Delaware 7930 226138606 2008-07-17T00:08:14Z Robbot 25261 robot Adding: [[fy:Delaware]] {{Otheruses1|the U.S. State of Delaware}} {{US state | Name = Delaware | Fullname = State of Delaware | Flag = Flag of Delaware.svg | Flaglink = [[Flag of Delaware]] | Seal = Seal of Delaware.svg| Map = Map of USA DE.svg | Motto = Liberty and Independence | Demonym = Delawarian | Nickname = The First State, The Small Wonder, Blue Hen State, The Diamond State | Capital = [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]] | LargestCity = [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]] | LargestCounty = [[Sussex County, Delaware|Sussex]]| Governor = [[Ruth Ann Minner]] (D)| Lieutenant Governor = [[John C. Carney, Jr.]] (D)| Senators = [[Joe Biden|Joseph R. Biden, Jr.]] (D)<br />[[Thomas R. Carper]] (D) | US Representative = [[Michael Castle]](R)| PostalAbbreviation = DE | TradAbbreviation = Del. | OfficialLang = none<ref>[http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS144.NSF/vwLegislation/SB+129?Opendocument SB 129], if passed (assigned 2007-06-13 to Senate Education Committee), would designate [[English language|English]] as the official state language.</ref> | AreaRank = 49<sup>th</sup> | TotalArea = 6,452 | TotalAreaUS = 2,490 | LandArea = 5,068 | LandAreaUS = 1,954 | Landmark = Holy Trinity Church WaterArea = 1,387 | WaterAreaUS = 536 | PCWater = 21.5 | PopRank = 45<sup>th</sup> | 2000Pop = 783,600 | DensityRank = 7<sup>th</sup> | 2000Density = 154.87 | 2000DensityUS = 401.11 | MedianHouseholdIncome = $50,152 | IncomeRank = 12<sup>th</sup> | AdmittanceOrder = 1<sup>st</sup> | AdmittanceDate = [[December 7]], [[1787]] | TimeZone = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]: [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]-5/[[Daylight saving time|-4]] | Longitude = 75°&#8202;3′ W to 75°&#8202;47′ W | Latitude = 38°&#8202;27′ N to 39°&#8202;50′ N | Width = 48 | WidthUS = 30 | Length = 154 | LengthUS = 96 | HighestPoint = near [[Ebright Azimuth]]<ref name=udel>[http://www.udel.edu/dgs/Publications/pubsonline/info8.html Delaware Geological Survey<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> | HighestElev = 136.5 | HighestElevUS = 447.85<ref name=udel/>| MeanElev = 18 | MeanElevUS = 59 | LowestPoint = [[Atlantic Ocean]]<ref name=usgs>{{cite web| date =[[29 April]] [[2005]] | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessmonthday = November 3 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>| LowestElev = 0 | LowestElevUS = 0 | ISOCode = US-DE | Website = delaware.gov }} {{Infobox U.S. state symbols |Name = Delaware |Bird = [[Blue Hen Chicken]] |Butterfly = [[Eastern Tiger Swallowtail]] |Fish = [[Weakfish]] |Flower = [[Peach|Peach blossom]] |Insect = [[Coccinella septempunctata|Ladybug]] |Tree = [[American Holly]] |Beverage = [[Milk]] |Colors = [[Flag of Delaware|Colonial Blue]], [[Buff (color)|Buff]] |Fossil = [[Belemnite]] |Mineral = [[Sillimanite]] |Slogan = ''It's Good Being First'' |Soil = [[Greenwich (soil)|Greenwich]] |Song = ''[[Our Delaware]]'' |Route Marker = Elongated circle 1.svg |Quarter = 1999 DE Proof.png |QuarterReleaseDate = 1999 }} '''Delaware''' ({{IPAEng|ˈdɛləwɛər}}) is a [[U.S. state|state]] located on the [[East Coast of the United States|Atlantic Coast]] in the [[Mid-Atlantic States|Mid-Atlantic]] region of the [[United States]].<ref>While the [http://www.census.gov/geo/www/reg_div.txt U.S. Census Bureau] designates Delaware as one of the [[South Atlantic States]], in part because of its history as a slave state with tobacco culture, many consider it to be a part of the [[Mid-Atlantic States]] and/or [[Northeastern United States]]. Examples include other U.S. government agencies (such as the [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/rrhtml/regdef.html Library of Congress], [http://geology.er.usgs.gov/states/mid_atl.html Geological Survey], [http://www.epa.gov/region03/index.htm Environmental Protection Agency], [http://www.nps.gov/nero/nero.htm National Park Service], and [http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/natural_gas/analysis_publications/ngpipeline/northeast.html Department of Energy]), and public service organizations (such as [http://www.delawareaa.org/thenortheastregion.html Alcoholics Anonymous], [http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/Page/Browse_Routes_Page&c=Page&cid=1081256321410&ssid=134 Amtrak], and the [http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/regional/region_northeast.asp Princeton Review]). [http://www.google.com/Top/Regional/North_America/United_States/Delaware/ Google's] categorization scheme includes it in both the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions.</ref> The state is named after [[Delaware Bay]] and [[Delaware River|River]], which were named for [[Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr]] (1577–1618).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Delaware |title=Delaware |accessdate=2007-02-24 |publisher=Online Etymology Dictionary}}</ref> Population estimates by the Census Bureau for 2005 place the population of Delaware at 843,524. Delaware is the seventh most densely populated state, with a population density of 320 more people per square mile than the national average, and ranking 45th in population.<ref name=popest>{{cite web | date = [[June 21]] [[2006]] | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2005-all.csv | title = Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places over 100,000 | format = [[Comma-separated values|CSV]] | work = 2005 Population Estimates | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | accessmonthday = November 21 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref> Delaware is the second-smallest state, larger only than [[Rhode Island]]. Delaware was the first U.S. state to enter the union. ==State symbols== {{main|List of Delaware state symbols}} The state's motto, ''"[[Liberty and Independence]]"'' is inscribed on the coat of arms, which is incorporated into both the [[Seal of Delaware|state seal]] and the [[Flag of Delaware|state flag]]. The state's official nickname, "''The First State''" commemorates the fact that on [[December 7]], [[1787]], Delaware became the first of the 13 original states to [[Wiktionary:ratify|ratify]] the [[United States Constitution]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.de.us/gic/delfacts/gov.shtml |title=Delaware Facts and Symbols |publisher=State of Delaware |accessdate=2008-05-29 }}<br/>Even though the states were already referred to as such in the Articles of Confederation and the Declaration of Independence, states generally refer to the date of their ratification of the current constitution.</ref> Commemorating Delaware's ratification, [[Constitution Park (Delaware)|Constitution Park]] features a four-foot cube upon which is inscribed the entire document as it has evolved. Delaware has also been called the "Blue Hen State", referring to the official state bird, the [[Blue Hen Chicken]], which was carried with the Delaware [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] soldiers for [[cockfight]]ing,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://portal.delaware.gov/delfacts/animal.shtml#Bird |title=Delaware Facts and Symbols: State Bird |publisher=State of Delaware |accessdate=2008-01-10 }}</ref> and the "Diamond State".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://portal.delaware.gov/delfacts/gov.shtml#Nickname |title=Delaware Facts and Symbols: Nickname |publisher=State of Delaware |accessdate=2007-10-30 }}</ref> The ferocity of the Blue Hen Chickens carried by Captain [[Jonathan Caldwell]]'s men in the Revolutionary Army and the prowess of his company led to the nickname of "Caldwell's Gamecocks."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.udel.edu/main/about/bluehen.html |title=UD Fightin' Blue Hen |publisher=University of Delaware |accessdate=2008-01-10 }}</ref> It also led to the University of Delaware's adopting the nickname of "Fightin' Blue Hens". Along with traditional symbols such as an official state tree (the [[Ilex opaca|American holly]]) and flower (the [[Peach|peach blossom]]), the legislature adopted the [[Delaware Diamond]], the first star on the [[International Star Registry]] to be registered to an American state. ==Geography== [[Image:datamil de map.jpg|thumb|left|Map of Delaware]] Delaware is 96 miles long and ranges from 9 to 35 miles across, totaling 1,954 square miles and making it the second-smallest state in the United States after [[Rhode Island]]. Delaware is bounded to the north by [[Pennsylvania]]; to the east by the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, [[New Jersey]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]]; and to the west and south by [[Maryland]]. Small portions of Delaware are also situated on the far, or eastern, side of the Delaware River [[estuary]]. These parcels share land boundaries with [[New Jersey]]. The state of Delaware, together with the Eastern Shore counties of Maryland and two counties of [[Virginia]], form the [[Delmarva Peninsula]], which stretches south down the Mid-Atlantic Coast. The definition of the northern boundary of the state is highly unusual. Most of the boundary between Delaware and Pennsylvania is defined by an arc extending 12 miles (19 km) from the [[cupola]] of the courthouse in [[New Castle, Delaware|New Castle]]. It is referred to as the [[Twelve-Mile Circle]]. This is the only true-arc political boundary in the United States. This border extends all the way east to the low-tide mark on the New Jersey shore, then continues south along the shoreline until it again reaches the twelve-mile arc in the south; then the boundary continues in a more conventional way in the middle of the main channel ([[thalweg]]) of the Delaware River Estuary. To the west, a portion of the arc extends past the easternmost edge of Maryland. The remaining western border runs slightly east of due south from its intersection with the arc. [[The Wedge (border)|The Wedge]] of land between the northwest part of the arc and the Maryland border was claimed by both Delaware and Pennsylvania until 1921, when Delaware's claim was confirmed. Delaware is subdivided into three counties: from north to south, [[New Castle County, Delaware|New Castle]], [[Kent County, Delaware|Kent County]] and [[Sussex County, Delaware|Sussex]].''See also: [[List of counties in Delaware]]'' :''Main articles: [[Twelve-Mile Circle]], [[Wedge (border)|The Wedge]], [[Mason-Dixon line]], [[Transpeninsular Line]]'' ===Topography=== Delaware is on a level plain; the highest elevation, located at [[Ebright Azimuth]], near Concord High School, Wilmington, does not rise fully 450 feet above sea level. The northern part is associated with the Appalachian Piedmont and is full of hills with rolling surfaces. South of Newark and Wilmington, the state follows the Atlantic Coastal Plain with flat, sandy, and, in some parts, swampy ground. A ridge about 75 to 80 feet in altitude extends along the western boundary of the state and is the drainage divide between the two major water bodies of the Delaware River and several streams flowing into Chesapeake Bay in the west. ===Climate=== Since almost all of Delaware is a part of the [[Atlantic Coastal Plain]], the climate is moderated by the effects of the ocean. The state is somewhat of a transitional zone between a [[humid subtropical climate]] and a [[continental climate]]. Despite its small size (roughly 100 miles from its northernmost to southernmost points), there is significant variation in mean temperature and amount of snowfall between Sussex County and New Castle County. The southern portion of the state has a somewhat milder climate and a longer growing season than the northern portion of the State. The transitional climate of Delaware supports a surprising variety of vegetation. At Trap Pond State Park in Sussex County, bald cypress grow -- this is thought to be one of the northernmost stands of such trees. The vegetation in New Castle County, on the other hand, is more typical of that of the northeastern United States. All parts of Delaware have relatively hot, humid summers. While Sussex and Kent Counties are considered to fall in the humid subtropical climate zone, there is some debate about whether northern New Castle County falls in the humid subtropical climate zone or warm continental climate. ==History== {{main|History of Delaware}} ===Native Americans=== Before Delaware was settled by European colonists, the area was home to the Eastern [[Algonquian]] tribes known as the [[Unami]] [[Lenape]] or Delaware throughout the Delaware valley, and the [[Nanticoke]] along the rivers leading into the [[Chesapeake Bay]]. The Unami Lenape in the Delaware Valley were closely related to [[Munsee]] Lenape tribes along the [[Hudson River]]. They had a settled hunting and agricultural society, and they rapidly became middlemen in an increasingly frantic fur trade with their ancient enemy, the Minqua or [[Susquehannock]]. With the loss of their lands on the Delaware River and the destruction of the Minqua by the [[Iroquois]] of the [[Five Nations]] in the 1670s, the remnants of the Lenape left the region and moved over the [[Alleghany Mountains]] by the mid-18th century. ===Colonial Delaware=== The [[Dutch people|Dutch]] were the first Europeans to settle in present-day Delaware by establishing a trading post at [[Zwaanendael, Delaware|Zwaanendael]], near the site of [[Lewes, Delaware|Lewes]] in 1631. Within a year all the settlers were killed in a dispute with [[Native Americans in the United States|area Indian tribes]]. In 1638, a [[Swedish people|Swedish]] trading post and colony was established at [[Fort Christina]] (now in [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]) by Dutchman [[Peter Minuit]] at the head of a group of Swedes, [[Finnish people|Finns]] and Dutch. Thirteen years later, the Dutch, reinvigorated by the leadership of [[Peter Stuyvesant]], established a new fort in 1651 at present-day [[New Castle, Delaware|New Castle]], and in 1655 they took over the entire Swedish colony, incorporating it into the Dutch [[New Netherland]]. Only nine years later, in 1664, the Dutch were themselves forcibly removed by a [[British people|British]] expedition under the direction of [[James II of England|James, the Duke of York]]. Fighting off a prior claim by [[Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore]], Proprietor of [[Maryland]], the Duke passed his somewhat dubious ownership on to [[William Penn]] in 1682. Penn strongly desired access to the sea for his Pennsylvania province and leased what then came to be known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware" from the Duke. Penn established representative government and briefly combined his two possessions under one General Assembly in 1682. However, by 1704 the Province of Pennsylvania had grown so large that their representatives wanted to make decisions without the assent of the Lower Counties and the two groups of representatives began meeting on their own, one at [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], and the other at New Castle. Penn and his heirs remained proprietors of both and always appointed the same person Governor for their Province of Pennsylvania and their territory of the Lower Counties. The fact that Delaware and Pennsylvania shared the same governor was not unique. During much of the colonial period, New York and New Jersey shared a governor, as did Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Dependent in early years on indentured labor, Delaware imported more slaves as the number of English immigrants decreased with better economic conditions in England. The colony became a slave society and cultivated tobacco as a cash crop. Before the Revolution, it had begun to shift to mixed agriculture. ===American Revolution=== Like the other middle colonies, the Lower Counties on the Delaware initially showed little enthusiasm for a break with [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Britain]]. The citizenry had a good relationship with the Proprietary government, and generally were allowed more independence of action in their Colonial Assembly than in other colonies. Merchants at the port of Wilmington had trading ties with British. Nevertheless, there was strong objection to the seemingly arbitrary measures of [[Parliament]], and leaders understood that the territory's existence as a separate entity depended upon its keeping step with its powerful neighbors, especially Pennsylvania. So it was that New Castle lawyer [[Thomas McKean]] denounced the [[Stamp Act]] in the strongest terms, and Kent County native [[John Dickinson (delegate)|John Dickinson]] became the "Penman of the Revolution." Anticipating the Declaration of Independence, [[Patriot (American Revolution)|Patriot]] leaders Thomas McKean and [[Caesar Rodney]] convinced the Colonial Assembly to declare itself separated from British and Pennsylvania rule on [[June 15]], [[1776]]. The person best representing Delaware's majority, [[George Read (signer)|George Read]], could not bring himself to vote for a Declaration of Independence. Only the dramatic overnight ride of Caesar Rodney gave the delegation the votes needed to cast Delaware's vote for independence. Once the Declaration was adopted, however, Read signed the document. Initially led by [[John Haslet]], Delaware provided one of the premier regiments in the [[Continental Army]], known as the "Delaware Blues" and nicknamed the "[[Blue Hen Chicken]]s." In August 1777, [[William Howe|General Sir William Howe]] led a British army through Delaware on his way to a victory at the [[Battle of Brandywine]] and capture of the city of Philadelphia. The only real engagement on Delaware soil was the [[Battle of Cooch's Bridge]], fought on [[September 3]], [[1777]], at [[Cooch's Bridge]] in New Castle County. It is believed to be the first time that the Stars and Stripes was flown in battle. Following the Battle of Brandywine, Wilmington was occupied by the British, and [[Governor of Delaware|State President]] [[John McKinly]] was taken prisoner. The British remained in control of the Delaware River for much of the rest of the war, disrupting commerce and providing encouragement to an active [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalist]] portion of the population, particularly in Sussex County. Because the British promised slaves of rebels freedom for fighting with them, escaped slaves flocked north to join their lines.<ref>Simon Schama, ''Rough Crossings: Britain, The Slaves, and the American Revolution'', New York, HarperCollins, 2006</ref> Only the repeated military actions of State President Caesar Rodney were able to harass the British. Following the [[American Revolution]], statesmen from Delaware were among the leading proponents of a strong central United States with equal representation for each state. Once the [[Connecticut Compromise]] was reached—creating a [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] and [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]—the leaders in Delaware were able to easily secure ratification of the U.S. Constitution on [[December 7]], [[1787]], making Delaware the first state to do so. ===Slavery and race=== Many colonial settlers came to Delaware from Maryland and Virginia, which had been experiencing a population boom. The economies of these colonies were chiefly based on tobacco culture and were increasingly dependent on slave labor for its intensive cultivation. Most of the English colonists arrived as [[indentured servant]]s, hiring themselves out as laborers for a fixed period to pay for their passage. In the early years the line between indentured servants and African [[slave]]s or laborers was fluid. Most of the free African-American families in Delaware before the Revolution had migrated from Maryland to find more affordable land. They were descendants chiefly of relationships or marriages between servant white women and enslaved, servant or free African or African-American men.<ref>[http://www.freeafricanamericans.com/ Paul Heinegg. Free African Americans in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware] Accessed 15 Feb 2008</ref> As the flow of indentured laborers to the colony decreased with improving economic conditions in England, more slaves were imported for labor. At the end of the colonial period, the number of enslaved people in Delaware began to decline. Shifts in the agriculture economy from tobacco to mixed farming created less need for slaves' labor. Local Methodists and [[Quaker]]s encouraged slaveholders to free their slaves following the American Revolution, and many did so in a surge of individual manumissions for idealistic reasons. Three-quarters of all blacks were free by 1810. When John Dickinson freed his slaves in 1777, he was Delaware's largest slave owner with 37 slaves. By 1860 the largest slaveholder owned only 16 slaves.<ref>Peter Kolchin, ''American Slavery: 1619-1877'', New York: Hill and Wang, 1994, pp.78, 81-82</ref> Although attempts to abolish slavery failed by narrow margins in the legislature, in practical terms, the state had mostly ended the practice. By the [[United States Census, 1860|1860 census]] 91.7 percent of the black population, or nearly 20,000 people, was free.<ref>Peter Kolchin, ''American Slavery: 1619-1877'', New York: Hill and Wang, 1994, pp.81-82</ref><ref>[http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/ Historical Census Browser, 1860 Federal Census, University of Virginia Library], accessed 15 Mar 2008</ref> The oldest black church in the country was chartered in Delaware by freed slave [[Peter Spencer]] in 1813 as the "[[Spencer Churches|Union Church of Africans]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.udel.edu/BlackHistory/antebellum.html |first=Peter T. |last=Dalleo |title=The Growth of Delaware's Antebellum Free African Community |publisher=University of Delaware |date=1997-06-27 }}</ref>{{Fact|date=June 2008}}<!-- given url does not mention "oldest" --> This was renamed the [[African Union First Colored Methodist Protestant Church and Connection]], more commonly known as the [[A.U.M.P. Church]]. Begun by Spencer in 1814, the [[Big August Quarterly]] still draws together people in a religious and cultural festival, the oldest such cultural festival in the nation. At the onset of the [[American Civil War]], Delaware was only nominally a slave state, and it remained in the Union. Delaware voted against secession on [[January 3]], [[1861]]. As the governor said, Delaware had been the first state to embrace the Union by ratifying the Constitution and would be the last to leave it. While most Delaware citizens who fought in the war served in the regiments of the state, some served in companies on the Confederate side in Maryland and Virginia Regiments. Delaware is notable for being the only slave state from which no Confederate regiments or militia groups were assembled. ==Demographics== {{FixHTML|beg}} {{USCensusPop |1790 = 59096 |1800 = 64273 |1810 = 72674 |1820 = 72749 |1830 = 76748 |1840 = 78085 |1850 = 91532 |1860 = 112216 |1870 = 125015 |1880 = 146608 |1890 = 168493 |1900 = 184735 |1910 = 202322 |1920 = 223003 |1930 = 238380 |1940 = 266505 |1950 = 318085 |1960 = 446292 |1970 = 548104 |1980 = 594338 |1990 = 666168 |2000 = 783600 |estyear = 2006 |estimate = 853476 }} {{FixHTML|end}} [[Image:Delaware population map.png|thumb|left|200px|Delaware Population Density Map]] {{US Demographics}} The five largest ancestries in Delaware are: [[African American]] (19.2%), [[Irish American|Irish]] (16.6%), [[German-American|German]] (14.3%), [[British-American|English]] (12.1%), [[Italian-American|Italian]] (9.3%). Delaware has the highest proportion of African-American residents of any state north of Maryland, and had the largest percentage of [[free black]]s (17% of the state) prior to the Civil War. The [[center of population]] of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of [[Townsend, Delaware|Townsend]].<ref name="cenpopcenter">{{cite web|title=Population and Population Centers by State: 2000|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date=[[2002-02-20]]|url=http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt|format=TXT |accessdate=2007-03-09}}</ref> ===Languages=== As of 2000, 90.5% of Delaware residents age 5 and older speak only [[English language|English]] at home; 4.7% speak [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. [[French language|French]] is the third most spoken language at 0.7%, followed by [[Chinese language|Chinese]] at 0.5% and [[German language|German]] at 0.5%. Legislation has been proposed by both the House and the Senate in Delaware to designate English as the [[Languages in the United States|official language]].<ref>[http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS144.NSF/vwLegislation/SB+129?Opendocument SB 129], assigned 2007-06-13 to Senate Education Committee.</ref><ref>[http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS143.NSF/vwLegislation/HB+436?Opendocument HB 436], stricken 2006-06-15</ref> ===Religion=== The religious affiliations of the people of Delaware are: *[[Methodism|Methodist]] – 20% *[[Baptist]] – 19% *No Religion – 17% *[[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] – 9% *[[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] – 4% *[[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] – 3% *[[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] – 3% *[[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Episcopalian/Anglican]] - 2% *[[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]] - 2% *[[Churches of Christ]] - 1% *[[Christianity|Other Christian]] – 3% *[[Islam|Muslim]] - 2% *[[Judaism|Jewish]] - 1% *Other – 5% *Refused - 9% (source: [http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm American Religious Identification Survey, City University of New York]) The [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington]] and the [[Episcopal Diocese of Delaware]] oversee the parishes within their denominations. The A.U.M.P. Church, the oldest African-American denomination in the nation, was founded in Wilmington. It still has a substantial presence in the state. Reflecting new immigrant populations, an [[Islamic]] [[mosque]] has been built in the [[Ogletown, Delaware|Ogletown]] area, and a [[Hindu]] temple in [[Hockessin, Delaware|Hockessin]]. Delaware's population includes approximately 20,000 [[Jewish Americans]], who are served by the [[Jewish Community Center]] in Brandywine (near Wilmington) and by a number of educational, social and cultural agencies supported by the [[Jewish Federation]] of Delaware. Synagogues include Congregation Beth Emeth (Reform) in Wilmington, Congregation Beth El (Reconstructionist) in Newark, Congregation Beth Shalom (Conservative) in Wilmington, Congregation Beth Sholom (Conservative) in Dover, and Adas Kodesh Shel Emeth (Traditional) in Wilmington. There is also a [[Lubavitcher]] community center and synagogue in [[Brandywine Hundred]]. ==Economy== [[Image:Peach delaware.jpg|250 px|thumb|right|"Picking Peaches in Delaware" from an 1878 issue of [[Harper's Weekly]]]] The gross state product of Delaware in 2003 was $49 billion. The per capita personal income was $34,199, ranking 9<sup>th</sup> in the nation. In 2005, the average weekly wage was $937, ranking 7<sup>th</sup> in the nation.<ref>{{cite news | author =Luladey B. Tadesse | title =Del. workers earn 7th-highest salary in U.S. | url =http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/NEWS/608260340/1006/NEWS | publisher =[[Delaware News-Journal]] | date =2006-08-26 | accessdate =2006-08-26}} ''Note: value of $937 per week was for the 4<sup>th</sup> quarter of 2005.''</ref> Delaware's agricultural output consists of [[poultry]], nursery stock, [[soybeans]], [[dairy]] products and [[maize|corn]]. Its industrial outputs include [[chemical]] products, [[processed food]]s, [[paper]] products, and [[rubber]] and [[plastic]] products. Delaware's economy generally outperforms the national economy of the United States. The state's largest employers are: *government (State of Delaware, New Castle County) *education ([[University of Delaware]]) *chemical and pharmaceutical companies ([[DuPont|E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.]],<ref> DuPont is the second largest private employer in Delaware, providing >8,800 jobs. {{cite news | first = Luladey B | last = Tadesse | title = DuPont cuts jobs to grow seeds | url = http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061212/NEWS/612120340/-1/NLETTER02 | publisher = Delaware News Journal | date = [[12 December]] [[2006]] | accessdate = 2006-12-12 }}</ref> [[Syngenta]], [[AstraZeneca]], and [[Hercules, Inc.]]) *banking ([[Bank of America]], [[Wilmington Trust]], [[First USA]] / [[Bank One]] / [[JPMorgan Chase]], [[AIG]], [[Citigroup]], [[Deutsche Bank]], [[Barclays plc]]) *automotive manufacturing ([[General Motors]], [[Chrysler]]) *farming, specifically chicken farming in Sussex County ([[Perdue Farms]], Mountaire Farms) [[Dover Air Force Base]], located in the state capital of [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]], is one of the largest Air Force bases in the country and is a major employer in Delaware. In addition to its other responsibilities, the base serves as the entry point and [[mortuary]] for American military persons (and some U.S. government civilians) who die overseas. Delaware has 6 different [[income tax]] brackets, ranging from 2.2% to 5.95%. The state does not assess [[sales tax]] on consumers. The state does, however, impose a tax on the gross receipts of most businesses. Business and occupational license tax rates range from 0.096% to 1.92%, depending on the category of business activity. Delaware does not assess a state-level tax on real or personal property. [[Real estate]] is subject to county [[property tax]]es, school district property taxes, vocational school district taxes, and, if located within an incorporated area, municipal property taxes. Title 4, chapter 7 of the Delaware Code stipulates that alcoholic liquor only be sold in specifically licensed establishments, and only between 9:00 AM and 1:00 AM.<ref name="delcode4-8">{{cite web|url=http://www.delcode.state.de.us/title4/c007/|title=CHAPTER 7. REGULATORY PROVISIONS|accessdate=2007-03-09||work=Online Delaware Code|publisher=Delaware General Assembly}}</ref> ==Transportation== [[Image:P3070029.JPG|right|thumb|200px|[[Delaware Route 1]], a [[toll road]] linking [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]] and [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]].]] The transportation system in Delaware is under the governance and supervision of the [[Delaware Department of Transportation]], also known as "DelDOT".<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.deldot.gov/index.shtml | title = State of Delaware Department of Transportation | accessdaymonth = 30 June | accessyear=2006 | publisher = State of Delaware }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Delaware Department of Transportation Public Relations | year = 2004 | title = Delaware Transportation Facts 2004 | publisher = DelDOT Division of Planning | url = http://www.deldot.gov/static/pubs_forms/trans_facts/factbook_2004.pdf }}</ref> DelDOT manages programs such as a Delaware [[Adopt-a-Highway]] program, major road route snow removal, traffic control infrastructure (signs and signals), toll road management, Delaware [[Division of Motor Vehicles]], the Delaware Transit Corporation (branded as "DART First State", the state government public transportation organization), among others. Almost ninety percent of the state's public roadway miles are under the direct maintenance of DelDOT which far exceeds the United States national average of twenty percent for state department of transportation maintenance responsibility; the remaining public road miles are under the supervision of individual municipalities. ===Roads=== One major branch of the U.S. [[Interstate Highway System]], [[Interstate 95 in Delaware|Interstate 95]], crosses Delaware southwest-to-northeast across New Castle County. In addition to I-95, there are six [[U.S. Highway System|U.S. highways]] that serve Delaware: [[U.S. Route 9]], [[U.S. Route 13]], [[U.S. Route 40]], [[U.S. Route 113]], [[U.S. Route 202]], and [[U.S. Route 301]]. There are also several [[List of numbered routes in Delaware|state highways]] that cross the state of Delaware; a few of them include [[Delaware Route 1]], [[Delaware Route 9]], and [[Delaware Route 404]]. U.S. 13 and DE Rt. 1 are primary north-south highways connecting Wilmington and Pennsylvania with Maryland, with DE 1 serving as the main route between Wilmington and the Delaware beaches. DE Rt. 9 is a north-south highway connecting Dover and Wilmington via a scenic route along the [[Delaware Bay]]. U.S. 40, is a primary east-west route, connecting Maryland with New Jersey. DE Rt. 404 is another primary east-west highway connecting the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]] in Maryland with the Delaware beaches. The state also operates two toll highways, the [[Delaware Turnpike]], which is Interstate 95 between Maryland and New Castle and the [[Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway]], which is DE Rt. 1 between Dover and Interstate 95 between Wilmington and [[Newark, Delaware|Newark]]. A bicycle route, [[Delaware Bicycle Route 1]], spans the north-south length of the state from the Maryland border in [[Fenwick Island, Delaware|Fenwick Island]] to the Pennsylvania border north of [[Montchanin, Delaware|Montchanin]]. It is the first of several signed bike routes planned in Delaware.<ref>[http://www.deldot.gov/information/projects/bike_and_ped/bike_facilities/ Delaware Bicycle Facility Master Plan]</ref> Delaware has around 1,450 bridges, of which ninety-five percent are under the supervision of DelDOT. About thirty percent of all Delaware bridges were built prior to 1950 and about sixty percent of the number are included in the [[National Bridge Inventory]]. Some bridges not under DelDOT supervision includes the four bridges on the [[Chesapeake and Delaware Canal]], which are under the jurisdiction of the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]], and the [[Delaware Memorial Bridge]], which is under the bi-state [[Delaware River and Bay Authority]]. ===Ferries=== There are three ferries that operate in the state of Delaware: * [[Cape May-Lewes Ferry]] crosses the mouth of the Delaware Bay between Lewes, Delaware and [[Cape May, New Jersey]]. * [[Woodland Ferry]] is a cable ferry that crosses the [[Nanticoke River]] southwest of [[Seaford, Delaware|Seaford]]. * [[Three Forts Ferry Crossing]] connects [[Delaware City]] with [[Fort Delaware]] and [[Fort Mott (New Jersey)|Fort Mott]] in [[New Jersey]] ===Rail and bus=== [[Image:NS5333 DoverDE.JPG|150px|thumb|left|A [[Norfolk Southern]] locomotive in [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]].]][[Amtrak]] has two stations in Delaware along the [[Northeast Corridor]]; the relatively quiet [[Newark Rail Station (Delaware)|Newark Rail Station]] in Newark, and the busier [[Wilmington Rail Station]] in Wilmington. The Northeast Corridor is also served by [[SEPTA]]'s [[R2 (SEPTA)|R2]] [[SEPTA Regional Rail|Regional Rail]] line, which serves [[Claymont, Delaware|Claymont]], Wilmington, [[Churchmans Crossing, Delaware|Churchmans Crossing]], and Newark. The major freight railroad in Delaware is the Class 1 [[Norfolk Southern]], which provides service to most of Delaware. It connects with two shortline railroads, the [[Delaware Coast Line Railway]] and the [[Maryland & Delaware Railroad]]. These two shortlines serve local customers in Sussex County. Another Class 1 railroad, [[CSX]], passes through northern New Castle County parallel to the Amtrak Northeast Corridor. The public transportation system, [[DART First State]], was named "Most Outstanding Public Transportation System" in 2003 by the [[American Public Transportation Association]]. Coverage of the system is broad within northern New Castle County with close association to major highways in Kent and Sussex Counties. The system includes bus, subsidized passenger rail operated by Philadelphia transit agency SEPTA, and subsidized taxi and paratransit modes, the latter consisting of a state-wide door-to-door bus service for the elderly and disabled. ===Air=== Delaware is the only state in the Union without commercial air service. [[New Castle Airport]] near Wilmington has been served by commercial airlines in the past, the last being [[Skybus Airlines]], which provided service to [[Columbus, Ohio]] and [[Greensboro, North Carolina]] from [[March 7]], [[2008]]<ref>{{cite news |first = Marla |last= Matzer Rose |url=http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/01/09/skybus_routeannounce.ART_ART_01-09-08_C10_DP90M2P.html?sid=101 |title = Skybus adds two cities to schedule |date = [[9 January]] [[2008]] |accessdate = 2008-01-09 }}</ref> until its bankruptcy on [[April 5]], [[2008]]. Other general aviation airports in Delaware include [[Summit Airport (Delaware)|Summit Airport]] near [[Middletown, Delaware|Middletown]], [[Delaware Airpark]] near [[Cheswold, Delaware|Cheswold]], and [[Sussex County Airport]] near [[Georgetown, Delaware|Georgetown]] ==Law and government== {| align="right" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |+ '''Presidential elections results''' |- bgcolor=lightgrey ! Year ! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] ! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|45.75% ''171,660 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''53.35%''' ''200,152 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|41.90% ''137,288 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''54.96%''' ''180,068 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|36.58% ''99,062 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''51.82%''' ''140,955 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1992|1992]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|35.33% ''102,313 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''43.52%''' ''126,054 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1988|1988]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''55.88%''' ''139,639 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|43.48% ''108,647 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1984|1984]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''59.78%''' ''152,190 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|39.93% ''101,656 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1980|1980]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''47.21%''' ''111,252 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|44.87% ''105,754 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1976|1976]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|46.57% ''109,831 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''51.98%''' ''122,596 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1972|1972]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''59.60%''' ''140,357 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|39.18% ''92,283 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1968|1968]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''45.12%''' ''96,714 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|41.61% ''89,194 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1964|1964]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|38.78% ''78,078 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''60.95%''' ''122,704 |- |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1960|1960]] |align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|49.00% ''96,373 |align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''50.63%''' ''99,590 |} Delaware's fourth and current constitution, adopted in 1897, provides for executive, judicial and legislative branches. ===Legislative branch=== [[Delaware General Assembly]] consists of a [[Delaware House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] with 41 members and a [[Delaware Senate|Senate]] with 21 members. It sits in Dover, the state capital. Representatives are elected to two-year terms, while senators are elected to four-year terms. The Senate confirms judicial and other nominees appointed by the governor. ===Judicial branch=== The Delaware Constitution establishes a number of courts: *The [[Delaware Supreme Court]] is the state's highest court. *The [[Superior Court of Delaware]] is the state's trial court of general jurisdiction. *The [[Court of Chancery]] deals primarily in corporate disputes. *The Family Court handles domestic and custody matters. *The Court of Common Pleas has jurisdiction over a limited class of civil and criminal matters. Minor non-constitutional courts include the [[Justice of the Peace]] Courts and Aldermen's Courts. Significantly, Delaware has one of the few remaining Courts of [[Court of equity|Chancery]] in the nation, which has jurisdiction over [[Equity (law)|equity]] cases, the vast majority of which are corporate disputes, many relating to [[mergers and acquisitions]]. The [[Delaware Court of Chancery|Court of Chancery]] and the Supreme Court have developed a worldwide reputation for rendering concise opinions concerning [[corporate law]] which generally (but not always) grant broad discretion to corporate boards of directors and officers. In addition, the [[Delaware General Corporation Law]], which forms the basis of the Courts' opinions, is widely regarded as giving great flexibility to corporations to manage their affairs. For these reasons, Delaware is considered to have the most business-friendly legal system in the United States; therefore a great number of companies are [[incorporated in Delaware]], including 60% of the companies listed on the [[New York Stock Exchange]].<ref name=divcorpabout>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.de.us/corp/aboutagency.shtml|title=Division of Corporations - About Agency|accessdate=2007-03-09|publisher=Delaware Division of Corporations}}</ref> ===Executive branch=== The executive branch is headed by the [[Governor of Delaware]]. The present governor is [[Ruth Ann Minner]] (Democrat), who was elected as the state's first female governor in 2000. The lieutenant governor is [[John C. Carney, Jr.]]. Delaware's U.S. Senators are [[Joe Biden|Joseph R. Biden, Jr.]] (Democrat) and [[Thomas R. Carper]] (Democrat). Delaware's single U.S. Representative is [[Michael N. Castle]] (Republican). {{see|List of Governors of Delaware}} Delaware has three counties: Kent County, New Castle County, and Sussex County. Each county elects its own legislative body (known in New Castle and Sussex counties as '''County Council''', and in Kent County as '''Levy Court'''), which deal primarily in zoning and development issues. Most functions which are handled on a county-by-county basis in other states — such as court and law enforcement — have been centralized in Delaware, leading to a significant concentration of power in the Delaware state government. The counties were historically divided into [[Hundred (country subdivision)|hundreds]], which were used as tax reporting and voting districts until the 1960s, but now serve no administrative role, their only current official legal use being in real-estate title descriptions.<ref>[http://history.delaware.gov/museums/vc/vc_hundreds.shtml The Hundreds of Delaware: 1700 - 1800, Delaware Department of State:Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs website]</ref> The Democratic Party holds a [[plurality]] of registrations in Delaware. Until the [[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000]] Presidential election, the state tended to be a Presidential [[bellwether]], sending its three [[electoral votes]] to the winning candidate for over 50 years in a row. Bucking that trend, however, in 2000 and again in 2004 Delaware voted for the Democratic candidate. In the 2000 election Delaware voted with the winner of the popular vote, [[Al Gore]], who subsequently lost the Electoral Vote to [[George W. Bush]] (see [[United States Presidential Election, 2000]] for more information.) [[John Kerry]] won Delaware by eight percentage points with 53.5% of the vote in 2004. Historically, the Republican Party had an immense influence on Delaware politics, due in large part to the wealthy [[du Pont family]]. [[Ralph Nader]] assembled a [[working group]] to investigate ties between Delaware's politicians and industrialists, resulting in a book published in 1968 entitled ''The Company State''. As DuPont's political influence has declined, so has that of the Delaware Republican Party. The Democrats have won the past four gubernatorial elections and currently hold seven of the nine statewide elected offices (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, Attorney General, and two U.S. Senators), while the Republicans hold the remaining two (the state's at-large House seat and the office of Auditor). However, this belies the fact that the Democratic Party gains most of its votes from heavily-developed New Castle County, whereas the lesser-populated Kent and Sussex Counties vote Republican. :''See also: [[United States presidential election, 2004, in Delaware]] ==Municipalities== Wilmington is the state's largest city and its economic hub. It is located within commuting distance of both Philadelphia and Baltimore. All regions of Delaware are enjoying phenomenal growth, with Dover and the beach resorts expanding at a rapid rate. {{see|List of Delaware municipalities}} {{col-begin}} {{col-1-of-4}} ===[[Counties in Delaware|Counties]]=== *[[Kent County, Delaware|Kent]] *[[New Castle County, Delaware|New Castle]] *[[Sussex County, Delaware|Sussex]] ===[[:Category:Cities in Delaware|Cities]]=== *[[Delaware City, Delaware|Delaware City]] *[[Dover, Delaware|Dover]] *[[Harrington, Delaware|Harrington]] *[[Lewes, Delaware|Lewes]] *[[Milford, Delaware|Milford ]] *[[New Castle, Delaware|New Castle]] *[[Newark, Delaware|Newark]] *[[Rehoboth Beach, Delaware|Rehoboth Beach]] *[[Seaford, Delaware|Seaford]] *[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]] ===[[:Category:Towns in Delaware|Towns]]=== *[[Bellefonte, Delaware|Bellefonte]] *[[Bethany Beach, Delaware|Bethany Beach]] *[[Bethel, Delaware|Bethel]] *[[Blades, Delaware|Blades]] *[[Bowers, Delaware|Bowers]] *[[Bridgeville, Delaware|Bridgeville]] *[[Camden, Delaware|Camden]] *[[Cheswold, Delaware|Cheswold]] *[[Dagsboro, Delaware|Dagsboro]] *[[Delmar, Delaware|Delmar]] *[[Dewey Beach, Delaware|Dewey Beach]] *[[Ellendale, Delaware|Ellendale]] *[[Elsmere, Delaware|Elsmere]] *[[Farmington, Delaware|Farmington]] *[[Felton, Delaware|Felton]] {{col-2-of-4}} ===[[:Category:Towns in Delaware|Towns ''(cont.)'']]=== *[[Fenwick Island, Delaware|Fenwick Island]] *[[Frankford, Delaware|Frankford]] *[[Frederica, Delaware|Frederica]] *[[Georgetown, Delaware|Georgetown]] *[[Greenwood, Delaware|Greenwood]] *[[Hartly, Delaware|Hartly]] *[[Henlopen Acres, Delaware|Henlopen Acres]] *[[Houston, Delaware|Houston]] *[[Kenton, Delaware|Kenton]] *[[Laurel, Delaware|Laurel]] *[[Leipsic, Delaware|Leipsic]] *[[Little Creek, Delaware|Little Creek]] *[[Magnolia, Delaware|Magnolia]] *[[Middletown, Delaware|Middletown]] *[[Millsboro, Delaware|Millsboro]] *[[Millville, Delaware|Millville]] *[[Milton, Delaware|Milton]] *[[Newport, Delaware|Newport]] *[[Ocean View, Delaware|Ocean View]] *[[Odessa, Delaware|Odessa]] *[[Selbyville, Delaware|Selbyville]] *[[Slaughter Beach, Delaware|Slaughter Beach]] *[[Smyrna, Delaware|Smyrna ]] *[[South Bethany, Delaware|South Bethany]] *[[Townsend, Delaware|Townsend]] *[[Viola, Delaware|Viola]] *[[Woodside, Delaware|Woodside]] *[[Wyoming, Delaware|Wyoming]] ===[[:Category:Villages in Delaware|Villages]]=== *[[Arden, Delaware|Arden]] *[[Ardencroft, Delaware|Ardencroft]] *[[Ardentown, Delaware|Ardentown]] {{col-3-of-4}} ===[[:Category:Unincorporated communities in Delaware|Unincorporated]] [[census-designated place|places]]=== *[[Bear, Delaware|Bear]] *[[Brookside, Delaware|Brookside]] *[[Canterbury, Delaware|Canterbury]] *[[Clarksville, Delaware|Clarksville]] *[[Claymont, Delaware|Claymont]] *[[Dover Base Housing, Delaware|Dover Base Housing]] *[[Edgemoor, Delaware|Edgemoor]] *[[Glasgow, Delaware|Glasgow]] *[[Greenville, Delaware|Greenville]] *[[Gumboro, Delaware|Gumboro]] *[[Hardscrabble, Delaware|Hardscrabble]] *[[Highland Acres, Delaware|Highland Acres]] *[[Hockessin, Delaware|Hockessin]] *[[Kent Acres, Delaware|Kent Acres]] *[[Long Neck, Delaware|Long Neck]] *[[North Star, Delaware|North Star]] *[[Omar, Delaware|Omar]] *[[Pike Creek, Delaware|Pike Creek]] *[[Rising Sun-Lebanon, Delaware|Rising Sun-Lebanon]] *[[Riverview, Delaware|Riverview]] *[[Rodney Village, Delaware|Rodney village]] *[[Roxana, Delaware|Roxana]] *[[Wilmington Manor, Delaware|Wilmington Manor]] *[[Woodside East, Delaware|Woodside East]] {{col-4-of-4}} [[Image:Dover Delaware.jpg|thumb|[[Dover, Delaware|Dover]]]] [[Image:Newark Delaware.jpg|thumb|[[Newark, Delaware|Newark]]]] [[Image:High street.jpg|thumb|[[Seaford, Delaware|Seaford]]]] [[Image:Wilmington Delaware skyline.jpg|thumb|[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]]] {{col-end}} [[Image:National-atlas-delaware.png|thumb|300 px|map of Delaware cities]] ===Top 10 richest places in Delaware=== Ranked by [[per capita income]] #[[Greenville, Delaware|Greenville]]: $83,223 #[[Henlopen Acres, Delaware|Henlopen Acres]]: $82,091 #[[South Bethany, Delaware|South Bethany]]: $53,624 #[[Dewey Beach, Delaware|Dewey Beach]]: $51,958 #[[Fenwick Island, Delaware|Fenwick Island]]: $44,415 #[[Bethany Beach, Delaware|Bethany Beach]]: $41,306 #[[Hockessin, Delaware|Hockessin]]: $40,516 #[[North Star, Delaware|North Star]]: $39,677 #[[Rehoboth Beach, Delaware|Rehoboth Beach]]: $38,494 #[[Ardentown, Delaware|Ardentown]]: $35,577 {{see|Delaware locations by per capita income}} ==Education== Delaware was the origin of ''[[Belton v. Gebhart]]'', one of the four cases which was combined into ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'', the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] decision that led to the end of [[racial segregation|segregated]] public schools. Significantly, ''Belton'' was the only case in which the state court found '''for''' the plaintiffs, thereby ruling that segregation was unconstitutional. Unlike many states, Delaware's educational system is centralized in a state Superintendent of Education, with local school boards retaining control over taxation and some curriculum decisions. A "three-tiered diploma" system fostered by Governor Ruth Ann Minner, which awarded "basic," "standard," and "distinguished" high-school diplomas based on a student's performance in the Delaware Student Testing Program, was discontinued by the General Assembly after many Delawareans questioned its fairness. ===Colleges and universities=== <table><tr><td valign=top> *[[Delaware College of Art and Design]] *[[Delaware State University]] *[[Delaware Technical & Community College]] *[[Drexel University]] at Wilmington *[[Goldey-Beacom College]] </td><td valign=top> *[[University of Delaware]] *[[Wesley College (Delaware)|Wesley College]] *[[Widener University School of Law]] *[[Wilmington University]] </td></tr></table> ==Miscellaneous topics== ===Media=== There are no network broadcast-television stations operating solely in Delaware. A local [[PBS]] from Philadelphia (but licensed to Wilmington), [[WHYY-TV]], maintains a studio and broadcasting facility in Wilmington and Dover. Philadelphia's [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate, [[WPVI-TV]], maintains a news bureau in downtown Wilmington. The northern part of the state is served by network stations in Philadelphia and the southern part by network stations in [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]] and [[Salisbury, Maryland]]. Salisbury's [[CBS]] affiliate, [[WBOC-TV]], maintains bureaus in Dover and Milton. ===Tourism=== While Delaware has no places designated as national parks, national seashores, national battlefields, national memorials, or national monuments, it does have several [[List of Museums in Delaware|museums]], [[:Category:National Wildlife Refuges in Delaware|wildlife refuges]], [[:Category:Parks in Delaware|parks]], [[:Category:Houses in Delaware|houses]], [[:Category:Lighthouses in Delaware|lighthouses]], and other [[:Category:Registered Historic Places in Delaware|historic places]]. Delaware also boasts the longest [[Delaware Memorial Bridge|twin span suspension bridge]] in the world.<ref>[http://www.drba.net/bridge/ Delaware Memorial Bridge<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The state was playfully mocked for its lack of renown as a vacation destination in the movie ''[[Wayne's World (film)|Wayne's World]]'' and the TV show ''The Simpsons''. ===Festivals=== {{main|Delaware festivals}} ===Sports=== {| class="wikitable" !Club !Sport !League |- |[[Wilmington Blue Rocks]] |[[Baseball]] |[[Minor League Baseball]] |- |[[Delaware Griffins]] |[[American football|Football]] |[[Women's Professional Football League]] |- |[[Delaware Smash]] |[[Tennis]] |[[World Team Tennis]] |- |[[Central Delaware SA Future]] |[[Soccer]] |[[Women's Premier Soccer League]] |- |[[Delaware Dynasty]] |Soccer |[[USL Premier Development League]] |- |[[Wilmington City Ruff Rollers]] |[[Roller Derby]] |[[Women's Flat Track Derby Association]] |} In place of in-state professional sports teams, many Delawareans follow either Philadelphia or Baltimore teams, depending on their location within the state, with Philadelphia teams receiving the largest fan following, though before the [[Baltimore Ravens]] entered the NFL, the [[Washington Redskins]] had a significant fan base in Sussex County and the Baltimore Colts had a significant fan base in northern counties. In addition, the University of Delaware's football team has a loyal following throughout the state, with Delaware State University's team enjoying popularity on a much lesser scale. Delaware is home to [[Dover International Speedway]] and [[Dover Downs]]. DIS, also known as the ''Monster Mile'', hosts two [[NASCAR]] races each year. Dover Downs is a popular [[harness racing]] facility. In what may be the only co-located horse and car-racing facility in the nation, the Dover Downs track is located inside the DIS track. Delaware has been home to professional wrestling outfit [[CZW]], particularly the annual Tournament of Death, and [[ECWA]], particularly the annual [[ECWA Super 8 Tournament|Super 8 Tournament]]. Delaware is home to the Diamond State Games, an amateur Olympic-style sports festival. The event is open to athletes of all ages and is also open to residents beyond the borders of Delaware. The Diamond State Games were created in 2001 and participation levels average roughly 2500 per year in 12 contested sports. ===Delaware Native Americans=== '''Delaware''' is also the name of a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] group (called in their own language [[Lenni Lenape]]) that was influential in the colonial period of the United States. A band of the Nanticoke tribe of American Indians resides in Sussex County. ===Namesakes=== * Several ships have been named [[USS Delaware|USS ''Delaware'']] in honor of this state. ===Famous Delawareans=== * [[Thomas F. Bayard]], politician * [[Valerie Bertinelli]], actress * [[Joseph Biden]], U.S. Senator from Delaware, past Presidential candidate. * [[Henry Seidel Canby]], critic, editor, and a Yale University professor * [[Eleuthère Irénée du Pont]], French-born American chemist and industrialist * [[John P. Marquand]], novelist. * [[Ryan Phillippe]], actor * [[Howard Pyle]], illustrator and writer * [[Caesar Rodney]], American Revolutionary leader ==See also== *[[List of Delaware-related topics]] {{portal|Delaware|BlueHenChicken.jpg|left=yes}} {{clear}} <!-- Please place links to all topics directly related to the State of Delaware in the [[List of Delaware-related topics]] --> ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{sisterlinks|Delaware}} *[http://www.delaware.gov/ State of Delaware homepage] *[http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Delaware Delaware State Databases] - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Delaware state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association. *[http://www.visitdelaware.com/ Delaware Tourism homepage] *[http://datamil.delaware.gov/ Delaware Map Data] *[http://www.stateplanning.delaware.gov/ Delaware Population Projections] *[http://www.kalmarnyckel.org The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation & Tall Ship Kalmar Nyckel.] *[http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/24.htm The Emancipation Proclamation] Includes a short introduction. *[http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/senate/constitution/amdt13.html U.S. Senate site with the full U.S. Constitution and the Thirteenth Amendment] "Slavery and Involuntary Servitude" *[http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=DE Energy & Environmental Data for Delaware] *[http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=DE USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Delaware] *[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/10000.html U.S. Census Bureau] *[http://www.usnewspapers.org/state/delaware Delaware Newspapers] *[http://www.ers.usda.gov/StateFacts/DE.htm Delaware State Facts] *[History topics timeline of Delaware 1737-1837][http://www.usastatesdates.com/delaware.htm] *[http://www.delamed.org/ Delaware Academy of Medicine] *[http://www.healthyde.org/ HealthyDE.org] {{-}} {{Delaware|expand}} {{United States}} {{US South}} {{succession | preceded = First state | office = [[List of U.S. states by date of statehood]] | years = Ratified [[Constitution of the United States of America|Constitution]] on [[December 7]], [[1787]] (1st) | succeeded = [[Pennsylvania]] }} {{coor title d|39|N|75.5|W|region:US-DE_type:state}} [[Category:Delaware| ]] [[Category:States of the United States]] [[Category:Former British colonies]] [[Category:1787 establishments]] [[af:Delaware]] [[ang:Delaware]] [[ar:ديلاوير]] [[frp:Delaware]] [[ast:Delaware]] [[az:Delaver]] [[bn:ডেলাওয়্যার]] [[zh-min-nan:Delaware]] [[be-x-old:Дэлавэр]] [[bs:Delaware]] [[br:Delaware (stad)]] [[bg:Делауеър]] [[ca:Delaware]] [[cv:Делавэр]] [[cs:Delaware]] [[cy:Delaware]] [[da:Delaware]] [[de:Delaware]] [[et:Delaware]] [[el:Ντελαγουέρ]] [[es:Delaware]] [[eo:Delavaro]] [[eu:Delaware]] [[fa:دلاویر]] [[fo:Delaware]] [[fr:Delaware]] [[fy:Delaware]] [[ga:Delaware]] [[gv:Delaware]] [[gd:Delaware]] [[gl:Delaware]] [[ko:델라웨어 주]] [[haw:Kelawea]] [[hy:Դելավեր]] [[hi:डेलावर]] [[hr:Delaware]] [[io:Delaware]] [[ig:Delaware]] [[bpy:ডেলাওয়্যার]] [[id:Delaware]] [[ik:Delauaare]] [[os:Делавэр]] [[is:Delaware (fylki)]] [[it:Delaware]] [[he:דלאוור]] [[pam:Delaware]] [[ka:დელავერი (შტატი)]] [[ks:डेलावेर]] [[kw:Delaware]] [[sw:Delaware]] [[ht:Delawè]] [[ku:Delaware]] [[lad:Delaware]] [[la:Delevaria]] [[lv:Delavēra]] [[lb:Delaware]] [[lt:Delaveras]] [[lij:Delaware]] [[hu:Delaware]] [[mk:Делавер]] [[mi:Delaware]] [[mr:डेलावेर]] [[ms:Delaware]] [[nl:Delaware]] [[ja:デラウェア州]] [[no:Delaware]] [[nn:Delaware]] [[oc:Delaware]] [[uz:Delaver]] [[pms:Delaware]] [[nds:Delaware]] [[pl:Delaware]] [[pt:Delaware]] [[ro:Delaware (stat SUA)]] [[ru:Делавэр]] [[sq:Delaware]] [[simple:Delaware]] [[sk:Delaware (štát USA)]] [[sl:Delaware]] [[sr:Делавер]] [[sh:Delaver]] [[fi:Delaware]] [[sv:Delaware]] [[tl:Delaware]] [[ta:டெலவெயர்]] [[th:มลรัฐเดลาแวร์]] [[vi:Delaware]] [[tr:Delaware]] [[uk:Делавер]] [[ur:ڈیلاویئر]] [[vo:Delaware]] [[yi:דעלעווער]] [[diq:Delaware]] [[bat-smg:Delavers]] [[zh:特拉华州]]