State of Delaware
Flag of Delaware Seal Nickname(s): The First State, The Small Wonder, Blue Hen State, The Diamond State Motto(s): Liberty and Independence
Official language(s)	none[1]
Capital	Dover
Largest city	Wilmington
Area	Ranked 49th in the US
- Total	2,490 sq mi (6,452 km²)
- Width	30 miles (48 km)
- Length	96 miles (154 km)
- % water	21.5
- Latitude	38° 27′ N to 39° 50′ N
- Longitude	75° 3′ W to 75° 47′ W
Population	Ranked 45th in the US
- Total	783,600
- Density	401.11/sq mi  154.87/km² (7th in the US)
- Median income	$50,152 (12th)
Elevation
- Highest point	near Ebright Azimuth[2] 447.85[2] ft  (136.5 m)
- Mean	59 ft  (18 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[3] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	December 7, 1787 (1st)
Governor	Ruth Ann Minner (D)
Lieutenant Governor	John C. Carney, Jr. (D)
U.S. Senators	Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D) Thomas R. Carper (D)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	DE Del. US-DE
Website	delaware.gov

Delaware State Symbols
Living Symbols
-Bird	Blue Hen Chicken
-Butterfly	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
-Fish	Weakfish
-Flower	Peach blossom
-Insect	Ladybug
-Tree	American Holly
Beverage	Milk
Colors	Colonial Blue, Buff
Fossil	Belemnite
Mineral	Sillimanite
Slogan(s)	It's Good Being First
Soil	Greenwich
Song(s)	Our Delaware
Route Marker(s)
Quarter	1999
See Also

Delaware (IPA: /ˈdɛləwɛər/) is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.^[4] The state is named after Delaware Bay and River, which were named for Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618).^[5] Population estimates by the Census Bureau for 2005 place the population of Delaware at 843,524. Despite ranking 45th in population, it is the seventh most densely populated state, with a population density of 320 more people per square mile than the national average, ranking ahead of states such as Florida, California, and Texas.^[6] The name Delaware can refer to several different things: Delaware, the U. S. state The Lenape, the Native American tribe also known as the Delaware. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Delaware. ... Image File history File links Delaware_state_seal. ... The flag of Delaware consists of a buff-colored diamond on a field of blue, with the coat of arms of the state of Delaware inside the diamond. ... The Seal of Delaware was first adopted on January 17, 1777, with the current version being adopted April 29, 2004. ... This is a list of U.S. state nicknames -- both official and traditional (official state nicknames are in bold). ... Here is a list of state mottos for the states of the United States. ... Image File history File links Map_of_USA_DE.svg‎ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Delaware ... The United States does not have an official language, but English is spoken by about 82% of the population as a native language. ... Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ... : The State Capital since 1777 United States Delaware Kent 22. ... : Chemical Capital of the World , Corporate Capital of the World , Credit Card Capital of the World : A Place to Be Somebody United States Delaware New Castle 17. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... This is a complete list of the states of the United States ordered by total area, land area, and water area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... “km” redirects here. ... Map of states populations (2007) This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison) as of July 1, 2007, according to the 2007 estimates of the United States Census Bureau. ... Map of states showing population density This is a list of the 50 U.S. states, ordered by population density. ... For information on the income of individuals, see Personal income in the United States. ... This is a list of United States states by elevation. ... Delaware High Point Sign Geodetic Survey Marker Marker Reads: U.S. COAST & GEODETIC SURVEY REFERENCE MARK FOR INFORMATION WRITE TO THE DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON, D.C. $250 FINE OR IMPRISONMENT FOR DISTURBING THIS MARK EBRIGHT AZIMUTH 1933 Southbound View of the Peak from the State Line The Ebright Azimuth is the... The order which the original 13 states ratified the constitution, then the order that the others were admitted to the union This is a list of U.S. states by date of statehood, that is, the date when each U.S. state joined the Union. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Ruth Ann Minner (born January 17, 1935) is an American businesswoman and politician from Milford, in Kent County, Delaware. ... This is a complete and current List of United States Lieutenant Governors. ... John C. Carney, Jr. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... Biden redirects here. ... Thomas Richard Tom Carper (born January 23, 1947) is an American economist and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... This is a chronological listing, in timeline format, of the United States Congressional Delegations from Delaware to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... Map of U.S. time zones with new CST and EST areas displayed This is a list of United States of America States by time zone. ... The Eastern Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting five hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... The following is a list of abbreviations used by the United States Postal Service. ... U.S. states This is a list of traditional abbreviations for U.S. states and territorries, which were in wide use prior to the U.S. postal abbreviations. ... ISO 3166-2 codes for the United States of America cover 50 states, 1 district, 6 outlying areas (including 9 minor outlying islands under separate ISO 3166-1 country code UM). ... A website (alternatively, web site or Web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or more web servers, usually accessible via the Internet. ... The following Delaware state symbols have been approved by the Delaware General Assembly and added to the Delaware Code: The seal of Delaware was first adopted on January 17, 1777, with the current version being adopted April 29, 2004. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Blue Hen Chicken was adopted on April 14, 1939 as the state bird of Delaware. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into List of U.S. state insects. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The Eastern tiger swallowtail, Papilio glaucus, is a large (12 cm wingspan) swallowtail butterfly. ... This is a list of official U.S. state fish: This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... Binomial name (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) The weakfish, Cynoscion regalis, is a marine fish of the drum family Sciaenidae. ... This is a list of U.S. state flowers: List of U.S. state trees Lists of U.S. state insignia ^ State Flower of Alabama. ... Binomial name (L.) Batsch Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... It has been suggested that List of U.S. state butterflies be merged into this article or section. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Wikispecies has information related to: Coccinella septempunctata Coccinella septempunctata, the seven-spot ladybird (or, in North America, seven-spotted ladybug or seven-spotted lady beetle), is the most common ladybird in Europe. ... This List of U.S. state trees includes official trees of the following states and U.S. possessions: See also Lists of U.S. state insignia National Grove of State Trees External link USDA list of state trees and flowers Categories: | | ... Binomial name American holly (Ilex opaca) is a small to medium broadleaved evergreen tree in the family Aquifoliaceae. ... This is a list of official state beverages:[1] This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... A glass of cows milk. ... This is a list of U.S. state colors:[1] This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... The flag of Delaware consists of a buff-colored diamond on a field of blue, with the coat of arms of the state of Delaware inside the diamond. ... For other uses of the term, see Buff Buff is a pale yellow-brown colour that got its name from the colour of buffalo leather. ... Though every state in the United States has a State Bird and a State Flower, not every state in the United States has a State Fossil. ... Extinct Orders Aulacocerida Phragmoteuthida Belemnitida Diplobelida Belemnoteuthina Belemnites (or belemnoids) are an extinct group of marine cephalopod, very similar in many ways to the modern squid and closely related to the modern cuttlefish. ... // Not every state has an official state mineral, rock, stone or gemstone. ... Sillimanite: Biotite gneiss (Mesozoic and Paleozoic) Sillimanite is an alumino-sillicate mineral with the chemical formula Al2SiO5. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This is a list of official U.S. state soils: This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state legislature as a symbol of the state. ... Our Delaware is the state song of Delaware, written by George B. Hynson. ... Highways in the United States are split into at least four different types of systems. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Obverse of redesigned quarter The 50 State Quarters program is the release of a series of commemorative coins by the United States Mint. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (771x768, 716 KB) Source http://www. ... These are lists of U.S. state insignia as designated by tradition or the respective state legislatures List of U.S. state amphibians List of U.S. state beverages List of U.S. state birds List of U.S. state butterflies List of U.S. state colors List of U... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... It has been suggested that Middle Atlantic States be merged into this article or section. ... Delaware Bay Delaware Bay is a large esturarial inlet of the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Delaware River along the coast of the United States. ... For the Delaware River in Kansas, see Delaware River (Kansas). ... Thomas West, 3rd (or 12th) Baron De La Warr (July 9, 1577 - June 7, 1618), was the Englishman for whom the state, river, and American Indian tribe called Delaware (in the United States) were named. ...

State symbols

Main article: List of Delaware state symbols

The state's motto, "Liberty and Independence" is inscribed on the coat of arms, which is incorporated into both the state seal and the state flag. The state's official nickname, "The First State" commemorates the fact that on December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first of the 13 original states to ratify the United States Constitution.^[7] Commemorating Delaware's ratification, Constitution Park (one block from where Dover's Golden Fleece Tavern once stood) features a four-foot cube upon which is inscribed the entire document as it has evolved. Delaware has also been called the "Blue Hen State", referring to the official state bird, the Blue Hen Chicken, which was carried with the Delaware Revolutionary War soldiers for cockfighting^[8], and the "Diamond State".^[9] The ferocity of the Blue Hen Chickens carried by Captain Jonathan Caldwell's men in the Revolutionary Army and the prowess of his company led to the nickname of "Caldwell's Gamecocks"^[10] and the nickname of the University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. Along with other traditional symbols such as an official state tree (the American holly) and flower (the peach blossom), legislature has adopted the Delaware Diamond, the first star on the International Star Registry ever to be registered to an American State. The following Delaware state symbols have been approved by the Delaware General Assembly and added to the Delaware Code: The seal of Delaware was first adopted on January 17, 1777, with the current version being adopted April 29, 2004. ... Liberty and Independence is Delawares state motto. ... The Seal of Delaware was first adopted on January 17, 1777, with the current version being adopted April 29, 2004. ... The flag of Delaware consists of a buff-colored diamond on a field of blue, with the coat of arms of the state of Delaware inside the diamond. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... The Blue Hen Chicken was adopted on April 14, 1939 as the state bird of Delaware. ... Binomial name Ilex opaca American holly (Ilex opaca) is a small to medium broadleaved evergreen tree in the family Aquifoliaceae. ... Binomial name (L.) Batsch Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... The official state star of Delaware is Delaware Diamond, located in the constellation of Ursa Major (Great Bear), with coordinates of right ascension 9h 40m 44s and declination 48d 14 2. Title 29 of the state constitution (look to §317) [1] Category: ... ISR Certificate The International Star Registry (ISR) was founded in 1979 and allows people to name a star as a gift or memorial. ...

Geography

Map of Delaware

Delaware is 96 miles long and ranges from 9 to 35 miles across, totaling 1,954 square miles and making it the second-smallest state in the United States after Rhode Island. A basic statewide map of Delaware from the Delaware DataMIL (datamil. ... A basic statewide map of Delaware from the Delaware DataMIL (datamil. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ...

Delaware is bounded to the north by Pennsylvania, to the east by the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean and to the west and south by Maryland. Small portions of Delaware are also situated on the far, or eastern, side of the Delaware River estuary, and these small parcels share land boundaries with New Jersey. This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N... For other meanings, see Estuary (disambiguation) Río de la Plata estuary An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

The state of Delaware, together with the Eastern Shore counties of Maryland and two counties of Virginia, form the Delmarva Peninsula, which stretches far down the Mid-Atlantic Coast. This article is about the U.S. state. ... Delmarva Peninsula map The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by portions of three U.S. states: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. ...

The definition of the northern boundary of the state is highly unusual. Most of the boundary between Delaware and Pennsylvania is defined by an arc extending 12 miles (19 km) from the cupola of the courthouse in New Castle, and is referred to as the Twelve-Mile Circle. This is the only true-arc political boundary in the United States. This border extends all the way east to the low-tide mark on the New Jersey shore, then continues south along the shoreline until it again reaches the twelve-mile arc in the south; then the boundary continues in a more conventional way in the middle of the main channel (thalweg) of the Delaware River Estuary. To the west, a portion of the arc extends past the easternmost edge of Maryland. The remaining western border is a tangent to this arc that runs slightly east of due south from its intersection with the arc. The Wedge of land between the northwest part of the arc and the Maryland border was claimed by both Delaware and Pennsylvania until 1921, when Delaware's claim was confirmed. Cupola of St Peters Basilica, Rome In architecture, a cupola consists of a dome-shaped ornamental structure located on top of a larger roof or dome, often used as a lookout or to admit light and provide ventilation. ... Old New Castle Courthouse. ... The Twelve-Mile Circle The Twelve-Mile Circle is an arc that makes up most of the north-south boundary between the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware in the United States. ... Thalweg (a German word compounded from Tal, valley, and Weg, way) is a term adopted into English usage for geography. ... Circle around The Wedge The Wedge (or Delaware Wedge) is the portion of the border between Delaware and Pennsylvania, between the Twelve-Mile Circle and the intersection of the north-south and east-west portions of the Mason-Dixon Line. ...

Delaware is subdivided into three counties: from north to south, New Castle, Kent County and Sussex.See also: List of counties in Delaware New Castle County is the northern-most county of the three counties in the state of Delaware. ... Kent County is a county located in the central part of the state of Delaware. ... Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the state of Delaware. ... Delawares Three Counties Kent County: Formed in 1685 by William Penn as St. ...

Main articles: Twelve-Mile Circle, The Wedge, Mason-Dixon line, Transpeninsular Line

The Twelve-Mile Circle The Twelve-Mile Circle is an arc that makes up most of the north-south boundary between the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware in the United States. ... For the polling company, see Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. ... The Transpeninsular Line and the Tangent Line portion of the Mason-Dixon Line The Transpeninsular Line (at approximately 38° 27 N) is a surveyed line, the eastern half of which forms the north-south border between Delaware and Maryland. ...

Topography

Delaware is on a level plain; the highest elevation, located at Ebright Azimuth, near Concord High School, Wilmington, does not even rise 450 feet above sea level. The northern part is associated with the Appalachian Piedmont and is full of hills with rolling surfaces. South of Newark and Wilmington, the state follows the Atlantic Coastal Plain with flat, sandy, and, in some parts, swampy ground. A ridge about 75 to 80 feet in altitude extends along the western boundary of the state and is the drainage divide between the two major water bodies of the Delaware River and several streams falling into Chesapeake Bay in the west. Delaware High Point Sign Geodetic Survey Marker Marker Reads: U.S. COAST & GEODETIC SURVEY REFERENCE MARK FOR INFORMATION WRITE TO THE DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON, D.C. $250 FINE OR IMPRISONMENT FOR DISTURBING THIS MARK EBRIGHT AZIMUTH 1933 Southbound View of the Peak from the State Line The Ebright Azimuth is the...

Climate

Since almost all of Delaware is a part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the climate is moderated by the effects of the ocean. The state is somewhat of a transitional zone between a humid subtropical climate and a continental climate. Despite its small size (roughly 100 miles from its northernmost to southernmost points), there is significant variation in mean temperature and amount of snowfall between Sussex County and New Castle County. The southern portion of the state has a somewhat milder climate and a longer growing season than the northern portion of the State. Furthermore, the transitional climate of Delaware supports a surprising variety of vegetation. At Trap Pond State Park in Sussex County, bald cypress grow -- this is thought to be one of the northernmost stands of these trees. The vegetation in New Castle County, on the other hand, is more typical of that of the northeastern United States. All parts of Delaware have relatively hot, humid summers. While Sussex and Kent Counties are considered to fall in the humid subtropical climate zone, there is some debate about whether northern New Castle County falls in the humid subtropical climate zone or warm continental climate. The Atlantic Coastal Plain is the rather flat stretch of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean (including the Gulf of Mexico). ... The humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and chilly to mild winters. ... Regions containing a continental climate exist in portions of Northern Hemisphere continents, and also at higher elevations in certain other parts of the world. ...

History

Main article: History of Delaware

The History of Delaware is the story of a small American state, in the middle of heart of the nation, and yet until recently often isolated and even invisible to outsiders. ...

Native Americans

Before Delaware was settled by European colonists, the area was home to the Eastern Algonquian tribes known as the Unami Lenape or Delaware throughout the Delaware valley, and the Nanticoke along the rivers leading into the Chesapeake Bay. The Unami Lenape in the Delaware Valley were closely related to Munsee Lenape tribes along the Hudson River. They had a settled hunting and agricultural society, and they rapidly became middlemen in an increasingly frantic fur trade with their ancient enemy, the Minqua or Susquehannock. With the loss of their lands on the Delaware River and the destruction of the Minqua by the Iroquois of the Five Nations in the 1670s, the remnants of the Lenape left the region and moved over the Alleghany Mountains by the mid-18th century. The Algonquian (also Algonkian) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic language family (others are Wiyot and Yurok of northwestern California). ... Human taste sensory organs, called taste buds or gustatory calyculi, and concentrated on the upper surface of the tongue, appear to be receptive to relatively few chemical species as tastes. ... For the language, see Lenape language. ... Nanticoke is the name of several places in North America: Nanticoke in New York, United States Nanticoke in Pennsylvania, United States Nanticoke in Ontario, Canada Nanticoke could also refer to: Nanticoke, an Algonquian language. ... The Chesapeake Bay - Landsat photo The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. ... The Lenape or Lenni-Lenape (later named Delaware Indians by Europeans) were, in the 1600s, loosely organized bands of Native American people practicing small-scale agriculture to augment a largely mobile hunter-gatherer society in the region around the Delaware River, the lower Hudson River, and western Long Island Sound. ... , The Hudson River, called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk in Mahican, the Great Mohegan by the Iroquois,[1][2][3] or as the Lenape Native Americans called it in Unami, Muhheakantuck, Θkahnéhtati[4] in Tuscarora), is a river that runs through the eastern portion of New York State and... Susquehannock The Susquehannock people were natives of areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay. ... For other uses, see Iroquois (disambiguation). ... Five Nations can refer to: The original five nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, a union of Native American tribes The Five Nations Championship in rugby union, now the Six Nations Championship The Five Nations of the Eberron Campaign Setting. ... The Allegheny Mountains are a part of the Appalachian mountain range located in the eastern United States. ...

Colonial Delaware

The Dutch were the first Europeans to settle in present-day Delaware by establishing a trading post at Zwaanendael, near the site of Lewes in 1631. Within a year all the settlers were killed in a dispute with area Indian tribes. In 1638, a Swedish trading post and colony was established at Fort Christina (now in Wilmington) by Dutchman Peter Minuit at the head of a group of Swedes, Finns and Dutch. Thirteen years later, the Dutch, reinvigorated by the leadership of Peter Stuyvesant, established a new fort in 1651 at present-day New Castle, and in 1655 they took over the entire Swedish colony, incorporating it into the Dutch New Netherland. The Dutch (Ethnonym: Nederlanders meaning Lowlanders) are the dominant ethnic group[1] of the Netherlands[2]. They are usually seen as a Germanic people. ... Zwaanendael was a settlement established in 1631 by Dutch settlers in the area of present-day Lewes, Delaware. ... Seal of the City of Lewes There are other places called Lewes Lewes (pronounced LOO-is) is an incorporated city located in Sussex County, Delaware. ... // Events February 5 - Roger Williams emigrates to Boston. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ... Fort Christina was the first Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden colony. ... : Chemical Capital of the World , Corporate Capital of the World , Credit Card Capital of the World : A Place to Be Somebody United States Delaware New Castle 17. ... Peter Minuit Peter Minuit == Life and work == Minuits Walloon family, originally from the city of Tournai, was one of many Protestant families that fled persecution from the Roman Catholic government of the Spanish Netherlands (present-day Belgium), and found refuge in the Dutch Republic and Protestant parts of the... Language(s) Finnish, Swedish Languages related to Finnish include Estonian, Karelian, Vepsian, Võro and to a lesser extent, all Finno-Ugric Languages. ... Pieter Stuyvesant is also the name of a Dutch cigarette brand from Imperial Tobacco. ... // Events January 1 - Charles II crowned King of Scotland in Scone. ... Old New Castle Courthouse. ... Events March 25 - Saturns largest moon, Titan, is discovered by Christian Huygens. ... States which were part of New Netherlands Map based on Adriaen Blocks 1614 expedition to New Netherland, featuring the first use of the name. ...

Only nine years later, in 1664, the Dutch were themselves forcibly removed by a British expedition under the direction of James, the Duke of York. Fighting off a prior claim by Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, Proprietor of Maryland, the Duke passed his somewhat dubious ownership on to William Penn in 1682. Penn strongly desired access to the sea for his Pennsylvania province and leased what then came to be known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware" from the Duke. Events March 12 - New Jersey becomes a colony of England. ... James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701)[2] was King of England, King of Scots,[1] and King of Ireland from 6 February 1685 to 11 December 1688. ... Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (August 8, 1605 – November 30, 1675), usually called Cecil, was an English coloniser who was the first proprietor of the Maryland colony. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N... For other uses, see William Penn (disambiguation). ... Year 1682 (MDCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Penn established representative government and briefly combined his two possessions under one General Assembly in 1682. However, by 1704 the Province of Pennsylvania had grown so large that their representatives wanted to make decisions without the assent of the Lower Counties and the two groups of representatives began meeting on their own, one at Philadelphia, and the other at New Castle. Penn and his heirs remained proprietors of both and always appointed the same person Governor for their Province of Pennsylvania and their territory of the Lower Counties. The fact that Delaware and Pennsylvania shared the same governor was not unique. During much of the colonial period, New York and New Jersey shared a governor, as did Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Year 1682 (MDCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Events Building of the Students Monument in Aiud, Romania. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ...

Dependent in early years on indentured labor, Delaware imported more slaves as the number of English immigrants decreased with better economic conditions in England. The colony became a slave society.

American Revolution

Like the other middle colonies, the Lower Counties on the Delaware initially showed little enthusiasm for a break with Britain. The citizenry had a good relationship with the Proprietary government, and generally were allowed more independence of action in their Colonial Assembly than in other colonies. Nevertheless, there was strong objection to the seemingly arbitrary measures of Parliament, and it was well understood that the territory's very existence as a separate entity depended upon its keeping step with its powerful neighbors, especially Pennsylvania. The House of Representatives Chamber of the Parliament of Australia in Canberra. ...

So it was that New Castle lawyer Thomas McKean denounced the Stamp Act in the strongest terms, and Kent County native John Dickinson, became the "Penman of the Revolution." Anticipating the Declaration of Independence, Patriot leaders Thomas McKean and Caesar Rodney convinced the Colonial Assembly to declare itself separated from British and Pennsylvania rule on June 15, 1776, but the person best representing Delaware's majority, George Read, could not bring himself to vote for a Declaration of Independence. Only the dramatic overnight ride of Caesar Rodney gave the delegation the votes needed to cast Delaware's vote for Independence. Once the Declaration was adopted, however, Read signed the document. Thomas McKean Thomas McKean (March 19, 1734–June 24, 1817) was the second President of the United States in Congress assembled, from July 10, 1781, until November 4, 1781. ... A stamp act is a law enacted by a government that requires a tax to be paid on the transfer of certain documents. ... John Dickinson (November 2, 1732 – February 14, 1808) was an American lawyer, artist and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware. ... This article concerns Patriots in the American Revolutionary War. ... Caesar Rodney (October 7, 1728 – June 26, 1784), was an American lawyer and politician from St. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1776 (disambiguation). ... George Read (September 18, 1733 – September 21, 1798) was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware. ...

Initially led by John Haslet, Delaware provided one of the premier regiments in the Continental Army, known as the "Delaware Blues" and nicknamed the "Blue Hen Chickens." In August 1777, General Sir William Howe led a British army through Delaware on his way to a victory at the Battle of Brandywine and capture of the city of Philadelphia. The only real engagement on Delaware soil was the Battle of Cooch's Bridge, fought on September 3, 1777, at Cooch's Bridge in New Castle County. It is believed to be the first time that the Stars and Stripes was flown in battle. John Haslet (about 1727– January 3, 1777) was an American clergyman and soldier from Milford, Delaware in Kent County. ... The Continental Army was an army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. ... The Blue Hen Chicken was adopted on April 14, 1939 as the state bird of Delaware. ... For the surrealist painter, see William Howe (painter). ... Combatants United States Great Britain Commanders George Washington William Howe Strength 10,600 (8,000 present) 17,000 (6,000 present) Casualties 1,200-1,300 casualties 93 killed 488 wounded 6 missing The Battle of Brandywine was a battle of the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1777 (MDCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Cooch’s Bridge, located at Old Baltimore Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, is the site of the historic Battle of Cooch’s Bridge. ...

Following the Battle of Brandywine, Wilmington was occupied by the British, and State President John McKinly was taken prisoner. The British remained in control of the Delaware River for much of the rest of the war, disrupting commerce and providing encouragement to an active Loyalist portion of the population, particularly in Sussex County. Only the repeated military activities of State President Caesar Rodney were able to control them. List of Delaware Governors Governors of New Sweden, 1639-1655 Peter Minuit 1639-1640 Peter Hollandaer Ridder 1640-1643 Johan Björnsson Printz 1643-1653 Johan Papegoya 1653-1654 Johan Classon Rising 1654-1655 Part of New Netherland, 1655-1664 Part of New York, 1664-1682 Part of Pennsylvania, 1682... John McKinly (February 21, 1721–August 21, 1796) was an American physician and politician from Wilmington, Delaware, in New Castle County. ... For other uses, see Loyalist (disambiguation). ...

Following the American Revolution, statesmen from Delaware were among the leading proponents of a strong central United States with equal representation for each state. Once the Connecticut Compromise was reached—creating a U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives—the leaders in Delaware were able to easily secure ratification of the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787, making Delaware the first state to do so. John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise, was an essential agreement between large and small states reached during the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 that in part defined the legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the United States Constitution. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Slavery and race

Many colonial settlers came from Maryland and Virginia which had been experiencing a population boom. The economies of these colonies were largely based on tobacco and were increasingly dependent on slave labor. Most of the English colonists arrived as indentured servants, hiring themselves out as laborers for a fixed period to pay for their passage. In the early years the line between indentured servants and African slaves or laborers was fluid. Most of the free African-American families in Delaware before the Revolution had migrated from Maryland to find more affordable land. They were descendants chiefly of relationships or marriages between free or servant white women and enslaved, servant or free African or African-American men.^[11] As the flow of indentured laborers to the colony decreased with improving economic conditions in England, more slaves were imported. The economy's early growth and prosperity was based on slave labor, devoted first to the production of tobacco. An indentured servant (also called a bonded laborer) is a labourer unde from the employer in exchange for an extension to the period of their indenture, which could thereby continue indefinitely. ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: slave Slave may refer to: Slavery, where people are owned by others, and live to serve their owners without pay Slave (BDSM), a form of sexual and consenual submission Slave clock, in technology, a clock or timer that synchrnonizes to a master clock...

At the end of the colonial period, the number of enslaved people in Delaware began to decline. Shifts in the agriculture economy from tobacco to mixed farming created less need for slaves labor. Local Methodists and Quakers encouraged slaveholders to free their slaves following the American Revolution, and many did so in a surge of manumissions for idealistic reasons. When John Dickinson freed his slaves in 1777, he was Delaware's largest slave owner with 37 slaves. By 1860 the largest slaveholder owned only 16 slaves. Although attempts to abolish slavery failed by narrow margins in the legislature, by the 1860 census 91.7 percent of the black population was free.^[12] There were nearly 20,000 free African Americans.^[13] The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, or Friends, is a religious community founded in England in the 17th century. ... Year 1777 (MDCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... The United States Census of 1860 was the eighth Census conducted in the United States. ... African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ...

The oldest black church in the country was chartered in Delaware by former slave Peter Spencer in 1813 as the "Union Church of Africans." This is now the A.U.M.P. Church. The Big August Quarterly began in 1814 and is the oldest such cultural festival in the country. Categories: Stub | 1782 births | 1843 deaths ... The Spencer Churches (less commonly called the Union Churches) are the two religious denominations that resulted from a schism in the first independent black denomination in the United States, the Union Church of Africans founded by Peter Spencer in Delaware in 1813 and usually called the African Union Church: African... The African Union First Colored Methodist Protestant Church and Connection, usually called the A.U.M.P. Church, is a Methodist Christian denomination and the oldest independent black denomination in the U.S. It was chartered by Peter Spencer (1782-1843) in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1813 as the Union Church... Big August Quarterly is an annual religious festival held in Wilmington, Delaware (sometimes called Big Quarterly or August Quarterly). Begun in 1814 by Peter Spencer in connection with the quarterly meeting (or conference) of the African Union Church -- of the four meetings during the year, the one in August became...

During the American Civil War, Delaware was still defined as a slave state, but it remained in the Union. Delaware voted against secession on January 3, 1861. Delaware had been the first state to embrace the Union by ratifying the Constitution and would be the last to leave it, according to Delaware's governor. While most Delaware citizens who fought in the war served in the regiments of the state, some served in companies on the Confederate side in Maryland and Virginia Regiments. Delaware is notable for being the only slave state not to assemble Confederate regiments or militia groups. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Demographics

Delaware Population Density Map

The five largest ancestries in Delaware are: African American (19.2%), Irish (16.6%), German (14.3%), English (12.1%), Italian (9.3%). Delaware has the highest proportion of African-American residents of any state north of Maryland, and had the largest percentage of free blacks (17% of the state) prior to the Civil War. The United [[States Census of 1790 was the first Census conducted in the United States. ... The United States Census of 1800 was the second Census conducted in the United States. ... The United States Census of 1810 was the third Census conducted in the United States. ... The United States Census of 1820 was the fourth Census conducted in the United States. ... The United States Census of 1830 was the fifth Census conducted in the United States. ... The Sixth Census of the United States, conducted by the Bureau of the Census, determined the resident population of the United States to be 17,069,453 — an increase of 32. ... The Seventh Census of the United States, conducted by the Bureau of the Census, determined the resident population of the United States to be 23,191,876 — an increase of 35. ... The United States Census of 1860 was the eighth Census conducted in the United States. ... The Ninth United States Census was taken in 1870. ... 1880 US Census The United States Census of 1880 was the tenth United States Census. ... The Eleventh United States Census was taken June 1, 1890. ... 1900 US Census The Twelfth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 76,212,168, an increase of 21. ... The Thirteenth United States Census was taken in 1910. ... The Fourteenth United States Census was taken in 1920. ... The Fifteenth United States Census was taken in 1930. ... The Sixteenth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 132,164,569, an increase of 7. ... The Seventeenth United States Census was taken in 1950. ... The Eighteenth United States Census was taken in 1960. ... The Nineteenth United States Census was taken in 1970. ... The Twentieth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 226,545,805, an increase of 11. ... The Twenty-first United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9. ... 2000 US Census logo The Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ... Image File history File links Delaware_population_map. ... Image File history File links Delaware_population_map. ... Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is a self-identification data item in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... German Americans (German Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of ethnic German ances