The 50 States
It became the 49th state on January 3, 1959.
Alaska
On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state. An easy way to remember which state came first is to remember that they became states in alphabetical order.
This island city just off the mainland in South Florida is known for its beaches, spring breaks, and its Art Deco District.
Miami Beach
It’s located on a strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway.
IHOP stands for this restaurant.
International House of Pancakes
Some say the first IHOP was intentionally located near a Big Boy restaurant to accommodate Big Boy’s overflow.
He made the first phone call on March 10, 1876.
Alexander Graham Bell
He said to his assistant in the next room, “Mr. Watson, come here.”
This Roman god of beginnings can see forward in time as well as back in time.
Janus
January, the first month of the Gregorian calendar, takes its name from Janus.
This state is known as “America’s Dairyland.”
Wisconsin
The only U.S. Master Cheesemaker program is in Wisconsin. It takes more than 13 years in the program to become a master cheesemaker.
This U.S. city hosts the largest party in the country in the lead-up to Lent.
New Orleans
The biggest party day of the year in New Orleans is on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Similar festivities take place in many parts of the world, and in some places, they are called Carnivale.
Ill-fitting shoes can cause this painful bump.
bunion
The most common bunion is a noticeable bump at the joint where the big toe connects to the foot.
The first skyscraper was built in this city.
Chicago
In 1884, the Home Insurance Building was erected. It stood 10 stories tall and was later expanded to 12 stories before being demolished in 1931.
This Greek god rules Mount Olympus.
Zeus
He was married to Hera, the goddess of marriage and childbirth.
Field of Dreams is set in this state.
Iowa
The field is open to the public, and you can walk on the baseball diamond. A few years ago, an MLB baseball complex was added, which hosts various events.
The largest parade in the world for this celebration takes place on March 17 in New York City.
St. Patrick’s Day
The parade now has around 250,000 participants and around two million spectators. Dublin has the third-largest parade.
This state has been described as the “Mitten State” because of its shape.
Michigan
The Lower Peninsula looks like a mitten. In 1901, Cyclopedia was the first to refer to Michigan as the “Mitten State.”
The first woman in space was from this country.
U.S.S.R./Russia
The cosmonaut (as Russian-trained astronauts are called) was Valentina Tereshkova, and she blasted off on June 16, 1963. She spent three days in space and orbited Earth 48 times.
The Greek god Poseidon and his Roman counterpart Neptune are gods of this place.
the sea
That is how the 1977 film The Poseidon Adventure got its name.
Arizona’s Saguaro National Park is named for this plant.
saguaro cactus
Saguaro cacti are known as “the giants of the cactus world.” They grow their arms when they reach 50–70 years old. The tallest of these slow-growing cacti reached about 78 feet, and the oldest lived about 200 years.
Munich is known for this festival, which runs from late September through early October.
Oktoberfest
It’s the largest folk festival in the world, featuring parades and celebrations of German culture, food, and drink.
This four-word phrase accompanies the Vulcan salute in Star Trek.
“live long and prosper”
It’s used as a greeting or blessing.
These first two government-sponsored health insurance programs were signed into law on the same day as an amendment to the Social Security Act.
Medicare and Medicaid
They were signed into law on July 30, 1965, by President Lyndon Johnson.
The Roman god Pluto rules the underworld; his ancient Greek counterpart is this god.
Hades
Hades was the Greek god of the underworld and brother to Zeus and Poseidon. He was guarded by Cerberus, a three-headed dog.
Hell’s Canyon and Snake River primarily run through two states: Idaho and this.
Oregon
Both Hell’s Canyon and Snake River defy their names and are scenic tourist attractions.
Every July 7–14, Pamplona hosts this celebration that features groups of people running through its streets.
Running of the Bulls
The festival, which resembles New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, is called the Festival of San Fermín.
During World War II, this was the three-letter precursor to the CIA.
OSS
It stands for Office of Strategic Services, the first U.S. independent intelligence agency. It lasted only three years before evolving into the CIA. There was a fierce rivalry between the FBI and the OSS, which ended when the FBI ousted the OSS from South America and claimed the continent under its jurisdiction.
They were reportedly the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
They reached the summit on May 29, 1953.
Njord is the god of the wind and sea in this mythology.
Norse mythology
These stories come from ancient Scandinavia and were passed down through poems and songs before being written down later.