December - Week 51 - District of Columbia - DC

District of Columbia

Date established – July 16, 1790, land taken from the states of Maryland and Virginia
Postal abbreviation – DC
Capital – of the United States of America
Area – 68.3 [smallest of all states and territories]
Population as of census 2010 – 601,723 [lower than every state except Vermont and Wyoming]
Population density per square mile – 10,801.5 [more crowded than any state]
Area code – 202
Zip codes – 20001 - 20599
Number of counties – 0
Official nickname –  DC
Official motto – "Justia Omnibus" - Justice for All

Flag of the District of Columbia

Fun facts
-Both Herbert Hoover and John Quincy Adams had pet alligators in the White House.
-John Adams was the first president to live in the White House.
-The White House has 35 bathrooms.
-The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world with more than 162 million objects in its collection. Approximately 12,000 items are added to the collections daily.
-DC residents could not vote in presidential elections until the 23rd amendment was ratified in 1961.
-Both the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers started out as the Washington Senators.
-The Washington Redskins were originally based in Boston.

Law Schools
-American University Washington College of Law
-Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law
-University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law
-Georgetown University Law Center.
-Howard University School of Law
-George Washington University Law School

Military Bases

December - Week 50 - Hawaii - the Aloha State

50 Hawaii

Date admitted to the US – August 21, 1959
Postal abbreviation – HI
Capital – Honolulu
Area – 10,931.7 [47th largest in the US]
Population as of census 2010 – 1,360,301 [39th largest in the US]
Population density per square mile – 211.8 [13th largest in the US]
Area codes – 808
Zip codes – 96701 - 96898
Number of counties – 5
State nickname –  the Aloha State
State motto – "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono" - The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness

State Flag of Hawaii

Fun facts –
-The state of Hawaii consists of eight main islands: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Hawaii.
-Hawaii is the most isolated population center on Earth - 2,390 miles from California; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900 miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
-There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet - Vowels A, E, I, O, U and Consonants H, K, L, M, N, P, W
-From east to west, Hawaii is the widest state in the United States.
-The Hawaiian Islands are the projecting tops of the largest mountain range in the world.
-Hawaii has its own time zone (Hawaiian Standard Time), two hours behind Pacific Standard Time.  There is no daylight savings time.
-Molokai is known as the most Hawaiian Isle.
-The island of Oahu draws the most visitors.
-Kilauea is the world's most active volcano.
-Ka Lae is the southernmost point in the United States.  A constant wind blows east to west at 27 knots per hour, 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
-Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world (measured from its base at the ocean floor). 

Law Schools
-University of Hawai'i at Manoa - William S. Richardson School of Law

Military facts
Military bases

December - Week 49 - Alaska - The Last Frontier

49 Alaska

Date admitted to the US – January 3, 1959
Postal abbreviation – AK
Capital – Juneau
Area – 665,383.9 [1st largest – largest- in the US]
Population as of census 2010 – 710,231 [48th largest in the US]
Population density per square mile – 1.2 [50th largest – smallest – in the US]
Area codes – 907
Zip codes – 99501 – 99950
Number of counties – 27
State nickname –  The Last Frontier
State motto – “North to the Future”

State Flag of Alaska

Fun facts –
-In 1867, US Secretary of State William Seward offered Russia $7,200,000, or two cents per acre, for Alaska.
-The state of Rhode Island could fit into Alaska 425 times.
-Prudhoe Bay, on the northern Alaskan coast, is North America's largest oil field.
-The 800 mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline moves up to 88,000 barrels of oil per hour.
-Nearly one-third of Alaska lies within the Arctic Circle.
-When a scale map of Alaska is superimposed on a map of the 48 lower states, Alaska extends from coast to coast.

Law Schools
-None 

Military facts
Military bases

November - Week 48 - Arizona - Grand Canyon State

48 Arizona

Date admitted to the US – February 14, 1912
Postal abbreviation – AZ
Capital – Phoenix
Area – 113,593.91 [6th largest in the US]
Population as of census 2010 – 6,392,017 [16th largest in the US]
Population density per square mile – 56.3 [33rd largest in the US]
Area codes – 480, 520, 602, 623, 928
Zip codes – 85001 – 86556
Number of counties – 15
State nickname –  Grand Canyon State
State motto – "Ditat Deus," God Enriches  

State Flag of Arizona

Fun facts –
-Most of Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time on a year round basis. The Navajo Nation, located in the northeast corner of the state, observes the daylight savings time change.
-The age of a saguaro cactus is determined by its height.
-At one time camels were used to transport goods across Arizona. 

Law Schools
-University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law 
-Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

Military facts 
Military Bases

November - Week 47 - New Mexico - Land of Enchantment

47 New Mexico

Date admitted to the US – January 6, 1912
Postal abbreviation – NM
Capital – Santa Fe
Area – 121,590.1 [5th largest in the US]
Population as of census 2010 – 2,059,179 [36th largest in the US]
Population density per square mile – 17.0 [45th largest in the US]
Area codes – 505
Zip codes – 87001 - 88439
Number of counties – 33
State nickname –  Land of Enchantment
State motto – "Crescit eundo" - It grows as it goes 

State Flag of New Mexico

Fun facts –
-Santa Fe is the highest capital city in the United States at 7,000 feet above sea level.
-Each October, Albuquerque hosts the world's largest international hot air balloon fiesta.
-One out of every four workers in New Mexico works directly for the Federal Government.
-Tens of thousands of bats live in the Carlsbad Caverns. Its largest chamber is more than 10 football fields long and about 22 stories high. 

Law Schools
-University of New Mexico School of Law

Military facts 
Military Schools
Military Bases

November - Week 46 - Oklahoma - the Sooner State

46 Oklahoma

Date admitted to the US – November 16, 1907
Postal abbreviation – OK
Capital – Oklahoma City
Area – 69,898.8 [19th largest in the US]
Population as of census 2010 – 3,751,351 [28th largest in the US]
Population density per square mile – 54.7 [36th largest in the US]
Area codes – 405, 580, 918
Zip codes – 73001 - 74966
Number of counties – 77
State nickname –  The Sooner State
State motto – "Labor omnia vincit" - Labor Conquers All Things

State Flag of Oklahoma

Fun facts –
-The world's first parking meter was set in Oklahoma City, on July 16, 1935.
-Boise City, Oklahoma was the only city in the United States to be bombed during World War II.  A B-17 Bomber based at Dalhart Army Air Base dropped six practice bombs on the town on July 5, 1943.
-The National Cowboy Hall of Fame is located in Oklahoma City.
-The town of Beaver claims to be the Cow Chip Throwing Capital of the World. The World Championship Cow Chip Throw is held here each April.
-Oklahoma is tribal headquarters for 39 Native American tribes.
-April 22, 1889 was the first day homesteading was permitted.  On that date, 50,000 people swarmed into the area. Those who tried to beat the noon starting time were called Sooners.

Law Schools
-University of Oklahoma College of Law 
-Oklahoma City University School of Law 
-University of Tulsa College of Law

Military facts
Military Bases

November - Week 45 - Utah - the Beehive State

45 Utah

Date admitted to the US – January 4, 1896
Postal abbreviation – UT
Capital – Salt Lake City
Area – 84,896.9 [12th largest in the US]
Population as of census 2010 – 2,763,885 [33rd largest in the US]
Population density per square mile – 33.6 [41st largest in the US]
Area codes – 435, 801
Zip codes – 84001 - 84791
Number of counties – 29
State nickname –  The Beehive State
State motto – Industry  

State Flag of Utah

Fun facts –
-The world's first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met on May 10, 1869.
-The Great Salt Lake covers 2,100 square miles, with an average depth of 13 feet. The deepest point is 34 feet.
-Because of the state's inland location, Utah's snow is unusually dry, “the world's greatest powder”. Fourteen Alpine ski resorts operate in Utah.
-Utah has the highest literacy rate in the nation.

Law School
-Brigham Young University - J Reuben Clark Law School 
-University of Utah, SJ Quinney College of Law

Military facts
Military bases