Delaware takes its name from the Delaware Bay, which in turn was named for Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr. Founded as a Dutch settlement in 1631, Delaware was taken by the British in 1664. Although initially reluctant to declare independence from Britain, Delaware went along with the American Revolution and was, in fact, the first of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the Articles of Confederation and become a state. This earned Delaware its nickname "The First State."

The tiny state of Delaware is an interesting mix of Appalachian Piedmont (with rolling, forested hills) and Atlantic Coastal Plain (with sandy or marshy ground). Nearly half of the state's land is occupied by farms for poultry, dairy, soybeans, or corn. Delaware has also garnered a reputation as the "corporate capital of the world," as they have managed to entice over 180,000 corporations to headquarter there.