US States and Governance

Study Notes

A state is a governmental organization in charge of a territory and the people who live there.
The United States is a federal state composed of 50 constituent units, also called states.

Statehood is the process whereby a country gains a status of independence that is recognized by other states.
Statehood can also refer to a territory becoming a state of the US.

Delaware is known as the "First State" because it was the first of the 13 original colonies to ratify the Constitution of the US.

Each state has its own capital city, flag, and nickname, as well as unique facts and trivia.
Alabama is known as the "Heart of Dixie" and is the biggest state in the old South.
Alaska is the biggest and northernmost state.
Arizona is known as the "Grand Canyon State" and has deserts full of saguaro cactus.
Arkansas is known as the "Natural State" and has the only active diamond mines in the US.
California is known as the "Golden State" and is home to Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
... (all 50 states are listed with their corresponding facts)

There are 50 states in the USA.
Washington, DC is not a state, but rather the seat of the federal government.
There are also five unincorporated territories in the US: Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands.

Size: Remembering the biggest and smallest states can help identify over 10% of the total states.
Shape: Being creative, one can memorize states based on what they look like.
Panhandles: Oklahoma has a long panhandle that makes the state look like a cooking pot.
Unique location: Alaska is the northernmost state and Hawaii the southernmost.
Region: The map of the states is color-coded by region.