Delaware State Facts, Symbols and History

Delaware Fast Facts

Capital: Dover (pop. 35,811) (2008 est.)

Delaware Population: 917,092 ( 2012 est.) (45th)

Delaware Quarter: The Delaware Quarter is the first quarter released in the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters® Program series.

Delaware was admitted to the Union on December 7, 1787, becoming our National 1st State.

The quarter depicts the historic journey of Caesar Rodney, a delegate to the Continental Congress. On July 1, 1776, Rodney, suffering from asthma and cancer, set out for an 80-mile trip to Philadelphia, facing thunderstorms and a severe summer heat wave. He arrived the next day at Independence Hall just in time to cast a decision vote in favor of our national independence.

Rodney has held more government positions than any other Delaware He was also a soldier, judge, and Speaker of the Delaware Assembly.

The design of the Delaware quarter features Caesar Rodney on his horse, along with the inscription “First State”.

Language: English, others

Largest Cities: (by population) Wilmington, Dover, Newark, Peak Creek, Bear, Brookside

Name: Delaware takes its name from the river and the bay. In 1610, explorer Samuel Argol named the Delaware River and Bay for the governor of Virginia, Thomas West, Lord De la Warr.

Statehood: December 7, 1787 (1st state)

Delaware symbols

Animal: (Marine) horseshoe crab

• Bird: blue chicken chick
• Flag of Delaware
• Mistake: ladybug
• Butterfly: forked tiger tail
• Fish: croaker
• Flower: peach blossom
• Motto: “Freedom and Independence”
• Nicknames: (most used), First State, Diamond State, Blue Chicken State, and Not So Surprisingly
• Mineral: Sillimanite
• Song: Our Delaware
• State seal
• Tree: American holly

Delaware is one of the US states. Known as the “First State” because of the 13 colonies that ratified the US Constitution (which made the colonies states), Delaware was the first to ratify the Constitution. This happened on December 7, 1787. The population of the state is 907,135 inhabitants (2011). See cities and towns in Delaware.

The first European settlement on the territory of the future state was the Dutch trading post Svaanendeyl (“Zwaanendael” or “Swaanendael”), founded in 1631, where the city of Lewes is today. In 1638, the Swedes, led by Peter Minuit, founded a colony around Fort Christina (located on the site of the modern city of Wilmington) and the area became known as “New Sweden”.

The name “Delaware” originated from the title of Governor of the Virginia Colony Thomas West, 3rd Baron De la Warr. Ownership of the land that later became the state of Delaware was granted in 1682 by James, Duke of York (later to become King James II of England), to William Pen. This land at that time was part of the colony of Pennsylvania, but in 1704 the “three lower counties” acquired a separate legislature, and in 1710 – their own executive council.

• AbbreviationFinder: Demonstrates how the two-letter acronym of DE stands for Delaware and a list of frequently used abbreviations related to the state of Delaware.

However, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore of Maryland, also laid claim to southern Pennsylvania . and much of Delaware. Litigation between Pen and Baltimore (and their heirs) continued in the Court of the Lord Chancellor in London for more than a hundred years. The dispute ended with an amicable agreement between the heirs, who agreed to a new survey, which resulted in the so-called Mason-Dixon line, which arose as a result of the survey conducted by Charles Mason and Jeremy Dixon between 1763 and 1767. Part of this line is now the boundary separating the states of Maryland (to the west of the line) and Delaware. The other part separates Delaware (south of the line) and Pennsylvania. The dispute over this part of the border, known as the “Wedge”, did not end until 1921. The Mason-Dixon Line and other lines that define the modern border between Maryland and Delaware also pass through several cities, so people people who live on the same street can live in different states. Currently, about 80 limestone markers from the Mason-Dixon survey have survived.

Delaware was one of 13 colonies that rebelled against British rule during the Revolutionary War. The war began in 1776 and after it began, three counties became the “Delaware State”. In 1792, this entity adopted its first constitution and declared itself the state of Delaware. The first governors bore the title “President of the State of Delaware”.

During the Civil War, Delaware was a slave state, but remained in the Union in accordance with the results of the referendum. Two months before the end of the war, on February 18, 1865, Delaware voted against the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which abolished slavery. This did not bring practical results, since a sufficient number of other states voted for the amendment, however, legally, this amendment was ratified by the state of Delaware only in 1901, i.e. 40 years after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

Delaware’s current constitution, the fourth in a row, was adopted in 1897 and provides for the division of power into legislative, executive and judicial. The legislature consists of the House of Representatives (41 members) and the Senate (21 members). The head of the executive branch is the Governor of Delaware. The highest court in the state court system is the Supreme Court.

Delaware is made up of three counties: Kent, New Castle and Sussex.

During presidential elections, Delaware residents usually vote for the Democratic nominee.

Delaware is one of the few states that still has a so-called Court of Chancery, which hears disputes arising from “the law of equity.”

It is believed that Delaware legislation is the most convenient in terms of business, especially for managers of large corporations. This, and the presence of a special court whose judges specialize in disputes involving companies, is the reason that most of the largest and largest corporations in the United States are registered in Delaware, even if they are located in other states.

Delaware borders Pennsylvania to the north and Maryland to the south and west. From the east, the state is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware River. Delaware also includes small areas on the east side of the Delaware Delta, which in turn border New Jersey.

The largest city in the state is Wilmington, the capital is Dover.

The US Air Force base located near Dover is one of the largest in the country. In addition to its primary purpose, the base also serves as a reception and temporary mortuary for US military personnel and some civilians who have died or died abroad.