1. ME
   MA
2. NJ
   DE

Massachusetts is one of the original 13 colonies and home to Harvard University, which is the country's first university. The school was established in 1636, more than 100 years before America declared its independence.

1. HI
   HW
2. FL
   ME

The abbreviation for Hawaii is HI, and it's the last state to enter the union. It was settled in the early 1800s and admitted to the union in 1959, several months after Alaska's admittance. It's surrounded by water on all sides, but Florida, California and Alaska have more coastline.

1. FL
   AK
2. TX
   AL

Not only is Alaska the largest U.S. state, but it's also one of the most mysterious. The state lays claim to more than 3 million lakes. It also has the most coastline of any other state by far and is home to a wildly diverse array of floral and fauna.

1. CL
   CF
2. CO
   CA

California was admitted to the union in 1850. It was the center of the U.S. gold rush at the time, and people who ventured west a year earlier were known as 49ers. The 49ers are honored all over the state.

1. TX
   FD
2. FL
   FR

Florida is one of the most populous states in the country. It's home to the Everglades, which is the only tropical wilderness of its type in the world. It's technically a slow-moving river of grass and is home to the American crocodile and panther.

1. TX
   AK
2. TE
   TS

Texas is the largest state in the lower 48 and became part of the union in 1845 by way of annexation. The state held its independence for about a decade before negotiating to become the 28th state. Today it's one of the most influential states in the country.

1. NC
   WV
2. SD
   SC

South Carolina features some of the most consistent and comfortable weather in the states. It's also home to Morgan Island, which is an island where monkeys are bred for medical testing. There are thousands of monkeys on the island.

1. SC
   NC
2. SD
   ND

North Carolina is just above South Carolina and is home to the country's oldest state university. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was chartered in 1789, and its first graduates graduated at the end of the century.

1. MT
   MN
2. MS
   MO

There's an average of at least one elk, one antelope and three deer for every square mile of land in Montana. The state has also recorded some of the coldest temperatures and greatest snowfalls in the country.

1. RI
   DE
2. NY
   NJ

New Jersey isn't the largest or most populous state in the country, but it is considered the densest. There are more than 1,000 people per square mile on average, and almost the entire population lives in an urban area.

1. AL
   KY
2. MS
   KT

Kentucky's climate is ideal for bourbon making, and about 95% of the world's bourbon is produced in the state. There are more barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky than people are living there.

1. MA
   VT
2. NH
   ME

The capital of Vermont is Montpelier, which is the least populous state capital in the country. The population is less than 8,000, but that almost triples during weekdays, as many people work in the capital but live elsewhere.

1. NV
   NM
2. AZ
   CA

Nevada sits in the heart of the Great Basin, and it's almost all desert. Nevada's capital is Carson City, but the state is more known for Las Vegas (aka Sin City) and Reno (aka the biggest little city in the world).

1. AS
   AK
2. LA
   OK

Arkansas legislation spells out exactly how the name "Arkansas" should be pronounced. It's never pronounced "ark + kansas," and the last "s" is always silent. Urban legend says it's illegal to mispronounce Arkansas while in Arkansas, but that's false.

1. OK
   NB
2. NE
   KS

The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln, named after Abraham Lincoln. The state sits in the middle of the country and is known for its beef, corn and tornadoes. The official insect of Nebraska is the honeybee.

1. SD
   ND
2. SC
   NC

South Dakota was settled in 1859 and admitted to the union in 1889. Every other state admitted after 1889 had been settled at least 40 years prior, except for Oklahoma. South Dakota is home to the Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore.

1. AZ
   ID
2. OR
   WA

Oregon joined the union just before the American Civil War. Today it's home to a plethora of abandoned towns and Crater Lake, which is the deepest lake in the country. Oregon is one of a handful of states that allow people to turn left on red in certain circumstances.

1. MS
   MO
2. ME
   MI

Mississippi sits in the heart of the south, and the state was named after the river, not the other way around. Mississippi translates to "large river" in Chippewa. The name is 11 letters long but only uses four different letters.

1. MO
   AZ
2. DC
   WA

Washington is named after George Washington and is the only state named after a president. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison almost had states named after them, but it never happened. The Space Needle in Seattle is home to the second ever revolving restaurant in the world.

1. LA
   LO
2. LS
   MS

Louisiana's postal abbreviation is LA, and it's not to be confused with Los Angeles, which is also regularly abbreviated LA. The state is steeped in French history and has an array of traditional foods to prove it.

1. MI
   WY
2. UT
   CO

The United States hosted the Winter Olympics on four occasions, with the most recent being in 2002 when Utah held the games. Along with Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, Utah completes the "Four Corner" states.

1. CT
   ME
2. NH
   VT

Maine was settled in 1620, but by the 1650s, it was part of Massachusetts. Once the colonies won the American Revolution, residents in Maine began protesting for Independence. Maine became its own state in 1820.

1. WG
   WM
2. WO
   WY

Wyoming is the last American state when listing them alphabetically. The state is home to Yellowstone National Park, which is considered by many to be the first national park in the world and the first in the country. The park was established in 1872.

1. CT
   NH
2. VT
   ME

New Hampshire is the "Live Free or Die" state, and it's been so since the beginning of time. It declared independence from England well before the Declaration of Independence. Today, state residents aren't required to pay auto insurance, and there is no sales tax in the state.

1. MO
   ND
2. SD
   NM

Rugby, ND, is the geographic center of the entire continent of North America. It's not the center of the U.S. alone. The official drink of the state is milk, and it's one of a few dozen states that designated English as the state's official language.

1. CA
   TX
2. KY
   TN

Tennessee is known for its music and whiskey. The estate of Elvis Presley, Graceland, sits in the state, but it might be more famous for its volunteers. During the War of 1812, volunteer soldiers from Tennessee helped win the war, giving the state the "Volunteer State" nickname.

1. WY
   NM
2. MO
   CO

"Color," "a" and "do" are the three words that make up Colorado, and it's the only state with three words in it. The name Colorado means "colored red." The state is known for the Rocky Mountains, the U.S. Air Force Academy and its high altitude.

1. RI
   CT
2. DE
   MD

Rhode Island runs less than 50 miles North to South and less than 40 miles East to West. It would take about 3 hours at 60 mph to do a full lap around the entire state. The state never ratified the amendment that created Prohibition.

1. MO
   OK
2. KS
   TN

Legend has it the first parking meter in the world was erected in Oklahoma in 1935. The first traffic signs and lights started popping up about 20 years earlier. Oklahoma City is home to the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Osage Nation.

1. UT
   KS
2. KY
   WI

The geographic center of the lower 48 states is about a dozen miles south of the Kansas/Nebraska border. With Hawaii and Alaska included, the geographic center of the country moves to South Dakota. Helium was discovered at the University of Kansas in 1905.

1. MN
   MI
2. WI
   IL

Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, but Alaska claims to be the land of 3 million lakes. Minnesota is also home to Mall of America, which is the biggest mall in the country. Although the state doesn't border an ocean, it lays claim to thousands of miles of shoreline.

1. MD
   DE
2. CT
   RI

Connecticut, along with Rhode Island, never ratified the 18th amendment to prohibited the sale and distribution of alcohol in the country. In the state's capital, Hartford, it's illegal to cross the street while walking on your hands.

1. NY
   PA
2. DC
   MA

Pennsylvania has one of the richest histories of any state in the country. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were debated and passed there. The world's first baseball stadium, Forbes Field, went up in 1909. And Hershey, PA, is the country's chocolate capital.

1. GA
   MS
2. KY
   AL

Alabama was admitted to the union in 1819, making it the 22nd state, but less than 50 years later, it was the birthplace of the Confederacy. Montgomery became the capital of the Confederacy, and the Confederate flag was first flown in 1861.

1. MD
   DE
2. RI
   CT

Maryland's most populous city, Baltimore, is named after Lord Baltimore, and the state's flag features the colors of Lord Baltimore's seal. The United States Naval Academy was established in Annapolis (the capital) in 1845.

1. MO
   WI
2. KS
   MI

Wisconsin is known for all types of cheese, but its nickname is the "Badger State." The badger is also the state's official animal, but the nickname stems from elsewhere. Wisconsin miners used to live in makeshift mine-side tents that resembled badger dens.

1. MI
   IA
2. ID
   IL

Iowa is one of the most important states in terms of farming. It is the leading producer of corn in the country. There are close to 90,000 farms in the state, which is also the country's leading producer of ethanol.

1. LA
   WI
2. IL
   MI

From 1974 to 1998, the Sears Tower (Willis Tower) in Chicago was the tallest building in the world. One World Trade Center in NYC is the tallest in the Western hemisphere, but the Sears Tower is the second tallest.

1. MI
   WI
2. MO
   KS

Michigan was first settled way back in the mid 17th century and became part of America in 1837. Its capital is Lansing, but its most famous city is probably Detroit. Detroit is known as the home of Motown and is nicknamed the Motor City.

1. IL
   MI
2. IA
   ID

Urban legend says it's against Idaho law to gift a box of chocolates that weighs more than 50 pounds, but that's fake. The official seal of Idaho is the only one to be designed by a woman, Emma Edwards Green.

1. OR
   NM
2. CA
   AZ

Only Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii joined the country after New Mexico, and Arizona joined the same year as New Mexico. The state's capital is Santa Fe, which is the highest state capital above sea level.

1. WA
   CA
2. WV
   VA

West Virginia was the first and only state to declare independence from the Confederacy. Because of this, it's the only state to join the union by presidential proclamation. Texas is the only state to join the union by way of annexation.

1. AR
   LA
2. MS
   MO

Missouri is known as the "Show-Me" state, and the nickname can be seen on license plates across the state. It is believed that a congressman in 1899 coined the phrase during a campaign speech. The nickname isn't officially recognized in any legislation.

1. WI
   IN
2. IA
   ID

The capital of Indiana is Indianapolis, and it's home to the Indianapolis 500, which is one of the largest single sporting events in the world, with upwards of 300,000 attendees. The city of Santa Claus, ID, receives about 500,000 Christmas letters every year.

1. OH
   UT
2. RI
   MD

Ohio joined the union in 1803, and about 100 years later, it erected the first traffic light in 1914. Ohio also takes credit for the country's first ambulance system, which was established at the end of the Civil War.

1. NV
   AZ
2. NM
   TX

Arizona is home to the saguaro cactus, which is the largest cactus in America. It is illegal to damage, chop down, or dig up a saguaro cactus, even if it's on your property. The cacti can grow for 200 years and may take 100 years just to grow a few feet tall.

1. DE
   MD
2. CT
   ME

Delaware was the very first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, making it the first state in the union. Pennsylvania joined five days later, and New Jersey joined six days after Pennsylvania. Delaware became the first state on December 7, 1787.

1. LA
   KS
2. KY
   GA

Georgia is named after King George II of England. It was the last state to form the 13 colonies and was the southernmost colony. It was founded in 1733, and in 1861 it seceded from the union and joined the confederacy.

1. NY
   DC
2. PA
   VA

Virginia birthed the most U.S. presidents of any state, with a total of eight. Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, Madison, Taylor, Tyler, Harrison and Wilson all hailed from the state. It's also home to the first permanent colony in the country, Jamestown.

1. DC
   NY
2. CA
   LA

New York has about 10 million fewer residents than California (the most populous state), but it is home to the country's most populous city, New York City. More than 8.5 million people call the Big Apple home.