1. Rhode Island
   Oregon
2. New York
   Wyoming

Although New York is home to one of the biggest cities on Earth, you might be surprised to find out that there are also more than fifty species of orchid native to this state. It's also home to thousands of species of animals such as the snapping turtle, cotton-tailed rabbit and peregrine falcon.

1. South Carolina
   Washington
2. Utah
   Texas

Texas is known as the Lone Star state because it fought a war to gain independence from Mexico. When Texas emerged victorious, it got its flag - a single star to represent its independence.

1. Virginia
   Florida
2. New Hampshire
   Texas

Florida is home to hundreds of cities including Orlando, which attracts millions of tourists every year. In fact, out of all the amusement parks in the United States, Orlando attracts the most visitors and it is known as the "Theme Park Capital of the World."

1. Montana
   Vermont
2. Maryland
   Oklahoma

The very first dental college in the world was opened in 1840 in Maryland and was founded by two Doctors - Horace H. Hayden and Chapin A. Harris. It is now known as the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD), but it was first established as the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery.

1. Utah
   Maine
2. Kentucky
   Iowa

Utah is home to Salt Lake City, which is the capital of the state and the most populated area in Utah. The Great Salt Lake is also in Utah and covers more than 1,500 square miles. Sometimes referred to as America's Dead Sea because of its salinity, people have no trouble floating in this body of water, even if they're not used to popping up like a cork!

1. Pennsylvania
   California
2. Rhode Island
   Hawaii

As of 2018, California has the 5th largest economy in the world at more than $2.7 trillion. California's success is attributed to its thriving technology and entertainment industry as well as its contributions to the agriculture sector. Unfortunately, income inequality has resulted in housing instability and displacement for thousands in the San Francisco bay area.

1. Georgia
   Utah
2. Hawaii
   Louisiana

If you're looking for domestically grown coffee, Hawaii is the place to go! It's actually the only coffee producer of the 50 states. Kona coffee is grown on the Big Island of Hawaii and is among the most expensive kinds of coffee out there.

1. Oregon
   Wyoming
2. Virginia
   Georgia

American hero and civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta in 1929. His childhood home is still a museum today. King was a famous orator who was one of the most hated people in the United States while he was alive and is now one of the most revered. As he famously said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

1. Vermont
   Pennsylvania
2. Washington
   Texas

Do you love snack foods? Pennsylvania is home to LOTS, including Hershey's, Auntie Anne's, Planter's, and Snyder's pretzels. And don't forget the famous Philly cheesesteak!

1. Kentucky
   Iowa
2. New Hampshire
   South Carolina

Fort Knox, Kentucky, is home to the United States' gold reserve, which houses over 300 billion dollars worth of gold. It is kept safe by blast-proof barriers that are over 20 inches thick! There is more gold in the U.S. than any other country, which is a surprise when you think about how many people are struggling to make ends meet.

1. Maine
   Oklahoma
2. Indiana
   Montana

This Midwestern US state is situated in the Great Lakes region of North America. Its capital, Indianapolis, is known for its festivities during the Christmas season. The Circle of Lights, which is the largest Christmas tree in the world, is located here. It stands at 284 feet tall, complete with 52 wreaths and more than 4,000 lights.

1. Kentucky
   Pennsylvania
2. Alaska
   Rhode Island

Alaska has fourteen mountain ranges and 17 out of the 20 highest peaks in the United States. Denali, which means "The Great One" is the highest peak in North America and it is located in the Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

1. Utah
   Hawaii
2. Nevada
   Wyoming

The word "Nevada" has Spanish origin and it derives from the word "nieve" which means "snow." This name is in reference to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which stretches more than 600 miles, from Mexico to Butte County.

1. Virginia
   Rhode Island
2. New Hampshire
   Vermont

Rhode Island is a state in the northeastern US and the smallest of all the states, but still boasts a population of over 1 million. Rhode Island is a popular tourist destination, known for its picturesque beaches and its quaint towns, including Naragansett and Newport.

1. Iowa
   South Carolina
2. Texas
   New Mexico

New Mexico got its name from Spanish explorers who were searching for territory as prosperous as Mexico, which they had recently discovered in their travels. They called the new land Nueva Mexico. The land is indeed valuable - New Mexico's oil contributes significantly to the state's income.

1. Oregon
   Pennsylvania
2. South Carolina
   Washington

South Carolina is also called The Palmetto State, which is in tribute to the sabal palmetto - its national tree. This tree held great significance during the Revolutionary War when its strong wood was used to build forts that could withstand attack.

1. Oklahoma
   Ohio
2. Rhode Island
   Montana

The Wright Brothers and Neil Armstrong were all from Ohio. The early flyers took off in North Carolina, and Neil Armstrong made it all the way to the moon! It makes sense that this home to industry has also been home to a strong labor movement, protecting the rights of workers.

1. Idaho
   Hawaii
2. Maine
   Wyoming

Idaho has been nicknamed "The Gem State" due to its production of about 72 types of gemstones, such as opals, gasper, quartz, amethysts, star garnets and rubies. The star garnet is the state's gemstone, and is dark purple.

1. Kentucky
   Louisiana
2. Alabama
   Virginia

The Montgomery bus boycott kicked off the civil rights movement in 1955, when Rosa Parks declined to give up her seat in the front of a bus. This protest continued for over a year, until finally the Supreme Court upheld a previous ruling that segregated seating is in fact unconstitutional.

1. New Jersey
   Vermont
2. Pennsylvania
   New Hampshire

North Jersey has unfortunately been made notorious due to the car thefts in this part of the state. In 2017, it was reported that high-end vehicles such as Mercedes-Benz were stolen from neighborhoods in Passaic, Essex, Morris and Bergen.

1. Texas
   Virginia
2. Washington
   Utah

Virginia is a southeastern state that has been home to many notable people. In fact, it is referred to as "Mother of Presidents" because eight presidents of the United States hailed from there. These include Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, William H. Harrison, James Monroe and James Madison.

1. California
   Georgia
2. South Carolina
   Oklahoma

Oklahoma is another US state that served as the home or birthplace of famous people, though this time they followed different career paths. For instance, actors Brad Pitt and Will Rogers were born here as well as singers Woody Guthrie and Garth Brooks.

1. Oklahoma
   Rhode Island
2. Oregon
   Massachusetts

In 1897, during the second stage of Massachusetts' Industrial Revolution, America's first subway was built in Boston, the capital of this state. Though its development came about due to the technological advances of the 19th century, it was propelled by the revolution that was taking place at the time.

1. Iowa
   Montana
2. Virginia
   Tennessee

Craighead Caverns is a cave system near Sweetwater, Tennessee, and is home to a lake called the "Lost Sea." In fact, it's the country's largest underground body of water not associated with a glacier, and in fact, even cave divers don't know how deep it actually goes.

1. Pennsylvania
   Illinois
2. Hawaii
   Alaska

Illinois played a major role in the nationwide abolition of slavery when it became the first state to ratify the 13th amendment to the Constitution. This amendment was approved on January 31st, 1865, and it was only one day later when Illinois took the first step in endorsing this huge historical milestone.

1. Oregon
   Maine
2. Wyoming
   Kentucky

Oregon is home to one of the ten deepest lakes worldwide and the deepest one in the United States - Crater Lake. Situated in the south-central part of the state, this lake was formed after the collapse of the Mount Mazama volcano, and is close to 2,000 feet deep. This lake is admired for its clear, deep blue waters.

1. Vermont
   Arizona
2. Oklahoma
   Washington

Arizona is the highest producer of copper in the United States, accounting for about 64 percent of it domestically. It has produced this mineral since 1910 and copper is the most valuable mineral produced in the state. Gold and silver are also manufactured in Arizona.

1. South Carolina
   Texas
2. Maine
   Utah

Maine is home to many tourist attractions including the Flagship L.L. Bean store, beautiful rocky beaches, and lighthouses galore. The Maine Lobster Festival, in Rockland, is the subject of David Foster Wallace's famous essay "Consider the Lobster."

1. New Hampshire
   Oregon
2. Kansas
   Virginia

Pizza Hut first opened its doors in Kansas in 1958. This was after two brothers, Dan and Frank Carney, decided to put their business plan in motion in Wichita, Kansas, their hometown. Since then, about 13,000 restaurants have been opened in more than 120 countries worldwide.

1. Hawaii
   Pennsylvania
2. Louisiana
   Colorado

Colorado is often called "Colorful Colorado" due to its scenic array of rivers, mountains, plains and other landforms. Eastern Colorado is covered by The Great Plains, and the Rocky Mountains can be found in the central part and the Colorado Plateau stretches into Utah, New Mexico and Arizona.

1. South Dakota
   Georgia
2. Montana
   Rhode Island

South Dakota is a state rooted in agriculture and is one of the main producers of wheat, corn, sunflower, hay, soybeans, honey, rye and even cattle. There are more than 46,000 producers in this state and an excess of 30,000 farms.

1. Oklahoma
   West Virginia
2. Washington
   Kentucky

West Virginia is also called "The Mountain State" because it is the only state that, in its entirety, it is situated completely within the Appalachian Mountain Range. Most of this range is located within the United States, but some parts of it extend into Canada.

1. New Hampshire
   Vermont
2. Wyoming
   Delaware

Delaware has made history as the first state that endorsed the Constitution of the United States, which took place on December 7, 1787. This also gave it the nickname "The First State" because it was the first one in the New Nation. Delaware Day is celebrated on December 7th every year in honor of these achievements.

1. Nebraska
   Texas
2. Pennsylvania
   Utah

Nebraska, which means "flat water," is a word derived from the indigenous people who settled the state. This name is about the Platte River, which begins in the Rocky mountains in Colorado.

1. Michigan
   Virginia
2. South Carolina
   Oregon

The world's only floating post office can be found in Detroit, Michigan, where it is manned by Captain Sam Buchanan. The tugboat, called J.W. Westcott II, is 45 feet long and was built in 1949. It has been delivering mail to hundreds of ships at sea for more than 140 years.

1. Louisiana
   Hawaii
2. Rhode Island
   Iowa

Louisiana is known as a melting pot of cultures. It contains a hub of American, African, French, French-Canadian, Creole and Cajun culture that offers a unique experience to all who visit. Its annual Mardi Gras Festival is a major tourist attraction.

1. Maine
   Mississippi
2. Louisiana
   Kentucky

Mississippi, which means "large river" is a name given to this state by the Chippewa Indians who settled there. This name refers to the Mississippi River, which is the longest one in the United States and contributes significantly to migration and agriculture.

1. Montana
   Washington
2. Oklahoma
   Wyoming

Wyoming made history by being the first state to allow women to vote. This legislation was passed in 1869 and the first vote was cast a year later in the general elections by Louisa Ann Swain. But don't be fooled: this law was put on the books mainly to ensure that white votes outpaced the votes of Black men and to encourage more white people to move to the territory.

1. Vermont
   Connecticut
2. Pennsylvania
   South Carolina

One of Connecticut's natural resources can be found in the trees of the forests, which cover more than 60 percent of the state. Red maple is the most common tree, but others such as eastern hemlock and sugar maple are also quite popular. They provide maple syrup, lumber and firewood to the state.

1. Utah
   Virginia
2. New Hampshire
   Wyoming

New Hampshire was a county that was eager to gain its independence; in 1776 it created its constitution and declared itself independent from Great Britain. This occurred while the American Revolution was taking place and New Hampshire became the first colony to make such a bold move.