Western State Capitals
The West has 13 states and the widest spread of any deck, from Santa Fe, a capital since 1610 and the oldest in the country, to Juneau, which no road connects to the rest of Alaska. The famous cities are mostly the wrong answers: California is governed from Sacramento, Washington from Olympia, Nevada from Carson City and Oregon from Salem. The exceptions are big ones. Phoenix is the most populous state capital in the United States, and Denver, Honolulu, Boise, Cheyenne and Salt Lake City lead their states too.
Practice this set for free — no account needed. Loads 13 flashcards into the learner.
Practice in the free learnerHow to study this set
Do the Pacific coast first, because it holds three of the most-missed cards: Olympia, Salem and Sacramento, north to south. Then take the eight Mountain states in two rows on the map. Helena and Cheyenne are easy to swap, so find Montana and Wyoming on the map before you drill those two cards.
All 13 flashcards
What is the capital of Arizona?
Phoenix
Also the largest city. With more than 1.6 million residents, Phoenix is the most populous state capital in the country.
What is the capital of Colorado?
Denver
Also the largest city. Its official elevation of exactly one mile gives it the nickname “Mile High City”.
What is the capital of Idaho?
Boise
Also the largest city. The capital moved here from Lewiston in 1865.
What is the capital of Montana?
Helena
Billings is the largest city. Helena began as a gold camp in 1864 and became the capital in 1875.
What is the capital of Nevada?
Carson City
Not Las Vegas or Reno. Carson City is named after the frontiersman Kit Carson and has been the capital since 1861.
What is the capital of New Mexico?
Santa Fe
Albuquerque is the largest city. Santa Fe, founded by Spanish colonists in 1610, is the oldest state capital and, at about 7,000 feet, the highest.
What is the capital of Utah?
Salt Lake City
Also the largest city. It was founded in 1847 by Mormon settlers led by Brigham Young.
What is the capital of Wyoming?
Cheyenne
Also the largest city in Wyoming, the least populous state.
What is the capital of Alaska?
Juneau
Not Anchorage, the largest city. Juneau cannot be reached by road, only by boat or plane.
What is the capital of California?
Sacramento
Not Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego. Sacramento, a Gold Rush boomtown, has been the capital since 1854.
What is the capital of Hawaii?
Honolulu
Also the largest city, on the island of Oahu.
What is the capital of Oregon?
Salem
Portland is the largest city. Salem, in the Willamette Valley about 45 miles to the south, has been the capital since 1855.
What is the capital of Washington State?
Olympia
Not Seattle. Olympia, at the southern end of Puget Sound, has been the capital since 1853, when Washington became a territory.
What to learn next
That is all 50 states. To go beyond the US, try “Capitals by Continent”, which covers the capital of every country in five decks, or “Tricky Capitals” in the Capitals category for the international versions of Albany and Sacramento.