The Fifty States
The most comprehensive and most up-to-date two-volume reference work available on U.S. states.
The Fourth Edition of Salem Press’ The Fifty States is designed to serve the needs of students, researchers and the general public seeking basic and up-to-date information on individual American states and the District of Columbia. This edition remains a two-volume work, making handling easy and research focused. Each chapter opens with a profile listing of key facts on population, geography, history and other points of interest. This section is followed by a brief state history, state timeline, and notes for further study.
Content in this fourth edition is completely revised. State chapters include several new features, including information on how each state has handled the COVID-19 pandemic as of publication, and a brand new section in each state entitled the Formation of the State, which goes into greater depth about the history of each state’s creation.
New Data on the Formation of the States
Our editors have added a new section that covers the Formation of the States, to allow students and researchers to follow how each state was formed, in an historical context.
Researchers will be able to follow the shape of the United States from the colonial period to the present time, as territories were purchased, states were created. This new section, plus additional information added to each state chapter, allows the user to get a real sense of the United States, the physical boundaries of each state, how it was shaped, and explore the political impacts of each state as it was created
State Stories—Past to Present
Each state chapter opens with basic data on population, geography, history, and other facts, complete with the state flag and seal. A brief history of the state emphasizes the events and forces that have worked to make the state what it is today, and includes a map of the state’s physical features. Additional historical facts are summarized in an up-to-the-minute Timeline, which is followed by detailed Notes for Further Study. This section is visually punctuated by a number of photographs.
Survey Says
This feature shows how the state ranked in more than 30 interesting and important areas—best for families, job growth, and transportation, for example.
County & City Data
Every state chapter also contains a list of its counties, with population and area, along with a list of the state’s largest cities and towns.
Statistical Tables
Over 50 statistical tables are included in each state chapter. These tables allow the user to dive deep into data on Demographics, Vital Statistics, Economy, Land and Water, Health and Medical Care, Housing, Education, Transportation, and Travel, Crime and Law Enforcement, Government and Finance, and Politics. Each state chapter has been revised with the latest statistics and survey results available.
State by State Comparisons and Rankings
This section includes over 50 state-by-state ranking tables. Readers will be able to find out which state uses the most energy per capita, which state has the highest percentage of residents without health insurance, and so much more.
Researchers will uncover a wealth of historical information throughout these pages, to help them develop a deeper understanding of each state’s shape and character, alongside informative and interesting statistical tables that allow state-by-state comparison. A truly unique combination of history, facts, and statistics that take the reader on a journey around the country