Delaware: The First State

Delaware: The First State book cover — ENCYCLOPÆDIA Britannica DISCOVER AMERICA Delaware The First State CHICAGO LONDON NEW DELHI PARIS SEOUL SYDNEY TAIPEI TOKYO

Delaware: The First State — page 1 — INTRODUCTION Located on the Eastern seaboard Delaware has the unique honor of being the first state to ratify the U S Constitution earning it the nickname the First State Two Delawareans John Dickinson and George Read helped draft the Constitution which was unanimously approved by the state on Dec 7 1787 a full five days before any other state While exploring the coastline north of Virginia in 1610 Captain Samuel Argall found refuge during a storm in a bay that he named in honor of the governor at Jamestown Sir Thomas West baron de la Warr or Delaware Eventually not only the bay but also the river that flowed into the bay the entire coastal area and even the Native Americans who lived there came to be known as Delaware Residents of Georgetown celebrate a unique tradition called Return Day After elections voters return to the city square where election results are read by the town crier 4 DELAWARE Delaware’s first Swedish settlers arrived aboard the Kalmar Nyckel in 1638 A replica of the ship is on display at Fort Christina Park Delaware’s flag depicts the state coat of arms in the center of a diamond upon a field of colonial blue Thomas Jefferson declared Delaware a jewel among the states which may be why one of its nicknames is the Diamond State Delaware is also known as the Blue Hen State the Peach State and Small Wonder The capital of Delaware is Dover

Delaware: The First State — page 2 — INTRODUCTION 5 Delaware lies on the Delmarva Peninsula which it shares with Maryland and part of Virginia Delaware borders Pennsylvania to the north and Maryland to the south and west Most of the state’s eastern boundary is shaped by Delaware Bay New Jersey is located on the other side of the bay The state’s southeastern boundary is the Atlantic Ocean The Delaware Memorial Bridge crosses the Delaware River and connects northern Delaware with New Jersey Southern Delaware is linked to New Jersey by the Cape May-Lewes Ferry which crosses Delaware Bay Major highways including I-95 I-295 and the New Jersey Turnpike travel through the most populated section of the state the city of Wilmington and its surrounding area in the extreme north Wilmington is a short drive from numerous major cities including Philadelphia Baltimore New York and Washington D C Delaware Location Map Capital Dover Interstate highways Scale 0 0 6 10 12 20 Mi Km Population 783,600 Size 2,026 square miles Highest point Ebright Road 448 feet Wilmington and Dover are Amtrak’s primary stops in Delaware Philadelphia International Airport is the closest major airport to Wilmington The airport is about a 25-minute drive from the city The name Amtrak is a combination of the words American and track Amtrak trains connect Delaware to many important cities along the Eastern seaboard Occupying less than 2,050 square miles Delaware is the second smallest state in the country only Rhode Island is smaller Delaware’s official state beverage is milk

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