Out of all fifty states, a surprising cluster land in the category of states that start with A.
Ask anyone who spends too much time with atlases or trivia flashcards, and they will tell you that states that start with A occupy a special place in geography geekdom. They sit far apart on the map, yet they end up lumped together in memory tests, quiz bowls, and pub trivia nights.
Four states in the US start with A, and they could not be more different. The only thing they share is that first letter, which turns out to be enough to make them a favorite category for trivia nerds and geography fans.
Alabama
Alabama lands first in alphabetical order, which gives it an automatic spotlight in trivia contests. The state carries a heavy record of conflict, invention, and cultural milestones that refuse to fade.
Geography fans and history nerds keep running into Alabama because so many national turning points happened here.
History
Alabama became the 22nd state in 1819. The name comes from the Alabama tribe, with roots in the Choctaw language. Historical weight piles up here in ways that few other states can match.
- Montgomery served as the first capital of the Confederacy.
- The Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 sparked the Civil Rights Movement.
- Selma marches and the clash at Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 changed federal law.
The same landscape once symbolized secession and later became a stage for equal rights.
Geography
Alabama stretches from the Appalachian ridges in the north down to the Gulf Coast. Its rivers slice through fertile plains, forests, and farmland.
Alabama has over 1500 miles of rivers that can be traveled by boat, more than any other state.
- Summers are hot, winters are mild, but tornadoes and hurricanes hit often.
- The Black Belt region, with its rich soil, once fueled cotton farming and shaped politics.
- Mobile stands as one of the oldest European settlements in the country and hosts Mardi Gras celebrations that are older than those in New Orleans.
Trivia
- Rocket engineers from Huntsville built the Saturn V that carried humans to the Moon.
- An electric streetcar system began service in Montgomery in 1886, one of the first in the world.
- Conecuh Ridge Whiskey holds the title as the official state drink.
- College football splits loyalties between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers.
- A strange law once banned carrying an ice cream cone in a back pocket on Sundays.
Alaska
Alaska always feels like the outlier. It sits far from the rest of the United States, big enough to swallow several states whole, and yet most people picture it as ice, bears, and empty land.
Geography nerds love pointing out that Alaska is not only the largest state but also the one with the longest coastline by far.
Living there means dealing with extremes that feel closer to a survival game than everyday life in the Lower 48.
History
The land carried indigenous cultures for thousands of years before Russia staked its claim. In 1867, the United States bought it for 7.2 million dollars in what was called โSewardโs Folly,โ since critics thought it was a frozen wasteland.
Statehood came in 1959, making Alaska the 49th state.
Moments that stand out:
- The Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s pulled thousands into brutal northern conditions.
- World War II placed military bases across Alaska to guard against Japan.
- Oil discoveries at Prudhoe Bay in 1968 turned Alaska into an energy powerhouse.
Geography
Alaska is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana combined. Its land ranges from glaciers and tundra to mountains that tower higher than anywhere else in North America.
The weather swings between endless winter nights and summer days where the sun barely sets.
- Denali rises as the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet.
- The state has more coastline than all other states combined.
- Earthquakes are common, including the 1964 quake near Anchorage, one of the strongest in recorded history.
Trivia
- The town of Barrow, now officially Utqiaฤกvik, has periods where the sun does not rise for more than 60 days.
- More than half of the state is owned by the federal government.
- The famous Iditarod dog sled race covers nearly 1000 miles.
- Mosquitoes are so intense in summer that locals joke they should be the state bird.
- Residents receive an annual dividend from oil revenue through the Alaska Permanent Fund.
Alaska is also among the top 10 states that drink the most alcohol.
Arizona
Arizona usually brings one image to mind: The Grand Canyon. That landmark overshadows everything else, but the state blends deserts, forests, and booming cities.
It is a place of contradictions, where Flagstaff can freeze under snow while Phoenix roasts in triple-digit heat.
History
Arizona joined in 1912 as the 48th state, the last of the lower 48. The name likely comes from a Native word adapted by Spanish settlers. Its past ranges from cliff dwellings to copper mines and frontier shootouts.
- Spanish explorers entered in the 1500s chasing rumors of gold.
- Native communities such as the Hopi and Navajo continue to shape culture.
- Tombstone and other frontier towns became Wild West legends.
Geography
Arizona is more varied than outsiders expect. The southern deserts feel worlds away from the pine forests and mountains of the north.
- The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and over a mile deep.
- More copper is mined in Arizona than in any other state.
- National parks and monuments preserve canyons, mesas, and volcanic fields.
Trivia
- London Bridge was moved stone by stone to Lake Havasu City in 1968.
- The state ignores daylight saving and keeps clocks steady all year.
- Meteor Crater near Winslow remains one of the best-preserved impact sites on Earth.
- Supai is a remote village reached only by foot, mule, or helicopter.
- Cutting down a saguaro cactus is illegal and can lead to prison time.
Arkansas
Arkansas often confuses people with its name. It looks like it should rhyme with Kansas, but French spelling froze the pronunciation as โAr-kan-saw.โ Behind the name sits a state with forests, rivers, and enough quirks to stand out.
History
Arkansas became the 25th state in 1836. Its name traces back to a French version of a Quapaw word.
- The Civil War split the state with deep divisions.
- Little Rock became a national flashpoint in 1957 during the battle over school desegregation.
- Arkansas later produced political figures like Bill Clinton, who gave it global attention.
Geography
Arkansas wears the nickname โThe Natural Stateโ, and that is for a reason. The Ozarks, the Delta, and the Ouachitas give it striking landscapes.
- The Arkansas River runs across the state into the Mississippi.
- Hot Springs National Park protects historic bathhouses.
- The Ozark Mountains cover the northern half with forests, caves, and rivers.
Trivia
- Walmart started in Bentonville and grew into a global giant.
- The fiddle holds official status as the state instrument.
- Crater of Diamonds State Park lets visitors dig for real diamonds and keep them.
- The Razorback nickname comes from wild hogs once roaming in large numbers.
It is also among the states with the highest fertility rates.
Final Thoughts
Alphabet makes the four A states look like a neat little club, but they could not be more different.
Alabama put rockets on the Moon and carried civil rights on its shoulders. Alaska dwarfs every other state and still feels more frontier than modern America. Arizona builds its identity around a canyon so massive it looks fake from an airplane window.
Arkansas hides diamond fields, Walmart, and bathhouse tourism all in one package.
Since there are no states that start with the letter B, we will move on to the ones that start with C in the next article.