September 22 focuses on raising awareness and sharing education about all 50 states and their capitals on National States and Capitals Day.

As children, we learn about the 50 states and their capitals in the U.S. But as we get older, we tend to forget those important cities and their role in crafting policy and influencing the economy. And, while everybody knows their own state capital, many do not even remember the capital of the state next door. Today, let’s take the time to remind ourselves how important every state and capital is to our nation.

Learning about States and Capitals

Remember those paper maps we were given to learn about states and capitals? Our worksheet had blank states with star indicating where the capital was supposed to be. The agony of naming each state and capital was definitely stressful! We spent time memorizing names, where the state was and naming each capital. Not to mention spelling everything correctly. Some of us were lucky to have a teacher that would play a game to help us remember.

Typically, we learn about states and capitals between the grades 3-6, starting with the state we live in. From there, we learn our country has 50 states and 50 capitals within each state. All 50 capitals have a unique history, which means there are 50 reasons why a specific city or town was chosen to be a state capital. In addition, we eventually learn how governments operate and the vital roll each state plays in our national government.

Looking for an adventure?  Take a road trip for your next vacation.  Chances are you’ll find a lot more than 50 reasons to enjoy the scenery.  Whether visiting family and friends or another specific spot, do some road tripping to some scenic vistas and appreciate the history, flavor and cultures along the way.

Explore More…

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Are state capitals found in the largest cities of each states? No. The first state capitals were built according the where the majority of the population lived in a state, or near a main access hub. For example,  in North Dakota the state capital is Bismarck, but was once the capital of the Dakota Territory. The Northern Pacific Railroad was built to transfer goods from eastern U.S. to the west, making Bismarck the prime location for state government. Bismarck became the official state capital only after the territory was split into 2 states–North and South Dakota.

Huh?

• The letter Q is the only letter NOT found in any of the state names
• Sweet Home, Alabama is a real place.
• It’s illegal to bury people in San Francisco, California.
• New Jersey has a volcano.
• South Carolina has a place called Monkey Island, that has over 4,000 rhesus monkeys.
• The state bird for Wisconsin is a plastic flamingo.
• There are more chickens in Delaware than there are people.
• The Empire State Building in New York has it’s own zip code.

State Capitals in Small Cities

• Juneau, Alaska, population est. 32,300.
• Dover, Delaware, population est. 39,400.
• Frankfort, Kentucky, population est. 28,600.
• Augusta, Maine, population est. 18,900.
• Annapolis, Maryland, population est. 40,800.
• Jefferson City, Missouri, population est. 43,230.
• Helena, Montana, population est. 32,100.
• Concord, New Hampshire, population est. 4,000.
• Pierre, South Dakota, population est. 14,100.
• Montpelier, Vermont, population est. 8,100.

BEHIND NATIONAL STATES AND CAPITALS DAY

Dick & Jane Educational Snacks receives credit for the idea to celebrate National States and Capitals Day on September 22. Not only does it raise awareness about the importance of knowing all 50 states and capitals, it reminds people to have fun while learning.

LEARN YOUR STATES AND CAPITALS

• Divide learning about states into regions to learn each region before moving on to the next.
• Check out a book from the library each week on a specific state to learn facts. Return the book and pick another state until all states have been covered.
• Learn fun facts about states. What famous people are from there? What kind of tourist attractions might be fun to visit?
• Fix a puzzle with all 50 states and capitals.
• Draw a map of the United States with the states and fill in the capitals, too.
• Use Dick & Jane Educational Snacks to help your kids learn about states and capitals.
• Tag your videos learning states and capitals on social media #NationalStatesandCapitalsDay.