2. History
• First inhabited by the Algonquian tribes
• Early explorations were made by the Spanish and
Portuguese in the 16th
century
• Henry Hudson, an English
navigator who worked
for the Dutch, explored
the land in 1609
3. • The Dutch were the first Europeans to settle in
Deleware by establishing a trading post in Zwandael
in 1631
• The Swedish followed in 1638 and build Fort
Christina. They settled here due to the rich soil and
good fishing. Fort Christina
Nautical Chart of Zwandael
• In 1651, the Dutch built the New Castle Fort.
4. • In 1664, the English took over the Delaware
colony.
• William Penn founded the British colony of
Pennsylvania and claim the Delaware Colony.
He divided it into three counties: New Castle,
Kent, and Sussex.
• After the Revolutionary War ended, Delaware
was the first state to sign the U.S. Constitution
and became the the first state on Dec. 7, 1787
5. State Bird, Flower, and Tree
State Bird: State Flower:
Blue Hen Chicken Peach Blossom
State Tree:
American Holly
6. State Flag
• Adopted July 24, 1913
• The date on the bottom of the flag represents the date that
Delaware became a state.
• The shades of buff and colonial blue represent those of the
uniform of General George Washington.
• Inside the diamond, the flag recognizes the importance of
commerce (the ship) and agriculture (wheat, corn, the ox
and the farmer) to the state
7. Delaware’s Nicknames
• “The First State”: Delaware is known by this nickname
due to the fact that on December 7, 1787, it became the first
of the 13 original states to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
• “The Diamond State”: This nickname was given to
Delaware, according to legend, by Thomas Jefferson because
he described Delaware as a "jewel" among states due to its
strategic location on the Eastern Seaboard.
• “Blue Hen State”: This nickname was given to Delaware
after the fighting Blue Hen roosters that were carried with
the Delaware Revolutionary War Soldiers for entertainment.
• “Small Wonder”: This nickname is a new nickname. It
was given to Delaware because it is geographically small, but
has made big contributions it has made to our country.
12. Economy
• Agriculture – dairy products, corn, poultry, soy beans,
nursery plants
• Industry - chemical products, automobiles, processed foods,
paper products, and rubber and plastic products
• Most of Delaware’s mining business is for gravel and sand
used in construction although a small amount of mining is
for gemstones
14. Natural Resources
• Major Bodies of Water – Atlantic Ocean, Delaware Bay,
Delaware River
• Minerals – magnesium, sand and gravel, Brandywine blue
granite – Delaware ranks last among the states in mineral
production
• Plant Life – hickory, holly, oak, pine, beech trees, cypress,
red cedar trees, rare orchids – many flowering trees such
as magnolias, wild cherries, tulip trees, water lilies
• Animal Life – deer, foxes, raccoons, and rabbits roam the
forests – otters, mallards, pintails, herons, ibises are found
in marshes and wetlands
15. Places to Visit in Delaware
• Delaware Memorial Bridge – the longest twin span
suspension bridge in the world
• Barratt’s Chapel – the oldest Methodist church that is
still standing, built in 1780
• First State Heritage Park – a state park hosting many
historical and cultural buildings
• Rehoboth Beach – a fabulous beach featuring many
shops, restaurants, and a boardwalk
16. Famous People
Eleutherer Irene Dupont – started a company that
manufactured gun powder and eventually became
E.I. duPont de Nemours and Co., a huge
manufacturing company
Annie Jump Cannon – famous astronomer who
became an assistant in the Harvard College
Observatory and discovered many stars and super
novas
17. Henry Heimlich – an American physician who is
credited as the inventor of abdominal thrusts for
choking rescue
Heimlich Maneuver
Elizabeth Margaret Chandler – first woman
American write who made the abolition of slavery
her main theme
18. ResourcesEnchantedLearning.Com 3/13/10
http://www.enchantedlearning.com
Maps.com 3/15/10
http://www.maps.com
Netstate.com 3/15/10
http://netstate.com
Delaware State portal 3/18/10
http://www.portal.delaware.gov
Thingstodo.com 3/20/10
http://thingstodo.com
Wikipedia 3/20/10
http://en.wikipedia.org
U.S. Census Bureau 3/20/10
http://www.census.gov
Schuman, Michael. Celebrate the States: Deleware. New York: Benchmark
Books, 2000
Brown, Dottie. Delaware. Minneapolis: Learner Publications Co., 1994
