學習英文地理知識：美國五十個州簡介：
26. Montana ( Capital: Helena )
Montana is called "Big Sky Country" because you can drive for hundreds of miles and see only treeless flat land and blue skies. The northern Rocky Mountains take up western Montana. Glacier National Park is here and was created by glaciers. These moving masses of snow and ice made valleys, mountain peaks, and more than 200 lakes and streams. Today more than 50 glaciers are still in the park. One is named Grasshopper Glacier for the frozen grasshoppers in the ice. Because of Montana's natural landscapes, the state is home to all kinds of wild animals including elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, cattle, buffalo, golden and bald eagles, and black and grizzly bears.
27. Nebraska ( Capital: Lincoin )
The name Nebraska comes from an Oto Indian word meaning "flat water." Nebraska has some of the country's best farm and ranch lands. Its nickname, "Cornhusker State," comes from the way corn used to be harvested by hand "husking" before machinery was used. Have you ever tried Kool-Aid? It was created in Hastings and is the official soft drink of Nebraska . Lincoin is home to the only roller skating museum in the world. The Lied Jungle in Omaha is the world's largest indoor rainforest.
28. Nevada ( Capital: Carson City )
Nevada is the driest state because it is mostly desert. Black Rock Desert is thought to be one of Earth's flattest surfaces. Highway 50, at 287 miles long, is called the "Loneliest Highway in America."There is still snow in Nevada. It is on top of the Sierra Nevada mountains and attracts skiers from around the world. The Spanish word for these "snowcapped" mountaintops gave Nevada its name. Silver and gold were discovered here in 1859. The two main cities are Las Vegas and Reno, where many people go today, hoping to strike it rich in casinos.
29. New Hampshire ( Capital: Concord )
New Hampshire , known as the "Granite State" for its many granite hill and quarries, is one of the original 13 colonies. New Hampshire was first named North Virginia, then New England, and then finally New Hampshire. Although a small state, it has over 40,000miles of rivers and streams. The White Mountains take up almost 25 percent of New Hampshire.
30. New Jersey ( Capital: Trenton )
One of the original 13 colonies, New Jersey is mostly open land with farms and woods. Atlantic City and Cape May are popular recreation spots. Many Revolutionary War battles were fought in New Jersey. The 1776 Battle of Trenton was a key American victory in the war.
31. New Mexico ( Capital: Santa Fe)
Spanish explorers name New Mexico in 1540. This state is known for its Native American history and art, deserts, caves, ancient pueblo dwellings, cowboys, and cattle drives. Taos Pueblo is famous for its 1,000-year-old adobe buildings, where people still live today. An orphaned bear cub from New Mexico was the model for forest fire prevention symbol Smokey the Bear.
32. New York ( Capital: Albany )
From skyscapers to waterfall, New York state has it all. Adirondack Park is bigger than Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon parks combined. Over 750,000 gallons of water go over Niagara Falls every second. The Statue of Liberty is a welcoming symbol of freedom and democracy. It was a friendship gift from France to the U.S.
33. North Carolina ( Capital: Raleigh )
The first English child born in America, Virginia Dare, was born in Roanoke Island, North Carolina in 1587. Do you know the story of Roanoke Island's lost colony? Sometime between 1587 and 1590, a group of English settlers mysteriously vanished. The only clue was the word "Croatoan" carved on a tree. Many think the settlers went to live with the friendly Croatoan Indians, but no one has been able to solve the mystery. The Biltmore Estate in Asheville is America's largest home, with a 255-rooms chateau and enormous gardens.
34. North Dakota ( Capital: Bismarck )
The word "Dakota"means "friend." Historic areas in North Dakota include fur trade posts, military posts, battlefields, trails, and homesteads. North Dakota grows enough soybeans to make 212 billion crayons each year.
35. Ohio ( Capital: Columbus )
Between the Ohio River on its southern border and Lake Erie on its northern border, it is no surprise that the name Ohio comes from an Iroquois word that means "great water." For many years no one really lived in northwestern Ohio because it was a wilderness named the Great Black Swamp. Some settlers decided to clear the trees and dig ditches until they drained the swamp, then turned them into Ohio's best farm lands. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is in Canton. Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
36. Oklahoma ( Capital: Oklahoma City )
Oklahoma is named from two Choctaw indian words: okla "people" and humma "red". More than 39 Native American Indian tribes and nations live here. Oklahoma grew through oil wells and the sale and settlement of its land. Pioneers lived in early prairie house called "soddies" that were made from sod (dirt and grass blocks). The last-standing original sod house is now the Sod House Museum. Oklahoma has the most man-made lakes in America (200).
37. Oregon ( Capital: Salem )
Using covered wagons, many pioneers traveled thousands of miles across America to get to the West Coast using the Oregon Trail. Scenic Silver Falls State Park has the highest number of waterfalls in the U.S. At 1,943 feet deep, the crystal blue Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the country. The Columbia River Gorge is considered by many to be the best place in the world for windsurfing. The forested mountains make Oregon a leader in wood products.
38. Pennsylvania ( Capital: Harrisburg )
Full of history, Pennsylvania is one of the original 13 colonies. Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, and the first published magazine . Gettysburg is the site of one of the Civil War's most important battles: the South's final try to invade the North. President Abraham Lincoin also delivered his famous speech here, "The Gettysburg Address," opening with "Four score and seven years ago..." Steel and farming are two of its biggest industries,. The Amish are a group of people who live in Pennsylvania without the use of modern technology like electricity.
39. Rhode Island ( Capital: Providence )
The smallest state in the U.S., Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 colonies to become a state. It is nicknamed the "Ocean State" because you can get to the ocean from anywhere in the state in less than an hour's drive. Did you know Rhode Island has the highest proportion of artists of any state in the country? The town of Wickford celebrates these artists by hosting an arts festival evevry July.
40. South Carolina ( Capital: Columbia )
Famous for southern cooking and growing cotton, South Carolina was one of the original 13 colonies. The first tea farm in the U.S. was created in 1890 near Summerville. The Civil War began in 1861 when the federal Fort Sumter, in the Charleston harbor, was attacked by Confederates. South Carolina has the Palmetto Tree on its flag because this tree helped them during the Revolutionary War. A fort out of palmetto tree wood absorbed cannonballs fired by the British, so South Carolina won the battle.
41. South Dakota ( Capital: Pierre )
South Dakota is well known for Mount Rushmore, a huge sculpture carved into the Black Hill, honoring presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoin, and Theodore Roosevelt. Another mountain sculpture, the "world"s largest, is still being built in the Black Hills. This Crazy Horse memorial honors the heritage of North American Indians. Bison, or buffalo, used to roam freely in the state but now live in large herds in many state parks for protection from hunting.
42. Tennessee ( Capital: Nashville )
Many people visit rock star Elvis Presley's home and gravesite at his estate in graceland. They also sing a song about Davy Crockett, the famous Tennessee soldier who wore a coonskin cap. Speaking of music, the capital city, Nashville, is known as the home of country music. The name Tennessee comes from the name of a Cherokee Indian village, Tanasi.
43. Texas ( Capital: Austin )
Texas is the second-biggest state in the country behind Alaska. Spain, France, Mexico, and the U.S. Confederacy all owned Texas at some point in its history. In1836, the Alamo was the site of a famous battle between Mexico and Texas. Texas is famous for oil, natural gas, and cowboys. The Johnson Space Center in Houston is the headquarters for NASA ( National Aeronautics and Space Administration ). Using space flights, NASA tries to answer questions about space. The name Texas comes from an Indian word for "friends"
44. Utah ( Capital: Salt Lake City )
Utah's name comes from the Ute Indian tribe. Later , Brigham Young led Mormon pilgrims into Great Salt Lake Valley in 1847. The Mormons were "busy as bees " settling in, which gave Utah its nickname, the "Beehive State." The Great Salt Lake is three to five times saltier than the ocean because water does not drain from it. There's so much salt, people float like corks because the salt holds them up in the lake! In the southern desert area are naturally formed wonders like sandstone arches brilliantly colored spires.
45. Vermont ( Capital: Montpelier )
The name Vermont comes from two French words: vert "green" and mont "mountain." Dairy farming and tourism are Vermont's major industries. Tourists visit Vermont to see leaves turn red, golden, and amber in the fall and to see snow-covered mountains in the winter. Vermont produces more maple syrup than any other state. Being one of the coldest states in the country, Vermont sometimes is too chilly for snow in the winter! The air becomes too cold and cannot hold the moisture that makes snow.
46. Virginia ( Capital: Richmond )
The first English village in America was Jamestown, founded in 1607. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison were from Virginia. Tobacco has been grown in Virginia for hundreds of years. The first peanuts grown in America were from Virginia. Every year many people visit Mount Vernon, George Washington's old family home.
(Washington,D.C. --Washington, District of Columbia, is located on the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia. Washington, D. C. is not a state but a federal district set up to be home to the government for all of the United States. The President lives in the White House. )
47. Washington ( Capital: Olympia )
Almost three miles high, Washington's highest mountain, the 14,410-foot Mount Rainier, is visible from 100miles away. It is aiso one of the world's biggest volcanoes, and last erupted about a century ago. Immense mountains and lush evergreen forests make mountain climbing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing popular activities. With the Pacific ocean on its western shore, Washington is a major trading state with Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Rim. Most people live in the western part of the state near the Puget Sound area.
48. West Virginia ( Capital: Charleston )
West Virginia is nicknamed the "Mountain State." The average altitude is 1,500 feet above sea level, making it the highest state east of the Mississippi River. West Virginia used to be a part of Virginia before it became its own state. The coal mining industry is an importand part of West Virginia's history.
49. Wisconsin ( Capital: Madison )
Wisconsin is called "America's Dairyland" because it is a top producer of milk, cheese, and butter. In fact, some Wisconsin residents wear funny hats that look like cheese and call themselves "cheeseheads."People from all over the country visit the famous Wisconsin Dells, tall sandstone cliffs and unique rock formations on the Wisconsin River formed by melting glaciers. Milwaukee is home to Harley-Davidson, the most famous motorcycle company in the world. Harley motorcycles are nicknamed"hogs."
50. Wyoming ( Capital: Cheyenne )
Millions of visitors come to the first national park, Yellowstone, each year. It is home to more geysers than any other place on Earth, including Old Faithful, which erupts on a predictable schedule. Wyoming has vast plains in the east and mountains in the west. Wyoming has the lowest population of any U.S. state. Wyoming was the first state to give women the right to vote and to elect a famale governor.
轉引50州的簡介來自這本書《 America's 50 States》。
在美國50個州這本書中所介紹的僅是各州的概況，也許會在記憶州名和省會的名字上有點幫助。如果想知道美國各州的詳細介紹，書店有地理書，另外還可以去網上查詢。
盡管讀過了，有些省會名字還會混淆，年齡大了，記憶力真的不如以前了。
願人們的生活更美好，願和平的陽光普照大地。
