State Guides to Capitals

State Guides to Capitals — page 1 — Alabama Capital Montgomery Montgomery is the capital of Alabama Transportation has always been important here American Indians used nearby paths rivers and streams Later railroads connected the city to bigger cities like New Orleans and New York Montgomery was the ﬁ rst city in the Americas to have an electric streetcar system The Wright Brothers had a ﬂ ying school there but it closed after only one student graduated In 1955 African Americans stopped riding the buses in Montgomery They were protesting the unequal treatment of African Americans For a whole year most walked or were driven in cars They only rode them again after the Supreme Court of the United States said that everyone on the buses had to be treated the same City founded 1819 Became Capital Population 1846 200,602 people 2015 estimate City area 159 square miles 414 square kilometers 4

State Guides to Capitals — page 2 — Alaska Capital Juneau Juneau is the capital of Alaska The city was named for a miner who discovered gold there Forest and steep mountains surround the city right up to the water It is an important port because it does not get covered in ice in winter It does not have to close like other ports in Alaska Juneau is on a narrow strip of Alaska’s mainland There are islands between it and the Paciﬁ c Ocean In 1970 Juneau and Douglas Island joined together Now Juneau covers the largest area of any city in the United States Also it is the only capital to border a foreign country Canada City founded 1880 Became Capital Population Territorial Capital 1906 State Capital 1959 32,756 people 2015 estimate City area 2,702 square miles 6,998 square kilometers 5

State Guides to Capitals — page 3 — Arizona Capital Phoenix Phoenix is the capital of Arizona Thousands of people have moved to Phoenix since the 1970s The city also grew by joining with nearby communities Today it has more people than any other state capital Unlike older capitals it is very spread out with many centers The region used to have many ranches and farms Today most people have jobs that help other people or build things such as electronic equipment Phoenix is in the hot dry Sonoran Desert The city depends on the water found below the ground or in the Colorado River The faster the city grows the more water it needs City founded 1868 Became Capital Population Territorial Capital 1889 1,563,025 people 2015 estimate State Capital 1912 City area 517 square miles 1,339 square kilometers 6

State Guides to Capitals — page 4 — Arkansas Capital Little Rock Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas It was an important trade center for farmers Goods traveled from Little Rock down the Arkansas River to the Mississippi River Today goods also move along Little Rock’s major highways This has helped make Little Rock the largest city in Arkansas Bill Clinton was Governor of Arkansas and then President of the United States A special library was built in Little Rock The William J Clinton Presidential Center tells about his life and his time as president City founded 1820 Became Capital Population Territorial Capital 1820 197,992 people 2015 estimate State Capital 1836 City area 119 square miles 308 square kilometers 7

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