Iowa State Flag
Iowa became the twenty-ninth state of the United States in 1846. It was named after the Iowa Indian tribe. The area was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1838 it, along with parts of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, was part of the Iowa Territory. Des Moines is the state capital, and its nickname is the Hawkeye State. Iowa ranks 26th in area and 31st in population. It is still a leading producer of corn, cattle, and hogs. Children can visit an Internet site at: Iowa. Idea: Iowa has only four letters in its name. It and two other states have the shortest names. Children could arrange the states’ names according to how many letters are in each name. Which state has the longest name?