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Quizzes > Geography > Countries & Cities

Think You Know All US State Capitals? Take the Quiz!

Ready for US states and capitals practice? Dive in and challenge yourself!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of United States map and capital cities quiz invitation on sky blue background

This States and Capitals of the United States quiz helps you practice naming each state's capital and spot gaps before a test. Play at your pace and try for a perfect score, or warm up with a quick practice round first.

What is the capital of California?
San Francisco
Sacramento
San Diego
Los Angeles
Sacramento is the capital city of California and has been the state capital since 1854. It sits at the confluence of the Sacramento and American rivers in Northern California. The city serves as the political center of the state and houses the California State Capitol building. .
What is the capital of Texas?
Houston
Austin
Dallas
San Antonio
Austin has been the capital of Texas since 1839 and is known for its vibrant music scene as well as being the seat of state government. Located in Central Texas on the Colorado River, it was chosen to serve as a compromise location between eastern and western regions. The city is home to the Texas State Capitol building. .
What is the capital of New York?
Rochester
Albany
New York City
Buffalo
Albany has been the capital of New York since 1797 and is one of the oldest chartered cities in the United States. It is situated on the west bank of the Hudson River and serves as the seat of New York's state government. Albany houses the Empire State Plaza and other key government offices. .
What is the capital of Ohio?
Columbus
Cincinnati
Toledo
Cleveland
Columbus was selected as Ohio's state capital in 1816 due to its central location. It is the largest city in Ohio and houses the Ohio Statehouse, where the state government convenes. Today, Columbus is a major cultural and economic center of the Midwest. .
What is the capital of Michigan?
Lansing
Ann Arbor
Grand Rapids
Detroit
Lansing became Michigan's capital in 1847, chosen as a compromise location between the northern and southern regions. It is one of the few state capitals that is not the largest city in its state. Lansing is home to the Michigan State Capitol building and key government offices. .
What is the capital of Florida?
Orlando
Miami
Tallahassee
Jacksonville
Tallahassee was chosen as Florida's capital in 1824, largely because of its mid-point location between East and West Florida. It is the largest city in the Florida Panhandle and houses the Florida State Capitol. The city played a key role in territorial and state government history. .
What is the capital of Illinois?
Naperville
Peoria
Chicago
Springfield
Springfield became the capital of Illinois in 1839, moving from Vandalia in part to be more centrally located. It is famously associated with Abraham Lincoln, who lived there before his presidency. Today, the Illinois State Capitol building is a major landmark in the city. .
What is the capital of Kentucky?
Bowling Green
Louisville
Lexington
Frankfort
Frankfort has been Kentucky's capital since 1792 when the state was admitted to the Union. It is relatively small compared to Louisville and Lexington but serves as the political center of the Commonwealth. The Kentucky State Capitol is located on a hill overlooking the Kentucky River. .
What is the capital of Utah?
Ogden
Provo
St. George
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 and became the territorial capital that same year. When Utah achieved statehood in 1896, it retained Salt Lake City as its capital. The city is known for the Salt Lake Temple and for hosting the Utah State Capitol building. .
What is the capital of South Dakota?
Rapid City
Pierre
Sioux Falls
Aberdeen
Pierre was selected as the capital of South Dakota in 1889 when it became a state. Its central location along the Missouri River influenced the decision despite being one of the smallest state capitals by population. The South Dakota State Capitol building is a notable landmark on Capitol Avenue. .
What is the capital of Rhode Island?
Providence
Newport
Warwick
Cranston
Providence was founded in 1636 and became the capital of Rhode Island in 1900, replacing Newport. It is the shining city on the hill that Roger Williams envisioned as a place of religious freedom. Today, Providence is home to the Rhode Island State House and a vibrant arts scene. .
What is the capital of Alaska?
Anchorage
Fairbanks
Sitka
Juneau
Juneau became the capital of Alaska in 1906, replacing Sitka, largely to be more centrally located for the territorial and later state government. Despite being inaccessible by road, it remains the political hub and hosts the Alaska State Capitol. Juneau's unique location underscores Alaska's distinct geography. .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify State Capitals -

    Accurately name all 50 capitals on the states and capitals of the United States quiz, reinforcing your mastery of each capital city of American states.

  2. Recall States from Capitals -

    Recall which state corresponds to a given capital, boosting your reverse lookup skills for US states and capitals practice.

  3. Match Capitals Efficiently -

    Quickly match each capital city to its state, improving speed and accuracy during trivia or timed quizzes.

  4. Analyze Regional Patterns -

    Recognize geographic clusters of state capitals to better understand regional groupings and planning.

  5. Apply Quiz Strategies -

    Use proven memorization and quiz-taking techniques to enhance performance on capital cities of American states trivia.

  6. Enhance US Geography Knowledge -

    Build a stronger foundation in US geography that can be applied to exams, travel planning, or quiz nights.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Regional Groupings with Mnemonics -

    Break down the US into regions (e.g., New England, Midwest, South, West) and create acronyms like "MIMI" for Maine - Illinois - Michigan - Indiana to lock in capitals by area. This strategy, recommended by geography educators at National Geographic, simplifies the states and capitals of the United States quiz by tackling small clusters at a time.

  2. Landmark Associations and Word Roots -

    Link each capital to a famous landmark or its linguistic origin - for instance, Phoenix (Arizona) evokes the mythical bird rising from ashes, matching its desert rebirth theme. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, tying etymology or iconic imagery to a capital city sticks in your mind far better than rote memorization.

  3. Interactive Map Drills -

    Use blank-map exercises from sources like the U.S. Census Bureau or digital tools such as Seterra to quiz yourself on capital locations in a hands-on way. Regular us states and capitals practice with color-coded regions can improve spatial recall and make your capital cities of American states trivia sessions more dynamic.

  4. Flashcards & Spaced Repetition -

    Leverage apps like Anki or Quizlet to build custom flashcards for each capital and schedule reviews at optimal intervals, a method endorsed by memory researchers at leading universities. Embedding the capital cities of American states quiz questions into these decks ensures you reinforce tough pairs until they're second nature.

  5. Focus on Outliers and Common Mix-Ups -

    Pay special attention to capitals that aren't the largest city, such as Albany (not New York City) or Carson City (not Las Vegas), since these often trip up quiz takers. Reviewing a list of these oddballs - compiled by the Smithsonian - helps you ace tricky questions on capital cities of American states trivia.

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