On First Name Terms With America A to J Quiz

Answer: Virginia

The City of Alexandria was built on land that was granted in 1669 to Robert Howsing, who had transported 120 people there. It was incorporated in 1779.

Alexandria was to be the scene of the first fatalities in the American Civil War, and it was occupied by the Union side for the rest of the conflict.

Alexandria became a major industrial town by the early 20th Century.

Virginia's most familiar state nickname is Old Dominion. It was earned by the loyalty of Virginia to the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. King Charles II gave it the name in recognition of Virginia's loyalty to the Crown, after the Restoration.

Virginia is also known as the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight of the first 45 U.S. presidents.

Answer: Nebraska

Beatrice is the county seat of Gage County, with a population of 12,459 at the 2010 census.

It was established in about 1857 when one of two parties stranded when a steamboat ran aground on the Missouri settled there. It was named after the daughter of one of their leaders.

The nickname "Cornhusker State" was given to Nebraska by early settlers, who had their work cut out to make anything grow in what was regarded as virtually a desert.

Answer: North Carolina

With an estimated population in 2016 of 8­42,000, Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina.

The area was first settled by the Catawba native people, and the first European record dates to about 1567.

The area was then settled by Ulster-Scots people, mainly Presbyterians from the northern counties of Ireland.

Charlotte was named after German princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who became Consort of Great Britain and Ireland in 1761.

Today, it is a bustling commercial city. Bank of America has its corporate headquarters in Charlotte, and it's one of the leading financial centres of the USA.

The origin of North Carolina's nickname is obscure, although some historians believe it derives from a long history as a producer of naval stores - including tar.

Answer: Arizona

Douglas is a city that was first settled by Spanish people in the late 18th Century.

It was named after after mining pioneer Dr. James Douglas and grew in importance to process the copper mined nearby at Bisbee.

The city had an estimated population of about 16,000 in 2016.

Arizona is known as "the Grand Canyon State" for a very obvious reason; that is where the natural wonder is found.

Answer: New Jersey

With a population estimated at about 129,000 in 2016, Elizabeth was the fourth largest city in New Jersey.

It was founded 1664 and named "Elizabethtown" by English settler. The name is thought not to be after Queen Elizabeth but after the wife of a prominent New Jersey settler.

During the American War of Independence, victory for the colonists over the British at the battle of Springfield was to prove crucial in their quest.

Elizabeth has been a busy industrial and transport hub.

The nickname, "The Garden State" appears to have been coined by one Abraham Browning, who in 1926 compared New Jersey to "an immense barrel, filled with good things to eat and open at both ends, with Pennsylvanians grabbing from one end and the New Yorkers from the other." He coined the phrase "The Garden State".

Answer: Oregon

Florence is situated on the Oregon Coast at the mouth of the Siuslaw River. The river takes the name of the native American tribe who lived in the area.

Tourism has replaced the forestry industry as a major attraction and employer.

The population in 2016 was estimated at 8,800.

The state nickname developed from the extensive use of beaver fur in clothing in the state.

Answer: Indiana

Located about 40 miles from Chicago, Gary was founded in 1906 by the United States Steel Corporation as a home for its new plant.

By the start of the 21st Century, steel was no longer as important as it had been, and the city had gone though some tough times.

Mass unemployment and high crime rates came to typify Gary.

Indiana has been known as "the Hoosier State" since about 1831, though no one is quite sure why, let alone whether or not it is a complimentary reference.

Answer: Arkansas

Helena was founded by European settlers in 1833 as a port on the Mississippi River.

In the early 21st Century, Helena was rated as one of the poorest cities in the USA.

A proliferation of natural landscapes earned Arkansas the nickname "the natural state".

Answer: Michigan

Named after a local leader Ida M. Taylor, the township dates to 1837.

It is located in Monroe County, close to Lake Erie.

The origin of the nickname is sometimes taken to be a reference to the fact that four of the five Great Lakes have shores on the state. It also has a large number of inland internal lakes.

Answer: Idaho

Jerome is the capital of Jerome County, which was created in 1919.

The city is about 100 miles from the state capital, Boise. Its population was estimated at about 11,300 in 2016.

Idaho takes its nickname from its abundance of natural resources and scenic areas.