The 50 states: capitals and statehood, in order
50 states, in the order they joined the Union. For the original thirteen, the date is the day each ratified the Constitution. North and South Dakota were admitted on the same day (November 2, 1889); by custom North Dakota is counted 39th and South Dakota 40th, in alphabetical order. Washington, D.C. is not a state, so it is not on the list.
Fifty states, each with a capital and a birthday. Learned in order of statehood, the list tells the story of how the country grew: thirteen states on the Atlantic coast, then a march west across the continent, then Alaska and Hawaii in 1959.
Chunk by era. The order of statehood has natural breaks: the original thirteen; the states of the early republic (1791 to 1821); the westward growth before and during the Civil War (1836 to 1867); the West (1876 to 1912); and the last two in 1959. Learn one era in groups of about five, then close the book and recall it. For the capitals, link a picture to each pair (Baton Rouge, a red stick, standing in a bayou), and use a map as a memory palace, tracing the order of statehood with your finger. Come back on day 1, 3, 7 and 21.
Encode make it vivid → Space bring it back on day 1, 3, 7, 21 → Retrieve pull it from your head. From the infographic Remember It on Purpose.
The 50 states: capitals and statehood, in order
| No. | State | Capital | Statehood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | Dover | 1787 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 2 | Pennsylvania | Harrisburg | 1787 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 3 | New Jersey | Trenton | 1787 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 4 | Georgia | Atlanta | 1788 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 5 | Connecticut | Hartford | 1788 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 6 | Massachusetts | Boston | 1788 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 7 | Maryland | Annapolis | 1788 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 8 | South Carolina | Columbia | 1788 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 9 | New Hampshire | Concord | 1788 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 10 | Virginia | Richmond | 1788 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 11 | New York | Albany | 1788 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 12 | North Carolina | Raleigh | 1789 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 13 | Rhode Island | Providence | 1790 |
| Note: One of the original thirteen; the year is when it ratified the Constitution. | |||
| 14 | Vermont | Montpelier | 1791 |
| 15 | Kentucky | Frankfort | 1792 |
| 16 | Tennessee | Nashville | 1796 |
| 17 | Ohio | Columbus | 1803 |
| 18 | Louisiana | Baton Rouge | 1812 |
| 19 | Indiana | Indianapolis | 1816 |
| 20 | Mississippi | Jackson | 1817 |
| 21 | Illinois | Springfield | 1818 |
| 22 | Alabama | Montgomery | 1819 |
| 23 | Maine | Augusta | 1820 |
| 24 | Missouri | Jefferson City | 1821 |
| Note: Admitted on August 10, 1821. Some lists give March 2, 1821, the date Congress passed the resolution that set the terms; the year is the same. | |||
| 25 | Arkansas | Little Rock | 1836 |
| 26 | Michigan | Lansing | 1837 |
| 27 | Florida | Tallahassee | 1845 |
| 28 | Texas | Austin | 1845 |
| 29 | Iowa | Des Moines | 1846 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | Madison | 1848 |
| 31 | California | Sacramento | 1850 |
| 32 | Minnesota | Saint Paul | 1858 |
| 33 | Oregon | Salem | 1859 |
| 34 | Kansas | Topeka | 1861 |
| 35 | West Virginia | Charleston | 1863 |
| 36 | Nevada | Carson City | 1864 |
| 37 | Nebraska | Lincoln | 1867 |
| 38 | Colorado | Denver | 1876 |
| 39 | North Dakota | Bismarck | 1889 |
| 40 | South Dakota | Pierre | 1889 |
| 41 | Montana | Helena | 1889 |
| 42 | Washington | Olympia | 1889 |
| 43 | Idaho | Boise | 1890 |
| 44 | Wyoming | Cheyenne | 1890 |
| 45 | Utah | Salt Lake City | 1896 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | Oklahoma City | 1907 |
| 47 | New Mexico | Santa Fe | 1912 |
| 48 | Arizona | Phoenix | 1912 |
| 49 | Alaska | Juneau | 1959 |
| 50 | Hawaii | Honolulu | 1959 |
Chunk by era. The order of statehood has natural breaks: the original thirteen; the states of the early republic (1791 to 1821); the westward growth before and during the Civil War (1836 to 1867); the West (1876 to 1912); and the last two in 1959. Learn one era in groups of about five, then close the book and recall it. For the capitals, link a picture to each pair (Baton Rouge, a red stick, standing in a bayou), and use a map as a memory palace, tracing the order of statehood with your finger. Come back on day 1, 3, 7 and 21. · teddyrookbook.com/memory/challenges/us-states/
Sources
- Grokipedia: List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union
- Grokipedia: List of capitals in the United States
- U.S. Census Bureau: U.S. Territory and Statehood Status by Decade, 1790 to 1960
- Teddy Rook Book Geography Ladder and civics kit (the states model)
Checked October 31, 2026. Progress is kept on this device only (per learner). More lists: all memory challenges · memory games.