Delaware was the first state of the United States, becoming a state on December 7, 1787. The state is the forty-ninth biggest state in the country and the forty-fifth most populous. The state capital is Dover and the largest city is Wilmington. The state was named Delaware to honor the early Virginia Governor, Lord De La Warr. Located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.A., Delaware is bordered by the states Maryland and New Jersey. Its bordering body of water is the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. The major rivers of the state are the Delaware River, Mispillion River and Nanticoke River. It is in the eastern section of the Delmarva Peninsula between Delaware and Chesapeake Bay. Delaware is divided into 3 counties, New Castle, Kent and Sussex. The Du Pont family has close ties with the history of the state’s economic and industrial development.
Delaware also has many nicknames. It is called ‘First State’ because it was the first state to join the Union. Its other nicknames are ‘Diamond State’ ‘Blue Hen State’ and ‘Small Wonder’. Residents of Delaware are called Delawareans.
Delaware’s State bird is the Blue Hen Chicken and the state flower is the Peach Blossom. The official flag of the state was adopted on July 4, 1913. The flag features a blue background. In the center of the flag is a yellow diamond, which features the state’s seal. On the seal stands a soldier with a rifle and a farmer with a hoe. They are looking at each other across a scrollwork, which encloses an ox, ear of corn and a sheaf of wheat. There is a white ribbon below which reads ‘Liberty and Independence’, which is the state motto.
Before Europeans first explored the coastline, Delaware was inhabited by several groups of Native Americans, including the Lenape and the Nanticoke. The Dutch were the first Europeans to inhabit the land arriving in 1631. However, it was only within a year that these settlers were killed owing to a dispute with the Native Indian tribes. In 1638, the Swedish decided to establish a colony at ‘The Rocks’ on the Christina River in Delaware. The Swedish governed this portion of Delaware under the rule of Johan Rising. However, in 1655, a Dutch fleet arrived and defeated the Swedish. It established authority of the Colony of New Netherlands throughout the area, which was formally controlled by the Colony of New Sweden. Although the rulership had been taken away from the Swedish, the culture and traditions lived on under the Dutch rule and had a strong influence on the way of life in Delaware.
British rule was on the way and the citizens of Delaware were not happy. Although many merchants had good trading ties with the British, they had a good relationship with their government and wanted it to remain that way. On June 15, 1776, Patriot leaders Caesar Rodney and Thomas McKean convinced the Colonial Assembly to declare itself separated from the British, However, the representative George Read, could not bring himself to do so. Hence Rodney gave the delegation the votes it needed in order to cast Delaware’s vote for independence. The British however, passed through Delaware on their way to victory at the ‘Battle of Brandywine’ and the capture of Philadelphia. Following this battle, the British occupied Wilmington and the State president was taken prisoner. For much of the duration of the war, the British remained in control of Delaware River causing a lot of disruption to commerce and trade.
The major industries in Delaware are business, agriculture and tourism. The state’s agriculture output consists of poultry, dairy products, corn, soybeans and nursery stock. Its industrial output includes processed foods, automobiles, chemical products and plastic products.
Since almost all of Delaware is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the climate of Delaware is greatly affected by the ocean. The state’s climate is between humid subtropical and continental. The southern part of the state has a milder climate and a longer growing season than the north. The transitional climate of the state sustains a variety of plant life. The entire state however, north and south, experiences hot humid summers.
Delaware is the second smallest state in area with a population of 873, 092 and 60% of those living in the New Castle County. Estimates in 2007 rank the population of Delaware as 45th in the nation, but 6th in population density. Delaware has the highest proportion of African-American residents of any state north of Maryland, and had the largest percentage of free blacks. The majority of the people living in Delaware are Methodist and Baptist. 17% of the state claims to have ‘no religion’. 1% of the population belongs to the ‘Church of Christ’ and another 1% to Judaism. The total amount of Jews is about 20 000 and they are all served by the Jewish Community Center of Brandywine.
The most popular attractions in Delaware are the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village located in Dover, the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, Hagley Museum and Library, Dover Downs, Kalmar Nykel Sailing Ship and Delaware Beaches. There is also plenty of outdoor recreation to enjoy in Delaware. This includes Dover Skating Center, Carousel Park Equestrian Facility, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Brandywine Zoo and AJ Fishing Charters.
Colleges and Universities in Delaware include:
• University of Delaware
• Wilmington University
• Delaware College of Art and Design
Source:
Wikipedia
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