How to Remember the United States Map
Remembering the 50 states on a U.S. map is a great way to impress your friends and exercise your memory. Whether you're looking for a challenge or simply need to pass a quiz, there are a few memorization techniques that can help. They might not be of assistance if you're pressed for time, but they will work to increase your knowledge of geography, help you familiarize yourself with the may regions of the United States, and prove your patriotism.
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Instructions
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Study a map of the United States before you set out to memorize anything. Start by taking note of the state in which you live, any states that you've visited, and surrounding states that you can identify easily.
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Get a baseline assessment of your knowledge by taking a 50 states quiz, either online or in a workbook. Try to identify states as quickly as you can.
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Score your quiz, and make a list of the states that stumped you. You will want to focus on these states for further study so that you can remember them in the future.
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Use the association method of memorization for the states that trouble you. This technique requires that you relate the name of the state to something you'll easily recall from memory. If you needed help finding Florida, for example, you might think of the state nickname, the Sunshine State, and associate the long shape of the state to an ice cream cone. So when looking for the Florida, you'd actually be looking for the ice cream cone instead.
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Create mnemonic devices. Mnemonic devices use meaningless phrases to help remember facts, usually with acronyms. For instance, to remember the states going down the west coast, you might learn the phrase "wash oranges carefully," with the "w" standing for Washington; the "o" for Oregon; and the "c" for California."
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Print out blank copies of the United States map and practice naming the states. Treat it like a game or a puzzle and see how much you can remember. If you run into a state that you absolutely cannot identify, consult a map and then fill it in. You can retake the test weekly or biweekly just to check your own progress.
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