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Learning the 50 US states is a challenge most American kids have to face. It is a daunting but rewarding task so the obvious thing is to look for an easy way. There are many resources available:

Rote learning of states
Word-association techniques for states
States mnemonics
Census-Bureau Regions chunking
States song lyrics
States videos
Verse poems for states
States games

Which one is best?

We all differ, so some of us learn best by seeing and doing, and others from reading and repeating. It is worth trying out a few different methods to find what works for you.

Learning States by Rote

Simple repetition or learning by rote is the old-fashioned, hair-shirt approach favored in the past by schoolteachers steeped in a belief that suffering was good for the soul. There is no doubt that it works, and probably has a longer-lasting effect than more trendy methods. However, will today's spoilt-for-choice-kids take to that idea if there is an alternative?

States Word-association technique

The states word-association technique involves having a numerical list linked to an object using rhyme. For a long list like the 50 states it helps to subdivide into groups of ten further distinguished with the use of color as another memory aid. A good example is explained here.

States Mnemonics

A mnemonic is a word or phrase where its individual letters are the starting letters of the words to be remembered. For example: the colors of the rainbow can be remembered with "Roy G. Biv". The list of 50 states and capitals is a more daunting challenge. A mnemonic for learning the 50 States of America can be found at clarkscript.com To get a meaningful mnemonic for all the 50 states in alphabetical order is probably impossible. The occurrence of so many states with the same first letter is a problem. Plus five with "New" in the name.

States Census-Bureau Region Chunking

Dividing the American states into Census-Bureau regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, and West, and learning by chunking is probably less stressful. Progress can be seen as each region is mastered. An excellent example with mnemonics can be found from the link below.

States Song Lyrics

Song lyrics are a good way to go as an addition to the other methods. The memory is supported by the melody and it is a lot of fun. It also helps to teach the correct pronunciation.

50 States Videos

There are a number of videos that combine visual and sound. In the Animainiacs video you see the outline map of the states and as the Wakko song progresses with each name you see the state filled in with color to identify it. There have been a number of videos on this theme and many are worth checking out.

States Verse

A list of individual state limericks with the state and capital can be found here. These provide humor and are well written to standard limerick format. This gives a nice sing-song quality to aid retention.

Learning States Games

Grasp the USA this combines various games to teach and reinforce the states and capitals. Includes a jigsaw and time zone explanation.
Flix Animations' Animated States and Capitals game is a long-established, award-winning game to teach states and capitals with a full-screen click-able U.S. Map. It teaches names and locations of states and capitals in a number of colorful ways. Flix Productions

You are spoiled for choice in methods but whatever you choose a certain amount of hard work is involved. However, it is worthwhile because knowing the 50 states and capitals is beneficial to most people and not just Americans.

My vote for best way to learn the 50 states of America goes to the regional chunking method.

Promising yourself or junior a reward for learning all the 50 states and capitals is a good study booster. Why not consider that proud symbol of America - a new felt cowboy hat?

William Clark is a cowboy fan. New Felt Cowboy Hat. Links to resources mention can be found http://www.clarkscript.com/learn-50-states.html

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Did you ever wonder why the United States is called a melting pot? Do you even know what it means to call our country a melting pot?

This great land of ours has been attracting people from all over the world since its independence from British rule in 1783, at the end of the Revolutionary War. They came to this country leaving behind their homeland in order to make a better life for themselves. On the Statue of Liberty it reads "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...". The Constitution of the United States starts with the words "We the people...". This is what our country is all about.

"We the people" are from Asia, Europe, South America, from every corner of the world. People have come and are still coming to this great country to become an American. This privilege of becoming a citizen should not be taken lightly. Becoming a citizen gives you the right to Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness this being our Declaration of Independence. The pride of becoming a legal citizen and enjoying the freedoms that come with it is a dream come true for all the immigrants that come here.

The result of the melting pot are American citizens who become part of the history of our nation, who become the defenders of our freedom and who bring their own individual talents and culture to meld into this great society. We are Asian American, Euro American, Mid Eastern American, Afro American. We are all Americans under the red, white and blue flag.

Some people have mistaken our pride for our country and have called us arrogant. And still "we the people" have been there for the rest of the world during times of strife, such as world wars, famine, disease, etc... wherever, and whenever, we are needed we are there. Even those countries that are less than friendly to us, we come to their aid in time of need.

This country is great and will remain great if we hold on to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights that are the foundation of this nation. No man or country will ever be allowed to take these truths from us, not a mislead president or a misguided congress. This is our country and we are here because of what it stands for --- Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness and "All men are created equal".

Celebrate our wonderful country and visit Mall4Men.com where you will find military watches and rings, sports watches, stainless steel jewelry and more. There is also a Gifts4Her Department for convenient shopping for your loved ones. Quality products at reasonable prices. Many items feature free shipping.

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A Patriot's History of the United States of America, written by Larry Schweikart, covers the history of the United States from its discovery by Columbus in 1492, up until around 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit. This well-researched and footnoted book gives an overview of history that is rarely covered so extensively in other books. Even if you think you remember quite a bit from American history class in high school, this book will probably bring up points that you either never knew or no longer remember.

What You'll Find

Although this book is about America, the book begins with Europe. It is difficult to understand Columbus's voyage without taking a look at Marco Polo and Vasco de Gama. Columbus's voyage didn't happen in a vacuum; Schweikart does an excellent job of tying in the events of Europe to the discovery of America. Similarly, the author briefly discusses the Aztecs, even though they lived in South America; although the Spanish were not innocent in their conquering in South America, the Aztecs and other South American natives were not the peaceful people that some history books make them out to be. Throughout the book, the author tries to fairly portray both the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of the story.

The Patriot's History of the United States covers all the major figures of history, as well as some that are lesser known, but nevertheless, important. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin's contributions, but so are the contributions of people like Queen Liliuokalani and Mike Fink. Many of the players in the last part of the book are more familiar to us, like Colin Powell and Sadaam Hussein, because their names were all over the news in our lifetime.

The book discusses every major period of American history. It covers the colonial period, Revolutionary War, the forming of the nation, western expansion, Civil War, reconstruction, the modern wars of the 20th century, and the history of the United States that many of the book's readers would have lived through. It tries to take an honest look at each event; some of Andrew Jackson's actions are not viewed with rosy glasses, neither are some of the American's actions towards the Native Americans. The honesty helps you learn things that you may not have seen in school, where the textbooks sometimes go out of their way to paint the United States in an overly-patriotic way.

Structure of the Book

Each chapter of A Patriot's History of the United States of America is laid out in a similar format, with a short introduction, a timeline, and then the remainder of the chapter, broken up into manageable sections. This style makes the book easy to read; the layout also makes it easy to look up specific events. Although there is an index in the back of the book, if you cannot remember the name of a specific person or event, the index will not be of use. If you wanted to look up a rebellion that happened in Virginia in the late 1600s, but couldn't remember that it was called Bacon's Rebellion, this format is quite useful.

Throughout the chapters, there are extra sections that will answer questions that don't really fit into the overall narrative of the story. These sections ask questions like "Did Columbus Kill Most of the Indians?" or "Daniel Boone, Civilizer or Misanthrope?" Schweikart lists his sources after these sections, in case you want to read more about the subject.

At the end of the book, there are 69 pages of notes. As I read the book, I found myself turning to the notes when the author mentioned a fact or a conclusion that is new to me. Schweikart uses books, original sources, magazine articles, and reputable web sites to come to his conclusions.

If you are looking for a book that can give you an overview of American history that ties it into what came before and looks forward to the future, A Patriot's History of the United States of America is well worth a look.

Brooke Lorren enjoys reading history books. She has compiled an extensive list of recommended books in the historical genre, originally suggested on the Glenn Beck program.

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Certain types of American food are unique to - or strongly associated with - a particular state. Some have achieved widespread popularity, while others have remained offbeat and peculiar, sometimes for obvious reasons. Here are some eye-opening examples:

THE OTHER RED MEATS

The Inupiat Eskimos in Barrow, Alaska hold an annual spring ceremony celebrating the capture of a bowhead whale. During the celebration, a whaling crew serves whale meat and blubber fermented in blood. One non-native reviewer has said the blubber tastes like a big lump of fat. Another adventurous traveler described the meat as tasting like the under-padding of a nasty old carpet. It would seem that a diet of whale meat would suit anyone who's trying to lose weight.

People in Montana are fond of a dish called Rocky Mountains oysters, which are not oysters at all. You WISH they were oysters. They are actually calves' testicles. When calves are branded, the testicles are cut off and thrown into a bucket of water. They are then peeled, washed, rolled in flour and pepper, and fried in a pan. When properly seasoned and breaded, Rocky Mountain oysters have a slightly liver-like flavor, with a chewy texture similar to chicken gizzards. They are said to be equally delicious whether sliced thin or marinated whole. You have to be somewhat marinated yourself to try these, but Montana restaurants serve them all year round, and "Testicle Festivals" are popular throughout the state. Festival activities include chugging beer, starting fights, and buying souvenirs with catchy slogans like, "I Had a Ball at the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fest." Bon Appetit!

SOMETHING FISHY

The state of Maine is famous for the biggest, freshest, juiciest, most flavorful lobsters anywhere, and lobster festivals are popular throughout the state. The taste of fresh lobster bears a passing resemblance to crab, but lobster is richer, meatier, smoother, juicier, and sweeter. The best (some say ONLY!) way to eat these beauties is steamed whole and served with lemon and drawn butter. But many lobster lovers agree that a fresh Maine lobster needs no accompaniment and should be served plain. Maine lobsters are shipped live all over the U.S., but the biggest, juiciest, healthiest ones are snapped up by Maine fisherman and local consumers before they even leave the dock. If you really want to eat a Maine lobster, there's no place like Maine.

Louisiana, having more miles of ocean shoreline than any other mainland state, is very proud of its seafood. Alligator, a popular ingredient in Cajun cuisine, is probably the state's most unique contribution to the American seafood diet. Alligator tastes somewhat like shark or swordfish, only meatier. It's often prepared blackened, or with sweet & sour flavorings. So the next time you visit New Orleans, don't be afraid of the alligators on your menu. They are just as tasty to you as you are to them.

FRUITS & VEGGIES

The Saguaro Cactus blossom is Arizona's official state flower. The sweet, red fruits of this cactus are edible, and are often used to make jam.

The state of Georgia produces a sweet crunchy onion called the Vidalia onion. The town of Vidalia holds an Onion Festival every April, featuring many award winning recipes. Vidalia onion products are packaged & sold in stores locally and online. These include many unique dressings, marinades, relishes and salsas.

TO YOUR HEALTH

Utah has a large Mormon population, and Mormons shun alcoholic beverages. This has led to the invention of a local product called Apple Beer, a non-alcoholic variant of a German beverage called Fassbrause. Apple Beer is produced by The Apple Beer Corporation in Salt Lake City, and is used in many recipes, such as APPLE BEER BBQ PORK CHOPS and APPLE BEER GRAVY & MEATBALLS. Some brave souls even drink the stuff straight.

Two of the best known culinary contributions to American culture are Kentucky Bourbon and Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey. These products appear in hundreds of recipes. Nevertheless, many Jack Daniels & Bourbon enthusiasts prefer to bypass the recipes and enjoy the key ingredient directly. These folks might also enjoy the Rocky Mountain Oysters.

For a state-by-state list of regional delicacies, visit http://www.top50states.com

Judee Shipman is a professional writer, avid traveler, and creator of Top-50-States.com

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