The Handy State-by-State Answer Book: Faces, Places, and Famous Dates for All Fifty States explores the history, growth, politics, people, and the unique character of each of the 50 states. It answers basic facts, looks at each state's distinguishing features, and covers how colonies, territories, and land purchases shaped the United States of America.

Table of Contents

• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• PHOTO SOURCES
• INTRODUCTION
• ALABAMA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Settlement and Colonization
• The Civil War
• Modern Times
• ALASKA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Alaska in the Life of the Nation
• World War II
• Oil and Energy
• Popularity of the State
• ARIZONA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• From Mexican to American Rule
• Territorial Days
• The Early Twentieth Century
• The Sun Belt
• Modern Arizona
• ARKANSAS
• At a Glance
• Early History
• From Settlement to Statehood
• The Early Twentieth Century
• CALIFORNIA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Trappers and Travelers
• California in the Life of the Nation
• Modern California—The World Wars
• Youth Rebellion
• Computer Culture in California
• Popular Culture
• COLORADO
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Miners and Settlers
• Native Americans versus Whites
• Colorado in the Eyes of the Nation
• Recent Tragedies
• CONNECTICUT
• At a Glance
• Early History
• From Colony to State
• Connecticut in the Life of the Nation
• Civil War Prosperity
• DELAWARE
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Delaware in the Life of the Nation
• FLORIDA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Spanish Rule
• Florida in the Life of the Nation
• GEORGIA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• HAWAII
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Hawaii in the Life of the Nation
• IDAHO
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Idaho in the Life of the Nation
• ILLINOIS
• At a Glance
• Early History
• INDIANA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Indiana in the Life of the Nation
• IOWA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Iowa in the Life of the Nation
• KANSAS
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Kansas in the Life of the Nation
• KENTUCKY
• At a Glance
• Early History
• The Civil War
• LOUISIANA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• MAINE
• At a Glance
• Early History
• MARYLAND
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Odds and Ends
• MASSACHUSETTS
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Sports
• MICHIGAN
• At a Glance
• Early History
• MINNESOTA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• MISSISSIPPI
• At a Glance
• Early History
• MISSOURI
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Missouri in the Life of the Nation
• MONTANA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Montana in the Life of the Nation
• NEBRASKA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Nebraska in the Life of the Nation
• The Warren Buffett Phenomenon
• NEVADA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• NEW HAMPSHIRE
• At a Glance
• Early History
• NEW JERSEY
• At a Glance
• Early History
• NEW MEXICO
• At a Glance
• Early History
• New Mexico in the Life of the Nation
• NEW YORK
• At a Glance
• Early History
• New York in the Life of the Nation
• NORTH CAROLINA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• North Carolina in the Life of the Nation
• The Worst
• NORTH DAKOTA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• North Dakota in the Life of the Nation
• Modern-Day North Dakota
• OHIO
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Ohio in the Life of the Nation
• OKLAHOMA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Oklahoma in the Life of the Nation
• OREGON
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Oregon in the Life of the Nation
• Twentieth-Century Politics
• Twenty-First Century Oregon
• PENNSYLVANIA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Pennsylvania in the Life of the Nation
• RHODE ISLAND
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Enter the Millionaires
• SOUTH CAROLINA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• South Carolina in the Life of the Nation
• SOUTH DAKOTA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• South Dakota in the Life of the Nation
• Mount Rushmore
• South Dakota and the Indian Nations
• The Loudest Event
• TENNESSEE
• At a Glance
• Early History
• TEXAS
• At a Glance
• Early History
• The Lone Star Republic
• Texas in the Life of the Nation
• Sports/Athletics
• UTAH
• At a Glance
• Early History
• VERMONT
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Politics
• VIRGINIA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Virginia in the Life of the Nation
• WASHINGTON
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Washington in the Life of the Nation
• WEST VIRGINIA
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Odds and Ends
• WISCONSIN
• At a Glance
• Early History
• Wisconsin in the Life of the Nation
• Progressive Politics in Wisconsin
• Popular Recreation
• WYOMING
• At a Glance
• Early History
• WASHINGTON, D.C., AND U.S. TERRITORIES
• The Capital and Capitol
• The Territories
• TIMELINE
• FURTHER READING