The United States Today – States 50
Today, the 50 states constitute the country. The continent, located between Canada and Mexico, is made up of 48 states. This area is called the contiguous United States. Non-contiguous states include Hawaii, an island in the Pacific Ocean, and Alaska, a vast region connected to Canada’s west coast. The eastern state has a city that serves as the political capital.
Choice of state capitals
The choice of the capitals of the United States followed little uniform reasoning, some being the most populous cities in the state and others being located in the center. In other cases, the seats of state government are neither economically important nor well located. So how did lawmakers decide which cities would become the state capital? The answer: it depends, each state has a unique history.
Voters have often lobbied their politicians to have their hometowns distinguished as the capital. The belief behind this was that capital status would stimulate economic growth or encourage settlement. History has shown that this theory is not always the case. Other capitals of the United States were chosen while the country was still concerned about the British attacks. They chose geographically protected cities in the event of war. Dover, established in 1777, from Delaware is a perfect example. Politicians chose Dover for New Castle, an important port city that could be easily attacked by approaching ships. Other capitals, such as Trenton in New Jersey and Tallahassee in Florida, were chosen because they were the first state settlements. These capitals already had a large population and had already played an important role in the history of the country. Many capitals which today seem strangely located or sparsely populated were once very important cities for trade and industry.
Given that so many capitals do not have the most powerful state economies, what are their roles today?
Roles of State Capitals
Today, the capitals of the United States are important as the center of state government. Legislation is written, argued, voted and adopted in capitals. Among the most populous state capitals are Phoenix, Arizona; Indianapolis, Indiana; Austin, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; and Boston, Massachusetts.
Phoenix, first called Pumpkinville, was first established as an agricultural center in 1867 and was established as a city in 1881. The economy experienced significant growth after the construction of the railway during the same decade. The population increased, the municipal government was organized and the state capital was transferred from Prescott to Phoenix in 1889. Today it is the most populous state capital of the country and is home to universities, hospitals, banks and a large airport.
Indianapolis, the second most populous city, has always played an important role in the development of Indiana. Founded as the capital in 1825, the city was originally founded in 1816 and is inspired by Washington, the national capital. Again, the 1850 railroad helped this economy grow and prosper. His access to the railroad also made him a critical actor during the civil war, when he joined the North. This city also established a banking sector at the beginning of its development. Today, it continues to be the economic and cultural center of the state.
Least populated state capitals
The least populated capitals in the United States are Montpelier, Vermont; Pierre, South Dakota; Augusta, Maine; Frankfort, Kentucky; and Helena, Montana.
Montpelier, Vermont currently has a population of approximately 7.705, making it the state’s least populated capital. It was the first settlement in Vermont and was named in honor of a French city to recognize the French for their support during the American Revolution. Today, this city is both the state capital and the county seat. People commute every day for work and on a regular Monday afternoon, as many as 21,000 could be within the city limits. Besides public administrative functions, higher education also plays an important role in the economy and the city hosts colleges 3 and university 1.
For an overview of all the capitals of the United States and their year of establishment, a list is published below.
Capitals of the United States
| Rank | State / district | Capital | Capital since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | Montgomery | 1846 |
| 2 | Alaska | Juneau | 1906 |
| 3 | Arizona | Phoenix | 1889 |
| 4 | Arkansas | Little rock | 1821 |
| 5 | California | Sacramento | 1854 |
| 6 | Colorado | Denver | 1867 |
| 7 | Connecticut | Hartford | 1875 |
| 8 | Delaware | Dover | 1777 |
| 9 | Florida | Tallahassee | 1824 |
| 10 | Georgia | Atlanta | 1868 |
| 11 | Hawaii | Honolulu | 1845 |
| 12 | Idaho | Wooded | 1865 |
| 13 | Illinois | Springfield | 1837 |
| 14 | Indiana | Indianapolis | 1825 |
| 15 | Iowa | Monks | 1857 |
| 16 | Kansas | Topeka | 1856 |
| 17 | Kentucky | Frankfort | 1792 |
| 18 | Louisiana | Red Stick | 1880 |
| 19 | Maine | Augusta | 1832 |
| 20 | Maryland | Annapolis | 1694 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | Boston | 1630 |
| 22 | Michigan | Lansing | 1847 |
| 23 | Minnesota | St.Paul | 1849 |
| 24 | Mississippi | Jackson | 1821 |
| 25 | Missouri | Jefferson City | 1826 |
| 26 | Montana | Helena | 1875 |
| 27 | Nebraska | Lincoln | 1867 |
| 28 | Nevada | Carson city | 1861 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | Concorde | 1808 |
| 30 | New Jersey | Trenton | 1784 |
| 31 | New Mexico | Santa fe | 1610 |
| 32 | New York | Albany | 1797 |
| 33 | North Carolina | Raleigh | 1792 |
| 34 | North Dakota | Bismarck | 1883 |
| 35 | Ohio | Columbus | 1816 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City | 1910 |
| 37 | Oregon | Salem | 1855 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | Harrisburg | 1812 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | Providence | 1900 |
| 40 | Caroline from the south | Columbia | 1786 |
| 41 | South Dakota | Pierre | 1889 |
| 42 | Tennessee | Nashville | 1826 |
| 43 | Texas | Austin | 1839 |
| 44 | Utah | Salt lake city | 1858 |
| 45 | Vermont | Montpellier | 1805 |
| 46 | Virginia | Richmond | 1780 |
| 47 | Washington | Olympia | 1853 |
| 48 | West Virginia | Charleston | 1885 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | Madison | 1838 |
| 50 | Wyoming | Cheyenne | 1869 |
