ranked as follows:

Delaware - 65.0 thousand dollars per capita;
Alaska - 60.0 thousand dollars per capita;
Connecticut - 55.0 thousand dollars per capita;
Wyoming - 53.0 thousand dollars per capita.

All of the above states are in countries for this indicator.

One of the poorest US states is Mississippi (GDP per capita is $27.5 thousand), which is comparable to the level of such countries as Kuwait, Spain or South Korea.

Political preferences

In the US, the political preferences of the population are divided into two parts between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. At the same time, some states almost always support the policies of one party, and some of the other.

More conservative states that have strong Republican support include:

Montana;
Idaho;
Wyoming;
North Dakota;
South Dakota;
Kansas;
Oklahoma;
Texas;
Missouri;
Arkansas;
Louisiana;
Tennessee;
Kentucky;
Indiana;
West Virginia;
South Carolina;
Alaska.

The Democratic Party is more supported by residents of the following states:

Washington;
Oregon;
California;
Colorado;
New Mexico;
Hawaii;
Minnesota;
Michigan;
Illinois;
Virginia;
Vermont;
Massachusetts;
Rhode Island;
New York;
Pennsylvania;
Connecticut;
New Jersey;
Delaware;
Maryland;
Columbia region.

There is no pronounced political coloring in such states:

Nevada;
Arizona;
Nebraska;
Iowa;
Wisconsin;
Ohio;
North Carolina;
Georgia;
Florida;
New Hamshire.

Each party is fighting for electoral support in swing states.

The United States of America is a community of 50 states that have joined throughout the history of this country. Consider how the US states got their names.

— Alabama —

Flag of Alabama

Before the Europeans landed on the American shores, in the upper reaches of the Alabama River in modern Alabama, an Indian tribe lived, which was called - drumroll ... - Alabama ( Albaamaha in their language). The river and the state take their names from this tribe. The conquistador Hernando de Soto was the first to make contact with them, followed by other Spanish, French and British explorers and settlers (who recorded the tribe in different ways: Albama, Alabama, Alibama, Alibamo, Alibamon, Alabama, Allibamo, Alibamo and Alibamu) - none of them have received a clear explanation of the meaning of this word. An article published on July 27, 1842 in Jacksonville presented the idea that the word meant here we rest("here we rest"). Thereafter, Alexander Beaufort Meek, who served as Attorney General of Alabama, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and President of the First American Chess Congress, popularized this theory in his writings over the next decade.

It should be clarified that Alabama language experts have not been able to find any evidence to support this option. They found two words in the Choctaw language (the languages of both tribes belong to the Muskogean language group), the first - alba("plants" or "weeds") and amo("cut" or "gather") that can be connected Albaamo, or "plant collectors". Today, the prevailing theory is that the phrase was used by the Choctaw tribes to describe their neighbors, and the Alabama tribe eventually adopted it as their own. The state's official nickname is "Heart of the South"

— Alaska —

Flag of Alaska

Like Alabama (and many other state names), the name Alaska comes from the language of the region's indigenous people. The Aleuts (the name of the local people given to them by Russian fur traders in the mid-18th century, they also call themselves Unangans), called their peninsula and territory on the mainland the word alaxsxaq, the literal translation is “an object on which the force of the sea is directed.” State Nicknames "Last Frontier", "Land of the Midnight Sun"

— Arizona —

Flag of Arizona

There is no consensus on the etymology of the name Arizona, among the main hypotheses are Spanish and Indian. The name of the state comes from the Indian word of the Pima tribe found by the Spaniards - “place of a small stream”, and in the language of the Aztec tribe - “giving birth to silver”. Nickname of the Grand Canyon State

— Arkansas —

Flag of Arkansas

The first Europeans to arrive in the area of present-day Arkansas were the French, accompanied by Indian guides from Illinois. The Indians called the local people Akansa("people of the wind" or "people of the south wind"), this is the name that the French adopted. They added an "s" at the end for the plural, and fixed it as the name of the state. The Arkansas pronunciation was formalized by an act of the state legislature in 1881. State Nickname "Natural State"

— California —

Flag of California

California has existed in European literature since before Europeans settled the Western United States. This was not a state full of vineyards and movie stars, but an island in the West Indies filled with gold and women. The fictional paradise, first mentioned in the early 1500s by the Spanish writer Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo in his novel Las Sergas de Esplandián, was ruled by Queen Califia and "inhabited by black women, among whom there is not a single man who lives like Amazons." This island abounds in gold and gems and is home to griffins and other mythical beasts.

While there is some consensus that the state was named after a fictional island, scholars have also suggested that the name comes from the Catalan words calories("hot") and forn("furnace") or from the phrase of the Indians - kali forno(high hill). Nickname "Golden State"

— Colorado —

Flag of Colorado

Colorado is a Spanish adjective meaning red. The early Spanish colonizers named the river they found "Rio Colorado" because of the reddish silt that the water brought from the mountains. When Colorado became a state in 1861, a Spanish word was used as the name, as it was believed that the source of the Rio Colorado was in its territory. However, this turned out not to be the case. Nickname of the "Century State"

— Connecticut —

Flag of Connecticut

The state is named after the Connecticut River, which was named after the Native American word quinnitukqut the Mohegan tribe, who lived in the eastern headwaters of the River Thames. In their Algonquian language, the word means "place of a long river" or "on a long tidal river".

The official nickname since 1959 is Constitution State. Previously, the official nickname was Nutmeg State (Nutmeg State).

— Delaware —

Flag of Delaware

Delaware is named after the Delaware River and Bay. They, in turn, were named after Sir Thomas West, 3rd Baron de la Warr, the first colonial governor of Virginia, who traveled the river in 1610. Ultimately derived from Old French de la werre("from the war" or "warrior").

Delaware is known as the "First State" because it was the first of the 13 colonies to ratify the US Constitution on December 7, 1787. State Nicknames "First State", "Diamond State", "Blue Rooster State"

— Florida —

Flag of Florida

Six days after Easter 1513, the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León landed near what is now the city of St. Augustine (the oldest city still in existence in the United States). In honor of the holiday and the rough vegetation of this territory, he named the peninsula la tierra florida("blooming earth") from a Spanish phrase for the Easter season pascua florida(feast of flowers). Florida has the oldest surviving European name in the US.

— Georgia —

Flag of Georgia

In the early 18th century, the British Parliament appointed a committee to investigate the conditions in Britain's debtors' prisons, and the politicians did not like what they found out. A group of philanthropists, concerned about the plight of the prisoners, proposed the creation of a colony in North America where the "worthy poor" could get back on their feet and become productive citizens again. Their plan ultimately did not materialize as the colony was not populated by debtors, but the colonial authorities still wanted to thank King George II for granting them the rights to the colony, so they named the place Georgia after him. State nickname "Peach State", "Imperial State of the South"

(Bonus: Georgia is supposedly called that because its people venerate St. George and display his cross on their flag, even though Georgians call themselves Kartvelebi and their country Sakartvelo.)

— Hawaii —

Flag of Hawaii

The origin of the name of the state is not unequivocally determined by anyone, so choose which theory you like ... The name of the state comes from the largest island of the Hawaiian Islands - the island of Hawaii. There are several versions about the etymology of the name of the island. According to one of them, the island is named after Hawaiiloa, a character in Hawaiian myth who discovered the island when it was first settled. According to another version, insulonym comes from the name of the legendary ancestral home of the Polynesians Hawaii

In Hawaiian, the word Hawaii(Gav. Hawaiʻi) is very similar to Proto-Polynesian Sawaiki("homeland"). Words close to "Hawaii" are found in other Polynesian languages, in particular, Maori Hawaiians, cook Avaiki and Samoan savaii. According to the linguists Pukui and Elbert, “everywhere in Polynesia the word “Hawaii” or the same root is the name of the underworld or the home of the ancestors, but in Hawaii itself the name has no meaning.” The nickname of the state is "The Aloha State".

— Idaho —

Flag of Idaho

The origin of the name Idaho is a mystery. The name was proposed in 1860 by mining lobbyist George Willing as the name of a new mining area in the United States, it was explained that the word comes from an Indian term and means "mountain gem". When Congress considered establishing a mining territory in the Rocky Mountains in 1860, Willing and Williams, delegates from the region, championed "Idaho." A naming request was submitted to the Senate in January 1861, but Senator Joseph Lane of Oregon objected to "Idaho" stating, "I don't believe it's a Native American word. Not a single Indian tribe in this country has this word, in my opinion... It is corruption, counterfeit, and should not be accepted.” Lane's remark was ignored.

After the Senate approved the name, Williams became interested for some reason and considered Lane's application. He had heard from several sources that Willing or some of his associates had made up "Idaho" and that the word didn't really mean anything. Williams returned to the Senate and asked for a name change. The Senate agreed and used the name that was on the table before Willing and Williams appeared, then the state of "Colorado" appeared.

A year later, Congress decided to create another mining area in the northwestern part of the continent. "Idaho" was again a contender for the title. Without Williams, "Idaho" was undisputed and the word became the name of the territory and the state.

According to another version, the word Idaho("ee-dah-how" (and-da-how)) in the Shoshone language meant the phrase "the sun is rising"; the word may also come from the language of the Arapaho tribe. According to the third version, the word Idaho("idaahe") means "enemy", it was used by the Athabaskan tribe to refer to the Comanche tribe. Due to the abundance of natural resources, Idaho's nickname is the "Gem State"

— Illinois —

Flag of Illinois

Illinois- this is the modern spelling of the name of the people whom the French colonists found living in the territory of the future state, and recorded in endless variations in their records. The first meeting of Europeans with Illinois took place in 1674. Father Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary and explorer, walked down the road to the village and asked the people there who they were. According to Marquette's writings, "they replied that they were Illinois ... they spoke this word ... apparently it is 'man' in their language." The colonialists decided that the name of the tribe means an adult in the prime of life and superior to people of other tribes.

The state's official nickname is "Lincoln's Land" and also "The Prairie State". The official motto is "State Sovereignty, Nation Unity".

— Indiana —

Flag of Indiana

The name of the state means "Indian Land" or "Land of the Indians" and is named after the Indian tribes that lived there when the white settlers arrived. The meaning of the word is quite simple, but the way it got its name is more interesting. At the end of the French and Indian War, the French were driven out of the Ohio Valley, after which the Philadelphia Trading Company entered the territory to monopolize the trade with the Indians in the area. At that time, the Iroquois tribes had already formed a confederation and conquered territory outside their native lands, subjugating other tribes and treating them as colonies. In the fall of 1763, members of the Shawnee tribe and other tribes that were colonies of the Iroquois raided Philadelphia Company merchants and stole their goods. The company complained to the Iroquois chiefs and demanded restitution. The tribal leaders assumed responsibility for the behavior of their colonies, but did not have the money to pay off the debt. Instead, in a boundary treaty with the British five years later, the chiefs gave a 5,000-square-mile tract of land to the Philadelphia Company, which accepted the land as payment.

The new owners of the land, in search of a name, decided to honor the people who originally owned the land and from whom it was received, and named it Indiana, the land of the Indians.

The official nickname is the Hoosier State.

— Iowa —

Flag of Iowa

The name of the state is borrowed from the name of the tribe Iowa, one of the Indian tribes that lived in the state before the arrival of European settlers.

One of the pioneers in the area wrote in 1868, “The Indians, in search of a new home, settled on a high bluff of the Iowa River near its mouth ... and were very pleased with the location and the land around and exclaimed in their native dialect: “Iowa, Iowa, Iowa” ( beautiful, beautiful, beautiful), hence the name Iowa from the river and those Indians. The 1879 Iowa General Assembly report translated the word slightly differently, stating that it meant "beautiful land". At the same time, the Iowa people who today inhabit Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma will tell you that Iowa is the French spelling of the word Ayuhwa, meaning "sleepy", given to the Sioux tribe as a joke. State nickname "Hawkeye State"

— Kansas —

Flag of Kansas

Kansas was named after the Kansas River, which was named after the tribe kanza who lived along its banks. Kanza, a Siouan word, very old. How much? Its original meaning was lost to the tribe itself even before they met their first white settler. Today we only know that there is some reference to the wind in this word, perhaps "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind".

The state is also called "America's breadbasket": it leads among the states in the cultivation of wheat. The state flower is the sunflower, the state tree is the poplar. The motto is “Through thorns to the stars” (lat. “Ad astra per aspera”).

— Kentucky —

Flag of Kentucky

The state was named after the river of the same name. There is no consensus on where the name of the Kentucky River came from. Among the variants there are various words of the Indians, all from the Iroquois language group, it means "Land of the meadows", "Prairie", "Land of the prairies", "Land of the future", "Bottom of the river", "River of blood" and "Dark and bloody hunting territory" ".

The official mottos of the state are “Together we stand, apart we fall” and “Let us give thanks to the Lord” (lat. “Deo Gratiam Habeamus”). The official nickname is the Bluegrass State.

— Louisiana —

Flag of Louisiana

Louisiana comes from French La Louisiana, or "Lands of Louis". It was named after Louis XIV, King of France from 1643 to 1715. Exciting story?🙂

In ancient times, the territory of the state was inhabited by the Atakapa Indians, Tunica-Biloxi, Chitimacha, Choctaw, Natchez, and others. The official nickname of Louisiana is the “Pelican State”.

— Maine —

Flag of Maine

Maine is another case where no one is quite sure how the name came about. Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason, who were entitled to land in Maine, were both veterans of the English Royal Navy, and the name may have come from sailors who denoted mainland lands as opposed to island lands as main(from "going to the main" - "go to the mainland"). But the Maine legislature passed a resolution in 2001 establishing Franco-American Day and declared that the state was named after the French province of Maine.

The original inhabitants of the state were Indians who spoke the Algonquian languages. The first European settlement in Maine was founded by the French in 1604 on the island of the Holy Cross. The first English settlement was established by the Plymouth Company in 1607.

The official nickname is The Pine State.

— Maryland —

Flag of Maryland

The English colony of Maryland was named after Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I, who granted a patent to settle Maryland. "Mary's Land" was proposed as the name of the colony, which eventually stuck with the state.

Official nicknames: "Old Frontier State", "Cockade State" and "Free State". This name was given to the state by one of the Baltimore newspapers in the 1920s during the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, which introduced "dry law" in the country. Then the state of Maryland was the first to announce that it did not want to obey the ban on the sale and production of alcohol.

— Massachusetts —

Flag of Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which preceded the state in time, were named after an indigenous people massachusetts. The tribe's name translates to "near the big hill," referring to the Blue Hills southwest of Boston. An alternative form of the tribe's name is − Moswetuset, meaning "arrow-head-shaped hill", refers to Moswetuset Hummock, an arrow-shaped hill in the town of Quincy. Nickname of the "Gulf State"

— Michigan —

Flag of Michigan

The state takes its name from Lake Michigan. Michigan is a French derivative of the Ojibwe Indian word mishigamaa, which translates as "big lake" or "big water".

The state is located on two peninsulas - Lower and Upper, separated by the Strait of Mackinac, an eight-kilometer-wide channel connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. For several millennia, Indian tribes have lived in Michigan. By the time the Europeans arrived, the Ojibwe (Chippewa), Ottawa, Potawatomi and Huron Indian tribes lived here. The first European to visit the Upper Peninsula was Étienne Brule (1622). In 1668, the Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette founded the first settlement of Sault Ste. Marie here - originally located on the now Canadian coast, it then expanded to the opposite coast. In 1679, Robert da la Salle built the first European sailing ship on Lake Superior.

— Minnesota —

Flag of Minnesota

Derived from the name for the Minnesota River in the language of the Dakota tribe, mni sota("clear blue water"), or from Mnissota("muddy water"). The English language is not particularly rich in words that begin with mn(only one - mnemonic), so the first pioneers added "i" and gradually transformed the sounds into mini, which they wrote as mine. The largest city in the state of Minneapolis combines Indian think with Greek polis which means "city".

Before the arrival of Europeans, the Ojibwe, Sioux, Cheyenne and Winnebago Indian tribes lived in Minnesota. State Nickname "North Star State", "Gopher State"

— Mississippi —

Flag of Mississippi

The state is named after the Mississippi River. The word Mississippi means "father of the waters," as the novelist James Fenimore Cooper or President Abraham Lincoln wrote in a post-Civil War letter, "Father of the Waters again goes undisturbed to sea." There is also a word of the Ojibwe tribe of French origin - messipi(pronounced misi-sipi or misi-ziibi) meaning "big river". This is not as dramatic as Lincoln's words, but such a theory of the origin of the name of the great US river looks more plausible.

The official nickname is the Magnolia State, the unofficial nickname is the Hospitality State.

— Missouri —

Flag of Missouri

The state and the Missouri River are named after the Missouri people, a southern Sioux tribe that lived along the river. The pronunciation of the word Missouri comes from an Illinois tribal language word that means tribe. ouemessurita("ouemessourita"), translated "those who have a canoe", "people with a wooden canoe" or "man from a large canoe".

The official nickname is the Show Me State.

— Montana —

Flag of Montana

Montana - from the Spanish word montana which means "mountain". The name that perfectly characterizes the state, on the territory of which there are many mountain formations (3510 peaks). Who first used the name and when is unknown.

Official nickname - "Treasure State"

Since ancient times, the lands of the future state of Montana were inhabited by Indians of such tribes as: Cheyenne, Crow, Blackfoot, Assiniboine, Groventry, Sioux (they are also Dakotas and Lakotas)

— Nebraska —

Flag of Nebraska

Nebraska comes from archaic Indian words of the Oto tribes Си Brásge(in modern language Otho Си Bráhge), which means "calm water". The words refer to the Platte River, which flows through the "Corn State", which is the nickname the state has now, and the inhabitants are called corn people.

For thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, people lived along the rivers of Nebraska. By the time the Europeans arrived, the Omaha, Oto, Missouri, Ponca, and part of the Lakota Indians settled here, all of which belong to the Sioux language group. In addition, the Algonquian and Pawnee Arapaho lived here - the Caddo language group.

— Nevada —

Flag of Nevada

The name of the state in Spanish means "snowfall" and comes from the name of the Sierra Nevada mountain range "snow-covered mountains." Non-Nevada pronunciation of state name neh-vah-dah(with long "A") differs from local pronunciation nuh-vae-duh(with a short "A") and irritates Nevadas to no end.

Nevada became part of the United States during the Civil War between the southern and northern states, and now the official slogan of Nevada is "The State Born in Battles." The state flag bears the inscription "Born to Fight".

— New Hampshire —

Flag of New Hampshire

British captain John Mason received the territory in the form of a land grant and named it after the English county. Hampshire where he lived as a child. Mason invested heavily in land clearing and building in New Hampshire, but died in England before he traveled to the new world to see his property.

The informal name is Granite State. State motto: "Live free or die."

- New Jersey -

Flag of New Jersey

New Jersey was named by its founders Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret in honor of Jersey, the largest of the British Channel Islands. Born in Jersey, Carteret served as lieutenant governor in New Jersey for several years. Official Nickname: The Garden State

— New Mexico —

Flag of New Mexico

New Mexico and the country of which it was part - Mexico, have several hypotheses for the origin of the name. According to one legend, the god of war and patron of the country, Huitzilopochtli, had a secret name Metzli, or Mexi. In this case, the toponym "Mexico" would mean "place of Mexi" or "land of war".

Another hypothesis is based on the fact that the name "Mexico" comes from the wording of Aztec words metztli("moon") and xictli("navel") and thus means "place in the center of the moon", which may allegorically mean the location of Tenochtitlan in the middle of Lake Texcoco.

Another hypothesis says that the name of the country came from Mechtli, the goddess of the agave.

The official nickname is "Land of Enchantment".

- New York -

Flag of New York

Both the state and the city of New York were named after James Stuart, Duke of York and future King James II of England. "Old" York- a city in England, existed even before the Romans invaded the British Isles, the word "York" comes from the Roman Latin name of the city, which was variously called Eboracum, Eburacum and Eburaci. Tracing the word to an earlier period is difficult, as the language of the pre-Roman native population was never written down. It is believed that they spoke the Celtic language, and Eboracum may have been obtained from Brythonic Eborakon, which means "place of yew trees". State Nickname "Imperial State"

- North Carolina -

Flag of North Carolina

King Charles II of England, who gave the order to establish a colony in modern North Carolina, named the land in honor of his father Charles I. Carolina comes from Carolus- the Latin form of the word Karl. Official nickname - "State of tar", "Tobacco state"

- North Dakota -

Flag of North Dakota

North and South Dakota take their names from the Dakota, the Sioux tribes that lived in the region. No etymology for Dakota is generally accepted, but the most common explanation is that the word means "friend" or "ally" in the Sioux language. Official Nicknames: Ground Squirrel State, Sioux Indian State, Peace Garden State

— Ohio —

Ohio flag

The translation used for this word - "beautiful river" originates in the story of a French traveler about visiting the region in 1750. He named the Ohio River une belle riviere and indicated the local Indian name Ohio. People have taken this description of the river as a translation from the Indian name, although there is no evidence that the author meant this or that this is the correct translation. No definite meaning is known for this word, although it is believed that Ohio is most likely a Huron word meaning "big" or "great" rather than "beautiful river". Possibly derived from Seneca words ohi:yo("Big River").

The official nickname is the Horse Chestnut State.

— Oklahoma —

Flag of Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a combination of Choctaw words ukla("man") and huma("red"). These words were used by the Choctaw to describe Native Americans - "Redskins". Allen Wright (chief of the Choctaw Nation from 1866 to 1870) proposed the name in 1866 during negotiations with the federal government over the use of Indian territory. When the Indian Territory was reduced to what is now Oklahoma, the new territory took its name from the Choctaw word. The official nickname is the Agile State.

— Oregon —

Flag of Oregon

The origin of the name Oregon seems to be the most heated debate. Here are some competing explanations:

- Derived from French ouragan("hurricane") and the state, was named so because the French pioneers named the Columbia River le fleuve aux ouragans("river of hurricanes") due to strong winds in the Columbia Gorge.

- from the word oolighan, the Chinook name for the smelt fish found along the Pacific coast and prized as a food source for Native Americans in the area.

- Derived from Spanish orejon("big ears"), which the early Spanish pioneers used to refer to the local natives.

- Derived from the word Ouragon, used by Major Robert Rogers in a 1765 petition asking the British government to fund the search for the Northwest Passage by land. As to where Rogers got the word from, it could be due to an error on a French map from the early 1700s, where Ouisiconsink("Wisconsin River") was misspelled Ouaricon-sint.

— Received from the words of the Shoshone Ogwa("river") and Pe-on("west") or from the Sioux Indians, who called the Columbia River the "River in the West", as reported by the American explorer Jonathan Carver.

Official nickname - "Beaver State" or "Beaver State"

— Pennsylvania —

Flag of Pennsylvania

Named after Admiral William Penn. The land was granted to Penn's son, Quaker William Penn, to pay off a crown debt to the elder Penn. The title consists of Penn + sylva("forests") + nia(noun suffix), resulting in "Penn Woodland". The younger Penn was embarrassed by the name and feared that people would think he named the colony after himself, but King Charles did not rename the region.

Official nickname "The Capstone State"

— Rhode Island —

Flag of Rhode Island

A similar name was first used in a letter from the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, in which he compares an island near the mouth of Narragansett Bay (a bay on the north side of the Rhode Island Sound) with an island Rhodes in the Mediterranean. There is another explanation for the appearance of the name of the state, preferred by its government, it lies in the fact that the Dutch navigator Adrian Block named the region Roodt Eylandt("red island") referring to the red clay that lined the shore, and the name was later brought into English pronunciation under British rule.

State nicknames "Ocean State", "Baby Rodi".

- South Carolina -

Flag of South Carolina

Like North Carolina (see above), the state is named after Charles I. The state's nickname is the Sabal Palm State.

- South Dakota -

Flag of South Dakota

Like North Dakota (see above), the state is named after the Dakota Indian tribes. The nickname of the state is "Mount Rushmore State".

— Tennessee —

Flag of Tennessee

Traveling inland from South Carolina in 1567, Spanish conquistador Juan Pardo passed through an Indian village Tanasky in present-day Tennessee. Nearly two centuries later, British traders stumbled upon a Cherokee village called Tanasi(now Monroe County, Tennessee). It is not known if there were Tanasi and Tanasky the same village. It is known that Tanasi was on the Little Tennessee River and recent studies indicate that Tanasky stood close to the confluence of the Pigeon River and the French Broad River (near modern Newport). Name Tennessee could have come from any of these Indian villages, the meaning of both words has been lost. State nickname "Volunteer State".

— Texas —

Flag of Texas

Texas comes from the word Teysha(sometimes spelled tejas, tayshas, texias, thecas, techan, teysas or techas), widely used by natives of the eastern Texas region before the arrival of the Spanish. The tribes had different spellings and interpretations of the word, but the usual meaning was "friends" or "allies". Some tribes such as the Hasinai and the Caddo used it as a "hello friend" greeting. European pioneers used the word as a name for the people of Caddo and the area around their settlements in East Texas. State nickname "Lone Star State"

— Utah —

Flag of Utah

Derived from the name of an Indian tribe Nuutsiu or Utes, which the Spanish first encountered in present-day Utah in the late 16th century. In the language of the tribe ute means "Land of the Sun". The people from the tribe called themselves Nuciu or noochew, which simply means "The People". State Nickname "The Hive State"

— Vermont —

Flag of Vermont

Name from French words vert("green") and mont("mountain"). Samuel Peters claimed that he christened the lands of the state by this name in 1763, standing on a mountain top and saying: “The new name for these lands is Vert-Mont, as a sign that her mountains and hills will always be green. Most historians disagree, as does Thomas Young, the Pennsylvania statesman who proposed using his state constitution as the basis for Vermont and is credited with suggesting the name to commemorate the Green Mountain Boys, a militia organization created to resist an attempt to take over this region by the New Yorkers.

— Virginia —

Flag of Virginia

Named by Walter Raleigh in honor of Queen Elizabeth I of England (known as the Virgin Queen - virgin queen), which granted Walter the rights to establish a colony north of Spanish Florida. Official nicknames - "Old Dominion", "Mother of Presidents"

— Washington —

Flag of Washington

Named after the first President of the United States, George Washington. This state is called "Washington State" by residents of the eastern United States to distinguish it from the District of Columbia, which is commonly referred to simply as "Washington" and "D.C." Residents of the same state and others in the Pacific Northwest simply refer to the state as "Washington" and the capital as "Washington, DC" or "District of Columbia." The official nickname is the Evergreen State.

— West Virginia —

Flag of West Virginia

West Virginia, formed from 39 Virginia counties whose residents voted to create a new state rather than join the Confederacy, the newly formed state was named after the same Queen Elizabeth I, although it was originally conceived as a state Canova("Kanawha"). Official nickname - "Mountain State"

— Wisconsin —

Flag of Wisconsin

Formed from Meskousing is the name of the Wisconsin River by the Algonquian-speaking tribes of the region. French explorer Jacques Marquette described this name in 1673, then the word was distorted into Ouisconsin in the early 19th century, and its current spelling was promulgated by the territorial legislature in 1845. Modern linguists have not been able to find an Algonquian word like the one Marquette wrote down and is now thought to be borrowed from other tribes. Meskonsing("lies red"), which refers to the reddish sandstone of the banks of the Wisconsin River. State nickname "Badger State"

— Wyoming —

Flag of Wyoming

Derived from the word Delaware Indians (Lenape) mecheweami-ing("in/on the great plains"), which the tribe used to refer to their home region (which was eventually named the Wyoming Valley). Other names considered for the state were Cheyenne, Shoshone, Arapaho, Sioux, Platt, Big Horn, Yellowstone and Sweetwater, but Wyoming was chosen because it was already used by the local people. Official nickname: The Equality State