# US States Quiz **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307 "2004-10-09T01:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/1 "2004-10-09T01:18:00Z")
Here’s a few questions concerning the states of the United States. And no fair googling these answers. 1. Of the 48 continental United Staes, what was the longest gap between states being admitted to the Union? 2. Two states (not including the 13 original colonies and Alaska and Hawaii) were admitted that (at the time of admission) did not touch any other state. Which two? 3. Only one state was completely surrounded by other states when admitted, Name it. 4. Which two states were admitted on the same day? 5. Which two other states were admitted in the same month? ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/2 "2004-10-09T01:30:33Z")
Completely off the top of my head: 1. Of the 48 continental United Staes, what was the longest gap between states being admitted to the Union? **I really don’t have a clue on this one, but I’m going to guess it was the gap between New Mexico (State 48) and whatever was before it (I can’t recall). I have no idea how long it was in years.** 1. Two states (not including the 13 original colonies and Alaska and Hawaii) were admitted that (at the time of admission) did not touch any other state. Which two? **California and Missouri** 1. Only one state was completely surrounded by other states when admitted, Name it. **West Virginia** 1. Which two states were admitted on the same day? **North and South Dakota** 1. Which two other states were admitted in the same month? **Alaska and Hawaii** ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/3 "2004-10-09T01:34:33Z")
I would appear to have scored 2 out of 5, with partial credit on one. What can I say, I was a Math major! ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/4 "2004-10-09T01:37:54Z")
1. The state before New Mexico was Oklahoma, but that’s wrong. There was only a 4 year gap there. 2. California is right, but not Missouri (Kentucky and Tennessee were already admitted) 3. Correct 4. Correct 5. I realize I phrased that question wrong. Revised 5. Which two other states were admitted in the same month as the two states in the above question? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/5 "2004-10-09T04:56:16Z")
The 48th state was Arizona in February 1912. Oklahoma was the 46th in 1907 and New Mexico was the 47th in January 1912. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/6 "2004-10-09T05:02:19Z")
Here’s another question: What two states, which do not share a border, are closest to each other? (It’s not a trick question based on the four corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.) ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/7 "2004-10-09T05:13:02Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > Here’s another question: What two states, which do not share a border, are closest to each other? (It’s not a trick question based on the four corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.) My best guess would New Jersey and Maryland, separated by Delaware. However, Massachusetts and Maine (separated by the New Hampshire coastline around Portsmouth) must run that pretty close. I’d have to look at a map to decide! ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/8 "2004-10-09T05:15:05Z")
> [@](#): > > What two states, which do not share a border, are closest to each other? New York and New Hampshire, although Texas/Kansas and Vermont/Maine come pretty close. Washington/Montana are in the same catgory, but not as close. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/9 "2004-10-09T05:16:43Z")
Mississippi/Florida beats Washington/Montana, but I’ll still bet on New York/New Hampshire for closest. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/10 "2004-10-09T05:22:43Z")
Since we seem to be allowing multiple guesses, I’d say that New York / Connecticut must be chasing New Jersey / Delaware for shortest distance. I’ve just noticed that none of my guesses match **tomndebb** ’s. That makes me nervous… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/11 "2004-10-09T05:50:09Z")
The answer I was going for was New York and Rhode Island. Fisher Island, which is part of New York, is less than two miles off the shore of Rhode Island. But I may have to concede this one. I’ve always thought of Delaware and New Jersey as having a border but they are separated by the Delaware River. If the bridge that connects the two states doesn’t count as a shared border then they are separated but closer than New York and Rhode Island. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/12 "2004-10-09T06:14:35Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > The answer I was going for was New York and Rhode Island. Fisher Island, which is part of New York, is less than two miles off the shore of Rhode Island. > > But I may have to concede this one. I’ve always thought of Delaware and New Jersey as having a border but they are separated by the Delaware River. If the bridge that connects the two states doesn’t count as a shared border then they are separated but closer than New York and Rhode Island. Ah, I both misunderstood you and made a typo. My **typo** was that in post #10 I meant to write “New Jersey / Maryland, separated by Delaware”, as I had previously done in post #7. I would agree with you that New Jersey and Delaware share a border (the Delaware River) and thus does not qualify. My misunderstanding, however, is that I thought that by “not touching” you meant that another state intervened, as in the case of my (and **tomndebb** ’s) examples. By _my_ understanding of your question I would say that NY / RI doesn’t qualify, since I think that there **is** a NY / RI border but it’s in the Long Island sound. If we now say “aquatic borders don’t count” then I’ll have to rethink. Fisher’s Island NY certainly sounds like it would be hard to beat. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/13 "2004-10-09T06:25:51Z")
Here’s one that’s bugged me for some time… Which states share the shortest common border. Actually, a list of the top 10 would be nice. I have no idea. Some borders come to mind: TX - AR VA - KY VA - TN NC - GA OK - NM KY - MO TN - MO NE - MO OK - MO Plus all those itty-bitty states in the north east. ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/14 "2004-10-09T06:30:53Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > But I may have to concede this one. I’ve always thought of Delaware and New Jersey as having a border but they are separated by the Delaware River. I was just about to point out that you’d be conceding to an unintentional submission by me, when I decided to actually take a look at a map! It turns out that there are two places where DE has land on the eastern bank of the Delaware River. One of them is in the Killcohook National Wildlife Refuge (most of which is in NJ). Thus, DE and NJ share a land boundary even if you don’t count the bridge, and the typo is disqualified. If water boundaries count, then NY / RI are disqualified and I resubmit MD / NJ which have about 11 miles of DE separating them. NJ / CT are also about 11 miles apart (NY intervening), and MA / ME about 14 miles (NH being in the way). If one redefines the problem as “shortest driveable distance” then MA/ME wins it as it’s a straight shot up I-95 through NH. Your question was fun though! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/15 "2004-10-09T06:35:01Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Which states share the shortest common border. Actually, the shortest is probably 4-corners, but others that come to mind are: IA - SD MT - SD OK - CO ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/16 "2004-10-09T06:50:05Z")
Much guessing is involved here (not reading the answers first) I’m guessing the answer for the first one is not “Hawaii and the 51st state, whatever that is.” > [@](#): > > 1. Two states (not including the 13 original colonies and Alaska and Hawaii) were admitted that (at the time of admission) did not touch any other state. Which two? California has to be one. Maybe Texas is the other? > [@](#): > > 1. Only one state was completely surrounded by other states when admitted, Name it. I’m going to say Oklahoma. Maine might sorta count also- or West Va. for that matter. They were both created out of other states, but were surrounded after a fashion. > [@](#): > > 1. Which two states were admitted on the same day? AZ and NM? > [@](#): > > 1. Which two other states were admitted in the same month? Missouri and Kansas? ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/17 "2004-10-09T07:34:48Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Which states share the shortest common border. Actually, a list of the top 10 would be nice. I have no idea. PA-DE is about 30 miles – but hard to measure because it’s (uniquely I believe) an arc of a circle! OK-MO is ~34.4 miles (straight) OK-NM is ~35 miles (straight) Some of the others go along wiggly rivers, which makes them much longer than they appear on a map of the whole lower 48. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/18 "2004-10-09T07:43:25Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Two states (not including the 13 original colonies and Alaska and Hawaii) were admitted that (at the time of admission) did not touch any other state. Which two? The other one would be the State of Washington, on the coast and bordering another country. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/19 "2004-10-09T08:04:36Z")
> [@Odinoneeye](#): > > Here’s a few questions concerning the states of the United States. > > And no fair googling these answers. > > 1. Of the 48 continental United Staes, what was the longest gap between states being admitted to the Union? Guessing Utah and AK/HI. > [@](#): > > 1. Two states (not including the 13 original colonies and Alaska and Hawaii) were admitted that (at the time of admission) did not touch any other state. Which two? Montana and Washington St. > [@](#): > > 1. Only one state was completely surrounded by other states when admitted, Name it. Nevada. > [@](#): > > 1. Which two states were admitted on the same day? Alaska and Hawai’i. > [@](#): > > 1. Which two other states were admitted in the same month? There are at least 15 of them - the two you’re looking for here and the 13 original colonies:-p > [@](#): > > Here’s another question: What two states, which do not share a border, are closest to each other? (It’s not a trick question based on the four corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.) I was actually thinking Virginia and Pennsylvania, unless someone’s aware of a place where they touch. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307/20 "2004-10-09T08:05:10Z")
I remember this question from somewhere, but not its answer. There are many points where two states meet. In fact, an infinite number of them, all along every border. There is only one point where four states meet. At how many points do exactly states meet? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-quiz/268307.md?page=2)