Category: Spotlight on States

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, …

Up next in our Spotlight on States series is Iowa!

Iowa was the 29th state to join the union on December 18, 1846. Des Moines is the state capital. Iowa is the 26th largest state in the U.S. and is bordered by the states of Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Iowa is 3,207,004 (July 2023 …

Up next in our Spotlight on States series is Indiana! Indiana was the 19th state to join the union on December 11, 1816. Indianapolis is the state capital. Indiana is the 38th largest state in the U.S. and is bordered by the states of Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the estimated population of Indiana is 6,862,199 (July 2023 est.); it ranks as …

Illinois, known as the Prairie State, became the 21st state on Dec. 3, 1818. It was first organized as a territory in 1809. The state capital is Springfield, and the largest city is Chicago.

According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Illinois was 12,671,821 in 2020. It ranks 6th among states in population and 25th in land area. The state ranks third in the United …

Up next in our Spotlight on States series is Idaho!

Idaho was the 43rd state to join the union on July 3, 1890. Boise is the state capital and the state’s largest city. Idaho is the 14th largest state in the U.S. It is bordered by the states of Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the estimated population of Idaho is …

Georgia was established as the 13th colony in 1733, and it became the fourth state on January 2, 1788. The state is bordered by Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Atlanta, the capital city of Georgia, is also the state’s largest city.

According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Georgia was 10,617,426 in 2019. It ranks 8th among states in population and 24th …

Up next in our Spotlight on States series is Florida!

Florida was the 27th state to join the union on March 3, 1845. Tallahassee is the state capital. It’s largest city is Jacksonville. With a total of 65,758 square miles of land and water, it’s the 22nd largest state. Florida is bordered by the states of Georgia and Alabama.

According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population …

On Dec. 7, 1787, Delaware became the first of the original 13 states to ratify the U.S. Constitution. It’s known as “The First State” because of this. The state’s motto is “Liberty and Independence.” The town of New Castle was originally the colonial capital, and Dover became the state’s capital in 1777.

According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Delaware was 1,031,890 people in 2023. …

Connecticut was the 5th state to join the union on January 9, 1788. It was one of the original 13 colonies. Hartford is the state capital. With a total of 5,567 square miles of land and water, it is the 3rd smallest state. Connecticut is bordered by the states of Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.

According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Connecticut is …

Colorado was admitted to the Union on August 1, 1876, as the 38th state. It’s known as the...