This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Maine from other regions. The largest of the New England states in area, Maine, in 1820, was the 23rd state to join the Union. The most sparsely populated state east of the Mississippi River, it's appropriately called the "Pine Tree State," as 90 percent of its land is forest. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Maryland from other regions. The Mason and Dixon line was drawn in the 1760s to settle a dispute between the Penn and Calvert families. In addition to marking the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland, it is the traditional boundary between the North and the South. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Massachusetts from other regions. The birthplace of many of the ideals of the American Revolution, Massachusetts attracted people who believed in self-government. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Michigan from other regions. Detroit, its largest city, is known worldwide as the center of the American auto industry. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Minnesota from other regions. The "Land of 10,000 Lakes," Minnesota got its nickname because there are more than 12,000 lakes throughout the state. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Mississippi from other regions. Considered part of the Deep South, Mississippi, with its rich soil and many rivers, is an agricultural state. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Missouri from other regions. Missouri is called the "Show Me State," because its people have a reputation for believing only what they see. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Montana from other regions such as the Lewis and Clark expedition, the cooper industry, the mountains, and its many trout streams. Click on the links for various pieces of information about the state.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Nevada from other regions such as the deposit of silver that was found in 1859. This brought many fortune seekers to the area. It is in a mountain region that includes grasslands and sandy deserts. It is the most arid (dry) state in the nation. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish New Hampshire from other regions. New Hampshire is called the "Granite State" because of its numerous granite quarries; the nickname may also reflect the state's attachment to tradition and its history of a frugal government. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish New Jersey from other regions. New Jersey is referred to as the "Garden State" because of its fertile farmland. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish New Mexico from other regions. In 1540, the Spanish conquistador Coronado trekked through the area known today as New Mexico in search of the fabled seven cities of gold. The influence of the Apache Indians who live there is evident in the artwork and culture. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish New York from other regions such as it has the third largest population (after California and Texas), and remains the financial center of the country. Click on links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish North Carolina from other regions such as the first European settlement in the state is the famous Lost Colony of Roanoke Island that vanished sometime after 1587. In addition, North Carolina is known for being a growing research center and a banking state. Click on links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish North Dakota from other regions such as the rural and agricultural areas. It is one of the least populated states. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Ohio from other regions. The land we call Ohio today was part of the Northwest Territory that the United States won by defeating the British in the Revolutionary War. Ohio was admitted into the Union as the 17th state in 1803. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Oklahoma from other regions. The name Oklahoma comes from two Choctaw Indian words, okla, which means "people," and humma, which means "red." Oklahoma was admitted as the 46th state in 1907. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Pennsylvania from other regions. Today, two major cities dominate the state--Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, and a thriving metropolitan area, and Pittsburgh, a busy inland river port. The Amish, a group of people who live without the use of modern technology, live in the countryside of Pennsylvania. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish Rhode Island from other regions. Roger Williams and a group of religious followers founded the town of Providence in what is today known as Rhode Island after their banishment from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Click on the links for additional information.

This article describes the characteristics that distinguish South Carolina from other regions such as it is one of the original 13 colonies. South Carolina was first formed in 1729 when the Carolina colony was divided in two to form North and South Carolina. The attack on Fort Sumter in the Charleston harbor launched the Civil War. Click on links for additional information.