1

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Founded in 1682 as the capital of the Province of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia was, from the start, a center for philosophical debates, science, and trade. Due to its central location among the Thirteen Colonies, it played a key role in the American Revolution , hosting the First and Second Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1776, and as the birthplace of the United States with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. After the war, it also hosted the 1787 Constitutional Convention, where the Constitution was drafted and signed. Philadelphia also served as the temporary U.S. capital during the construction of Washington, D.C., from 1790 to 1800.

2

Boston, Massachusetts

Established in 1630 by English Puritans, the city of Boston was crucial in accelerating the start of the American Revolutionary War . Among the rising tensions caused by new taxes imposed by the British Parliament, the 1770 confrontation between soldiers and colonists known as the "Boston Massacre" was the initial spark that led to the 1773 Boston Tea Party and later on to the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the Revolutionary War. One of the main American ports, Boston has unfortunately suffered several natural and man-made disasters in its history, such as the Great Molasses Flood in 1919 and the New England Hurricane of 1938.

3

New York City, New York

Originally a Dutch settlement, New York City is currently the most populous city in the U.S. and one of the cultural and economic capitals of the world, but it also played a central role in the beginning of American history. Occupied by British forces during most of the American Revolution, it later served as the first capital of the U.S., with George Washington being sworn in as the first American president at Federal Hall. During the 19th and early-20th centuries, New York City became the gateway to America through Ellis Island , the busiest immigration inspection station between 1892 and 1954, which served as the entry point for more than 12 million immigrants.

4

Washington, D.C.

Conceived in 1789 as the national capital under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress, the location of Washington, D.C. on the banks of the Potomac was chosen by George Washington himself, although the entirety of his time in office happened in Philadelphia. Established as the seat of government in 1800, the city was set on fire by British troops in 1814. As the political core of America, Washington, D.C. has been the location of many crucial events in American history , such as the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the 1963 March on Washington, and the 1960s protests against the Vietnam War.

5

Atlanta, Georgia

A railroad end station in its origins, Atlanta rose to prominence shortly after the Civil War as the new capital of Georgia, quickly becoming an industrial hub and one of the unofficial capitals of the South. Considered one of the powerhouses of African-American wealth, a fact that clashed with the strong enforcement of Jim Crow laws, it is not surprising that Atlanta became the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement and of one of its leaders, Martin Luther King, Jr. From boycotts, desegregation lawsuits, student movements, and powerful public demonstrations, Atlanta was one of the epicenters of social change that culminated in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

6

Chicago, Illinois

The most populous city in the state of Illinois, Chicago was at the center of the American Labor Movement . Destroyed in the 1871 Chicago Fire, its reconstruction followed strict building codes and became a benchmark for urban fire safety. In 1886, a peaceful rally in support of the eight-hour workday turned catastrophic when a bomb sparked a confrontation between protestors and the police, an event that kickstarted the Labor Movement and that was the origin of the May 1st International Workers’ Day.

7

San Francisco, California

Established by the Spanish as the San Francisco Mission, and later part of Mexico under the name Yerba Buena, San Francisco became American territory in 1846 and transitioned into a bustling city during the 1849 Gold Rush. The birthplace of the United Nations in 1945, it was the epicenter of the Beat Generation in the 1950s and the hippie movement in the 1960s, as well as the backdrop of the tech boom thanks to its proximity to Silicon Valley.

8

New Orleans, Louisiana

The 1803 Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States overnight, but did you know that Jefferson’s original intent was only to acquire New Orleans? Westward expansion was a byproduct of France’s offer to sell its entire Louisiana Territory, but this would not have happened without New Orleans. By acquiring its port, America gained control over the Mississippi River, which ended any threat of foreign interference in agricultural or commercial affairs, and opened the American South to international trade. The strategic importance of the city came into play during the Civil War, when its capture by Union Admiral David Farragut depleted the Confederate finances and allowed Union forces to split and isolate Southern territories.

9

Detroit, Michigan

Established by French settlers in 1701, it passed into British hands a few decades later, before being handed over to the U.S. under the 1796 Jay's Treaty. A bustling port thanks to its connection with the Great Lakes through the Detroit River, the city became an industrial powerhouse in the early 20th century thanks to the motor industry. This earned it the Motown nickname, and it was the site of crucial innovations such as Ford’s moving assembly line in 1913 and the implementation of the $5 workday circa 1914.

10

St. Augustine, Florida

The city of St. Augustine is not the first to come to mind when thinking about historically important cities in America, but many forget that it predates Jamestown by nearly half a century, making it the oldest inhabited European settlement on U.S. soil (without accounting for U.S. territories, in which case San Juan would be the oldest). Founded by the Spanish in 1565 and acquired by the U.S. in 1821, St. Augustine became a tourist resort for wealthy merchants and oil tycoons in the late 19th century. However, the city played a key role in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, as it became one of the battlegrounds for the protests and demonstrations against segregation.

1

"Jolene" by Dolly Parton

One of Dolly Parton’s most famous songs, 1973’s "Jolene," has resonated across generations because its story of jealousy feels so relatable. And it was inspired by a real experience in Dolly’s life.

As she recounted in interviews, the song was inspired by an attractive female bank teller who paid a little too much attention to her husband, Carl Dean. But while the jealousy was real, the woman wasn’t named Jolene. Dolly got that name from a young fan with beautiful red hair and green eyes who introduced herself to the singer after a concert.

2

"Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond wrote "Sweet Caroline" in 1969, drawing on his feelings for his wife at the time, Marcia Murphey. But if it was about her, why "Caroline"?

Diamond needed a three-syllable name for the lyrics, and he remembered a photo of First Daughter Caroline Kennedy with her horse that he had seen in LIFE magazine in 1962. Diamond kept the connection to JFK’s eldest secret for nearly 40 years until 2007, when he sang the hit for Caroline at her 50th birthday and finally told her the story. She was "struck by it and really, really happy," Diamond revealed.

3

"You're So Vain" by Carly Simon

When a relationship ends, the inspiration can show up in unexpected ways. For Carly Simon, it became one of her biggest hits: "You’re So Vain."

As Simon herself confirmed, most of the lyrics were inspired by actor Warren Beatty, with whom she had a brief but intense relationship in the early 1970s that ended after he cheated on her. But Beatty wasn’t the only "vain" one. Although she didn’t confirm it, there’s speculation that other famous men from her past, including Mick Jagger and Jack Nicholson, also inspired parts of the song.

4

"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton

Despite what many assume, "I Will Always Love You" wasn’t written about a romantic breakup. Dolly wrote it as a professional farewell .

After more than seven years working with her mentor and longtime duet partner, Porter Wagoner, on The Porter Wagoner Show , Dolly felt it was time to pursue a solo career. But the decision wasn’t easy, and Wagoner was reluctant to let her go. When ordinary conversations weren’t working between them, Dolly did what she knew best: she put her feelings into a song. She brought her guitar to his office, sat him down, and played it for him. Wagoner was moved to tears, called it the prettiest song he had ever heard, and finally agreed to let her leave the show.

5

"American Pie" by Don McLean

A song can be a farewell, a declaration of love, or a tribute born of admiration. That was the case when Don McLean wrote the beautiful yet haunting "American Pie" in 1971.

This epic folk-rock song became a memorial to "the day the music died," the tragic plane crash on February 3, 1959, that took the lives of rockers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson . McLean was just 13 at the time, but he later said the tragedy had a profound impact on him. The song didn’t come together all at once, either; he wrote it in stages over several years.

6

"Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson

In his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk , Jackson explained that his classic "Billie Jean" was inspired partly by experiences involving women who approached his older brothers while the Jackson 5 were touring.

However, the event that really shaped the song happened in 1981, when Jackson received thousands of messages from a woman who claimed he was the father of her children. The unsettling situation stayed with him and eventually became part of the inspiration for one of his biggest hits.

7

"My Sharona" by The Knack

Have you ever wondered who "Sharona" was in The Knack’s famous hit? The answer comes from a real story involving the band’s lead singer, Doug Fieger.

In 1978, Fieger met Sharona Alperin, a clothing store clerk in Los Angeles. He was instantly attracted to her, and after breaking up with his then-girlfriend, he spent several months trying to win Sharona over before she finally agreed to a date. Their romance lasted from 1979 to 1982, and inspired one of the most danceable hits of the 20th century. Even after they broke up, Sharona and Doug remained close friends until he passed in 2010.

8

"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses

In 1986, Axl Rose was dating model Erin Everly, daughter of Don Everly of The Everly Brothers. He was so in love that he wrote her a love poem in just a few hours, without knowing it would eventually become one of his most famous songs.

That same year, at the band’s shared house, guitarist Slash was playing around with some chords when he came up with an interesting riff. Izzy Stradlin joined in, and when Rose heard the melody from upstairs, he brought down the poem he had written for Everly and adapted the lyrics to fit the music, resulting in the iconic "Sweet Child o’ Mine." Rose and Everly eventually married in 1990, but the marriage ended soon afterward.

9

"Walk On the Wild Side" by Lou Reed

Music crossed paths with other forms of art when Lou Reed wrote his 1972 classic "Walk on the Wild Side".

The song is essentially a series of portraits of real people from Andy Warhol’s circle at The Factory, his famous New York City studio and collective. In the song, "Holly" is a reference to Holly Woodlawn, a transgender actress who appeared in Warhol’s underground films such as Trash (1970). "Candy" was Candy Darling, another prominent actress who starred in Flesh (1968) and Women in Revolt (1971). "Little Joe" referred to Joe Dallesandro, the actor and model who became one of Warhol’s male muses. Other figures from the era’s counterculture are also in the song, bringing a very specific art scene of 1970s New York to a much wider audience.

10

"Sara" by Bob Dylan

In 1975, Bob Dylan was in the middle of a creative rush, writing and recording his album Desire . But while his career was going well, his marriage to Sara Lownds was falling apart. So he decided to write a love song for his wife.

"Sara," a heartfelt and personal song, was recorded in 1975 with Sara in the studio, and it became the raw, emotional closing track on the album. It helped spark a brief reconciliation, and Sara even joined Dylan on his subsequent Rolling Thunder Revue tour. However, the marriage ultimately ended in divorce in 1977.

1

Arizona skips Daylight Saving Time

Image: Christoph von Gellhorn

This is partly true because most of the state doesn’t bother with Daylight Saving Time . They stopped changing the clocks back in 1967. The exception is the Navajo Nation, which stretches into Utah and New Mexico and keeps DST so all its communities stay on the same schedule. Now, as for the smaller Hopi reservation, inside the Navajo Nation, it sticks with Arizona time… Yes, quite confusing if you’re not a local.

2

Georgia isn’t really the Peach State

Image: Jessica Furtney

Georgia loves its peaches, sure, but the state’s top fruit money-maker is actually blueberries . In recent years, blueberries have brought in several times more cash for farmers than peaches. Meanwhile, California grows far more peaches than Georgia ever has. The nickname stuck from the old days when Georgia peaches were famous for their flavor, not their volume. So while the pride is real, the peaches aren’t quite the powerhouse people may think.

3

Nevada didn’t record the hottest US temperature

Image: tommao wang

You probably think of Nevada’s desert heat as unmatched, but the all-time record belongs to California’s Death Valley . In July 1913, it hit a mind-melting 134 degrees Fahrenheit, the hottest temperature not only in America but the hottest ever recorded on Earth!

4

Minnesota doesn’t have the most lakes

Image: Tom Conway

Minnesota proudly calls itself the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," but that’s selling itself short… The real number is closer to 12,000. However, Alaska wins this battle . The state has more than 3 million lakes over five acres in size. In fact, Alaska contains over 40 percent of the nation’s surface water. If you love fishing, kayaking, or just staring at a quiet stretch of water, the true lake capital of America is far up north.

5

Pineapples aren’t native to Hawaii

Image: Christian Joudrey

Pineapples are everywhere in Hawaiian imagery, but the plant actually comes from South America , mainly Paraguay and southern Brazil. Spanish explorers likely brought them to Hawaii in the 1500s after spreading them across the Pacific to places like the Philippines and Guam. Hawaii’s climate turned out to be perfect for growing them and by the 1900s, the islands were producing so many pineapples that the fruit became a symbol of Hawaii itself.

6

Maine isn’t the country’s easternmost point

Image: Chris Henry

If you’re a Geography geek, you’ll love this one. You might picture Maine’s rocky coast as the eastern tip of America, but the actual easternmost point is thousands of miles away, on Alaska’s Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians. How is that possible? Well, that’s because it crosses the 180th meridian, putting it in the Eastern Hemisphere. That means part of Alaska technically sits farther east than anywhere in Maine.

7

The biggest US earthquake didn’t happen in California

Image: Lala Miklós

California has suffered some big earthquakes in its history, but the most powerful earthquake in America struck Alaska in 1964 . It hit Prince William Sound with a magnitude of 9.2. It was so strong it shook the ground for four and a half minutes and triggered massive tsunamis. In today’s dollars, the damage would total more than $2 billion. Alaska sits on a collision zone of tectonic plates, making it one of the world’s most seismically active regions.

8

The Everglades isn’t America’s biggest swamp

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

A lot of people picture the Florida Everglades when they think of swamps, but technically, the Everglades isn’t a swamp at all. The real title of the largest swamp in the United States goes to Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin , which spans about 1.4 million acres. This swamp has a vast mix of cypress forests, bayous, and marshes, and it’s more than twice as productive as the Everglades when it comes to wildlife and plant life.

9

Big cities aren’t always capitals

Image: Mackenzie Cruz

It surprises people how often the biggest city isn’t the state capital . New York City? Not the capital… Albany is. Chicago? Nope, that honor goes to Springfield. Pennsylvania’s capital isn’t Philly or Pittsburgh, it’s Harrisburg. Even California’s capital isn’t L.A. or San Francisco, it’s actually Sacramento. Out of fifty states, only seventeen have their most populous city as the capital.

10

Alaska isn’t divided into counties

Image: Rod Long

Alaska likes to do things its own way. Instead of counties, it’s split into boroughs , and a massive area known as the Unorganized Borough has no local government at all. People out there don’t pay property taxes, but that freedom comes with challenges, limited services, fewer job options, and tough living conditions.