Category: Spotlight on States

Missouri was the 24th state to join the union on August 10, 1821. Jefferson City is the state capital and its largest city is Kansas City. Missouri is the 21st largest state in the U.S. and is bordered by the U.S states of Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Missouri is 6,196,156 (July 2023 est.); …

Up next in our Spotlight on States series: Mississippi!

Mississippi became the 20th state on Dec. 10, 1817. Its name comes from a native American word meaning “great waters” or “father of waters.” The low-lying state is bordered by Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, and the Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi’s western boundary is largely defined by the Mississippi River. It is the 32nd largest state by area.

Jackson is …

Minnesota was the 32nd state to join the union on May 11, 1858. St. Paul is the state capital and its largest city is Minneapolis. Minnesota is the 12th largest state in the U.S. and is bordered by the states of Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the estimated population of Minnesota is 5,737,915 (July 2023 est.); it ranks as the …

Up next in our Spotlight on States series: Michigan!

Michigan joined the Union on January 26, 1837, as the 26th state. It is located in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest and is bordered by Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio. Michigan is also bordered by four of the five Great Lakes and has the longest freshwater coastline in the United States, as well as the second-most water …

Massachusetts was the 6th state to join the union on February 6, 1788. It was one of the original 13 colonies. Boston is the state capital and its largest city. Massachusetts is the 44th largest state in the U.S. and is bordered by Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Massachusetts is 7,001,399 (July 2023 est.); …

Up next in our Spotlight on States series: Maryland!

The state was named after Queen Henrietta Maria of England, who was married to King Charles I. He granted permission for Maryland to become a colony.

Maryland joined the Union on April 28, 1788, as the seventh state. It’s nicknamed “The Old Line State” in honor of 400 Revolutionary War soldiers who faced off against 10,000 British soldiers. They …

Maine was the 23rd state to join the union on March 15, 1820. Augusta is the state capital and its largest city is Portland. Maine is the 39th largest state in the U.S.; it’s bordered by New Hampshire to the west and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick to the northwest and northeast. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east and south of Maine.

According to …

Up next in our Spotlight on States series: Louisiana!

French explorer Robert de LaSalle named Louisiana in honor of King Louis XIV.

Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, as the 18th state. It’s nicknamed the “Pelican State” and consists of 64 parishes, which are similar to counties in other states. The term parishes comes from church units set up by the Spanish in 1699.…

Kentucky was the 15th state to join the union on June 1, 1792. Frankfort is the state capital and its largest city is Louisville. Kentucky is the 37th largest state in the U.S. and is bordered by the states of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. The name Kentucky comes from the Iroquois Indian word Ken-tah-ten which means land of tomorrow.

According to the U.S. …

Kansas was admitted to the Union on January 29, 1861, as the 34th state. It’s a landlocked state in the middle of the country and borders Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Kansas was named after the Kansas River, which was named for the Kansa people.

Topeka is the capital city of Kansas, and the largest city in the state is Wichita. The most populous area of the state, …