Learning the 50 StatesState Shapes, Capitals, and

Useful Facts

START

Instructions• You will be presented with

three or four states and information about them– One state per slide– Information includes capital,

date of statehood, etc

• After each group, you will be quizzed on what you learned

• After three groups, you will take a map quiz where you must identify states and capitals

• There will be a maximum number of possible items to be identified, you will need to score near that as instructed

Proceed from state to state and through the module by using the

buttons at the lower right-hand corner of the screen

Ready…

When the U.S. Constitution was written there were only 13 states. As that

document was ratified, or approved by each state, that became the order by which the states were admitted into the union.

This is the order we will progress through this instructional module. This will allow you to

also see how the United States grew, state by state. Start with Group 1 on the next slide and

continue from there.

Original 13 StatesGROUP 1Delaware,

Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and

Georgia

GROUP 2Connecticut,

Massachusetts, Maryland and South

Carolina

The Rest of the U.S.

EXIT

GROUP 3New Hampshire,

Virginia, New York, N. Carolina, and Rhode

Island

States 14-25 States 26-38 States 39-50

Straight to 13 States Quiz

DELAWARE• Do you know about where

Delaware is?– Click the map in background

where you think it is– Careful, a “hand” might not

mean the right location

• Its capital is Dover• Delaware was the first state

to ratify the Constitution on Dec. 7, 1787, making it our “first state”

Dover

PENNSYLVANIA• Pennsylvania is the home of

Ben Franklin• Its capital is Harrisburg• As a colony it was the first to

encourage religious freedom• It was the second state to

ratify the Constitution, therefore making it our “second state”

Harrisburg

NEW JERSEY• This “third state” is home to a pair

of early major victories in the Revolutionary War– Gen. George Washington led a victorious

surprise attack in Trenton on an army of mercenaries hired by the British on the morning of Dec. 26, 1776

– He and his troops pushed on to Princeton to defeat the British there seven days later

• The capital of New Jersey is Trenton

Trenton

GEORGIA• Georgia was established by James Oglethorpe as a place

where debtors could start a new life free from imprisonment– It was the last of the 13 colonies to be established– It also served as a buffer between the English Colonies and Spanish

Florida

• Its capital is Atlanta

Atlanta

What do you remember?Question #1:Which state was the first to sign the

United States Constitution?a) New Jerseyb) Delawarec) Pennsylvaniad) Georgia

What were you thinking!

Take another look at New

Jersey and try again.

Wrong…

New Jersey

NEW JERSEY• This “third state” is home to a pair of

early major victories in the Revolutionary War– Gen. George Washington led a victorious

surprise attack in Trenton on an army of mercenaries hired by the British on the morning of Dec. 26, 1776

– He and his troops pushed on to Princeton to defeat the British there seven days later

• The capital of New Jersey is Trenton Trenton

What were you thinking!

Take another look at

Pennsylvania and try again.

Wrong…

Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA• Pennsylvania is the home of

Ben Franklin• Its capital is Harrisburg• As a colony it was the first to

encourage religious freedom• It was the second state to

ratify the Constitution, therefore making it our “second state”

Harrisburg

What were you thinking!

Take another look at Georgia and try again.

Wrong…

Georgia

GEORGIA• Georgia was established by James Oglethorpe as a place

where debtors could start a new life free from imprisonment– It was the last of the 13 colonies to be established– It also served as a buffer between the English Colonies and Spanish

Florida

• Its capital is Atlanta

Atlanta

Aces!!!Aces!!!I always knew you could be #1! Good Work. Now keep

going. But first, lets take one last look at Delaware.

Delaware

DELAWARE• Do you know about where

Delaware is?– Click the map in background

where you think it is– Careful, a “hand” might not

mean the right area

• Its capital is Dover• Delaware was the first

state to ratify the Constitution on Dec. 7, 1787, making it our “first state”

Dover

Question #2:Identify the state at right and its

capital.a) Pennsylvania, Pittsburgb) New Jersey, Trentonc) New Jersey, Harrisburgd) Pennsylvania, Harrisburg

What do you remember?

Refresh Your Memory…

Harrisburg

Dover

Atlanta

Trenton

Try Again

CONGRATULATIONS!CONGRATULATIONS!

You remembered that Harrisburg is the

capital of Pennsylvania!

Harrisburg

Also: Pennsylvania, the home of Benjamin Franklin, was the 2nd state to ratify the Constitution and was founded

as a colony under the principle of religious tolerance

QuitContinue on to the next group

of states, or click “Quit” to, well, quit

CONNECTICUT• Connecticut immediately

ratified the Constitution making it the 5th state

• Its capital is Hartford• Roger Sherman of

Connecticut saved the Constitutional Convention– Created Great Compromise– Learn more about it here

Hartford

MASSACHUSETTS• The first New England Colony• Its capital is Boston• The Revolutionary War began in

Massachusetts– The Battles of Lexington and Concord

were the first confrontations of the War– Those two towns are located north and

west of Boston

Boston

MARYLAND• Maryland ratified the Constitution shortly

after Massachusetts, making it the 7th state

• Its capital is Annapolis• The state of Maryland later gave up ten

square miles to the federal government to create our nation’s capital, the District of Columbia

Annapolis

SOUTH CAROLINA• South Carolina became

the 8th state to ratify the Constitution

• Only nine states had to ratify the Constitution in order for it to be officially approved and set in place

• Its capital is Columbia, although it used to be Charleston

Columbia

Test Your Skills…

Which state at right is Connecticut? Click it to see if you’re correct!

Test Your Skills…

This is Massachusetts!

Back to Question

Test Your Skills…

This is South Carolina!

Back to Question

Test Your Skills…

This is Maryland!

Back to Question

Test Your Skills…

GREAT! YOU FOUND CONNECTICUT!

Test Your Skills…

Now, of these states, whose capital is

Annapolis?

Test Your Skills…

Nope, the capital here is BOSTON, MASSACHUSETT

S

Back to Question

Test Your Skills…

Sorry, the capital of Connecticut is HARTFORD.

Back to Question

Test Your Skills…

Oops, you’ve selected South Carolina. The

capital here is COLUMBIA.

Back to Question

Test Your Skills…

VICTORY IS YOURS!

You remembered that Maryland’s capital is

ANNAPOLIS.

NEW HAMPSHIRE• It was the ninth and final

state necessary to ratify the Constitution

• Its capital is Concord• Even though no more

states had to ratify the Constitution, the rest did to make a statement about the power of a unified nation

Concord

VIRGINIA• The largest and most influential of the

13 original states– At the time it consisted of West Virginia and

Kentucky– Leaders of Virginia were held in high respect

• Its capital is Richmond• Four of our first 5 presidents were

Virginians: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe

Richmond

NEW YORK• Taking their time, the leaders

of New York waited to see if Virginia ratified the Constitution before doing so themselves

• Following Virginia’s lead made New York the tenth state

• Its capital is Albany

Albany

NORTH CAROLINA• North Carolina’s leaders also waited to see

how Virginia voted on the Constitution• Its capital is Raleigh (pronounced: Rolly)• The very first British settlement was

attempted on Roanoke Island, now part of this state– It was established by Sir Walter Raleigh– After three years, the colony vanished without

enough of a trace to be investigated– To this day, we still do not know what

happened…

Raleigh

RHODE ISLAND• The smallest state in the

U.S.• Its capital is Providence• It was the last state to

ratify the Constitution– Probably because they

sent no delegates to the Convention

– Rhode Island was the least participating member of the 13 states

Providence

Have you learned anything?Which state was the 9th and final state

needed to ratify the Constitution?a) North Carolinab) Pennsylvaniac) Virginiad) New Hampshire

Have you learned anything?

Nope, it’s not North Carolina! Click on the state

to review.

NORTH CAROLINA• North Carolina’s leaders also waited to see how

Virginia voted on the Constitution• Its capital is Raleigh (pronounced: Rolly)• The very first British settlement was attempted

on Roanoke Island, now part of this state– It was established by Sir Walter Raleigh– After three years, the colony vanished without

enough of a trace to be investigated– To this day, we still do not know what

happened…

Raleigh

Have you learned anything?

Sorry, not Pennsylvania! Click on the state to

review.

PENNSYLVANIA• Pennsylvania is the home of Ben

Franklin• Its capital is Harrisburg• As a colony it was the first to

encourage religious freedom• It was the second state to ratify

the Constitution, therefore making it our “second state”

Harrisburg

Have you learned anything?

Oops, not Virginia! Click the state to

review.

VIRGINIA• The largest and most influential of the 13

original states– At the time it consisted of West Virginia and

Kentucky– Leaders of Virginia were held in high respect

• Its capital is Richmond• Four of our first 5 presidents were Virginians:

Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe

Richmond

Have you learned anything?

Yes! You remembered that New Hampshire was the ninth state to

ratify the Constitution! Click the state to review before continuing.

NEW HAMPSHIRE• It was the ninth and final

state necessary to ratify the Constitution

• Its capital is Concord• Even though no more

states had to ratify the Constitution, the rest did to make a statement about the power of a unified nation

Concord

QUIZ TIME!

Identify each state listedby clicking it on the map

at right

READYRETURN TO MENU

Identify

Massachusetts

By clicking it on the map at right

Identify

Massachusetts

By clicking it on the map at right

TRY AGAIN!

Identify

Massachusetts

By clicking it on the map at right

Woo-Hoo!

Identify

Delaware

By clicking it on the map at right

Identify

Delaware

By clicking it on the map at right

TRY AGAIN!

Identify

Delaware

By clicking it on the map at right

Woo-Hoo!

Identify

South Carolina

By clicking it on the map at right

Identify

South Carolina

By clicking it on the map at right

TRY AGAIN!

Identify

South Carolina

By clicking it on the map at right

Woo-Hoo!

IdentifyWhich state has

ConcordFor a capital

By clicking it on the map at right

Identify

By clicking it on the map at right

TRY AGAIN!

Which state has

ConcordFor a capital

Identify

By clicking it on the map at right

Woo-Hoo!

Which state has

ConcordFor a capital

Way to Go!Way to Go!You’ve mastered the first 13 states! You’ve mastered the first 13 states!

Either go on to the next group from the Either go on to the next group from the menu or exit and continue later.menu or exit and continue later.

MenuExit

Glossary of TermsDebtor: a person or institution that owes a sum of

money (synonyms: borrower, mortgagor; bankrupt, insolvent, defaulter; antonym: creditor)

Mercenary: a professional soldier who fights merely for pay, often for a foreign country (synonymous with someone without ethics)

Ratify: to sign or give formal consent; to approve (synonyms: confirm, approve, sanction, endorse, agree to, accept, uphold, authorize)

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