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About This Quiz
"My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of" ... so many state capitals that you have to study for days to remember them all! During this quiz, you'll get the chance to put your U.S. capital knowledge on display. Will you be able to remember all 50, or will you have to ask the nearest elementary school student for help?Â
State capitals come in all sizes, and they're not always the most populated or well-known cities in their states. In fact, some of them, like Sante Fe and Albany, were founded because they were smaller and easier to defend than their larger city counterparts. Each capital has its own history, and it will take a little thinking to answer all 50 questions correctly. Even if you get a few wrong, you might learn a thing or two along the way. But you won't do that, will you?Â
We're not going to play any crazy guessing games that make you figure out the state, too. To give you an edge, we've offered up the state within the question. Take your time and think your choices through; then, answer with the city you think is right. Will you be right 100% of the time, or will you need to grab a map and reacquaint yourself again? Let's see how you do!Â
Birmingham
Montgomery
Birmingham is Alabama's largest city, but Montgomery has been the capital since 1846. In 1952, Rosa Parks took her iconic stand on one of the city's buses and sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott that helped to fire up the Civil Rights Movements.
Tuscaloosa
Dothan
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Juneau
If you're looking for the perfect getaway, Juneau might be for you! With a population of slightly over 32,000, its remote location is only accessible by air or by ferry. You can pay to have your car shipped, but it's easy to get around on foot.
Anchorage
Homer
Barstow
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Sedona
Scottsdale
Phoenix
Tucson and Prescott were once considered for the title of the capital city, but Phoenix won the prize in 1912. A dam on the Salt River allows the city to have more lush, green spaces than most other places in Arizona. With over 200 golf courses, it's a favorite of golfers everywhere.
Tucson
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Little Rock
Little Rock was a city with a mayor before Arkansas became a state! Little Rock was upgraded to city status in 1835, but Arkansas statehood didn't happen until 1836. Little Rock is currently the most populated city in the state.
Jonesboro
Fayetteville
Hot Springs
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San Francisco
Los Angeles
Sacramento
Vallejo, Benicia, Monterey and San Jose all spent time as California's capital. Eventually, in 1854, Sacramento was chosen because it doesn't sit near the ocean, which makes it less vulnerable to attack.
San Diego
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Denver
Also called the Mile High City, Denver became Colorado's capital in 1881. Visitors to the capital complex marvel at the building's gold-tipped dome. The 24-karat gold leafing is said to be valued at over $116,000!
Boulder
Pueblo
Colorado Springs
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Bridgeport
Hartford
Hartford is not the state's most populated city, but it does have a lot of history. Both Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe once called the city home. Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World," Hartford has the highest number of insurance professionals anywhere in the country.
New Haven
Danbury
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Dover
In 1787, Dover, Delaware's The Golden Fleece Tavern unknowingly became a very important site in U.S. history. When the U.S. Constitution was ratified there, it made Connecticut the first state to do so.
New Castle
Newark
Wilmington
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Jacksonville
Orlando
Tallahassee
Sitting at 200 feet above sea level, Tallahassee is both Florida's capital and the city with the highest elevation in the state. With both Florida State University and Florida A&M University located there, it welcomes over 50,000 students every year.
Miami
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Atlanta
Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport measures bigger than 3,500 football fields. Every day, over 2,500 domestic and international flights depart from the capital city's airport gates.
Augusta
Savannah
Macon
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Volcano
Honolulu
Before being called Honolulu, Hawaii's capital city was named Kulolia. When Hawaii statehood was received in 1959, the name was changed and it was officially designated as the capital. Although the name translates to "sheltered harbor," locals simply refer to the city as "town."
Hilo
Kailua
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Idaho Falls
Nampa
Coeur D'Alene
Boise
First discovered by French-Canadian trappers, Boise was once nothing more than a thick forest surrounded by the Boise River. Now a technological hub, the city is home to over 225,000 residents.
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Springfield
Abraham Lincoln wasn't born in Springfield, but he moved there in 1837. Every year, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum welcomes over 300,000 visitors. For a city of just over 116,000 residents, that's a lot of visitors!
Chicago
Rockfort
Juliet
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Indianapolis
Indianapolis is well known for its huge auto race, the Indy 500. However, its business hub is just as much of a big deal. Home to many Fortune 500 companies, Indianapolis is the 27th-largest economic hub in the country.
Fort Wayne
Gary
Bloomington
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Cedar Rapids
Iowa City
Ames
Des Moines
When Des Moines was first incorporated in 1851, it was officially called Fort Des Moines. Only six years later, council members voted to remove the Fort part of the name. Iowa's capital city is home to one of the world's largest farmer's markets. Every weekend, over 20,000 people come to shop there.
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Wichita
Salina
Topeka
When construction began on the capitol building in Topeka, engineers missed their mark. Instead of using limestone, they opted for softer brownstone materials. The following year, part of it collapsed and builders were forced to re-examine their choices.
Kansas City
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Lexington
Frankfurt
With a population of just over 25,000 people, Frankfort, Kentucky is the nation's smallest capital city. Stretching under 15 square miles, the city was named after pioneer Stephen Frank. The site where he perished was called Frank's Fort. Over time, it morphed into the name we know now.
Bowling Green
Ashland
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Baton Rouge
Built in 1932, Baton Rouge's capital building stands 450-feet tall and boasts 34 floors. Unlike some capital buildings, Baton Rouge's pride and joy didn't take years to build. From start to finish, it was completed in under 15 months.
New Orleans
Shreveport
LaFayette
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Montpelier
Bangor
Portland
Augusta
Maine's capital of Augusta rests about 35 miles from the Atlantic Ocean along the Kennebec River, and it's home to the country's oldest wooden fort that dates back to 1754. Named Fort Western, it was once home to a British military outpost.
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Annapolis
Named after Princess Anne, Annapolis received a blessing from the queen herself in 1708. Previously named Providence and home of the meeting place of the Continental Congress, the city served as the country's capital from 1783 to 1784.
Baltimore
Bethesda
Hagerstown
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Redding
Boston
Home to almost five million people and known as "the birthplace of the American Revolution," Boston, Massachusetts has hosted a lot of firsts! From the first public park to the first chocolate factory and the invention of Dunkin Donuts, the city's history is endless.
Revere
Danbury
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Ann Arbor
Detroit
Lansing
Detroit was once Michigan's capital city, but things changed in 1847. With a need to build a western defense against British troops across the Canadian border, Lansing was chosen. Although small and undeveloped back then, it's now grown to almost 117,000.
Grand Rapids
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Saint Paul
The Minneapolis portion of the "twin cities" might be more populated of the two halves, but Saint Paul gets to be the capital. Once home to Amelia Earhart, F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Dillinger, the city has more than a few tales to tell.
Minneapolis
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Biloxi
Tupelo
Hattiesburg
Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi is often called the Crossroads of the South. The largest city in the entire state, Jackson is home to a historic blues district and the hospital that performed the world's first lung transplant in 1963.
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Kansas City
Jefferson City
Before being designated and built specifically to be the capital, Jefferson City was home to the "Boone Lick Trail" salt business. Owned by Daniel Boone's son, the salt empire grew into a town. It was his son who created the layout of the city.
St. Louis
Columbia
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Billings
Bozeman
Butte
Helena
After being discovered by four gold miners, Helena, Montana was almost given some interesting names. Some of the monikers kicked around were Crabtown, Pumpkinville and Squashville. Thankfully, one of them decided to name it after his home in Minnesota.
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Omaha
Lincoln
Named after Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska is rated one of the best cities for personal well-being. Home to the University of Nebraska, Fortune 500 companies and the capitol's Sunken Gardens, it has something for everyone. In fact, the city's website invites you to move there!
Bellevue
Grand Island
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Carson City
If you're looking to learn more about the American Wild West, Carson City is the place to go. Home to the Nevada State Museum and the Nevada State Railroading Museum, visitors are only one stop away from learning about the area's gold prospecting heritage.
Reno
Las Vegas
Henderson
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Concord
Famous for its marble and its horse carriages, Concord, New Hampshire has been the capital since 1808. Contrary to popular belief, it did not get its name from a type of grape. It was named to reflect the new concord, or peace agreement, between two neighboring towns.
Nashua
Manchester
Salem
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Atlantic City
Newark
Trenton
For a brief period in 1784, Trenton, New Jersey, served as the capital of the United States. Steeped in history, it's also the site where George Washington had his first win against the British. It was also the host of the first reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Princeton
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Sante Fe
Santa Fe's proximity to Mexico has given in a long-time advantage for being a market and trade hub. Located about 7,000 feet up in the Rocky Mountains, it was chosen to be the capital because of its easily defensible location.
Albuquerque
Farmington
Carlsbad
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New York
Buffalo
Albany
Albany might not be New York's biggest city, but it has more charm than most capitals. Throughout its history, it's been home to some interesting characters including Herman Melville, Jimmy Fallon and Theodore Roosevelt. It was also home to a stop on the underground railroad.
Altoona
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Durham
Wilmington
Asheville
Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh, the British explorer who tried to colonize the new world in the 1500s, is North Carolina's namesake. When the metropolitan areas surrounding Raleigh are included in its population, there are over 1.2 million people there.
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Bismarck
Before being named Bismarck, North Dakota's capital city was named Edwinton. When the Northern Pacific Railway came to town in 1873, they changed the name to honor the German statesman. They believed it would help attract more immigrants to the area.
Fargo
Grand Forks
Jamestown
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Cleveland
Columbus
You might not think of fashion when you think of Columbus, Ohio, but a lot of people do! Because companies like Victoria's Secret and DSW are headquartered there, it's considered the country's third-leading fashion city, behind New York and Los Angeles.
Cincinnati
Akron
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Tulsa
Norman
Oklahoma City
When the Land Run of 1889 was opened, Oklahoma City got 10,000 new citizens every day! Now a metropolis of 1.3 million, the capital city is the third-largest in the state. A visit to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum can help explain how it got there.
Edmond
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Portland
Eugene
Beaverton
Salem
Salem, Oregon started life as a Methodist mission but has grown into a city of around 150,000 people. Sitting about an hour from Portland, Salem's pristine mountain valley water makes it an ideal place for wineries.
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Harrisburg
In 2010, Forbes Magazine named Harrisburg the second-best place to settle down. Once a thriving hub for the railroad industry, the town has seen its fair share of financial troubles. After filing bankruptcy in 2009, it seems to have rebounded with style.
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Erie
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Newport
Cranston
Providence
One of the oldest cities in the U.S., Providence is the largest city in Rhode Island. After first being settled in 1636, it's been known for its silver making skills since the days of the Revolutionary War. It's often voted as one of the best places to live in New England.
Warwick
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Columbia
There's no soda being manufactured in Columbia, South Carolina — the city gets its nickname by shortening Columbia to the word "cola." Although two-thirds of the city was burned down during the Civil War, it's still overflowing with historical buildings.
Charleston
Myrtle Beach
Spartanburg
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Aberdeen
Pierre
Only 13,700 or so people call the city of Pierre, South Dakota their home. It's one of only four U.S. capitals that doesn't sit along an interstate. To reach the nearest highway, you would have to drive 35 minutes from Pierre's center.
Rapid City
Watertown
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Memphis
Nashville
Music City, USA is only one of Nashville's nicknames. Founded on December 24, 1779, and named after a Revolutionary War general, it quickly grew into a metropolis when it became a railroading hub. Now it's known for its rich country music history, and millions visit every year.
Johnson City
Gatlinburg
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Houston
Dallas
Austin
Whether you want to see the biggest bat colony in North America or take in SXSW, Austin, Texas, is the place for you! The capital city is smaller than a lot of other Texas giants, but it has a feel all its own. Home to the University of Texas and lots of green space, it's become a technological hub.
Galveston
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Salt Lake City
We could go on and on about Salt Lake City's Mormon-based history, but we think it's much more important to mention the city's love for Jell-o. Per capita, residents of Salt Lake City eat more of the flavored gelatin, the official state snack, than anywhere else in the state.
Provo
Logan
Ogden
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Bennington
Burlington
Stowe
Montpelier
Montpelier, Vermont, has the smallest population of all the capitals in the United State. It's also one of the cleanest! Over 2,300 of its 7,500 citizens work for the local government and keep things running smoothly.
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Roanoke
Richmond
When Patrick Henry delivered his famous speech in a Richmond church in 1775 before the American Revolution, he had no idea about history that would later be made in the city. During the Civil War, it served at the capital of the Confederacy.
Manasses
Virginia Beach
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Seattle
Bellingham
Olympia
Olympia, Washington rests approximately an hour from Seattle, and it's much smaller. As the 11th most populated city in the state, it's home to fewer than 50,000 residents. Nonetheless, it serves as an artsy hub and a gateway to the Pacific Ocean. It gets plenty of visitors!
Aberdeen
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Clarksburg
Wheeling
Beckley
Charleston
Although Wheeling was once the capital of West Virginia, Charleston has held the position since 1877. The capitol building located there is carved from Indiana limestone. Dedicated in 1932, it's one of the few state capitol buildings to feature a gold-tipped dome.
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Milwaukee
Madison
Madison, Wisconsin's location is one of the most unique locations of any capital. Once nothing more than swampland, it sits on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. The spot was chosen and developed to serve as the capital for the Wisconsin Territory in 1836.
Green Bay
Appleton
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Cheyenne
If rodeos are your thing, book yourself a trip to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Every year during the Cheyenne's Frontier Days celebration, a rodeo called the "Daddy of "em All" is held there. It's the largest in the world!
Jackson
Casper
Cody
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