Delaware History Facts: Go Back In Time With This Trivia

Delaware was declared 'The Diamond State' by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who referred to it as a jewel among the American states.

Located in the United States' mid-Atlantic or northeastern area, Delaware is the 45th most populated and 49th largest of the 50 states that make up the United States. The harbor and river were named after Virginia's governor, Lord De La Warr (Delaware), by explorer Samuel Argall in 1610.

From north to south, the state of Delaware is divided into three counties: New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County, all founded in 1682. Delaware is located on the Delmarva Peninsula, located on the east coast of the United States.

It is surrounded by Pennsylvania on the north and east by the Delaware River. On the south side lies New Jersey, Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean, while the southern and the western borders Maryland. The state descends down from the steep Piedmont area, which runs along the northern Delaware border. The shallow Coastal Plain, which comprises three state forests: Blackbird forest, Redden forest, and Taber Forest covers the remainder of Delaware.

The east coast has sandy beaches, while the plain turns swampland at the state's southern boundary. Delaware's fauna comprises American beavers, gray foxes, river otters, and white-tailed deer. The common trees include maple, loblolly pine, birch, oak, and the American holly. The Blue Hen is known to be the official bird of Delaware and the mascot of the University of Delaware.

This Blue Hen state was the first to ratify, or sign, the United States Constitution, and on December 7, 1787, the Delaware Colony declared a state. As a result, it was officially nicknamed the First State on May 23, 2002. Now let's check out some more interesting facts regarding this state! Afterward, also check Alabama history facts and 1963 US history.

Fun Facts About Delaware

Apart from being the first state to ratify the Constitution, Delaware, also called Small Wonder owing to its small size, is notable for many things, including historic sites, chemical production, being a tax-free state, and having a large number of firms formed in the state.

Delaware's culture is overwhelmingly Christian, with Roman Catholics and Evangelical Protestants making up most of the population. The oldest Protestant church in the US, Old Swedes Holy Trinity Church, was erected in 1698 in the state of Delaware.

Delaware, the Diamond state, is the country's second tiniest state. It is barely 35 mi (56.3 km) wide at its broadest point and is slightly less than 100 mi (160.9 km) long. Despite being a small state, Delawareans have created such fantastic stuff as our Apollo spacesuits.

Because of Delaware's renown as 'The Peach State,' the peach blossom became a state emblem in the nineteenth century. Philadelphia is known as the Delaware Valley because it is a region in eastern Pennsylvania and the neighboring states of Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey that comprises the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Buffering is just something Delawareans seldom have to fret over, as per 2015 research. Except for South Korea, the state has the best Internet speeds in the country. Bicyclists love the state. It was ranked third most bike-friendly state in the US by the League of American Bicyclists in 2015.

Wilmington, Delaware students, formerly claimed the world record for the highest LEGO tower, which reached 113 ft (34.4 m) tall. The Bethany Beach firefly is a unique bug species found exclusively in Delaware. Annie Jump Cannon, born in Dover, Delaware, categorized over 225,000 stars.

President Joe Biden and Howard Pyle, author of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, are both well-known Delaware residents. Another notable figure like Aubrey Plaza, is from Wilmington, Delaware, while Ryan Phillippe is from New Castle, Delaware.

Historical Facts About Delaware

People had lived in the region more than 11,500 years ago, which is today known as Delaware. They're assumed to have arrived from Asia over a now-submerged land bridge.

Historians believe that Henry Hudson, an English adventurer, was the first person from Europe to reach the area's bay and the Delaware River in the year 1609. The country was inhabited by Dutch, Swedish, and English colonists in the 1600s.

The English formally took possession of the country in 1674, after these Europeans battled for it. However, the state of Delaware proclaimed its freedom from Britishers in 1776, which became a primary event that resulted in the Revolutionary War.

Delaware established a United States state in 1787, only after the US was able to win the war. It was a slave-friendly state when the Civil War started in 1861. The great bulk of its men, on the other hand, fought on behalf of the Union, which was a group of northern states wanting to keep all the states under one federal rule.

During the Civil War, Delaware remained a member of the Union. Union supporters sought to eliminate slavery, while southern states desired to maintain it. The United States Constitution's 13th Amendment made all slaves in the US, even those in Delaware, free individuals in 1865. Ruth Ann Minner was appointed as Delaware's first female governor in 2000.

Facts About Delaware's Colonies

The Delaware Colony's warm climate allowed residents to engage in farming and agricultural interests, and the colony was dubbed the 'breadbasket colony' because it cultivated a lot of wheat. Nails, locks, kettles, tools, and plows were among the iron ore-based items manufactured in the Delaware Colony.

In 1631, the Dutch established the first European settlement in Delaware, at Lewes. After a conflict between the two parties, they immediately established trade in beaver furs with the Native Americans, who invaded and destroyed the community within a short period. Before becoming a state, the Delaware Colony changed hands several times.

Delaware was regarded as a part of New York while under English administration until 1682, when William Penn was awarded the region's charter. The Duke of York, on the other hand, was adamant about keeping Delaware because it provided crucial maritime access.

The York-Penn dispute continued for over a century until Delaware could enact its own state constitution. Johan Bjornnson Printz was the first governor of the Delaware Colony, serving from 1643 until 1645.

The principal functions of Delaware state legislatures are as follows: they act as legislators by studying, crafting, and passing laws; the legislature also functions as an oversight body for the executive branch, and members represent their districts and seek to satisfy residents requests for assistance within them.

Weird Facts About Delaware

One of Delaware diamond state's most recognizable historic sites is Fort Delaware. The state of Delaware is one particular state of the few in the country without caves, which makes Delaware quite peculiar.

A few more weird facts of Delaware are: Miles the Monster, who weighs as much as 4,000 cats, is the face, if not so attractive, of Dover International Speedway. In Delaware, there are nearly 200 times more chickens than people.

There are more firms established in Delaware than there are residents, and finally. At the same time, no one has officially confirmed it; sketches and works by DC comics editor Paul Kupperberg imply that Metropolis is definitely situated in Delaware, making Delaware the hometown of Superman!

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Delaware history facts: Go back in time with this trivia, then why not take a look at Australian history facts or Brazil history facts?