Instructions: Read the passages on the left. Then, for each fact on the right, click the correct column: Delaware, Both, Maryland, or Neither. Selected answers turn blue. When finished, click Submit Answers to check your work.

Delaware

Delaware, one of America’s original 13 colonies, became America’s first state on December 7, 1787. Hence, its nickname is simply the First State. It became the first state when it ratified, or accepted, the United States Constitution. Delaware is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, entirely within the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Its capital is Dover and its largest city is Wilmington. Delaware’s land is mostly flat. Its east coast has many wetlands and popular beaches. Delaware is the second smallest state in America in terms of area, and fifth smallest in terms of population. There are less than a million people who live in Delaware. It borders three states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Delaware and New Jersey are separated by the wide Delaware River.

Maryland

Maryland is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of America. It borders Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia. It was one of America’s original 13 colonies and became its seventh state on April 28, 1788. Maryland’s nickname is the Old Line State. Annapolis is the state’s capital, but Baltimore is its largest city. Baltimore is the home of the one of the nation’s most famous aquariums. Like many of the east coast states, western Maryland is dominated by the Appalachian Mountains, central Maryland features piedmont, and eastern Maryland is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Ocean City, located on Maryland’s Atlantic coast, is a popular destination for beachgoers. Although Maryland is a small state compared to others, it now has more than six million people, and thus, has the fifth highest population density in the country. This means people are more crowded in Maryland than other states.

Fact Delaware Both Maryland Neither
Borders Pennsylvania
The first state
Located entirely within the Atlantic Coastal Plain
Has mountains
Its capital and largest city are the same
People who live here are more crowded than in other states
One of the original 13 colonies
Borders New Jersey
Located in the Mid-Atlantic region

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