State Nicknames With a Twist - 5 Quiz

New Hampshire has literally tons of granite, which proved to be a very valuable resource for the state beginning in the 1800s. The Concord gray granite, described as a light gray color with brown flecks, is still mined near the New Hampshire state capital. It is not only used for local buildings, but was also chosen for the building of structures like the Library of Congress in Washington, DC; the light color of the Concord gray granite - 409,000 cubic feet (11582 cubic metres) of it - was chosen for the project, which was authorized in 1886, because it complimented the marble color of the U.S. Capitol building.

New Hampshirites also like the idea that the granite represents the strength and resilience of the people. While New Hampshire is also called the Mother of Rivers and the White Mountain State, the Granite State is the most commonly used nickname according to the state's official website.

Five bays can be found along the coastline of Massachusetts, including Massachusetts Bay, Quincy Bay, Narragansett Bay, Buzzards Bay, and Cape Cod Bay, so the Bay State seems to be an appropriate state nickname for Massachusetts. In fact, when originally founded in 1630, the colony was known as the Massachusetts Bay Colony; in 1788 the new state became known as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. While the nickname dates back centuries, it was not officially adopted by the state legislature until 1990.

Massachusetts has also been called the Pilgrim State and the Baked Bean State.

In 1638-39 the colony of Connecticut adopted a government called The Fundamental Orders, which is considered to be the first written constitution in U.S. history. While it did not establish a democracy in Connecticut, it did establish the idea of a representative government with a governor, legislature, and court system. Many Connecticuters believe that when the U.S. Constitution was written, its principles were adopted from The Fundamental Orders. By 1959, the state General Assembly officially adopted the nickname Constitution State for that reason.

Other nicknames used for Connecticut include the Nutmeg State and the Blue Law States. And - by the way - many Connecticuters prefer to be called Nutmeggers!

Yes, Rhode Island is tiny - just 37 miles (60 km) wide and 48 miles (77 km) long, but it does have 400 miles (644 km) of beautiful coastline. It has been said that every person who resides in the state lives within a thirty minute drive from either the Atlantic Ocean or Narragansett Bay. The nickname was officially adopted in 1972 in order to promote tourism and recreational activities like fishing, sailing, and lounging on one of the 60 beaches found in the state.

In keeping with references to its small size, Rhode Island has also been called the Smallest State and Little Rhody.

Did you know that there are a lot of farms in New Jersey? According to the state government's website, there are more than 9,071 farms covering 715,057 acres (289,373 hectares) of farmland. With fertile soil and a long growing season, the state grows an abundance of fruits, such as blueberries, cranberries, tomatoes, and peaches, and vegetables, such as spinach, sweet corn, and bell peppers. In 1876 Abraham Browning, who served as the state Attorney General from 1845-1850, made a speech where he called New Jersey the Garden State. The state legislature made it official in 1954.

Another nickname for New Jersey is the Crossroads of the Revolution.

In 1787 Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, with all thirty delegates voting unanimously to do so on December 7. The date is still celebrated as a state holiday today called Delaware Day. Although the nickname was commonly used, it did not become official until 2002. That year a first grade class in Wilmington, Delaware, petitioned the state government to officially adopt the nickname, which was done on May 23, 2002.

Delaware is also known as the Small Wonder and the Blue Hen State.

On first thought, it seems like the nickname might relate to the Mason-Dixon Line - but it doesn't. In fact, the history behind the nickname goes farther back!

The Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn Heights) took place on August 27, 1776, with about 13,000 Continental troops fighting 34,000 British soldiers. Sensing that the battle could become a total disaster, General Washington ordered his men to retreat. Three Lines of infantrymen from Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were left to cover the retreat; after the Delaware and Pennsylvania Lines collapsed, the Maryland Line, of about 270 men faced about 2,000 British soldiers. At the end of the battle, only about a dozen Maryland troops made it back to the Continental Army. General Washington mourned what he called his "Old Line" and said, "Good God, what brave fellows I must this day lose".

Although the number of fighters and casualties change depending on the source, it is agreed that the brave soldiers of Maryland saved the Continental Army that day. While the Maryland legislature has never officially adopted the nickname, it does appear on the Maryland state quarter that was released in 2000.

Another nickname used at times is the Free State, which is said to either refer to the abolition of slavery or their refusal to enforce Prohibition.

Michigan borders 4 of the 5 Great Lakes - Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie - and is the only U.S. state to do so. It has the longest freshwater coast line, 3288 miles (5292 km), in the United States; believe it or not - at any point in the state it is only a 85 mile (137 km) trip to reach a Great Lake. While sources don't always agree on how official the nickname is, the state legislature did pass a bill in 2003 which chose the Great Lakes State as the state nickname, and that name did appear on the state quarter that was issued in 2004.

Now you may have heard it called the Wolverine State, which is more of a traditional, historical nickname that dates back to the early 1800s. It is believed to either be connected to the importance of the early fur trade to the state or the citizens' reputation for having mean dispositions.

West Virginia is the only state that came into existence during the American Civil War and is known as being the birthplace of the Mother's Day celebration. It is also, however, the only state completely within the range of the Appalachian Mountains. That is why it is called the Mountain State. There are an amazing 1,679 named mountains there, with the highest average elevation of 1,654 feet (504 meters) being more than any state east of the Mississippi River.

Other nicknames for West Virginia include Almost Heaven and the Switzerland of America.

Florida has sunshine for approximately 300 days a year; even on the days when there are afternoon thunderstorms, it's typically sunny - both before and after. The term was used to promote a warm, pleasant climate for tourism and was seen on license plates by 1949. In 1970 the Florida Legislature officially adopted the nickname.

You may also have heard that Florida is called the Peninsula State. This, of course, is because it is the most recognizable peninsula in the U.S., surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Gulf of Mexico to the west, and Straits of Florida to the south.