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Facts About the State of Delaware

Delaware may be the second smallest state in the USA, but it certainly packs a punch when it comes to its rich history and fascinating facts. Known as the “First State,” Delaware played a vital role in the founding of the United States, with its residents signing the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. From its colonial beginnings to its modern-day charm, Delaware has plenty of stories to tell.

Delaware Facts PDF

Delaware State Facts FAQ

How did Delaware become a state?

Delaware declared its independence from Great Britain on June 15, 1776 and thereby also became independent of Pennsylvania with which it had been connected since 1682. Delaware was the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution and thus became known as the “First State.”

What's Delaware's Flag?

Delaware adopted the current state flag on July 24, 1913. The state seal is enclosed in a buff diamond on a colonial blue background. Below the diamond is printed “December 7, 1787,” the date that Delaware ratified the U.S. Constitution and became the first state.

What's the capital of Delaware?

Dover, named by William Penn for Dover in Kent, England, is the capital of Delaware.

What are the counties of Delaware?

Delaware has 3 counties: New Castle (northern Delaware), Kent (center of Delaware, 11 miles south of Dover), and Sussex (downstate, the largest county, measuring 950 square miles).

How did Delaware get its name?

In 1610 explorer Samuel Argall named the Delaware River and Bay for the governor of Virginia, Thomas West, Lord De La Warr. The state of Delaware takes its name from the river and bay.

What's Delaware's government?

Delaware’s government consists of the General Assembly, made up of a Senate and House of Representatives, the Governor, and the judiciary.

Delaware State Facts Flashcards

State Bird

Blue Hen

Named in February 1939 after the “Fighting Blue Hens” the mascot of Delaware Revolutionary War soldiers.

State Butterfly

Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus)

Adopted June 10, 1999.

State Flower

Peach Blossom

Adopted on May 9, 1895. Beginning in the early 1800s, Delaware became a leading producer of peaches until a blight called “the yellows” destroyed the orchards in the late 1800s.

State Fruit

Strawberry

Adopted as the state fruit in 2010.

State Herb

Sweet Golden Rod

Adopted June 24, 1996 and indigenous to Delaware. Found throughout the state along coastal areas and by marshes.

State Insect

Ladybug

Adopted April 25, 1974, after state schoolchildren petitioned the General Assembly.

State Tree

Holly American

Adopted on May 1,1939. During the late nineteenth century until the 1930s, Sussex County became the leading supplier of holly, used for Christmas decorations and wreaths.

State Fish

Weakfish

Also known as the sea trout or the yellow fin trout, the weak fish was adopted as state fish in 1981, in recognition of sport fishing’s recreational and economic standing in the state of Delaware.

State Beverage

Milk

Adopted on June 3, 1983.

State Colors

Colonial blue and buff

Representing the uniform of General George Washington.

State Shell

Shell of the channeled whelk

Adopted in May 2014.

State Marine Animal

Horseshoe Crab

Adopted on June 25, 2002.

By clicking the image above, a new tab will open to the website for the Lenape Tribe of Delaware.

Land Acknowledgement

We begin by acknowledging with respect, that we gather today in Lenapehoking, traditional homeland of the Lenape people for tens of thousands of years. Sometimes translated “Original People,” the Lenape were known as mediators and called “The Grandfathers”. Encompassing the Delaware River Basin, Lenapehokink includes present-day New Jersey, most of Delaware, the Eastern parts of New York and Pennsylvania, and was home to 20,000 Lenape.

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