Delaware
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| Abbreviation | DE Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Dover |
| Population | 897,934 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | Jack Markell (Democrat, to January 2017) |
| Entered the Union | December 7, 1787 as the 1st state |
| Motto | Liberty and Independence |
| Nicknames | The Diamond State, The First State |
| Flower | Peach Blossom |
| Bird | Blue Hen Chicken |
| Song | “Our Delaware” |
| Professional Sports Teams | No NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS, or NHL teams. (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | From the Delaware River and Bay, which were named for Sir Thomas West, Lord De La Warr |
| Historical Sites | Holy Trinity Church, the oldest Protestant church in the U.S. still in use, in Wilmington |
| Points of Interest | The Delaware Museum of Natural History; New Castle, an almost unchanged 18th-century city center; the Delaware Seashore |
| Bordering States | Delaware borders Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Delaware from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- State of Delaware: the Official Website for the First State
http://delaware.gov/
This is the official website for the State of Delaware. - Delaware Division of Libraries
http://www.state.lib.de.us/
Here is the homepage for the Delaware State Library Agency. - Delaware Historical Society
http://www.hsd.org/
Here is the homepage for the Delaware State Historical Society. - Delaware History Museum
http://www.hsd.org/dhm.htm
Here is the homepage for the Historical Society of Delaware History Museum. - Delaware Public Archives
http://www.state.de.us/sos/dpa/
Here is the homepage for the Delaware State Archives. - Delaware State Parks Online
http://www.destateparks.com/park/
Here is the homepage for Delaware State Parks. - Visit Delaware
http://www.visitdelaware.com/
Here is the official state tourism website for Delaware.
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Delaware
http://www.50states.com/delaware.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Delaware. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Delaware
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/DE/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Delaware’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Delaware Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/de.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Delaware. - Delaware Landmarks and Museums
http://www.museumstuff.com/museums/usa/delaware/
This page from MuseumStuff.com links to museums, libraries, and archives with a primary theme or signifant collections related to Delaware. - Delaware USGenWeb Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usgenweb/de/
This site provides free online data for genealogical research. These archives use volunteers who transcribe public domain records and other non-copyrighted primary sources to provide the information. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Delaware
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/10000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Delaware.
- England gave Delaware to William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, in 1682 to be part of Pennsylvania. But in the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), Delaware fought as a separate state, and it was the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
- Although Delaware was a slave state, it did not secede (withdraw) from the U.S. and join the Confederacy during the Civil War (1861-1865).
- Delaware has a state insect! The lady bug was adopted as the official state insect in 1974 after a group of elementary school children convinced the state legislature to do so.
Some Famous People from this State
- Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
- Valerie Bertinelli, actress
- Annie Jump Cannon, astronomer
- Henry Heimlich, surgeon and inventor, developed the Heimlich Maneuver to save choking victims