This document provides brief summaries of key facts about several U.S. states: California became a territory in 1847 and a state in 1850, sparking the California Gold Rush; Oregon's territory was settled by a treaty in 1846 and relies on agriculture and lumber; Hawaii was discovered by the English and remained native-ruled for years before being annexed by the U.S. in 1959; and New York became a state in 1788 and is home to New York City and its extensive subway system.

1. By Alvin Rubio

2. California
•Gold was discovered in
1848, and spawned the
California gold rush
•Established as a U.S.
territory in 1847
•In the year 1964 it
surpassed New York as the
nation’s most populated
state
•It holds one of the nation’s
2 active volcanoes outside
of Hawaii and Alaska
•The California motto is the
word Eureka (meaning I’ve
found it

3. Oregon
•Claimed as U.S. territory in
1792
•Became an official U.S.
territory after the Oregon
treaty settled a dispute over
the region
•Oregon receives a majority
of income from agriculture,
but remains a manufacturing
state
•Oregon is the highest
national supplier of lumber
•There is no documentation
of the first discovery of
Oregon, and England and
Spain have both tried to
claim the territory as their
discovery

4. Hawaii
•When Hawaii was first
discovered by the English it
was called the sandwich
islands
•It remained a native state
for many years after British
discovery
•It was claimed by the U.S.
for it’s vast sugar resources
•It is the only state with two
official languages
•The Japanese attack of the
Hawaiian port Pearl Harbor
led to America’s entry into
WWII

5. Colorado
•Became a state in 1876
•It’s name comes from the
Spanish word meaning
“color red”
•Colorado is the only state
to ever turn down the
opportunity to host the
Olympics
•All the worlds “Beulah red”
Marble was used to make
the state capitol, and it can
never be replaced
•The 13th and top step of
the capitol entrance is
exactly 1 mile above sea
level

6. Tennessee
•Became a state in 1796
•It is nicknamed the
volunteer state for it’s
citizens volunteer soldiers
valor in the war of 1812
•There are more horses per
capita in Shelby county,
Ten. then any other county
in the U.S.
•It holds the largest
underground lake in the
country
•It’s name came from an
Indian phrase meaning “The
meeting place”

7. Nevada
•Made a state in 1864
•It’s name is derived from a
Spanish word meaning
“Snow-clad”
•It has the most mountain
ranges of any state
•Nevada is the nation’s top
gold producer, and second
in the entire world to South
Africa
•Las Vegas, alone, has the
most hotel rooms in the
whole world

8. Alaska
•It was made a state in 1959
•Alaska is the second most
recently established state
behind Hawaii
•Rhode Island could fit into
Alaska 425 times
•Alaska was originally a
Russian settlement, and
caused a conflict between
Russia and Britain who
both wanted control of it
•The stars on the flag
represent to of the
northernmost
constellations to represent
Alaska’s “Beauty in the
North”

9. Texas
•Made a state in 1845
•Texas is the most traded
state, having belonged to
six other countries before
the U.S. and changed
governments eight times
•Texas is the only state to
become a separate nation
and then become a state
without being annexed
•The King ranch in Texas is
larger than the state of
Rhode island
•Caddo lake is the states
only natural lake the rest
are man made

10. New Mexico
•Became a state in 1912
•The first ever nuclear
weapon was tested at the
trinity site in New Mexico
•It is one of the four corner
states
•It is one of four states to
border Mexico along side
Arizona, California, and
Texas
•The palace of governors is
the oldest government
building in the U.S.

11. New York
•Became a state in 1788
•New York City, alone, has
722 miles of subway track
•The New York post is the
nation’s longest running
newspaper
•It is the sight of the
nation’s first railroad
•The Genesee river in New
York is one of the few rivers
in the world which run’s
south to north