You have learned capitals one region at a time. Now mix them all together. Mixing is harder, and it is the best way to make them stick.
Key idea
Every state has one capital, where its government meets. Learn each capital together with its state's place on the map, and watch for capitals with look-alike names.
Why it works
Why mix the regions? When you practice one region at a time, you already know which few answers are possible. Mixed practice makes you pick the right capital out of fifty, which is what you will need to do later. It feels harder, and that extra effort is what helps you remember.
| Look-alike | Capital of | Not to be mixed with |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | South Carolina | Columbus, capital of Ohio |
| Columbus | Ohio | Columbia, capital of South Carolina |
| Charleston | West Virginia | Charleston, a city in South Carolina |
| Jackson | Mississippi | Jefferson City, capital of Missouri |
| Jefferson City | Missouri | Jackson, capital of Mississippi |
| Concord | New Hampshire | Concord, a historic town in Massachusetts |
| Salem | Oregon | Salem, a historic city in Massachusetts |
| Carson City | Nevada | Kansas City (in Missouri and Kansas, not a capital) |
Worked example: Reverse it
Lansing is the capital of which state?
- Lansing is in the lower part of a mitten-shaped state.
- Detroit is that state's biggest city, but not its capital.
- The state is Michigan.
Answer: Michigan.
Common mistake
Names that sound alike trip people up: Columbia (South Carolina) and Columbus (Ohio); Charleston, which is West Virginia's capital and also a big city in South Carolina; and Jackson (Mississippi) and Jefferson City (Missouri). Tie each one to its state's place on the map.