Overview

How did our states get their names? The words that became the names of the fifty states originated from all over the world, from India to Polynesia, from Europe to early America. As European explorers began to settle in the New World, the pronunciation and spelling of the words changed and re changed. The explorers and settlers of the various nationalities each had their own pronunciations of these words. Sometimes the words were sourced from written materials, but more often they were borrowed from spoken languages. In some cases, several variations of the words were used before the name of a state was actually formed.This book explores the root words that became the names of the states. It lists this for all fifty states, as well as the origin for America, Unites States, and Washington, D.C., and gives a brief history of each state. The book was written as a research source. It is concise, loaded with historical information, and enjoyable for all ages.