State Overview - Delaware

Delaware was admitted to the Union on December 7, 1787, becoming the 1st state.

Delaware ranks 49th in size with an area of 2,490 sq miles.

Delaware has a median household income of $81,400 ranking 15th.

Demonym of Delaware people is Delawarean

Delaware is divided into 3 counties with the most populous county being New Castle (>570k). Delaware's most populous city is Wilmington. Dover is Delaware's capital.

The Dutch were the first Europeans to have settled the area now called Delaware. They established a trading post at Zwaanendael near the modern-day town of Lewes in 1631. Within a year, all of the settlers were killed by Native-American tribes during a dispute. In 1638, New Sweden, a Swedish trading post and colony, was established at Fort Christina (modern-day Wilmington). New Sweden lasted around 17 years, being conquered by the Dutch in 1655, annexing it into the New Netherland.

In 1664, New Netherland was conquered by the English under the direction of James, Duke of York. The Duke later passed the ownership to William Penn. For a brief period, Delaware was part of the province of Pennsylvania. Representatives from Pennsylvania wanted to make decisions without the assent of the lower counties. So the representatives from the two areas started meeting separately. They did elect the same governor, which was not unheard of.

Like the other middle colonies, Delaware initially showed a little enthusiasm for a break from England. New Castle lawyer Thomas McKean had denounced the Stamp Act of 1765 in the strongest terms. Anticipating the Declaration of Independence, patriot leaders had convinced the Colonial Assembly to declare itself independent from British and Pennsylvania rule on June 15, 1776. In August of 1777, General Sir William Howe led the British army through Delaware on their way to the Battle of Brandywine. Following the British victory at Brandywine, Delaware was occupied by the British. In 1787, Delaware became the first US State to be admitted to the Union.

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Many colonial settlers that came to Delaware came from Maryland and Virginia. Those colonies brought a number of slaves to Delaware along with tobacco. After the American Revolution, the number of slaves in Delaware began to increase due to the lack of worker immigration from Great Britain. Most of the free African-Americans in Delaware had migrated from Maryland before the American Revolution for affordable land. By the end of the colonial era, the amount of slaves in Delaware had finally began to decrease.

By 1810, three quarters of all black people in Delaware were free. The largest slaveholder in Delaware in 1777 was John Dickenson, who freed his slaves in 1777, but around 90 years later in 1860, Delaware's largest slaveholder owned just 17. Attempts to abolish slavery in Delaware were defeated by a slim margin, however, the practice of slavery in Delaware had practically ended.

In 1861, Delaware voted against seccesion and stayed in the Union. Delaware had freed all slaves who were in bondage shortly after the Civil War, but Delaware rejected the 13th, 14th, and the 15th amendments to the US Constitution. Delaware officially ratified the amendments in 1901.

- The northern border of Delaware containst part of a circle called the "Twelve Mile Circle"

- Delaware is the first state to join the United States

- Delaware is one of five states without a sales tax

- There are 200 chickens for every 1 person in Delaware

- There are more registered corperations in Delaware than residents

- Delaware has only 3 counties

- The Rescue Dog is the official state dog in Delaware

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